Any Reformed FP- Uber Users Who Have Embraced FP+ ?

[wisblue]

Those TP crowd levels were the after the fact "what we saw" levels, not the predicted levels. They are also for the resort as a whole, not the individual parks. They had predicted a level of 3 each day.

As for Spaceship Earth, the posted wait time did spike at 45 minutes on Tuesday (early EMH day), for about an hour from about 11 AM to noon. But, it dropped to 5 minutes shortly after and stayed below 15 minutes for the rest of the day. From 4 PM on it was posted at 5 minutes.

 

[Laketravis]

Those TP crowd levels were the after the fact "what we saw" levels, not the predicted levels. They are also for the resort as a whole, not the individual parks. They had predicted a level of 3 each day.

As for Spaceship Earth, the posted wait time did spike at 45 minutes on Tuesday (early EMH day), for about an hour from about 11 AM to noon. But, it dropped to 5 minutes shortly after and stayed below 15 minutes for the rest of the day. From 4 PM on it was posted at 5 minutes.

"By 4pm on" you mean until 5pm? Because I don't think TP tracks wait times after 5pm.

Still, a 5-15 minute wait for Spaceship Earth most of the day? That's a level 2 day in Epcot? I recall Test Track being a consistent 60+ minutes that week.

 

[wisblue]

"By 4pm on" you mean until 5pm? Because I don't think TP tracks wait times after 5pm.

Still, a 5-15 minute wait for Spaceship Earth most of the day? That's a level 2 day in Epcot?

No, the 5 minute wait was from 4 until 9. Though they only use times from 10 AM to 5 PM for purposes of making their predictions, the data on the site includes posted times for all day.

They actually rated the wait time for SE as level 3, but the other 5 rides they use in their evaluations were all level 1.

 

[DisneyKidds]

On lower crowd days, over all, I can't see how FP+ is better than FP-.

Sure, it might not provide the same benefits over FP- as it does for some during busier times, but is it any worse than FP- during slower times? Many of the valid drawbacks people point out about FP+ don't seem like they would apply during lower crowd periods.

 

[Laketravis]

No, the 5 minute wait was from 4 until 9. Though they only use times from 10 AM to 5 PM for purposes of making their predictions, the data on the site includes posted times for all day.

They actually rated the wait time for SE as level 3, but the other 5 rides they use in their evaluations were all level 1.

Can you see what TP shows for EP tomorrow? Josh has the day at a 6. I want to check some wait times during the day and see what they look like.

 

[DisneyKidds]

I need a new phone

I exclusive post from my iPhone. The app works great.......

Although people's experiences may vary, and people phone utilization style and social media strategies my impact how good their posting experience is via iPhone, and the successful use for some might only seem to occur during lower volume/data periods, and some people may not be iOS savvy enough to successfully use iPhone for such purposes, and...............

Think we can turn this into another 50 pages of entertainment?

 

[JadeDarkstar]

TY Lake, and we are praying for Free dinning its one reason we are deciding for later in dec my first pick was nov 29-dec 7th or so. but going later gives us better chance at free dinning. We would like to do some nice meals together.

 

[Mambo Junkie]

At the risk of having my character questioned, I'll jump in, and probably right back out. I was alarmed years ago when WDW first started allowing people to make ADR's longer than 30 days before a trip. Of course that meant that for the most popular restaurants you had to make those ADR's 30, then 90 and finally 180 days out. I have no idea right now what I'll be in the mood for on February 15, much less for July 15. I don't understand why being on vacation means I'll have any better idea. The effect on us has been to push us to offsite dining for sit-down meals or just making the most of counter service.

I have only used FP+ for one trip, while the legacy FP machines were still around in October 2013. It was awesome then, because we used it as a backup to make sure we could get 3 marquee rides, but we still mostly used the legacy system then, partially because we switched some of our park days around and didn't feel like messing around with MDE on our vacation to edit the FP+'s. Looking at a smart phone screen trying to make changes to FPs is too much like work for me. I'd prefer not to ever have to look at that smart phone on vacation except for calling my family. And now, in order to make the most of all these reservation systems, we're expected to know what parks we want to go to on which days 2 months out, have any ADR's already made 4 months previously, and now know which rides we want to experience 2 months away. IMHO, that's 3 steps too far in terms of planning.

With legacy FP we almost never made rope drop, yet still found a way to get FP's for everything we wanted to ride, and standby lines for minor rides were significantly less than what I see reported now. This was after deciding (usually that morning) which park we wanted to go to, depending on weather, our mood, what we felt like eating, etc.

We're going to try to keep our reservations for October of this year, but I'm truly dreading the planning of park days (too bad mother nature can't provide an accurate forecast 2 months or 6 months out), ADR's and FP's. If I am not pleasantly surprised with the positive aspects of FP+ (and I admit there are some - it's just that the planning of it all makes my head hurt), it may be our last WDW vacation for a long, long time.

Bolded statement, this was us. I went this past December, and I hated all the planning. As I have said before, fp+ is good to get the long wait rides. I wouldn't worry too much about the secondary rides, especially the ones you don't need a fp for. We booked all 3, but usually blew off at least 1 of them. By the end of my vacation I had cancelled my ADRs and fps, and was much happier. My family was definitely not happy with being locked into a specific park each day.I also found it hard to get down time. Once I cancelled everything, I suddenly had all kinds of free time. I think if I go again I will only fp the necessary things, no ADRs (except maybe 2) and just try to tour as I have in the past. If the new system makes that impossible, then I'll have to accept that this park is no longer for me. I tried to conform, but I really couldn't. I was not happy.
I also felt I had to spend more days in each park than I have in the past just to get done the things we wanted to do. I will attribute 3 things to this: longer wait times, crowds, and we spent an awful lot of time on characters as we had our granddaughters with us. Had it just been my husband and me, I would not have spent time on any of that.

 

[wisblue]

Can you see what TP shows for EP tomorrow? Josh has the day at a 6. I want to check some wait times during the day and see what they look like.

They have the resort crowd predicted at 6 and EPCOT at 6.

 

[Shaden]

Sure, it might not provide the same benefits over FP- as it does for some during busier times, but is it any worse than FP- during slower times? Many of the valid drawbacks people point out about FP+ don't seem like they would apply during lower crowd periods.

I think they really do, I mean, reallllly low crowds, you are probably right. FP just doesn't matter those days, for the most part.

You could still max it, and I think FP- was better for this, just because you could do what we had done, literally show up at SM ... with a 15 min wait. Pull and FP for a return starting in 15 or 20 mins.

Ride once SB, then go right to the FP line and walk right one, maybe a 1 or 2 min wait.

But I low, middleish crowds. I think FP- could be used to far more efficiency than FP+. Again, that might not jive with how people wanted to tour, or their style, but it could be maximized more.

 

[Laketravis]

TY Lake, and we are praying for Free dinning its one reason we are deciding for later in dec my first pick was nov 29-dec 7th or so. but going later gives us better chance at free dinning. We would like to do some nice meals together.

I'm with you - we always enjoy free dining. I know there's a debate as to whether or not it's "free" because you pay full rack rate, but I'll gladly pay $225 a night (CSR) in return for not have to pay for our meals.

WDW was also pulling back on discounts and free dining, but if the current AP promo for resort bookings is any indication (up to 37% off deluxe, 30% off moderates thru mid-June) then they are still needing to fill rooms and another round of free dining next fall is a real possibility again.

 

[Laketravis]

Bolded statement, this was us. I went this past December, and I hated all the planning. As I have said before, fp+ is good to get the long wait rides. I wouldn't worry too much about the secondary rides, especially the ones you don't need a fp for. We booked all 3, but usually blew off at least 1 of them. By the end of my vacation I had cancelled my ADRs and fps, and was much happier. My family was definitely not happy with being locked into a specific park each day.I also found it hard to get down time. Once I cancelled everything, I suddenly had all kinds of free time. I think if I go again I will only fp the necessary things, no ADRs (except maybe 2) and just try to tour as I have in the past. If the new system makes that impossible, then I'll have to accept that this park is no longer for me. I tried to conform, but I really couldn't. I was not happy.
I also felt I had to spend more days in each park than I have in the past just to get done the things we wanted to do. I will attribute 3 things to this: longer wait times, crowds, and we spent an awful lot of time on characters as we had our granddaughters with us. Had it just been my husband and me, I would not have spent time on any of that.

Hey Mambo! You and I were there during the same week and both got caught in some downpours in MK on Tuesday.

Would you believe that Touring Plans had the crowd levels for Epcot at 2's that week? I don't understand how, wait times sure seemed higher than a "2" day should have been.

 

[Shaden]

Bolded statement, this was us. I went this past December, and I hated all the planning. As I have said before, fp+ is good to get the long wait rides. I wouldn't worry too much about the secondary rides, especially the ones you don't need a fp for. We booked all 3, but usually blew off at least 1 of them. By the end of my vacation I had cancelled my ADRs and fps, and was much happier. My family was definitely not happy with being locked into a specific park each day.I also found it hard to get down time. Once I cancelled everything, I suddenly had all kinds of free time. I think if I go again I will only fp the necessary things, no ADRs (except maybe 2) and just try to tour as I have in the past. If the new system makes that impossible, then I'll have to accept that this park is no longer for me. I tried to conform, but I really couldn't. I was not happy.
I also felt I had to spend more days in each park than I have in the past just to get done the things we wanted to do. I will attribute 3 things to this: longer wait times, crowds, and we spent an awful lot of time on characters as we had our granddaughters with us. Had it just been my husband and me, I would not have spent time on any of that.

Mambo and Grimley ... that's exactly how our last experience went.

On previous trips there was no "running" as people report for FPs, we just walked around, pulled FPs when it made sense, didn't when it didn't. Sure there were times we would split up, and yes even times one person would criss-cross the park, I am not going to deny that. But that's just not a big deal to us. I mean, you walk like 10 miles a day at WDW parks, what's the big deal if you walk a couple hundred yards for an FP ?

Anyway, on previous trips we felt... more free. I don't know how to describe it, but I am sure even those most ardent FP+ proponent will agree that there have been MANY posts here about how people felt locked in, constrained, etc. The same way FP- detractors talk about how they felt they needed to split up or run or ... whatever (don't mean this dismissively). We still kept our FPs though, we had noticed the increased SB times, it was ... very obvious to us. We recognized that if we wanted to accomplish stuff, well we had to stick to that schedule.

So yes, on previous trips we kind of did our thing during the day, and knew we had one appointment that night, but it was kind of something to look forward to. Sometimes we blew it off, but not often. Our last trip, FP+, it felt different. By the evening we just felt like we had been making appointments all day, and didn't want to make the evening one. So we wouldn't. In fact, I this beside one reservation, after a week of feeling this way we actually canceled our entire second week of ADRs in the evening. We were just sick of that feeling.

 

[Shaden]

Oh oh, another post.

Lol seriously though I wanted to post this because ... I think, just me, this was an important difference between fp+ and legacy FP.

So ... this trip was special in a way, particularly the second half of the trip. We brought our nephew down, and my mom (who is sick and has been for a long time but ... everything is a little bitter sweet now). It was probably our nephews only trip there, and my mom's last. We took her once before but were super cautious about her and didn't let her ride a lot of stuff due to health.

KK, so ... For us, with the expense of paying for them to come, and the limited time, we really wanted to maximize what they did. We wanted them to experience it ALL, they were there for 6 days. Normally a tall order, heck we have still found stuff new 4 and 5 years in. But, we just wanted them to get the full experience. This was -really- tough under FP+. Second week of May 2014, so not bad crowds by any means, 4, 5, 6s. But we just felt .. it was tough. It was MUCH more stressful than FP- was. We used FP+, we booked our 3. Then I would after the 3rd, run/walk, sometimes literally run (but I guesss that was a choice and made out of the stress) to the kiosk, .. wait, get to the machine, play play play and hope to find an FP for something useful, head there or another place then to the FP, and repeat. it was just ... way more regimented and stressful than previous trips. Way different than under FP-. And we kept feeling FP- was and would have been less stressful, less uncertain. I know I know, those first 3 FPs are locked in and that's great, its beyond that where it gets dicey, and quite dicey at that.

Anyway, just another example of how FP+ didn't work for us, I don't know that there is anything concrete in there, but it is what it is.

 

[MrInfinity]

It's all good.

This is great that everyone is getting along! Does this mean you'll actually tell us whether you got on 3 rides then could do nothing but shop (as you recommend in your trip report), or if you actually got on quite a lot more than that? I really just want to know. Did you, in your 2 weeks, get on 3 rides then shop, or actually ride significantly more than that per day. I'm not asking you to recall specifics, just if you did much of anything at all other than your 3 FP+ rides. like... when you'd open to the AK or EC. Did you actually ride anything when you'd get there early, and did it take an hour or more at that time?

Now that you're getting along w everyone, surely you can clearly answer this without redirecting.

Looking to re-rail this back on topic. Do you continue to maintain that as a result of FP+, one should expect to get on 3 rides and then better like to shop for they will get on nothing else without a long standby wait, or do you agree that you do get on more, and other guests canget on more than 3 rides with minimal waits too?

If you like, rather than answering, just choose a letter...
A) you believe one can get on 3 and then should like to shop because getting on more than 3 headliners with short waits is not realistic on busy days.
B) you believe one can get on 3 and then more desirable rides in a busy day with short waits.
C) you wish to redirect the question and refuse to choose A) or B).

 

[Jennasis]

This is great that everyone is getting along! Does this mean you'll actually tell us whether you got on 3 rides then could do nothing but shop (as you recommend in your trip report), or if you actually got on quite a lot more than that? I really just want to know. Did you, in your 2 weeks, get on 3 rides then shop, or actually ride significantly more than that per day. I'm not asking you to recall specifics, just if you did much of anything at all other than your 3 FP+ rides. like... when you'd open to the AK or EC. Did you actually ride anything when you'd get there early, and did it take an hour or more at that time?

Now that you're getting along w everyone, surely you can clearly answer this without redirecting.

Looking to re-rail this back on topic. Do you continue to maintain that as a result of FP+, one should expect to get on 3 rides and then better like to shop for they will get on nothing else without a long standby wait, or do you agree that you do get on more, and other guests canget on more than 3 rides with minimal waits too?

If you like, rather than answering, just choose a letter...
A) you believe one can get on 3 and then should like to shop because getting on more than 3 headliners with short waits is not realistic on busy days.
B) you believe one can get on 3 and then more desirable rides in a busy day with short waits.
C) you wish to redirect the question and refuse to choose A) or B).

So much for everyone just getting along.

 

[norybell]

This is great that everyone is getting along! Does this mean you'll actually tell us whether you got on 3 rides then could do nothing but shop (as you recommend in your trip report), or if you actually got on quite a lot more than that? I really just want to know. Did you, in your 2 weeks, get on 3 rides then shop, or actually ride significantly more than that per day. I'm not asking you to recall specifics, just if you did much of anything at all other than your 3 FP+ rides. like... when you'd open to the AK or EC. Did you actually ride anything when you'd get there early, and did it take an hour or more at that time? Now that you're getting along w everyone, surely you can clearly answer this without redirecting. Looking to re-rail this back on topic. Do you continue to maintain that as a result of FP+, one should expect to get on 3 rides and then better like to shop for they will get on nothing else without a long standby wait, or do you agree that you do get on more, and other guests canget on more than 3 rides with minimal waits too? If you like, rather than answering, just choose a letter... A) you believe one can get on 3 and then should like to shop because getting on more than 3 headliners with short waits is not realistic on busy days. B) you believe one can get on 3 and then more desirable rides in a busy day with short waits. C) you wish to redirect the question and refuse to choose A) or B).

Gee, thanks so much for bringing it back here. Please let it go.

 

[Hokie2000]

How are you able to bring DIS up on your phone? I tried downloading the app and it didn't work - and trying to access it using just a browser on my Galaxy 4 didn't work very well either, it wasn't responsive to button presses like next page and Reply. Really bummed me out because I wanted to post some live stuff while in the parks and couldn't.

I have the App on my iPhone. It works pretty well most of the time, but sometimes it just keeps timing out and I have to use the browser. I end up just canceling a lot of posts, though, b/c once you hit reply that's all you can look at until you hit send or cancel.

 

[DisneyKidds]

Then I would after the 3rd, run/walk, sometimes literally run (but I guesss that was a choice and made out of the stress) to the kiosk, .. wait, get to the machine, play play play and hope to find an FP for something useful, head there or another place then to the FP, and repeat.

Shaden.....there is very little that is 'concrete' in most of this discussion!! I can also empathize with your situation, and I hope for the best for your family and mother.

Even though there are some people around here who find it impossible to fathom one can recall what they did, and how they felt two weeks ago, much less eight months ago, I fully believe you felt like FP+ was in some way a hindrance. Yes, I'll explore that statement above, hopefully without it devolving into pages 20 to 45, but that you even felt that way at all is a hindrance in itself. I'm sorry for that.

But on to your statement. Well, let me rephrase it perhaps, circa 2010...........

'Then, after having already completed my FP runner duties in the morning to get FP for BTMRR (assume you grabbed FP for Splash when you return for BTMRR ride time) and later Peter Pan (insert whatever rides fit your typical FP/runner pattern) and our whole party had cross-crossed the park several times to use our first 3 FP, and it's already late afternoon because the Peter Pan FP return was so far out, I would run/walk, sometimes literally run (but I guess that was a choice and made out of the stress) to Space Mountain (insert whatever ride fits your pattern) to get a FP, pray pray pray the FP machines aren't covered and that the return time doesn't conflict with dinner (or whatever other plans you might have) because if it doesn't I gotta run to the next FP ride we want, and if the machines aren't covered and the return time works........wait, get to the machine, pray pray pray it spits out the FP (yes, there is a CM there for a reason, because any tech can be glitchy, and FP machines often were), after which we have a lot of time to kill until the return time, and finally head to the FP, and then repeat.'

I hope you get my point. How is FP+ really any different/worse than what you had to do with FP-. Heck, I think the circa 2010 FP story sounds a bit more stressful! While the steps might be different, are the overall processes required under FP+ really all that different? There is a lot of work/stress in either, no?

Yes, the specific steps are different, and with FP+ those steps are forced upon you months in advance, locking you into parks and times for your first 3 FP......but for 4, 5, 6, again....is it really that different?

 

[Suvadoo]

Bolded statement, this was us. I went this past December, and I hated all the planning. As I have said before, fp+ is good to get the long wait rides. I wouldn't worry too much about the secondary rides, especially the ones you don't need a fp for. We booked all 3, but usually blew off at least 1 of them. By the end of my vacation I had cancelled my ADRs and fps, and was much happier. My family was definitely not happy with being locked into a specific park each day.I also found it hard to get down time. Once I cancelled everything, I suddenly had all kinds of free time. I think if I go again I will only fp the necessary things, no ADRs (except maybe 2) and just try to tour as I have in the past. If the new system makes that impossible, then I'll have to accept that this park is no longer for me. I tried to conform, but I really couldn't. I was not happy.
I also felt I had to spend more days in each park than I have in the past just to get done the things we wanted to do. I will attribute 3 things to this: longer wait times, crowds, and we spent an awful lot of time on characters as we had our granddaughters with us. Had it just been my husband and me, I would not have spent time on any of that.

Would you like FP+ better if it were only used for the headliners?

I know this isn't going to happen because Disney chose to invest in a crowd control system as opposed to more attractions.