RFID Scanners installed around MK

[WillAustin]

Some of the folks who reserve their ride time, would have grabbed FastPasses anyway. So they would not be additional FastPass users. Wouldn't the FastPasses that they would have grabbed, be back in the FastPass system for others to grab?

The capacity of a ride would be generally a constant. However they decide to divide that capacity between standby, in-park FPs, and advance FPs, every additional advance FP would either decrease the in-park numbers or make the standby and FP line longer.

 

[DISHoppy]

This is exactly my point. If you allowed everyone access to make reservations up to 180 days before a vacation people would be multibooking fast passes bigtime. Currently some people do that with the ADRs as they don't know which night they want to eat at each place, so they double book using seperate names or just book the same restaurant on different nights and cancel as teh date gets closer. If the fast pass + was on teh same system it woudl be a total disaster.

Apparently you haven't used the updated online ADR site lately. It no longer allows double booking. You can book a new ADR, but the system prompts the user about any conflicting ADRs in that time slot, and the user must choose one or the other. It was possible as late as last fall to book more than one ADR in the same time slot, but that changed @ some point earlier this year.

-Kevin

 

[mom2rtk]

Apparently you haven't used the updated online ADR site lately. It no longer allows double booking. You can book a new ADR, but the system prompts the user about any conflicting ADRs in that time slot, and the user must choose one or the other. It was possible as late as last fall to book more than one ADR in the same time slot, but that changed @ some point earlier this year.

-Kevin

I think the new ADR system has gone a long way to reduce double booking. But I'm pretty sure the ones who want to double book still double book. They just have to be better record keepers if they choose a place now requiring a CC hold.

Hopefully that won't be possible with the FP system.

 

[RescueRanger]

I think the new ADR system has gone a long way to reduce double booking. But I'm pretty sure the ones who want to double book still double book. They just have to be better record keepers if they choose a place now requiring a CC hold.

Hopefully that won't be possible with the FP system.

I said this on the other thread, but my guess is this will be an on-site only perk. You will book your ride reservations using your resort reservation number. Everything will be tied to that one reservation number. They will have the number in your party and people will be unable to double book. Thinking this will be available to all, even offsite, in my opinion is just wishful thinking on some peoples parts.

 

[bcvprincesses]

We just got off the plane and signed up to try the new system. There were a few people near magical express that were doing a survey. We signed up to do it on Friday and were able to pick 4 attractions from a list. We picked haunted mansion, jungle cruise, Peter pan and space. We did not get to pick our times and they were sent by email to our phone. Can't wait to use them.

 

[TravelGrl]

We did not get to pick our times and they were sent by email to our phone.

I am really interested on hearing how this worked for you. You said you didn't pick your times. Did you submit any parameters for times - such as when you intend to be in the park, afternoon break, Current ADRs? Or are the times you are assigned totally random?

 

[mom2rtk]

We just got off the plane and signed up to try the new system. There were a few people near magical express that were doing a survey. We signed up to do it on Friday and were able to pick 4 attractions from a list. We picked haunted mansion, jungle cruise, Peter pan and space. We did not get to pick our times and they were sent by email to our phone. Can't wait to use them.

Wow. Let's hope that inability to pick your times is just an issue they're having with the test. That could really take away what I see as the greatest benefit of the whole system. I'm shocked by this. It then becomes just one more thing that has to be balanced with your other fastpasses, ADRs and parades.

 

[Buffalo2Disney]

We just got off the plane and signed up to try the new system. There were a few people near magical express that were doing a survey. We signed up to do it on Friday and were able to pick 4 attractions from a list. We picked haunted mansion, jungle cruise, Peter pan and space. We did not get to pick our times and they were sent by email to our phone. Can't wait to use them.

Interesting! Keep us posted on how it goes!

What if everyone has this wrong and you don't actually book in advance what TIME you want to go on the ride but simply pick a certain number, say 4, rides that are equipped with Fastpass+ in advance for a given day. Then you can go on those rides at whatever time fits you best throughout the day and you get to go in the Fastpass line at whatever time you get there, as long as that was one of the rides on your list for that day.

 

[bcvprincesses]

We were only able to pick the day we wanted to go and which rides. We were then emailed a schedule of times. Our times run from 9:30 to 4:30 and each ride has a one hour window just like regular fast pass.

 

[UndercoverMama]

What if everyone has this wrong and you don't actually book in advance what TIME you want to go on the ride but simply pick a certain number, say 4, rides that are equipped with Fastpass+ in advance for a given day. Then you can go on those rides at whatever time fits you best throughout the day and you get to go in the Fastpass line at whatever time you get there, as long as that was one of the rides on your list for that day.

That would be cool

We were only able to pick the day we wanted to go and which rides. We were then emailed a schedule of times. Our times run from 9:30 to 4:30 and each ride has a one hour window just like regular fast pass.

Err.. hope this is not how it really goes and is just something to do with it being a trial period.

 

[White_Sox_Fan]

Interesting! Keep us posted on how it goes!

What if everyone has this wrong and you don't actually book in advance what TIME you want to go on the ride but simply pick a certain number, say 4, rides that are equipped with Fastpass+ in advance for a given day. Then you can go on those rides at whatever time fits you best throughout the day and you get to go in the Fastpass line at whatever time you get there, as long as that was one of the rides on your list for that day.

A new twist!

 

[ned911]

Sounds more like constraints to test the physical part of the system and not the customer interfacing portion. Which I get, make sure the physical system works first then tweak the user experience.

 

[g-dad66]

We were only able to pick the day we wanted to go and which rides. We were then emailed a schedule of times. Our times run from 9:30 to 4:30 and each ride has a one hour window just like regular fast pass.

Ack!

What if you wanted to take a mid-afternoon break from the park??

Ack!

When you get a chance, let us know what time slot you were given for each attraction, OK? (Will be interested to contemplate how much park criss-crossing might be needed).

Ack!

Maybe start a new thread for this, so that your first-hand experience doesn't get lost amidst all of the speculation etc. in this thread?

 

[Squidgyness]

The not-picking-time thing is probably to keep things simple for now. If it isn't... well I don't really see the point of this system beyond not having to go to FP machines...

Even if they can pick times, it now seems like this could be more of a convience thing than a true advantage over other guests and trippers. If so, and they don't reduce non-FP+ passes too much, I'm not overly bothered. Just means off-site guests have to be on the ball in getting their FP's from the machine... rope-drop starts might become a necessity though, especially in brazillian tour group season.

 

[jjsdad]

Apparently you haven't used the updated online ADR site lately. It no longer allows double booking. You can book a new ADR, but the system prompts the user about any conflicting ADRs in that time slot, and the user must choose one or the other. It was possible as late as last fall to book more than one ADR in the same time slot, but that changed @ some point earlier this year.

-Kevin

I know of the new system and have used it. But people can still double book under seperate emails and what I also meant is that if someone knows they want to eat at Ohana, but don't know if they want to eat there on either a Monday, Tuesday or perhaps a Friday, whats to stop them from booking all 3 then cancelling the week of their trip when they decided? Thats what would worry me, someone is going for a week but doesn't know what day they want to do the MK, so they book the MK for 3 or 4 days knowing they will only go 1 or 2. And if it was as easy as the ADR system, they could book using seperate emails. I do not think disney will make it this easy because of what I just said.

 

[jjsdad]

We were only able to pick the day we wanted to go and which rides. We were then emailed a schedule of times. Our times run from 9:30 to 4:30 and each ride has a one hour window just like regular fast pass.

Thats awesome that you got picked! Guess this goes against the half hour rumor that was floating out there as well as the first time being after 10 as reported by andymans blog. I'd be curious to know what times you got for these rides. That is definitely a big chunk of time to work between, although if you plan to be there for the day thats great. Have a great time!

 

[si-am]

This seems like it would discourage park hopping.

 

[mbrittb00]

this all sounds lke the system on the Disney Dream. We used our cards and scanned them while the little ones used their wristbands and scanned them. It works well on the ship. I am open to it esp. if the adults can use their room cards. I'm at WDW now and can see right away the fastpass impact of keeping folks within the 1 hour window. the FP lines are longer than in the past.

Interesting??? I'm at WDW now as well, and have noticed the exact opposite. The FP lines are definitely shorter then usual. At least in the morning and early afternoon.

That said, there were a few times today that we were a "slave" to the fast pass return window. We had to rush though lunch a bit to make it to Splash Mountain. We got there with about 3 minutes to spare. I've also noticed that every time we get there with less than 5 minutes before the expiration, the CM at the line always says "You just made it". I understand that they are trying to gently reinforce the fact that the FP return times are being enforced, but honestly it is getting a little old.

 

[sjaakie]

Universal does still give unlimited FOL to onsite guests. The difference is that this is quite manageable with only three resorts. We never buy the extra FOL tickets and do just fine. I can't see it being manageable with the tons of hotel guests that Disney has though. I'm trying to imagine the mess at such popular rides as Toy Story Mania and Soarin'.

I guess they tested this in Disney Paris now for a few years. The special passes will be "free" for those that stay on concierge level. Well not exactly free as those guests pay around 500 Dollar per night.
Two years ago they started selling the same passes to every one that would pay the price and was an early bird. They limited the number they sold.
My friend worked in Paris and he was selling those FP as hot buns although the price was around 60 Euro pp. per day. (could be a bit less or more but not much)

 

[UNCFanatik]

Interesting??? I'm at WDW now as well, and have noticed the exact opposite. The FP lines are definitely shorter then usual. At least in the morning and early afternoon.

That said, there were a few times today that we were a "slave" to the fast pass return window. We had to rush though lunch a bit to make it to Splash Mountain. We got there with about 3 minutes to spare. I've also noticed that every time we get there with less than 5 minutes before the expiration, the CM at the line always says "You just made it". I understand that they are trying to gently reinforce the fact that the FP return times are being enforced, but honestly it is getting a little old.

I fail to see how one is a "slave" to something that they chose to do?

Were you also a "slave" to anything else that had a definitive start and end time?

And I dont get all the "hand wringing" and doomsday prophesies of the new FP+ system just based on prelim reports by one person. Still WAY too early to tell how it all will work. Its called TESTING for a reason.