So much walking for so few rides

[Disneychix]

We are just back from spending a few days in the parks. This was our second time with MB but our first time with only FP+.

What a lot of walking around for only a few rides in the MK. Seriously! They need to give you A LOT more FP+ for MK. We had FP+ lined up for Buzz, SM, and Goofy coaster. We got there earlier than I had planned and waited 25 mins for Haunted Mansion. Tried to do Pirates after this (30 min wait according to app) but when we got there it was down. FP time for Buzz so we went there. Still had an hour to kill before FP time for SM so we tried for Goofy but the standby was 25mins (for a 35 second ride!) so we ended up on the train for just something to do. Went back to SM and had our ride and then the boys were tired and hot so we just went back to the room to swim.

Most lines were consistently 25-30 mins. Maybe that is the plan? They think people can tolerate 3 FP+ and 30 mins waits for everything else?

 

[ArwenMarie]

MK definitely needs 4, untiered.

I know what you mean about a lot of walking and yet a lot of waiting.

I think they want people to use their three FPs, ride whatever else they can (and whatever lines they can tolerate), eat, shop, watch a show or parade or fireworks, and go home. So maybe a six-hour day or so.

 

[AmyB2006]

I'm hoping it will change.

But, no offense, it sounds like you didn't plan out those FPs that well. Instead of going all the way back over to Barnstormer while waiting for your SM FP+, why wouldn't you do People Mover or Speedway or COP or any of the other rides in Tomorrowland? Of course it's a lot of walking if you're going to go to another land while waiting for your other FP+.

But yes, in a way, I do think that's what Disney wants. They want you waiting for your FP+ and in their shops spending money.

 

[jon18uk]

I would actually expect less walking with FP+.

With FP- you would walk to the attractions entrance to collect a FastPass, then return to ride the attraction. If the return time was several hours away then you may end up going to another section of the park before returning.

With FP+ I would expect to plan and spread out FastPass, therefore allowing several hours between BTMRR and SM so I could do Frontierland/Liberty Square then do SM FP+ and the tomorrowland attractions without having to double back.

 

[HM]

When we were there in December, we had our FP+s pretty close together in terms of time. We were always able to do at least one other attraction in the area between our FP times. We did not do any shopping. We tried not to criss-cross the parks as much as we have in the past using the original FPs.

I'm sorry it didn't work out as well for you OP.

 

[Disneychix]

I'm hoping it will change.

But, no offense, it sounds like you didn't plan out those FPs that well. Instead of going all the way back over to Barnstormer while waiting for your SM FP+, why wouldn't you do People Mover or Speedway or COP or any of the other rides in Tomorrowland? Of course it's a lot of walking if you're going to go to another land while waiting for your other FP+.

But yes, in a way, I do think that's what Disney wants. They want you waiting for your FP+ and in their shops spending money.

No offense taken, and I know it was partly my fault, but I guess my point is I arrived earlier than expected after my breakfast finished early and it is NOT easy to move things around at all!
I felt annoyed that I was locked into decisions I made 2 months ago and when I was there and the situation changed I couldn't do much about it.

Also, I was dealing with kids that are at different levels. My oldest is big enough for coasters and the little one isn't. So 2 people got SM fast passes and 2 people got goofy coaster FP but then my oldest couldn't understand why he couldn't do Goofy with his brother.

 

[anonymousegirl]

Maybe it's me, but 30 minute wait doesn't sound too bad. Of course, we would all love the queue to be 10 minutes, but those wait times seem to belong on Yesteryears' website--never to be seen again!

 

[DisneyMommy9]

30 min waits do not bother me at all. Of course the last time I went was Thanksgiving week and even with fast pass we waited an hour to an hour and a half for a ride. We are going for 3 nights 4 days in June or shortstop trip ever but I am so excited to go!!!!!

 

[Sparkly]

Maybe it's me, but 30 minute wait doesn't sound too bad. Of course, we would all love the queue to be 10 minutes, but those wait times seem to belong on Yesteryears' website--never to be seen again!

Quite possible at low crowd times in the morning or evening or after the fireworks at MK and especially with minor rides. I don't mind waiting 30 mins really. I think that's the longest time we waited all trip.

 

[mill4023]

We've gone during spring break (but not Easter) and never waited longer than 20 minutes for anything thanks to legacy FP (or as I like to call it, the good fastpass). I'm pretty sure that will be near impossible with the FP+ downgrade.

 

[GrumpyBa*D]

We go the end of March, I would be happy with 30 min waits

 

[3happydancers]

We are just back from spending a few days in the parks. This was our second time with MB but our first time with only FP+.

What a lot of walking around for only a few rides in the MK. Seriously! They need to give you A LOT more FP+ for MK. We had FP+ lined up for Buzz, SM, and Goofy coaster. We got there earlier than I had planned and waited 25 mins for Haunted Mansion. Tried to do Pirates after this (30 min wait according to app) but when we got there it was down. FP time for Buzz so we went there. Still had an hour to kill before FP time for SM so we tried for Goofy but the standby was 25mins (for a 35 second ride!) so we ended up on the train for just something to do. Went back to SM and had our ride and then the boys were tired and hot so we just went back to the room to swim.

Most lines were consistently 25-30 mins. Maybe that is the plan? They think people can tolerate 3 FP+ and 30 mins waits for everything else?

I do agree that Disney needs to offer more than 3 FP's, especially for MK but I have to be honest (please don't get offended), at least for my family, 25 min waits are within reason. Can I ask why you chose not to wait for at least one of the rides?

 

[TeamSy]

No offense taken, and I know it was partly my fault, but I guess my point is I arrived earlier than expected after my breakfast finished early and it is NOT easy to move things around at all!
I felt annoyed that I was locked into decisions I made 2 months ago and when I was there and the situation changed I couldn't do much about it.

Also, I was dealing with kids that are at different levels. My oldest is big enough for coasters and the little one isn't. So 2 people got SM fast passes and 2 people got goofy coaster FP but then my oldest couldn't understand why he couldn't do Goofy with his brother.

We felt the same way when we went last month. We made selections so far in advance, that day of, they just didn't work out. When we went to change them nothing was available - we were either stuck with what we had, or were forced to go without. We definitely FP all the right rides, and it was good we had them, but by noon (or so it felt), we used up all our FP! I too hate that they only allow for three selections - it's just not enough!

 

[sharonped]

Yes this was our experience in Jan.

 

[Alice Royal]

Anything less than 20 minutes IS a FP wait...essentially. Funny how everyone expects nonexistent lines at Disney when in reality, every ride has a constant amount of output that does not change. The amount of people waiting for that ride determines how long the lines are, obviously. So in a park that can hold 100,000 people at capacity and 43,000 people on average, why do we expect short waits on a ride like Space Mountain, that can only put out six people per car on thirteen cars, every five minutes? That's 78 people, 936 per hour.

If even half of that number (468) people are in line, which is a fraction of the total visitors and is pretty normal on an average day, the line WILL be at least 30 minutes.

Your average amusement park does NOT offer skip-the-line services. How does one plan to tour a local park without this? By waiting in line, like everyone else.

 

[rluey29]

Before FP+ we never waited in line for more than 25 mins. MK we usually rode everything once using legacy FP. Last two times we rode 5 rides each day. One of those was stitch, which we dislike, but it was all we could do without 40 min waits.

 

[AmyB2006]

No offense taken, and I know it was partly my fault, but I guess my point is I arrived earlier than expected after my breakfast finished early and it is NOT easy to move things around at all!
I felt annoyed that I was locked into decisions I made 2 months ago and when I was there and the situation changed I couldn't do much about it.

Also, I was dealing with kids that are at different levels. My oldest is big enough for coasters and the little one isn't. So 2 people got SM fast passes and 2 people got goofy coaster FP but then my oldest couldn't understand why he couldn't do Goofy with his brother.

I definitely empathize. We did some waiting around at DHS and Epcot because there just simply isn't anything else to do if you're waiting for a FP sometimes. And my kids are 7 and 5 so I know all about those issues too.

 

[doctornick]

I definitely empathize. We did some waiting around at DHS and Epcot because there just simply isn't anything else to do if you're waiting for a FP sometimes. And my kids are 7 and 5 so I know all about those issues too.

With DHS it is definitely an issue since most of the "B" and "C" ticket attractions are shows with set schedules that don't fit in well to "do this while waiting for a FP+ window to open". Muppets/Little Mermaid/Disney Jr might work but they aren't particularly convenient if you are waiting for a FP+ window for RNR or ToT. Hmmm... seems like there is a need for a high capacity dark ride on Sunset Blvd....

Epcot, I don't really agree. In FW, there is typically something nearby that should have a short wait -- Nemo, Imagination, Eo, SSE (most of the time), Circle of Life video, even just exploring Innoventions. In WS, there is likely a performance you an catch somewhere nearby.

 

[ariane37]

No offense taken, and I know it was partly my fault, but I guess my point is I arrived earlier than expected after my breakfast finished early and it is NOT easy to move things around at all!
I felt annoyed that I was locked into decisions I made 2 months ago and when I was there and the situation changed I couldn't do much about it.

Also, I was dealing with kids that are at different levels. My oldest is big enough for coasters and the little one isn't. So 2 people got SM fast passes and 2 people got goofy coaster FP but then my oldest couldn't understand why he couldn't do Goofy with his brother.

We felt the same way when we went last month. We made selections so far in advance, that day of, they just didn't work out. When we went to change them nothing was available - we were either stuck with what we had, or were forced to go without. We definitely FP all the right rides, and it was good we had them, but by noon (or so it felt), we used up all our FP! I too hate that they only allow for three selections - it's just not enough!

We returned 2/18 from a 10 day trip and we felt the same as above. It wasn't always convenient or possible to schedule FP+ times where we wouldn't have to criss-cross park, and while there's always stuff to do around us, there isn't always something we WANT to ride/see in the area during the waits between FP's which were pretty often. It's just too far in advance to know exactly how your day will be and too much of a pain to move things around right there and then, especially when the app only works 50% of the time Some days our FP's were gone by 1 or 2, and lines were long. Other days when our FP's were scheduled for our 2nd park, even if we got to 1st park early, lines were too long by 11 or so and with no legacy FP, what do you do?

Also just another note, we rarely wait over 20 min. for a ride; sometimes 25, MAYBE 30 depending on what it is and if its our last day in the that park, and of course there have been exceptions over the years. In the past, 25 min. or more would have definitely been a grab-a-FP ride. Our trips are usually in Oct./Nov. and we've always had many waits of only 10-15 min. on many rides at different times of the day, so I don't think it's unreasonable to at least hope for, depending on the time of year you go. Unfortunately I think FP+ is definitely making those short lines less of a possibility. We did see some 10-15 wait times on popular rides this month, all before noon.

 

[jon18uk]

Unfortunately I think FP+ is definitely making those short lines less of a possibility. We did see some 10-15 wait times on popular rides this month, all before noon.

I don't think it's FP+ causing the longer lines, it sounds like the park is just more crowded. Assuming that the same number of FP+ are distributed per hour as FP- (as I would expect it to work this way and also as you found FP+ had "sold out" when you tried to make new selections) the FP+ line shouldn't slow the standby line down any more than FP- did.