Pretty easy to clarify. The system is and has been in production- by any definition, when 100% of the end users on on a system and have no other means for completing their tasks, a system is in production. It's that simple.
There are still different means. For example, AP holders. This is why restaurants have friends and family events before soft openings, then a Grand Opening some time later. What Disney is doing is the textbook definition of
Beta Testing.
Second level, external pilot-test of a product (usually a software) before commercial quantity production. At the beta test stage, the product has already passed through the first-level, internal pilot-test (alpha test) and glaring defects have been removed. But (since the product may still have some minor problems that require user participation) it is released to selected customers for testing under normal, everyday conditions of use to spot the remaining flaws.
a quality-control technique in which hardware or software is subjected to trial in the environment for which it was designed, usually after debugging by the manufacturer and immediately prior to marketing.
a field test of the beta version of a product (as software) especially by testers outside the company developing it that is conducted prior to commercial release
What people are experiencing now is not what the system will be. There will be additional changes and those changes will be tested. At some point, when they announce a "roll out" clearer details of exactly how FP+ will work will be laid out. At that point, each AP holder will have the same opportunity to access FP+ and so on.
They've known exactly when they were going to roll out each part of it but decided not to let anyone know so they could make a decision on the trip they were spending thousand of dollars on. Disney's prerogative, but not much fun for those guests.
Anyone who is aware of the changes to
MDE and FP+ should have known for over a year that changes were possible for their stay. People have been saying it here, other forums and on blogs for that long. The details given for each question and issue are of that day, but things can change without notice. Fun, no not exactly. I was there midweek when they pulled FP- from Magic Kingdom (1/10 - 1/18) so I am well aware of the changes that can take place. I was also well aware that during testing, other changes were also possible.
Continuing to call it a test is just a marketing smokescreen for all of the bugs and issues folks are having to deal with.
The issues people are dealing with are rarely related to bugs. Most of peoples issues are because they have to adjust from 8 FP- a day to 3. Or, now they have to plan 60 days out and before they didn't. Or, if they want to do TSM more than three times in a day, they have to be there early. Those aren't bugs, it's an unwillingness to adapt.
Yes, the system has bugs and glitches and it always will, but those bugs and glitches isn't what is causing all the backlash.
Disney is calling it a test, and the reason it needs to be considered a test, is because if you call it "live" or "rolled out" you need to provide details as to what the system is and how it works. And as you eluded to, Disney hasn't and doesn't want to do it. If they announce now, that in 4 months FP+ will go from 3 per day (and no park hopping) to 5 per day with park hopping options, how many people will opt out of their possible vacation in early June for something later in July?
The reason it is still in testing can be debated, but it can't be debated that the system is indeed still in testing.
, I just can't see how they can allocate enough FP for everyone to be happy, especially if they open it up to offsite. Being able to pick your ride times same day is still pretty cool and maybe they can manage it so there are enough to tweak the 3 day/1 park/1 tier 1 restrictions.
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