I just don't get it. WHAT is the advantage of FP+ expected to be?

[Spike-in-Berlin]

Since our last visit to the World (Octobre 2012) FP+ was introduced and FP "legacy" was discontinued. So we didn't experience the new system yet but I read about it and I just don't get it. WHAT ist the advantage supposed to be? Before FP+ we could get up do 8 FP per day in several parks and now it's only THREE for ONE park? That is an improvement? Is TDO really that stupid or is it me, because I don't see the advantages of the new system? What is your experience with the new system?

 

[unkadug]

Since our last visit to the World (Octobre 2012) FP+ was introduced and FP "legacy" was discontinued. So we didn't experience the new system yet but I read about it and I just don't get it. WHAT ist the advantage supposed to be? Before FP+ we could get up do 8 FP per day in several parks and now it's only THREE for ONE park? That is an improvement? Is TDO really that stupid or is it me, because I don't see the advantages of the new system? What is your experience with the new system?

It does appear to be a regression doesn't it? They are still in testing phase, but I just read where they are increasing the number of FP+ that you can get and adding park hopping options for FP+.

I'm certainly not condoning the system, but I am waiting for my opinion until they get the kinks works out of it.

 

[Twhitty]

I agree, I don't see much benefit from a customer point of view. But I do like being able to schedule fastpasses prior to arrival. So there is no more mad dash to Toy Story Mania when I park opens to wait 30 for a fastpass later at 4 in the afternoon. Or the person who steps into a fastpass line with a stack of 50 to 75 tickets to get fastpasses for an entire group.

 

[AndyS2992]

You can now get as many fastpasses as you want with FP+. You can reserve 3 before your trip and once you have used your 3 for the day you can now go to a kiosk and get a 4th and when that has been used you can get a 5th etc. Park hopping is/will also be included.

It's all detailed in the thread below.

http://forums.wdwmagic.com/threads/...ents-per-day-and-include-park-hopping.882271/

 

[Rob562]

You can now get as many fastpasses as you want with FP+. You can reserve 3 before your trip and once you have used your 3 for the day you can now go to a kiosk and get a 4th and when that has been used you can get a 5th etc. Park hopping is/will also be included.

It's all detailed in the thread below.

http://forums.wdwmagic.com/threads/...ents-per-day-and-include-park-hopping.882271/

The big caveat to this is that this functionality has not been rolled out yet.

-Rob

 

[horizons82]

Even though as an annual passholder and one who visits the parks frequently for short visits at a time, FP does have advantages for me just as it does for people in certain situations.

However, my overall main opinion of this whole FP system is that it is a recognition by WDW that the parks are getting more and more crowded and waits getting longer and longer. I think those who came up with this whole FP system are hoping that people will be more tolerant of the crowds as long as they can be guaranteed 3 attractions with no wait. The thinking is likely that as long as some people can get assured an attraction or two with no line then they will still walk away happy despite long lines at other attractions.

I think the fact they have made several attractions FP attractions that are pointless to use FPs for is kind of a verification of this, and that they also hope that first-time visitors won't realize that FPs for some things are not really needed, but it is used to spread the crowds out, so to speak.

Just my opinion of course.

 

[AndyS2992]

The big caveat to this is that this functionality has not been rolled out yet.

-Rob

No not yet but it's coming. I'm not visiting WDW until Summer 2015 so it should be all good for me by then lol

 

[RandomPrincess]

To people that got more then 3 FPs a day it may not seem like that big of an advantage, but people have said the average number of FPs most guests were getting per day is 2 or 3 so to the majority of guests it is an advantage. I personally liked know I had a FP already in my pocket - so to speak - for the big ticket rides. If we wanted to sleep in we could I have a 10 - 11 window for TSMM and don't have to fight the crowds at rope drop to make sure my kids can ride it. I found FP+ an advantage at DHS and Epcot since Soarin' and TSMM always have crazy lines. At AK and MK not as big a deal personally.

 

[Weather_Lady]

I see no benefit at all the for typical guest. The only potential benefit is for Disney itself.

In my view, if I were able to make FP+ for a reasonable, non-tiered number of attractions at 60 days out, FP+ would be fine and dandy. However, I get an unreasonably small number, limited to an unreasonably small selection of quality attractions, and several of them "open up" at random times between 60 days and 1 day out, and they are all subject to a system which is unreliable and glitchy, meaning that I have to check back daily. So far I have spent hours arranging my FP+ -- far more time, and with far more effort and stress, than I ever spent jogging ahead to grab paper Fastpasses in a park.

For me, it's a lose-lose so far.

 

[NearTheEars]

It's been great so far for us as local AP. Take tonight for example: Left home at 3:30 p.m. after my DF got off work, got to DHS parked, tram and inside the gate by 5, used FP+ reservations for RNRC, ToT, GMR and fit in ST, One Man's Dream and shopping too. And back home by 10.

But like I said before and also predicted, it's great for us and they way we tour the parks. And when the revolving 4th FP becomes available it will be even better.

But for power users maybe not so much. We only averaged about 2-3 legacy FP before.

 

[disney4life2008]

FP+ success or failure is based upon how a guest utilized legacy FP.

1) If a guest only did 3 legacy FP a day (regardless of hopping) - then FP+ is an amazing system because they can reserve TSMM and Soarin (which are the 2 only attractions where later paper times were given as early as 10am.

2) If a guest (like me) was able to grab multiple legacy FP in the MK then go to EP and score Soarin and TT - then FP+ is garbage. Under legacy on the 4th of July, I was able to ride Space Mountain 10 times; Splash Mountain, BTMR, and nearly everything in the park twice. My worry is that when I return this year on the 4th - (even if they add the ability for additional FP+) there is no way I can do what I did last year. But only time will tell.

 

[ninjaprincesst]

I loved not having to run the TSMM dash as soon as the park opened. I also liked having a choice in the FP return time and not being stuck with whatever time the machine was currently spitting out. I also liked not having to worry about the paper fasptass in my pocket getting soaked by the inevitable Florida rain shower. I have never been one of those 7 or 8 FP a day people though, so I can see why they might be upset, I just never liked the idea of constantly running back and forth across the park to make all those FP times. I prefer arriving early and riding as much as possible before the line insanity starts.

 

[AlternaKat]

People are so used to the old system I don't think they even realize its flaws. They are so used to it and have incorporated it so much into their mindset when going to the parks, that they cannot imagine any other way to experience the parks. Try this exercise:
-- Try to pretend that the system that has always been in place was the current FastPass+ system, and that your touring has always been optimized to use that system.
-- Now try to pretend that Disney is going to implement the old paper-based FastPass system in its place.
Do you really think that people would say "wow, this is SOOO much better!!". No, because they were "used" to the old system. Instead, I think there would be mutiny and probably MORE backlash about the paper system than there is now about FastPass+. Here are some of the comments I would imagine one might hear:
-- What do you mean I have to go to the ride first, grab a piece of paper, and then circle back to that part of the park later? What a waste of time!
-- What do you mean that I can't guarantee I'll get a FastPass for my favorite attractions? You mean if I don't get there early enough, they could be all gone? But I was only planning on spending the afternoon/evening at Hollywood Studios -- so, I won't be able to go on Toy Story Mania! without waiting in a huge line because by the time I get there all the passes will be gone? That sucks!
-- What do you mean I can't pick the time I come back myself -- the system picks it for me?? What about if the window they give me is during a lunch/dinner reservation, or during the time I planned to take a break from the park and go back to the resort for a while?
All I'm trying to point out is that people are so stuck on how they've had to bend their schedules around to accommodate the legacy FastPass system, they don't even realize how limiting and archaic the old system really was. Yes, your touring strategy may have to change, but the old system really felt like it was only good for the small percentage of people who liked to a) be in the park all day from open to close, b) have the stamina to circle the park many times over c) didn't mind Disney taking control over their schedule for the day by forcing set times on them d) didn't have anything scheduled in terms of dining reservations, breaks, etc.

 

[JoeT63]

I love the idea of the new system, and hopefully will love the reality when I'm there next month. But then, I'm one of those who typically used FP only a couple of times per day. It seems to me the only ones who don't think they'll like the new system are the commando's who make up a small percentage of park visitors. Thankfully, last week's tweaks to the system will probably help them too!

 

[BigTxEars]

I am 55 plus days out and I know I will ride TSM, Space Mountain, RnR Coaster, Tower Of Terror, do a M&G with the Frozen ladies, do a M&G with Rapunzel, see Fantasmic and the list goes on. That makes me a more relaxed about my trip. I like it so far, old FP was fine but this is better IMO. I am not a ride commando so that may be why.

With 10s of millions of folks going to WDW whatever system they put in place will have fans and non fans. FP legacy was debated on here all the time, some fans some not, some called out "cheaters" some said it was not cheating....same thing with the reaction to FP+

 

[Dwarful]

I'm with Weather Lady on this one....at least so far. We will experience it first hand in June. I have changed FP+s, ADRs, and become a slave to my laptop and cell phone checking ride availability for each day. We are always at the parks before rope drop especially on EMH mornings. We would always have one person grab the FP's and ride that ride immediately. For example if we were at HS and headed to TSMM we knew everyone wanted to do it multiple times. One person grabbed FPs and we then all meet and get in line. We could easily do 6 to 8 FPs daily...esp. in MK. I appreciate the 4th rotating pass. However, I think that will be primarily beneficial at MK for rides that didn't use to have FP's but now might have longer wait times. (PoTC, HM- I know had FPs once, ) just a guess.

 

[Andrew C]

People are so used to the old system I don't think they even realize its flaws. They are so used to it and have incorporated it so much into their mindset when going to the parks, that they cannot imagine any other way to experience the parks. Try this exercise:
-- Try to pretend that the system that has always been in place was the current FastPass+ system, and that your touring has always been optimized to use that system.
-- Now try to pretend that Disney is going to implement the old paper-based FastPass system in its place.
Do you really think that people would say "wow, this is SOOO much better!!". No, because they were "used" to the old system. Instead, I think there would be mutiny and probably MORE backlash about the paper system than there is now about FastPass+. Here are some of the comments I would imagine one might hear:
-- What do you mean I have to go to the ride first, grab a piece of paper, and then circle back to that part of the park later? What a waste of time!
-- What do you mean that I can't guarantee I'll get a FastPass for my favorite attractions? You mean if I don't get there early enough, they could be all gone? But I was only planning on spending the afternoon/evening at Hollywood Studios -- so, I won't be able to go on Toy Story Mania! without waiting in a huge line because by the time I get there all the passes will be gone? That sucks!
-- What do you mean I can't pick the time I come back myself -- the system picks it for me?? What about if the window they give me is during a lunch/dinner reservation, or during the time I planned to take a break from the park and go back to the resort for a while?
All I'm trying to point out is that people are so stuck on how they've had to bend their schedules around to accommodate the legacy FastPass system, they don't even realize how limiting and archaic the old system really was. Yes, your touring strategy may have to change, but the old system really felt like it was only good for the small percentage of people who liked to a) be in the park all day from open to close, b) have the stamina to circle the park many times over c) didn't mind Disney taking control over their schedule for the day by forcing set times on them d) didn't have anything scheduled in terms of dining reservations, breaks, etc.

I like this enough to quote just because!

And I was one of those you used legacy fastpass like crazy.

 

[cw1982]

I'm with Weather Lady on this one....at least so far. We will experience it first hand in June. I have changed FP+s, ADRs, and become a slave to my laptop and cell phone checking ride availability for each day. We are always at the parks before rope drop especially on EMH mornings. We would always have one person grab the FP's and ride that ride immediately. For example if we were at HS and headed to TSMM we knew everyone wanted to do it multiple times. One person grabbed FPs and we then all meet and get in line. We could easily do 6 to 8 FPs daily...esp. in MK. I appreciate the 4th rotating pass. However, I think that will be primarily beneficial at MK for rides that didn't use to have FP's but now might have longer wait times. (PoTC, HM- I know had FPs once, ) just a guess.

Are you already seeing rides fill up at this point? You and I are going at about the same time (if I remember correctly), and I haven't seen that yet.

 

[Weather_Lady]

Are you already seeing rides fill up at this point? You and I are going at about the same time (if I remember correctly), and I haven't seen that yet.

I've seen it -- but only for the things you'd expect: the Anna/Elsa M&G, Enchanted Tales w/Belle, and TSMM.

 

[cw1982]

I've seen it -- but only for the things you'd expect: the Anna/Elsa M&G, Enchanted Tales w/Belle, and TSMM.

Gotcha... I'm not worried about those first two, but TSMM... hmm... as of right now, my FP+ for HS is RnR, ToT, and Star Tours. Should I consider changing RnR for TSMM? I was going based on what I thought DH and I would like more, but I've never ridden TSMM.