Our FP+ testing experience 7/19

[delmar411]

Ok, our test day is over (grouchy kiddos and tons of tour groups don't mesh well).

The bands worked as intended the entire 2 days.

The front desk concierge CM managed to delete my entire itinerary within 30secs of me asking to switch out RNRC to TOT. This was part of our test assignment to request they make some changes. He had no idea what he did wrong and I had to tell him to get a manager who was unable to recover my itinerary and I had to book our day all over again and she couldn't recover our exact times so I'm not sure where they went off to. TBH I was pretty pissed off that he did something like that without understanding the consequences of him clicking away since it had taken me forever just to book those FP+ selections.

All the bands worked to open both our rooms and to gain access to the resort.

We were curious how they would handle the magic bands in regards to parking but we were just waved through when the CM saw the parking pass.

The bands all worked at the park entrance and the CM working the touch points was asking about the bands and told me that there were covers I could purchase for the bands that supposedly made them more comfortable. While I'm sure that he was trying to be helpful, it came across as a Disney money grab which seems really distasteful.

The bands all worked at the touch points and the merge points and at Star Tours they addressed the kids by their names which would have been nice but the kids had the bands all mixed up so it upset my ODS to be addressed by YDS's name. ( they are often confused as twins which was part of his over reaction)

Everyone who saw the bands and saw them in use (guests and cast) thought they were completely awesome and exciting. So I guess Disney hit the mark with that part of it. And we have the plain gray bands not a customized one.

I was able to double dip and we are park hopping later on so we will see if we can pull FPs at another park with the room keys.

I was not able to add more FP+ selections, I tried using the website and the app.

The bands are not connected to the park FP machines so our return time for TOT overlapped our FP+ time. We gave away our TSM FPs so no guests were harmed in our experiments. LOL

The bands also worked at QS locations. We didn't eat TS or buy things so not sure of how they work there.

I hope this answers some questions.

 

[mom2mickeyfan]

Thank you for the info!!

 

[MYD714]

We gave away our TSM FPs so no guests were harmed in our experiments. LOL

Thanks so much for the info!!


One more question: How comfortable/uncomfortable are the bands, and do they feel sweaty in the summer heat?

 

[g-dad66]

Thanks for the report!

So you were able to get both FP+ and FP- because they also gave you a KTTW card in addition to the Magic Bands, correct?

Do you know if that is also going to happen in August?

 

[mesaboy2]

Ok, our test day is over (grouchy kiddos and tons of tour groups don't mesh well).

The bands worked as intended the entire 2 days.

The front desk concierge CM managed to delete my entire itinerary within 30secs of me asking to switch out RNRC to TOT. This was part of our test assignment to request they make some changes. He had no idea what he did wrong and I had to tell him to get a manager who was unable to recover my itinerary and I had to book our day all over again and she couldn't recover our exact times so I'm not sure where they went off to. TBH I was pretty pissed off that he did something like that without understanding the consequences of him clicking away since it had taken me forever just to book those FP+ selections.

All the bands worked to open both our rooms and to gain access to the resort.

We were curious how they would handle the magic bands in regards to parking but we were just waved through when the CM saw the parking pass.

The bands all worked at the park entrance and the CM working the touch points was asking about the bands and told me that there were covers I could purchase for the bands that supposedly made them more comfortable. While I'm sure that he was trying to be helpful, it came across as a Disney money grab which seems really distasteful.

The bands all worked at the touch points and the merge points and at Star Tours they addressed the kids by their names which would have been nice but the kids had the bands all mixed up so it upset my ODS to be addressed by YDS's name. ( they are often confused as twins which was part of his over reaction)

Everyone who saw the bands and saw them in use (guests and cast) thought they were completely awesome and exciting. So I guess Disney hit the mark with that part of it. And we have the plain gray bands not a customized one.

I was able to double dip and we are park hopping later on so we will see if we can pull FPs at another park with the room keys.

I was not able to add more FP+ selections, I tried using the website and the app.

The bands are not connected to the park FP machines so our return time for TOT overlapped our FP+ time. We gave away our TSM FPs so no guests were harmed in our experiments. LOL

The bands also worked at QS locations. We didn't eat TS or buy things so not sure of how they work there.

I hope this answers some questions.

Thank you for reporting your experience.

 

[Vertical]

Can you explain to me exactly how the FP+ reservations are actualized? Do you physically ever get any kind of ticket? Or is it purely digital, in that you have to simple remember when you have FP+ reservations and show up with your bands? Or do you get some kind of physical ticket?

 

[Vertical]

Thanks for the report!

So you were able to get both FP+ and FP- because they also gave you a KTTW card in addition to the Magic Bands, correct?

Do you know if that is also going to happen in August?

The CM I spoke to yesterday said we would be getting both bands and KTTW cards in August. Take that for whatever it's worth (not much).

 

[mom2mickeyfan]

Can you explain to me exactly how the FP+ reservations are actualized? Do you physically ever get any kind of ticket? Or is it purely digital, in that you have to simple remember when you have FP+ reservations and show up with your bands? Or do you get some kind of physical ticket?

My understanding is that it will be all digital.

 

[jtowntoflorida]

Thanks, delmar, for reporting back so quickly!

The front desk concierge CM managed to delete my entire itinerary within 30secs of me asking to switch out RNRC to TOT. This was part of our test assignment to request they make some changes. He had no idea what he did wrong and I had to tell him to get a manager who was unable to recover my itinerary and I had to book our day all over again and she couldn't recover our exact times so I'm not sure where they went off to. TBH I was pretty pissed off that he did something like that without understanding the consequences of him clicking away since it had taken me forever just to book those FP+ selections.

This is the #1 reason why I won't participate if the tests are still going on when we're there. I go away on vacation to get away from stress and irritation, not to voluntarily subject myself to it with no real benefit in return!

 

[Vertical]

My understanding is that it will be all digital.

So people without smartphones on them (I realize that isn't too many people these days) will have to simply remember what dates and times their FP+'s are for for the entire length of their stay? Obviously printouts could be brought, but some people may not realize this...

 

[jtowntoflorida]

Can you explain to me exactly how the FP+ reservations are actualized? Do you physically ever get any kind of ticket? Or is it purely digital, in that you have to simple remember when you have FP+ reservations and show up with your bands? Or do you get some kind of physical ticket?

It's all digital. I think you're supposed to be tracking where you're supposed to be when by using the MDE app on your smartphone. Which many people don't have.

 

[delmar411]

Thanks so much for the info!!

One more question: How comfortable/uncomfortable are the bands, and do they feel sweaty in the summer heat?

They are seriously awful and hot and sweaty is an understatement. Kids would only put them on to use at the touch points and YDD (special needs) refused to wear it at all. She didn't care about using it at the touch points.

 

[mom2mickeyfan]

So people without smartphones on them (I realize that isn't too many people these days) will have to simply remember what dates and times their FP+'s are for for the entire length of their stay? Obviously printouts could be brought, but some people may not realize this...

This is our family. We don't have smart phones and our tablet won't download the app.

 

[Vertical]

It's all digital. I think you're supposed to be tracking where you're supposed to be when by using the MDE app on your smartphone. Which many people don't have.

Right, which was my concern. I mean, I have a smartphone, so I'm not terribly worried about it, but still. There are tons of scenarios which will now require that people possibly memorize when their FP+'s are for several days:

1) No smartphone
2) Dead smartphone
3) Lost smartphone
4) Not currently with the party member who HAS a smartphone...

Etc.

 

[delmar411]

Thanks for the report!

So you were able to get both FP+ and FP- because they also gave you a KTTW card in addition to the Magic Bands, correct?

Do you know if that is also going to happen in August?

Correct. And I'd assume you will get cards in August because they have to be proactive about making sure you have access in case of the bands failure.

 

[mom2mickeyfan]

Right, which was my concern. I mean, I have a smartphone, so I'm not terribly worried about it, but still. There are tons of scenarios which will now require that people possibly memorize when their FP+'s are for several days:

1) No smartphone
2) Dead smartphone
3) Lost smartphone
4) Not currently with the party member who HAS a smartphone...

Etc.

You can always go wait in line at one of the kiosks that Disney will have. Wonder if our family can get a free FP+ for this!

 

[delmar411]

This is our family. We don't have smart phones and our tablet won't download the app.

They gave me a printout at concierge when I asked for one.

 

[jtowntoflorida]

They gave me a printout at concierge when I asked for one.

That is extraordinarly high tech!

 

[Vertical]

They gave me a printout at concierge when I asked for one.

So, aside from the no physical ticket thing, I assume there is a FP+ Magic Band scanner at the end of each FP+ line for the attractions?

What about for things like Electrical Parade and Wishes? How do they verify that you actually have a FP+ for that date and time? CM with a scanner?

 

[mom2mickeyfan]

They gave me a printout at concierge when I asked for one.

I guess I should say that we stay off-site also. Us off-site guest that don't have smart phones really have the deck stacked against us.