PHOTOS - A look at the first day of the big Next-Gen FASTPASS+ test

I'm glad Disney took the time to "theme" the RFID readers. When I first saw the blue polls at HM they looked out of place, but these photos show they've been improved.

Neat concept. Im not sure that I would like to be tied down to certain times for certain attractions before we get to the parks (a built itinerary), but I can see where people would find this useful. Ill plan out what day we do what parks and park hopping, but once we get to the park, it is open.

I just prefer a little freedom and not to be scheduled. Ill grab maybe 1 FP a day. I guess Im old school.

Not the biggest fan of the concept of having to structure my day months in advance. Feel like there could be multiple problems that pop up, not of the least of which includes what happens if all the tickets for these rides "sell out" during the week your there? I know there will be regular fast pass available (but less of them), and the regular line (which I suspect might get even longer), but they need to make that abundantly clear online. I could very easily see people that aren't so familiar with Disney World thinking because they can't get tickets online for the day the want or even for the week, thinking they won't be able to ride at all. But I'll wait to pass full judgment until I actually have to use the system. That being said, I hope we see some reviews from people who are participating in it now. Is anyone on this site in DW right now who was asked to participate?

EDIT: Oops. Just saw the other threads on this including that some have been selected.

Its Disney....Theming is part of the "magic"

Glad the RFID posts are themed so nicely. Very curious as to how all of this will play out.

I'm not sure exactly how this system works, but if I HAD to use it I think I would choose times for the rides much later in the day. That way I could spend my day in the parks without having to follow such a rigid schedule, but I could use my scheduled rides to get on all the best rides right before I left the park.

Thank heavens the signs say "Disney Fastpass+ Return."

For a second I thought Universal had invaded the parks and set up these phony FP+ signs just to create chaos for Disney.

I think the only time we might use this system would be to get a fastpass for a different park other than the one we are visiting in the morning. e.g. we want to go to MK in the morning, but would also like to ride TSMM that day. So reserve a FP for 2pm for TSMM, go to MK in the morning, have a nice relaxing lunch, then head over to the studios for a TSMM ride. Would also work well for rides like Soarin or Expedition Everest where the FP may be gone for the day rather early at busier times of the year, or the return time is several hours away, and you weren't planning on staying there that late. This can give people some additional flexibility for park hopping. Not saying it won't cause problems, but I think that as long as the fastpasses being distributed this way are only coming from the fastpass pool available in the first place, the stand-by lines should not see any issues. If these are in addition to the current fastpasses, then that might cause some serious back-ups at certain rides. I guess we'll just have to wait and see what the result is, since none of us know yet how this might affect anything.

I don't know, I already think it's pretty ridiculous that you have to make ADR 6 months in advance, I hope you don't have to get your fastpasses now so far in advance. Hopefully you can only get them the same day you plan on going to the specific rides. What I dont understand is 9 times out of 10 WDW is so much better than Universal, but their idea of express pass is what you imagine an express pass to be. I don't know why Disney hasn't just done it that way. It makes so much more sense then having to make a "ride reservation", IMO

I agree this is a step in the right direction.

I'm curious now if they will only allow the prior day scheduling of the new Fastpass+ attractions, but day guests will not be able to get a regular Fastpass for The Haunted Mansion (or any other "new" Fastpass+ attraction). This could hurt the system that much more with less options available to day guests.

We received Fast Pass+ cards for our trip next week. By the time I got to making my ride reservations, fastpasses for the experiences I really wanted to reserve (parades, fireworks, character greetings) were "sold out" for the entire week. So, fast forward another year and we'll all be getting up at the crack of dawn 6 months before our trip in order to reserve times for the most popular attractions... exactly the way we do now for dining. Oh boy!

This, to me, is the biggest advantage of this system. Being able to fastpass a ride for the afternoon when you are park hopping would be super convienent and awesome

I'm not sure that it will work out that way though. From the looks of it, it will be like dining. All the best rides will be gone well before "day-of" and all that will be left are the minor rides that don't have lines anyway like Small World or Imagination.

For example, let's say you make your ride reservation for Space Mountain 6 months in advance. The day of, you end up going to Epcot instead. When you go to switch your Space Mountain reservation over to Epcot you get to choose from The Land, Imagination, O Canada and Mexico.

My point was that I can now go to Epcot in the morning, and then hop to MK in the evening and use my Space FP that I reserved (and the 6 month number is something we don't know yet). This would be great if hopping to a park like Epcot in the afternoon or evening so that I already know I have a Soarin' FP lined up.

Yes, very true - good point.

I'm sorry to hear that it's not working for you, but I encourage you to use any opportunity you have to voice this complaint. The biggest concern amongst fans is that the scheduling is a bit much, and that message needs to get out to Disney.

This just another excuse for people to be lazy it started by getting an Ecv to get to the front of the line and prove your to lazy to wait in line and now you can pre plan your vacation from your laptop before you arrive. Why don't you lazy people just save a lot of coin and sit on your couch and YouTube the rides that way you have no wait at all. I cant believe this new system will do anything but create more aggravation.

And this is EXACTLY why I hate this whole thing.

Why? U don't have to use it just cause its offered? Doesn't mean u can't ride the ride ever on your trip? Disney is not forcing anyone to get up early? Not trying to be rude but just trying understand