The Spirited Seventh Heaven ...

K

KYWDW

Active Member
This last trip was honestly the most I've heard parents verbally saying they were unhappy. The only thing I truly liked was paying with the arm band. Sure beats digging out my wallet. It seems the dinning plan may be backfiring as well. As I heard many families telling others not to get it, especially if you have kids. I don't have kids so I don't relate but sounds like wasted money.
 
Tigger1988

Tigger1988

Well-Known Member
Mike S

Mike S

Well-Known Member
StarBurst said:
and thats good so you wont have to linger around show scenes not working:confused:
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Putting all joking aside, the mine scene worked perfectly all three times I rode it. Snow White and Dopey were immobile in the cottage only on the second ride, they worked on the first and third time. Also, I saw the jumping fountains working on Splash Mountain today, the ones that go over your head. It's something I read here was always broken/off and was surprised to see them. Okay, now back to the topic.
 
wogwog

wogwog

Well-Known Member
crispy

crispy

Well-Known Member
Scoutn757 said:
I find it VERY funny that you bring that point up. Having a young family member who plays ball I get to spend a ton of time talking to families, as well as overhearing some conversations. I heard at least four this past season talk about their Hell of a trip to WDW within the last few months. I spoke to even more that were not sold on going back there because of nothing new, word in the area about pre-booking items, and how much it cost now. This is an area that is filled with people that have the disposable income in vast quantities. Those families just see now value. In this type of community word travels fast about who went where did what and how they liked it. It is not playing in Disney's favor in the very least.

One family stood out to me with how much their kids had to be 5-9 years of age did two days at Universal and just kept telling the others to save their money and go to Universal and SeaWorld instead.
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A friend of mine who came back from her trip a couple of months ago called me ranting about MM+. She likes WDW and has visited several times, but she's not fanatical about it. She stayed onsite, but she apparently didn't book her FP+ before she left and was having issues trying to book in the parks when she got there. She said it was a miserable trip for the whole family and they won't be returning any time soon. She attributes most of her park issues directly to MM+.

I know all of these stories are anecdotal, but it does point to the fact that it's not just the "Disney naysayers" who have issues with MM+. I actually didn't have any major issues with it in October (although I don't like the concept on principle), but I feel like I had enough lead time to understand how to use it properly. Imagine the people planning their once-in-a-lifetime trip trying to figure out all the things the hoops they need to jump through just to make their trip go smoothly. I would hate to be in the shoes of someone planning their first WDW vacation right now.
 
SosoDude

SosoDude

Well-Known Member
pheneix said:
Time to jump out in front of a rumor and make a whole new set of enemies...

The Avatar boat ride has not been pushed back and there is no Phase 2. There is what WDI and Cameron's firm agreed upon to build and nothing else. Whatever pressures exist from operations side or Burbank to reduce budgets, they are what they are. But they cannot derail this project. Perhaps this is why such a weak slate of attractions is planned for WDW until 2017?

There is an aerial photo going around that shows the construction site as of yesterday or the day before. The site has been cleared literally to the fullest extent possible with the intent of utilizing every inch of it. That doesn't speak of a project that suddenly experienced cutbacks.

I think maybe a lot of people *want* to hear that this boat ride has been cancelled and that is why this rumor is going around so fast. But is not true. Sorry.
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Here is the Avatar info pheneix posted that the op thanked pheneix for.
 
Mike S

Mike S

Well-Known Member
StarBurst said:
good to hear its working most of the time
your having a good time it sounds like..

what are some of your thoughts on kings cross and all that?
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I had a great time like I always do in Disney. I may be critical but I'm not immune to having fun there ;) After a little snafu of forgetting my Universal pass was expired I finally saw London and it looks fantastic in person, pictures really don't do it any justice. You have to see it yourself to understand the scale of it, and I haven't even seen Diagon Alley yet. The Dragon is incredibly detailed and looks stunning even from all the way over at Transformers (the only place where I had a relatively good view of the whole thing minus one of the wings). I can't wait to be there when it opens :D
 
bhg469

bhg469

Well-Known Member
crispy said:
A friend of mine who came back from her trip a couple of months ago called me ranting about MM+. She likes WDW and has visited several times, but she's not fanatical about it. She stayed onsite, but she apparently didn't book her FP+ before she left and was having issues trying to book in the parks when she got there. She said it was a miserable trip for the whole family and they won't be returning any time soon. She attributes most of her park issues directly to MM+.

I know all of these stories are anecdotal, but it does point to the fact that it's not just the "Disney naysayers" who have issues with MM+. I actually didn't have any major issues with it in October (although I don't like the concept on principle), but I feel like I had enough lead time to understand how to use it properly. Imagine the people planning their once-in-a-lifetime trip trying to figure out all the things the hoops they need to jump through just to make their trip go smoothly. I would hate to be in the shoes of someone planning their first WDW vacation right now.
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Especially since the commmando, winging it, approach is almost dead now. It was my preferred way to visit, and now it's not conducive to an enjoyable trip.
 
RSoxNo1

RSoxNo1

Well-Known Member
tirian said:
My way of dealing with it is to go only during the few off-peak weeks each year.

It isn't impossible to walk away from MM+ but it is unlikely for now. The company keeps throwing money at it, hoping it will work; and the problem simply gets bigger.

For starters, Disney could recognize that the original plan of having everything pre-scheduled is unwanted and too complicated for Guests. Disney could remove FP+ from the attractions that don't need it (POTC, HM, TLM, SSE, Captain EO, etc.) and simply let Guests book FastPasses from their phones on the day they're in the parks. Guaranteed FPs sound great until you're in the park and everyone else has them too; then the lines are long, anyway. People go on vacation to enjoy themselves, not to book every single thing months in advance.
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Again, I've said this countless times before. The solution to the Fastpass+ concerns are below:
  • Reduce advanced bookings from 3 to 1
  • Upon park check in, guests can make an additional Fastpass+ reservation
  • After a Fastpass+ reservation is used or expires, guests can make additional reservations. No guest can have more than 2 at any one time
  • Eliminate tiers
  • Eliminate Fastpass+ where it doesn't belong (Shows, higher capacity attractions on mid to low traffic days)
  • This eliminates the issue with Fastpass+ for nighttime shows
 
AEfx

AEfx

Well-Known Member
PhotoDave219 said:
I like being able to book my ADRs on my phone.

Of course, that's if the system is up.
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See, that's what the limits of things like this should have been. It's always good to aim high, but in this case, they aimed much higher than the normal person, or even most "fans" actually really want.

Doing ADR's by phone is awesome, especially day of. Maybe getting a "digital FP" on your phone for a few hours from now would have been as well, or maybe even have one lined up for the next day already.

But booking attractions three months out? Come on, no one asked for that. I'm sure it was put past the Mommies Mob as "Gee, wouldn't it be splendid if..." and they were all giddy about it - but I think most of us know they also could have been talking about changing the brand of toilet paper the resort uses, for all it really mattered to them.

The one positive of this whole mess is that I think it will finally put the Mommies Mob out of business - Disney only went to them under their false assumptions of market saturation; if we can't get more folks, let's figure out how to milk the most out of the Mommies who keep coming back over and over. I have a hard time believing that this whole mess hasn't rung some bells somewhere up there that it's not 2003 anymore.


bhg469 said:
I guess if you could buy one premier pass per household to get that valet benefit right? Seems like a good idea to split the membership levels to save some money.
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Yup, that works. I love their valet. It's awesome. So much nicer plus you get your own bag check. I believe even though it's not listed you get some discount on it even if you don't have the Premiere, but YMMV. Even if I don't have an AP at the time I usually use it - with what you pay for parking anyway, the extra few bucks is worth it. Feels like less of a rip off even though you pay more, LOL.

mahnamahna101 said:
After the 8th, you should be able to do early entry. No Express passes for any of the Potter attractions, I believe (for sure on Gringotts and HE)
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Yeah, that should be noted - I am doubting they have added it to any Potter stuff. Also keep in mind - the one with the premiere pass is only after 4PM, and only once per attraction. There is a reason it's free "after 4" - because a lot of times you really don't need it after then, anyway. It is a nice benefit, but not worth going full-hog with it. And even when you figure Valet, you really need to make sure you will be using it for more than a few days if you go the premiere route.

If I were going to Universal for a Potter trip, I'd probably still want an express pass so I could do everything else more quickly and spend more time in the Potter lands. If I wasn't absolutely sure I'd use the AP again anyway, I'd have to sit and work the numbers to decide between:

* Their new "express pass included" 2-park tickets (up to 4 days) - $300-350, only caveat - no parking included

* The "trick" of staying one night at a Universal property - you can stay for just one night and get two full days of Express Pass included. It starts when you check in until the end of the day you check out. So even if you room isn't ready, you can check in early on Day 1, use Express Pass all day, spend that night at the hotel, check out the next day, and still have express pass the rest of the day.

To be honest, the second one is the one I'd lean to - when you figure the value of two full days of express pass, plus you get a night in a nice hotel close by, it seems worth it. That's if I wanted Express Pass the whole time - 'cause while the Premiere Pass does have nice inclusions, the after-4PM Express pass, since it doesn't apply to Potter, isn't super-valuable and shouldn't weigh to heavily in the decision.

PhotoDave219 said:
Sing-a-long stage show
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So now they aren't even putting on a full show and making the audience do the work? Ppft! :)

PhotoDave219 said:
I'm erring on the side of caution.
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OK, then I won't tell you the news today that came out that he actually hurt himself on a starship door! Whoops...Yes, I said it, HAN SOLO GOES ON A STARSHIP in the new film! Hahaha, I have ruined you all!

:p

Just teasing! :)

lazyboy97o said:
Valet Parking is located right at the entrance of CityWalk. There are signs as you drive in. It is a great perk of the Premier Pass. I also like the waters.
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Again - love it. If you have to pay for parking, might as well IMO. Of course even better when it's included. From not having to wait in steerage bag check in the morning, to being able to just slip out of the parks and into your car at the end of the day. Universal's standard garage isn't that bad, it's actually quite well done and minimizes most of the issues with parking - but I think it's like $8 or $10 more for valet? If I'm spending the kind of money I am already to be there, it's a luxury that I find easily worth it.
 
lazyboy97o

lazyboy97o

Well-Known Member
RSoxNo1 said:
Again, I've said this countless times before. The solution to the Fastpass+ concerns are below:
  • Reduce advanced bookings from 3 to 1
  • Upon park check in, guests can make an additional Fastpass+ reservation
  • After a Fastpass+ reservation is used or expires, guests can make additional reservations. No guest can have more than 2 at any one time
  • Eliminate tiers
  • Eliminate Fastpass+ where it doesn't belong (Shows, higher capacity attractions on mid to low traffic days)
  • This eliminates the issue with Fastpass+ for nighttime shows
Click to expand...
Now that you say it, it does seem add that there is not seasonal availability of FastPass+. Wasn't this done with FastPass? Then again, I've always thought FastPass+ choices were more about quantity than quality.
 

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