TSM standby-less test Oct. 6-9

[cakebaker]

Welcome to the DIS.

2. Disney was the bad guy here. They were the one's who were refusing access to the ride, therefore they should have to be the one to break it to the kid. When/if the Op's kid doesn't get into Princeton, it will be the admission office who has to be the bad guy, not the OP.

Indeed it was Disney's fault entirely.

But, if I know something is going to upset and disappoint my child a great deal, I want to be the one to explain it to them and make them feel better- not a stranger. Whose fault it is isn't important at that point. It just seems weird to me that you'd let a total stranger, in a rather hectic situation, try and explain something the kid found upsetting.

Then again, I'm a little on the tough love side and I'd probably tell them, depending on age, get over it. You're lucky to be here at all and if you're going to whine and cry all day about 1 ride, we can leave now. I'm guessing the CM would be nicer than me.

 

[MaryKatesMom]

[/QUOTE/] I understand the frustration with this "test" however the PP DID have a FP for noon for this ride. She was upset that her kids couldn't ride TSMM 3 times. My problem in reading this is:
1. How about the kid that wants to get on it just once?
2. She didn't want to be the "bad guy" so gave that job to the CM. Unfortunately being the bad guy comes with the job. Wait about 5 more years.
3. Yeah, it isn't fair. However that's life and sometimes life isn't fair.
We spend months, years planning for the perfect Disney trip and when its finally time, SURPRISE, Disney pulls a fast one. Yes, complain, voice your opinions because I really don't think this "fastpass only" thing is going to fly.

Oh, and to the PP, are you going to yell at the admissions officer explain to your kid why he/she didn't get in to Princeton? Because they will.[/QUOTE]

Don't blame the victim. She did everything she was "supposed to do". Usually posters like to say "If your spending that much money it is your fault you didn't plan better." Can't say that this time. She did everything right so it is Disney's fault they closed the SB line, not the posters.

When someone else is paying for my vacation, I'll worry if they ride TSM or not, however, my vacation money is spent on my families enjoyment. I love TSM and Star Tours and that is what gets me in the park. If I can only ride them once each, that is a lot of money for at the most 15 minutes.

FP+ is a ride redistrubution system and WDW is telling me what I can ride and how many times. Why should I ride what I don't have any interest in?

I liked going to a park doing what I wanted then leaving. How many times in my life do I want to see Captain EO? Answer: Once was enough.

 

[Pluto0809]

So did they extend this or is it over now? I'm going to be there on Sunday and if the test is still going on, I won't worry about making rope drop. We got our Tier 1 FP+ for RnRC since it's my Mom's favorite ride. Guess I won't be riding TSM if the test is still going on.

 

[Angel Ariel]

Indeed it was Disney's fault entirely.

But, if I know something is going to upset and disappoint my child a great deal, I want to be the one to explain it to them and make them feel better- not a stranger. Whose fault it is isn't important at that point. It just seems weird to me that you'd let a total stranger, in a rather hectic situation, try and explain something the kid found upsetting.

All kids are different. While it might not be the way I'd handle the situation, parents know their kids best. If the parent felt this was the best way for their child to find out, I would lean towards trusting that the parent had a reason for that decision.

 

[ArwenMarie]

I don't think Disney will care if owners of offsite rental properties, whether hotels or houses, lose business because of their actions.

I don't think Disney will go to an all onsite model though. But if they can further differentiate their hotels from offsite hotels and rentals, as a business, they would be crazy not to do that.

Unfortunately, the more they do that, the more onsite will pay, probably via reductions in discounts, which we know is one of the goals as well.

And I absolutely do think that offsite hotels, especially the major companies in Orlando who have a lot at stake, are watching what Disney is doing with this very carefully.

 

[mom2mickeyfan]

I don't think it will fully ever happen either, but I also don't think Disney is the least bit concerned about how unhappy off site businesses or property owners would be.

Then what reason do you think Disney opened pre-booking up to off-site guest at all? If they were not the least bit concerned, then when fp+ started with pre-booking, it would have been the perfect time to leave it to onsite guest only but they didn't.

 

[JanaDee]

So did they extend this or is it over now? I'm going to be there on Sunday and if the test is still going on, I won't worry about making rope drop. We got our Tier 1 FP+ for RnRC since it's my Mom's favorite ride. Guess I won't be riding TSM if the test is still going on.

It was supposed to be over yesterday, but I guess we'll have to wait and see on reports from people going to DHS today.

 

[cabanafrau]

I don't think Disney will care if owners of offsite rental properties, whether hotels or houses, lose business because of their actions.

I don't think Disney will go to an all onsite model though. But if they can further differentiate their hotels from offsite hotels and rentals, as a business, they would be crazy not to do that.

Unfortunately, the more they do that, the more onsite will pay, probably via reductions in discounts, which we know is one of the goals as well.

And I absolutely do think that offsite hotels, especially the major companies in Orlando who have a lot at stake, are watching what Disney is doing with this very carefully.

Disney has to do something if they think people are going to pay $400+/nt. for their deluxe rooms. They are very aware with all the vacancies in those that the market just isn't there, which further explains the conversion to DVC.

 

[ArwenMarie]

Then what reason do you think Disney opened pre-booking up to off-site guest at all? If they were not the least bit concerned, then when fp+ started with pre-booking, it would have been the perfect time to leave it to onsite guest only but they didn't.

I think with the booking windows, they were fine with opening up to offsite customers at 30 days. Sure have whatever is left. Same reasoning behind letting people get a 4th FP.

Remember too, they reduced the booking window for non-onsite APs, from 60 to 30. I think that says a lot.

 

[minnie-apple-mouse]

I don't think it will fully ever happen either, but I also don't think Disney is the least bit concerned about how unhappy off site businesses or property owners would be.

Then what reason do you think Disney opened pre-booking up to off-site guest at all? If they were not the least bit concerned, then when fp+ started with pre-booking, it would have been the perfect time to leave it to onsite guest only but they didn't.

I would say for guests (locals and offsite) , not to please owners.

 

[flicx]

Related article that I just came across:

Walt Disney World finds way to eliminate long wait lines. You'll never believe how simple the solution is.

Gotta love their take that the solution was SO simple, why didn't we think of this earlier?

I honestly want to know where they dig up the executives Disney has working for them. A ride isn't fun if you have to wait an hour in line. I guess when I started going to Disney world back in the early 80's and my wife in the mid 70's we didn't have any fun. You know what we waited in those kind of lines. We had fun. I'll tell you what's not fun, the inability to ride a favorite ride once while you are there. If Disney pushes forward with this system "there be rough waters ahead". Time for Disney to wake up. The standby less line system SUCKS!!!!!! Quit trying to herd us around like cattle and spend the money on what the customers come to Disney for to begin with "ATTRACTIONS"!!!!!

 

[minnie-apple-mouse]

We have annual passes and because of FP+, I typically have FP+ booked for popular attractions for as many weekends out as it will let me if there's even a 1% chance I might be at the parks. Usually that gets me close to a months worth of weekends. I know many other passholders who now do the same thing. Often we'll only go once in a month which leaves 7 days of unused FP+ reservations. I can't imagine they have an easy way to add these back into the system.

Remember too, they reduced the booking window for non-onsite APs, from 60 to 30. I think that says a lot.

I wonder why?

 

[faneuil]

Remember too, they reduced the booking window for non-onsite APs, from 60 to 30. I think that says a lot.

As a local AP -I never had 60 days. Only 30.

It's worked out fine. The only thing I still can't get a FP+ for is 7D, but a lot of ppl are in that boat. I got one months ago, when it first opened. But it's actually harder now than it was in the middle of summer to get certain FP+.

It's been tricky for an upcoming week at WDW in November. A friend is coming down from ATL and she's staying with us - so she has the 30 day window too. She's not a thrill ride person, but getting TSMM was a challenge. Course I'll keep checking every day to see if we can get a better time. Important thing is, we have one, and if it's available, we can still do SB.

It's a very delicate balance here.
Disney knows - (they're not THAT stupid) - that 100% of guests cannot stay on property. Not how it is now anyway. So they need the hotels/rentals around the area. The hotels/rentals in the area know Disney doesn't every thing it can to lure ppl onto property.

There's several off-site resorts being built right now.

But really, right now, a lot of the Disney hotels aren't a good deal for a large family. You can rent a 6 bedroom house with private pool for $1500/week (if not less) in the area. You're not going to get that on property. So the lure will remain to stay off-site. Since, as others have mentioned, the Disney resort perks aren't that great.

 

[Laketravis]

Related article that I just came across:

Walt Disney World finds way to eliminate long wait lines. You'll never believe how simple the solution is.

Gotta love their take that the solution was SO simple, why didn't we think of this earlier?

If WDW would go a step further (as some posts to that article suggest) and limit the number of guests admitted to a park based on ride capacity / net $$ margin objective by offering advance PARK reservations much like you reserve your cabin on a cruise that could go a long way towards improving the experience for everyone.

The ultimate FP. Priority given to on-site guests would almost guarantee 100% occupancy.

Naw, that would never happen.

 

[Suvadoo]

All kids are different. While it might not be the way I'd handle the situation, parents know their kids best. If the parent felt this was the best way for their child to find out, I would lean towards trusting that the parent had a reason for that decision.

Perhaps the PP purpose was to put the Disney CM's on the hot seat. Especially if it was a manager that was stuck explaining their "test" to a child.

 

[ArwenMarie]

If WDW would go a step further (as some posts to that article suggest) and limit the number of guests admitted to a park based on ride capacity / net $$ margin objective by offering advance PARK reservations much like you reserve your cabin on a cruise that could go a long way towards improving the experience for everyone.

The ultimate FP. Priority given to on-site guests would almost guarantee 100% occupancy.

Naw, that would never happen.

Never

Seriously though, part of the problem is that they let too many darn people into the parks for the amount of ride capacity they have.

I would gladly pay more for a better, less crowded experience.

 

[Suvadoo]

Never

Seriously though, part of the problem is that they let too many darn people into the parks for the amount of ride capacity they have.

I would gladly pay more for a better, less crowded experience.

 

[MikeandReneePlus5]

Why does the FP+ line shoot up to a 45 minute wait when they do this?

I'm late to all this but I read that's what happened at A&E when they tested it there.

Is it that they release many more FP+s when they go FP+ only?

 

[ChipnDale79]

When someone else is paying for my vacation, I'll worry if they ride TSM or not, however, my vacation money is spent on my families enjoyment. I love TSM and Star Tours and that is what gets me in the park. If I can only ride them once each, that is a lot of money for at the most 15 minutes.

I love this response, it was dead on.

We save for a long time to pay for these vacations, and they aren't cheap, so it's not my fault someone didn't do the research on their trip before they go there. I'm going to do everything I can to get the value out of my vacation, and by that I mean, I'm going to do everything I can to ride any ride as much as my family wants to as long as its inside the rules.

 

[minnie-apple-mouse]

If WDW would go a step further (as some posts to that article suggest) and limit the number of guests admitted to a park based on ride capacity / net $$ margin objective by offering advance PARK reservations much like you reserve your cabin on a cruise that could go a long way towards improving the experience for everyone.

The ultimate FP. Priority given to on-site guests would almost guarantee 100% occupancy.

Naw, that would never happen.

I am ONE THOUSAND PERCENT for this.

Still be hard to come up with the correct formula I have a feeling.