What gets me most is the hypocrites on this board

[kassonvike]

Wow, what a testy subject. I understand the passion, but some of the arguments don't seem to even consider reality.
What it doesn't change:
1) FP- to FP+ does not change the number of people going to the park that day
2) FP- to FP+ does not change the capacity of any rides during the day.
3) FP- to FP+ should not change the number of fast pass slots available during a day (see #2)

What does it change?
1) It changes how/when you can get you FP slot
2) It limits you to one park (when scheuduling in advance)
3) You can only ride each ride once (at least through advanced scheduling, not sure day of in park)

All this talk of all slots being gone 6 months out is crazy. If they day you want to go is sold out 6 months out, then it would have also been out of FP- in the first hour of park opening.

To me the biggest difference is, of course, that you can grab your fast passes ahead of time rather than ahving to run all over the park grabbing them as needed. What's better. Grabbing my fastpasses at my computer/phone whenever I feel like it, or having to get up early, stand in a crowd, sprint accross the entire park, get the fastpasses for god knows what time, then go try and find my family again.

Advantages to advance FP:
1) I don't have to make rope drop
2) I can do rides in the order I want. My first trip with small kids was a disaster because the very first rides we had to take our small kids on were the headliners and one of them was then scared of rides the rest of the trip. I'd rather work them up to the monuntains. I can now schedule them for end of day or after lunch
3) I can pick specific time now. I'm not at the mercy of the FP paper 1 hour window that completely dictates my day.
4) Both and advantage and disadvantage is limiting to one FP for each attraction. I know that will bother a lot of people, but I think its a good idea. It opend up more fastpass slots (because one person isn't getting several slots) so that more people on crowded days will have a chance to enjoy the attraction without a huge line. Again, this helpe newbies more than the commandos which may be why it isn't popular here. If you really love a ride you will need to show up early or wait in a longer line to ride it more than once.

To me the only argument agaisnt fastpass+ is you don't like to plan ahead. But, if your going on a day that will completely sell out on fastpass+, you would have needed to be there at rope drop and would have been scrambling all day and would have to follow the perfect tourning plan to get the headliners in. Which is better?

 

[LindyN]

Single rider line at TSM....didn't know that. I know TT has one too. Which others? Going with a friend, but I don't really care who I sit next to on rides. Just wanna get a few in.

THERE IS NO SINGLE RIDER LINE AT TSM.
They took it out not long after the attraction opened.

 

[kassonvike]

I see a lot of talk about FP- definitiely going away and I wonder if its more of the case that the FP- 'system' is going away, but some of its policies may stay. For example, maybe they will end up gonid with half of a rides FP slots being availabel for advanced scheduling and the other half will be avialable day of and follow similar rules to before (like yoiu can't get another one until you use the one you have). They could obviously play with the percentages.

I think that is why we have been seeing some crazy paper FP stuff recently. They are probably changeing up the distributions trying to find the best balance.

There are SOOOOOO many ways they could move forward with this thing. I just hope we find out what the final system will end up looking like soon. (of course they will probably never stop tweaking it)

 

[ajfd]

3) FP- to FP+ should not change the number of fast pass slots available during a day (see #2)

When FP+ is fully operational and FP- is shut down, then this is a reasonable assumption. However, it sounds like FP- and FP+ do NOT talk to each other. In such a case, the only thing that can be set are the size of each queue. The consequence to this is, depending on the uptake in FP+, then the number of available slots may be drastically reduced because they are being held open by FP+ but will ultimately go unfilled.

This is absolutely happening because I can go on right now and pick FP+ for any rides I want today, even those that have FP- as being gone since 9:30a. Those are slots that would have been filled by FP-.

 

[ajfd]

There are SOOOOOO many ways they could move forward with this thing. I just hope we find out what the final system will end up looking like soon. (of course they will probably never stop tweaking it)

Think about it:

Disney can track when guests with FP+ reservations come into parks.
Disney knows their ride history, including the exact time they went on rides.
They can come up with models for each guests individual usage.
They know FP queue length at any moment in time.
...

The list goes on and on.

Working with "big data" Disney can mine and develop probabilistic models that would let them offer FP- functionality on FP+ to keep the FP queue for each ride at some optimum level every single moment the park is open.

There _is_ a lot of stuff that Disney can do for a better guest experience but their Technology department has shown, time and time again, that no matter how low you set the bar, they will fail to reach it.

 

[2binak]

From what i'm hearing the AP holders are the ones raising the most stink over Magic Bands and FP+. CMs say they are the hardest people to deal with.

They should be the people that Disney treats the best over all their guests as they are the guests that more than likely visit the most.

We bought AP's for the first time last Dec through DVC when they had a special offer. We usually visit once a year, but now we've got 3 trips planned in the next 12 months.

We couldn't make FP+ selections for the 1st of those 3 trips, which is coming up next month, because when I purchased the AP's last Dec, we opted to pick them up at Will Call instead of paying to have the vouchers mailed to us. I saw no point in having the vouchers at the time. I had no idea that I would need to have the vouchers in-hand in order to use this new FP system.

I have spoken to at least 6 Disney IT techs at all levels and none them was able to link my tickets to MDE, not even with the order confirmation #, and every one of them told me that we have to have the voucher in-hand in order to link them. Some of them even tried going through Ticketing to get the voucher #'s but were told that because the AP's were purchased through a special DVC offer, they couldn't give them a ticket #. I called Disney Ticketing directly last week, asking if I could get the vouchers mailed to me and was told the same thing - they can't print the vouchers because it was a special DVC offer that ended last Dec.

It is what it is though. Thankfully we don't like to plan too much of our vacation so we're not too upset about missing out on FP+, but as AP holder, I'm not too happy that we don't have the option to at least try the new system.

 

[kassonvike]

When FP+ is fully operational and FP- is shut down, then this is a reasonable assumption. However, it sounds like FP- and FP+ do NOT talk to each other. In such a case, the only thing that can be set are the size of each queue. The consequence to this is, depending on the uptake in FP+, then the number of available slots may be drastically reduced because they are being held open by FP+ but will ultimately go unfilled.

This is absolutely happening because I can go on right now and pick FP+ for any rides I want today, even those that have FP- as being gone since 9:30a. Those are slots that would have been filled by FP-.

That makes a lot of sense. What I'm hoping for is that, when ready, they turn off FP- completely, and the new system will allow people to schedule 3 attractions in advance (would like to see 4 or 5 for MK), and then still able to schedule additional attractions day of as they are available, but still only one at a time similar to how fast pass works today.

Maybe wishful thinking on my part. There are a lot of ways they can do this. Its unfortunate that there testing is having a negative affect on a lot of people. I'm still hoping for the best when the final roll out occurs.

 

[ArwenMarie]

WDW would be stupid not to make it different. They want to fill their resorts first.

Yep.
Just like ADRs.

 

[ArwenMarie]

That makes a lot of sense. What I'm hoping for is that, when ready, they turn off FP- completely, and the new system will allow people to schedule 3 attractions in advance (would like to see 4 or 5 for MK), and then still able to schedule additional attractions day of as they are available, but still only one at a time similar to how fast pass works today.

Maybe wishful thinking on my part. There are a lot of ways they can do this. Its unfortunate that there testing is having a negative affect on a lot of people. I'm still hoping for the best when the final roll out occurs.

I could see something like this. Or even that you can always hold 3 for a certain day. So once you use your first FP+, maybe you can book another one for that day. But I think the question will be what will be left on the same-day.

 

[Christyo72]

We were at Disneyworld last week and had the magic bands. I had planned our fast passes way in advance, but when we got there we changed our minds about which parks we went to each day. I was able to cancel my fastpasses and redo them the same day that we went to a park. Super easy to use with a smartphone.

 

[delmar411]

THERE IS NO SINGLE RIDER LINE AT TSM.
They took it out not long after the attraction opened.

YES THERE IS.
I use it every time I ride TSM. It is where and how I described it.

 

[Angel Ariel]

I see a lot of talk about FP- definitiely going away and I wonder if its more of the case that the FP- 'system' is going away, but some of its policies may stay. For example, maybe they will end up gonid with half of a rides FP slots being availabel for advanced scheduling and the other half will be avialable day of and follow similar rules to before (like yoiu can't get another one until you use the one you have). They could obviously play with the percentages.

I think that is why we have been seeing some crazy paper FP stuff recently. They are probably changeing up the distributions trying to find the best balance.

There are SOOOOOO many ways they could move forward with this thing. I just hope we find out what the final system will end up looking like soon. (of course they will probably never stop tweaking it)

I don't remember where I read it on the boards, but I thought somewhere Disney had said they were not going to hold back any FP+ for same-day availability. If there was still availability on the same-day, great, but that everything available would be released at 60 days.

 

[Angel Ariel]

YES THERE IS.
I use it every time I ride TSM. It is where and how I described it.

I was going to say...I definitely saw people at the location delmar said being taken by 1s or 2s and passing the rest of the line. The SRL is pretty far into the queue (esp. if it's busy), so it's not like you bypass the entire queue, and you had to tell a CM, but there was something there.

 

[Angel Ariel]

All this talk of all slots being gone 6 months out is crazy. If they day you want to go is sold out 6 months out, then it would have also been out of FP- in the first hour of park opening.

This isn't necessarily true. There are, as easily seen on the board, many people who don't want to get up to make RD on vacation - so under FP- they weren't able to get FPs until they entered the park. With FP+ now you have all the people who *would* have gotten there at RD, PLUS those who want to sleep in all able to get FPs without having to be in the park. Ride capacity doesn't change, so it stands to reason that FP+ will run out for the day sooner than FP- would.

 

[JJ721]

Some of them even tried going through Ticketing to get the voucher #'s but were told that because the AP's were purchased through a special DVC offer, they couldn't give them a ticket #. I called Disney Ticketing directly last week, asking if I could get the vouchers mailed to me and was told the same thing - they can't print the vouchers because it was a special DVC offer that ended last Dec.

I was in the same situation as you. I bought my DVC AP voucher last year, and then when I received my MBs two weeks ago, I was unsuccessful at linking that voucher to my reservation (we arrive 10/29). On a lark, I called DVC MS two days ago, and I got the same response as you did - no one could figure out how to do it.

But about an hour after that failed attempt, I received a call from MS saying that they figured it out! I was then able to link select the FP+'s that I needed for our trip.

 

[2binak]

I was in the same situation as you. I bought my DVC AP voucher last year, and then when I received my MBs two weeks ago, I was unsuccessful at linking that voucher to my reservation (we arrive 10/29). On a lark, I called DVC MS two days ago, and I got the same response as you did - no one could figure out how to do it.

But about an hour after that failed attempt, I received a call from MS saying that they figured it out! I was then able to link select the FP+'s that I needed for our trip.

Thanks, I'll give DVC MS a try.

 

[Planogirl]

My only hope is that Disney considers to let the old FP system as it is to the AP holders and the off site quests (aka Me).

We live in The Netherlands (Europe) so our only way to get to WDW is to fly. That will cost us close to $ 2800 for 2 adults and one 3 year old and a 1 year old just to get near WDW.
Because I work as a teacher I'm stuck on the vacations (peak periods) who are also more expensive than in other periods.
This is the reason we always stay off site.
I read a lot of comments about "if you're not planning than it sucks for you". I can insure you I'm a planner. I do not plan my whole vacation. But I look up which park is best on a certain day and I plan my ADR's 180 prior to our vacation. But this has nothing to do with if you plan your vacation or not. If you stay off site you're out of luck.
I know which comments I certainly gonna get. "Than you have to stay On-site".
But some people just CAN'T afford that. Not if you pay just nearly $3000 to fly to the US.
What Disney now does is take away one of the less privileges that we off site guests have. And to let you know I'm fine with it if Resorts Guest get more privileges. You pay for it. But don't take away something that works for the off site people and make it only useful for those who can afford to stay on site.

Having to know (or NOT having to know) what happens with the old FP system makes me a bit nervous. I can't take advantage of FP+ but nor I'm sure if I can use FP's on my next trip. And the prospect to stand in a long line with two young children and not have the opportunity to use some FP's makes me not very happy.

Anyway... I think I just found the ONE think that's better in Disney World Paris than in WDW!
Most of all WDW and DL are way better than DLRP!

Most of us that state such concerns are told by some that it's too bad and that you are just going to have to deal with it. While I understand that Disney would want to lure more people to stay onsite I also hope that they do understand that not everyone can and won't make it too difficult for those people. I also hope that they finally realize that they are causing probably more concern than they need to by not telling people anything.

I do hope that it's all worked out before you come back.

 

[roomthreeseventeen]

Here's the thing though. If you're coming with two adults, a toddler and a baby, off-site places aren't THAT much cheaper than the Value resorts that it makes any difference. I'm not saying Disney shouldn't offer MB to off-site guests, but I'm saying it's not a huge hardship to ask people to stay on site.

 

[Planogirl]

This isn't necessarily true. There are, as easily seen on the board, many people who don't want to get up to make RD on vacation - so under FP- they weren't able to get FPs until they entered the park. With FP+ now you have all the people who *would* have gotten there at RD, PLUS those who want to sleep in all able to get FPs without having to be in the park. Ride capacity doesn't change, so it stands to reason that FP+ will run out for the day sooner than FP- would.

I agree. I can't speak for TSM because it's always a mess but I know that Test Track and Soarin' never run out as quickly as they have lately and we usually go in August. Those parks with few headliner rides are really showing a difference now.

 

[Mizzgolitely]

Many people including myself are not happy with this FP + mess. I have been going to WDW almost annually for 30 years or so. Most of those trips have been in the "slower" seasons and I have never once did a rope drop or have I planned what my schedule was for the day. We have always been able to do basically everything we wanted to do, we worked around the crowd and used our FP when they came into effect.


This FP + system is a joke. I don't want to plan on when I'm going to eat and when I'm going to ride this ride or that 3/4/5/6 months out. That's utterly ridiculous. Now you can't even go to the Park and get a FP because they are all gone early in the day because most are taken up by these people getting them in advance. And forget about getting in a stand by line now for the big attractions. And a good part of this is not only because of the crap FP + system but from the people on this board that are scamming the system and double and triple dipping with all these FP's. People complain about the crowds on this board but then they're quick to point out how they got triple the FPs they should have because they used their Magic Band, Their KTTK card and their old room key. Ridiculous.

I agree with Disney charging people who don't show up for Dining Reservations, in fact they should charge them the price of the minimum meal X number of guests the reservation is for. If they catch you in the system with more FPs than the permitted amount, you should have your FP privileges revoked for your entire length of admission.

WELL Said!!!