Rider Switch changing (Started June 16th)

[Krandor]

In my previous comment though I was explaining another perspective with regards to missing out on rides. By your comments above I'm going to guess you don't fully agree which is fine. Yes one can adapt or not go..but from something that may have been quite vital to their touring strategy perhaps have a bit more...understanding to why people are upset. If they all of a sudden said "hey by the way those 3 FP we give you included in your ticket--yeah well we're dropping it down to 1" there would be a lot of upset people and same goes for if/when (if we're speculating) they remove the 'included' aspect or make you pay for additional ones beyond your included ones.

I totally get it especially for people with upcoming trips that had booked FPs assuming this system would still work like it used to and changing FPs around now will be a PITA. Personally I think at a minimum it should have been a change made 60 days or so out so people booking FPs know the new system. Maybe even a notice in the app to make sure they knew. Sounds like some kind of change was needed - not sure this is the right one though. However dumping it on people this close to trips I do think was the wrong thing to do.

Honestly, I'm shocked that when disney rolled out the magicbands and took everything digital that they are still using paper for RS. You really would think when they phased out paper FPs they would have phased out paper RS. Would have been a good time to do it. Even if they kept the rules the same (can come back days later, etc) they probably should have made then digital at that time and that way just get rid of all the paper.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

I totally get it especially for people with upcoming trips that had booked FPs assuming this system would still work like it used to and changing FPs around now will be a PITA. Personally I think at a minimum it should have been a change made 60 days or so out so people booking FPs know the new system. Maybe even a notice in the app to make sure they knew. Sounds like some kind of change was needed - not sure this is the right one though. However dumping it on people this close to trips I do think was the wrong thing to do.

Honestly, I'm shocked that when disney rolled out the magicbands and took everything digital that they are still using paper for RS. You really would think when they phased out paper FPs they would have phased out paper RS. Would have been a good time to do it. Even if they kept the rules the same (can come back days later, etc) they probably should have made then digital at that time and that way just get rid of all the paper.

Do we know how this will work for people that don't have magic bands though? I guess able to put it on their ticket cards?

 

[Krandor]

Do we know how this will work for people that don't have magic bands though? I guess able to put it on their ticket cards?

I would think it would be the same as how they add "anytime FPs" and the like. Just another type of a FP type to add. But no we don't know for sure.

 

[DizneyMommy]

If Disney really wants that much control, to me that is a sign of nefarious things to come. But I don't really understand why people that aren't hoping to monetize the FP system are rooting for that change.

Nefarious? It just sounds like they want to manage crowd and line control, staffing, and manage guest experience. Especially when people are starting to pay for CL FP, they are going to expect a certain level of service and not a bunch of people with black market RS filling up the line.

 

[DizneyMommy]

That seems appropriate. RS should be about making sure everybody can ride that has a FP not as a way of getting "extra" FPs.

Exactly. It honestly never occurred to me to do it any other way. I guess it occurred to enough who exploited the loophole that Disney noticed.

This is why we can’t have nice things

 

[Wubar]

Nefarious? It just sounds like they want to manage crowd and line control, staffing, and manage guest experience. Especially when people are starting to pay for CL FP, they are going to expect a certain level of service and not a bunch of people with black market RS filling up the line.

Lol. They're adding more and more functionality to these innocent magicbands. I somewhat expect that next year, they will provide customized personalized options when I step up to any cash register, like blood pressure meds or ibuprofen based on the vital signs my MB is reading at that very moment.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

However dumping it on people this close to trips I do think was the wrong thing to do.

Yeah I agree. I mean it's par for the course with Disney nowadays on that end but it still bites. In the case of RS adjustments I really can't see what the harm would have been to make it digital and then gradually adjusted the time frame to make it more restrictive. If the 1hr thing sticks it's like to an about face to what they did before.

Honestly, I'm shocked that when disney rolled out the magicbands and took everything digital that they are still using paper for RS. You really would think when they phased out paper FPs they would have phased out paper RS. Would have been a good time to do it. Even if they kept the rules the same (can come back days later, etc) they probably should have made then digital at that time and that way just get rid of all the paper.

That's a good point really. I guess it could be they didn't see much of an issue with it back then but still. At the very least would have made sense after they had gotten the kinks out of FP+/MB system after the guinea pigs got some usage out of it back in what 2013/2014?

 

[whiporee]

If I am riding fewer rides because of a change WDW makes, I am getting a crappier deal out of the transaction.

What do you mean riding fewer rides? I can see an argument for riding fewer rides that you want to ride, but no one is talking about denying people any rides, or even FPs. A FP ride on Pooh or Dumbo is still a FP ride. All that is happening is a requirement that if you get the benefit of a FP (a shorter wait for he parties who are obtaining the RS) for a ride that you have a FP for the ride. No one is saying anything about people in the standby line, and I don't see that ever being something WDW adjusts.

 

[OSUZorba]

Nefarious? It just sounds like they want to manage crowd and line control, staffing, and manage guest experience. Especially when people are starting to pay for CL FP, they are going to expect a certain level of service and not a bunch of people with black market RS filling up the line.

Nefarious as in marching down the road of monetizing the system, like with the CL passes. Digital passes will take care of the black market passes, so you don't need time limits to fix that issue.

 

[Boski]

If Disney really wants that much control, to me that is a sign of nefarious things to come. But I don't really understand why people that aren't hoping to monetize the FP system are rooting for that change.

I think its been pretty obvious since FP+ rolled out that Disney wants that much control.

 

[ArwenMarie]

They’ve made a lot of changes regarding ride access over the past few years. FP+ being the biggest of course and even that one went through stages (adding tiers later) I think this RS change is just a part of the FP+ changes, it just took them a long time to get around to it. I know it doesn’t help to think of it this way in the moment, but it’s really just more of the same. They’re just closing all of the loopholes and/or tightening things up across the board

 

[Minniemouse07]

They’ve made a lot of changes regarding ride access over the past few years. FP+ being the biggest of course and even that one went through stages (adding tiers later) I think this RS change is just a part of the FP+ changes, it just took them a long time to get around to it. I know it doesn’t help to think of it this way in the moment, but it’s really just more of the same. They’re just closing all of the loopholes and/or tightening things up across the board

Let's be clear
A loophole is being able to hand a paper pass to another party.

A policy change is going from allowing the second party to ride at any point for the rest of the day or for the remainder of their trip to forcing them to ride within an hour of the first party.

The paper RS passes had an expiration date on them. There was no "loophole" in using a pass within the printed time.

 

[Krandor]

Let's be clear
A loophole is being able to hand a paper pass to another party.

A policy change is going from allowing the second party to ride at any point for the rest of the day or for the remainder of their trip to forcing them to ride within an hour of the first party.

The paper RS passes had an expiration date on them. There was no "loophole" in using a pass within the printed time.

I think the ability to use RS to get "extra" FPs or being able to ride 2 T1 rides on a single visit was a loophole as well. Getting a RS for a ride you didn't have a FP for is a bit of an issue in my opinion.

I do agree that changing how long you have to use the RS is definitely a policy change.

 

[sndral]

For those who wish Disney would have 'eased' into this thing, IMO that ship has sailed. The new digitized RS goes into effect 6/19. New TSL opens 6/30 w/ expanded park hours and daily EMH.
To me, TSL opening has triggered the RS digitization, 1 RS at a time & limited return window.
Disney expects huge crowds for the new TSL. The demographic which TSL will attract undoubtedly has a huge % of RS families.
There are 3 rides in the new land, TSM which has no height restriction & the new alien saucers 32" height restriction & slinky dog dash 38" height restriction. I'm guessing all 3 rides will be tier 1 and you'll be able to get one FP for one of the 3 rides on any given day, as for the other 2, you'll need to come back another day or do standby.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

For those who wish Disney would have 'eased' into this thing, IMO that ship has sailed.

I don't think anyone here is suggesting we hold power over Disney on this aspect. I do think people, including myself, are just simply conversing on the timing aspect. It wouldn't be Disney nowadays if they didn't spring things on their guests but that doesn't mean we can't all commiserate together lol.

I'm guessing all 3 rides will be tier 1 and you'll be able to get one FP for one of the 3 rides on any given day, as for the other 2, you'll need to come back another day or do standby.

This was noted on April 2nd that tiers were adjusted so that Toy Story rides would be tier 1. I think that was the thoughtprocess prior to that for a while especially based on how they did Pandora. I don't think it's impossible but highly highly unlikely there would be SDFP for the new Toy Story rides (meaning for your rolling 4th FP) but never say never. It's hard to tell how these rides will turn out as far as popularity over time or at least which one will be the hardest to get over time.

 

[ENJDisneyFan]

For those who wish Disney would have 'eased' into this thing, IMO that ship has sailed. The new digitized RS goes into effect 6/19. New TSL opens 6/30 w/ expanded park hours and daily EMH.
To me, TSL opening has triggered the RS digitization, 1 RS at a time & limited return window.
Disney expects huge crowds for the new TSL. The demographic which TSL will attract undoubtedly has a huge % of RS families.
There are 3 rides in the new land, TSM which has no height restriction & the new alien saucers 32" height restriction & slinky dog dash 38" height restriction. I'm guessing all 3 rides will be tier 1 and you'll be able to get one FP for one of the 3 rides on any given day, as for the other 2, you'll need to come back another day or do standby.

Yes, all 3 TSL rides are tier 1. FPs for SDD and AS2 will be hot tickets for the foreseeable future. So if they don’t close the loophole there will be plenty of people using RS to double up on those FPs. This timing is not a coincidence.

 

[linzbear]

Why should anybody on F&F be able to use the rideshare?

IMO it should works like 4 people have FPs for FoP. The 4 scan in. 2 get to ride then. The other 2 get their FP converted to a RS pass they can use before the end of the day. I think that would be fair and you wouldn't be creating new FPs just changing the type of one of them.

How would you do it for the standby line? And what does it matter which person on F&F uses it? I suppose it could also be restricted to only F&F who are in the park at the time of distribution.

And why would you need RS at all in your scenario, wouldn't you just book your FP times separately? One Rider Swap pass is for 3 people, so the applicable kids can ride with both mom & dad. That is as designed, so converting FPs makes no sense. One kid with mom, one kid with dad (or dad alone or mom alone) is possible without the use of rider swap.

 

[DizneyMommy]

How would you do it for the standby line? And what does it matter which person on F&F uses it? I suppose it could also be restricted to only F&F who are in the park at the time of distribution.

And why would you need RS at all in your scenario, wouldn't you just book your FP times separately? One Rider Swap pass is for 3 people, so the applicable kids can ride with both mom & dad. That is as designed, so converting FPs makes no sense. One kid with mom, one kid with dad (or dad alone or mom alone) is possible without the use of rider swap.

In theory that sounds great. But then you have your party’s times all over the place. If you want to make your next FP for a ride everyone can ride, now you are waiting for all of the windows to open up (for FP+).

I don’t know why F&F need anything. At DL the way it works is the whole party scans in, the CM then scans the tickets if the people who will ride second and they go on after the first party gets off. All they are really doing is extending that FP window so it doesn’t expire before party 2 can get on.

 

[linzbear]

In theory that sounds great. But then you have your party’s times all over the place. If you want to make your next FP for a ride everyone can ride, now you are waiting for all of the windows to open up (for FP+).

I don’t know why F&F need anything. At DL the way it works is the whole party scans in, the CM then scans the tickets if the people who will ride second and they go on after the first party gets off. All they are really doing is extending that FP window so it doesn’t expire before party 2 can get on.

I guess this confuses me because party 1 and party 2 at WDW have the same people - the kids ride twice. So far as I know, that's the entire reason for the rider swap language of "up to 3 people"

 

[DizneyMommy]

I guess this confuses me because party 1 and party 2 at WDW have the same people - the kids ride twice. So far as I know, that's the entire reason for the rider swap language of "up to 3 people"

Right. So right now at DL, we all walk up to the entrance.

We tell friendly CM that we need a RS, they measure sweet 2yo and agree (they don’t always measure, but often).

They ask which 3 will be returning?

We tell them which adult is staying back, and both kids.

They scan that adult’s ticket (AP in this case) and the AP’s of the kids riding with the returning adult.

Then the whole party rides the ride, while adult #2 waits with 2yo.

When they are done, whoever got scanned goes back to ride the ride while adult #1 and anyone not scanned on the RS waits with 2yo.

Sometimes the kids wants to ride with me, sometimes they don’t and I get a blissful 10 minutes of alone time with 100,000 of my closest friends.

The CM’s almost always ask which kids will ride with adult #2. They offer that. I don’t feel that is cheating the system or anything. We both want to experience rides with our kids, get ride photos, etc. We have never once been told that the kids could not go back with adult #2, I have never ever been told or read that policy. And I do not know anyone who makes their kids sit out while they ride the second time alone. If that is the policy, CM’s don’t seem to know and they encourage taking the kids on with the second adult. And if that is the policy, I’d ride a lot less rides honestly. I’m not interested in riding a bunch of stuff alone, I want to ride with my kids. If that becomes policy, DH and I would take turns riding with the big kids, and the other adult would usually just skip.

I have no idea if this is what WDW will do. This is just what DL does