More updated Fastpass+ information

[jade1]

But this change has the potential to affect the very core of what we all go to Disney for....... experiencing the attractions.

I'm not the least bit surprised it elicits very strong responses.

Agree 100%. For us FP+ is a guaranteed improvement, for others its not-unless it turns out rope drope is still great and ride waits stay low as "reserved" guests take their sweet time arriving, and the daily in park FP+ system turns out great as well.

 

[Sherrkel]

We went down that discussion road last night. Too exhausted to make that trip again. .

Ah ok, strike that post! Don't wanna dig up old dirt.

 

[mom2rtk]

Agree 100%. For us FP+ is a guaranteed improvement, for others its not-unless it turns out rope drope is still great and ride waits stay low as "reserved" guests take their sweet time arriving, and the daily in park FP+ system turns out great as well.

I think there will be plenty who reserve later in the day. But at some point the coveted late day spots will be taken. Heck, I'm a rope dropper and even I would prefer to book later day spots. So my point is, eventually people are only going to have the option of booking early time slots, or nothing at all. The big question in all of this is whether people with the early reserved times will indeed show up for them. This has the potential to actually make mornings busier.

 

[doconeill]

I don't know if it means we won't be able to get additional fp's in the park if we are using the fp+ system, but the Park terms and conditions under "going paperless" state that if you want to use fp+ you will need a
RF device and if you opt for the RF device, you will not be able to use the standard fp system. Maybe (I hope) they do have a plan to allow for more fp's under the new system once you are in the parks, but I've heard no one say that with any certainty. What we do know is that they will not allow you to use both fp+ and the traditional system.

We don't know yet if there will be a way to get additional fp's under the new fp+ system, but unfortunately, we do know that we will not be able to access the traditional system if you opt into the new fp+ system which will require an RF device. This is stated under "going paperless" under Park terms and condition. I'm hoping along with you, that additional fp's will be offered once you're in the parks (and not at an additional cost) as part of the new system, but I've heard nothing other than speculation about that.

Just to clarify, since they are now giving out RFID cards for tickets/passes/KTTW/etc. - although the T&C refers to once you convert to "paperless" by getting an RFID device, they are NOT talking about the RFID cards specifically, but the MagicBands which are still not available (and won't be until they are ready with FastPass+ as well).

The RFID cards work with the current FP kiosks because they still have a magnetic stripe on them and work just like the old KTTW cards/plastic tickets. They will also work with FP+. The question is will they work at the same time - the belief is that once your profile is enabled for FP+, you are locked out of FP. If you opt for a MagicBand, you will have no choice, since MBs won't work with existing FP kiosks.

"Paperless" and "RF Device" was a poor choice of words, but it was probably written when the plan was different.

 

[jade1]

I think there will be plenty who reserve later in the day. But at some point the coveted late day spots will be taken. Heck, I'm a rope dropper and even I would prefer to book later day spots. So my point is, eventually people are only going to have the option of booking early time slots, or nothing at all. The big question in all of this is whether people with the early reserved times will indeed show up for them. This has the potential to actually make mornings busier.

Your on it-if I were in your shoes I would do exactly that. Reserve afternoon, then either open that park or another and hop back. I think you will know well b4 your next trip if that actually works or not-as results will spread quickly. You will also know if the whole "reserve on the fly" is working or just a bust.

 

[doconeill]

I will bet you a La Cava Margarita that once FP+ is fully operational, the total number of FP+ reservations you can have in a single day is the same, whether you reserve them in advance or that day.

No extra ones on the same day. If the per-park limit is three, you will get three whether you make them in advance, same day, or some combination.

If you go back to the video of Nick Franklin talking about FastPass+, he said that it will initially be 3 in advance - but that they have an "expectation" to be able to offer "additional ones as you go" (his words).

So be prepared for a La Cava DISmeet

 

[mom2rtk]

Your on it-if I were in your shoes I would do exactly that. Reserve afternoon, then either open that park or another and hop back. I think you will know well b4 your next trip if that actually works or not-as results will spread quickly. You will also know if the whole "reserve on the fly" is working or just a bust.

Yep. Especially since we're doing DLR this year. Hopefully all the east coasters can work out all the kinks for us before 2014.

So partly I'm very interested in how this will impact our next WDW trip. But partly I'm intersted in the psychology of the whole thing. I'm genuinely interested to see how this story plays out.

 

[Robo]

I think there will be plenty who reserve later in the day. But at some point the coveted late day spots will be taken. Heck, I'm a rope dropper and even I would prefer to book later day spots. So my point is, eventually people are only going to have the option of booking early time slots, or nothing at all. The big question in all of this is whether people with the early reserved times will indeed show up for them. This has the potential to actually make mornings busier.

Your on it-if I were in your shoes I would do exactly that. Reserve afternoon, then either open that park or another and hop back. I think you will know well b4 your next trip if that actually works or not-as results will spread quickly. You will also know if the whole "reserve on the fly" is working or just a bust.

That's a really tricky thing to judge.

So many guests simply will NOT "get up early on vacation."
I used to post that if I offered to PAY some sleepy-headed guests to make it to rope drop... they'd still not do it.

Now, if the only advanced FP+ available for TSM will be good at 9:05AM
(which would be valid until 10:05AM, then: POOF-it's gone)
will the guests, even if they pre-arranged for it (if they are too sleepy) choose to blow off that FP?
(The FP+ reservation is kind of like "PAYING" guests to show up to ride that attraction.)

 

[pooh4evr]

We will be in the boat of booking our ride times in the afternoon but still do rope drop hoping we can still ride things like Peter Pan and splash multiple times.

I am just keeping my fingers crossed that by October this either isn't operating, or the bugs are being worked on.

 

[3smithboys]

I think there will be plenty who reserve later in the day. But at some point the coveted late day spots will be taken. Heck, I'm a rope dropper and even I would prefer to book later day spots. So my point is, eventually people are only going to have the option of booking early time slots, or nothing at all. The big question in all of this is whether people with the early reserved times will indeed show up for them. This has the potential to actually make mornings busier.

That is exactly what DH and I were just talking about. We said that if we had to do this - and we are not too thrilled - we would still go to RD as we always did, and then book our 3 FP for the evening when we came back after our swim/rest back at the resort. In the past, we would have used the FP's that we collected and did not use earlier in the day, now we will just have to use the ones that we reserve. The thing that we are not looking forward to is the amount... 3 seems like so few when we used so many more than that before. I really hope that we are able to have access to more FP while at the parks too... then the FP+ will not seem so bad.

 

[Lindy Loo]

That is exactly what DH and I were just talking about. We said that if we had to do this - and we are not too thrilled - we would still go to RD as we always did, and then book our 3 FP for the evening when we came back after our swim/rest back at the resort. In the past, we would have used the FP's that we collected and did not use earlier in the day, now we will just have to use the ones that we reserve. The thing that we are not looking forward to is the amount... 3 seems like so few when we used so many more than that before. I really hope that we are able to have access to more FP while at the parks too... then the FP+ will not seem so bad.

I am from the UK and don t use a smart phone when abroad. Scared of potential charges for roaming!
We go in Aug.... When does this start ? We have got Disney tickets from UK ta and are staying off site.
Really worried about 3 fast pass oonly rule. Can we just turn up and do the old way?

 

[Robo]

When does this start ?

Nobody knows.

 

[mom2rtk]

That's a really tricky thing to judge.

So many guests simply will NOT "get up early on vacation."
I used to post that if I offered to PAY some sleepy-headed guests to make it to rope drop... they'd still not do it.

Now, if the only advanced FP+ available for TSM will be good at 9:05AM
(which would be valid until 10:05AM, then: POOF-it's gone)
will the guests, even if they pre-arranged for it (if they are too sleepy) choose to blow off that FP?
(The FP+ reservation is kind of like "PAYING" guests to show up to ride that attraction.)

And just to add...... there have always been early day fastpasses. But those were picked up by people ALREADY in the park. The kicker with this now is that they will be booked long in advance when people still had the good intention of being at the park at that hour. I have to think the no show rate will be higher now in the AM than ever before. But then how long will it take Disney to have a large enough sample of data to adjust and overbook those morning slots. Wouldn't it be fun to be behind the scenes watching this all play out? You know.... sort of.

 

[Robo]

Wouldn't it be fun to be behind the scenes watching this all play out? You know.... sort of.

Oh, yes.

(It's going to be a crazy enough ride just watching it unfold from this end of my computer connection.)

 

[3smithboys]

I did call Disney Reservations today to ask a question regarding my resort reservation, and when I told the CM that I was waiting to add the hopper to my tickets until I see how this whole FP+ plays out... she said, "Oh yeah that should be up and running for your trip...isn't that exciting!" Um, not really...

(I'm going in July, btw...)

 

[summerw]

I read about the last 20 pages. WOW! The whole thing where people think Disney is plotting for either new or die-hard customers was a trip. I don't think FP+ has anything to do with anything except finding something of value for onsite guests to replace EMH which are obviously a bad bottom line for Disney (employee wages with low retail and food sales=bad for Disney). While many diehards might thing FP+ sucks compares to EMH, diehards probably wouldn't be diehards if they didn't like things to stay the same.

I live about 20 minutes from Disneyland. The decline from when Walt ran it to today is like the difference between Magic Mountain and Disney, just like everywhere else where customer service is an issue. Investing in new machines/technology/research rather than employee wages is something every modern company seems to aspire to. Disney is no different. Don't even ask my mom what she thinks of New Orleans square these days... the phrase "Walt would turn over in his grave" comes up a lot.

 

[Robo]

I read about the last 20 pages. WOW! The whole thing where people think Disney is plotting for either new or die-hard customers was a trip.

I don't think FP+ has anything to do with anything except finding something of value for onsite guests to replace EMH...

Most indications are that FP+ is not limited to those who are on-site guests.

Since you are near DLR, how would that relate to your parks?
They are on-track to be adding FP+/MyMagic+ to DL and DCA,
but a huge percentage of DLR guests are "locals"
and not staying at a Disney resort.

 

[Rosanne]

I did call Disney Reservations today to ask a question regarding my resort reservation, and when I told the CM that I was waiting to add the hopper to my tickets until I see how this whole FP+ plays out... she said, "Oh yeah that should be up and running for your trip...isn't that exciting!" Um, not really...

(I'm going in July, btw...)

On the one hand, phone CMs often know less than we do.
On the other hand, if she's right I'd go in June and maybe still beat it.
On the other hand, if she's wrong I'd save about $150 and have more reward saved up on my Disney Visa to use in August.

I don't have enough hands.

 

[summerw]

Most indications are that FP+ is not limited to those who are on-site guests.

Since you are near DLR, how would that relate to your parks?
They are on-track to be adding FP+/MyMagic+ to DL and DCA,
but a huge percentage of DLR guests are "locals"
and not staying at a Disney resort.

That's totally surprising it's not just for on-site! I did not know that. Seems odd to take away EMH from resort guests without giving them a benefit to replace it.

Since park hours are only published less than 2 months in advance for DLR, that will be very strange to transition. And the hours actually vary pretty widely considering. I can see them doing it for resort guests just like they do early entry for them, with special offers for passholders as well. The whole thing seems strange for non-resort guests so I can picture it. Most of the AP holders I know don't even have a clue if they're going more than a few days before they go. I personally plan the night before or sometime the beginning of that week.

 

[3smithboys]

On the one hand, phone CMs often know less than we do.
On the other hand, if she's right I'd go in June and maybe still beat it.
On the other hand, if she's wrong I'd save about $150 and have more reward saved up on my Disney Visa to use in August.

I don't have enough hands.

Me neither!

And I agree about them not knowing things... when I was booking my reservations and was trying to decide how many ticket days we wanted to get (we are staying 9 days) we were deciding between 9,8, or 7 day tickets to go with the water park tickets. We decided on getting a 7 day base ticket with the WP& more....The CM told us that we can use the water park tickets every day over the 9 days even if we go to a water park every day. I'm pretty sure that's not right. I think that we only get the ability to use the water park and more 7 times (now we can use it over the 9 days - that part is correct) but once we use it 7 times, we run out...

If I am not right, please let me know! I want to use it to the max...