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

[magicbob]

The real backlash I saw was on the FP+ commercial they posted a couple months ago. Dramatically negative replies.

I am not sure if they are pulling down negative WDW reviews. But I also don't think its exactly relevant to FP+.

I mean, I would imagine, as others have pointed out about FP- ... that many of those people don't even know about FP or FP+. They might have been to WDW last week and used FP+ .... the just as likely (maybe more likely if you go by the numbers alone) were at WDW 5 or 10 years ago, and remember loving it, so are providing a 4 or 5 start review. Or, if you read some of them, there are even people who have never BEEN to WDW giving it a review.
I don't know how much general ratings of WDW apply to FP+ FP- .... but I would think the response to their commercial was pretty informative.

It also IS possible to hate FP+ and still like ... even love ... wdw ....

Wait, what? People have an opinion of FP+ and they haven't even tried it?

 

[2Tiggies]

The real backlash I saw was on the FP+ commercial they posted a couple months ago. Dramatically negative replies.

I am not sure if they are pulling down negative WDW reviews. But I also don't think its exactly relevant to FP+.

There is definitely a slew of reviews that have been removed. Some of them are not necessarily terrible ratings. There were some 3/4 star ones singing the praise of WDW but saying how they hated FP+ and commenting on why. Of course there were some really damning reviews too. They were there last week and they now are gone. The page admins have obviously realized it is less noticeable if they selectively remove reviews rather than take away the review section entirely. Got to hand it to them for managing their page though, lol

 

[Rip]

Wait, what? People have an opinion of FP+ and they haven't even tried it?

Correct. I don't have to try it in order to know I won't like it as well as the old system. 3<6, among many other reasons. Also, a lot of the complaints are because of glitches in the system that Disney is using its paying guests as guinea pigs for.

 

[Planogirl]

Wait, what? People have an opinion of FP+ and they haven't even tried it?

I would have tried it this past December but Disney wouldn't let me. I can already tell that I'll have to radically change our touring style though and I'm not sure if I like that.

 

[surferdave]

Wait, what? People have an opinion of FP+ and they haven't even tried it?

Hey gang, this may sound crazy, but I have a nagging suspicion that Bob's indignation isn't entirely sincere.

 

[redrosesix]

I would have tried it this past December but Disney wouldn't let me. I can already tell that I'll have to radically change our touring style though and I'm not sure if I like that.

I think if you've been several times before and have an open mind, you can pretty much figure out how FP+ will work out for you. When we got there, it was pretty much how I expected it would be.

What I wasn't prepared for was the wifi problems and issues with the app -- because people who were reporting on this mid January were there with much lower crowds. Mid February it was a different story. We pretty much had to give up being able to change things on the fly.

 

[Planogirl]

Hey gang, this may sound crazy, but I have a nagging suspicion that Bob's indignation isn't entirely sincere.

I suspected that too but thought that I'd cover my bases.

 

[Planogirl]

I think if you've been several times before and have an open mind, you can pretty much figure out how FP+ will work out for you. When we got there, it was pretty much how I expected it would be.

What I wasn't prepared for was the wifi problems and issues with the app -- because people who were reporting on this mid January were there with much lower crowds. Mid February it was a different story. We pretty much had to give up being able to change things on the fly.

I'll try to fairly judge the system when I see how it functions during busy periods. It was fairly busy but manageable when we went and I want to see if it stays that way.

Don't get me started on that app.

 

[Rip]

I suspected that too but thought that I'd cover my bases.

Also, there are a lot of people who do, in fact, believe that way.

 

[OtherScott]

This whole thing is such a "straw-man" argument:

"FP+ is a terrible mistake and a complete blunder because I will have to wait longer in line or I won't get as many FP as before."

and

"FP+ was not needed because everyone had the same access to FP before - why can't anyone understand that?!?"

or

"This one anecdotal family I give an example of would fare better under Legacy than Plus so the whole system is bogus and obviously no one is better off under Plus and you must see that because it is the only logical conclussion"

I have to throw the flag on all of these arguments.

There is an underlying factor to all of this. People don't want to admit it so they make up straw-man arguments to try and defend their little piece of turf.

Under the old system you could exploit the system if you were informed and/or experienced to maximize your time. Some people were masters at it, some were OK but got better as trips went on - and a great many people were basically clueless. We all benefited from that great mass of clueless people. While THEY wandered around trying to figure out what to do WE arrived to the park at RD, hit the good rides early, got our FP and had them timed out to maximize the number we could get in a day. For awhile we even could use these FP outside of our window. Most of us took great advantage of this and boy were most of us MAD when Disney had the nerve to actually start enforcing those return windows.

Flash forward to 2014. Disney has decided they want to maximize overall use of this really efficient FP queueing system. They are going to advertise it and even give people the chance to reserve rides at certain times before they even get there. They make the system easier to use so that instead of running or speedwalking on your pre-planned route people can gobble up those Fast Passes from their computer, smartphone (even grandma has a smart phone these days) or handy computer terminals inside the park. Disney thinks this is going to greatly increase use of FP so even though some of us experts were able to get 6 or 7 a day before they decide to limit it to 3 a day to make sure there is enough to go around.

So now what happens??? Armed with more knowledge about the system and easier access those great clueless masses actualy start booking and using their Fast Passes. Josh from easy wdw posts an article with some shocking news: two months into the new system MORE PEOPLE ARE USING FAST PASS AND BECAUSE OF THAT STAND BY TIMES ON SOME SECONDARY RIDES HAVE INCREASED. Imagine the outrage - now because those people who used to wander around without a clue and stand in line for 2 hours in the middle of the day are actually using FP I now have to wait 30 minutes for Pirates instead of 15. On top of that instead of me getting 5 - 7 fast passes a day while they maybe got 1 or 2 once they figured out what those funny tickets were coming out of those machines near the good rides, I only get 3 just like everybody else.

The entire system MUST be completely messed up because I don't get as many fastpasses as I used to get. The fact that other people are using FP more now than before means nothing because they could have figured out the old system just like I did.

Fast Pass Plus is a huge mistake because I, I, I and me, me, me may have to wait a little longer in line. It doesn't matter that the massive numbers of first time guests at MK today got to tour the parks more efficiently. I didn't get to ride Splash Mountain 7 times before they figured out the difference between Space Mountain and Big Thunder Mountain.

These idiot execs at Billion Dollar companies like Wal-Mart, Amazon and Disney must be clueless because they listend to a few brilliant engineers who innovated their inventory and delivery systems to help them more efficiently serve a greater number of their customers. Don't they know their systems are complete failures because I can come up with an anecdote of one day that the system didn't fully benefit ME? Don't they know that all of their other customers must be as knowledgable and experienced as me?

I, I, I, need more, more, more and if Disney doesn't want to give it to me they are obviously failing....

You only forgot one thing:

"I must be right because this thread is 55 pages long (even though it contains posts from only roughly 30 self-selected Disney enthusiasts, who even then don't agree on whether it's good, bad, fair, unfair, the undoing of Walt's legacy)."

 

[redrosesix]

There is definitely a slew of reviews that have been removed. Some of them are not necessarily terrible ratings. There were some 3/4 star ones singing the praise of WDW but saying how they hated FP+ and commenting on why. Of course there were some really damning reviews too. They were there last week and they now are gone. The page admins have obviously realized it is less noticeable if they selectively remove reviews rather than take away the review section entirely. Got to hand it to them for managing their page though, lol

The last time I looked at the page -- maybe a week ago? -- there were a ton of scathing reviews, especially on FP+ and the glitches with MDE and bands. Looked today, and except for one complaint about king rooms at Pop, the last real negative review was on Friday.

I wonder how many fb accounts they have to be able to add all those Likes. It's the only way they'd get star ratings like that on the good reviews, because hardly anyone would sit there and Like a comment like "Great."

 

[Shaden]

Hey gang, this may sound crazy, but I have a nagging suspicion that Bob's indignation isn't entirely sincere.

Lol, indeed. Especially since I was saying, or meant, that people are giving WDW 4 or 5 stars, and then when you read their comments they note something like "WDW is awesome, I have always wanted to go there" ....

But um, yea, don't comment on FP+ unless you have tried it to see that 3<6 and 3 + tiers = 1 ... You are not valid !

 

[Shaden]

The last time I looked at the page -- maybe a week ago? -- there were a ton of scathing reviews, especially on FP+ and the glitches with MDE and bands. Looked today, and except for one complaint about king rooms at Pop, the last real negative review was on Friday.

I wonder how many fb accounts they have to be able to add all those Likes. It's the only way they'd get star ratings like that on the good reviews, because hardly anyone would sit there and Like a comment like "Great."

Indeed, especially if you follow the logic of some here that its only complainers who will voice their opinions, the masses who love everything remain silent ... ????

Shouldn't WDW have like a 1 Star rating ????

 

[surferdave]

Indeed, especially if you follow the logic of some here that its only complainers who will voice their opinions, the masses who love everything remain silent ... ????

Shouldn't WDW have like a 1 Star rating ????

Everything should.

 

[mom2rtk]

Hey gang, this may sound crazy, but I have a nagging suspicion that Bob's indignation isn't entirely sincere.

WHAT? Next you're going to tell me there's gambling going on at Rick's establishment.........

 

[magicbob]

Hey gang, this may sound crazy, but I have a nagging suspicion that Bob's indignation isn't entirely sincere.

Elementary, my dear Watson. I was having a little fun since we all know you can't have an opinion without trying it first, right?



My additional point was that what's good for the goose is apparently not good for the gander (i.e., it's perfectly fine to praise it without trying it, you just cannot criticize it without trying it first).

 

[Planogirl]

Elementary, my dear Watson. I was having a little fun since we all know you can't have an opinion without trying it first, right?



My additional point was that what's good for the goose is apparently not good for the gander (i.e., it's perfectly fine to praise it without trying it, you just cannot criticize it without trying it first).

I think that it's OK to praise it before trying it because Disney can do no wrong after all.

 

[flicx]

I think that it's OK to praise it before trying it because Disney can do no wrong after all.

That's what a lot of people on these boards believe!

 

[MrInfinity]

But um, yea, don't comment on FP+ unless you have tried it to see that 3<6 and 3 + tiers = 1 ... You are not valid !

You know, this whole 3<6 therefore FP+ is worse than FP- argument keeps being made... yet it's totally flawed. Let me ask you this:

If you could go back to FP-, but all guests were to start using it as much as you did -- would you be happy with that?

 

[KatieCharlotte]

You know, this whole 3<6 therefore FP+ is worse than FP- argument keeps being made... yet it's totally flawed. Let me ask you this:

If you could go back to FP-, but all guests were to start using it as much as you did -- would you be happy with that?

Yes. I want flexibility and fairness. Of course, I would still end up with more FP than people who were not arriving at RD and spending fourteen+ hours in the parks.