So is current thought that the 4th fast pass is the last version for FP+?

[SplashMo]

I think they should allow you to book less than 3FP+ and still roll into a 4th after waiting one hour for each declined FP+

Also allow 4th from phone and ignore night time shows in the 4th FP availability (again adding an hour to your wait time for the 4th FP+

 

[wisblue]

I think they should allow you to book less than 3FP+ and still roll into a 4th after waiting one hour for each declined FP+

Also allow 4th from phone and ignore night time shows in the 4th FP availability (again adding an hour to your wait time for the 4th FP+

After you make 3 reservations you can cancel 2 of them and leave yourself with one. I wonder what would happen if you did that for Epcot or DHS and then went to a kiosk either before or after using the one. I wonder if it would jet you take a tier 1, of it would only offer tier 2 because you are, in effect, just making your second and third.

 

[rapunzels]

I think they are going to tier MK

OMG... no. That would make a bad situation worse. Let's hope not.

 

[Minniekins]

All this talk of tiering, especially in relation to hopping, just seems like it would put more limitations on, just as they were easing up a little bit, and not sure how it would encouraging hopping. I'd rather just have my three in one park, especially as I only have to use one, and the others can expire. Then I can possibly get a top tier with my 4th FP in my second park, sooner. Not that that's the best way but, they make us choose 3 prebooks, regardless.

And, tiering in MK seems very limiting when limiting isn't really necessary with so many more top rides to choose from. And there are many more popular rides in what might be considered 2nd tier. For many families, even within families, what would be considered tier 1 or tier 2 might be very different. Choosing between tiers there would be frustrating I think.

 

[wisblue]

Here's an example of what I would consider the best scenario for people who tour like us. Like a lot of other people, we like to visit one park at opening, ride as long as lines are short and the park isn't too crowded, take a break in the middle of the day, and then visit a second park in the late afternoon or evening.

Assuming no changes in tiering and keeping the limit of 3 in advance, I would like to be able, for example, to book one FP at MK in the morning, and 2 at DHS later in the day. Then, I would like using the one at MK to trigger the additional FP that I could use and rebook the rest of the day while still holding my 2 evening FPs at DHS.

I think this would encourage hopping because you wouldn't have to wait until you arrive at the second park, when FPs for the most popular attractions will be gone or very limited, to get FPs to use there.

 

[ArwenMarie]

I think whether or not they tier MK will depend on how crazy 7DMT is when it opens and how many standby spots/FPs they want to have set aside for day-of.

But they probably don't even know yet how it will all go. I think they would tier 7DMT, Anna and Elsa, and maybe Wishes and MSEP. Something like that.

Then they would tier AK just to make it all look even.

 

[Liljo22]

I just don't see how adding another attraction to MK is going to cause tiering. It adds FP capacity not take it away.

The threat of tiering in MK is just the doom and gloomers way to continue to talk down FP+.

 

[morethananyonex]

I can't see 7DMT causing MK to be tiered. I can't see much doing that, short of thousands and thousands of extra people entering the MK per day.

At the end of the day, 7DMT is a dark ride. Anybody looking for their thrill ride fix at the MK has the other 3 mountains. There's lots of good options for character meet FP for the family who wants those. There's the classic rides like HM, POTC, IASW, etc. There's all the other Fantasyland attractions too (including PP, ETWB). Compare that to Epcot that has TT and Soarin' and then all it's fairly unappealing (from a FP perspective) tier 2 options. MK has so many options pulling people away from booking the same stuff. At the tiered parks, most people would choose to book the same 2 or 3 attractions.

Even if 7DMT becomes difficult to get, I don't think tiering will fix that. Everyone who can will likely still choose it for the time being (unless they want A&E instead).

 

[practicallyperfect77]

Here's an example of what I would consider the best scenario for people who tour like us. Like a lot of other people, we like to visit one park at opening, ride as long as lines are short and the park isn't too crowded, take a break in the middle of the day, and then visit a second park in the late afternoon or evening.

Assuming no changes in tiering and keeping the limit of 3 in advance, I would like to be able, for example, to book one FP at MK in the morning, and 2 at DHS later in the day. Then, I would like using the one at MK to trigger the additional FP that I could use and rebook the rest of the day while still holding my 2 evening FPs at DHS.

I think this would encourage hopping because you wouldn't have to wait until you arrive at the second park, when FPs for the most popular attractions will be gone or very limited, to get FPs to use there.

This would be a perfect option for me too.
Fingers crossed this is at least an option to test.

 

[OtherScott]

1) I am amazed at the different great ideas that this board comes up with - most supported by experience, logic and common sense.

2) I am amazed when some don't think this same process occurred/is occurring within the group tasked to design this system.

 

[ArwenMarie]

1) I am amazed at the different great ideas that this board comes up with - most supported by experience, logic and common sense.

2) I am amazed when some don't think this same process occurred/is occurring within the group tasked to design this system.

I agree that the group tasked to design the system can also think of these things...it's not rocket science.

However, that same group has also messed up a few things. They rolled out the test with Epcot and DHS untiered...and then ended up having to tier it. I'm sure they would have preferred to roll it out tiered, but some things you can't forecast. They also had a 4th FP for MK and that went away too.

So no group of designers is perfect by any means. In fact, sometimes having a corporate structure on top of you, constantly looking at the dollars, is a great way to stifle thought.

 

[FlightlessDuck]

I think they will allow the 4th and after fastpass on your phone.

They better.

 

[Laketravis]

I'm sure Disney is thinking much bigger.

Rather than tier MK, Disney could see all 4 parks as an aggregate resource pool, and siphon the load off of MK (or any other park that exceeded that day's attendance and operational cost projections) by offering those in the park with park hoppers the ability to reserve headliners at another park that day.

Disney looks at revenue (park hoppers) but also considers cost. Rather than increase operational costs today at MK because there are 10,000 extra visitors, let's see if we can lure some of the 15,000 with park hoppers over to HS this afternoon because HS loading is light and operational costs are already covered.

Guest churn is good when it can be controlled.

 

[WillAustin]

So no group of designers is perfect by any means. In fact, sometimes having a corporate structure on top of you, constantly looking at the dollars, is a great way to stifle thought.

There are relatively few corporate environments where designers get to design and ask the right questions without being restricted due to internal politics or finances. The right answers are sometimes not heard at all, even when they are voiced.

 

[calablovedisney]

I have been reading through several threads about FP+ for quite a while now to try to understand the changes and how it will affect my planning for our next trip.
A couple of questions keep popping up for me.
1. Why would I want or need a FP for fireworks or a parade? Would this be for a special viewing area?
2. How far in advance are you allowed to book FP+, and can I split up my family, for example at HS my DH and DD1 could do ToT & myself and DD2 could do Toy Story?
3. Are they guest specific? Myself and DD2 would not ride ToT or RR at DHS, but my dh and other DD would. Could they use our RR choice and their own ToT, for example.
3. I have just begun to read about a 4th FP so I am not sure I understand how that works. But, I do not have a phone capable of connecting to the internet so I will not be able to do any booking of anything from a phone while there. I think I read about kiosks I could use instead, correct?

Thank you so much. I have been reading a lot and I apologize for repeating questions that may have been asked before, but the more I read, the more I started questioning the details.

 

[SuperRob]

Okay! I wasn't really expecting an answer from corporate. I just figured everyone had some thoughts on it (and seems to know much more than I do) so I thought I'd ask in case anyone knew what the current rumors may be.

I was mostly kidding that I'd be able to figure out today what I would need for October.

Man, tough crowd!

Sorry, I wasn't trying to be a jerk about it. I apologize. More, I was just saying that all you were going to get was speculation and opinions, none of which really help you "plan", so to speak. Just remember that a lot of things get rumored that don't end up happening. Sometimes it's because the rumor was just made up speculation by fans, and sometimes because it was true at one point, but plans changed.

The best you can do is go with the current information and a positive attitude.

 

[SuperRob]

I'm sure Disney is thinking much bigger.

Rather than tier MK, Disney could see all 4 parks as an aggregate resource pool, and siphon the load off of MK (or any other park that exceeded that day's attendance and operational cost projections) by offering those in the park with park hoppers the ability to reserve headliners at another park that day.

Disney looks at revenue (park hoppers) but also considers cost. Rather than increase operational costs today at MK because there are 10,000 extra visitors, let's see if we can lure some of the 15,000 with park hoppers over to HS this afternoon because HS loading is light and operational costs are already covered.

Guest churn is good when it can be controlled.

The problem is that the rides need to be able to handle the capacity. It doesn't help to shuffle one guest over to Hollywood Studios with a FP for TSMM, if it's going to impact the guests already in line negatively.

Disney added FP scheduling because it helps them figure out where guests will be with a high degree of reliability. Park Hopping actually hurts them in this regard, because it makes guests unpredictable. If you can predict that they're going to hop, that would be good, but encouraging it with a FP day-of likely doesn't help Disney much. Now, it may be that on days they know MK will be busy, that MDE might suggest going to Epcot instead, and offering a fourth pre-booked FastPass to ensure that they go there. That would likely be far more successful, and predictable.

 

[JeremyGNJ]

I think they will allow the 4th and after fastpass on your phone. I agree that tiering is not likely to go away, the 4 major attractions at Epcot & DHS would be gone too fast.

I don't think they will ever allow 4th FP+ from your phone.

They want to predict how many people ill be at each park. If Epcot is a slow day and has less staff...they don't want a thousand people seeing that Soarin' FP's are still available and all head to Epcot.

 

[SuperRob]

I have been reading through several threads about FP+ for quite a while now to try to understand the changes and how it will affect my planning for our next trip.
A couple of questions keep popping up for me.
1. Why would I want or need a FP for fireworks or a parade? Would this be for a special viewing area?
2. How far in advance are you allowed to book FP+, and can I split up my family, for example at HS my DH and DD1 could do ToT & myself and DD2 could do Toy Story?
3. Are they guest specific? Myself and DD2 would not ride ToT or RR at DHS, but my dh and other DD would. Could they use our RR choice and their own ToT, for example.
3. I have just begun to read about a 4th FP so I am not sure I understand how that works. But, I do not have a phone capable of connecting to the internet so I will not be able to do any booking of anything from a phone while there. I think I read about kiosks I could use instead, correct?

Thank you so much. I have been reading a lot and I apologize for repeating questions that may have been asked before, but the more I read, the more I started questioning the details.

1. Yes, that's exactly how it works. Just like FP+ "virtually" holds your place in line at a ride, FP+ for shows holds a spot for viewing, in a preferred section.

2. 60 days for Disney resort guests, 30 day for off-site guests or AP holders. Yes, you can split FP between guests, so half could go to one ride while half go to a different attraction.

3. They ARE guest-specific, but that't not to say if your kid doesn't want to go on Tower of Terror, for example, that you couldn't "borrow" his ticket or MagicBand ...

4. The "rolling fourth" FastPass must be booked at a FP+ kiosk (at this time, anyway), so yes, after using your first three, you an get a fourth, then a fifth, etc. by visiting a kiosk.

 

[practicallyperfect77]

I don't think they will ever allow 4th FP+ from your phone.

They want to predict how many people ill be at each park. If Epcot is a slow day and has less staff...they don't want a thousand people seeing that Soarin' FP's are still available and all head to Epcot.

But don't they need to allow folks the ability to book from the app so they don't have to spend money on more kiosks? I know I read an article that one of the main guys commented in how more people were using the app and it was saving them money. Folks in line booking additional FPs can't be in stores shopping either.