This just in from Disney Parks blog!

[practicallyperfect77]

Just guessing here, but I would imagine this has a lot to do with those morning time slots going unused. Naturally, most people who are Disney savvy wouldn't schedule FP+ in the morning because you really don't need them then. Disney figured they could spread out the FP+ "love" and get all those time slots used if they say hey, you can now get a 4th, 5th, etc once you use up your first three. So now what are people talking about.... scheduling them all in the morning, now using up those time slots and they're not being "wasted".

Again, just guessing. I said this a while ago too, that they would come up with some sort of "incentive" for people to schedule FPs in the morning hours.

And I assume if folks do start booking those early lots riding a bunch at RD won't be so easy. I think some are using those early slots now tho. I believe it was jimmyv that posted TT had a 70 some minute actual wait (not posted wait) at 9:20 or so in the morning. For me, I think I'm going to try my hardest and not think about it but watch how late Apr / early May play out. Similar crowd prediction levels compared to when I hope to go in late Oct.

 

[Angel Ariel]

Regarding whether you could book a 5th fp and so on...it seems so, as long as there is availability. (See bolded and italicized part of quote)

New information about FP+ "As expected, most of our guests think that securing times to ride our attractions is one of the best ways to maximize the fun of a Walt Disney World Resort vacation. We’ve heard from a number of guests that they would like the opportunity to add additional FastPass+ entitlements during their visit, in addition to the three they can plan in advance. So, we’re working on providing them with the ability to add and enjoy additional entitlements on the day of their visit. Once they’ve used the three they’ve booked, we’ll enable them to select another at kiosks in the parks. And once they’ve used the fourth, they can select another, and so on. We also heard that other guests liked the fact that with the FastPass+ service they could use FASTPASS when they park hopped. So we’re working on a service enhancement to add that feature to FastPass+ as well."
More info: http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2014/04/mymagic-now-available-to-walt-disney-world-resort-hotel-and-day-guests/

 

[practicallyperfect77]

Regarding whether you could book a 5th fp and so on...it seems so, as long as there is availability. (See bolded and italicized part of quote)

Thanks!

 

[VandVsmama]

Actually, RSR cost $200 million, not $500.

Disney spent $1.1 Billion in the entire DCA overhaul, which included:

You know what would be awesome at WDW? Carsland AND a land themed after the Planes movie. Carsland is so incredibly spectacular...it's like you've been teleported into the movie. Seriously, the quality is top notch. I didn't even get to ride RSR when we were there and we still had a fabulous time.

 

[BuzzLiteyear]

This is the sort of thing that happens when you put the locomotive in motion while the track is still being built.

Well said!

 

[johde]

Then you must have really felt bad for those that arrived late afternoon summers and holidays with FP- when they were all dispersed-and certainly could not walk right in and ride a major headliner with minimal/no wait much less 3. Plus just a week ago that was the recommended time to reserve the 3.

You mean like walking into EPCOT on New Years Eve 2012 at 5:00 P.M to start my vacation (plane landed at 3:00). I had lots of choices available to me. I could still pull FP-'s for Living with the Land, Living with the land, and Living with the Land. Posted Wait times when I arrived were.

Test Track 300 minutes
Soarin 280 Minutes
Mission Space 120 Minutes
Maelstrom 100 Minutes
Spaceship Earth 50 Minutes
Imagination 45 Minutes
Nemo 40 Minutes.

I wasn't there to primarily ride rides but to ring in the new year. But, FP+ would have made that day even better. I ended up Pulling, was actually given by ride attendant, FP for Living with the land, Then ate supper while waiting for it to come ready.

Lines shorted slightly during the evening I ended up riding.
Nemo 30 minute wait.
Imagination 25 Minute Wait
Captain EO - Most of 1 show wait.
Test Track Single Rider 12:15 A.M. After fireworks about 3o-40 minute wait.

 

[glassslippergirl]

Whats next? Reservation times to use the restroom?

Shhh, don't give Disney any ideas.

 

[JimmyV]

But, FP+ would have made that day even better.

No doubt. But is making things better for late arrivers on 12/31 a good enough reason to overhaul the system for the other 364 days of the year? People can always come up with scenarios where FP+ helps them. But saying to the other 17 million guests each year: "Sorry. You can't tour the way you used to because getting 3 guaranteed rides in the afternoon on a level 10 day is now the priority" is a bit odd, no?

 

[Angel Ariel]

Thanks!

You're welcome!

 

[Angel Ariel]

You know what would be awesome at WDW? Carsland AND a land themed after the Planes movie. Carsland is so incredibly spectacular...it's like you've been teleported into the movie. Seriously, the quality is top notch. I didn't even get to ride RSR when we were there and we still had a fabulous time.

While I'm excited about seeing Carsland eventually, I do wish Disney would step away from making entire lands devoted to one movie (I do think a franchise like Star Wars is a bit different than a movie/sequel, as it's spawned its own expanded universe in books/video games/etc over the past 40 years and has already shown it will be pretty timeless).

Personally, I think what has made Disneyland and Disney World timeless is that the lands were themes, not specific movies, and the lands could always be adapted as new movies came out without re-doing an entire land. I'm not sure I have the faith that Cars is going to be as popular 20 years from now...the land is beautiful, and like I said I'm excited to see it! I'm just not sure it has the timeless-ness of the rest of Disneyland.

 

[mickeysgirl17]

Shhh, don't give Disney any ideas.

LOL, I know right!

 

[rastuso]

No doubt. But is making things better for late arrivers on 12/31 a good enough reason to overhaul the system for the other 364 days of the year? People can always come up with scenarios where FP+ helps them. But saying to the other 17 million guests each year: "Sorry. You can't tour the way you used to because getting 3 guaranteed rides in the afternoon on a level 10 day is now the priority" is a bit odd, no?

Ding, ding, ding, we have a winner! It's just crazy to even use that as an example.



-J

 

[Laz]

Whats next? Reservation times to use the restroom?

Think of those standby lines for those without reservations

 

[summerskye]

Think of those standby lines for those without reservations

With all the beer I am going to be forced to consume, I sure hope I dont have to schedule restroom visits 60 day in advance... lol

 

[jade1]

Ding, ding, ding, we have a winner! It's just crazy to even use that as an example.



-J

5PM arrival on NYE? Agreed, but way more than just NYE would the headliner FP's have been gone, probably almost all year for most.

You honestly think arriving at 5PM FP+ would only be beneficial NYE?

 

[MaryKatesMom]

What I don't get is people doing high fives and patting themsleves on the back saying "Yea, Disney listened" when, the survey's were SET UP months ago.

Uh, no, if they listened this wasn't it.

 

[Davey Jones II]

I am not saying someone thinks all those things I just have seen those common themes as of late as the negatives. So what is your issue with disney right now? Or are you fine?

Also I don't mean to offend anyone but most things disney can do won't appease people that are upset, look at this board when they give out a chance at more FP+ people automatically assume there won't ever be FPs left.
The main topics of contention by people upset with disney that I have seen:
More rides take money and time to build
Lower prices would just mean they make less on ever increasing crowd numbers
Going back to FP- is not an option most likely because of the cost of FP+

I can never seem to catch up with this thread. Every time I go back to it, it's galloped further ahead.

I just wanted to comment on the bolded point above. I think this modification to FP+ will largely mimic the paper FP system. On busy days, most rides did indeed run out of FP availability pretty early. But on days of lower crowd levels, some rides had FPs still available in the afternoon -- and a few rarely ran out of passes at all.

While many more people use the current system, that doesn't necessarily mean that there won't be anything available for the ride that you want. And a lot of the new FP users just don't know what to prioritize.

Basically, the more options we have with this new system, the more we can strategize and make savier choices than first timers.

As for ride capacity, that's always the underlying, broader issue. Disney has proven once again that they are willing to change as a result of public feedback. Hopefully, they also got the message when it comes to the need for new attractions.

 

[hemmie]

Disney has proven once again that they are willing to change as a result of public feedback. Hopefully, they also got the message when it comes to the need for new attractions.

While I agree with many of your points, it seems clear to me that Disney is making these changes solely to make more money. Which is what it is suppose to do as a corporation. To make money, it needs to take into consideration "public feedback" in order to keep its most loyal customers happy, but this latest move is to increase the time people are in the parks spending money.

I have no issue with this, but it doesn't mean that I don't plan to game the system for our benefit as much as possible

 

[Missyrose]

As for ride capacity, that's always the underlying, broader issue. Disney has proven once again that they are willing to change as a result of public feedback. Hopefully, they also got the message when it comes to the need for new attractions.

But that's exactly the problem, ride capacity is what it is. The only way Disney could add to current ride capacity is to:

1. Build multiple versions of the most popular rides.

2. Max out the capacity of the current rides (even during slower periods).

3. Change the FP+ to standby ratio to add more FP+ reservations.

But here's the rub. No. 1 will cost too much money to build and staff. No. 2 doesn't help you add FP+ slots during busy times the rides work at close to capacity during those times. And No. 3 would cause standby wait times to skyrocket, leaving you with the likelihood of not riding much beyond your three FP+ rides on a given day.

 

[mickeysgirl17]

Think of those standby lines for those without reservations

With all the beer I am going to be forced to consume, I sure hope I dont have to schedule restroom visits 60 day in advance... lol

Maybe they'll come up with a whole system for this. Potty training toddlers, and people with bladder problems can get reservations for restrooms 60 days out and everyone else 30 days ahead. Also anyone who has more than 3 alcoholic drinks at Disney in a day gets a pass to also skip to the front. That's your reward for spending money on their alcohol.