My Un-magical FP+ Experience...

[tim123]

So you think that the government would bail out Disney, do you? How much koolaid are you drinking on a daily basis?

They bailed out Crysler and GM and a bunch of banks around the globe. Disney is financed by BOA.
. Time will tell and in 2008 nobody thought what happened would happen against all public opposition. Don't get where your distaste of my expressions come from but I bid you no similar..'koolaid drinking" comments.
Please please watch my film so we can be friends.Politics and differences aside..I made it for you mini Mom

WDW
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uCDjdbRcEHU

 

[LoraJ]

How did you cancel 2 fp? I cant figure it out. I have 2 i wont use..

On the website there is a "cancel FP+" button. I did it there, you can select the one you want to cancel. It seems like on the app you can only cancel the whole group. But maybe hold onto it if a better ride shows up? I don't know how it really works.

 

[disneyfav4ever]

Are those anything like the people who descend on the "I love the new system" posts to explain why they are obviously mistaken?

Both sides do it.

 

[JZCubed]

After 43 years experience, a person should have some knowledge that allows them to mitigate the need to run from side-to-side in the Parks. But I wonder, how did this person mitigate running from side-to-side in the Parks with the old FP- system?

Longer lines are a function of people having more time to spend on rides. If a family is not wasting time gathering FP- hard tickets, they have more time to spend on rides. For most people, I am betting that they are spending more time on rides, not less, as a result of FP+.

Under the old FP- system, some people who came to Disney were completely shutout from obtaining FP- for many rides if they happened to arrive, let's say, after noon. These folks win from FP+.

I'll bet that the OP had no problem yanking more than one FP- at the expense of someone else not being able to ride an attraction later the same day. FP+, whether you like it or not, gets more diversity of guests onto a ride in a given day at the expense of people who had no problem obtaining more than their fair share because they happened to arrive early to the Park(s).

I get that some people do not like the FP+ system, but for a slew of people, FP+ makes vacation a vacation. No longer do you have to arrive at 9am for a FP- for some random time later that same day when you'd rather be at the swimming pool. Better yet, some folks use nighttime FP+ at one Park after starting the day in another (Park Hopping). For instance, my family declined FP+ at AK to have a TSM FP+ for our planned night at Fantasmic & Osborn Lights. Is spontaneity gone - YES!. Does my family benefit from FP+ - YES!.

 

[anonymousegirl]

While I am not at the OP's level of disgust for FP+, I have experienced how it has changed my touring style and most likely in the future I will take my Disney dollars to Disneyland rather than WDW.

I have a premier AP for both coasts. I usually go solo. In the past, I have spent more of my vacation time and money at WDW, even though I live in California. I usually just hit all my favorite rides and shows. In the past, on a four day visit, I could ride TSMM approximately 16 times using legacy FP, rope drop and stand by strategies. Now, with FP+ in effect, I am luck to get 6 rides in the same number of days, which sounds like a lot, but is a far cry from what I had in the past.

DLR has more single rider queues, more rides in Fantasyland, is easier to get to and get around in, and has two of the best shows, Aladdin and World of Color (that WDW does not have).

So I have made a decision to reduce my WDW trip from four to one. I will go to Food and Wine/Halloween party next year, but that will be my only visit. I will not repurchase the premier pass, but just the DLR AP.

Disney's deep pockets won't miss my drop-in-the-bucket money, but I am doing this because I feel it will be a more enjoyable way for me to get my Disney fix.

 

[niffer5150]

i have to tentatively agree with the OP. we're still going on our trip but this is FAR less fun than planning previous trips. adore being at disney but all this planning and time crunch issues have sucked the wind out of my sails in a big way. maybe i'm just tired from staring at spreadsheets and hourly planners, or getting up at 4 am to call disney, or hitting refresh over and over every day hoping something opens up.

 

[Flight]

Let's see....

Got FP for 9:20, 10:20 & 11:20. Rides we wanted. Do other stuff in between.

Head back to resort. Enjoy the pool.

Park Hop to another park for the evening. Do whatever. Enjoy it.

Do same thing next day. Enjoy it.

Yup, I must be doing something wrong.

Let me give it a try...

You wake up and downpours with lightning so delay going to the park for several hours missing the first two fast pass rides.

Next day over stay time at park to make up for previous day. No swimming. Kids are exhausted so oversleep the next day.

Beautiful weather and the entire family decides a full day at the pool would be fun. Why not? On vacation and it would be nice. Enjoying time around pool and eating meals by pool thereby missing the advance dining reservation made months ago.

Next day at park someone does not feel well so leave park early. Back at hotel after a nap, feeling better so return to park with no fast passes in hand.

I could continue, but readers of the Disney Forum, does this not describe the experiences of many guests at Walt Disney World?

We always enjoyed our numerous trips to Disney World without fast passes because we could plan on what we would like to do yet roll with the circumstances each day and enjoy the variety of options available at any given moment. This included waiting to go onto the most popular rides.

 

[tim123]

After 43 years experience, a person should have some knowledge that allows them to mitigate the need to run from side-to-side in the Parks. But I wonder, how did this person mitigate running from side-to-side in the Parks with the old FP- system?

Longer lines are a function of people having more time to spend on rides. If a family is not wasting time gathering FP- hard tickets, they have more time to spend on rides. For most people, I am betting that they are spending more time on rides, not less, as a result of FP+.

Under the old FP- system, some people who came to Disney were completely shutout from obtaining FP- for many rides if they happened to arrive, let's say, after noon. These folks win from FP+.

I'll bet that the OP had no problem yanking more than one FP- at the expense of someone else not being able to ride an attraction later the same day. FP+, whether you like it or not, gets more diversity of guests onto a ride in a given day at the expense of people who had no problem obtaining more than their fair share because they happened to arrive early to the Park(s).

I get that some people do not like the FP+ system, but for a slew of people, FP+ makes vacation a vacation. No longer do you have to arrive at 9am for a FP- for some random time later that same day when you'd rather be at the swimming pool. Better yet, some folks use nighttime FP+ at one Park after starting the day in another (Park Hopping). For instance, my family declined FP+ at AK to have a TSM FP+ for our planned night at Fantasmic & Osborn Lights. Is spontaneity gone - YES!. Does my family benefit from FP+ - YES!.

Careful..you will stir up the nest with your opinion and experience and be accused of drinking the kool aid.

 

[DisUniversal]

All those exclamation points and adjectives add up to affection. Sorry. I should go back to college and brush up on my Thesaurus.

Universal is no threat to Disney. They are a postage stamp compared to the swamp.

With a statement like that, perhaps you should take your own advice...

 

[disneyfav4ever]

Let me give it a try...

You wake up and downpours with lightning so delay going to the park for several hours missing the first two fast pass rides.

Next day over stay time at park to make up for previous day. No swimming. Kids are exhausted so oversleep the next day.

Beautiful weather and the entire family decides a full day at the pool would be fun. Why not? On vacation and it would be nice. Enjoying time around pool and eating meals by pool thereby missing the advance dining reservation made months ago.

Next day at park someone does not feel well so leave park early. Back at hotel after a nap, feeling better so return to park with no fast passes in hand.

I could continue, but readers of the Disney Forum, does this not describe the experiences of many guests at Walt Disney World?

We always enjoyed our numerous trips to Disney World without fast passes because we could plan on what we would like to do yet roll with the circumstances each day and enjoy the variety of options available at any given moment. This included waiting to go onto the most popular rides.

Maybe for one day, but I've never had a trip thrown off for days at a time.

 

[tim123]

With a statement like that, perhaps you should take your own advice...

To clarify i was not putting down Universal or their great rides and model over what Disney offers…simply the lack of the land mass and potential to be a realistic threat to WDW. Where is your sense of humor?

 

[DisUniversal]

To clarify i was not putting down Universal or their great rides and model over what Disney offers…simply the lack of the land mass and potential to be a realistic threat to WDW. Where is your sense of humor?

I find your posts funny...but probably not in a way you would likely appreciate.

 

[EEPETEZ]

t's funny....It's like Disney is requiring their customers to do more preplanning AND to be more flexible when things go wrong when you are actually there.

Yep, this is what gets me. They seem to be surprised when people are upset when the the planning they told us to do gets messed up with something Disney does, like a dreaded "FP+ only test". I have been to Disney 40 times, 10 times with my children. I love to plan, but I really hate having to know the rides my kids will want to do in a one hour timeframe 60 days from now. If it is hard for me, I can't imagine a first timer.

 

[tim123]

I find your posts funny...but probably not in a way you would likely appreciate.

Thats what makes the world go round. And rudeness takes many forms.

 

[saskdw]

I do understand that "newbies" might like the "new/improved"(??) FP+ system..since we know: you dont miss what you never had!!


I just returned from 12 days of the WORST, UNMAGICAL WDW TRIP I'VE EVER HAD!!!
The FAST PASS + SYSTEM.....ABSOLUTELY STINKS !!!!!

For 43 YRS.., "EVERY YEAR", we have been to WDW.,
riding ALL the rides (E ticket/Tier 1) we wanted, starting at Adventure Land and going around finishing at Tomorrow Land, (the suggested route because of the lay of the land..high to low) ALL morning then finishing by early afternoon, then relaxing at the pool in the afternoon...out at night.
CAN'T DO THAT NOW!!!!

I AM ON VACATION and YOU want me to plan 60 days out .....3 attractions & where I will be for 1 hour on a certain day????????

AND ......I CAN'T pick ALL the rides I want??? ...YOU PICK 2 RIDES????? RIDICULOUS !!!!!! AND..... hope they don't conflict with my lunch/dinner ressies.

Disney TELLS me what 2 rides I can do or swap around...then has me running
through the park...from 1 END to another END to arrive at a FP ressie????. OH...change your FP+ while in the parks...NOT for TIER 1 rides!!

I have blown off most 2nd/3rd selections...so...How many
guests, with children, COULD NOT get those times because they were reserved for my party???? Forget about having the kids/family rest in the afternoon.

Why would I now get a "Park Hopper"...I'm spending 3/4 of a day in 1 park???
Went to Fantasmic & the stand-by line was out in the street & when they entered..only the "far left" section was available for seating.
If I choose "Fantasmic" as a FP+......I can't get anything I want ALL DAY (NOW..Tier 1--HA-HA!!) ???

What idiot designed this system???? Have them call me !!!!!
Oh yes..."Balance out the rides"....ABSURD !!!!
Balance this: At the end of the day..The same # of people are on each ride, each day..and if some rides have low attendance maybe a re-hab is in order rather than PUNISHING the guests!!

MY WISH...
I want the team/developer of the "new & improved"(HA-HA) FP+ to:

"Bring his/her family to WDW", use FP+ like the common folk.....then tell me how wonderful it was...dragging kids back & forth through the parks from 1 end to the other....and ...take note of ALL the rides he/she and family DIDN'T GET ON!!!!!!!!

Why would I think that Disney would ask the "Dedicated Disney Veterans" what works...BEFORE this horrendous system was implemented. OK...Keep the new method..but...let people "spontaneously" choose rides like the old paper system!!

AGAIN....HELLO....I AM ON V V A A C C A A T T I I O O N N ????

IT IS "EASIER for me to PLAN & SCHEDULE a CORPORATE CONVENTION" for 300+ people than to SPEND HOURS on a DISNEY SITE PLANNING A "VACATION" WITH THE CURRENT FP+ SYSTEM !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

MY PROJECTION;
The next step is to "PAY" for extra FP's or something similar.

Sorry Walt....The "Magic" is dead !!!!:faint

YOU'RE RIGHT I'M ON VACATION!!!!!

That is why FP+ is AWESOME!!!!

Because when I'M ON VACATION I don't want to get up at 6am to do rope drop. When I get to the park early to mid afternoon I don't want to wait in line for hours for everyride. I don't want to find all the Legacy FP gone or for late in the evening after I've left.

Sorry it doesn't work for you.

It works GREAT for us. We aren't newbies. This is a huge improvement to my WDW vacations over the old system.

There may be a couple hundred people on DIS who don't like FP+, but they will replace those people with THOUSANDS more who like to vacation like we do.

 

[wdwrich]

Obviously, there are folks on both sides of the FP+ fence, and given the tone and sheer number of posts in this thread and on these boards in general, many people are passionate about their opinions regarding it.

Though we are veterans of many WDW visits, we have yet to experience FP+. We will have that opportunity in 2015. I'll reserve judgement until after that trip. Do I anticipate that we will have to alter our traditional touring strategy? Certainly, but I'm willing to give it a try. I do know that I'm very comfortable with the FP- system, and as frequent DLR visitors, I still like it.

I wonder much about first-time WDW visitors though. With so much to get a handle on because of the size and scope of the place, I expect asking those folks to plan meals 6 months ahead of their visit, and (now) plan which attractions to enjoy 60 days ahead can really make the whole planning evolution a very overwhelming experience. I hope it's not taking much of the joy and anticipation away from their vacation.

 

[tim123]

YOU'RE RIGHT I'M ON VACATION!!!!!

That is why FP+ is AWESOME!!!!

Because when I'M ON VACATION I don't want to get up at 6am to do rope drop. When I get to the park early to mid afternoon I don't want to wait in line for hours for everyride. I don't want to find all the Legacy FP gone or for late in the evening after I've left.

Sorry it doesn't work for you.

It works GREAT for us. We aren't newbies. This is a huge improvement to my WDW vacations over the old system.

There may be a couple hundred people on DIS who don't like FP+, but they will replace those people with THOUSANDS more who like to vacation like we do.

Careful with the capitol letters.. You will be accused of being stupid for your thoughts, opinions and expressions

 

[Jennasis]

After 43 years experience, a person should have some knowledge that allows them to mitigate the need to run from side-to-side in the Parks. But I wonder, how did this person mitigate running from side-to-side in the Parks with the old FP- system?

Longer lines are a function of people having more time to spend on rides. If a family is not wasting time gathering FP- hard tickets, they have more time to spend on rides. For most people, I am betting that they are spending more time on rides, not less, as a result of FP+.

Under the old FP- system, some people who came to Disney were completely shutout from obtaining FP- for many rides if they happened to arrive, let's say, after noon. These folks win from FP+.

I'll bet that the OP had no problem yanking more than one FP- at the expense of someone else not being able to ride an attraction later the same day. FP+, whether you like it or not, gets more diversity of guests onto a ride in a given day at the expense of people who had no problem obtaining more than their fair share because they happened to arrive early to the Park(s).

I get that some people do not like the FP+ system, but for a slew of people, FP+ makes vacation a vacation. No longer do you have to arrive at 9am for a FP- for some random time later that same day when you'd rather be at the swimming pool. Better yet, some folks use nighttime FP+ at one Park after starting the day in another (Park Hopping). For instance, my family declined FP+ at AK to have a TSM FP+ for our planned night at Fantasmic & Osborn Lights. Is spontaneity gone - YES!. Does my family benefit from FP+ - YES!.

Yeah! no longer do you have to be at the park at the ungodly hour of 9am!

Now you have to be up at midnight 60 days before you even arrive at the park, when you'd rather be sleeping.

 

[Angel Ariel]

MK is the most visited theme park in the world by far. There will never be another 30,000 acres WDW build in the United Staes again. We love WDW for a reason. Universal and sea World aside..there is no comparison.

I love WDW to be sure, but size has little to do with it. I love DLR even more, and there's nowhere near the amount of land there. Comparing just DL (not the entire resort, just the 1 park) to MK, I'll take DL any day.

 

[tim123]

Yeah! no longer do you have to be at the park at the ungodly hour of 9am!

Now you have to be up at midnight 60 days before you even arrive at the park, when you'd rather be sleeping.

This is true. The early bird catches the worm.