News Disney Park Pass System announced for Walt Disney World theme park reservations

[Vegas Disney Fan]

Even with the system it’s still crowded.

I think this is what bothers me the most with the new system, they’ve made all these unpopular changes to “limit crowds” but I haven’t noticed any difference. It’s just as packed as before, maybe even worse.

If they are going to make all these difficult new policies to limit crowds the results should at least be noticeable.

 

[MickeyLuv'r]

Exactly.

For our upcoming trip over Christmas, I’ve deliberately “over booked” MK. On at least 1 and probably 2 of those days we’ll switch to either Epcot or AK. Neither are likely to sell out.

Exactly which days those turn out to be might be decided ahead of time (depending on dining, for example), or maybe we’ll decide just the night before. But meanwhile I’m blocking others from being able to book what they want.

But that’s what the park reservation system encourages me to do.

The only thing is, MK is usually the park with the most PM hours, unless you are going prior to Dec 22.

I can understand booking MK more now, but when we were actually at WDW, on days we bought G+ at least, hopping TO MK at 2pm or later worked well to get the most out of G+. It depends a little how you tour, and how late you stay out, and which attractions you want.

It was especially helpful on rainy night to hop TO MK. On our HS, by mid-day, there was nothing left to G+ as HS. We did MMRR during EE, then TSM standby (15min). We got a G+ Slinky, skipped MFSR (been on it before, for us, meh.). We did G+ for ToT. On our most recent visit, I think SR was down for RNRC one of the days, so we used G+. We were also able to get a now-time pass for Aliens one of the times we were walking right past it. Maybe can't do that Christmas week though. After that, we didn't need G+ for attractions like Muppets.

So we were pretty much done booking G+ by mid-day, even though we stayed a few hours past that. that's when we started booking MK G+.

We did well with the :17 and :47 after the hour drops. I was able to get BTMRR, Space, and Splash all overlapping at 6pm to (window end) 7:15pm time window....but....it started to rain just as we were getting to Space Mtn. So when we got out of Space, rain was coming in buckets, and YOWZA! There was some fierce lightning. Our other passes all converted to any time passes, but much of the park was down due to weather for most of the night. Very late, we were able to get on Splash, but BTMRR never reopened.

What we were able to do though was to hop from one G+ to another. More or less. After Space, we got a G+ for Buzz. when we finished Buzz the weather was scary, so we only went as far as CoP. But after CoP, we got G+ one right after the next for most of Fantasyland. At the time we went on it, LM was 45min wait, but we walked right on it. I think few people in MK had G+. At the end of the night, we still had one anytime pass left over! I was hoping to use it on BTMRR.

This is the key: with G+ you can only do each attraction once. Come 11am in HS, our G+ options were down to almost no options, but over in MK every G+ attraction was a possibility. The other lesson was the very big impact storms have on G+. Much of MK was down. If had been in MK all day, we would not have had as many G+ options to choose.

 

[Basil of Baker Street]

There is a reason more and more people are looking to universal.

As a UOAP holder, I can say most folks are going to be sorely disappointed when they are trying to find something else to do past day 3 or 4 of their week long vacation.

 

[Touchdown]

As a UOAP holder, I can say most folks are going to be sorely disappointed when they are trying to find something else to do past day 3 or 4 of their week long vacation.

Not once Epic is open, nor if they like water parks. I can do 6 days without issue, although I do sometimes do a Sea World day (during Christmas or Electric Ocean.)

 

[nickys]

The only thing is, MK is usually the park with the most PM hours, unless you are going prior to Dec 22.

I can understand booking MK more now, but when we were actually at WDW, on days we bought G+ at least, hopping TO MK at 2pm or later worked well to get the most out of G+. It depends a little how you tour, and how late you stay out, and which attractions you want.

It was especially helpful on rainy night to hop TO MK. On our HS, by mid-day, there was nothing left to G+ as HS. We did MMRR during EE, then TSM standby (15min). We got a G+ Slinky, skipped MFSR (been on it before, for us, meh.). We did G+ for ToT. On our most recent visit, I think SR was down for RNRC one of the days, so we used G+. We were also able to get a now-time pass for Aliens one of the times we were walking right past it. Maybe can't do that Christmas week though. After that, we didn't need G+ for attractions like Muppets.

So we were pretty much done booking G+ by mid-day, even though we stayed a few hours past that. that's when we started booking MK G+.

We did well with the :17 and :47 after the hour drops. I was able to get BTMRR, Space, and Splash all overlapping at 6pm to (window end) 7:15pm time window....but....it started to rain just as we were getting to Space Mtn. So when we got out of Space, rain was coming in buckets, and YOWZA! There was some fierce lightning. Our other passes all converted to any time passes, but much of the park was down due to weather for most of the night. Very late, we were able to get on Splash, but BTMRR never reopened.

What we were able to do though was to hop from one G+ to another. More or less. After Space, we got a G+ for Buzz. when we finished Buzz the weather was scary, so we only went as far as CoP. But after CoP, we got G+ one right after the next for most of Fantasyland. At the time we went on it, LM was 45min wait, but we walked right on it. I think few people in MK had G+. At the end of the night, we still had one anytime pass left over! I was hoping to use it on BTMRR.

This is the key: with G+ you can only do each attraction once. Come 11am in HS, our G+ options were down to almost no options, but over in MK every G+ attraction was a possibility. The other lesson was the very big impact storms have on G+. Much of MK was down. If had been in MK all day, we would not have had as many G+ options to choose.

I agree. But I don’t want to be locked out of going to MK. And I don’t know what days we want to be there.

I actually have Christmas Day booked for there at the moment. It’s unlikely we’ll actually go but I want the option to say “you know what, let’s just go and soak up the atmosphere”. If by some miracle I can get an ADR for lunch in MK, we can hop elsewhere after lunch if we want.

Our second week is at Bay Lake. We can hop to MK every evening if we want, as long as there is room. But equally if we want to start the day there and then hop elsewhere, we can do that on several days.

It’s a juggling act. And already Christmas Day is booked out for MK. So I won’t change that reservation until we’re 100% sure. That might not be until Christmas Eve, or even Christmas morning.

I’ll refine plans nearer the time. For now we’re Mk and DHS heavy.

 

[Rteetz]

As a UOAP holder, I can say most folks are going to be sorely disappointed when they are trying to find something else to do past day 3 or 4 of their week long vacation.

I am not saying Universal is a week long trip but its certainly getting more notice. I am also a UOAP. If you would've asked me if I would even go to Universal 3-4 years ago I would've said you were crazy. Now I go typically at least once when I am in Orlando. More and more people are at least adding on Universal to their vacations. While I don't like the guy, Pete Werner, co-owner of Dis/Dreams Unlimited was quoted in a recent CNN article saying they have had a big uptick in Universal trips. They are a top 3 Disney travel agency too.

 

[UNCgolf]

Disney has adopted a system where they force guests into choosing a particular park and then pay to bypass lines at times given to them by Disney instead of times chosen by the guests. How they can market it as "increasing flexibility" in your day is just beyond me.

"Increasing flexibility" seems to be Disney's go-to to explain decisions even when it's patently nonsense.

They also indicated that eliminating Magical Express was good for guests because it gave them more flexibility to get to/from the airport via other options, as though previously Disney banned anyone from getting in if they weren't on DME.

There are legitimate arguments for the park pass system, even if it's unfriendly to consumers, but increasing flexibility certainly isn't one.

 

[MisterPenguin]

We need @lentesta to show us the numbers!
I would love to see standby wait times for months in 2019 VS. months in 2022.

You can make @lentesta appear by burning a red FLIK card given to you by a CM in a queue that you never turned in to the CM at the loading station.

 

[Disstevefan1]

You can make @lentesta appear by burning a red FLIK card given to you be a CM in a queue that you never turned in to the CM at the loading station.

Ah, the good old days of red FLIK cards

 

[Ayla]

Prior to park reservations, Genie+, ILLs and limited park hopper, I frequently helped family and friends plan their vacations. Now I wouldn't even bother to try to explain this convoluted mess - I just tell them not to go.

Same.

 

[mikejs78]

I think this is what bothers me the most with the new system, they’ve made all these unpopular changes to “limit crowds” but I haven’t noticed any difference. It’s just as packed as before, maybe even worse.

If they are going to make all these difficult new policies to limit crowds the results should at least be noticeable.

See I think the opposite is true. There aren't 45 minute lines for PeopleMover anymore.

 

[UNCgolf]

See I think the opposite is true. There aren't 45 minute lines for PeopleMover anymore.

Did that ever really happen on any kind of regular basis, though?

People talk about how crazy busy it was in 2019, but skimming Touring Plans shows the wait times for the PeopleMover in 2019 were roughly the same if not less than they have been this year, at least in recent months.

On Saturday, October 8 this year, the average PeopleMover wait time was 20 minutes and it spiked as high as just under 40 minutes. On Saturday, October 12, 2019, the average PeopleMover wait time was 20 minutes and it spiked as high as 35 minutes. In general, the wait times were less for the PeopleMover in September/October of 2019 than they have been in September/October of this year, albeit by only 5 minutes or so.

 

[lentesta]

We need @lentesta to show us the numbers!
I would love to see standby wait times for months in 2019 VS. months in 2022.

OK. Asked Fred to compile it. We have 2020 to 2022 already, using actual wait times.

 

[lentesta]

You can make @lentesta appear by burning a red FLIK card given to you by a CM in a queue that you never turned in to the CM at the loading station.

Ahhh, that's what summoned me!

 

[Fido Chuckwagon]

You can go to any Guest Experience Team Tent (the blue tents) they never have super long lines

Nope. I had this experience last time. They will offer you a time-shifted new reservation, but if you want a refund, you have to wait at the huge line at guest services. And even then they won’t actually tell you that you’ll get a refund, they’ll telll you that guest services “might give you a refund, but they definitely can’t.”

 

[wdwfan4ver]

As a UOAP holder, I can say most folks are going to be sorely disappointed when they are trying to find something else to do past day 3 or 4 of their week long vacation.

Not as bad long term. Epic Universe is supposed to open before Summer of 2025. I'm guessing Epic Universe is going to take an additional 1 or 2 days. That being said, remember Epic Universe is going to a lot of Expansion plots not used when the part opens in 2025. Inside the 3rd theme park are 6 expansion plots that take up a combined almost 37 acres of land that will not be used or open when 2025 comes. 2 of those 6 plots take up a combined 27.50 acres.

Depending on how those 37 acres of land are used inside the 3rd park, that would be increasing the amount of time a guest spends in the theme park. I would not be surprised if some of that 37 acres of land will be turned into lands, attractions, or eating places before 2030.

Keep in mind Epic Universe does not automatically mean USF loses attendance. The fact is Universal is working on the replacement for Shrek 4d right now and don't be shocked if another USF attraction closes in 2023 or 2024 or one in IOA. Epic Universe is not going to causes guests to give up a day at MK, but would cause guests to lose a day or 2 at on the other WDW theme parks.

There still is a lot of plots outside of the theme park itself. I know some of it is going to be for hotels, but there also is 2 expansion plots out of the theme park that will be used decades from now for something like a 2nd City. The other plot I am referring to is 110 acres with that land having options like a 2nd water park or 4th theme park. Again those 2 plots I mention are likely decades away from being used.

 

[Casper Gutman]

As a UOAP holder, I can say most folks are going to be sorely disappointed when they are trying to find something else to do past day 3 or 4 of their week long vacation.

As a UOAP holder, I don’t really buy this. Yes, there are only two parks, and you can do them faster because they aren’t disgustingly overcrowded. There’s a water park, of course. If HHN is going on, that’s a day - or two, if you don’t plan to stay out until 2 or want to do some mazes more then once. Many of the hotels at Uni are just as worth a visit as those at Disney. City Walk lost Blue Man, which is a shame, but still has a movie theater, miniature golf, themed escape rooms, karaoke, etc. Really, once a third park opens, WDW and Uni will be quite comparable, and even now more then 3 days is no stretch.

 

[Casper Gutman]

Not as bad long term. Epic Universe is supposed to open before Summer of 2025. I'm guessing Epic Universe is going to take an additional 1 or 2 days. That being said, remember Epic Universe is going to a lot of Expansion plots not used when the part opens in 2025. Inside the 3rd theme park are 6 expansion plots that take up a combined almost 37 acres of land that will not be used or open when 2025 comes. 2 of those 6 plots take up a combined 27.50 acres.

Depending on how those 37 acres of land are used inside the 3rd park, that would be increasing the amount of time a guest spends in the theme park. I would not be surprised if some of that 37 acres of land will be turned into lands, attractions, or eating places before 2030.

Keep in mind Epic Universe does not automatically mean USF loses attendance. The fact is Universal is working on the replacement for Shrek 4d right now and don't be shocked if another USF attraction closes in 2023 or 2024 or one in IOA. Epic Universe is not going to causes guests to give up a day at MK, but would cause guests to lose a day or 2 at on the other WDW theme parks.

There still is a lot of plots outside of the theme park itself. I know some of it is going to be for hotels, but there also is 2 expansion plots out of the theme park that will be used decades from now for something like a 2nd City. The other plot I am referring to is 110 acres with that land having options like a 2nd water park or 4th theme park. Again those 2 plots I mention are likely decades away from being used.

Of course, if Universal buys Warners and gets their huge stock of IPs, a fourth park becomes very enticing for the company - they’ve already tried to build a Warner’s park at least twice.

 

[Tha Realest]

Of course, if Universal buys Warners and gets their huge stock of IPs, a fourth park becomes very enticing for the company - they’ve already tried to build a Warner’s park at least twice.

I wonder if they’ll have a Marvel/Universal situation, what with all the WB/DC brands in Six Flags parks, and/or if Universal would be breaching the agreement with Marvel if they started doing Superhero attractions from DC properties

 

[Weather_Lady]

I think this is what bothers me the most with the new system, they’ve made all these unpopular changes to “limit crowds” but I haven’t noticed any difference. It’s just as packed as before, maybe even worse.

If they are going to make all these difficult new policies to limit crowds the results should at least be noticeable.

That's because "limit crowds" is a lie.

They didn't do it to limit crowds. They did it to control crowds for accurate forecasting, to see that the bare minimum of available staff is scheduled to work on any given day, and ensure that guests never again experience the "windfall" of having higher staffing/attraction capacity than is absolutely necessary to achieve the minimum level of guest satisfaction that WDW deems tolerable.