Spontaneity at WDW Gone

[Laketravis]

Some of the days when we threw our plans to the wind and just relaxed were the most enjoyable for me and DW. But they had nothing to do with the parks. Hanging out at the pool bar, the hot tub, going to dinner at another resort, walking around World Showcase, going back to the room for.......a nap

Had it not been for a 9-year old who brought us along on his vacation, we probably would have been content with that. But he wasn't. And last time I checked there were quite a few kids taking their parents to Disney World.

 

[JimmyV]

True. But I have read A LOT of these so called negative reviews. And many represent hyper users of the old system and folks who have not even used the new system, yet.

I agree with 100% of that. But that is very different from assuming that people naturally complain more.

 

[Suvadoo]

Because bad experiences are spoken about more. BUT it isn't representative. I won't say I tried to hate the system last week--but it was challenging to come across all the key objections in real life.

But we have an OP who hasn't yet tried the new system believing all the spontaneity is gone. But that is only the case if one allows their itinerary to rule them.

And Lake Travis' post was funny--but it was also hyperbole.

You are only controlled if you allow yourself to be.

Many of the complaint posts--are folks assuming the system won't work. I have seen a mix of those who liked and those who disliked the system.

Have you utilized the new system in practice at the parks?

Yes, I used FP plus last April. I was really looking forward to it prior to my trip. I also re-read the OP 's post and I don't think previous FP plus experience was mentioned. OP, is this your first trip using FP plus?

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Some of the days when we threw our plans to the wind and just relaxed were the most enjoyable for me and DW. But they had nothing to do with the parks. Hanging out at the pool bar, the hot tub, going to dinner at another resort, walking around World Showcase, going back to the room for.......a nap

Had it not been for a 9-year old who brought us along on his vacation, we probably would have been content with that. But he wasn't. And last time I checked there were quite a few kids taking their parents to Disney World.

I am not certain what you mean by the bolded. Are you saying that traveling with children under the new system restricts the ability to be spontaneous in the parks?

Because I have a 4, 7, 12, and 14 yo that I traveled with who had no issues.

 

[Hokie2000]

I'm sorry that you feel that way, OP. I personally have enjoyed all the planning but I can understand how it might feel overwhelming. Good luck and have a wonderful trip!!

 

[Laketravis]

And Lake Travis' post was funny--but it was also hyperbole.

Ummm.....actually, it was true.

 

[Laketravis]

Because I have a 4, 7, 12, and 14 yo that I traveled with who had no issues

I am in awe. Seriously. Four kids in that age range and you can be spontaneous, I'd be lucky to still be sane.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I agree with 100% of that. But that is very different from assuming that people naturally complain more.

I said bad experiences (referring to the FP+ complaints) were spoken about more. That isn't the same as saying people naturally complain more. People were complaining about this system long before it was fully implemented. Some folks had self fulfilling prophecies and then said they were right while others had genuine technical issues such as non functioning bands and missing FPs. The boards became overwhelmed. So here, bad experiences were shared more (sometimes the same experience posted about multiple times).

Someone found an old thread from the late 90s complaining about a bunch if changes. It was rather numerous in hind sight because of the prophecies and what has now become the norm. Now folks are complaining that those beloved changes are going away.

The fans just don't like to see their perfect experiences changed. I don't blame them. But that doesn't mean that this new experience is bad or too scheduled. The guest choice was not taken away. They still have one. They just may not care for the idea that they no longer have an advantage based on their previous touring style.

And Disney is doing surveys...I was finally asked to do one and it did ask about all aspects of our trip. While I didn't rate everything perfectly, I did rate it very well.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Ummm.....actually, it was true.

You planned a 6:40 ADR at Beach club buffet dinner and expected to be viewing the Osborne lights 1h 18 minutes later?

 

[JimmyV]

I said bad experiences were spoken about more. That isn't the same as saying people naturally complain more.

OK. I confess. You lost me on that one. Seems like you're splitting a very fine hair.

 

[Laketravis]

You planned a 6:40 ADR at Beach club buffet dinner and expected to be viewing the Osborne lights 1h 18 minutes later?

And did! We were actually seated by 6:25 after I checked in at 6:20; scarfed down all the crab legs I could and we were out of there by 7:20. Luckily caught the boat in time and made it to the HS gates by 7:55 (park close was 8pm but EMH was until 10pm that night).

I've never complained that we don't get a LOT done each time we go - but I do plan extensively. One thing that really helped mellow it out was that this year, after all these years of going, I discovered the best drink value in all of WDW - it turns out that a Tequila Sunrise is just $7.25 at all of the resorts. And they make them stout! LOL!

 

[Polydweller]

Not gone at all. It's up to each person to decide how rigidly you follow your plan. We were very spontaneous in October keeping our eyes open about the standby lines. In at least 3 days we went on an Eticket ride that had a short standby line and then didn't use the FP for that ride later in the day. That let us do other things later on that we hadn't planned.

You are not tied to your FPs and you are losing nothing by not using an FP. The big thing you have to do is just let yourself be open to opportunities and be spontaneous.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

OK. I confess. You lost me on that one. Seems like you're splitting a very fine hair.

No. I think you are just misunderstanding.

This program was villainized from the start and while people don't naturally complain more, I think folks on this board made a special exception to that given they were complaining before full implementation and actual experience.
(Like they are complaining about hat removal and the overtaking of Norway.)

I don't expect all pixie dust here--but some of the complaints seem over the top to me. And there are a number of people complaining who have NOT and proclaim to have no intention of ever use the program because Disney has ruined if for them. To me--that is not a complaint of execution. It's like saying they won't try your dinner because they just know they won't like it. It reminds me of the DAS lawsuit where several parties sued based on the new system without ever having tried it.

I get not wanting to waste your money on the unknown. What I feel bad for is the people who are anxious about their vacations due to all these reviews.

I chose not to write a review of my trip. But I am happy to share my positive experiences as warranted to other travelers who have concerns.

Granted, this OP is going at a busy time and busy times will always have their own special needs to plan an enjoyable trip. But I am happy to share that our family was indeed spontaneous--and we were because we opted to not let an app rule our day. We used it as a tool and not as a commandment.

 

[larryz]

...I discovered the best drink value in all of WDW - it turns out that a Tequila Sunrise is just $7.25 at all of the resorts. And they make them stout! LOL!

Sounds like they should call them Tequila Sunsets!

 

[MrInfinity]

The spontaneity is not gone! Some ppl feel like if you can plan you have to... but you don't have to! Really. We were completely spontaneous on some of our trips. The big difference if you don't plan ahead which park you'll be at is you won't get your first choice of restaurants. This happened to us in 2010 when we showed up at WDW like we would have done at DL (i.e. show up early, run to book the Blue Bayou). Surprise surprise our first choice of restaurants were full. It did not affect our trip, we just noted places that we wanted to plan to reserve next time. As far as Fast Passes, it has already been proven that most attractions are available to be picked that day. So unless you want Anna & Elsa or the SDMT, you will have no trouble getting same-day FPs.

"Not feel like you missed out on an opportunity" -- that is the key! If you feel like that, such that if an opportunity exists, you must claim it, then that is one feeling compelled to plan everything plannable and not being spontaneous.

There are so many things you can plan... but so few you have to plan.

Seriously. You'll be fine even w a little planning.

 

[Laketravis]

Sounds like they should call them Tequila Sunsets!

Or Tequila Butt Kickers..........after three or four of them, I didn't need a fast pass for anything. Cavemen have a high tolerance for liquor so I really appreciated this little value-find.

 

[Laketravis]

The spontaneity is not gone! Some ppl feel like if you can plan you have to... but you don't have to! Really. We were completely spontaneous on some of our trips. The big difference if you don't plan ahead which park you'll be at is you won't get your first choice of restaurants. This happened to us in 2010 when we showed up at WDW like we would have done at DL (i.e. show up early, run to book the Blue Bayou). Surprise surprise our first choice of restaurants were full. It did not affect our trip, we just noted places that we wanted to plan to reserve next time. As far as Fast Passes, it has already been proven that most attractions are available to be picked that day. So unless you want Anna & Elsa or the SDMT, you will have no trouble getting same-day FPs.

"Not feel like you missed out on an opportunity" -- that is the key! If you feel like that, such that if an opportunity exists, you must claim it, then that is one feeling compelled to plan everything plannable and not being spontaneous.

There are so many things you can plan... but so few you have to plan.

Seriously. You'll be fine even w a little planning.

Since 2010 every one of our trips has been with free dining - but barring another great recession, I don't expect that to last much longer. Luckily, the few on-site sit-downs that I would pay out of pocket for are the relatively inexpensive options that always seem to have good availability. Biergarten, Whispering Canyon, The Wave, Trail's End, just to name a few......

 

[DisneyFive]

We changed our park schedule on the fly. And we hit all the rides we wanted.

Glad it worked for you. Really, I am. Can you tell us more detail, and which rides you switched to when you say "we hit all the rides we wanted".

Dan

 

[famy27]

No. I think you are just misunderstanding.

This program was villainized from the start and while people don't naturally complain more, I think folks on this board made a special exception to that given they were complaining before full implementation and actual experience.
(Like they are complaining about hat removal and the overtaking of Norway.)

I don't expect all pixie dust here--but some of the complaints seem over the top to me. And there are a number of people complaining who have NOT and proclaim to have no intention of ever use the program because Disney has ruined if for them. To me--that is not a complaint of execution. It's like saying they won't try your dinner because they just know they won't like it. It reminds me of the DAS lawsuit where several parties sued based on the new system without ever having tried it.

I get not wanting to waste your money on the unknown. What I feel bad for is the people who are anxious about their vacations due to all these reviews.

I chose not to write a review of my trip. But I am happy to share my positive experiences as warranted to other travelers who have concerns.

Granted, this OP is going at a busy time and busy times will always have their own special needs to plan an enjoyable trip. But I am happy to share that our family was indeed spontaneous--and we were because we opted to not let an app rule our day. We used it as a tool and not as a commandment.

I actually didn't villainize FP+ at all, at first. We went in October 2013 and loved it. No tiers, paper FPs still available (although we really didn't even need them), and only onsite using the system. It really was flexible and spontaneous. We booked our FPs in advance, but we probably changed close to half the morning of. We switched park days around based on what the kids wanted to do, the weather etc.

Fast forward to June 2014. It was a whole new ballgame and in a bad way. The tiers forced us to go to HS at RD, which we had avoided in October. One of the huge benefits of FP+ was not having to do the running of the bulls for TSMM. And now, it was back. It got even worse with the Frozen intro where they reintroduced the RD. Bad Disney.

In addition to the tiers, the biggest disappointment was the lack of flexibility. We couldn't switch our Soarin' time, as there were no other Soarin' FPs available. So, when we got a later start that morning, we had to pretty much run through the park so that we could get to our FP within the grace period. We got there with about 13 minutes to spare. If we hadn't made it, we wouldn't have been able to ride, as nobody in our group was willing to wait 90+ minutes. In the paper days, we would have ended up just getting a later return time, but we wouldn't have missed the chance to ride.

Our September trip was even worse. We booked the trip at 16 days out and couldn't get TSMM at all. We ended up not even going to HS, as my DDs decided it wasn't worth it to burn any FPs there if we couldn't get TSMM. We thought about hopping over after MK, but they preferred to swim. That was the first trip ever where we've totally skipped a park. At least with paper, we knew we could get to the park early and grab FPs. That wasn't even an option.

I don't hate change. When we visited WDW in 2001 and I tried paper FP, I was blown away. I thought it was the most amazing idea ever instituted by a theme park. I didn't hear a single person complain about the system (other than a few who thought it was a VIP perk). I didn't set out to hate FP+, and I don't actually hate it. I have learned to deal with it. But for me, the paper system was 10 times more flexible.

 

[CampbellzSoup]

I did EVERYTHING I wanted to at Disney when I went...Fast Pass or not. Hell when I went to Disney years ago I didn't even KNOW about the paper fast pass system.

Things change, you either adapt or get left behind. What's so bad about organization, fluidity and saving time? I just don't see any negativity about it other than it's "different" from what you were use to.

By all means if you want to be "spontaneous" - don't use it.

For me personally it's nice to know what direction I'm going to next instead of wandering around aimlessly.