The Disney Experience

[alizesmom]

I'm drawn to the DAS and FPP threads like a moth to a bug zapper and I see a lot in common between the two complaints. People are losing an advantage they had and they don't like it. Somewhere in the thread you will usually read " I'm rethinking returning to WDW because I can't experience my money's worth".

Is the Disney experience only getting as many attractions as possible? If it is then we have wasted a lot of money. DS can only go on attractions where transfer is not required. DD only tolerates 3 or 4 a day at best yet I thought we were having a good time. The music, the people, the beauty of the place are important to all of us. Walking around and looking at things make our day. Maybe that's why we gravitate to AK and World Showcase.

I really don't get all of the anger but maybe it's because the GAC wasn't that helpful for us anyway. Plus we never could get to the regular FP kiosks in time to make it worth our while. Using the FP entrances was great when possible but we can live without it. It sounds like FPP will be adequate for us. But, then again, maybe we're just weird.

 

[bidnow5]

It is very different for some no 2 disabled people are the same. My wife and most likely not be able to Disney again just the 2 of us with combined issues we are not able to get return times and go back. If we go with others it will be a different story I will be able to use my scooter and going back to a ride will work fine.

 

[lanejudy]

I'm drawn to the DAS and FPP threads like a moth to a bug zapper and I see a lot in common between the two complaints. People are losing an advantage they had and they don't like it. Somewhere in the thread you will usually read " I'm rethinking returning to WDW because I can't experience my money's worth".

Is the Disney experience only getting as many attractions as possible? If it is then we have wasted a lot of money. DS can only go on attractions where transfer is not required. DD only tolerates 3 or 4 a day at best yet I thought we were having a good time. The music, the people, the beauty of the place are important to all of us. Walking around and looking at things make our day. Maybe that's why we gravitate to AK and World Showcase.

I really don't get all of the anger but maybe it's because the GAC wasn't that helpful for us anyway. Plus we never could get to the regular FP kiosks in time to make it worth our while. Using the FP entrances was great when possible but we can live without it. It sounds like FPP will be adequate for us. But, then again, maybe we're just weird.

I have to agree with this! Well said. There is so much more to the "Disney experience" than simply the rides.

 

[I Love Pluto]

Just returned this morning. I think FPP is the way to go with any disability. We were thrilled that we knew we could have 3 attractions per day & entered each of the attractions to fit my needs without argument. It all worked out fine for us with FPP.

The one thing that saddens me with FPP is that it will soon include off-property guests -- just the same as on-property guests.

Why should anyone pay Disney extra to stay on-property when we don't get any extra perks in return??? I assumed FPP was reserved for those who stay ON PROPERTY. WHEN will Disney see this? FPP will no longer have the impact it is making presently when everyone can have this access. Simply - supply & demand.

Also - maybe include an extra fastpass per day for Annual Passholders or DVC guests. Why not? It sounds like a good perk to me.

 

[mom2rj]

Those of us who live locally and have Annual Passes will be very grateful when we can qualify for the Fp benefits that resort guests receive.
The new plan has no benefits for us loyal customers.

 

[disney david]

Those of us who live locally and have Annual Passes will be very grateful when we can qualify for the Fp benefits that resort guests receive.
The new plan has no benefits for us loyal customers.

You do get a benefit that non ap don't get once you stay for one night at a Disney resort you can make fast pass plus reservations for every day where non aps have to wait to their 60 day mark. To make reservations and only for the length of stay.

they are working hard to get aps magic bands and fast pass plus without having to stay at a Disney resort. So we have to wait and see how many fast pass plus reservations they give aps.

 

[I Love Pluto]

I have no idea what I will do 60 days out! My body dictates which park I go to on a certain day. (I can't plan for MK unless I am able.)

So - how am I to pick 60 days ahead of time? Sorry - can't do it!

 

[clanmcculloch]

For us WDW is about so much more than the attractions. It's about a place we can spend time as a family doing things we all enjoy without having to worry about what we'll eat and whether or not DD15 can cope. It's a learning experience for all of us. It's a growth opportunity for all of us. It's a time to relax together. Yes, we're the rare family that returns from a WDW trip relaxed because we go at a very slow pace and soak up atmosphere and do the little things that many people miss. We spend every 3rd day at our resort checking out all the little activities around the resort (we've decorated cookies, made leis, learned the hula, coloured, played games, watched movies, roasted marshmallows, gone on scavenger hunts, played musical hula hoops, participated in dance parties, and so much more) and we have a blast doing it together as a family. One of DH's favourite memories (besides DD15 back when she was maybe 10 declaring that it wasn't Disney, it was heaven as she dug into her allergy safe Mickey waffles with a side of allergy safe ice cream brownie sundae) is us just meandering through the carved roots in Discovery Island together. It's about doing things together. Some people do this at a beach house. We do it at WDW. People have trouble believing me when I tell them that even with all of our trips there's a lot we've never done even though I make sure to have new stuff included in every trip, but it's the truth because we really do like to try a bunch of the little things that many just skip over.

I'm working on my own anxiety with vacationing in unfamiliar places (it's a food allergy thing on top of trying to make sure DD15 can cope thing) to branch out from WDW but even at other destinations it'll be about what we experience together rather than maximizing the experiences from a qualitative perspective. This summer in LA was very stressful to me but it did give me more confidence that we can manage it. Like at WDW, we had entire days at our resort and we only spend so much time at any given place on days we did go out to attractions. We spend our time together enjoying each other though and that's what mattered.

Note that we do actually manage to get in quite a few attractions in the short amount of time we get in the parks but that's because of planning. In the past we hardly used our GAC because of my obsessive compulsive research (because of the research I'm able to and do every trip change things up on the fly as needed) and now with FP+ I don't expect to need DD15's DAS at all though I'll get one as a backup just in case.

 

[SueM in MN]

I have no idea what I will do 60 days out! My body dictates which park I go to on a certain day. (I can't plan for MK unless I am able.)

So - how am I to pick 60 days ahead of time? Sorry - can't do it!

60 days ahead is an option, not a requirement.

We used Fastpass Plus for our trip from October 25 thru November 9 and made most of our FP + the day we were going. We made some the night before.

No one knows how many FP+ will be available day of once it is fully rolled out, but reportedly, they will be.

 

[Mrsjvb]

It sounds like FPP will be adequate for us. But, then again, maybe we're just weird.

we can be weird together. the old system was, for lack of a better term, automatic FP access with or without actual FP and now that that loophole has been closed, some people are griping. in fact the new system is actually a little nicer to this with issues since they can now spent their time doing something OTHER than wait in line like the rest of the unwashed masses.

 

[afnaechiquita]

some of the best moments with my brother at disney have been sitting with him watching the birds, the waterfall at norway, playing in that squirty-water-place at epcot by TT (it's not a fountain, right?), etc. it's not always all about the attractions.

 

[Disneylvr]

some of the best moments with my brother at disney have been sitting with him watching the birds, the waterfall at norway, playing in that squirty-water-place at epcot by TT (it's not a fountain, right?), etc. it's not always all about the attractions.

We haven't tried the new DAS with our daughter yet so I don't know if it will work out for her or not. Still reading the reports here and on other sites before we make our final decision about booking the next trip or not. If attractions can't be our focus anymore at WDW we can watch waterfalls, birds, play in splash fountains here at home for free or much less than $100 per day admission plus travel fees to get there. She is our only child though and if there were other siblings to consider, as in your family, I probably wouldn't be questioning whether or not to go. Thanks for sharing your special moments with your brother.

 

[SmallWorld71]

I'm drawn to the DAS and FPP threads like a moth to a bug zapper and I see a lot in common between the two complaints. People are losing an advantage they had and they don't like it. Somewhere in the thread you will usually read " I'm rethinking returning to WDW because I can't experience my money's worth".

Is the Disney experience only getting as many attractions as possible? If it is then we have wasted a lot of money. DS can only go on attractions where transfer is not required. DD only tolerates 3 or 4 a day at best yet I thought we were having a good time. The music, the people, the beauty of the place are important to all of us. Walking around and looking at things make our day. Maybe that's why we gravitate to AK and World Showcase.

I really don't get all of the anger but maybe it's because the GAC wasn't that helpful for us anyway. Plus we never could get to the regular FP kiosks in time to make it worth our while. Using the FP entrances was great when possible but we can live without it. It sounds like FPP will be adequate for us. But, then again, maybe we're just weird.

I'm drawn to them too. It's like reality TV, you know it's going to be awful, but you just can't help yourself.

Mostly, I think people are just afraid of change. I was going to WDW long before FP and I'm sure I'll keep going with the new system. All of our vacations have been magical in their own way, with their own special moments and I'm sure that will continue to hold true. And most of those magical moments have come from unexpected places that weren't part of our plans.

But, even knowing all I do, I still get sucked in. I've never used more than 3 FP's in a day except at the MK and yet I find myself fretting over not being able to get them.

Of course, all that anxiety washes away for me the second I see the Walt Disney World archway flanked by Mickey and Minnie. And, I sincerely hope it does for all everyone else, be it their 1st or 101st visit.

 

[ttintagel]

we can be weird together. the old system was, for lack of a better term, automatic FP access with or without actual FP .

It wasn't for me.

 

[Vidia2]

The one thing that saddens me with FPP is that it will soon include off-property guests -- just the same as on-property guests.

The jury is still out on whether offsite guests will be able to book FP+ in advance.

Disney has said that everyone will have access to FP+ but they've never said that offsite guests will have the ability to book in advance. I've seen one statement that said that everyone will have the ability to book UP TO 60 days in advance. That's not the same as saying offsite guests will be able to book 60 days in advance. It's Disney speak.

The exception, of course, is AP holders who have stayed onsite using their AP.

 

[Hej2222]

I was very concerned with implementation of DAS before our visit on Thanksgiving week with an off site stay. DAS did evenually work well for us, but we combined it with 1 night on site stay so we could get FPP. We only used on site room for midday rest/breathing treatment for DD, and did not actually sleep there. It was well worth for us though, as for the 2 days we were at WDW we could schedule 3 FPP and alternate that with DAS RT. We were able to do the same number of rides we did in past with GAC with just a little more planning involved. Kids had a lot of fun with MBs, and loved being at AOA for "daytime rest".
Since our experience was positive and since we had other trips planned in 2014 we decided to upgrade to AP. We can now schedule FPP for 7 days in advance in the next 60 days because of the 1 night stay in November. I also noticed that our 2 friends who were on our reservation with us for AOA and did not upgrade to AP could now also schedule FPP in the next 60 days as long as they have new MAW ticket ( I am assuming for the length of the potential MAW ticket). So likely 1 night on property stay makes a person eligible for My Magic Plus, at least for now. I am still hoping that all off site guests without previous on site stay will be able to schedule FPP evntually as Disney initially planned, but for now this could be a way to work around it in order to get FPP.

 

[Sunnywho]

People are losing an advantage they had and they don't like it.

I think the reality is that the disabled are disadvantaged due to the disability. The degree of that disadvantage would either make what Disney offers into an advantage, a level playing field, or still disadvantaged.

 

[skyp4WDW]

I think the reality is that the disabled are disadvantaged due to the disability. The degree of that disadvantage would either make what Disney offers into an advantage, a level playing field, or still disadvantaged.

So very well said!

 

[LisaBi]

It is so true that's it's not only about attractions....depending on your travel party. The one solo trip I had and one girlfriends trip weren't attraction focused at all. But when I go with DS, that is ALL he cares about. We had gotten down to only using GAC once or twice a trip...usually for TSMM, since we don't get there early enough to get an early return time on FP-, and don't stay late enough for the return times that are available by the time we get there, and maybe for Soarin or Test Track. DS doesn't do any other headliners besides SpaceM, and FP usually wasn't an issue for that. The only thing that makes me less scared of FP+ is DAS. Scheduling rides ahead of time won't work at all. With DS, planning an hour or two ahead is the best I can do. So I'm looking for DAS to pretty much function like FP- did for us. I do hate having to go back to relying on it though when we were so close to not needing GAC.

 

[clanmcculloch]

LisaBi, do you have a smartphone? You could try getting FP+ using the MDE mobile app as soon as you know of an attraction you'll be interested in an hour or two out and that's without having to walk over to the attraction. If there's no availability for the attraction then you can head over to get a return time on your DAS but trying the mobile app first may save you the trouble and help you to achieve what sounds to be a personal goal of using the DAS less.