Fast pass plus

[donaldtoo]

Who/whomever at Disney that is in charge of all this crap just continue to crack me up.
They couldn't plan their way out of a wet paper sack on their best day lately, yet they expect us "Guests" to go way above and beyond that with our planning.
Nutty buggers.

 

[PhilharMagician]

Most definitely NOT!

Well, maybe not spirited change but there certainly is a lot of change. Some good, but wow there looks to be a lot of bad gathering up a head of steam.

 

[polynesiangirl]

I'm withholding full judgement on all of this since I feel like I have absolutely no idea what this new system will truly entail. That said, I'm with most of you on the essentially mandatory pre-planning stuff if that is really what we're dealing with.

We don't book our vacations until a very short amount of time before leave, usually. I have a full time job and a toddler and a husband and a life, I don't have endless amounts of time to agonize over every single detail of my vacations once I do book them. It drives me crazy enough as it is that I haven't been able to eat at certain restaurants in years since they introduced the DDP.

 

[awoogala]

Tight schedule? You are going to be able to reserve 3 or maybe 4 things. And when you have a Fast Pass, depending on the attraction/show, how long does it really take to do those 3 or 4 things.

I just hope that all the folk that have been doing nothing but complain about Fast Pass+ will show themselves again in another 24 months or so after the initial bumps are dealt with.

I agree. I actually like the sound of it (minus the possible paying for it) I usually run back and forth across the park trying to get fastpasses. This would be more relaxing for me. Book the big rides, or the parades/fireworks that are super important, then relax. I won't have to worry about rushing to the parks earlier than I wanted, or not being able to get a fp that mattered, but I could have 3 or 4 important things planned. Sorry, everyone who hates it, but so far, I like it.

 

[RSoxNo1]

Is there anyone here obsessive enough about planning to think this is a good idea (no, I haven't read the thread ... just skimmed)?

A billion and a half dollars and climbing that's going to be a PR disaster and an operational one too ... amazing.

Dear Disney, if you want to help people plan their vacation, tell them to get a $9.95 subscription to TouringPlans.com. I'm sure @lentesta would appreciate it. Besides, they're already doing a better job at in park apps than you are.

 

[RSoxNo1]

Is this real life? Who would want to order at a restaurant before even arriving? Hearing the waiter's personal recommendations is one of the best advantages of fine dining. I couldn't imagine just arriving at Le Cellier and having my steak handed to me the moment I sit down... what a terrible dining experience that would be.

Yeah, this is actually an intriguing option for quick service. These are the types of things that apps should do. In the park, day of you should be able to get a Fastpass for Space Mountain from Adventureland for 3 hours from now, and order a burger at Pecos Bill for 30 minutes from now. These types of things will be huge improvements over the current system and will actually benefit people.

 

[jklakeview]

It's going to stink when all of the fastpass + tickets are distributed and you have to wait on lines that you've never had to wait on before. Just like you can't get certain restaurants if you don't decide and book early, now you won't be able to get certain rides. In turn people will start using their fastpass + options on unnecessary things like tiki room and spaceship earth therefore creating even longer lines on things that we used to walk right onto.

 

[awilliams4]

What that should say is : If you have to have dining reservations at 60+ days out ...

I don't know what I'll be having for dinner tonight. And Disney is creating a system where you have no choice, you either join or your whole experience will much crappier than ever before and feature lines everywhere and anywhere.

Lets say they just get rid of advanced dining reservations. Considering the crowds, how content to you believe Disney's customers will be waiting in huge lines everyday to make same day reservations or just have everyone do walkups. Do you really believe that is a better idea?

 

[awilliams4]

It's going to stink when all of the fastpass + tickets are distributed and you have to wait on lines that you've never had to wait on before. Just like you can't get certain restaurants if you don't decide and book early, now you won't be able to get certain rides. In turn people will start using their fastpass + options on unnecessary things like tiki room and spaceship earth therefore creating even longer lines on things that we used to walk right onto.

Which ride do you anticipate could fall into this example?

Sorry, I see you provided an example. Are you suggested that Spaceship Earth will have 20, 30, 45 minute waits at times where it would have been a walk on in the past due to fast pass +? If so, I will have to just disagree with you. It won't happen.

 

[rioriz]

I am one of those that Fastpass+ neither excites or infuriates me... I love the fact that I can guarantee I will get to ride TSMM at least once on my trip w/o a 40 min or more wait. I have been to the World more times than I can count and it is no inconvenience for me at all to plan a few hours in MK knowing I have 3 ride reservations within that time.

It is somewhat surprising to me that this seems to be bothering the frequent visitors more. As one, there are only a handfull of rides I HAVE to do when I go and the rest I enjoy if I get to them. If I don't get on them, oh well, I have been on them before and will hit em next time.

 

[pumpkin7]

I think there are a lot of issues that Disney hasn't thought about with this one. Not many people want to plan their holiday to this kind of precision, and as another user stated, you don't want to have to lug your phone, ipad, laptop, whatever around the park, you want to get away from planning and stress and just have fun.
If it's a paid for feature, great, leave it for the people who want to have it. I just hope it's not going to be forced upon everyone because I think a lot of people will find this just too much.

 

[awilliams4]

I just hope it's not going to be forced upon everyone because I think a lot of people will find this just too much.

I cannot envision a scenario where mandatory participation will be a requirement to enter the parks and/or attractions.

 

[timeman]

I was at the magic kingdom yesterday and they have the Fast Pass + on the Haunted Mansion. What is usually a 10 minute or less wait time for standby was double. The problem is now instead of having the choice to skip the cemetary section of the queue you are forced to go thru it, which really slows the line up because of people fooling with the items or taking pictures. There is no reason for Fast Pass on the Omnimovers as it makes the wait times for those longer.

 

[pumpkin7]

I cannot envision a scenario where mandatory participation will be a requirement to enter the parks and/or attractions.

Oh no I didn't mean forced upon everyone in that capacity. I meant that FP+ would be the only FP option. Apart from the loss of tickets, I don't see anything wrong with the FP we have now, but obviously there must be SOMETHING wrong with it to change it so much.

 

[jklakeview]

Which ride do you anticipate could fall into this example?

Sorry, I see you provided an example. Are you suggested that Spaceship Earth will have 20, 30, 45 minute waits at times where it would have been a walk on in the past due to fast pass +? If so, I will have to just disagree with you. It won't happen.

I'm not so sure why it's hard to think that this could occur. Let's play out this example. You book your trip 3 months out instead of 180 days out like others. The people that booked before you and planned on going to EPCOT booked Soarin and Test Track up by using their fastpass plus options because they know that there are no longer fastpasses in the park like there used to be. You see those are no longer available so you decide to use your fastpass + option on other rides. You book mission space and the sum of all thrills. Now that those are all gone the people after you begin to take up spaceship earth and the seas with nemo and friends. These used to have no line division so now realistically there will be 2 lines. One of the lines (fastpass plus) which never used to exist now gets priority. I can not see how this will not increase the wait time. There is a reason why practically EVERYTHING is getting a fastpass plus. That is so there are options when the bigger attractions run out. So yes, there will be longer lines on attractions that did not have lines. Maybe not 45 minutes but maybe more like 20 minute lines. Did you ever notice that when you first walk into epcot in the morning Spaceship Earth has a 20 minute line. Same thing occurs there. They see a lesser ride (even thoguh I love it) and go to it because it's the first thing available.

 

[awilliams4]

I was at the magic kingdom yesterday and they have the Fast Pass + on the Haunted Mansion. What is usually a 10 minute or less wait time for standby was double. The problem is now instead of having the choice to skip the cemetary section of the queue you are forced to go thru it, which really slows the line up because of people fooling with the items or taking pictures. There is no reason for Fast Pass on the Omnimovers as it makes the wait times for those longer.

Actually I believe the cemetary section was built for FastPass+ so that option was temporary anyway. And if FastPass+ wasn't coming at all, it probably wouldn't have been created so complaining about having to wait in the cemetary section instead of skipping it because of FastPass+ isn't valid.

 

[awilliams4]

I'm not so sure why it's hard to think that this could occur. Let's play out this example. You book your trip 3 months out instead of 180 days out like others. The people that booked before you and planned on going to EPCOT booked Soarin and Test Track up by using their fastpass plus options because they know that there are no longer fastpasses in the park like there used to be. You see those are no longer available so you decide to use your fastpass + option on other rides. You book mission space and the sum of all thrills. Now that those are all gone the people after you begin to take up spaceship earth and the seas with nemo and friends. These used to have no line division so now realistically there will be 2 lines. One of the lines (fastpass plus) which never used to exist now gets priority. I can not see how this will not increase the wait time. There is a reason why practically EVERYTHING is getting a fastpass plus. That is so there are options when the bigger attractions run out. So yes, there will be longer lines on attractions that did not have lines. Maybe not 45 minutes but maybe more like 20 minute lines. Did you ever notice that when you first walk into epcot in the morning Spaceship Earth has a 20 minute line. Same thing occurs there. They see a lesser ride (even thoguh I love it) and go to it because it's the first thing available.

Fair enough. Say SpaceEarth does get a 20 minute wait. What I get in return is I do not have to be to at Rope Drop with a bunch of nasty smelly folk to get FPs for Test Track or Soarin and I get to sleep in on vacation. I will now have a FP for Soarin at the time I want so that I don't have to wait in line for 60+ minutes and in return I wait in line for SpaceShip Earth for 20 minutes.

 

[djlaosc]

Actually I believe the cemetary section was built for FastPass+ so that option was temporary anyway. And if FastPass+ wasn't coming at all, it probably wouldn't have been created so complaining about having to wait in the cemetary section instead of skipping it because of FastPass+ isn't valid.

So is it valid to blame Fastpass+ for the introduction of the interactive queue?

 

[awilliams4]

So is it valid to blame Fastpass+ for the introduction of the interactive queue?

Ha. I guess but I would then question why those that have a problem with everything Disney does hangs out at these forums to complain all the time about it. Why not just find something you like and ditch Disney if it is that terrible.

 

[BigThunderMatt]

Why not just find something you like and ditch Disney if it is that terrible.

Says the individual with a 'Fix Me!' Yeti avatar, admitting to the fact that Disney has incredibly laxed their maintenance and show quality standards.