Possible good news for offsiters and FP+

[dayvewc]

While I think this is a nice development for offsiters, I am now 99.99% convinced this means that tiering by resort-level is coming.

I thought that the prebooking was going to be the onsite perk. Now, it seems that is not the case.

I still think that they are going to use FP to try to differentiate their hotel product against the million other hotels etc in Orlando. Combine this with other speculation (including in the 2014 Unofficial Guide) that there would be groups of customers based on resort level and the rumor about the possibility of selling them and for quite a steep price....I think tiering by resort will be coming soon, with onsite and higher-level resorts getting more FPs.

I just can't believe that they built this whole monstrosity of a system and are going to have everything be equal for offsite, local APs, and onsite.

Not to pick on you, but I hear/see this sentiment expressed on a regular basis. But I don't think they really spent all that much on FP+. Based on the released info, the NextGen system cost somewhere in the $1 billion range, but that is for the whole project, not just the ride reservations. Considering that all that money was invested to find ways to have their guests spend more money in more different places AND that the way Disney gathers information about the guests is through the RFID in the MB and ticket cards, I can't understand how anyone could believe that Disney WOULDN'T want every guest as a part of the system?

 

[lemonears6]

I have not bought tickets yet. I thought about buying them at the disney store but should I not? I'm not staying on site. How do I link my tickets after I buy them? Also if I link them how do I use them since I won't have the magic band? Sorry for all the questions

 

[dayvewc]

I have not bought tickets yet. I thought about buying them at the disney store but should I not? I'm not staying on site. How do I link my tickets after I buy them? Also if I link them how do I use them since I won't have the magic band? Sorry for all the questions

If you don't have magic bands, you can still bring the ticket with you. You can even bring the ticket with you if you have magic bands.

You can link them by entering the number on the website, or scanning them with the app.

You can buy them where you want, but I've always gotten a better deal using UnderCoverTourist.

HTH

 

[lemonears6]

So if I link my park tickets I would have a good chance at getting to book FP+ early? Even if I'm not staying at disney hotel?

 

[PJ]

Thought I'd try something based on this thread, and it was a big boo boo

We have AP's and spend the Winter here so we're offsite. Advance FP's for AP holders hasn't been rolled out yet, but after reading this thread I thought I'd see what would happen if I booked an ADR for end of April. (We already have some for before that, but looked like people with ADR's were getting them for ADR's later in April)

Our AP's have been linked since November and we've been using them a few days a week with no problems.

But after I played with this, not only did it not open the link for selecting FP's, when they scanned DH's AP at the Epcot entrance the next day it said it had already been used - by me! they sent us to Guest Relations, and they said that something I did in MDE logged in as myself overlaid the magnetic strip on his AP and they had to give him a new one. HUH????

Guess I'm done experimenting- I'll just wait till I get the official notification that we can make advance FP's

 

[dayvewc]

So if I link my park tickets I would have a good chance at getting to book FP+ early? Even if I'm not staying at disney hotel?

Kind of an unknown right now. All depends on when your trip is. Everything on this thread is pointing to off-site being able to book sometime in April. I can guarantee that if you DON'T buy and link tickets, there will be no way to book FP+ early.

 

[Moedutton]

I got the message as well! I can start booking 2/11 for our trip 4/12. We are staying off site, but have ADR. We do not have bands. We have the new cards.

Hopefully, it all goes as planned!

 

[Moedutton]

lol, magicbob

It's important too, I think, to note that the window may be different for other ticket media. As a family who generally gets the Armed Forces Salute tickets - which I don't believe are technically MYW tickets - I am interested to see if those tickets will still get the 60 day window.

My brother, who is military, purchased our tickets for our group. I linked them all with my account, and now apparently have the ability to book FPs beginning 2/11 for our trip 4/12.

Good luck!

 

[Angel Ariel]

My brother, who is military, purchased our tickets for our group. I linked them all with my account, and now apparently have the ability to book FPs beginning 2/11 for our trip 4/12.

Good luck!

The tickets your brother purchased are the $169 4-day park hoppers? (Military can buy regular MYW tickets at a discount, but the Armed Forces Salute tickets are a different special)

if that's the case, then that's great news!

 

[Sammie]

ROFL... I totally agree.

Shaden you'll be hard pressed to find any facts on here. Why? It is a message board. It's all anecdotal evidence. But it does provide useful information. If enough people can "testify" that they've gotten something to work, then I'm willing to bet that it probably does.

Any idiot can come on here and post something as a fact. Doesn't mean that it is, I get it. But we're all pretty smart and can use logical deduction and reasoning to figure things out.

You can wait for a Disney exec to come waltzing in here and pronounce something as fact if you want, but I'm willing to go on a little less than that. Who knows, that may be information that Disney doesn't want out there as "fact", so they may never announce it. Just because Disney doesn't announce it as fact, doesn't mean it isn't happening.

Thank you, glad someone gets it. I have talked to WDW Chat on the Disney World website and even they will tell you that not all Fastpasses+ are booked in advance.

For one thing why would anyone want to plan a trip after 60 days if they knew they stood no chance of getting any passes the day off.

So I asked in chat and the chat CM confirmed that yes, some are held for the day of. Now they will never reveal how many, and it might be a very small amount but there are some that are released each day.

 

[magicbob]

Thank you, glad someone gets it. I have talked to WDW Chat on the Disney World website and even they will tell you that not all Fastpasses+ are booked in advance.

For one thing why would anyone want to plan a trip after 60 days if they knew they stood no chance of getting any passes the day off.

So I asked in chat and the chat CM confirmed that yes, some are held for the day of. Now they will never reveal how many, and it might be a very small amount but there are some that are released each day.

Not trying to offend, but you've just destroyed your own case.

 

[Vidia2]

I spoke to someone on chat as well and she said that unless someone has a magic band they will not be able to book in advance. FWIW

 

[travelinggnomes]

If you don't have magic bands, you can still bring the ticket with you. You can even bring the ticket with you if you have magic bands.

You can link them by entering the number on the website, or scanning them with the app.

You can buy them where you want, but I've always gotten a better deal using UnderCoverTourist.

HTH

Have you ever had an issue linking your undercovertourist tickets to your My Disney Experience? I have been trying to decide if we would be able to take advantage of the fastpass+ if we purchased from UCT. What do you think?

 

[dayvewc]

Have you ever had an issue linking your undercovertourist tickets to your My Disney Experience? I have been trying to decide if we would be able to take advantage of the fastpass+ if we purchased from UCT. What do you think?

Hmmm, shortest answer: no.

Short answer: yes.

Long answer - I did not have problems linking my UCT tickets to the MDE other than reading the numbers on the ticket and entering them. However, when I got them linked I discovered that the MDE had created a 2nd profile for me separate from my DVC. This was early last summer, and I don't remember anyone else ever posting about a similar problem, so I woudn't worry.

Depending on when you go, I would think that you have a good chance of being able to pre-book FP+ if you will be traveling in the summer or next fall. If your trip is before Easter, I don't think you'll have much luck. Between Easter and Memorial Day? Anyone's guess.

Just me, I would go for it. I like to buy my tickets as early as possible anyway, makes budgeting for my trip easier if everything that can be pre-paid is. Also, since everything listed with the FP+ is directly linked to the MYW or AP, having a ticket is the only way you'll have access whenever Disney decides to open it up to all. Would be nicer to have the tickets at the start than having to wait to get them after. IMHO.

 

[redrosesix]

While I think this is a nice development for offsiters, I am now 99.99% convinced this means that tiering by resort-level is coming.

I thought that the prebooking was going to be the onsite perk. Now, it seems that is not the case.

I still think that they are going to use FP to try to differentiate their hotel product against the million other hotels etc in Orlando. Combine this with other speculation (including in the 2014 Unofficial Guide) that there would be groups of customers based on resort level and the rumor about the possibility of selling them and for quite a steep price....I think tiering by resort will be coming soon, with onsite and higher-level resorts getting more FPs.

I just can't believe that they built this whole monstrosity of a system and are going to have everything be equal for offsite, local APs, and onsite.

ITA with this!

We stay onsite and offsite -- so maybe I get why onsiters expect certain perks for staying onsite (no, transportation doesn't count because everyone can use it, and free dining doesn't count because it's a special, not an entitlement to all resort guests). EMH has been cut back so much it's hardly a difference compared to going during regular hours and off-siters can actually stay during evening EMH to shop or do ADRs.

But truthfully, if they allow offsiters the same FP+ window as onsiters, we just lost all incentive for staying onsite. We'll stay offsite and enjoy our now limited WDW experience from a less expensive but much better resort. So definitely, tiering is coming or they're going to lose a lot more money by ticking off their resort guests.

As for holding back FPs, stupid policy if they're now allowing offsiters the same window. No way I'm going to stay at WDW if I know beforehand that I can't get the FPs I want. What if I decide to take a trip 30 days in advance and the offsiters have already taken all the best FPs. I guess I'd be booking the Domican instead.

 

[Sammie]

Not trying to offend, but you've just destroyed your own case.

Good Grief, what case.

It's a discussion about a theme park, not a legal issue. Some of you take all of this waaaaaaay too seriously.

My point was anyone can contact WDW Chat and ask the same questions and get similar answers.

As to my previous info, no way am I sharing personal emails from a WDW Vice President just to try and "prove" something I already know exists to someone I have no idea who and the heck they truly are. Chat is available to everyone, my access to Disney friends is not.

If it makes some of you happy to think that all the Fastpasses can be booked in advance, then knock yourself out. That is not the case but you know... whatever.

For those that are worried nothing will be left if they "can't" book in advance, don't worry you will have some to choose from.

 

[travelinggnomes]

Hmmm, shortest answer: no.

Short answer: yes.

Long answer - I did not have problems linking my UCT tickets to the MDE other than reading the numbers on the ticket and entering them. However, when I got them linked I discovered that the MDE had created a 2nd profile for me separate from my DVC. This was early last summer, and I don't remember anyone else ever posting about a similar problem, so I woudn't worry.

Depending on when you go, I would think that you have a good chance of being able to pre-book FP+ if you will be traveling in the summer or next fall. If your trip is before Easter, I don't think you'll have much luck. Between Easter and Memorial Day? Anyone's guess.

Just me, I would go for it. I like to buy my tickets as early as possible anyway, makes budgeting for my trip easier if everything that can be pre-paid is. Also, since everything listed with the FP+ is directly linked to the MYW or AP, having a ticket is the only way you'll have access whenever Disney decides to open it up to all. Would be nicer to have the tickets at the start than having to wait to get them after. IMHO.

Thanks so much for the advice! We are traveling end of April - early May. We did want to buy our tickets in advance, for budgeting reasons. So much easier to plan that way, IMO. We won't be buying them for a few weeks, so maybe someone else will have some idea on how easy they are to work with by then. Or...UCT might as well. Thanks again---

 

[ArwenMarie]

ITA with this!

We stay onsite and offsite -- so maybe I get why onsiters expect certain perks for staying onsite (no, transportation doesn't count because everyone can use it, and free dining doesn't count because it's a special, not an entitlement to all resort guests). EMH has been cut back so much it's hardly a difference compared to going during regular hours and off-siters can actually stay during evening EMH to shop or do ADRs.

But truthfully, if they allow offsiters the same FP+ window as onsiters, we just lost all incentive for staying onsite. We'll stay offsite and enjoy our now limited WDW experience from a less expensive but much better resort. So definitely, tiering is coming or they're going to lose a lot more money by ticking off their resort guests.

Exactly. If they are going to cap the number of FPs, then people are more motivated to reduce their spending at Disney itself. Maybe they will stay onsite at Universal instead, get their EP, and see Disney from there. Or stay offsite at a really nice resort and spend more time there after the 3 FPs are done for the day. It just seems like they have to give something back to people staying onsite in exchange for this limitation on the number of FPs.

 

[AmyB2006]

Good Grief, what case.

It's a discussion about a theme park, not a legal issue. Some of you take all of this waaaaaaay too seriously.

My point was anyone can contact WDW Chat and ask the same questions and get similar answers.

As to my previous info, no way am I sharing personal emails from a WDW Vice President just to try and "prove" something I already know exists to someone I have no idea who and the heck they truly are. Chat is available to everyone, my access to Disney friends is not.

If it makes some of you happy to think that all the Fastpasses can be booked in advance, then knock yourself out. That is not the case but you know... whatever.

For those that are worried nothing will be left if they "can't" book in advance, don't worry you will have some to choose from.

I think he was trying to be funny. Just sayin' LOL

But I agree with you. There is plenty of "evidence" that suggests they are holding back FPs the morning of.

 

[Sammie]

I think he was trying to be funny. Just sayin' LOL

But I agree with you. There is plenty of "evidence" that suggests they are holding back FPs the morning of.

Thanks Amy, just getting frustrated with this forum and having to try and prove every little aspect of everything to some people.

I just don't want those that have not been yet to be discouraged that all the fun has left WDW because it hasn't and I don't want those not booking a Disney resort or even buying their tickets in advance to think they stand no chance to ever get to book Fastpass+ because that is not the case.