This just in from Disney Parks blog!

[MrInfinity]

You're making assumptions that might not play out. What if it is possible to do Rope Drop, FP+ 12/1/2pm, extra FP+ at 4/7/10pm?

That's fine and all...
But Soarin and TT handle 17,000 and 13,000 riders, or 30,000 total.

At 70% FP vs Standby, that's only 21,000 FP+ available, total. Even if you go 100%, that's only 30,000 available.

Now 50,000 guests prebook, and pretty much everyone trys for a TT or Soarin.

How do you see there being any left by 2pm? When 50,000 guests got to pick months ago, and many guests pulled a second as soon as 11:15? You're going to have to spend your FPs immediately to have any chance of anything decent being left.

EVERYONE has had a chance to pull them already. In FP-, you could get multiples because most ppl did not pull any - ever. But with FP+, pretty much everybody going is going to have pulled a ticket way before you can hope to get a second.

Sure you can probly get a FP to MS, or maybe even SE. But if it doesn't help you to get on the rides you want I don't see it as being great. Guess I'm just wondering why ppl who don't like FP+ are now cheering... as if they are actually getting a return to FP-. This is simply a return to FP- in which every single guest got to pull 3 tickets from home well in advance -- which is really nothing like FP-.

 

[Dallas_Lady]

I'm a little indifferent to it. It's not bad, but I'm not jumping up and down. I am still going to do RD and schedule afternoon FPs (2pm, 3pm, 4pm). At best, I'll use a 4th for parade seating or maybe a late night ride on something we haven't done yet. But I am not going to count on using it.

 

[BJSforVols]

So this new plan 1) Makes it more likely that more FP+ will be reserved for 9:00 and 9:30, backing up lines even earlier. 2) Will throw even more FP+ into the mix in general, which could exacerbate an already messy line situation.
.

How is this different from the old fast pass system. You got the earliest window which was available when you went to get a fast pass. The old fast pass- system gave fast passes during the early hours. At least now you have the option to do that or not. The old system did not even give you that option.

 

[practicallyperfect77]

Do you guys (who didn't like FP+) really think this is good? All this is doing is creating an urgency to burn your 3 FPs right away on the hopes of getting a 4th.

Before you'd take them at 12, 1, and 2, and rope drop from 9-11. Great.

Now, you have every reason to take your FPs at 9, 10, 11, to get a 4th which will be for around 7pm and certainly not for anything really desirable like TSMM.

How is that better? You used 2 FPs during Rope Drop times, and you got one FP for later at night, and you spent the middle of your day with none (and nothing but long lines).

This is the first change to FP+ that I have not been excited about.

Fuzzy - for once you and I agree. =) I am struggling to see how it works for headliners. With folks prebooking 3 I don't see there being good availability left. Maybe....I hope they prove me wrong. But I think that pesky math is going to get in the way. Neither FP- nor FP+ has the ability to change capacity or number of headliners which in my opinion is the real issue.

 

[jtowntoflorida]

that said, I have been wondering why—if WDW is so hot on us using our cell phone—that they have not built in some form of geofencing into the app. We use geofencing for targeted advertising at the agency I work at and it is great. Simply define the boundaries of each park and the built in GPS feature in the phone will tell the app when or where you are and what features can be accesses....like making a new FP+ ressie while waiting at bag check.

I'm not an IT person, so I don't know how hard that is to implement. And I think we can all admit that Disney's track record with IT is not so good.

HOWEVER...I am pretty sure that Disney should know how to do this, because their old app before MDE had this built in. Does anyone remember that? I think it was an app that was only available on Verizon for awhile before rolling out to other networks? Anyway, it wouldn't display wait times, etc. until you were actually in the park. I remember one of the things I actually liked about MDE was that I could obsess over wait times from the comfort of my home. Heh.

Does anyone else remember that earlier iteration, or am I making that up?

 

[RogueKnits]

It's funny, some people who used to hate fast pass plus are now saying because of this they are doing a turn around, where as before I was fine with fast pass plus but now find myself disappointed for fear of what willl happen to wait times at rope drop!

Yep, same here. I was good with getting my 3 FPs for late-morning, early-afternoon and riding standby at rope drop. Now I'm scared more people will be planning their 3 FPs early in the morning so they can get additional FPs later in the day, meaning riding standby at rope drop will be less feasible.

I also think this will essentially force people into using the extra FPs. They can't add more FPs to the system, so unless they plan to hold back some for same-day booking, I don't think there will be much left over on the headliners. That pushes people to FP POTC, HM, and similar rides and means that you'll probably be out of luck if you just want to ride those standby.

The only thing that may help is allowing park hopping for FP along with not having to be in the same park to book. If I use all of my FPs in MK by 1pm and can look at the available FPs in other parks and I see that there's no headliners available at MK but I can ride TT or Soarin' in a few hours, I would be more likely to hop to Epcot. That would have the effect of spreading the crowds out a little better among the parks later in the day whereas without park hopping you could be "stuck" in a high-capacity park all day.

 

[slickpoetry]

If Disney's entire motivation was keeping people stuck in a park, they could easily make the system where you could have 5 or 6 passes pre-scheduled per day, but the system requires you to have them spread out. 2 in the morning, two after lunch, two after 7 PM. And the thing is, people would agree to it. they would go along with the requirements.

Disney understands that people want their vacations to be somewhat flexible, so they did not implement a system like this. And it sounds like the changes they are going to roll out will result in more flexibility, not less.

 

[2Tiggies]

I'm thinking about Epcot now specifically. We have cut the time we usually spend there to half (if not less) for our upcoming trip because we used to ride TT and Soarin the rope drop, zig zag SB/FP style with FP-

It has been the most difficult park to try schedule FP's for this year as we have to pick one of our two favorites but aside from that, I had trouble choosing Tier 2 attractions because in a twisted way, I feel like I may as well just join the SB line for Figment, Nemo and SE when we think it's reasonable enough to wait and when we are in that part of the park. Like we used to. So fast forward to the changes that have been announced and I started wondering what I'd do with one more FP+ in that park. I don't expect TT or Soarin to be available. So that takes me back to Tier 2. So I've come back to where I was and thinking now that the addition of one more makes no difference to us there. Except that it may make standby lines at the lesser, available attractions remain long until park closing as people take what they can get and/or feel compelled to take a fourth or fifth FP just because they can. I have mixed feelings about this until we have more information.

 

[Tarheel girl 1975]

I think the biggest thing that people are missing about them making us use the Kiosks is that you physically have to be in the park to make the new FP+ ressie.

It is a way (right now) to stop people from making that extra FP+ for another park before they leave for another park. Once they get the process for hopping up and running then they could start app access.


that said, I have been wondering why—if WDW is so hot on us using our cell phone—that they have not built in some form of geofencing into the app. We use geofencing for targeted advertising at the agency I work at and it is great. Simply define the boundaries of each park and the built in GPS feature in the phone will tell the app when or where you are and what features can be accesses....like making a new FP+ ressie while waiting at bag check.

Likewise, the app could communicate back to you depending on where you are:
• notifying you of a short wait time as you walk past an attraction
• Sending you a coupon for merch while on Main Street
• Give you accurate info on where transportation is—buses, monorails and trains

leveraging the GPS within the phone is the whoel key to making this system amazing

A agree with this. I think Disney wants the additional FP to function more like legacy FP, which requires you to be in the park. Otherwise, they'll just get used up by people in a different park. I wondered why they couldn't just make this a feature that works only when you were in the park and the remembered that the App barely works to begin with. Since everone will be using their 3rd at a different time, I am hoping that will spread out crowds at the kiosks. It's also likely that some people will not book a 4th FP.

 

[BJSforVols]

Do you mean the change of this additional fastpass or the change of FP-/FP+ in general? I'm pretty indifferent to this new change for the reasons fuzzylogic outlined above (the first time my opinion aligns with his on this matter as far as I remember ). We foresaw this type of change here and went through the possible scenarios and consequences a long time ago anyway. I still dislike FP+ compared to FP- in general because of the ongoing effect on standby lines, the dependence on technology in the parks that I don't want to have to depend on, the required pre-planning, and the lack of flexibility.

It's actually my nature to like and seek change, BTW, I just don't like this change.

I mean the change of this additional fastpass(es) as well as the change for passes at multiple parks in the same day. The only way one can argue that it is worse than fastpass- is due to more rides allowing fastpass now or more awareness of the ability to get fastpasses for the Disney novices.

 

[Shaden]

That's fine and all...
But Soarin and TT handle 17,000 and 13,000 riders, or 30,000 total.

At 70% FP vs Standby, that's only 21,000 FP+ available, total. Even if you go 100%, that's only 30,000 available.

Now 50,000 guests prebook, and pretty much everyone trys for a TT or Soarin.

How do you see there being any left by 2pm? When 50,000 guests got to pick months ago, and many guests pulled a second as soon as 11:15? You're going to have to spend your FPs immediately to have any chance of anything decent being left.

EVERYONE has had a chance to pull them already. In FP-, you could get multiples because most ppl did not pull any - ever. But with FP+, pretty much everybody going is going to have pulled a ticket way before you can hope to get a second.

Sure you can probly get a FP to MS, or maybe even SE. But if it doesn't help you to get on the rides you want I don't see it as being great. Guess I'm just wondering why ppl who don't like FP+ are now cheering... as if they are actually getting a return to FP-. This is simply a return to FP- in which every single guest got to pull 3 tickets from home well in advance -- which is really nothing like FP-.

Again, this only applies in peak season. And I think you might also be surprised the number of people who don't actually go for those rides. Even "regular" grown ups. But lots of smaller kids, lots of older people as well, no interest or ability to ride those attractions.

Do the same calculation on an overall 5 or 6 day with Epcot as the most recommended park ... or a 4 or 3 day .... MUCH different.

 

[sethschroeder]

Haters going to hate comes to mind reading this. My only issue now is fix the app and increase headline ride counts. I always liked FP+ but I think this won over most people moving forward.

Please disney don't give out toooooooooo many FP+ though. stand by should still get rides.

 

[BJSforVols]

That's fine and all...
But Soarin and TT handle 17,000 and 13,000 riders, or 30,000 total.

At 70% FP vs Standby, that's only 21,000 FP+ available, total. Even if you go 100%, that's only 30,000 available.

Now 50,000 guests prebook, and pretty much everyone trys for a TT or Soarin.

How do you see there being any left by 2pm? When 50,000 guests got to pick months ago, and many guests pulled a second as soon as 11:15? You're going to have to spend your FPs immediately to have any chance of anything decent being left.

EVERYONE has had a chance to pull them already. In FP-, you could get multiples because most ppl did not pull any - ever. But with FP+, pretty much everybody going is going to have pulled a ticket way before you can hope to get a second.

Sure you can probly get a FP to MS, or maybe even SE. But if it doesn't help you to get on the rides you want I don't see it as being great. Guess I'm just wondering why ppl who don't like FP+ are now cheering... as if they are actually getting a return to FP-. This is simply a return to FP- in which every single guest got to pull 3 tickets from home well in advance -- which is really nothing like FP-.

So, your issue is; more people being educated on their ability to get and use fastpasses? The possibility of your logic existed with fastpass-. The difference was not everyone received information in the reservation package regarding how to get the fastpass-.

 

[JeremyGNJ]

Again, this only applies in peak season. And I think you might also be surprised the number of people who don't actually go for those rides. Even "regular" grown ups. But lots of smaller kids, lots of older people as well, no interest or ability to ride those attractions.

Do the same calculation on an overall 5 or 6 day with Epcot as the most recommended park ... or a 4 or 3 day .... MUCH different.

Count me in on that. Test Track is extremely overrated, and Soarin is cool, but not worth all the fuss to plan your whole day around it.

 

[MrInfinity]

Rope drop, FP around lunch, pick up 4th or more in evening.

There's the new TP.

If it works like that, where there's anything decent left by 2pm, I'll be a happy camper. I'll have to see this in practice just what is left by then.

 

[BJSforVols]

My next trip is going to cost around $5K. I'm not exactly 'begging' Disney for anything.

I don't see that being more than the next Disney vacationer. $5k is average or even low for a Disney vacation. It's not like your paying a premium to get special treatment.

 

[Love Tink]

How is this different from the old fast pass system. You got the earliest window which was available when you went to get a fast pass. The old fast pass- system gave fast passes during the early hours. At least now you have the option to do that or not. The old system did not even give you that option.

I am trying to understand what you are asking.

The old system did not start at 9:00. The old system generally started at 9:40. So there was almost an hour at opening where stand by could move without any interference from FP, and then another hour where FP was minimally invasive.

Now FP+ starts at 9:00. The 9:00 (and 9:10, 9:20, etc.) slots are unattractive to most people because they seem "a waste." Even so, there has been an effect on lines in the morning.

With this new development, the early slots won't be seen as a waste anymore, and I think the effect on the early lines will become even more pronounced.

None of this has anything to do with what "options" one had with the previous system and the new system.

 

[practicallyperfect77]

Again, this only applies in peak season. And I think you might also be surprised the number of people who don't actually go for those rides. Even "regular" grown ups. But lots of smaller kids, lots of older people as well, no interest or ability to ride those attractions.

Do the same calculation on an overall 5 or 6 day with Epcot as the most recommended park ... or a 4 or 3 day .... MUCH different.

Hope you're right Shaden. Will be interesting to see how this plays out. Does anyone have details of park attendance on Level 10 days compared to 5?

 

[FLchick415]

Count me in as one of the few that is fine to skip Soarin'. I'll usually ride it once at RD, but that's it. Test Track, on the other hand, I love. (Not so much the theme, however...preferred the original version) I mostly just like to walked around WS and eat/drink my way around the world.

 

[MaryKatesMom]

Do you guys (who didn't like FP+) really think this is good? All this is doing is creating an urgency to burn your 3 FPs right away on the hopes of getting a 4th.

Before you'd take them at 12, 1, and 2, and rope drop from 9-11. Great.

Now, you have every reason to take your FPs at 9, 10, 11, to get a 4th which will be for around 7pm and certainly not for anything really desirable like TSMM.

How is that better? You used 2 FPs during Rope Drop times, and you got one FP for later at night, and you spent the middle of your day with none (and nothing but long lines).

This is the first change to FP+ that I have not been excited about.

Weren't some posters going on and on about how wonderful this was to "sleep in" and how wonderfull it was because you could all you have to do is book in the afternoon and evening and avoid the long SB lines.

This is logical to anyone who wants to objectively look at it. Trouble is, there are more than a few who have invested too much time and effort maligning it to ever consider that there was a plan from the start.

All the good stuff from here on out is just the result of speaking truth to power, and by that I mean, complaining on message boards. It is the complaining that caused Disney execs to see the error of their ways, and not planning.

I posted yesterday that I believed, but couldn't prove, that this testing was already going on. It doesn't surprise me that it was going on in January.

And there are several posters who defend it against all logic.

I posted long ago that if they added a fourth FP+ for use AFTER the first three were gone it would seriously mess up RD as that would have people move their afternoon FP+ to the morning to so they would be eligble for the fourth. Even further messing up the SB lines.

Beggars can't be choosers. This change would make it similar to the old system with a step of improvement. The old system did not allow you to schedule the time of a fast pass. You also had to wait until you previous fast pass window closed before you could get an additional one. So, you had to use fast passes early with the old system in order to use several.

In my opinion, this change would give us the benefit of the old system plus the new ability to schedule your first 3 60 or 30 days before arriving. I don't see how anyone can spin this as a bad thing when comparing to the current fast pass+ or the old legacy fast pass system.

1) SB lines will go up even further, especially in the morning
2) With more FP+'s taken, the highly touted change on the fly using the app will be more difficult

Well - the bad spin that I would see is that we're already seeing a negative effect on lines in the park from the current distribution of FP+ - longer FP lines AND longer SB lines on all kinds of attractions, especially noticeable early in the morning (when lines used to be short).

So this new plan 1) Makes it more likely that more FP+ will be reserved for 9:00 and 9:30, backing up lines even earlier. 2) Will throw even more FP+ into the mix in general, which could exacerbate an already messy line situation.

Which isn't to say I'm not for this change, or that it isn't worth it. But this is the potential negative I see immediately.

The better change was a 4th FP "day of" whereever park you are in.

And those in THAT line were only offsite people. Now EVERYONE would be in that line.

Didn't think of that.

They're 45 minutes because until this week they were the only access points for offsite guests.

The number using them in the future will be those making changes and those who chose not to prebook. Will be crowded in morning but not much after the initial rush.

Nope. Doesn't make sense. Now even though I prebooked, I am now in a kiosk line. See above. Now the WHOLE PARK is going to be in that line. Starting at 3 hours after opening.