BOG FP+ only?

I consider myself well-versed in Disney planning - do this at 180 days, this at 60, what have you - but between booking my fastpass+ reservations a month ago and now, BOG has gone from standby with email invitations to a well-known secret website so you don't have to wait for the email, to potentially FP+ only for my trip where it counts as one of my 3, even though I have already booked my 3 each day. So I'm 3 days away from the magical 27th day out, we'll see if I'm still allowed to book through the "secret" website, or if I'm just going to be one of many people having to rush around to re-book fastpass+ selections made a month ago to accommodate another last minute change by Disney. They already changed their operating hours (based upon which I had added another day to my vacation, to have my last day at MK when it was open until Midnight with EMH, now, 9pm). I know they warn you they can do those things, but keeping up with the changes is EXHAUSTING!

I don't even want to think about the people who have no idea what they're doing, or getting themselves into...
 

Schlags

New Member
We went in May ( 3 different families). Only 1 family got the email for BOG fast pass. I feel if Disney does make it FP+ only permanently it needs to be a FP selection like the rides. Or make it reservations like dinner for lunch.

We just came back and we had two different reservations and the same thing happened. We called and spoke to Disney representatives and they could not do nothing for us because it is a computer generated invitation. I told them this is something Disney needs to work out, it is quite embarrassing for them. We could link our reservations together on My Disney Experience but not this. Here is the kicker when we checked out and we received our statements via email they charged my brothers room to my charge card. They sure did not have a problem linking our reservations when it came to payments.
 

Chippy

Member
It seems that even if you are staying on property and receive an email invitation you can still be shut out. I received my invitation yesterday and thought I had hit the jackpot - until I tried to actually make a FP reservation and no times were available - at all. Only the first six days of our stay were listed to start with. Of course ADR's and FP+ were made some time ago so I'd have had issues with my schedule had BOG lunch times been available for the middle of an Epcot day but I tried for every day with not one open time... Why bother sending me the offer!!!! Talk about frustrating! So much worse than not even getting the offer, imho.
 

ford91exploder

Resident Curmudgeon
All I can say is for BoG being FP+ only is #FAIL

Looks like the time to sell DVC and consign WDW visits to the 'ash heap of history' is coming sooner than expected.

Will this make any difference to TWDC - no absolutely not, Used to be WDW was a place you could 'check out' from reality for a week or so. This is rapidly becoming no longer the case.
 

tink33

Active Member
Original Poster
When we went in May, I happen to get a 4pm reservation on Mothers Day by luck. It was a few weeks before our trip. Basically, I wanted to see the inside of the castle & didn't want to wait on line for lunch. I wouldn't waste one of my 3 FP+ for it. I think if you want to wait in line you should be able to. If you want to book a FP you should be able to. But I think it everyone should be able to eat there, not just resort guests. Let's see what happens after 10/31.
 

dadddio

Well-Known Member
So FP+ for lunch, and ADR for dinner??

That's not a bit confusing for first-time or casual visitors...
If anything, it's probably less confusing since now you need some form of prereservation to eat at BoG. The old way was probably more confusing since lunch prereservations weren't required.
 

dadddio

Well-Known Member
Seems when booking a trip to WDW you should receive a 300pages manual to know what you can do, when and how.

This is a reason why I haven't visited it yet, it just seems so complicated.
It's always been that way. Note the popularity of the Unofficial Guide, Passporters, touringplans, undercover tourist, et al.
 

wendysue

Well-Known Member
While understanding your frustrations, not renewing your AP isn't going to make or break Disney.

As a global destination, and ever increasing global populations, Disney is not short on attendance.

There will be 5/10/100 more AP's to compensate losing your 1.

Big Picture, is what business is all about. It is simply not possible to please everyone, and they only need to please the majority - being what creates profits.

I've never eaten at BOG, anytime of day. Will be on a FP+ soon, but i'm not missing out on the rest WDW has to offer fretting over one thing.

I agree that it IS big business, but if enough people decide that this in not the road they wish to travel any longer it eventually WILL make a difference. Three families just in my tiny town have changed their travel plans based on not wanting to schedule every minute of their vacation. It will matter....
 

Sped2424

Well-Known Member
Magic Kingdom is in dire need of at least two more sit down restaurants to help alleviate the table service problem it currently has.

My problem with Disney's view of east side AP holders continues to grow...

Did anyone see the DL APs enjoying a free rice crispy treat at the Halloween party and a free screening of sleeping beauty with the free gift of a CD? :eek:
As a passholder I get free cups of water.....at least that's what I tell myself.
 

tink33

Active Member
Original Poster
We just came back and we had two different reservations and the same thing happened. We called and spoke to Disney representatives and they could not do nothing for us because it is a computer generated invitation. I told them this is something Disney needs to work out, it is quite embarrassing for them. We could link our reservations together on My Disney Experience but not this. Here is the kicker when we checked out and we received our statements via email they charged my brothers room to my charge card. They sure did not have a problem linking our reservations when it came to payments.

My MIL called to see if she could make a lunch reservation for all 9 of us, not just the 2 people in the "room" that got the email invite. No dice. Like you, we could link all of us on MDE. I tried to get a BOG lunch reservation using the BOG website w/ my magic band #. That didn't work either. I think having places be CS & TS is too confusing. But that's just my opinion. :)
 

CDavid

Well-Known Member
It's always been that way. Note the popularity of the Unofficial Guide, Passporters, touringplans, undercover tourist, et al.

No, it hasn't always been this way. Guidebooks have long been popular to help unfamiliar guests make the most of their vacation, but it was certainly possible to manage just fine without any advance knowledge (indeed, guidebooks have not always been so prolific). People have long enjoyed their time at WDW after arriving with no plans other than a hotel reservation (and, sometimes, not even that). The level of complexity in planning and experiencing a Walt Disney World vacation has greatly increased in recent years.

You haven't always needed to make dining reservations in advance, only recently have needed to reserve attraction times (or else be at a distinct disadvantage), and now we find reservation policies and requirements unique to specific attractions or restaurants (Be Our Guest, Midway Mania, etc.). Even die-hard Disney fans can hardly keep all that straight (note conflicting information in this thread) and more importantly, we shouldn't have to. It is strange indeed that Disney would implement procedures which make a Walt Disney World vacation so complicated and difficult for the average guest.

If anything, it's probably less confusing since now you need some form of prereservation to eat at BoG. The old way was probably more confusing since lunch prereservations weren't required.

No other restaurant in all of Walt Disney World has a reservation/booking procedure as complex or confusing as Be Our Guest. The very idea of needing an advance reservation for counter-service dining is odd enough, but while guests are generally familiar with making an Advance Dining Reservation (ADR) for table-service restaurants, BOG instead requires a FP+ for lunch. Any type of FastPass is associated with attractions, but even then it remains possible (with recent, rare exception) to wait standby if you don't have a FP+ for any reason (such as not knowing you need one). With Be Our Guest, after November 1, that will no longer be possible. You can't really call something so unnecessarily complex "less confusing".
 
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Marc Gil

Well-Known Member
I am seriously considering not renewing my annual pass for Disney this year. What are they going to take away next? I much more enjoy the food at lunch at BOG than dinner. But apparently, I don't matter enough to Disney to enjoy lunch anymore, since they are only taking Fast Pass + and that is only available to resort guests. I get it, it's not the end of the world. But this is just crazy. Instead of cramming Fast Pass + down everyones throats, why don't they fix the real problem - capacity? They just need more restaurants that are good, then BOG won't be so jammed. And, DHS needs WAY more rides, that is the reason that Toy Story is so jammed all the time. Ugh. I am feeling SO over Disney today.
"Passhole" Probs
 

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