Paid FP options coming soon to WDW?

[Moliphino]

7DMT was not hard to get at 60 days, and was even possible at 50 days. The only things that were hard to get were SDD & FOP. Not a reason to scrap th whole system.

I've gotten FOP day of, without knowing any of the drop time secrets.

 

[Fido Chuckwagon]

Maybe so, but SDMT was difficult to get before 60+4 on our 2016 and 2017 visits. We always have 10-12 people in our group.

Well, I mean, yeah 10-12 people? Sure that’s going to be tough. But for the average family of four? No, it’s not.

 

[MickeyWaffles]

I've gotten FOP day of, without knowing any of the drop time secrets.

for how many people?

 

[Moliphino]

for how many people?

Two. The largest party I've had to plan for is 7 and I had no issues getting everything at 60 days.

 

[MickeyWaffles]

Well, I mean, yeah 10-12 people? Sure that’s going to be tough. But for the average family of four? No, it’s not.

Is the average group size at Disney really 4? I think many extended family groups travel to Disney. Always see many tables at TS places with more than 4 people, large groups standing together in line etc.

Anyway, since we are DVC and always on site for about 7 days, we could normally get all the headliner FPs we wanted for our group, but had to be later in the trip. I just don’t think the system was that great for all of the differences in group sizes, people with shorter trips, APs, etc. - and particularly the way it made standby lines outrageous.

We’ll see what they come up with next. I personally think they can do better.

 

[Jrb1979]

Is the average group size at Disney really 4? I think many extended family groups travel to Disney. Always see many tables at TS places with more than 4 people, large groups standing together in line etc.

Anyway, since we are DVC and always on site for about 7 days, we could normally get all the headliner FPs we wanted for our group, but had to be later in the trip. I just don’t think the system was that great for all of the differences in group sizes, people with shorter trips, APs, etc. - and particularly the way it made standby lines outrageous.

We’ll see what they come up with next. I personally think they can do better.

Once way is to get rid of timed FP. I personally hate all the planning involved. When I go to parks I like to do what I want when I want. It's a big reason I love the Universal system.

 

[marikujawa]

7DMT was not hard to get at 60 days, and was even possible at 50 days. The only things that were hard to get were SDD & FOP. Not a reason to scrap th whole system.

The system broke for me when Fastpass+ was not available for the Galaxy's Edge rides. Not so much Millennium Falcon (standby only at first), but definitely RotR with its boarding group structure. I didn't mind having limited rides in exchange for knowing that I would be able to reserve the newest, most popular ride. In any event, I don't think FP+ was working well for Disney, at least not toward the end.

 

[ChrisM]

Once way is to get rid of timed FP. I personally hate all the planning involved. When I go to parks I like to do what I want when I want. It's a big reason I love the Universal system.

This is exactly it.

FP availability (or lack thereof) is its own issue. The larger issue is the hourly scheduling of individual rides two months in advance.

By and large, people hate that ****. And it turns off the big spenders even more.

 

[Jrb1979]

This is exactly it.

FP availability (or lack thereof) is its own issue. The larger issue is the hourly scheduling of individual rides two months in advance.

By and large, people hate that ****. And it turns off the big spenders even more.

That's suprising to me. I thought Disney fans loved the spreadsheet planning for the most part.

 

[ChrisM]

That's suprising to me. I thought Disney fans loved the spreadsheet planning for the most part.

The hard core addicts certainly love it - but they are a vocal online community and don't represent the majority of guests.

There are some parts of the planning process that can be fun as it builds anticipation for the trip, but a trip to Universal really opened my eyes as to how much more fun and relaxing a truly spontaneous day of theme parking touring can really be.

 

[Jrb1979]

The hard core addicts certainly love it - but they are a vocal online community and don't represent the majority of guests.

There are some parts of the planning process that can be fun as it builds anticipation for the trip, but a trip to Universal really opened my eyes as to how much more fun and relaxing a truly spontaneous day of theme parking touring can really be.

Agreed. I think why that is, is that most hardcores don't visit other parks much, if at all.

 

[TiggerBouncy]

This is exactly it.

FP availability (or lack thereof) is its own issue. The larger issue is the hourly scheduling of individual rides two months in advance.

By and large, people hate that ****. And it turns off the big spenders even more.

That's suprising to me. I thought Disney fans loved the spreadsheet planning for the most part.

Again this ties back in part to what I indicated earlier. It works if you only plan on visiting 3 rides. Where it gets messed up is when you try to plan past that and add in ADR's, special experiences (like Savi's), shows, etc and the uncertainly that FP+ introduces in the system.

ADR's have gotten very unforgiving. If you arrive more than 10 minutes, you can't check in. If you are 15 minutes late, they give it away. In some cases, the CM's have been downright ugly about it (my last trip, when trying to get into Sci-Fi Diner). Shows have a specific time. Experiences even more so. Now, try planning for a 20 minute arrival window when every thing before that has a variability of 30+ minutes. It's just not possible. You are almost certainly going to lose ADR's or have to abandon rides you have been waiting in line for.

The current system has to give one way or the other. It reached its breaking point already.

Again, this is nothing that Disney does not already know. They are well aware of it. Which is why I expect there will be changes.

 

[ThistleMae]

I agree it's hard to plan ADR's then build FP+ around that. We decided to end planning ADR's and went to quick service for this reason. However, making sure I get the FP's for the rides I want every day has only been possible with FP+. And yes, I have been able to get lucky and get on some of the premier rides at the end of the night, or at rope drop but that has been all a matter of luck. I don't know the solution, and with things on hold due to Covid, I imagine now is the opportunity for Disney to make changes. I'm waiting to see how this all plays out and planning no trips until next year.

 

[ThistleMae]

For the first time in forever, we are considering staying offsite. I'm not totally in favor of it, but my daughter is beginning to think it will be way more cost effective. She said, we'll just uber or lyft when needed to go back and forth. And with all the changes being considered, there may not be enough perks onsite to justify the expense.

 

[Moliphino]

ADR's have gotten very unforgiving. If you arrive more than 10 minutes, you can't check in. If you are 15 minutes late, they give it away. In some cases, the CM's have been downright ugly about it (my last trip, when trying to get into Sci-Fi Diner).

That's always been dependent on the individual restaurants. I've been accommodated recently at Tiffins when we were quite early for our dinner ADR and figured we'd see if they could seat us early rather than trying to kill time. Oga's took us in earlier than mobile check in was active.

 

[Jrb1979]

I agree it's hard to plan ADR's then build FP+ around that. We decided to end planning ADR's and went to quick service for this reason. However, making sure I get the FP's for the rides I want every day has only been possible with FP+. And yes, I have been able to get lucky and get on some of the premier rides at the end of the night, or at rope drop but that has been all a matter of luck. I don't know the solution, and with things on hold due to Covid, I imagine now is the opportunity for Disney to make changes. I'm waiting to see how this all plays out and planning no trips until next year.

There is an easy solution. Get rid of all ADRs permanently or go back to the way they used to be. Reservations only day off. You call in that morning. As far as FP goes make it like every other park and not base it on times. Parks are better when you don't have to plan anything and do as you want to do.

 

[Moliphino]

There is an easy solution. Get rid of all ADRs permanently or go back to the way they used to be. Reservations only day off. You call in that morning. As far as FP goes make it like every other park and not base it on times. Parks are better when you don't have to plan anything and do as you want to do.

In your opinion. I like knowing ahead of time that I will get on all the headliners and be able to eat at the places I want. I think 180 days was excessively early, but the current 60 days for ADRs is good.

 

[marikujawa]

That's always been dependent on the individual restaurants. I've been accommodated recently at Tiffins when we were quite early for our dinner ADR and figured we'd see if they could seat us early rather than trying to kill time. Oga's took us in earlier than mobile check in was active.

It's always been my experience that things are much more difficult on this site than at Disney. Sometimes I feel I visit an entirely different Disney than the one described here.

 

[jpeterson]

For the first time in forever, we are considering staying offsite. I'm not totally in favor of it, but my daughter is beginning to think it will be way more cost effective. She said, we'll just uber or lyft when needed to go back and forth. And with all the changes being considered, there may not be enough perks onsite to justify the expense.

How do the uber/lyft charges affect the savings out of curiosity? I don't use either service often enough to get a sense to how much they add. I wouldn't think it would be much more than a rental car + parking, especially with the prices of rentals lately.

 

[Buttcracker]

There is an easy solution. Get rid of all ADRs permanently or go back to the way they used to be. Reservations only day off. You call in that morning. As far as FP goes make it like every other park and not base it on times. Parks are better when you don't have to plan anything and do as you want to do.

I disagree-I like to have my trip planned in advance! I don't want to have scramble the morning of to find out where I'm eating.