*** Updated to add spring break Data*** New Data, FP+ impacting wait times, discuss

[Nole95]

I think that "Option A" of the Poll (Eligible for a new in-park FP once you use one of your pre-booked FPs) would put us pretty much back to where we were before. It would take some commando strategizing, but we would all adjust. (Unless we choose to sit by the pool until 2:00 ). For example, if you were going to Epcot, you would want to pre-book Soarin' or Test Track, and also pre-book Figment for 9:01, (or whatever FP eligible ride would get you in and out the fastest. I think that is Figment.) You would use your FP for Figment immediatley, and then, while you are on the ride, get out your smartphone and book another FP for the "biggie" for which you didn't already have a FP. So by 9:03, you would have both a TT and Soarin' FP to use during the day. Under the old system, you couldn't have one of each until later, because your return time or two hour window (which ever comes first) would not be as early as the time by which you would become eligible for your fourth FP under the new system. Of course, there is no guarantee that this is the way they would go. But our own poll here is trending at 80% that way, so I would hope that Disney's is as well. Of course, the great irony here is that were this to happen, the 9:00 Figment FP would become as hard to get as the Mine Train or TSM!!

My perfect system would let you choose a FP as soon as you were in the park so long as that time did not conflict with something already pre-booked.

So if I have Soarin booked for 10-11, I could schedule another FP once I enter the park for 11-12 or 9-10 if I was so inclined. Now once I scheduled that extra FP I am not eligible for another one for two hours or until I use it. This would be just like the old rules.

I think this would make everyone happy with the new system as it would be a hybrid of old and new. If I want to sleep in and schedule three FP+ for the afternoon I can. If I want to go commando and get there at RD I have that option as well.

 

[JimmyV]

That would be a step in the right direction. But once everyone books their three, I just don't have a lot of faith that there will be much headliner capacity left. Once offsite and APs get online with the current system, we'll have a better idea of how that is running.

My beef with the whole thing is that it seems like such a silly game to have to start choosing to use a FP at park open just to SEE if there's anything else left to even get.

I suspect that FP distribution will run about even with what we were witnessing before, since people can't repeat. In other words, the big attractions will hold their availability until 10:30-11:00 except on the most crowded days. 7DMT will probably be an exception. While off-site pre-booking will have an impact, isn't it a fair assumption that most off-site guests are making their FP selections in the first three hours of park opening? If those bookings aren't running the system dry, then when those people book in advance, the same number of FPs will come off the board. There have been some isolated instances of FPs not being available by 11:00 a.m. (or in the case of ETWB, at all), but for the most part, the well has some water left in it by 11:00. Of course, under the old system, the clock kept ticking forward and if you got the last FP, it was guaranteed to be late in the day. Now, the last FPs might be early in the day when you don't want to use them, or right smack in the middle of the dinner hour which may be less than satisfactory. Touring Plans was able to tell us what the return time for currently pulled FPs was. That ability has now been stripped unless one can tap into Disney's system. Not even their own app will allow you to scan potential FP times unless you are going through the mock process of making a change, one ride at a time. Way too cumbersome to be useful.

In the end, if big attractions hold their availability until 10:30-11:00, we should be able to get one or two more FPs for them, but that will come at the cost of using pre-booked FPs early in the day when they are least needed. But that was true under the old system as well once they started enforcing the return times.

My perfect system would let you choose a FP as soon as you were in the park so long as that time did not conflict with something already pre-booked.

Unfortunately, that isn't one of Disney's Poll options, so I doubt we will see it.

 

[2Tiggies]

My perfect system would let you choose a FP as soon as you were in the park so long as that time did not conflict with something already pre-booked.

So if I have Soarin booked for 10-11, I could schedule another FP once I enter the park for 11-12 or 9-10 if I was so inclined. Now once I scheduled that extra FP I am not eligible for another one for two hours or until I use it. This would be just like the old rules.

I think this would make everyone happy with the new system as it would be a hybrid of old and new. If I want to sleep in and schedule three FP+ for the afternoon I can. If I want to go commando and get there at RD I have that option as well.

Now if that had been an option on the survey it would have been an A+ for me. Disney goers are such a diverse group. We've seen it on the boards. It goes beyond lifestyle financial choices. So any system that gives options and maintains a relatively simple approach within those options for those who do not want to plan ahead or prefer to pick and choose what they plan. Having had choices and freedom in the past, it is not making this transition any easier when there is a widespread feeling that (1) it is more complicated and (2) we have fewer options.

 

[FlipHipster]

That would be a step in the right direction. But once everyone books their three, I just don't have a lot of faith that there will be much headliner capacity left. Once offsite and APs get online with the current system, we'll have a better idea of how that is running.

My beef with the whole thing is that it seems like such a silly game to have to start choosing to use a FP at park open just to SEE if there's anything else left to even get.

"Locked In" just took on a whole new meaning for me. You're "Locked In" because once you make your choices, that's it. For that matter since you have to buy tickets to use FP+, aren't you already "Locked In" ? Do people really buy tickets and not use them? I understand they want to know where you are going to be in advance, but if they actually give you the ability to change it at will, how is that going to help them plan anything?

 

[donnajherren]

I guess I just don't see how people who didn't understand the FP- system before are going to magically use the FP+ to the fullest. Those are the people who certain people keep celebrating the FP+ system for, the family who waited in stand by all day on their first vacation because they didn't know better, the family who now is going to have more rides instead of less. If they couldn't figure out FP-, how does anybody expect them to figure out which rides to use FP+ for and when?

I'm working on plans for our June trip now, and I wouldn't know where to begin with these FP reservation times without a touring plan. And even with it, I've built in tons of extra time we may not need. I'm just worried about one thing running late and affecting everything else for the rest of the day.

I know that's the cue for someone to tell me I don't have to make plans at all, but I really need to maximize our trip this time. My in-laws are coming along and bringing my husband's nephew--he's never been to Disney, and this will likely be his only childhood visit. I know it will be magical for him even if he waits in lines all the time, but the pressure is still there for him to get to do as much as possible.

 

[FlipHipster]

My perfect system would let you choose a FP as soon as you were in the park so long as that time did not conflict with something already pre-booked.

So if I have Soarin booked for 10-11, I could schedule another FP once I enter the park for 11-12 or 9-10 if I was so inclined. Now once I scheduled that extra FP I am not eligible for another one for two hours or until I use it. This would be just like the old rules.

I think this would make everyone happy with the new system as it would be a hybrid of old and new. If I want to sleep in and schedule three FP+ for the afternoon I can. If I want to go commando and get there at RD I have that option as well.

This is essentially what we were able to do in Nov. except that there were no restrictions on FP- related to FP+ so you could have both a FP+ and FP- at the same time. IT WAS AWESOME! My family still raves about how few lines we were in compared to previous trips.

Even if they put in the restrictions you mentioned, if they can come close to this scenario, they have a winner IMO.

This will probably lead to a math quiz though

 

[disneyfantotheend]

I wouldn't mind if they gave us even the tier 2 rides after we used our other FPs. Sure they did not have lines pre FP+, but from what I am reading, they do now. I am content getting to see and do non headliners for most of the day. I really love all those too. I just don't want to wait 35 minutes for something that never had more than a 20 minute wait in the past.

I really hope that by our next trip, they have all the kinks worked out and the non headliners are back to minimal standby waits. Then I won't need more FP+s, but I just can't see waiting more than 30 minutes for every ride. We go during non peak times. If we went during busy times, then I could see 30 minute waits for quiet rides. Can't wait to see how it plays out in the end. Anyone have a time machine????

 

[JimmyV]

This is essentially what we were able to do in Nov. except that there were no restrictions on FP- related to FP+ so you could have both a FP+ and FP- at the same time. IT WAS AWESOME! My family still raves about how few lines we were in compared to previous trips.

Even if they put in the restrictions you mentioned, if they can come close to this scenario, they have a winner IMO.

This will probably lead to a math quiz though

Honestly, I think Disney shot itself in the foot when it came out of the box with 3 pre-booked FPs. Anything less now will seem like a retraction, even though at Epcot, you are really only getting one that is useful. I think a better system would have been to allow guests to book one per day in advance. That way, they could have "locked in" their "must do" attraction, and then left the old system in place, even if that meant replacing the operations of the old system with a digital system. In other words, other than your one advanced FP, all others would be booked while in the park with no restrictions other than a limit of how much time must pass in between your selections. If they had come out of the box with this system, it would give the appearance of giving guests a huge benefit that they never had before without mucking up a system that was actually working. And to the people who would respond that 50% of the people weren't using the old system, I would say that once people got the opportunity to pre-book (just as they have now) it would familiarize them with the system such that they would have used in upon arrival. There is no reason to think that the current system is educating people on its use more so than what I would have done.

Edit to add: And instead of "Lock It In", my marketing campaign would have been: "What's Your Disney Must-Do?"

 

[donnajherren]

That would be a step in the right direction. But once everyone books their three, I just don't have a lot of faith that there will be much headliner capacity left.

If I'm going to have to plan my days this completely and intensely anyway, I'd be happy make my 3 FP+ selections ahead of time for headliners, and then grab day-of FP+ for non-headlining attractions. That way, I could set one up for Haunted Mansion, for instance, and then go shop or grab something to eat at Liberty Square instead of waiting in line for 45 minutes.

It seems like a win/win for Disney--I'm not eating up more of their limited headliner space, plus I'm spending money.

Because of this, I imagine tiering will be an important part of the "extra" FPs, if they ever institute them. There could be a natural, demand-exerted tier--all the headliner FPs are simply gone by the time you can make your 4th selection--or one put in place by Disney.

 

[FlipHipster]

I wouldn't mind if they gave us even the tier 2 rides after we used our other FPs. Sure they did not have lines pre FP+, but from what I am reading, they do now. I am content getting to see and do non headliners for most of the day. I really love all those too. I just don't want to wait 35 minutes for something that never had more than a 20 minute wait in the past.

I really hope that by our next trip, they have all the kinks worked out and the non headliners are back to minimal standby waits. Then I won't need more FP+s, but I just can't see waiting more than 30 minutes for every ride. We go during non peak times. If we went during busy times, then I could see 30 minute waits for quiet rides. Can't wait to see how it plays out in the end. Anyone have a time machine????

I heard there is one in Kodiak Valley

 

[mom2rtk]

Honestly, I think Disney shot itself in the foot when it came out of the box with 3 pre-booked FPs. Anything less now will seem like a retraction, even though at Epcot, you are really only getting one that is useful. I think a better system would have been to allow guests to book one per day in advance. That way, they could have "locked in" their "must do" attraction, and then left the old system in place, even if that meant replacing the operations of the old system with a digital system. In other words, other than your one advanced FP, all others would be booked while in the park with no restrictions other than a limit of how much time must pass in between your selections. If they had come out of the box with this system, it would give the appearance of giving guests a huge benefit that they never had before without mucking up a system that was actually working. And to the people who would respond that 50% of the people weren't using the old system, I would say that once people got the opportunity to pre-book (just as they have now) it would familiarize them with the system such that they would have used in upon arrival. There is no reason to think that the current system is educating people on its use more so than what I would have done.

I completely agree with this and could get behind the "book your favorite attraction (singular) in advance" approach. But you're right. I don't think there's any going back. Besides, I'm not sure if one attraction is enough to make people really feel "locked in".

 

[donnajherren]

I heard there is one in Kodiak Valley

Yeah, but then you have to wade through that whole crappy movie just to use it...

 

[JimmyV]

Besides, I'm not sure if one attraction is enough to make people really feel "locked in".

Well, Spaceship Earth and Living With the Land aren't making me "locked in". In fact, by picking those, I probably should have been "locked up".

 

[FlipHipster]

Honestly, I think Disney shot itself in the foot when it came out of the box with 3 pre-booked FPs. Anything less now will seem like a retraction, even though at Epcot, you are really only getting one that is useful. I think a better system would have been to allow guests to book one per day in advance. That way, they could have "locked in" their "must do" attraction, and then left the old system in place, even if that meant replacing the operations of the old system with a digital system. In other words, other than your one advanced FP, all others would be booked while in the park with no restrictions other than a limit of how much time must pass in between your selections. If they had come out of the box with this system, it would give the appearance of giving guests a huge benefit that they never had before without mucking up a system that was actually working. And to the people who would respond that 50% of the people weren't using the old system, I would say that once people got the opportunity to pre-book (just as they have now) it would familiarize them with the system such that they would have used in upon arrival. There is no reason to think that the current system is educating people on its use more so than what I would have done.

Edit to add: And instead of "Lock It In", my marketing campaign would have been: "What's Your Disney Must-Do?"

Agree totally about pre-booking. I have said many times I think adv booking is the 800lb gorilla in the room. I know its cool and all but it introduces a lot of variables that didn't exist before and if anything it will highlight the fact that there isn't enough of the good stuff to go around. They could have rolled it out later when things were under control and been everyone's hero.

Yeah, but then you have to wade through that whole crappy movie just to use it...

At least the line will be short

 

[ArwenMarie]

Effectively, all they have done is reversed the ratio and the FP line is the new standby line, only you need an active appointment to be able to get into it. What was formerly the regular line and known as the standby line has now become a real standby line and you ride subject to availability. Pretty much like not getting on a flight and sitting on standby in case another passenger with a reservation doesn't show up

Exactly. Standby is truly standby now. It really wasn't before.

 

[ArwenMarie]

That would be a step in the right direction. But once everyone books their three, I just don't have a lot of faith that there will be much headliner capacity left. Once offsite and APs get online with the current system, we'll have a better idea of how that is running.

My beef with the whole thing is that it seems like such a silly game to have to start choosing to use a FP at park open just to SEE if there's anything else left to even get.

I know you've been saying this for a while as well, but I am DYING to see what happens when the Mine Train opens. Will it be a total trainwreck (excuse the pun)?

 

[mom2rtk]

Well, Spaceship Earth and Living With the Land aren't making me "locked in". In fact, by picking those, I probably should have been "locked up".

Touche.

 

[mom2rtk]

I know you've been saying this for a while as well, but I am DYING to see what happens when the Mine Train opens. Will it be a total trainwreck (excuse the pun)?

It shouldn't be long now, right?

 

[catra121]

I'm working on plans for our June trip now, and I wouldn't know where to begin with these FP reservation times without a touring plan. And even with it, I've built in tons of extra time we may not need. I'm just worried about one thing running late and affecting everything else for the rest of the day.

I know that's the cue for someone to tell me I don't have to make plans at all, but I really need to maximize our trip this time. My in-laws are coming along and bringing my husband's nephew--he's never been to Disney, and this will likely be his only childhood visit. I know it will be magical for him even if he waits in lines all the time, but the pressure is still there for him to get to do as much as possible.

If I wanted to maximize the amount of rides the strategy I would use (and I know there are lots of unknowns so who knows if it would work out) would be to use one of the touring plans and then use FP+ for the late afternoon/evening to re-ride favorites or rides that typically have longer SB lines later in the day.

You could also strategically use your FP+ for a ride that you plan on being at that particular time anyway (based on the touring plan) and then if you find it's not needed...you can try to swap it out for something extra later.

But I would start with the touring plan and work from there.

Of course...that's not actually what I plan on doing because I don't use a touring plan and like to have a go with the flow pace while I tour the parks...but if packing in the most to your day is what you are after I think arriving at RD, using EMHs (if onsite), and using a touring plan are really your best bets for that.

But also keep in mind that many kids don't like to be on a strict schedule...so if he's like that and his only childhood trip memory is him being marched around the parks on a schedule...that might not be the best either. I would make your plan, and then be prepared to throw it out the window based on how everyone is reacting to it. If everyone's excited and enjoying it...then keep going. Some kids even think of it like a treasure map or an adventure wanting to race to the next item...that would be perfect for you. But if you can tell people in the group just feel like they are being marched around on a schedule and aren't enjoying themselves...change it up. The most important thing is that you all have a great time.

 

[clsteve]

I know you've been saying this for a while as well, but I am DYING to see what happens when the Mine Train opens. Will it be a total trainwreck (excuse the pun)?

It shouldn't be long now, right?

But it will be long, very long and into the village, then.....

Oh, the puns, they are flying!