So what makes FP+ so bad?

[DisneySweetheart]

I agree with all the above problems with FP+ As AP holders and folks who park hop every day of our visits, the new system SUCKS for us. We don't know what parks we will travel to until we are there. (Weather, how we are feeling and crowd count has a lot to do with our decision) I don't know what was wrong with the old system. Worked fine. Why change it? We recently bought DVC and have been really excited to visit in the past....But with this new system, Disney has lost a lot of magic for me. I sure hope Disney reads these message boards!

 

[buckeev]

^Thought I'd just grab the low-hanging fruit.

 

[Laketravis]

Good thing that the folks who don't find FP+ wonderful is limited to a "highly vocal few", huh?

Cause it sure is gettin' loud 'round here.

 

[crostorfer]

If they would treat FP+ like credits and let me use then like dining credits, I'd be cool with it. If I buy a 4 Day ticket, give me 12 FPs total, and let me use them however I choose.

 

[I Love Pluto]

If they would treat FP+ like credits and let me use then like dining credits, I'd be cool with it. If I buy a 4 Day ticket, give me 12 FPs total, and let me use them however I choose.

I REALLY LIKE this idea!

Can we put you on the Disney Decision Making Board?! Great thought!

YES! Love it!

 

[surferdave]

So is your zen something TSA will allow through in a carry-on? Or did you have to put that in your checked bag?

And if I forget mine, do they sell those in the resort gift shops?

I have never driven to Disney since I'm a 5-1/2 hour drive away, but I've flown for business enough to definitively say the TSA does not allow me through with my zen intact.

 

[mom2rtk]

I have never driven to Disney since I'm a 5-1/2 hour drive away, but I've flown for business enough to definitively say the TSA does not allow me through with my zen intact.

 

[Stitch123]

What's wrong with FP+? Well, just about everything for the way we tour.

1. Pre-planning: We live about 3 hrs away so our Disney trips are usually weekend trips, rarely planned more than a few weeks in advance. We often buy the ticket when we arrive. If we want to take full advantage of FP+, that is no longer possible.

2. More pre-planning: I don't know what we'll have for dinner tomorrow night, but I'm supposed to decide on which rides I want, at exactly what time, two months in advance. Really? I like planning, but this is absurd.

3. No multiple FP+ for the same ride: Riding BTMRR several times is a must so we always pulled several FP- for that ride and our other favorites. No longer possible. Yeah, there's standby. The point is that until recently, I didn't have to shuffle through those lines.

4. Park-hopping: We usually stay in one park but hopping can be fun and we've certainly done it occasionally. If there are no FP+ to be had, why bother.

5. Tiering: Limits your fun even further, because now you know you'll be stuck in Standby either at Test Track or at Soarin'. Also shows the embarrassing lack of rides.

And that's just some of the issues I have with FP+. From my perspective, there are zero advantages to the new system.

 

[photo_chick]

A lot is being made about "having" to plan 60 days out. So how many people on here have been unable to get a FP for an attraction they wanted when they tried to do so upon a morning arrival in the park? I'm not talking about being unable to get your desired time because we had no choice about the return time with the old system, jut being able to get one at all. And I'm specifying a morning arrival because some FP's would be gone by lunch under the old system.

Do you really have to plan 60 days out under the system at this moment or can you actually walk into a park and snag a FP+ for the attraction you want?

 

[famy27]

No park hopping, three per day in MK, and TIERING.

I can get by with three (untiered) FPs in all the other parks, but I really need more than 3 in MK.

But tiering and no hopping have got to go. I keep hearing rumblings that the change will be coming, but I sure feel bad for everyone in the 1/23 to whenever-tiering-is-eliminated timeframe.

 

[lugnut33]

A lot is being made about "having" to plan 60 days out. So how many people on here have been unable to get a FP for an attraction they wanted when they tried to do so upon a morning arrival in the park? I'm not talking about being unable to get your desired time because we had no choice about the return time with the old system, jut being able to get one at all. And I'm specifying a morning arrival because some FP's would be gone by lunch under the old system.

Do you really have to plan 60 days out under the system at this moment or can you actually walk into a park and snag a FP+ for the attraction you want?

Currently no, but you can be assured that as more guest are brought on board the FP+ express there will be less and less availability.

 

[Pooksie]

No park hopping, three per day in MK, and TIERING.

I can get by with three (untiered) FPs in all the other parks, but I really need more than 3 in MK.

But tiering and no hopping have got to go. I keep hearing rumblings that the change will be coming, but I sure feel bad for everyone in the 1/23 to whenever-tiering-is-eliminated timeframe.

IMO, the tiers will not be eliminated. It is incentive, along with the limit of 3 per day, for people to purchase additional FP+ reservations when Disney starts selling them. The whole structure is perfectly setup to accommodate the monetization of FP+.

I heard way back in September from a MM+ survey team leader that they would consider adding a fourth FP+ reservation for attractions other than rides, eg. Parades, fireworks, illuminations but it would not be allowed for rides and I've heard nothing of it since. But I could see them adding a new tier for those things and adding one FP+ for that tier. So for now, I'm awaiting the announcement that Disney will start selling additional FP+ reservations by tier. People will pay more for convenience. Some say they won't, but I believe that a huge majority would, just to get the one or two extras per day that they'd like to have. Time will tell, but Disney would be foolish not to monetize FP+ based on how they've presently structured it and the amount of money they've spent on MM+ as a whole.

 

[photo_chick]

Currently no, but you can be assured that as more guest are brought on board the FP+ express there will be less and less availability.

That's a big assumption being made. Especially when we don't know how many they're releasing right now, if it's the total number they might release on a busy day when everyone has FP+ access, or anything else related to those things. I guess time and traffic patterns will tell the real story.

 

[1000HappyWishes]

Personally, my only issue with FP+ if the fact that I have to schedule what ride I want to be on at what time 60 days before I'm even at Disney.

 

[Ravenne]

Personally, my only issue with FP+ if the fact that I have to schedule what ride I want to be on at what time 60 days before I'm even at Disney.

This. I'm a planner but even this is a bit over the top for me. Although ADRs 180 days out is worse for me personally. I often don't even know what I'll be in the mood for tomorrow, let alone 6 months away.

My biggest beef with FP+ is the tiering and 1 park per day crapiola.

 

[ScrapYap]

I don't like the fact that the FPs are loaded onto the bands. In the legacy days, I could pull two sets as soon as possible in the morning (carrying the whole family's park passes), then later give the FPs to whichever family members wanted to ride what I'd gotten passes for. Very flexible -- allowing multiple visits to the same ride for some, if desired. And if one person wanted to head back to the resort, other family members could use their FPs. The bands don't lend themselves to this kind of flexibility. Fully transferable is preferable!

It kind of creeps me out that the transmitters can be used to track guests. It was fun at BOG using FP+ when our food was brought right to our table because we were tracked by our MagicBands. Disney's not saying how far the transmitters work or how many receivers they have throughout the parks. But they could easily transmit 500 feet or more. And with the amazing consumer information right there available to them, they are surely tracking everyone thoroughly (or will do so down the road). They may know where you are at any given moment. It's like the computer game Roller Coaster Tycoon. They know how often you enter a rest room or go into a gift shop. On the plus side, they could help you find your lost child, if he was wearing a MagicBand. If you leave something behind at a restaurant, will they just find you and bring it to you?

I don't have anything to hide, but it still feels strange. Will our kids grow up accepting that kind of monitoring as normal?

It feels like my zen is being NSA-ed.

 

[2Tiggies]

For those that dislike the new system, exactly what is it that needs to be changed or done away with in your opinion?

It's too restrictive.

I don't mind planning. I do like to structure our trip. I also like flexibility because sometimes stuff happens and sometimes I change my mind - and I should be allowed to change my mind on vacation without worrying that I may have to forfeit Space Mountain in exchange for Its A Small World or join a 90 minute standby line later on because we are going in the Summer.

It is true that we have had to do this with ADR's. But most people who have a sit down meal have only one per day. Aside from the hard-to-get select few, most ADRs are not that hard to reschedule with a bit of willingness to be flexible.

It gives a lesser experience to us (I know this is not the case for all and it depends what you like to do with your day).

To be fair to Disney, I would be happier with FP+ if they would just allow us to keep collecting more on the day of, on a first come, first served basis, as and when we used the others. I don't mind only being able to hold x amount at any given time (say in this case it is never more than 3) because the old (IMO very efficient system) you could only have one at a time, so this would be an improvement for guests; but it would be nice if, as you use one, you can book another.

 

[jpolak]

You mean, besides only 3/day, only in 1 park/day, only 1 FP/attraction, no pre-booking FPs for offsite guests, and tiering? Besides those things?

Well said. Pretty much sums it up.

 

[Cais]

I don't like the fact that the FPs are loaded onto the bands. In the legacy days, I could pull two sets as soon as possible in the morning (carrying the whole family's park passes), then later give the FPs to whichever family members wanted to ride what I'd gotten passes for. Very flexible -- allowing multiple visits to the same ride for some, if desired. And if one person wanted to head back to the resort, other family members could use their FPs. The bands don't lend themselves to this kind of flexibility. Fully transferable is preferable! It kind of creeps me out that the transmitters can be used to track guests. It was fun at BOG using FP+ when our food was brought right to our table because we were tracked by our MagicBands. Disney's not saying how far the transmitters work or how many receivers they have throughout the parks. But they could easily transmit 500 feet or more. And with the amazing consumer information right there available to them, they are surely tracking everyone thoroughly (or will do so down the road). They may know where you are at any given moment. It's like the computer game Roller Coaster Tycoon. They know how often you enter a rest room or go into a gift shop. On the plus side, they could help you find your lost child, if he was wearing a MagicBand. If you leave something behind at a restaurant, will they just find you and bring it to you? I don't have anything to hide, but it still feels strange. Will our kids grow up accepting that kind of monitoring as normal? It feels like my zen is being NSA-ed.

The range is actually only about ten feet maybe.

Your table had a scanner which is how they knew which table you were at.

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

 

[think-like-tink]

I am slightly dreading how this summer is going to go. We have not tried the new system, but, I don't like it already. I am afraid that it's going to create longer lines everywhere. I think it was a mistake to change it. The old system, everyone was equal. No extra money to ride favorite rides multiple times.

but alas, if the system works, let's change it!


If Disney starts charging for extra fast passes will it change your resort staying habits?

We stay club level. I do not like the idea of paying to have more fast passes. I do not like the idea of waiting in longer lines (that are long to begin with). I think they will be longer with the new system. Last, I do not like green eggs and ham.