What are your thoughts about FP+ and DVC resort stays?

[WolfpackFan]

Okay, one of the big benefits to DVC is we go more often (at least once a year, maybe 2-3 times this year since we got the PAP). By going more often our trips are much more relaxed. We have never done the commando style park visits. In fact, quite often when we leave our DVC unit, we don't even know what park we're going to. We just take the first bus that shows up. We have enjoyed this type of WDW trip every since we joined DVC.

Now along comes FP+. From reading over on the Theme Park boards, with FP+ you will need to decide ahead of time which rides you are going to do and then make reservations ahead of time for Fast Passes. Plus they even have options in it for ordering ahead of time at CS restaurants. Basically when you leave your resort, you will have your day planned out ahead of time - which resort you're going to, when you're going to ride the rides and even what and when you will eat.

I know you won't have to use FP+ but when they do implement it, I can't imagine them keeping the old FP system around. Running two systems to me seems like would cause all kinds of problems. Anyway, the more I read about it the less I like it and the more concerned I am about how we will do our future trips. Like someone said over on Theme Parks are you going to have to start to schedule bathroom breaks also .

Any thoughts? Or am I making a mountain out of molehill. Won't be the first time . I have to say, using all of our points at HHI is looking more and more attractive.

 

[bobbiwoz]

We tested the FP+ system in December, and we really only needed the TSMM one! It was delightful to be able to get to DHS around 11 and get right on TSMM!! You are right, though, as we went through the FP line, the hard cards seemed to be the only ones in play, not the traditional FPs.

Today, for instance, we got to the FP machine at 9:20 & the return time is between 3-4! We're staying at BWV, so we'll go back. I think I will like the new system.

But HHI vacations are also wonderful! I couldn't choose between them, I want both!

Bobbi

 

[erionm]

I wouldn't have a problem booking FastPass+ for some of the more popular rides like Toy Story Mania or Soarin'.

 

[DougEMG]

I'm not looking forward to it at all and here's why.

Once you select FP+, you can no longer use the FP. The expectation is that eventually FP will disappear as everyone is eventually forced to move to FP+.

You can not book the same ride, event, etc more than once a day. So if you want to do Space Mountain 2 times, the 2nd time will be in the standby line.

You can only book FP+ in one park per day.

You can book you FP+ months in advance. I like to decide day by day what I'm doing, not months in advance. And while you can make changes if you haven't used your FP+ yet for the day, what kind of availability will there be.

 

[bakenatj]

I have mixed feelings but until we actually use the new system I will hold off judgement. I think it is like every kind of change that comes along. At first there is resistance and complaining, then there is gradual acceptance. I guess I am going into this with the mind set that if it truly is a bad system and Disney gets enough negative feed back then it will change. I think it has some benefits too.

I guess I don't have a problem with it since we don't use fastpass that much when we go anyhow, so it shouldn't affect us to much. The positive I can see with the system is the elimination of the masses running to certain rides at rope drop. I am actually thinking it might bring back the good old days of rope drop when very few people where there for park opening. Might take a few years to get there but I can see people who aren't morning people will skip rope drop if they know they are going to be able to ride the E-ticket rides they want without getting up early.

Let's just wait and see, plus I am pretty sure I will find a way to adapt. FP+ isn't going to stop me from going, that is for sure.

 

[Lucia_27]

I'm not sure how the new FP will affect us. We are FL residents with APs, so I'm impacted by not only how they handle resort stays, but how the FP+ works with APs.

I have lot's of questions...
- If I am staying on DVC points AND I have an AP, how many FP+ days will I get? Rumor has it that AP holders will get 20 FP+ per quarter, but in reality this comes out to 5 park days. This could be ok, since we only do one big trip per year. Or do I get whatever the DVC/resort stay people get?
- We often travel or meet up with others who do not have APs or stay on site. For example every year we got to F&W with my parents. Will we not be able to schedule our Soarin' FP+ together? I think from reading the T&Cs on the new WDW site that I can somehow link up with my mom's account and manage her FP+. Sounds like work... much more work than "hey give me your tickets and I'll run them thru the FP machine."
- It seams like last minute trips would preclude any FP+ rides... since we may not use DVC points for every stay (love the Omni Champions Gate nearby), we would need to use the 20/quarter AP FP+ slots, and who knows if there will be availability for what you want at the last minute.
- I'm with Doug - often we will change our plans to go to a certain park based on weather, crowds, whatever. I am a planner, but this seems a bit much.

On the other hand, in all my years of going to WDW, we have never once been on TSM, and my DH has never been on Soarin' (he doesn't do F&W - he golfs!). We do rope drop, but I refuse to run to just get a FP, and we park hop so getting a FP at 9am for 8pm just doesn't work for us. We've lived with it. Now, the ability to schedule a FP+ for TSM for 11am and not have to trample small children to get it sounds good to me.

Another concern is that a good portion of WDW visitors don't know about FP and will have no clue about FP+, which will make the standby lines crazy long. Will be interesting to see the marketing that WDW does to roll it out.

 

[twinklebug]

Today, for instance, we got to the FP machine at 9:20 & the return time is between 3-4! We're staying at BWV, so we'll go back. I think I will like the new system.

For this reason we've stopped using fast passes all together. I don't like the run around to pick up passes and then have a strange amount of time to work with before being allowed to use them. I think I might like the new FP system providing they provide it at no extra cost. (I know the plan is to charge for it.)

 

[erionm]

For this reason we've stopped using fast passes all together. I don't like the run around to pick up passes and then have a strange amount of time to work with before being allowed to use them. I think I might like the new FP system providing they provide it at no extra cost. (I know the plan is to charge for it.)

What is your source for Disney's intent to charge for FP+?

 

[tjkraz]

Personally I think we will enjoy it and I have no objections (yet.)

My biggest pet peeves with the current FastPass system are:

1) Having to run to the individual machines to gauge return times and collect tickets.
2) Not having any control over the return time.

FP+ eliminates both of those issues. Will it introduce new frustrations around which we need to work? Perhaps. But that remains to be seen.

One of the biggest assumptions being made is that guests will be compelled to book certain attractions weeks or months in advance. I just don't think that will be the case. You can't compare to a dinner ADR, of which only a couple hundred are available on any given day for each restaurant. Disney currently hands out thousands--sometimes tens-of-thousands--of FastPass tickets for certain attractions on a daily basis. Eliminating the paper tickets means that all of those FP slots will be available via the PLUS system.

If I can walk up to the FP machine at Toy Story Mania or Soarin and get a ticket for a return time a few hours down the road, I really don't see why I should have difficulty getting a FP+ ride time the night before or morning I decide to visit a park. Particularly when FP+ is being added to so many more attractions and experiences (fireworks, parades, character meets) and there will be limits to the number of FP+ reservations each guest can secure.

Overall I think FP+ will REDUCE the overall burden on the system. There may be more use of Standby but with fewer FPs distributed those Standby lines will at least move quicker. And Disney is using virtual queue enhancements to make the Standby waits more enjoyable.

 

[WilsonFlyer]

{Fire suit on}

I'm not sure that if they would do away with FP completely and open up those lines to SB guests, we wouldn't all be better off anyway.

Same goes for dining ADRs. I remember the day when you could walk up at Crystal Palace and be seated 15-30 minutes later. It wasn't so bad.

I agree with the implication by the OP here. My family goes 2-4 times per year now that we're DVC, and I rarely know where I'm going when I exit the resort in the morning... and my family likes it that way. My seven YO DD often sits in the back of the truck and answers my "Which way at the light?" question. Yes. She knows her way around now and yes, we really do that almost all the time.

I never had sense enough to do park planning back when we started going but I most certainly don't want to do it now. Once in a lifetime trips to WDW just aren't what we're all about. We are very fortunate and I am grateful for that and I can see where the new system could possibly benefit once in a lifetime visitors but IMO, it will be nothing but a detriment to us and possibly even a deterrent from going so often.

I don't want to plan every day at Disney. One of the primary reasons we go is for the spontaneity of it all since our daily lives are so regimented by their very nature and the nature of what we do.

 

[tjkraz]

{Fire suit on}

I'm not sure that if they would do away with FP completely and open up those lines to SB guests, we wouldn't all be better off anyway.

I tend to agree. For the sake of brevity, I often refer to the FP users as "line cutters." Legal line cutters, but still line cutters all the same. If you didn't have so many people able to bypass the Standby line, it would move a lot faster.

(Of course, the Standby lines would also have more people in them so it's hard to tell how much of a net gain we would see.)

Same goes for dining ADRs. I remember the day when you could walk up at Crystal Palace and be seated 15-30 minutes later. It wasn't so bad.

I never had sense enough to do park planning back when we started going but I most certainly don't want to do it now.

And that's where I think opinions vary wildly on what FP+ will bring.

They already have FP+ computer terminals set up in multiple locations at several parks (MK and DHS, as of early December.) I can certainly envision a scenario where you spontaneously decide which park to visit and then set-up your ride times after entering the gates. In that sense, it's not much different than current FP--better in many ways if you can still pick multiple attractions and ride times upon arrival.

What remains to be see is now much capacity will remain for day-of scheduling. Will TSM be completely tapped-out weeks in advance?

Personally I doubt it but we won't know for certain until the system is fully implemented.

 

[myxdvz]

I am reserving judgement on FP+ until full implementation, but I just don't buy it that they're going to do it so that you have to set everything up in advance. As a systems designer I would think they would leave kiosks around the park to allow people to plan their day. This is not really all that different from people spending their first few hours running for FPs.

Even with ADRs being available - not everyone use it. Those that want guaranteed seating use it. Those that prefer to wing it doesn't. Those who come often enough, know when to come to the restaurants to get seating.

We are probably one of the families that the FP+ will benefit. Living in the midwest, we are normally late risers. Our kids don't wake up until 9 or 10am EST, so we have NEVER made rope drop at WDW. It's also just DH and I, with 4 kids. So, we can't have one of us running around collecting FPs while the other stay with the kids. The first time we went, the only time we were able to ride TSMM was because of the FPs we got from the DVC tour We used all 4 of them on that! Ha.

While people love the experience of rope drop. Not a lot do. It is nice to know there are options for those who can't make ropedrop and still get an opportunity to ride popular rides.

YMMV and all that.

 

[Sammie]

Until more is actually known about how it will work, as right not it is all rumor, with a few facts, I see no reason to be concerned about it.

I would have no problem booking rides in advance and think that would be great. We know what we like to ride months before we arrive.

 

[bwang123]

I am reserving judgement on FP+ until full implementation, but I just don't buy it that they're going to do it so that you have to set everything up in advance. As a systems designer I would think they would leave kiosks around the park to allow people to plan their day. This is not really all that different from people spending their first few hours running for FPs.

Even with ADRs being available - not everyone use it. Those that want guaranteed seating use it. Those that prefer to wing it doesn't. Those who come often enough, know when to come to the restaurants to get seating.

We are probably one of the families that the FP+ will benefit. Living in the midwest, we are normally late risers. Our kids don't wake up until 9 or 10am EST, so we have NEVER made rope drop at WDW. It's also just DH and I, with 4 kids. So, we can't have one of us running around collecting FPs while the other stay with the kids. The first time we went, the only time we were able to ride TSMM was because of the FPs we got from the DVC tour We used all 4 of them on that! Ha.

While people love the experience of rope drop. Not a lot do. It is nice to know there are options for those who can't make ropedrop and still get an opportunity to ride popular rides.

YMMV and all that.

no. you will now have to get to the parks at rope drop to line up at a kiosk.

 

[DebbieB]

Until more is actually known about how it will work, as right not it is all rumor, with a few facts, I see no reason to be concerned about it.

I would have no problem booking rides in advance and think that would be great. We know what we like to ride months before we arrive.

I agree, why get worked up about something that isn't official.

 

[DVC Mike]

Coming on the heels of Fastpass+ is Fastpass+ NextGen.

With NextGen, you decide in a year in advance exactly what you'll do every minute of every day of your vacation.

Then, when your vacation date arrives, you experience your vacation as a virtual vacation on your computer screen! Imagine, no waiting in line, in fact, no crowds or even any other people. Of course, one of the options will be to choose the crowd size you experience.

Another perk is not having to deal with the hassle of flying or driving down. Your vacation is ready to be started without delay.

Disney also promises that new attractions and experiences can be delivered quicker, as there will be no physical construction delays.

Fastpass+ NextGen - coming soon!

 

[myxdvz]

no. you will now have to get to the parks at rope drop to line up at a kiosk.

Only if you didn't do it online before hand. If you CAN do it online - which is what's rumored, why line up at ropedrop and do it at a kiosk if you can do it online the night before?

My point is - I don't think Disney will totally make it so that you have to plan it 6 months in advance. I think they will leave a way for people to do it day of if they want to. People make it sound like its one or the other. I just don't think it will be.

People who do ropedrop for whatever reason, will do ropedrop anyway. If they're doing it for FPs, then they already HAVE a plan - and they can do it in the comfort of their home/hotel days before.

I agree, why get worked up about something that isn't official.

I agree. Everything being talked about right now is speculation. I don't understand people who are convinced that it will be this way or that way. Or assume the worst. No one for sure know what the program will ultimately be.

 

[El&Asmom]

At the end of the day, I think about the 75% of the people that go to Disney completely clueless. They show up, and don't know there is no monorail to AK. They aren't going to plan what rides to on the computer before their trip.

I doubt you will have to plan 6 months out. If we decide that we are going to MK the following day, hop on the internet and get fastpasses to our favorite attractions it wouldn't be half bad. Now, we don't use FP often as we refuse to travel all the way across a park to pick them up. The only time we do is for TSM where we get there at RD, grab a FB, and then ride the ride. Maybe for Soarin too, but no other rides.

It will be interesting to see if they completely get rid of paper FPs, how it will affect the SB lines. Might make them longer, might make them shorter not having to let as many FP riders through.

Agreed that there is no use worrying about it until we see how it actually works.

 

[Alan_BLT_2009]

Has the anticipated date for FP+ to be fully implemented been advertised?

 

[Sammie]

Has the anticipated date for FP+ to be fully implemented been advertised?

No, it is all speculation based on rumors.