Watch as the Dreams Unlimited Podcast team talks MyMagic+

[KingLlama]

On one previous trip, I was the FP "runner" for our group at rope drop, and as I was running down Main Street, I noticed that I was being passed by people who were actually WALKING.

That was disheartening.

 

[disneysteve]

I was always the FP runner. A couple of times, that caused a problem for DW and DD. While I was heading to get the FPs for TSM, they were heading toward Great Movie Ride but the CMs were stopping them telling them they had to go the other way (the way toward the TSM FP line). My wife got really pissed because that wasn't where she was trying to get to but multiple CMs kept stopping her and trying to redirect her. They just didn't seem set up to handle the fact that there were actually guests coming into the park who weren't trying to get a TSM FP.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

I really enjoyed the podcast on this topic. I am 14 days away from my 60 day fp window and I am getting stressed out. I am an uber planner but I guess the unknown of this system is freaking me out. We have alot to cover this trip with two young children. I am hoping for the best and trying to focus on the positive aspects of FP+. I was the runner in the past so I have to say I wont miss that part. Since our recent trips have been with very young children we had to be on a schedule so I don't mind following a schedule. I hope it works out for us.

It can definitely be intimidating and nerve wracking the first time. Not that I am a super-expert or anything but I have found that times will open up so if you don't get exactly what you want, keep checking -even within a week of your trip. Also, if you are looking to get a FP+ for the Anna and Elsa meet I've found in the past to have more success looking for smaller groups or individuals and then trying to get the times to overlap. If you look for a party of 4 or larger it often will say there is no availability

 

[scjo68]

I would love a nice, relaxing, spontaneous experience at WDW.

We could arrive at the park when we feel like it, wander around, taking in details, and experience any attraction that looked appealing, with little to no wait. Whenever we got hungry, we could walk right into to a restaurant that served whatever food that we were in the mood for at that very minute.
That's what I want.

Unfortunately, that is impossible.
Therefore, I think any other park touring system requires compromise.

The old system, pre-FP, required lots of waiting. I came to the MK with my High School group in the 80's and I remember crowds and waiting in line. I had fun with my friends, but certainly was not impressed by WDW. Yes, it was spontaneous- there was certainly no plan- but we were able to only do a few things all day.


The Original FP system allowed us to ride whatever we wanted without waiting in long lines, including some repeat rides. We really used it to our advantage. But it did require tons of strategy and day-of planning. It also required an early start and lots of running around to coordinate FP and stand-by combinations. I would definitely not call it relaxing or spontaneous. Luckily DH is a marathon runner, so he was usually the designated FP collector.

The FP+ system requires advanced planning and a little tech savvy to ride a few of the really high-demand attractions. However, I can usually get FP+ for Space Mtn, Splash, TOT, EE, etc., the day before. When we combine rope-drop standby and later-in-the-day FP+, we usually get to experience several of our favorites with low wait times. While it does require more advanced planning, I find it makes the actual touring day less stressful for us. You arrive at the park, not necessarily at rope drop, and you know you have 3 rides already scheduled. That frees you from worrying if FP's are gone for the day or if lines will be so long everywhere that you will not get to experience anything. On the other hand, I don't try to help friends plan their trips as much if they have never experienced FP+ before. I have no idea how to explain it all to them quickly or simply. I can only refer them to planning resources and tell them to read. If we wanted to take a trip with extended family, like the grandparents, I would have to plan everything for them at the same time I planned for us.

Regarding same-day restaurant ADR's-How would this work? I am trying to picture what would happen at 8:00 am at the MK. Would cm's let in anyone who said they wanted an early breakfast? Would there then be a mad stampede to BOG, CRT, and CP? I would think there would be a mad rush at rope drop as people run to the most popular restaurants. We often have a hard time getting an early breakfast ADR at CP even months ahead. I just don't see how making everyone wait until that day- so we are all racing to get in at the same time- will make it calmer and more pleasant.

I totally get Kevin's point that there is too much stress and planning. I think I understand what he wants. I just don't see how it can exist at this point, with modern Disney tourists. If they know something they want is available, they will learn how to get it, and strategize how to get it first. That strategy will be shared until we are all racing to get what we want. The race may be in real life, on foot, or it may be through the MDE app, but everyone will race to get there first.

 

[kbelle8995]

When I they first started this FP+ program, I wondered how this would effect other Disney parks. I haven't heard anything in awhile whether this is coming to Disneyland or other international Disney parks. If it is a big success wouldn't the other parks have it too?

Has anybody heard about this system going to other Disney resorts lately? I know Disneyland was getting it at one point. Has this changed?

 

[Jennygt]

It can definitely be intimidating and nerve wracking the first time. Not that I am a super-expert or anything but I have found that times will open up so if you don't get exactly what you want, keep checking -even within a week of your trip. Also, if you are looking to get a FP+ for the Anna and Elsa meet I've found in the past to have more success looking for smaller groups or individuals and then trying to get the times to overlap. If you look for a party of 4 or larger it often will say there is no availability

Thanks for the support and advice! I have been reading more on how to actually use/navigate FP+, how to tweak times etc. I have a rough plan laid out as to what FP I will try for. It will help me in that I can skip RD for our Epcot day so thats nice. My parents will be totally lost with the FP+ part, but thats ok, they will be able to look up wait times at least and make a good choice about where they want to do a standby line without walking all over.

 

[disneysteve]

If it is a big success wouldn't the other parks have it too?

Has anybody heard about this system going to other Disney resorts lately?

I believe they've specifically said it would not be coming to Disneyland and I don't think there are any plans to do it at any of the foreign locations either. To be somewhat fair, though, WDW and DLR are completely different in terms of guest demographics and travel habits. DLR is very much a locals park. There aren't nearly as many people planning their visits 6 months in advance.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

I believe they've specifically said it would not be coming to Disneyland and I don't think there are any plans to do it at any of the foreign locations either. To be somewhat fair, though, WDW and DLR are completely different in terms of guest demographics and travel habits. DLR is very much a locals park. There aren't nearly as many people planning their visits 6 months in advance.

I think that last part is key - the other parks get a much higher percentage of guests from local population and much less from people making "once in a lifetime trips" - for those in the later camp Disney wants those people to get on as many of the headliners at least once whereas for something like Disneyland, for people that go all the time if the line is too long for an attraction they will just get it next time

 

[EricInPA]

I believe they've specifically said it would not be coming to Disneyland and I don't think there are any plans to do it at any of the foreign locations either. To be somewhat fair, though, WDW and DLR are completely different in terms of guest demographics and travel habits.

(emphasis mine)

In the wake of the Star Wars announcements, they commented that the demographics don't make sense to bring the system to California.

From about a year ago: Staggs in an article about the creation of MyMagic+ that is incredibly detailed and worth a read.

The Messy Business of Reinventing Happiness

Like Iger, Staggs heralds how MyMagic+ will eventually spread to the other Disney theme parks. But when I press him on exactly what this means, Staggs says the company will roll out "variations on MyMagic+." He explains that this "doesn’t mean the MagicBand will be used in every [park]." MagicBand probably won’t come to Disneyland in Anaheim, California, because restructuring costs would be too high. Shanghai is expected to have such a high proportion of guests with smartphones, he says, that there wouldn’t be any need to export the MagicBand. A MyMagic+ app could essentially replace it.

 

[kbelle8995]

I believe they've specifically said it would not be coming to Disneyland and I don't think there are any plans to do it at any of the foreign locations either. To be somewhat fair, though, WDW and DLR are completely different in terms of guest demographics and travel habits. DLR is very much a locals park. There aren't nearly as many people planning their visits 6 months in advance.

HHMMM so they spent billions of dollars for a ride reserve system for four parks only now. It does seem from other posts that they might adapt it for international parks. Interesting. Man I wish they had spent that money getting Star Wars in sooner or Updating Future World. But that's me.

I think that I treat Disney World in the same ways that locals treat Disneyland perhaps the reason that FP+ leaves me cold. NO FP+ gives me another reason to get out to Disneyland.

 

[EricInPA]

HHMMM so they spent billions of dollars for a ride reserve system Man I wish they had spent that money getting Star Wars in sooner or Updating Future World.

MyMagic+ was just one project. It first began in 2008 and during it's production (through 2014), Disney was designing/creating (in some capacity) New Fantasy Land & Hub Expansion, Disney Springs conversion, Avatar Land, Star Wars Land, and Toy Story Land. And that is just for WDW.

Even if Disney execs took no salary, won the Powerball, and threw another $2B at Avatar or Star Wars, they aren't going to appear any faster than their current timeline. For comparison, each Harry Potter Land at Universal took 3 years from announcement to open.

 

[kbelle8995]

MyMagic+ was just one project. It first began in 2008 and during it's production (through 2014), Disney was designing/creating (in some capacity) New Fantasy Land & Hub Expansion, Disney Springs conversion, Avatar Land, Star Wars Land, and Toy Story Land. And that is just for WDW.

Even if Disney execs took no salary, won the Powerball, and threw another $2B at Avatar or Star Wars, they aren't going to appear any faster than their current timeline. For comparison, each Harry Potter Land at Universal took 3 years from announcement to open.

Keep in mind that the excitement of these inclusions vary for me. I just wish they had invested the money for FP+ in other projects.

 

[EricInPA]

Keep in mind that the excitement of these inclusions vary for me. I just wish they had invested the money for FP+ in other projects.

It's fair to be variably excited about the various in progress projects. I could take or leave Disney Springs, but I'm a fan of what MyMagic+ provides for my vacation. Hopefully we look back (maybe in 2020), the WDW Construction Era of 2014-2018 will be looked at as a transition period into a new, better, WDW.

The internet is forever so we can link back to this post and tell how wrong I was though .

 

[mnra]

I use the new magic bands and I have used the fast pass system and fast pass plus. I also started to go to wdw in the 80's and have taken the family when you couldn;t make advance reservations 6 months out. I recently have gone to the parks with no reservations for dinner or rides and just enjoyed being their. Since my trips now are more often and not viewed as once in a lifetime I feel that if I miss something now I will see it next trip or even later in the current trip. I do understand people who want to plan their once in a life time trip and I think all the new things they have created to be able to do that is good. The one pet peeve I have is that people now seem to have to be tied to their phone to get the most out of the parks. It has happened on more then one occasion that I have seen someone walk into a garbage can or post while looking at their phone instead of the beautiful park they are in.

 

[EastYorkDisneyFan]

I like how The WDW did unplugged crew actually have productive discussions on my Magic plus compared to the Disneyland team who just seem to bash it everytime it comes up. I get that it's a matter of opinion but I like when there is a balance with the WDW Team. I think I can compare it to the Star Wars prequels some poel hate them with a passion and think they should never see the light of day whereas others take them as part of the Star Wars story and like them.

 

[ImTooExcitedToSleep]

I like how The WDW did unplugged crew actually have productive discussions on my Magic plus compared to the Disneyland team who just seem to bash it everytime it comes up. I get that it's a matter of opinion but I like when there is a balance with the WDW Team. I think I can compare it to the Star Wars prequels some poel hate them with a passion and think they should never see the light of day whereas others take them as part of the Star Wars story and like them.

Not sure "bash" is the right word. That said, I do believe most of the Disneyland teams thinks that the current WDW FastPass+ system doesn't fit with the way that most visitors to Disneyland plan (or DON'T plan) their visits to Disneyland. Doesn't make it a bad system, just not right for Disneyland.

 

[jcb]

I was not looking forward to my first FP+ experience. While I have always been a diligent planner, I do not try to plan specific activities, just opportunities (this is true wherever I vacation). I used to prepare my color coded chart showing the daily times for parades, fireworks and other shows I was interested in seeing (and not seeing). So the problem i had with FP+ was a concern that FP+ would not only lock me into a specific attraction at a specific time but also tie me to a specific park. To me that would detract from the planned spontaneity I look forward to in a Disney theme park.

My initial experience booking attractions wasn't favorable. The choices were awful. But more opportunities arose closer to the time we arrived. We didn't arrive in Florida until 4:30 pm but thanks to FP+, we did TSM, Star Tours and Tower of Terror and had time to enjoy Osbourne.

Our trip was relatively short (3 nights) trip. I do wonder how I would feel about FP+ with a longer trip. I don't think I would even try to book any attractions beyond the first few days.

I know that Kevin and John have said for awhile now that they do not spend a lot of time in the parks which could be influencing their opinion of the system

I don't follow your reasoning. How would not spending a lot of time in the parks influence their opinion of FP+. I would think it would be the opposite.

 

[jcb]

Not sure "bash" is the right word.

Bashing is in the eye of the beholder.

 

[EastYorkDisneyFan]

Not sure "bash" is the right word. That said, I do believe most of the Disneyland teams thinks that the current WDW FastPass+ system doesn't fit with the way that most visitors to Disneyland plan (or DON'T plan) their visits to Disneyland. Doesn't make it a bad system, just not right for Disneyland.

Very true which is why I think it will work differently. My guess would be there would be more day of them advance fastpass at the Disneyland parks. With only three oficial hotels it doesn't really make much sense to give them access before day gusts.

 

[disneysteve]

How would not spending a lot of time in the parks influence their opinion of FP+. I would think it would be the opposite.

I think someone who has used FP+ a fair amount might have a different opinion of it than someone who hasn't. As everyone has said, it very much changes how you have to plan and organize your trip. It isn't necessarily better or worse but it's definitely different. It takes some adjusting and adapting and getting used to. That doesn't happen in just a day or two. You need to use the system repeatedly, learn the ins and outs, learn how best to use it for the way you like to see the parks, etc.

I will say that our last trip in January was our 3rd time using FP+. The first time I totally hated it. The 2nd time I started to see that it could possibly have some benefits. This last time, I didn't hesitate to go on each night and book 3 FPs for the next day. I still think it has a lot of problems and is inferior in many ways to the previous system, but I don't dislike it nearly as strongly as I did at first. As with any change, the more you get used to it, the more comfortable you tend to get with it, especially when there is technology involved.