Soarin' SB+ test...Fail

[lovethattink]

Many people who need a DAS can't be there for rope drop either.

Very true.

This whole new scenario is a big nightmare!

Not necessarily.

I totally forgot to ask about DAS when we were at the A&E test and I didn't get to Epcot today to ask. The article from TT had said about having a different color paper and being sent to the FP+ line. So that leads me to believe there is a set number of these tickets as well.

If what was written on TT's blog was accurate, you could get the return ticket and go to the FP+ line with it upon return time. The blog also said nothing would be written on the DAS. Therefore, you can still use DAS for a different attraction while you also hold the return ticket. Where is could be a nightmare, is if those tickets run out and there is no alternative.

 

[mesaboy2]

Entertaining thread. Even a reference to socialism. I am glad that here in 'Merica we do not have any socialistic elements in government.

Other things I find amusing:

1. Frequent park goers on this thread bemoaning this idea but would admittedly never wait in a line more than 20 minutes long. But somehow this affects them.
2. The concern for fellow guests among those that never seemed to care before that their fellow guests were ignorant of FP and that allowed them to really maximize the use of the FP system. Now these same people are some of the most altruistic people that walk among us carrying the banner for the common man. Well Played!!!
3. It is somehow OK for Universal to be referenced in multiple threads in the past as the gold standard when talking about Disney's perceived shortcomings but now it is verboten to talk about how Universal rushed opening an attraction. As an aside, I do not see transparency displayed by Universal when it closes Gringotts 3 hours before the park closes and doesnt inform its guests.
4. This is a test just like A&E was. Now, maybe Disney will roll this out as they have done with other tests or maybe they will read the vast wisdom on the DIS and not. They did adjust FP+ when they rolled it out and maybe if they roll this out, it will not be like it is being tested. We will see. Like I said previously, I think people should have the choice to wait in SB lines should they choose. And if Disney does this, I will voice my concern as well. I know some DIS'ers think they could run the parks better than the current management team in place but I want to wait and see which direction management goes with this.

I am looking forward to the next outrage du jour around here. You cant make some of this stuff up.

You cannot possibly be referring to me. I have, from my first posts years ago, been preaching from as high a rooftop as the DIS allows how to maximize FP or FP+ for anyone willing to ask and listen. I cannot help the others.

 

[Angel Ariel]

2) Time of year/seasons-do not implement busy weeks if necessary

3) Cut off times-use QBOT until it hits say 8PM-then its just SB from then on

4) Yes a 3rd line for the few willing to wait super long-we are not talking every attraction, so just a merge line.

Even reading?

Yes, I am...and you'll notice that my comment is not about whether or not your plan included the ability to wait.

My comment was solely in response to your statement:

If folks conclude long wait times are good (SB or FP) I....got nothing sorry

Perhaps I should have worded it as a question. Who here has "concluded that long wait times are good (SB or FP)"? As far as I can tell, no one in this thread has concluded it was a good thing.

What that statement comes across as, to me, is that you are taking those of us who are saying we'd rather have the choice to wait as saying long lines are good. Which is why I responded saying that no one here is saying long lines are a good thing, we just don't want Disney telling us that waiting is not even possible if we wanted to.

If that's not how you intended to come across, then I apologize, but that's how it read to me.

I'd still be interested in discussion as to why I should assume that new attractions are a given at epcot any time in the near future (with near future being 10-15 years), given Disney's lack of action there in the last decade, and how long they've taken to build things recently.

 

[mom2rtk]

You cannot possibly be referring to me. I have, from my first posts years ago, been preaching from as high a rooftop as the DIS allows how to maximize FP or FP+ for anyone willing to ask and listen. I cannot help the others.

 

[jade1]

You keep bringing up Gringotts and I'm not sure that is a fair comparison to Disney rides. It is barely 3 weeks old and there is still a lot of hype built around it so everyone wants to ride it. Maybe compare it to Forbidden Journey which is at least an older attraction in which some of the hype has died down for.

The thing with Gringotts is I'm a huge fan of US/IOA. Do a day trip there every couple years from WDW.

Thing is there is no way to even attempt that currently as we will never wait really over an hour for anything. We have to wait and see if the lines just final settle down enough to do a 6AM stand at the gate and hope it opens up early so the hotel guests are still somewhat limited.

But not sure if I'm more mad they missed the boat on a possible sick roller coaster opp-or they cant figure out anything to reduce the wait time.

 

[robpa]

I have a question for those who have been around longer than I have. My parents went to WDW back in September of last year when they were starting testing for FP+, doing Magic Bands, and all of these new changes. My husband and I went in late January when FP+ was rolled out fully in its original form. We went back last week when new FP+ was going on. Now, we were parks free last week so we have no first-hand experience, but did talk with various guests. It seems that a fourth fast pass is hard to get, especially if you are looking for any of the headliners. Prior to this new change, though, my husband and I experienced FP+ in January and we hated it. It really changed how we traveled and how much we did. It created long lines for rides that used to have no wait at all. We just didn't like it. It seems like they used guests as guinea pigs to test out FP+. It was not well received which lead to this change which, we can all agree, happened very quickly after fully implementing FP+. To me, this says that they realized FP+ had some serious issues and that they risked losing customers. Now, we are hearing about SB+ which to me says that the changes to FP+ haven't done what they were hoping and they are still trying to correct the problem. Now, I was a CP at WDW in fall of 2005 when FP was going on. I don't remember using fast pass for any previous trips, but don't think I had been since 1999, now that I think about it. When they first rolled out Fast Pass, did they make this many changes in such a short period of time? Did it appear that they were using the guests as guinea pigs to see how things worked and then changing them 2-3 months later? Or did it seem like FP was, for the most part, a success from the start? And, does anyone know what happened to make Disney think FP needing fixing in the form of FP+? I can see why they went to SB+, but I'm unaware of what was going on with FP to warrant a change.

Fastpass plus, was I believe, just the vehicle to get you to wear their tracking device. They figured if you think you are getting something you would be more willing to wear it. Right now they are just interested in the info that they can get about you from the band.

 

[robpa]

The thing with Gringotts is I'm a huge fan of US/IOA. Do a day trip there every couple years from WDW.

Thing is there is no way to even attempt that currently as we will never wait really over an hour for anything. We have to wait and see if the lines just final settle down enough to do a 6AM stand at the gate and hope it opens up early so the hotel guests are still somewhat limited.

But not sure if I'm more mad they missed the boat on a possible sick roller coaster opp-or they cant figure out anything to reduce the wait time.

Well you have to expect it to be crazy over there for a while. Isn't it crazy for the mine train at MK? Any new ride anywhere is going to create a buzz.

 

[Angel Ariel]

I thought my surface ate my post, instead it posted it before I was done....full post is below

 

[MaryKatesMom]

Entertaining thread. Even a reference to socialism. I am glad that here in 'Merica we do not have any socialistic elements in government.

Other things I find amusing:

1. Frequent park goers on this thread bemoaning this idea but would admittedly never wait in a line more than 20 minutes long. But somehow this affects them.
2. The concern for fellow guests among those that never seemed to care before that their fellow guests were ignorant of FP and that allowed them to really maximize the use of the FP system. Now these same people are some of the most altruistic people that walk among us carrying the banner for the common man. Well Played!!!
3. It is somehow OK for Universal to be referenced in multiple threads in the past as the gold standard when talking about Disney's perceived shortcomings but now it is verboten to talk about how Universal rushed opening an attraction. As an aside, I do not see transparency displayed by Universal when it closes Gringotts 3 hours before the park closes and doesnt inform its guests.
4. This is a test just like A&E was. Now, maybe Disney will roll this out as they have done with other tests or maybe they will read the vast wisdom on the DIS and not. They did adjust FP+ when they rolled it out and maybe if they roll this out, it will not be like it is being tested. We will see. Like I said previously, I think people should have the choice to wait in SB lines should they choose. And if Disney does this, I will voice my concern as well. I know some DIS'ers think they could run the parks better than the current management team in place but I want to wait and see which direction management goes with this.

I am looking forward to the next outrage du jour around here. You cant make some of this stuff up.

No one on the Universal Board disses WDW.

Comparing the newest attraction at Universal, Gringott's at 1 month old with Soarin', the newest attraction at 108 months while ingnoring all the problems with the smaller and less technologically advanced 7DMT which is also 1 month says more about the lack of attractions at Epcot and certainly anything new. 7DMT was having loading issues when we were there.

How about comparing 24 month old WWoHP with TSMM at 72 months old which is DHS's newest attraction? How is WWoHP doing? Still drawing crowds while TSMM draws crowds because there is nothing else there.

 

[Angel Ariel]

Entertaining thread. Even a reference to socialism. I am glad that here in 'Merica we do not have any socialistic elements in government.

Other things I find amusing:

1. Frequent park goers on this thread bemoaning this idea but would admittedly never wait in a line more than 20 minutes long. But somehow this affects them.

I have waited in lines longer than 20 mins for rides I really want to ride. Yes, an hour + at times. So yes, this affects me.

Talking about Universal...I did actually wait 4 hrs, in line with my 8 month old child, to ride Forbidden Journey. We only had 1 day to be at Universal, and our sole concern was experiencing WWoHP. So DH, DD and I and my parents waited in that line. Was it worth it? IMHO, yes, even though we had to cancel our Kouzzina ADR (thankfully before the $10 charge was implemented!) I don't know when we'll get back to Universal again, so it was worth it to me to get to experience it at all. We didn't get to Uni until the afternoon...I would have been very upset had Uni told me we couldn't join the line at 1pm.

2. The concern for fellow guests among those that never seemed to care before that their fellow guests were ignorant of FP and that allowed them to really maximize the use of the FP system. Now these same people are some of the most altruistic people that walk among us carrying the banner for the common man. Well Played!!!

You're right. I never cared about fellow guests who were ignorant of FP.

That's totally why any time I heard someone comment on how they had to pay for FP, I chimed in to let them know it was free.

Or why when I heard people say they couldn't get another FP until they rode the attraction they had a FP for, I told them that wasn't necessarily true and showed them where on the FP ticket it told them what time they could get another ticket.

Or why I have and continue to help people plan their Disney vacations (both in person, and online) and make sure they know how to use the system as best they can.

Yep...I totally didn't care that they were ignorant, that's why I took the time to show them.

3. It is somehow OK for Universal to be referenced in multiple threads in the past as the gold standard when talking about Disney's perceived shortcomings but now it is verboten to talk about how Universal rushed opening an attraction. As an aside, I do not see transparency displayed by Universal when it closes Gringotts 3 hours before the park closes and doesnt inform its guests.

I didn't say it was verboten to talk about Universal and Gringotts. Just that no one here is comparing it to Disney except those who are holding up the 400 min wait as a reason why Disney is better. No one has said the 400 minute wait is a good thing. Expected? sure. But good? no. haven't seen anyone say that.

I know some DIS'ers think they could run the parks better than the current management team in place but I want to wait and see which direction management goes with this.

I certainly don't think I could run the parks better than the current management team. I just don't agree with the direction the management team has taken so far. Not agreeing with them is not the same thing as thinking I could do "better.". Different isn't always better...it's just different.

 

[mom2rtk]

Fastpass plus, was I believe, just the vehicle to get you to wear their tracking device. They figured if you think you are getting something you would be more willing to wear it. Right now they are just interested in the info that they can get about you from the band.

I've said all along that FP+ is merely the gateway drug just to get everyone on the band.

 

[Jennasis]

Entertaining thread. Even a reference to socialism. I am glad that here in 'Merica we do not have any socialistic elements in government.

Other things I find amusing:

1. Frequent park goers on this thread bemoaning this idea but would admittedly never wait in a line more than 20 minutes long. But somehow this affects them.
2. The concern for fellow guests among those that never seemed to care before that their fellow guests were ignorant of FP and that allowed them to really maximize the use of the FP system. Now these same people are some of the most altruistic people that walk among us carrying the banner for the common man. Well Played!!!
3. It is somehow OK for Universal to be referenced in multiple threads in the past as the gold standard when talking about Disney's perceived shortcomings but now it is verboten to talk about how Universal rushed opening an attraction. As an aside, I do not see transparency displayed by Universal when it closes Gringotts 3 hours before the park closes and doesnt inform its guests.
4. This is a test just like A&E was. Now, maybe Disney will roll this out as they have done with other tests or maybe they will read the vast wisdom on the DIS and not. They did adjust FP+ when they rolled it out and maybe if they roll this out, it will not be like it is being tested. We will see. Like I said previously, I think people should have the choice to wait in SB lines should they choose. And if Disney does this, I will voice my concern as well. I know some DIS'ers think they could run the parks better than the current management team in place but I want to wait and see which direction management goes with this.

I am looking forward to the next outrage du jour around here. You cant make some of this stuff up.

That was me. Whatever our country is, I have no interest in a socialist vacation.

I'ma say it again...uber long lines aren't a good thing. Certainly not fun, or the makings of a fun vacation. But the answer isn't making reservations to ride. The answer is making more ride opportunities.

BUILD SOME FREAKING RIDES. And be quick about it!

 

[Angel Ariel]

That was me. Whatever our country is, I have no interest in a socialist vacation.

I'ma say it again...uber long lines aren't a good thing. Certainly not fun, or the makings of a fun vacation. But the answer isn't making reservations to ride. The answer is making more ride opportunities.

BUILD SOME FREAKING RIDES. And be quick about it!

This apparently isn't a valid (or maybe discussion worthy is a better term) idea for addressing the problem, from what I've gathered in this thread.

 

[practicallyperfect77]

This apparently isn't a valid (or maybe discussion worthy is a better term) idea for addressing the problem, from what I've gathered in this thread.

According to a PP, they don't need to build any more rides b/c parks are already packed. No need to do anything different if they already are packing in the people.

ETA: I don't follow this logic.

 

[Jennasis]

According to a PP, they don't need to build any more rides b/c parks are already packed. No need to do anything different if they already are packing in the people.

ETA: I don't follow this logic.

A packed park is PRECISELY why they need more attractions.

 

[Squidgyness]

That was me. Whatever our country is, I have no interest in a socialist vacation.

I'ma say it again...uber long lines aren't a good thing. Certainly not fun, or the makings of a fun vacation. But the answer isn't making reservations to ride. The answer is making more ride opportunities.

BUILD SOME FREAKING RIDES. And be quick about it!

Yikes. Maybe they need to get you in one of the management meetings, that should motivate em!

This whole thing reminds me of one friend I have on Facebook whose life is a self inflicted train wreck.

"Hey guys, just bought a new bike... Wow so drunk guys, off out again tonight... Just crashed my new bike guys, in hospital ... Guilty of assault, it's like so unfair... Can't get a job, people hate me!"

"Hey look at this new fast pass... Wait, here is the new one with tiers... Wait here is the new new one with a non existent fourth pass... Wait let's remove standby totally and go back to return times on cards..."

Just want to see what comes next out of a sense of morbid curiosity frankly. It's very entertaining, if irritating.

 

[trainingupmy4princes]

Well of course.
But this is business, Disney is not here to donate rides to our experience. The parks are full, so there is no need for more rides. Disney needs now to get ppl out of the parks and spread out around their property better, and FP+ angles toward that end.
I"m sorry but there is no way most people want to pay those high prices for a park ticket to leave the park and spread out outside the park Yes, there is need for more rides to up the capacity to accommodate all those ever rising costly tickets they want to sell. .



I really didn't get that from my experience. It worked fine. On the phone, on the PC, at the park. The one time we had an issue linking up a guest we called tech sup and the guy fixed it super fast.
That's great that it worked fine for you. But, this is not happening for everyone. There are a lot of people having problems and GS/IT are not fixing them all. So it's vacation roulette whether you get to be the lucky issue free customer or not.



I don't see the time draw. It's not time consuming if you don't want it to be. You can pick a week of FPs in a few minutes and be done, or you can CHOOSE to go in and micro manage them for any amount of time.
This is not true if you want a popular attraction like A/E or SDMT for a larger group. You have to try to copy/overlap times all sorts of things to get them. Then if you need rides at certain times to go around ADR's and nap times etc. What is simple for one family is not for one who has more to schedule around.



Utilizing anything to the max is generally not goal #1 of most vacationers. This is vacation. Relax. Not everyone is trying to maximize.
I think anyone paying the prices Disney charges for a vacation want to see something for their money. I don't try to "maximize" my day at World of Fun but that ticket costs 1/5 a day at Disney. I don't think wanting to ride more than 3-5 rides is trying to maximize anything for those prices.



No doubt. It'll be interesting to see where they're going w it.



That's a bummer that you think it sucks. I really do like it. It worked well, I got on I'd say nearly as much or as much as I ever did, and I did so in shorter days at the parks, and had more time w my family, and less time split up.
But, you obviously tour different then a lot of visitors so I'm not sure how much you did before. A once in a lifetime visitor does not want to spend less time in the park they paid so much to visit. And even though we have been to WDW a few times, we are not looking to spend as little time as possible in a park we paid so much to visit either. We spend time together as a family in the park hence the whole let's go to Disney for a family vacation. It is not let's go to a hotel for a family vacation and try to get out of the parks quickly to enjoy said vacation. For that I can go to a way cheaper hotel on a beach somewhere.

I really saw no case, in my experience, for how FP- would have been better.

But, you admit that is in your experience. So can't be a big leap to that isn't everyone's experience.

 

[flicx]

This apparently isn't a valid (or maybe discussion worthy is a better term) idea for addressing the problem, from what I've gathered in this thread.

Oh its valid alright. Disney just chose to give us magic bands instead of 15 or so new attractions! Gotta love management!

 

[JennaDeeDooDah]

That was me. Whatever our country is, I have no interest in a socialist vacation.

I'ma say it again...uber long lines aren't a good thing. Certainly not fun, or the makings of a fun vacation. But the answer isn't making reservations to ride. The answer is making more ride opportunities.

BUILD SOME FREAKING RIDES. And be quick about it!

This. A million times this! There's a reason that they aren't tiering Magic Kingdom rides and that, aside from Anna and Elsa, we don't see the outrageous differences in wait times among the rides there. There's a reason TSMM and Soarin' at DCA don't have the long waits you see at WDW. That reason: more family rides. That is one solution that I find to be clear. For the life of me I cannot understand why Disney is spending so much on Disney Springs (and if anyone can offer some insight into what is going to be different about Disney Springs than Downtown Disney, I would be curious to hear) and vacation club property after vacation club property while Epcot sits there with a vacant Wonders of Life pavilion, vacant Odyssey, outdated Ellen's Energy Adventure, seriously outdated and/or boring Innoventions attractions, and a serious lack of family rides for the size of the park. Or, while Hollywood Studios undergoes its giant identity crisis. It's a Hollywood that never was and always will be. No wait, it's Pixar land. No wait, it's all about Star Wars. No no, it's the catch-all of WDW! But in a very small, compact park where there really isn't enough Star Wars, Muppets, Pixar, or even Hollywood or Disney to really get what that park is about anymore. And don't get me started on what all Animal Kingdom needs. We had lunch reservations at Rain Forest Cafe there at noon last week and arrived in time to see a mass exodus. The parade that used to keep people there until at least 4 has gone the way of the doodoo bird and people just aren't sticking around. No real excuse for that in a park that could comfortably house the other three parks. Nope, let's spend all of our money on hotels, so we can get even more people into the already overcrowded parks and on new gimmicks that actually will decrease the average number of rides many of our repeat guests will get to experience. Brilliant!

 

[practicallyperfect77]

A packed park is PRECISELY why they need more attractions.

I totally agree with you. Def not holding my breath that anything will happen soon. Really interested in seeing how this pans out. Head down in 87 days. Would be nice to know what I'm gonna be dealing with, but fairly certain the only thing constant is change. =(