There isn't any Disney Magic in this process!!

[IrishNYC]

How about the wonders of life building that sits empty, or the restaurant no longer in use between world showcase and future world? Sounds like two viable options.

But as magical as Disney is, they can't just wave their magic wands and make these places a suitable environment to meet A&E immediately.

 

[JennaDeeDooDah]

Actually, I think it might be midnight your time. See the purple link in my signature for more info.

Well that's bovine feces. I had heard about that change but when I looked on Disney's website, it said that the 22nd, MK closes at 11:00. And a floating window for booking FP+ is an absolutely stupid idea.

 

[DisneyKidds]

"Suck" is a relative "term", and must be looked at in context.....as opposed to using it as a blanket means to disparage the activity or destination that brought about the "sucky" decision. People make all kinds of decisions about things that "suck" all the time, but do it so that they have a better experience. The fact that they choose to do it at all means that it can't really "suck" all that much, can it?

I'm going to do some fishing on my yacht. It "sucks" that I have to gas up the boat at 5am, but I choose to do it so I that I can be settled in at my favorite fishing hole when I know the fish will be biting the best. It "sucks" to clean the fish I catch. However, I do all that "sucky" stuff knowing my fishing experience and meal that night will be fresher and better than having Gorton's fish sticks.

It "sucks" to peel and chop a head of garlic and peel and de-vein a couple pounds of fresh shrimp, but I do it because it's worth it for the shrimp scampi that will be so much better than if I used frozen peeled and de-veined shrimp and jarred garlic.

It "sucks" to make cookies from scratch.....but I do so because they are better than Keebler's.

It must be getting close to lunch....

I'm flying to Orlando for vacation. It might "suck" that I need to be out of the house at 4am to catch a 6am flight. However, I willingly submit to that "suckage" so that I can be at WDW by 10am, as opposed to arriving late afternoon or evening.

Choosing to stay up until whenever, or get up whenever, to get the best shot at getting the things that you think will make your experience better is no different. People do it for flights, hotel reservations, meal reservation.....not just at WDW, but for lots of things, and I don't see how FP's are any different.

 

[Angel Ariel]

Fixed it for you.

I don't understand this. There have been more than a few posts where people have said they were unable to get those fp+, for their entire trip. What you "fixed" in that post is completely incorrect for what I experienced at mid.ight at 60 days..and mine is not the only such experience I've seen posted here.

I agree there has in the past (not so far in this thread) hyperbole about other attractions' availability, but I don't think it is hyperbole when it comes to a&e, 7dmt, wishes and FOF. Yes, there's been.more availability of late it seems, probably in large part due to longer hours and no parties, and I hope it remains so. But I wouldn't be comfortable betting on that availability. And I *don't* say that in any kind of negative, someone shouldn't like fp+ for it kind of way. Not at all! I would just hate for someone to see these recommendations, choose not to stay up, and then find no availability for their trip when they wake up. That is what would have happened to me if I hadn't stayed up (for sdmt...a&e was already gone for my entire trip before my window opened).

I don't recommend staying up to be alarmist or anything. I recommend it when someone wants a fp+ for that small group of harder to get rides to.help them have the vacation they want. Nothing more.

 

[grimley1968]

I still don't understand why Disney can't:
1. Notify guests of the date and time their FP booking window will open when guests register in MDE.
2. Have the FP booking window open at the same time daily. Maybe 9pm EST?
3. Have ADR's and FP's open on the same day so that guest can book everything at once.

IMO if Disney implemented these changes, it would really improve the guest experience.

I especially agree with #3. I've always thought trying to know what you want to eat 6 months in advance was ridiculous; almost as ridiculous as trying to know what times of day you want to hit certain attractions on certain dates 2 months in advance. If the windows for ADR's and FP's were the same, the planning process would be at least a little simpler than it is now. At one time the ADR window was 45 days out.

 

[flicx]

But as magical as Disney is, they can't just wave their magic wands and make these places a suitable environment to meet A&E immediately.

This isn't a new problem. Honestly how long would it take to put up a back drop to shoot a couple anna and elsa pictures.

 

[BugsDaddy]

Wow, who knew that the OP would be attacked for not liking a system that Disney has implemented. How rude of her.

Personally, I've had the pleasure of scheduling one day at a time since we are staying offsite. I know, my fault.

I don't see where anyone was attacked. If you post your viewpoint, people have a right to post an opposing opinion. It doesn't mean anyone is being "attacked".

 

[IrishNYC]

I do agree having the FP+ and ADR windows so far apart is silly. I've tried to plan most of our ADRs after times I hope to get FP+s, but who knows what will happen when my FP date finally arrives.

 

[Angel Ariel]

This is the key point. Using Anna and Elsa as the example, it is just a matter of when you are going to be uncomfortable or have to do something special. If there were paper FPs, or no FPs at all, you would have to be at the park at opening and rush to the attraction with hundreds of other people hoping to get a FP or to be able to go standby with a short wait.

Personally, I would rather have the discomfort (which I don't really consider uncomfortable) take the form of sitting at home and then knowing in advance whether I was going to be able to experience the attraction with a FP or not. If I don't get a FP, then I know I will have to resort to Plan B (rope drop or late in the day) or Plan C (suck it up and wait in a long standby line) if the attraction is that important to me or a family member.

I agree with the bolded and likely the OP does as well since they stayed up. With this new system, I would rather stay up and prebook than take my chances in the parks day of.

But, all the OP said was that she didn't see "magic" in doing this. Not that it was terrible, not fp+ as a whole sucks...but that she didn't see magic in it.

Why is that sentiment apparently not OK? (This question is a reaction to the feel I'm getting from the thread as a whole, not directed at anyone specific, including the quoted poster)

 

[Planogirl]

This isn't a new problem. Honestly how long would it take to put up a back drop to shoot a couple anna and elsa pictures.

I agree. Disney is already showing a willingness to put anything anywhere if it suits their needs. Plus Disney is creative. I bet that they could figure it out if they wanted to.

 

[Laketravis]

For years, complaints on these forums used to stem from not being able to get an FP for a particular attraction within hours or even minutes of arriving at the park.

Now, complaints are about not being able to get an FP for a particular attraction within 60 days of arriving at the park.

I'm still trying to get my head around how that's an improvement.


.

 

[MrInfinity]

I think that you made an error here. I bought tickets and certainly don't have a hotel stay.

Fuzzy, haven't you said that legacy fastpass was too complicated for people and it was too hard for people to get what they wanted? Do you actually see this system as any less complicated and it isn't it still difficult at time to get what you want (particularly if that happens to be Anna and Elsa)? Maybe you didn't feel this way but I know that some have used that argument.

Well you bought a hotel stay somewhere... or condo, or arranged to stay with family or whatever. Point is you're getting what you paid for.

Plano, it depends what you consider "complicated". It uses a phone. The old system didn't use a phone, or any technology really at all. So to my mom who doesn't use a phone, this might seem complicated. So what. She never would have used FP- either. The old system required you to tour in rather atypical means. i.e. to most guests, WDW is go... see a ride you want to ride... ride said ride. With FP-, you need to go... see a ride you want to ride... then stop. Decide if you want to ride it, or if you should instead go in another line somewhere else, and pull a ticket to go away, and come back and ride it later. That seems so easy to you and I... but it's actually very counter intuitive. It's a different kind of complicated. FP- was not intuitive, and thus it failed except for those few guests who "got it".

As to getting A&E, you know as well as I do. They can see 1200 visitors. 50,000 guests will go to the park. Do the math. There are going to be 98% of the guests unable to see them. How do you get to be the 2% that do? You study up, and learn how to be first. Does it take a little effort? Yeah. Being in the 2% is not just going to fall in everyone's lap, right? How could it? Getting on at midnight is a benefit to those who want something really rare, not an obligation for the masses to get their Fast Passes at that time.

 

[Cormoran]

It uses a phone. The old system didn't use a phone, or any technology really at all. So to my mom who doesn't use a phone, this will seem more complicated. So what. .

I think this is a really sad statement about how Disney regards people who don't embrace technology. IMO it's wrong .

 

[SmithSmith]

I agree there has in the past (not so far in this thread) hyperbole about other attractions' availability, but I don't think it is hyperbole when it comes to a&e, 7dmt, wishes and FOF. Yes, there's been.more availability of late it seems, probably in large part due to longer hours and no parties, and I hope it remains so. But I wouldn't be comfortable betting on that availability. And I *don't* say that in any kind of negative, someone shouldn't like fp+ for it kind of way. Not at all! I would just hate for someone to see these recommendations, choose not to stay up, and then find no availability for their trip when they wake up. That is what would have happened to me if I hadn't stayed up (for sdmt...a&e was already gone for my entire trip before my window opened).

I don't recommend staying up to be alarmist or anything. I recommend it when someone wants a fp+ for that small group of harder to get rides to.help them have the vacation they want. Nothing more.

Or could it just be popularity is waning?

 

[IrishNYC]

I think this is a really sad statement about how Disney regards people who don't embrace technology. IMO it's wrong .

That's the way it is. Not just with Disney, but with the majority of companies out there.

 

[Laketravis]

I agree with the bolded and likely the OP does as well since they stayed up. With this new system, I would rather stay up and prebook than take my chances in the parks day of.

But, all the OP said was that she didn't see "magic" in doing this. Not that it was terrible, not fp+ as a whole sucks...but that she didn't see magic in it.

Why is that sentiment apparently not OK? (This question is a reaction to the feel I'm getting from the thread as a whole, not directed at anyone specific, including the quoted poster)

I'm puzzled as well why Disney would have no obligation in this, that the entire obligation is on the customer/guest and if they aren't pleased with the results then, well, tough cookies.



.

 

[MrInfinity]

I think this is a really sad statement about how Disney regards people who don't embrace technology. IMO it's wrong .

Well as sad as that may be, Disney is right to not avoid progress just because some guests prefer outdated paper printed tickets to computers.

 

[Angel Ariel]

Or could it just be popularity is waning?

Perhaps. Which would be a good thing for everyone. Given the consistent stand by lines, though, and that their fp+ are still consistently gone not long after booking windows open (8 hrs after the booking window opens is an improvement, sure..but enough to say their popularity is waning?), I would lean towards popularity waning not being the major factor.

 

[Robo]

For years, complaints on these forums used to stem from not being able to get an FP for a particular attraction within hours or even minutes of arriving at the park.

Now, complaints are about not being able to get an FP for a particular attraction within 60 days of arriving at the park.

I'm still trying to get my head around how that's an improvement.

Yup.

Many months before Disney implemented the FP+ reservations as they are currently, there was MUCH discussion on these boards about this very thing.
Many of us predicted the frantic posts of guests who would not be able to get the most popular FP+s...
not the day-of, but having that snafu be moved to days or weeks before the actual attendance day.

 

[cakebaker]

Or could it just be popularity is waning?

There's more availability was my point- why there is I don't know...or care.