Soarin' SB+ test...Fail

[robpa]

Lol, I was thinking that from the first post!

Yes, most of those posts are real head scratchers

 

[robpa]

too funny!

I have one revision for you though.......


come see walt disney world
by appointment only

come see walt disney world*
*certain restrictions apply*

 

[Planogirl]

That is true! I didn't think about the fact that this new system doesn't allow much flexibility once you get there.
I definitely don't think they should eliminate the standby line! That one actually might work to the advantage of us researchers and planners (because it's a bit like getting a fastpass, and it's easy to see how if you got to the park in the morning you could potentially ride a headliner multiple times with a SB+ ticket) but it would surely piss some non-planners off!

Not only that but if everyone has a SB+ where will everyone end up? I can get my tickets for Soarin' to return at 2 but then what do I do? If I wait to get the tickets and the time the CM has interferes with my FP+ or ADR, can the CM offer other times or do you have to take whatever is available? And what do I do up to the time that I'm supposed to get in line? I won't shop more than I already do so do we ride Imagination or Ellen? Or just sit down and wait?

Lots of questions.

 

[Angel Ariel]

The fact that you could even use "donate" in this context is so telling as to your bias in all of this.

Amen. IMHO, the fact that the parks are full and.ride capacity is so close to maxed out for so many rides is precisely why they need new attractions - not rationale to not build rides.

 

[Disneychick75]

I don't know, my guess is that the new system might actually work in favor of the general public. I have talked to SO many people who go to Disney once and then swear they'll never go again because they approached it like any other vacation and as a result went during very busy times and had to wait in extremely long lines in the hot afternoon sun. With the new system those types of vacationers can still roll into the park at noon and get at least 3 of the things they were hoping to experience with a minimal wait.

For people like me and my family--I think it stinks! We rocked the legacy system and rode everything we wanted, usually multiple times a day!

The thing is WDW is feeling less like a vacation and more like work. We will start using DVC to stay in other places as much or more than we'll use it at Disney World. I can stay home and work.

 

[jade1]

If FP+ was the resounding success some here keep claiming it is, then why is Disney falling back on essentially what is original recipe Fast Pass?

Fuzzy logic indeed.

Because going 100% FP+ would work-all guests would wait about 10 minutes all day long. But they need to keep a % for "day of" and leading up to last minute trips. Would you agree to that?

Now they have the % as SB still waiting 90 to 200 minutes. Why on earth would you not look into reducing that? It may never happen-but if the guest could even sit in a chair with a cold drink for the 3 hours wouldn't that be better?

 

[MrInfinity]

I had a 12:45 Via Napoli lunch, my one and only lunch reservation because DHS doesn't have enough attraction for a whole day and we enjoy the pizza.

I think you and I tour very differently. I would never plan to visit a park just to ride TSMM and ST. We could go on ST over and over, not just once. And a trip to HS without RnR would be crazy for us.

We did TSMM once (instead of our usual twice, I should be happy about that right)

Ok why only once? You ride once at RD and once via FP right? Take your FP for 9:30-10:30, and the ST FP for 10:30-11:30 and you should have no problem riding TSMM-TSMM-ST if that is your goal for the day.

we left with plenty of time to get to Via Napoli, we got to EPCOT IG around Noon. When I originally booked my FP+ Maelstrom was Tier 1 still and we had a long SB line in April and June at OPENING (Long lines at what should have been walk on at 11:30, I should be happy about that right?)

Is Maelstrom no longer Tier 1? If so I didn't know. The lines were not horrible for it in May even w/o FP.

So I wanted a fourth for this and the only times were 12:50 or 6:30 smack dab in the middle of lunch and dinner ADR's,

Ok, then I would not have taken it. I wouldn't rush an expensive dinner to make a ride that's pretty easy to get on later.

no flexibility or availablity (I should be happy about that right?). So we took the 12:50 and went straight to Via Napoli and missed all the pavilions in between that we wanted to shop at

This is not a factor of FP, this is a factor of trying to do HS, ride two headliners, then switch parks, then get to your restaurant which you knew ahead of time was 4 or 5 countries away from the IG, all by 12:45, and expect to leisurely walk and shop your way there (shopping from the IG to Italy can take hours)

I think this comes back to the fact that you and I seem to tour differently. I would not have planned such a busy morning -- the amount of walking alone to get into HS, clear around that park, out of HS, to EC, hallway across that park, all by lunch is just ouch!

Then went straight to Norway without stopping to make the FP+ and couldn't enjoy anything along the way (I should be happy about that right?).

Why rush this? Just go on Maelstrom later or wait it out SB. I think ppl put too much emphasis on having to do the rides. It's ok to skip a FP once in a while.

the temperature was in the high 90's, very humid, and no breeze. So instead of enjoying the better part of the afternoon with the DD's in WS it was cut short (I should be happy about that right?)

Cut short by being too hot, I can sympathize there. EC is brutal. It does sound like you had a bad day. I don't think you should like that, but it was caused by many factors, one of the least of which was FP+.

 

[Planogirl]

Because going 100% FP+ would work-all guests would wait about 10 minutes all day long. But they need to keep a % for "day of" and leading up to last minute trips. Would you agree to that?

Now they have the % as SB still waiting 90 to 200 minutes. Why on earth would you not look into reducing that? It may never happen-but if the guest could even sit in a chair with a cold drink for the 3 hours wouldn't that be better?

They're going to need to add more chairs.

 

[robpa]

so basically-- they did away with paper FP -- then they make us plan our FP way in advance -- and then they technically bring back paper fp but only for one ride, without telling anyone -- and totally fill the ride with fp users.

that makes no sense at all.

But according to Fuzzy Disney is all about spreading the wealth so everyone can get a chance to ride a ride once. So if you don't have a fastpass or weren't there in time to get a SB card then you are SOL. Where is the fairness in that

 

[Angel Ariel]

True... but this is awfully reminiscent of when FP+ started rolling out and ppl called it a major failure too. Now 2 years later it's pretty smooth and the kinks worked out.

Every option they've "tested" through the past many months has been implemented.

Yes. Scary. Disney does not test to decide yes/no they test to decide how.

In what way are all of the kinks worked out of.fp+ ??? Last I checked ,lots of.people are still having.vanishing reservations on a daily basis...fp+ reservations, hotel reservations,ADRs...that's hardly kink.free and smooth.

 

[monkeybug]

The only problem I see with this is that I think the average guest will have greater expectations than just getting 3 rides in. Plus in the tiered parks they may not get to experience all the headliners & maybe some of the secondary attractions without some significant waits.

I think you're right, but I think the problem a lot of people have with Disney is that they have high expectations (like assuming Christmas will be a slow time) because they do minimal research and think it will be similar to going to Six Flags or something, and then they get there and realize how wrong they were but it's too late to do much about it. At least with the FP+ they will experience 3 things a day with only a small wait.

I was just talking to my neighbors husband the other day and he was telling me how much they hated Disney because it was crowded, hot, and they had to wait in long lines everyday with screaming kids. He said by the time they got to the parks fastpasses for the good rides were always gone. I think that can be a pretty typical first trip for people who approach it like they do their other vacations.

 

[Jennasis]

Because going 100% FP+ would work-all guests would wait about 10 minutes all day long. But they need to keep a % for "day of" and leading up to last minute trips. Would you agree to that?

Now they have the % as SB still waiting 90 to 200 minutes. Why on earth would you not look into reducing that? It may never happen-but if the guest could even sit in a chair with a cold drink for the 3 hours wouldn't that be better?

No I wouldn't agree to that. All I will say is that SOCIALISM works in theory (level the field, spread the wealth) but in practice...in reality, it doesn't and simply sows the seeds of *******.

 

[jade1]

No I wouldn't agree to that. All I will say is that SOCIALISM works in theory (level the field, spread the wealth) but in practice...in reality, it doesn't and simply sows the seeds of *******.

Soi you think it should be 100% FP+?

I'm fine with that.

 

[BrerNashville]

Well, they could do what Universal does, which is close the line for Gringotts a good 2-3 hours before park close.

 

[robpa]

I think you're right, but I think the problem a lot of people have with Disney is that they have high expectations (like assuming Christmas will be a slow time) because they do minimal research and think it will be similar to going to Six Flags or something, and then they get there and realize how wrong they were but it's too late to do much about it. At least with the FP+ they will experience 3 things a day with only a small wait.

I was just talking to my neighbors husband the other day and he was telling me how much they hated Disney because it was crowded, hot, and they had to wait in long lines everyday with screaming kids. He said by the time they got to the parks fastpasses for the good rides were always gone. I think that can be a pretty typical first trip for people who approach it like they do their other vacations.

To the 2 bolded sentences... first I think you are correct about most guests thinking its like a Six Flags but a 1 day ticket to Six Flags is considerably less than a 1 day Disney ticket. This brings me to the second bolded sentence in that if you pay considerably more I think your expectations would be to do considerably more. It would be much harder to convince yourself that you got the most value for your dollar. So even if the family got to do some of the things they wanted, I think they still wouldn't be too enamored with Disney Parks.

 

[jade1]

Well, they could do what Universal does, which is close the line for Gringotts a good 2-3 hours before park close.

I was wondering about that. Awesome.

 

[robpa]

Well, they could do what Universal does, which is close the line for Gringotts a good 2-3 hours before park close.

Universal doesn't really have anything to do with this discussion so not sure why you brought it up

 

[phorsenuf]

Not only that but if everyone has a SB+ where will everyone end up? I can get my tickets for Soarin' to return at 2 but then what do I do? If I wait to get the tickets and the time the CM has interferes with my FP+ or ADR, can the CM offer other times or do you have to take whatever is available? And what do I do up to the time that I'm supposed to get in line? I won't shop more than I already do so do we ride Imagination or Ellen? Or just sit down and wait?

Lots of questions.

Guess you can join the DAS users. This is essentially the same thing. Want to ride but can't wait in standby (or they don't want you to)? Here's a card, come back later, go find something to do in the meantime.

If they do start to gravitate to this whole card for standby, I wonder how many cards you can hold at once?

 

[jade1]

They're going to need to add more chairs.

Oh they will, with $10 beers as well.

 

[BrerNashville]

Universal doesn't really have anything to do with this discussion so not sure why you brought it up

Uh.. the same reason you're talking about Six Flags -- to contrast another park's way of handling excess crowds. Disney traditionally has let you in line if you get to a line 1 second before park close. I've always thought that was kind of cool. This new way of handling the Soarin' standby line obviously precludes that, unless you have the SB+ (modified FP-??) ticket.