Who benefits most from FP+?

[Susiequsie60]

Just another one of my curiosity questions. When I can't figure something out on my own, I'm compelled to ask.

First, I haven't yet used FP+. Our trip is February 1-8 staying at the BWI. I'm trying very hard not to pre-judge anything, but I have to say I'm a little confused about the major benefits.

Is it just me, or aren't there lots of pre-planners out there who don't want to fully commit not only to the park they want to visit on a specific day, but to the ride they want to enjoy at a specific time? And what's with the only one park a day deal? And when I say I'm a pre-planner, I'm not kidding. I check these boards on a daily basis for info; I've got all of my "crowd calendars" and "touring plans" that I scour over. I like to have a definitely plan, but I guess I don't like it to be cast in stone.

So my question really is - who is the biggest winner with the new system? People who go during really busy times (which we are NOT this trip) or people who go during really quiet times (which we ARE this trip?) People staying on-site? People who don't have Park Hoppers? People with WDW packages? People off-site? People in a large group? I'm just trying to understand the real benefits to the new system.

Thanks!!

 

[Susiequsie60]

OK, so in reading another thread on a similar subject, I think I've gotten my answer.

The major winner in the FP+ system is WDW itself!!

Sort of a bummer . . .

 

[redsbe]

Just another one of my curiosity questions. When I can't figure something out on my own, I'm compelled to ask.

First, I haven't yet used FP+. Our trip is February 1-8 staying at the BWI. I'm trying very hard not to pre-judge anything, but I have to say I'm a little confused about the major benefits.

Is it just me, or aren't there lots of pre-planners out there who don't want to fully commit not only to the park they want to visit on a specific day, but to the ride they want to enjoy at a specific time? And what's with the only one park a day deal? And when I say I'm a pre-planner, I'm not kidding. I check these boards on a daily basis for info; I've got all of my "crowd calendars" and "touring plans" that I scour over. I like to have a definitely plan, but I guess I don't like it to be cast in stone.

So my question really is - who is the biggest winner with the new system? People who go during really busy times (which we are NOT this trip) or people who go during really quiet times (which we ARE this trip?) People staying on-site? People who don't have Park Hoppers? People with WDW packages? People off-site? People in a large group? I'm just trying to understand the real benefits to the new system.

Thanks!!

People who like to plan their day down to the detail, including rides and booking meals well in advance (such as those who use or develop trip plans or their own spreadsheets of events scheduled), and also knowing that they are traveling during peak crowds and do want to wait 90 minutes to ride TSM. Always hard to say how many visitors plan to that detail, certainly many on these boards apparently do, but how many compared to 1000s in a park any given days visit this way?

 

[baileybrad]

1. People who like to sleep in.
2. People who do not ride many attractions.
3. People to whom money is not an issue.

 

[ArwenMarie]

The winners are the people who didn't pull more than 3 FPs a day anyway and who don't like getting up for RD.

I still think onsite is going to have some advantage in terms of booking windows (via +10 just like ADRs).

 

[Susiequsie60]

OK - so that means that off-site guests can also use FP+? Why would they want to take away one of the advantages (in my opinion) of staying on-site? See, this is why I get confused. I feel as though I've read so much about FP+, but I didn't realize that it was available to all guests.

 

[tndisneyfan]

Just another one of my curiosity questions. When I can't figure something out on my own, I'm compelled to ask.

First, I haven't yet used FP+. Our trip is February 1-8 staying at the BWI. I'm trying very hard not to pre-judge anything, but I have to say I'm a little confused about the major benefits.

Is it just me, or aren't there lots of pre-planners out there who don't want to fully commit not only to the park they want to visit on a specific day, but to the ride they want to enjoy at a specific time? And what's with the only one park a day deal? And when I say I'm a pre-planner, I'm not kidding. I check these boards on a daily basis for info; I've got all of my "crowd calendars" and "touring plans" that I scour over. I like to have a definitely plan, but I guess I don't like it to be cast in stone.

So my question really is - who is the biggest winner with the new system? People who go during really busy times (which we are NOT this trip) or people who go during really quiet times (which we ARE this trip?) People staying on-site? People who don't have Park Hoppers? People with WDW packages? People off-site? People in a large group? I'm just trying to understand the real benefits to the new system.

Thanks!!

I think the biggest winner is onsite guests who like to sleep in. With the FP- it was the early bird gets the worm. FPs for the most popular rides could be gone before some people even get to the park. Now it seems you can sleep in, arrive at the parks later, and still have a TSMM or Soarin FP.

 

[goofyfigment]

The winners are the people who didn't pull more than 3 FPs a day anyway and who don't like getting up for RD.

I still think onsite is going to have some advantage in terms of booking windows (via +10 just like ADRs).

You forgot the people who Dont park hop

 

[AmyB2006]

The winners are the people who didn't pull more than 3 FPs a day anyway and who don't like getting up for RD.

Agree that this group is a definite winner here.

 

[Susiequsie60]

So I'm putting more thought in to this. I guess I belong to the group of people who will not really benefit much from FP+. I like to plan, but not down to the minute. I love being at RD and I always take advantage of the extra hours. I don't think we ever used more than 3 FP in a day. And, I don't seem to have the ability to "sleep in" - even on vacation.

You know what. I really don't care if I reap a whole lot of benefits. The only thing is: I don't want to be hurt by it. I guess I'll see how that works out in February.

 

[pouncingpluto]

I think there is also benefit for park hoppers. You schedule the FP for your second park and take advantage of less crowded morning hours in your first park.

 

[rebbyparker]

OK - so that means that off-site guests can also use FP+? Why would they want to take away one of the advantages (in my opinion) of staying on-site? See, this is why I get confused. I feel as though I've read so much about FP+, but I didn't realize that it was available to all guests.

It's not available yet, but speculation leads to that happening sometime in the near future hopefully.

 

[smitch425]

You forgot the people who Dont park hop

Actually, I think think those people that hop DO come out ahead. They should use their FP+ selections for their second park of the day. For instance, if you hop to DHS, your only shot at getting on TSM under the previous system would be to ride standby. Now you can get on with your FP+. Same for Soarin' or TT.

 

[Bouncin-Tigger]

I benefited from our trip. I used the system to my advantage to have a fun successful vacation.

 

[MouseMomx2]

People who like to plan their day down to the detail, including rides and booking meals well in advance (such as those who use or develop trip plans or their own spreadsheets of events scheduled), and also knowing that they are traveling during peak crowds and do want to wait 90 minutes to ride TSM. Always hard to say how many visitors plan to that detail, certainly many on these boards apparently do, but how many compared to 1000s in a park any given days visit this way?

We love MBs and FP+ and are not uber-planners. We do plan one ADR per day and have a rough outline of which park we will visit each day, but we do not plan beyond that. I make FP+ selections for our second park of the day and they tend to be back-to-back-to-back. That still gives me a lot of flexibility in my day but guarantees those three rides/attractions.

We just got home from a slow-season trip where I was able to change things on the fly with no issues and that was lovely. It will be equally lovely to have three guaranteed, late-day FP+s during our upcoming NYE week trip...even if the busy season means I can't change things around last minute.

Oh, and the fact that my teen/20-something kids can sleep in yet we can still ride three rides together in the evening, without all having to be in the park to get the FPs, is PRICELESS to me.

I'm a go with the flow gal and MBs/FP+ get a from me.

 

[wisblue]

There are also the people who are visiting at busy times, go early to experience attractions before crowds build up, take a break from the parks in the middle of the day, and then go to a park (maybe a different one) in the late afternoon or evening. Those folks can use the FP+ to enjoy major attractions at the second park when no FP- would be available and standby lines would be very long.

This issue has been raised and discussed numerous times just in the last two weeks or so that I have been following this board closely as I have prepared for two trips. My observation is that the people who don't like the concept of FP+ will usually say that it doesn't benefit anyone (except for Disney) or that it only benefits one group of people (like those who are too lazy to get up early.)

But, if you look at the varied responses from people who think that FP+ will work well for them, there isn't just one category. There are so many different touring styles and preferences that it is not as simple as saying "it's good for people who like to sleep in and bad for everyone else." Or, "it's bad for obsessive planners who are only satisfied if they send fast pass runners all over the park all day so they can ride the same attraction 4 and 5 times per day and good for everyone else."

Just like the legacy FP system it's better for some people than others.

 

[bearlyanne]

Can I be a total pollyanna and say that we are all "should" benefit in some way? Disney is going to be able to track our plans for the day. They will get a better idea of the individual flow of traffic for each day. This will allow them to staff meals and transport based on the hourly needs of their guests.

It will also alleviate some of the opening crush at the gates and the harried rush to get legacy passes.

I have hope, but I won't fully know until after my trip in a couple of weeks if it might work .

(when I was there over Labor Day, the transportation was "slow" and overloaded. It became evident that most of it was happening due to random rushes from all stars caused by the Girls Volleyball championships.) I would like to think that the issues will be alleviated next Labor Day, becuase each teams will hopefully have Fastpass+ scheduled and Disney will be able to guage their intentions
for the day.)

 

[robpa]

Just another one of my curiosity questions. When I can't figure something out on my own, I'm compelled to ask.

First, I haven't yet used FP+. Our trip is February 1-8 staying at the BWI. I'm trying very hard not to pre-judge anything, but I have to say I'm a little confused about the major benefits.

Is it just me, or aren't there lots of pre-planners out there who don't want to fully commit not only to the park they want to visit on a specific day, but to the ride they want to enjoy at a specific time? And what's with the only one park a day deal? And when I say I'm a pre-planner, I'm not kidding. I check these boards on a daily basis for info; I've got all of my "crowd calendars" and "touring plans" that I scour over. I like to have a definitely plan, but I guess I don't like it to be cast in stone.

So my question really is - who is the biggest winner with the new system? People who go during really busy times (which we are NOT this trip) or people who go during really quiet times (which we ARE this trip?) People staying on-site? People who don't have Park Hoppers? People with WDW packages? People off-site? People in a large group? I'm just trying to understand the real benefits to the new system.

Thanks!!

I think it is safe to say that people who go during a quiet time should be the winner. I think this is true no matter what system is in place. The real trick is finding that quiet time.

 

[matthewhavens]

Just another one of my curiosity questions. When I can't figure something out on my own, I'm compelled to ask.

First, I haven't yet used FP+. Our trip is February 1-8 staying at the BWI. I'm trying very hard not to pre-judge anything, but I have to say I'm a little confused about the major benefits.

Is it just me, or aren't there lots of pre-planners out there who don't want to fully commit not only to the park they want to visit on a specific day, but to the ride they want to enjoy at a specific time? And what's with the only one park a day deal? And when I say I'm a pre-planner, I'm not kidding. I check these boards on a daily basis for info; I've got all of my "crowd calendars" and "touring plans" that I scour over. I like to have a definitely plan, but I guess I don't like it to be cast in stone.

So my question really is - who is the biggest winner with the new system? People who go during really busy times (which we are NOT this trip) or people who go during really quiet times (which we ARE this trip?) People staying on-site? People who don't have Park Hoppers? People with WDW packages? People off-site? People in a large group? I'm just trying to understand the real benefits to the new system.

Thanks!!

You all know that Disney is a "for-profit" company right?

The answer to the who comes out ahead question is...Disney.

The initial testing results came back with 1 single definitive answer. They compared similar randomly selected MM+ groups to those who were not selected.

The groups who tested MM+ spent more money than the groups who did not test.

The concept of "virtual queueing" is simple. If you are in line. You are in line.

If you are not in line because your place is being held by a FastPass reservation you are doing something else. That "doing something else" almost always invloves spending money. You are in the gift shops buying stuff. You are at a kiosk buying a snack. Something is catching your eye or your nose and you are buying it. You can't do that if you are in line.

The simple fact is that only a percentage of Disney guests take advantage of the current FP- system. The rest of the visitors spend half their trip in line. If Disney gets them out of those lines they will spend more money while on the trip and will also think they had more fun in the process.

Disney wins.

 

[surferdave]

It depends on whether the tiered FP+ selection process will be the exception or the norm, and if 3 will still be a hard limit. If it becomes the norm and the 3 limit remains then I don't think anyone will benefit that much.