The Incredible message for my trip :)

[JimmyV]

We spontaneously decided to add three nights at a cabin at FW well after the 60 mark and we were able to get FP for 7DMT for both of our MK days for six people.

When did you book your FPs for the days before you spontaneously added the three nights to your stay? If you booked them at or close to the 60 day mark, can you truly say that you were being spontaneous? Perhaps you were partially spontaneous. Or, maybe you booked all of your FPs just a few days in advance, in which case you were fairly spontaneous. The problem is, we are all using a term that no one has bothered to define. For many, spontaneous is waking up on a Tuesday morning and asking the family which park they want to go to that day, and then perhaps booking your FPs on the bus ride over to the park. Maybe this can be done. But does anybody who posts here really do that any more?

Yes, but the point that the little video made (or tried to make) was that FP+ allows you to be more spontaneous.

I agree that you can have a spur of the moment trip, and play it by ear. I don't see how FP+ allows for more spontaneity. That's just me.

This nails it. While there certainly remains some opportunities for spontaneity, it is hard to make the argument that spontaneity has increased. Even if one is successful in making all of the FP reservations 3 days in advance, they are, by definition, being less spontaneous than they were before.

 

[Sargeant Tibbs]

When did you book your FPs for the days before you spontaneously added the three nights to your stay? If you booked them at or close to the 60 day mark, can you truly say that you were being spontaneous? Perhaps you were partially spontaneous.

I stay at my parent's house so no FP were made at the 60 mark.

 

[JimmyV]

I stay at my parent's house so no FP were made at the 60 mark.

So simply substitute in "30" for "60" and the same questions apply. Did you make your original FP bookings closer to the 30 day mark than to the date you went (or are going) to the parks? The point is, can one really say: "I was spontaneous. I made 15 FP reservations 25 days in advance, and 9 more just days before arrival"? Is that anyone's definition of spontaneous?

 

[tlmadden73]

And once one uses the FP+ system, they gain efficiency, but lose spontaneity. Not really sure one can serve both masters. Though it could be debated whether that was ever possible after, oh, around 1995 or so.

Guess it depends on your definition of spontaneity.
I guess I don't see how being given an opportunity to plan out 3 of your attractions 30-60 days in advance can ruin the spontaneity of the day. Yes .. it can ruin the spontaneity of which park to go .. but again ..nothing is stopping you from doing that and just "spontaneously" taking whatever fast passes are left for that day.


I think FP+ lets you do both (plan and be spontaneous) ..
Plan PART of your day (I mean 3 Fast Passes only cover 3 of the possibly 12+ hours in a park)

Say you have two FP windows for - 9:30-10:30 for SDMT and a 10:40-11:40 for PP If you go to your ride RIGHT at (9:30 (say 7DMT) ... and say it takes 15-20 minutes to get on/off the ride. That leaves you with almost two hours to be "spontaneous" around Fantasyland until 11:39 ... ride the teacups, the carousel, get a snack at Gaston's, cool off inside a shop, get some pictures by the Sword in the Stone .. go to the Rapunzel restrooms... THEN go to FP for Peter Pan at 11:25 AM.

Or .. if you plan all your fast passes before your lunch ADR .. your morning is scheduled .. and the rest of the day? Spontaneous! Grab that 4th fast pass spontaneously and take whatever is available or go back to the hotel for a midday break or break off from the rest of the big family group (that just did all the morning rides and lunch together) and check out whatever show suits your fancy

That is my plan for my trip in August .. a mix of planning (for the morning) and spontaneity in the afternoon.

 

[JimmyV]

Say you have two FP windows for - 9:30-10:30 for SDMT and a 10:40-11:40 for PP If you go to your ride RIGHT at (9:30 (say 7DMT) ... and say it takes 15-20 minutes to get on/off the ride. That leaves you with almost two hours to be "spontaneous" around Fantasyland until 11:39 ... ride the teacups, the carousel, get a snack at Gaston's, cool off inside a shop, get some pictures by the Sword in the Stone .. go to the Rapunzel restrooms... THEN go to FP for Peter Pan at 11:25 AM.

I think that the point I and others are making is that while this type of spontaneity exits under the FP+ regime, it isn't really any different than before. Nothing that you posted in the passage that I quoted was impossible to do before. So can it be said that FP+ created a new source or level of spontaneity? I'm not suggesting that spontaneity has been crushed or abolished. Merely that it has not been created.

 

[Tarheel girl 1975]

True ..

I think their point is .. if you have certain things SCHEDULED .. you are free to be more spontaneous the rest of the day?
I'm reaching .. but yes .. I think they are marketing a bit hard for the "spontaneity" perk of My Magic Plus.

I think the "stress" behind not missing your Fast Pass window causes some angst while in the park and probably missing some of the non-ride attractions that Disney has to offer.

How many trips to Tom Sawyer's Island are skipped because you have a fast pass appointment to keep? How many people miss the main street singers because they are rushing to their next fast pass. Who stops to watch the clown show in Storybook Circus if you only have 10 more minutes before your FP window at Dumbo closes?

Or How about the neat things IN the queue that are missed because you have a FP+

Except I actually felt more stressed about missing my FP+ windows than I ever did about my legacy FP return windows. With legacy I almost always had the ability to get another FP if I missed my window. With FP+ I don't know if I will still have that option. I feel very locked in and constrained with FP+.

 

[tlmadden73]

I think that the point I and others are making is that while this type of spontaneity exits under the FP+ regime, it isn't really any different than before. Nothing that you posted in the passage that I quoted was impossible to do before. So can it be said that FP+ created a new source or level of spontaneity? I'm not suggesting that spontaneity has been crushed or abolished. Merely that it has not been created.

Argument won ..

Good point .. it is a weird marketing strategy ... and definitely feels like they are trying to calm the people who are worried FP+ means "I have to plan out my vacation?!?" (My brother and sister-in-law's FIRST reaction to the FP+ system when my wife and I tried to explain it to them).
I tried to explain it: "No, it means you simply get to pick 3 rides you can skip the lines for .. but you can only skip the line at pre-selected time of day"

The only way Disney could CREATE spontaneity is to .. uhh .. reduce the number of people they allow in the parks by like half or double the number of attractions they have in the non-MK parks.

 

[mom2rtk]

I wonder if they've received feedback that it decrease spontaneity (in a negative way) and they've decided to address that in their marketing by going all out saying it increases spontaneity. Just taking down the elephant in the room before the customer thinks of it.

Yes, this.

They have now marked the "spontaneity issue" off of their "to do" list.

This smells exactly like a reaction to some sort of focus group issue.

 

[WillAustin]

For many, spontaneous is waking up on a Tuesday morning and asking the family which park they want to go to that day, and then perhaps booking your FPs on the bus ride over to the park. Maybe this can be done. But does anybody who posts here really do that any more?

I'm at WDW now. This can't be done without compromising by not getting certain headliner FPs. It would be extremely rare to get 7DMT, Test Track, Soarin', or TSMM on the bus ride to the parks this time of year. I've been getting same day FPs for the past week and there is little availability, if any, for those rides.

There are still plenty of guests that know nothing at all about FPs. I have seen many this week.

 

[kangamama]

I'm new to WDW this all seems very overwhelming

 

[poohntigger]

Everything in life depends on your attitude. ..which means it's what you make it...like it or not. I am not here to diminish anyone's opinion or trip.

This is one of the things that disturbs me the most when I read it regarding these trips, and is usually used to diminish peoples legit concerns, complaints etc. (though PP I don't think you did there).

A trip is not simply "what you make of it" ... there are all sorts of things that impact your ability to "make" what you "want" out of your trip. If a vacation is only what you make of it then why not just stay home in your back yard and "Make" that a WDW trip. It's a rather silly thing to say.

 

[itchin2go]

Everything in life depends on your attitude. ..which means it's what you make it...like it or not. I am not here to diminish anyone's opinion or trip.

Just curious - do you agree with the assertion in the video?

 

[poohntigger]

Just curious - do you agree with the assertion in the video?

I think the video is true depending on how you vacation at Disney. We can all agree that most people here are hyperplanners that want to vacation like we used to or we want Disney to bend to our wants. Again...I just shared my thoughts on it...I am cool with grown folks disagreeing about an issue and still getting along.

 

[itchin2go]

I think the video is true depending on how you vacation at Disney. We can all agree that most people here are hyperplanners that want to vacation like we used to or we want Disney to bend to our wants. Again...I just shared my thoughts on it...I am cool with grown folks disagreeing about an issue and still getting along.

I just think it's hard to justify the statement that is the subject of this thread ... that FP+ allows for more spontaneity. Not the same amount. Not less. More. There's now greater spontaneity than there was before, and that's because of FP+. I just don't buy that statement.

 

[poohntigger]

I just think it's hard to justify the statement that is the subject of this thread ... that FP+ allows for more spontaneity. Not the same amount. Not less. More. There's now greater spontaneity than there was before, and that's because of FP+. I just don't buy that statement.

Well one way to look at is that yes you pick three fastpasses but you can change them as your schedule changes. Now I understand you will not be able to get top tier attractions when you change the day of especially during busy times but it does allow for a form of spontaneous environment.

 

[mom2rtk]

It all depends on what the definition of the word "is" is.

I mean it depends on what the definition of "spontaneity" is.

 

[momof2n2]

Yes, this.

This smells exactly like a reaction to some sort of focus group issue.

A ha ha ha ha ha
You are much kinder than I.

 

[grimley1968]

I'm new to WDW this all seems very overwhelming

I'm old to Disney and it's still overwhelming.

 

[momof2n2]

I'm old to Disney and it's still overwhelming.

Exactly.
They took what used to be a fun amount of information gathering to an undergraduate research project.

 

[mom2rtk]

Look, I get that some people like FP+.

Like it because you can sleep in.

Like it because you can park hop and know there are FPs waiting for you.

Like it because you love planning your rides 60 days out.

Like it because you can ride the Mine Train in the evening without a long wait.

Just don't insult my intelligence by telling me you like it because it increases spontaneity in the parks.