Possible good news for offsiters and FP+

[Vidia2]

We can also speculate/debate about whether opening up pre-booking for ALL guests will result in the slots selling out (at least for the most popular rides) at the 60 day mark (or at some point between T minus 60 and D-Day) as predicted by the "Negative Nelly Naysayer Doom & Gloom FP+ Haters Club Usual Suspects." * Well, I should say you can debate that. I'm still abstaining/recusing myself. * Someone will now post that they are holding some slots back for "day of." That's been repeatedly asserted as "fact" but I've not seen any definitive source other than someone repeatedly posting this based on speculation with very thin anecdotal evidence.

Why would they not hold some back for day of? It's not anecdotal that they are doing it now. It's fact.

They want to reserve some for people who just show up at a park and buy their ticket that day. Also they want to reserve some so that a limited amount of guests can made changes day-of and still get decent attractions. This will maintain the illusion of flexibility.

 

[mom2rtk]

I do believe that they are holding some back now. They really had to since off-site and many AP holders had no opportunity to book ahead of time. The real question is, will they continue to do so once everyone is online with advance booking.

 

[nugov2]

I do believe that they are holding some back now. They really had to since off-site and many AP holders had no opportunity to book ahead of time. The real question is, will they continue to do so once everyone is online with advance booking.

Good question. I'd book mine as close to the 60 days as I could just to be safe until this whole thing stops changing every few weeks. Who knows what they will do and who knows when it will change. I'd assume that they won't hold any back once all are able to book(or at least a small amount where the good ones will be really hard to get). Maybe what will happen though is that few people will book early...though I don't think that will happen either.

ETA: that the risk WDW takes with holding them back is that people prebooking cannot get any and then don't want to go to the parks...so I would guess they only hold back if there are any left to do so...because telling people Space Mountain is sold out 10 days before their trip would make people pretty upset.

 

[Mordinar]

This is what I get when I log into MDE, I bought undercover tourist tickets and staying offiste.

 

[tweis]

Hi all

I am normally on the cruise boards and have no idea about WDW, so I'm hoping you all can help me out. We are booked at CSR for two nights before our cruise but I have not bought our tickets to the park yet because I don't really care for the package cancellation policy. My question is, if I order tickets from undercover tourist or from the Disney site can I link them to my account and be able to make FP+ reservations before arriving at the park? Sorry if this is totally obvious but I'm lost. Thanks.

 

[kristinradico]

I'm not sure if this has been asked or not, but I can't find it. So offsite guests can book FP+ 60 days out now. Isn't on site guests 60 days in advance as well?? So basically no perk to getting your FP+ from staying onsite versuses off site??

 

[Shaden]

Hi all

I am normally on the cruise boards and have no idea about WDW, so I'm hoping you all can help me out. We are booked at CSR for two nights before our cruise but I have not bought our tickets to the park yet because I don't really care for the package cancellation policy. My question is, if I order tickets from undercover tourist or from the Disney site can I link them to my account and be able to make FP+ reservations before arriving at the park? Sorry if this is totally obvious but I'm lost. Thanks.

I believe the answer is yes, yes you can

 

[tweis]

I believe the answer is yes, yes you can

Thank you. Now, how would I go about doing that?

 

[ArwenMarie]

I knew there was something we could continue to speculate about! Whew! I thought after offsite access was confirmed, we'd have nothing to argue about. I was wrong!!

 

[shalom]

That's been repeatedly asserted as "fact" but I've not seen any definitive source other than someone repeatedly posting this based on speculation with very thin anecdotal evidence.

A ride with little availability suddenly being available in every time slot may be anecdotal, but I don't think it's thin.

The question, as mom2rtk said, is whether this will continue to be the case once the whole system is entirely rolled out. Personally, I think it will be, although they're probably holding back more now than they will then.

This is what I get when I log into MDE, I bought undercover tourist tickets and staying offiste.

They're still not hitting the guest over the head with "FREE, Fastpass is FREE, yo!" which I think needs to be done, since a lot of people didn't ever get that with old FP. The fact that it's right beside restaurant reservations isn't helping, IMHO.

 

[AmyB2006]

This is what I get when I log into MDE, I bought undercover tourist tickets and staying offiste.

Have you ever had an onsite stay where you received magic bands and tested the system prior to this?

And here's another question, do you have FP+ already schedule? Or dining reservations? How does the system know you're 5 days out if you don't have an on site reservation?

 

[AmyB2006]

I do believe that they are holding some back now. They really had to since off-site and many AP holders had no opportunity to book ahead of time. The real question is, will they continue to do so once everyone is online with advance booking.

I think they will simply because there will still be people who don't purchase their tickets till the day of when they arrive. So it might be a way smaller number, but I think they will. JMO.

 

[AmyB2006]

Originally Posted by magicbob View Post
That's been repeatedly asserted as "fact" but I've not seen any definitive source other than someone repeatedly posting this based on speculation with very thin anecdotal evidence.

Not that it's any more "fact" than the rest of this, but I remember someone on here posting (it was a CM) that said there are definitely FPs held back for the day of and that they are released the morning of about 15 minutes before the park actually opens.

I also believe KTP has tested this theory multiple times and even he has "confirmed" it, but again, depends on what you want as fact.

I myself have noticed when I'm there that TSMM FPs read "standby only" the night before, and when I checked in the morning, they were available. But who am I? LOL

Anyway, solid fact, I can't say, but I've seen enough "evidence" to think that this is most likely true.

 

[mom2mickeyfan]

Have you ever had an onsite stay where you received magic bands and tested the system prior to this?

AmyB, I get the same screen and I have never stayed onsite so I have no MBs. I have poked around the site a good bit and haven't gotten this screen until recently.

 

[Vidia2]

So what's the first day that someone without APs who is staying offsite will be able to go online to book FP+ reservations for 60 days from that date? One day later this week?

Also, will the guest need to make an ADR to let WDW know when their trip will start? If so, can guest just cancel ADR after making FP+ reservations or will they have to actually show up for the meal?

Is there someway that you can let WDW know what days your trip will start if you buy tickets through UT or someplace else?

We always stay onsite but if there's little benefit for that any longer I'm more and more intrigued by the people who are going on once in a lifetime offsite trips and being able to come in at $1,500 or some insanely low figure.

 

[mom2rtk]

I think they will simply because there will still be people who don't purchase their tickets till the day of when they arrive. So it might be a way smaller number, but I think they will. JMO.

I hope they don't hold anything back, but nothing would surprise me. I swear I read somewhere last year that someone speaking for Disney about the new system said they weren't going to hold any back. But I could be remembering wrong, or they could very well change the plan.

I think they had to hold back now because without staying onsite you have been UNABLE to book in advance. Once it rolls out to offsite, ANYONE will be able to prebook. Anyone who waits until the day of to buy tickets will at least have had the opportunity to buy them sooner and prebook FP+ spots and just made a point of choosing something else.

 

[maybeecatlady]

Have you ever had an onsite stay where you received magic bands and tested the system prior to this?

And here's another question, do you have FP+ already schedule? Or dining reservations? How does the system know you're 5 days out if you don't have an on site reservation?

That was not my screenshot but what I see in MDE is very similar (just a different number of days). I have not stayed onsite since this whole FP+ thing started and do not have MagicBands. I do not even have tickets linked yet. However, I do have ADRs. My "days to go" is based on my first ADR.

 

[Mordinar]

Have you ever had an onsite stay where you received magic bands and tested the system prior to this?

And here's another question, do you have FP+ already schedule? Or dining reservations? How does the system know you're 5 days out if you don't have an on site reservation?

I have never stayed onsite "Going to Disney after more than 10 years". I do have dinner reservations scheduled, that's why it says 5 days.

 

[Shaden]

Why would they not hold some back for day of?

They want to reserve some for people who just show up at a park and buy their ticket that day. Also they want to reserve some so that a limited amount of guests can made changes day-of and still get decent attractions. This will maintain the illusion of flexibility.

I think they will simply because there will still be people who don't purchase their tickets till the day of when they arrive. So it might be a way smaller number, but I think they will. JMO.

While both of you are correct, there are also people who don't show up until noon, so why not hold some back and release at noon ? There are some people who don't show up and buy their ticket until 4pm, so why not hold some back until 4pm ?

I get what you are both saying, but the logic doesn't really hold out, if the entire point of this system is to "Lock people in in advance" then holding some back for day-of does not make sense. As others have noted, it could/would very probably have the opposite effect. "Oh I can't book the FPs I want for that day, hrm, not a good sign, I think that just became a Universal day"

The people who show up day of, well, they are making that choice, right then, to do WDW. There is much less advantage to giving them FPs, clearly they are "locking themselves in" for that day by buying tickets ... they then walk over to the gate and enter.

For flexibility ? Sure I can see the thought there, but unless they were holding back a significant portion, this wont really add much flexibility, as we were already seeing (with them currently holding some back) FPs were still running out much quicker day of than they used to... we will see even more of this come presidents day weekend.

I too have the feeling this "hold back" was being done to make room for off-site guests, AP holders, etc, while "just in testing" ... once everyone can book in advance, they will be gone, if not immediately, in the long run. Holding them back just doesn't make sense given the aims of the program, and its impact on potential guests who can't get FPs in advance.

 

[Vidia2]

While both of you are correct, there are also people who don't show up until noon, so why not hold some back and release at noon ? There are some people who don't show up and buy their ticket until 4pm, so why not hold some back until 4pm ? I get what you are both saying, but the logic doesn't really hold out, if the entire point of this system is to "Lock people in in advance" then holding some back for day-of does not make sense. As others have noted, it could/would very probably have the opposite effect. "Oh I can't book the FPs I want for that day, hrm, not a good sign, I think that just became a Universal day" The people who show up day of, well, they are making that choice, right then, to do WDW. There is much less advantage to giving them FPs, clearly they are "locking themselves in" for that day by buying tickets ... they then walk over to the gate and enter. For flexibility ? Sure I can see the thought there, but unless they were holding back a significant portion, this wont really add much flexibility, as we were already seeing (with them currently holding some back) FPs were still running out much quicker day of than they used to... we will see even more of this come presidents day weekend. I too have the feeling this "hold back" was being done to make room for off-site guests, AP holders, etc, while "just in testing" ... once everyone can book in advance, they will be gone, if not immediately, in the long run. Holding them back just doesn't make sense given the aims of the program, and its impact on potential guests who can't get FPs in advance.

So basically unless you've made FP+ reservations you should just go to Universal where you can get express passes that day for a fee. Better yet, since there's no incentive to stay WDW onsite now, you can stay onsite at Universal and get Express Pass Plus free which is far superior to FP+ and them just show up at WDW parks on the days that seem optimal for whatever FPs you were lucky to get or do rope drops and squeeze in your rides before lines start then go back to Universal to do FOTL.