Select FP+ Meet & Greets (NO Standby Option)

[2Tiggies]

For those of you who don't stray from the UK side of the DIS, you might want to take a note of these meet and greets. There is no option for standby. They are FP+ only. This only applies to the characters listed below.

Epcot
United Kingdom Pavilion – Meet Winnie the Pooh (a Tier 1 attraction choice)
Disney’s Hollywood Studios
The Magic of Disney Animation – Meet Minnie Mouse (a Tier 1 attraction choice)
Disney’s Animal Kingdom
Character Landing – Meet Daisy and Donald

Oh, that would be Tier 1 FP+ for Epcot and DHS

http://networkedblogs.com/WHkw8

 

[Scrap_Vamp]

For those of you who don't stray from the UK side of the DIS, you might want to take a note of these meet and greets. There is no option for standby. They are FP+ only. This only applies to the characters listed below. Oh, that would be Tier 1 FP+ for Epcot and DHS http://networkedblogs.com/WHkw8

Was just reading about this. It's madness!

We will only add FP+ for these characters as additionals after everything else we want to do.

We already have Tusker House breakfast booked for D&D but the rest of our family have some TS credits left so I might encourage them to book CP in order to see Pooh.

The problem for me is if they start to make lots of meet and greets FP+ only then we might end up getting much less value out of Memory Maker. I love a lot of my candid photos from meet and greets so would be a shame to miss them but if it's a choice between that or getting on a favourite ride with less wait there would be no contest for us.

 

[2Tiggies]

I didn't even think of Memory Maker! Good point.

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

 

[Elise79]

I read this on Kenny the pirate the other day but at that time the only one he thought was FP+ only was AK.

TBH the other two which are tier ones never had much of a wait anyway and no way a enough to burn a FP on them unless it's number 4 or 5.

Hope I get survey during our trip so I can tell them what I think if not I will email on our return.

 

[edinburghlass]

Opens up MDE to change my FP+ for today

 

[Disneynutinlondon]

For those of you who don't stray from the UK side of the DIS, you might want to take a note of these meet and greets. There is no option for standby. They are FP+ only. This only applies to the characters listed below. Oh, that would be Tier 1 FP+ for Epcot and DHS http://networkedblogs.com/WHkw8

That's total madness ......... We spend ages with Pooh on our last trip on two occasions and both times we just happened upon him and Tigger at the back of the UK shop just standing there with absolutely no one else around. We got TONS of photos both with our cameras and with PP+ as we were able to spend so much time with them .............. Why on earth would they turn this into a FP+ experience unless they are getting complaints from guests that they are not able to obtain tier 1 FP+ options in EPCOT so they've created another one

 

[2Tiggies]

T unless they are getting complaints from guests that they are not able to obtain tier 1 FP+ options in EPCOT so they've created another one

This. This is what has turned Epcot for us from a multi day, full day park to a few part days. On our itinerary this year, it's like a doctor's appointment - in and out.

 

[tinks_1989]

I know some May think it's a waste but with DD who isn't tall enough for some rides our FP+ are wasted. At AK we had FP+ for things like its tough to be a bug or nemo the musical. Both totally pointless as we would have got a seat at both with out any way. I probably would have booked the AK and Epcot one. Not fussed about Minnie Mouse she is every where lol.

 

[2Tiggies]

I know some May think it's a waste but with DD who isn't tall enough for some rides our FP+ are wasted. At AK we had FP+ for things like its tough to be a bug or nemo the musical. Both totally pointless as we would have got a seat at both with out any way. I probably would have booked the AK and Epcot one. Not fussed about Minnie Mouse she is every where lol.

I don't think it's a waste to have character meetings as a FP option, for the very reason you have stated. It was one of the problems with the tiering to begin with.

The issue most folk are taking with this is that you can only meet her if you have a FP. There is no option if your child sees the character to join a standby line, because there isn't one. No FP, no meet and greet.

 

[Scrap_Vamp]

I don't think it's a waste to have character meetings as a FP option, for the very reason you have stated. It was one of the problems with the tiering to begin with. The issue most folk are taking with this is that you can only meet her if you have a FP. There is no option if your child sees the character to join a standby line, because there isn't one. No FP, no meet and greet.

Yes - that is exactly how we feel.

 

[tinks_1989]

I don't think it's a waste to have character meetings as a FP option, for the very reason you have stated. It was one of the problems with the tiering to begin with. The issue most folk are taking with this is that you can only meet her if you have a FP. There is no option if your child sees the character to join a standby line, because there isn't one. No FP, no meet and greet.

Yeah I understand no FP no M and G but it's not exclusive characters. If it was I could understand people being upset with no FP no M&G but you can see Minnie in every park, Pooh and Tigger in 2 other parks plus another Hotel Character meal and Donald and Daisy are also at every park. When we went to Hollywood Studios we actually didn't want any of the tier 1 FP+ options. None were a good use of FP+ for us. Fantastic I thought FP+ was actually worse. Beauty and the beast stage show. We love it but go when we want/feel we need a rest. We did Toy Story manis but being 3 of us and DD not big enough to play alone these rides are no fun for us. When we went to Epcot we had the character spot because we knew we would want to go but it never ever had a wait more than 5 minutes. Used it for Maelstrom as well no wait. We never made it to illuminations it was so wet. So I guess we are the minority and the tier FP+ don't bother us. I would be pretty happy to give our 1st tier FP+ away if we could.

Plus I don't think your child will see these characters walking past. Minnie is very well hidden. When we went in February people couldn't find her. I'm not sure about the other 2 x

 

[chmurf]

but you can see Minnie in every park, Pooh and Tigger in 2 other parks plus another Hotel Character meal and Donald and Daisy are also at every park.

true, but some of us love characters in different outfits/locations

for example, Minnie at Hollywood Studios can only be seen there in that outfit.
Pooh at the UK pavillion is in the bedroom, and it's part of the charm of that m&g location

Meeting Snow white is just meeting snow white. She has her outfit, period
but other characters like minnie, donald, daisy, goofy and mickey are characters who like to dress up. So meeting them is not always like meeting them elsewhere.

 

[tinks_1989]

true, but some of us love characters in different outfits/locations for example, Minnie at Hollywood Studios can only be seen there in that outfit. Pooh at the UK pavillion is in the bedroom, and it's part of the charm of that m&g location Meeting Snow white is just meeting snow white. She has her outfit, period but other characters like minnie, donald, daisy, goofy and mickey are characters who like to dress up. So meeting them is not always like meeting them elsewhere.

Ok if they are that charming use your FP

 

[chmurf]

Ok if they are that charming use your FP

that's not the point

the point is that, now, guests will have to choose between using a FP+ for a M&G or using it for Toy Story Mania for example.

The guest will have to choose between a 2hrs wait for TSMM, and a FP+ for Minnie, or a FP+ for TSMM and missing out on Minnie completely when there never was more than 5 minutes to meet her.

The unfair part is that there is no standby option.

 

[tinks_1989]

that's not the point the point is that, now, guests will have to choose between using a FP+ for a M&G or using it for Toy Story Mania for example. The guest will have to choose between a 2hrs wait for TSMM, and a FP+ for Minnie, or a FP+ for TSMM and missing out on Minnie completely when there never was more than 5 minutes to meet her. The unfair part is that there is no standby option.

But why is it fair to a family like us that have no need for a 1st tier FP? The additional FP can they only be used on tier 2 FP? I have read nothing about them as we don't use the three.

Just seen Kenny the pirate got a tier 1 FP after using his first so when you have been on Toy Story Mania you can use your additional FP for a charming M&G

 

[2Tiggies]

I think more little kid friendly FP's need to be available at the tiered parks.

I still think there should be an option for standby.

The problem with forcing the use of a FP only is that it works this year and next year when a family takes their 4/5 year old, then the following year, the then 6 year old is still young enough to really want this character interaction, but suddenly wants to do Test Track or ToT.

My concern is that this is a test. There are only three this week. How many by September? 6? 12? Rides as well?

 

[chmurf]

But why is it fair to a family like us that have no need for a 1st tier FP?

I never said it was fair to you, and it's certainly not fair to the guest who broke his leg 1 week before and can't ride because of being in a cast, and all of the guests who don't do tier 1.

You're absolutely right to welcome the news that you'll be able to use tier 1 for a M&G when you were not before.
But you will not wait less with that FP+ than you would have waited standby for the same meet and greet.

My point is that, when it's 0 win for guests like you, it's 100% loss for other guests.

If it were a win-win situation, then okay, good for everybody.
but here, this means that guests will now be required to get a FP+ for something they wouldn't have needed one in the first place instead of getting a FP+ for something they hardly can't do without


As said above, looks like a cop out solution from disney to allow guest to find tier 1 experiences on the day.

What my point really is, it is unfair to require Tier 1 FP+ for an experience that never used to require a Fastpass, or even a long wait, and an experience who, like you said, can be experienced (almost) at other places.

Tier 2 would have been fair.

 

[tinks_1989]

But there are FP+ options in place from the beginning that are tier 1 that have no waits.
I personally don't see a problem in it being a FP+ tier 1 only. That's like complaining about the Visa Card benefits and it not being available to every one. You have the choice to go there you choose to use your FP+ something more suited to your needs. Most of us on the UK boards travel for 2 weeks and visit each park more than once you have plenty of options to go there.

May be they are creating them because of the additional FP+ options. Other tier 1s will run out sooner so they have created something else for people to use.

 

[Disneynutinlondon]

My concern is that this is a test. There are only three this week. How many by September? 6? 12? Rides as well?

This is my MAJOR worry ........ I love standing in line (within reason) waiting to do M&G ...... part of the charm of waiting is seeing everyone reacting to the characters.

Also just being able to make spontaneous choices about what park to visit, what ride to ride and now what characters to meet is being so eroded I am seriously beginning to wondered what kind of holiday we will be having this coming October

 

[chmurf]

May be they are creating them because of the additional FP+ options. Other tier 1s will run out sooner so they have created something else for people to use.

it's more like that.

Tier 1 will run out.
If they do run out, guests will not be able to select a tier 1 on the day.

so disney needed to create addtional Tier 1 experiences to allow guests to have their Tier 1.
The best experience to do so, is an experience where there is no fastpass, and no wait. Because no wait and no standby means max FP+ (and you can add several rooms with the same character to increase the flow of guests, hence the number of FP+ available for any given day ... you can't do that with a ride)

now Tom Staggs announced that, once all 3 FP+ are gone, you can select a 4th, but, it will be the same for you, not using Tier 1 or for the guest not being able to select a Tier 1 because it's sold out. How can you get a 4th if you can't use your 3rd first ?

This is an artificial increase on the number of Tier 1 FP+ which defeats the whole purpose of Tiering. Because Tiering is no longer on the "value" of the attraction (reminiscent of the A, B, C, D, E tickets for attractions) but it's about Disney needs you to go and what Disney needs you to do in order for the whole Tiering system not to fall apart.

Now, what's next ? It doesn't look good when you start having FP+ only experiences without a standby option, yes, what's next ?