What is going on with the FP+ crackdown?

[Boski]

It was OK, because it wasn't a cheat. It was allowed, and and anyone could do it. Most didn't know about it. Out of those who knew, some chose not do it (as evidenced by their moral indignation), and others chose to do it. No one who did it was cheating. This is why there were no punishments, and why it was openly discussed here.

WDW already has a way to pay for extra FP's. Just buy two tickets, and manage/use them separately on the same day. Like the previously available methods to maximize FP usage, it is available to everyone, and not prohibited.

Disney says otherwise.

 

[MaryKatesMom]

As long as WDW allowed it to happen the Disboards allowed the discussion. When they started to enforce the rule the Disboards deleted the discussion.

 

[AngiTN]

The TOS did not change, only enforcement, which shows it was always against the rules.

Just because everyone drives 10 over on the highway to work, and I never see anyone get a ticket, doesn't mean it isn't against the rules.

Technically they did, but it was in Sept 16, so not recently. Prior to Sept there was no mention of a ticket used and FP

 

[lockedoutlogic]

No kidding, huh.

There have been growing pains, there is no doubt. Some will never forgive those. Clearly.

Those are some expensive "growing pains"

I can't make excuses for money hoarding corporate behemoths.

 

[AngiTN]

Those are some expensive "growing pains"

I can't make excuses for money hoarding corporate behemoths.

Why not just walk away then? Why just complain about everything they do instead? You aren't gonna change them, that's for sure.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

Why not just walk away then? Why just complain about everything they do instead? You aren't gonna change them, that's for sure.

I wouldn't expect you to ask the same questions...but I'll repeat the answers:

Because I want it to improve...it NEEDS better consumers to survive...and I'm more heavily invested than those that need to talk about magic dust to get through a normal day...

That's blunt but also true...and I'm in a great mood because these Stanley Cups keep rolling in

 

[dreiwhit]

When the 4th Fp+ were instituted I posted a thread entitled "4th FP+ is just a mirage". I had never, ever gotten one despite standing in the kiosk line behind tons of very confused guests.

We could get a 4th FP, but we've found that the ones available are for attractions that usually have a very short or no standby line.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

Again, I think you are a bit biased here. Avatar is a gain, DHS is adding 4 rides. They got rid of one, the Backlot Tour. Now they also eliminated the Stunt Show and the Shrunk the Kids Playground, but I'm not sure that is a wash with adding 2 fully themed lands. I think it's a stretch to claim that the work in DHS is not a net gain. But yes, it doesn't accommodate 30% more people. EPCOT, as I said, is in sorry, sorry shape. And MK... well, MK has the most attractions by a mile. I think they would do better to add attractions to the other parks making them more competitive than to keep adding to MK, but certainly based on attendance it is darn crowded in the original FL home of the mouse.

Ok...you've identified where the "gain" argument collapses...

I'm not saying that Star Wars and the playground are a wash (Damn well better not be)...of course not.

The toy story and Star Wars thing are a "gain" from a marketing and excitement level.

But that's only half the problem...the other is sheer numbers to process more people due to growth...that is also a major - perhaps the major concern. If they want to continue to add people (they do)...they have to distract them so the experience doesn't become stale as well and drive fringe customers away due to bad PR. Logistics...which is a huge part of the puzzle and always will be.

So what should be done? Add 4 Star Wars attractions...not a wash in capacity...

They're currently positioning to win "half the battle"...which is all they've done at Epcot for 20 years and they are suffering there because of it. It's a complicated problem...and it was created in part by choice.

 

[jknezek]

Ok...you've identified where the "gain" argument collapses...

I'm not saying that Star Wars and the playground are a wash (Damn well better not be)...of course not.

The toy story and Star Wars thing are a "gain" from a marketing and excitement level.

But that's only half the problem...the other is sheer numbers to process more people due to growth...that is also a major - perhaps the major concern. If they want to continue to add people (they do)...they have to distract them so the experience doesn't become stale as well and drive fringe customers away due to bad PR. Logistics...which is a huge part of the puzzle and always will be.

So what should be done? Add 4 Star Wars attractions...not a wash in capacity...

They're currently positioning to win "half the battle"...which is all they've done at Epcot for 20 years and they are suffering there because of it. It's a complicated problem...and it was created in part by choice.

I always want more. I always want new. I always want better. I think the vast majority of us understand that WDW horribly under-invested for more than a decade. I think many of us will admit that what they are doing now is only barely acceptable investment because they let it lapse for so long. I don't know too many that would disagree. But we also have to admit that they are investing and we have to watch and see if they continue investing. As TSL wraps up and SWL approaches opening I expect to see some EPCOT announcements. But I don't expect, nor do I want, them working on all the parks at once. I think it is fair for them to have done Pandora, when Pandora was well underway they moved on to DHS. Now that DHS is moving along I expect to see EPCOT. If we don't, then I'll swing to a more pessimistic viewpoint.

But as it stands right now, they are investing and creating. Is it less than I wished and a decade late? Yes. But that is essentially a sunk cost. Give them a chance to continue this pattern going forward. Otherwise it just looks like we are behaving like a toddler, never accepting that things are going the right way simply because they aren't going the right way as fast or as big as you'd like.

 

[AngiTN]

We could get a 4th FP, but we've found that the ones available are for attractions that usually have a very short or no standby line.

I think that was the case when 4th was first added but when they switched to allowing them on your device vs. the kiosk things changed greatly. We found tons of options for 4th FP. A major factor will be how many you need, of course. Someone that needs 8 will have a much harder time than 4 or 2, of course. But it's not hard and there are plenty for rides people actually want to ride. We've gotten them every trip. And it's gotten even easier with the added capacity at Soarin' and TSMM last year. Both are regularly available as 4th FP now. Not all day but for some portion of it.

 

[Josh Hendy]

So what should be done? Add 4 Star Wars attractions...not a wash in capacity...

Why not just add 2 Star Wars rides and make the acquiring of extra fastpasses to experience them a cash perk?

Win-win.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

I always want more. I always want new. I always want better. I think the vast majority of us understand that WDW horribly under-invested for more than a decade. I think many of us will admit that what they are doing now is only barely acceptable investment because they let it lapse for so long. I don't know too many that would disagree. But we also have to admit that they are investing and we have to watch and see if they continue investing. As TSL wraps up and SWL approaches opening I expect to see some EPCOT announcements. But I don't expect, nor do I want, them working on all the parks at once. I think it is fair for them to have done Pandora, when Pandora was well underway they moved on to DHS. Now that DHS is moving along I expect to see EPCOT. If we don't, then I'll swing to a more pessimistic viewpoint.

But as it stands right now, they are investing and creating. Is it less than I wished and a decade late? Yes. But that is essentially a sunk cost. Give them a chance to continue this pattern going forward. Otherwise it just looks like we are behaving like a toddler, never accepting that things are going the right way simply because they aren't going the right way as fast or as big as you'd like.

And with that...the prosecution rests.

You can throw them a parade for building a Star Wars land (a no brainer if ever there was one...), just make it a short one. It's not as customer friendly as it looks...or likely needs to be.

I think if you see more announcements (and I'll take them anyway I can get them as long as they aren't princess overlays)...it's more due to their collapsing cable empire and the pressure from the direct competition up the road. They don't want to spend a penny on the "ingrates" that spend $7-10,000 a week at their Mecca.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

Why not just add 2 Star Wars rides and make the acquiring of extra fastpasses to experience them a cash perk?

Win-win.

Or factioning off part of the development for cabanas? As was floated before the Cabanas failed?

 

[OhioStateBuckeye]

I wouldn't expect you to ask the same questions...but I'll repeat the answers:

Because I want it to improve...it NEEDS better consumers to survive...and I'm more heavily invested than those that need to talk about magic dust to get through a normal day...

That's blunt but also true...and I'm in a great mood because these Stanley Cups keep rolling in

You're a Pens fan too?!

 

[lockedoutlogic]

You're a Pens fan too?!

I live in New Jersey...I wasn't born here.

 

[mustinjourney]

20-14=6 so the net gain is 6. You are talking total number rather than net gain.

My head hurts.

 

[mustinjourney]

Separate events doesn't really matter. It is just showing people will pay to ride attractions. I think Disney will always have some sort of "free" FP but having a paid option seems very likely to come in the not so distant future.

they do have a high price option already -- the VIP tours give you unlimited FPs.

 

[mustinjourney]

Who knew you could do this! Guess I'll have to stick w/ the system I've been using which is if I don't feel like riding Tower of Terror taking my magic band off and handing it to my son so he can ride a second time while I people watch from the bench behind the coffee cart

this is against the TOS. Only the owner of the MB is supposed to use the MB for entitlements.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

they do have a high price option already -- the VIP tours give you unlimited FPs.

Yeah...but not enough people buy those for it to be a good revenue stream

 

[Roxyfire]

Then maybe I'll give it a shot. Part of my FP+ problem. I would never waste a FP+ on this and there is no way in Hades it will ever a fourth FP+. The standby line is always so long.

That bolded part is actually untrue. I've have seen it (Frozen) and been able to grab it as a 4th fastpass. It's later in the day for sure and totally random but it can be there. Can you get it for your party of 12, all signs point to no. But for 2 or maybe even 3 people, sure. People change their minds/plans all the time.