Subtle mention of coming FP+ improvements

[Laketravis]

Another interesting article, this one from the NY Times. Nothing but positive spin by Disney execs as ROI expectations become more vocal, but deeper into the piece is mention of the possible ability to make additional FP+ reservations the day you are in the park, as well as being able to make FP+ reservations in multiple parks:

Billion Dollar Bracelet

 

[mrsmorrow]

Another interesting article, this one from the NY Times. Nothing but positive spin by Disney execs as ROI expectations become more vocal, but deeper into the piece is mention of the possible ability to make additional FP+ reservations the day you are in the park, as well as being able to make FP+ reservations in multiple parks:

Billion Dollar Bracelet

And a small ray of hope has shined down
Interesting and somewhat promising article, Thanks for sharing!

 

[sunkissed4]

What a huge improvement that would be! Wish they'd hurry up!

 

[flutterby3744]

Well well, the sky might not be falling!

Thanks for the article, aside from the feel good spin, it looks like positive changes are coming to the final product.

 

[Dan Murphy]

I think a well balanced read. Thanks for the link.

 

[isabellea]

I hope improvements will come soon! I can't believe how stressful planning for FP+ is!

 

[2Tiggies]

Well well, the sky might not be falling!

Thanks for the article, aside from the feel good spin, it looks like positive changes are coming to the final product.

Let's hope they get some of the improvements in place before Easter so that those people paying rack rates and touring packed parks can at least have some benefit.

 

[glamdring269]

It is also working on an upgrade that will give guests more flexibility — using the line-skipping feature across multiple parks in a single day, for example, and making it easier for groups of people to use the system.

This is the main thing I want. But if it adds an additional layer of tiering... no thanks. It would be pretty bad to hop to Epcot in the evening and then find out the best you can do is get an FP for Captain EO because you decided to FP Splash Mountain earlier.

One other note...

“Nobody is confused about what this is about — more money coming out of more wallets — but a supervast majority of people like it,” said John Frost, publisher of the independent Disney Blog. “Most people think it adds to the fun.”

Where did he get that stat? "Supervast"? Sounds like a new ride... something WDW should have invested in!

 

[JanaDee]

I know I have said this before, but Tom Staggs is so out of touch with the average WDW visitor, it would be laughable if it didn't affect so many people.

 

[Infamousmare]

Thanks for posting - it certainly was an interesting article. Because my kidlets were little the first few visits, we never really used the FP system all that much. Sure, we'd get to HS for RD and one of us would wrangle the kids into the Toy Story Mania ride line while the other took all the KTTW cards and ran for FPs to ride it later in the day; however, that was about it.

Now that the oldest two are big enough, they're talking nonstop about doing Test Track, Soarin', Space Mountain...and, of course, the little one will want to ride Toy Story Mania.

I'm going to have to do some serious research into this. I'm still getting the hang of the old paper FP system. *LOL*

 

[CandleontheWater]

The scariest part of that article was the mention of Staggs as possible future CEO. We'd be looking at a decade of cuts and stagnation at the parks

 

[ArwenMarie]

Thanks for the link!

I'm still not buying these improvements that they keep mentioning until I see them.

The fact that they went from untiered to tiered at DHS and Epcot once major testing got underway...How are you ever going to get more in those parks? I guess more Captain EO. And then there was the bonus FP in MK, that was taken away. Getting rid of park hopping? Are they going to tier all of the parks together then?

If they do have more to give away, why not just lift the tiers and the parkhopping rules and the no repeats rule? That would effectively take care of what most people dislike about the system.

I can see allowing some sort of system where you can get more once you use your three, but what will be left at that point?

I dunno. I guess I'll believe it when I see it.

 

[PlutoMars]

My favorite part of the article:

Changes at Disney’s parks often prompt a degree of consumer crankiness, a reflection of how deeply people care about the properties. (A simple pruning of trees at Disneyland a few years ago prompted a social media panic.)

 

[Kate and Family]

The scariest part of that article was the mention of Staggs as possible future CEO. We'd be looking at a decade of cuts and stagnation at the parks

I hate to say it, but that was my thought as well.

 

[surferdave]

“Nobody is confused about what this is about — more money coming out of more wallets — but a supervast majority of people like it,” said John Frost, publisher of the independent Disney Blog. “Most people think it adds to the fun.”

Every time I read a quote about the majority (supervast!) liking the system I wonder if the source of the quote reads their own feedback.....like this blog publisher and his linked article.

 

[morethananyonex]

Thanks for the link! I'm still not buying these improvements that they keep mentioning until I see them. The fact that they went from untiered to tiered at DHS and Epcot once major testing got underway...How are you ever going to get more in those parks? I guess more Captain EO. And then there was the bonus FP in MK, that was taken away. Getting rid of park hopping? Are they going to tier all of the parks together then? If they do have more to give away, why not just lift the tiers and the parkhopping rules and the no repeats rule? That would effectively take care of what most people dislike about the system. I can see allowing some sort of system where you can get more once you use your three, but what will be left at that point? I dunno. I guess I'll believe it when I see it.

Because they don't have more to consistently give away, that's why those rules are in place.

Notice how in this type of article, and in the survey with the different options, tiering is either not addressed or brushed off with an "assume it is in place". I'll be shocked if tiering is removed on a consistent, no strings attached basis before new attractions are built.

No doubt tiering is one of the most common complaints about the FP+ system, even from lovers. The only way I see around it is the "subject to availability" applied to whatever method they choose to do for extra FP. The lesser tier ones should be available at the very least for those extra FPs. Slower times of year you may be able to grab an extra headliner type tier one earlier enough in the day, but Disney needs to use that capacity to lock in as many guests as possible, which is why I can't see the tiers as we know them being lifted anytime soon.

 

[lugnut33]

No no, this was my favorite quote:

“Certain things have taken longer to make broadly available than we initially would have liked, but our rollout was designed to be flexible to ensure that the guest experience was always our first priority.”

My BS-o-meter was pegged when when I read that.

 

[clsteve]

“Nobody is confused about what this is about — more money coming out of more wallets — but a supervast majority of people like it,” said John Frost, publisher of the independent Disney Blog. “Most people think it adds to the fun.”

Every time I read a quote about the majority (supervast!) liking the system I wonder if the source of the quote reads their own feedback.....like this blog publisher and his linked article.

Whatever it takes to get quoted in a major article and free pub for your blog. Whatever it takes, man..... whatever it takes.....

 

[morethananyonex]

No no, this was my favorite quote: My BS-o-meter was pegged when when I read that.

That quote combined with the one about nobody being confused this is about money made me laugh a little. Yep, allllllllll about guest experience.

 

[mom2rtk]

Where did he get that stat? "Supervast"? Sounds like a new ride... something WDW should have invested in!

I think that means "super dee duper big".

The scariest part of that article was the mention of Staggs as possible future CEO. We'd be looking at a decade of cuts and stagnation at the parks

I feel the same way. What a sad day that would be.