Fastpass+, a solution to "overwhelmingly negative" responses from families

[luv]

Yup, Uni is a million items more relaxing than Disney. And much, much, MUCH less work.

Keeping all the meal and ride appointments...especially when it rains...it's going to cause some disappointment.

 

[Californian Elitist]

I don't care why they came up with this. Just don't bring it out west.

 

[George]

I agree with the vast majority here. I've always been a proponent of ditching FP and ADRs. Tangential related side note: I lied to a group of regular posters on here and peaked at the Disney Parks Mommy Blog thing for the first time (I indicated I probably wouldn't). "Edit: Maybe I wasn't in the right spot. It seems like annointed super peppy tourists were answering questions. Now that I think about it, it wasn't a blog." Many of the questions were from people who were hyper planning vacations (We have ressies at Hoop de Doo for 7 and we'll be swimming from 4-6 and I'm not even sure if you can get from Coronado Springs to Fort Wilderness, and on and on). These people are asking 4 months in advance. So, maybe I'm in the minority. Back in 2000 I planned a European honeymoon using nothing but the internetz and a pre-bought pair of Eurorail passes. Maybe I'm super nutso bananas. Maybe most people want a reserved spot on the second level of the Eiffel tower 7 months out. I hope this doesn't have a trickle down effect on how we all vacation and in the future I'll be barred from seeing Old Faithful since I won't have registered my party on the National Parks app.

BTW, sometimes on an internetz message board we can forget there are people who don't like computers or smart phones either for security reasons or they just don't get it. I can't imagine this new system will be viewed as an upgrade by that group. In fact, they may even find it more stressful and scary than putting a physical ticket in a machine.

 

[BoarderPhreak]

Here's an idea... Somebody doesn't get into park X or attraction Y. So? All the more reason to come back. As I'm sure many of us would attest, one trip your entire life seems... Unfathomable.

Disney should be on board with that idea. It'll make more money for them than trying to streamline the ADHD family experience.

 

[GSP Guy]

"Most terrifying experience?" As a Marine Corps and Army veteran, I can't even shake my head at that level of hyperbole. That is absolutely #$%$% %%^&^%$ !!@#ing STUPID. Unless you lost a family member (accidental type of experience like happened very recently) or got separated from a child at WDW, nothing at that place should ever be characterized as terrifying. If anyone who answered the survey in that manner would like to come with me to Afghanistan next month, I'll be more than happy to let them see a few terrifying experiences. Candy ....

Wish I could like this post 10000 times!

 

[pjammer]

Yup, Uni is a million items more relaxing than Disney. And much, much, MUCH less work.

Keeping all the meal and ride appointments...especially when it rains...it's going to cause some disappointment.

Except you refuse to stay at Universal b/c it's all thrill rides and very little substance and if I want to skip those lines I have to stay on property or pay for it.

 

[ParentsOf4]

Except you refuse to stay at Universal b/c it's all thrill rides and very little substance and if I want to skip those lines I have to stay on property or pay for it.

"all thrill rides and very little substance" - Isn't that a contradiction of terms?

Isn't it WDW that's very few thrill rides and very little substance? After all, a lot of adults have complained in recent years that WDW has been turned into a kiddie park, something Walt Disney promised Disneyland never would be.

"if I want to skip those lines I have to stay on property" - The WDW alternative being better? Namely, pay 50% more to stay in comparable hotels and still stand in line for hours every day. Do you mean to say that that is better?

FP+ is a non-solution to a WDW problem that doesn't even exist at Universal if you stay onsite.

 

[HenryMystic]

I've never had Express Pass at Universal, and I've never had a problem doing everything I want to do.

 

[pjammer]

"all thrill rides and very little substance" - Isn't that a contradiction of terms?

Isn't it WDW that's very few thrill rides and very little substance? After all, a lot of adults have complained in recent years that WDW has been turned into a kiddie park, something Walt Disney promised Disneyland never would be.

"if I want to skip those lines I have to stay on property" - The WDW alternative being better? Namely, pay 50% more to stay in comparable hotels and still stand in line for hours every day. Do you mean to say that that is better?

FP+ is a non-solution to a WDW problem that doesn't even exist at Universal if you stay onsite.

Well as a WDW fan I happen to go to MK and enjoy:
Pirates
Tiki
Bears (yes even the new one)
Mansion
Small World
Philharmagic
Tea Cups
Monsters Inc

Then at Epcot:
Spaceship earth
Ellen's energy adventure
Agent p
Journey to the Imagination
Captain EO
Living with the land
Turtle talk with crush
O Canada
Maelstrom

At studios:
Indiana jones stunt spectacular
Muppets
LMA
Backlot tour
Tower of terror

At animal kingdom:
It's tough to be a bug
Festival of the lion king
Flights of wonder
Nemo musical
Dinosaur

I would rather ride them SB then all the top rides of universal SB. FP+ or not.

*edit I forgot COP and TTA at MK

 

[pjammer]

I've never had Express Pass at Universal, and I've never had a problem doing everything I want to do.

Try doing that when its busy. Unless you mind waiting 40+ min in line

 

[HenryMystic]

Try doing that when its busy. Unless you mind waiting 40+ min in line

That's going to happen regardless when a park is busy..but even a slow day at Epcot would have you suffering in a 40+ minute queue at Soarin with no shot in hell at eating at LeCellier.

 

[pjammer]

That's going to happen regardless when a park is busy..but even a slow day at Epcot would have you suffering in a 40+ minute queue at Soarin with no shot in hell at eating at LeCellier.

Unless you reserve 180 days in advance for LeCellier (which I would never do but if San Angel Inn was that booked and I knew I wanted to then I would) or made rope drop (which I wouldn't because I'd rather sleep I an by the time I got there the FP times would conflict with my San Angelo Inn ressie).

 

[pjammer]

Thanks for proving my point.

Then don't come to Disney.

 

[Tim_4]

You're the only one who said that...

I might have been the one to call it out explicitly but you, @menamechris, and others imply it fairly regularly.

 

[pjammer]

Thanks for proving my point.

Sorry I should say I'd rather FP my favorite ride in each park then wait SB in my four favorite rides at Uni.

 

[PhotoDave219]

Parents said this because they know they will have to split up their family in a park of thousands, having people do other things while Mom gets Fastpasses and Dad goes to wait in line to get something to eat with the kids. This creates a vacation of nothing but stress.....

(snippity!)

While the magic is there for the kids, it's simply not there for the adults. At least, that's according to the "overwhelmingly" negative responses from parents about going to Disney on vacation.

Kind of reinforces the notion that its too damn busy anymore.

 

[PhotoDave219]

Fastpass was their most terrifying experience?

I know there are a lot of different people in the world and that some have been leading exceptionally sheltered lives. But if FP was the most terrifying experience of their life, they aren't just very sheltered, they're very lucky! (Or very dumb.)

No, i think the concept that the parks themselves were terrifying and they had no idea or notion of how to manage the crowds.

Then again, If I'm dropping Thousands of dollars on anything, I'm going to use the googles and do some research first.

 

[PhotoDave219]

I'm totally not onboard with FP-in-advance. That's nuts. It's bad enough with dining reservations. Why?

Dining ressies isn't as bad as it used to be, now that you can book a reservation on your phone, right in front of the cast member that says "We're full."

Of course actually using that application is a damn PITMFA.

 

[PhotoDave219]

"Most terrifying experience?" As a Marine Corps and Army veteran, I can't even shake my head at that level of hyperbole. That is absolutely #$%$% %%^&^%$ !!@#ing STUPID. Unless you lost a family member (accidental type of experience like happened very recently) or got separated from a child at WDW, nothing at that place should ever be characterized as terrifying. If anyone who answered the survey in that manner would like to come with me to Afghanistan next month, I'll be more than happy to let them see a few terrifying experiences. Candy ....

BE safe. And as much as I'd love to photograph combat, I think i'm fine not experiencing that. I was shot at once in my life, I'm fine with it not happening ever again.

Had a discussion yesterday with an editor about their Syria coverage; theyre worried about their people.

 

[Tim_4]

Yup, Uni is a million items more relaxing than Disney. And much, much, MUCH less work.

Keeping all the meal and ride appointments...especially when it rains...it's going to cause some disappointment.

Lol do you realize what you're saying?

"WDW rides and restaurants are too popular so you have to plan in advance to experience them. Universal is far less popular so you can enjoy it at a more leisurely pace."

And that statement is somehow supposed to demonstrate Universal's superiority. They WISH they had this problem. People barging down the doors to experience your stuff is a GOOD thing. Hell people would make reservations at Le Cellier a year+ out if they were allowed. People look at the 180 day window as Disney "making you plan ahead" but it's just the opposite. Without that window you'd be planning your dining literally years in advance because the über planners would do so and you have to beat them if you want a table so you become an uber planner yourself. It's not Disney that MAKES you book things in advance. Disney will give you a walk up table if it's available. It's OTHER GUESTS that plan way in advance and the rush to beat everyone else for finite capacity is what drives the booking windows longer.