FastPass+ Chaos at MK today

[Captain Chaos]

This is another area where FP+ increases flexibility. Under the old system, you were TOLD by the Fastpass kiosk what time your Fastpass would be. That one hour window was set in stone, dining reservations or parade times be damned.

and under the new system, I'm still being told what time to return. If the time I wanted to return was not available under FP+, I'm still stuck with the time Disney is giving me.

This new system is a failure. But keep defending it. I'm sure your bosses will praise you for your defending of their failed program.

 

[Captain Chaos]

Really??? That was not my observations when I was there in last December or last March, or in December 2013. I think you are overstating the number of planner guests. I think that was obvious, just by the number of folks in the lobby of the Poly complaining about all the construction and the fact that they didn't know about it.

I hate having to plan that far in advance, but I know if I don't do it, I won't be eating at Le Cellier. For our last trip, I got up at midnight when our window opened to "lock in" fast passes for 2 people for SDMT and guess what - nothing available our first week, I was lucky to get them for the following week. Sorry, no exaggeration, my actual experience. The system forces 2nd tier passes for rides that don't need passes, so we ended up just letting them expire because we walked in while we were in the area and didn't want to run back across the park to do them during the window. Forget even trying to use the app inside the park - I'll bet the internet in Iraq is faster and more reliable than what I experienced. We did mention all of our experiences in the 4 surveys we were emailed after our stay and of course, never heard any response....

poppycock! CaptainAmerica has stated he knows for a fact it works perfectly for 99% of the guests! it is a success! You failed, not the system!

 

[ford91exploder]

and under the new system, I'm still being told what time to return. If the time I wanted to return was not available under FP+, I'm still stuck with the time Disney is giving me.

This new system is a failure. But keep defending it. I'm sure your bosses will praise you for your defending of their failed program.

Now just imagine STANDBY being the only option for you to ride anything at all...

 

[CaptainAmerica]

This new system is a failure. But keep defending it. I'm sure your bosses will praise you for your defending of their failed program.

Brilliant summary of the intellectual capacity of this forum. I like FP+ therefore I must be an employee of The Walt Disney Company. Way to flex those deductive muscles, buddy.

 

[Captain Chaos]

Now just imagine STANDBY being the only option for you to ride anything at all...

Imagine the horror if the I NEED MY FIX NOW crowd had to, GASP, wait....

 

[pax_65]

I guess u r new to the parks or have you been to them when ADRs didn't exist? There was once a day when you could actually enjoy WDW without micro planning your bathroom breaks. If I wanted to dine in a restaurant in Epcot, I'd approach a kiosk DAY OF, and book with a CM, DAY OF, and never had an issue. Or, I would be able to walk up, and get a seat, sure with a minimal wait. Today, you HAVE TO book 6 months out, cannot walk up, and cannot change plans. Never had an issue. Unlike today.

This is what I was thinking. I can remember back before the dining plans... they had a spot near Spaceship Earth where you could make all your ADRs for your trip in one shot. So on the first or second day of our trip, we'd go there and make some dinner reservations. We never had a problem getting a reservation. In fact, I can remember walking into LeCellier the afternoon and getting a reservation THAT NIGHT. Granted it might have been a little later than we wanted, but that's ok - they still managed to fit us in. Those days are LONG GONE.

Now because I don't want to make ADRs months in advance, I barely eat sit-down meals on property.

 

[Captain Chaos]

Brilliant summary of the intellectual capacity of this forum. I like FP+ therefore I must be an employee of The Walt Disney Company. Way to flex those deductive muscles, buddy.

I notice you have yet to prove you know EXACTLY how most of the typical WDW visitors plan or vacation at WDW. I guess you don't know after all since you totally ignored my request. Of course, if you did have that info, chances are you work for WDW which then makes me correct in assuming you work for them.

So, which is it, do you work for them or are you just so brilliant, you know the way every guest who visits WDW plans their vacations?

 

[Captain Chaos]

This is what I was thinking. I can remember back before the dining plans... they had a spot near Spaceship Earth where you could make all your ADRs for your trip in one shot. So on the first or second day of our trip, we'd go there and make some dinner reservations. We never had a problem getting a reservation. In fact, I can remember walking into LeCellier the afternoon and getting a reservation THAT NIGHT. Granted it might have been a little later than we wanted, but that's ok - they still managed to fit us in. Those days are LONG GONE.

Now because I don't want to make ADRs months in advance, I barely eat sit-down meals on property.

I remember my first trip to WDW. My family and I dined at Alfredo's. We walked up to a kiosk in World Showcase, a CM came up on the screen, and we booked dinner for that very same night. And we had a wonderful time. No stress. No being told no. No being shut out.

Today, good luck. If you don't book LeCellier 180 days out, you can't even entertain the idea of walking up. And forget about changing your ADR. If I book Biergarten, then that day I don't feel like having German food, but Mexican, I'm stuck. Either pay for skipping the ADR, or cancel and still get charged. And then good luck getting an ADR for San Angel same day. Or walking up.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

I notice you have yet to prove you know EXACTLY how most of the typical WDW visitors plan or vacation at WDW. I guess you don't know after all since you totally ignored my request. Of course, if you did have that info, chances are you work for WDW which then makes me correct in assuming you work for them.

So, which is it, do you work for them or are you just so brilliant, you know the way every guest who visits WDW plans their vacations?

1. I know how my family planned when I was a kid and I know how my wife and I plan now that we have one of our own.

2. I've been to the parks hundreds of times, most recently as a three-year Central Florida local with a Premium Annual Pass. You pick up on things.

3. Spend 10 minutes reading The Unofficial Guide or dozens of other books, websites, or threads in this very forum. It's very clear that people plan many months and years in advance, well beyond what MM+ enables (or forces) you to do.

I remember my first trip to WDW. My family and I dined at Alfredo's. We walked up to a kiosk in World Showcase, a CM came up on the screen, and we booked dinner for that very same night. And we had a wonderful time. No stress. No being told no. No being shut out.

Uh huh, and what was attendance then versus now?

Today, good luck. If you don't book LeCellier 180 days out, you can't even entertain the idea of walking up. And forget about changing your ADR. If I book Biergarten, then that day I don't feel like having German food, but Mexican, I'm stuck. Either pay for skipping the ADR, or cancel and still get charged. And then good luck getting an ADR for San Angel same day. Or walking up.

I'm going in April, so roughly 50 days out. There are multiple tables available for a party of four at Le Cellier every night of our trip. Not 180 days out. 50.

 

[Martiyoman]

You realize this is my first post in which I state the issues with FP in this thread right? Keep looking for problems that are not worst ever? When i'm spending thousands to visit WDW, and forced to book FPs for the most popular, and personally favorite rides, and they aren't available, yes it is a problem. If I wanted to FP Splash on a whim, and couldn't cause I changed my mind on the park I wanted to visit, yes that's a problem. If my only choices are rides I have no desire to ride or a princess meet and greet I have no desire to see, then yes that is a problem.

Under the old system, if I changed my mind and went to MK instead of DAK, I would have an equal chance of getting a FP for Splash. Now, I'm being punished cause I didn't follow my plans from two to six months out. Yes, that is a problem.

And welcome to WDWMagic. I'm sure you'll earn your paycheck from the WDC for every word you post.

First off, if there's somewhere I sign up for my wdc checks, let me know, because I could use the income.
Secondly, the problem is comparing your predicament to the old system. That's like wanting to go back to high school because you want to be a football star again. Too bad. Get over it. Ain't happening. What we've got is the current system of fastpasses, which have new rules that we've got to live with. It doesn't matter whether you like it or not, what matters is knowing how to use it effectively. There's not a single person on this board or anywhere else who knew the best way to use legacy fastpass prior to their introduction, but we all learned. Complain all you want, in the mean time I'm going to figure out the best way to use the new system to my benefit, and see you at the finish line.

 

[betty rose]

I posted this in another thread but it's relevant here. The following Fastpasses are available tomorrow (one day in advance) at the Magic Kingdom: all of them.

 

[betty rose]

I posted this in another thread but it's relevant here. The following Fastpasses are available tomorrow (one day in advance) at the Magic Kingdom: all of them.

I'm an early riser and back to the hotel in the evening... I'm getting ready for bedtime.

 

[Captain Chaos]

1. I know how my family planned when I was a kid and I know how my wife and I plan now that we have one of our own.

2. I've been to the parks hundreds of times, most recently as a three-year Central Florida local with a Premium Annual Pass. You pick up on things.

3. Spend 10 minutes reading The Unofficial Guide or dozens of other books, websites, or threads in this very forum. It's very clear that people plan many months and years in advance, well beyond what MM+ enables (or forces) you to do.


Uh huh, and what was attendance then versus now?


I'm going in April, so roughly 50 days out. There are multiple tables available for a party of four at Le Cellier every night of our trip. Not 180 days out. 50.

So you base your facts on how YOU vacation and plan your trips, and assume 40 million other visitors do it the same way. So, basically, you know nothing and stating that most visitors do it this way is a feeble attempt to defend the failed FP+ system. Got it.

I've been to the park many times myself. My experience, most people hate micro planning. So that must mean I'm right. Cause that's been my experience.

I never said people don't plan. I guess you didn't read my first post where I said I used to plan my itinerary out months in advance. Not because I had to, but because I wanted to in anticipation of my trip. But I never micro planned to the minute. I also never had to plan. Today, you have to micro plan every minute. You HAVE TO plan your entire trip. And yes, are being forced to.

Attendance has nothing to do with it. If Disney removed the ADR options, and made it to where you could walk up to the restaurant day of or book at a kiosk day of, things wouldn't be as hectic and crazy as they are now. And planning your trip would be much more fun. And changing your mind and doing things on a whim would be much easier, and allowed. But Disney doesn't like that.

 

[Martiyoman]

If someone was running back and forth all day long, then that person was an idiot.

under the old system, if I walked into the MK at 10, and headed over to Splash, only to find a wait time of 120 minutes, then I had a choice to FP it. I'd see the return times and would make sure the return time worked for me. If so, i'd get a paper fast pass and move on to the next attraction. I wouldn't go Tomorrowland if I knew Splash was the first ride I wanted to go on. I wouldn't be running from Tomorrowland to Frontierland. I'd head right to Frontierland, either wait stand by or grab a FP for Splash, then go over to BTMRR. If that wait was too long, I'd head into Adventureland, or staying in Frontierland, to Country Bear. If my FP return time was 5:00, I'd go enjoy the other parts of the park, slowly making my way around. Then, as the time approached 5:00, I'd make my way back over to Frontierland. No hustle involved. In fact, I may even work my way over to the Toontown, or now Storybook Circus train station and take a slow moving, relaxing, ride on the Walt Disney World Railroad over to Frontierland.

So under the old system you chose not to ride attractions that had wait times of 120 minutes, but under the new system disney is punishing you by making you choose to not ride attractions with 120 minute waits... Got it.

 

[Captain Chaos]

First off, if there's somewhere I sign up for my wdc checks, let me know, because I could use the income.
Secondly, the problem is comparing your predicament to the old system. That's like wanting to go back to high school because you want to be a football star again. Too bad. Get over it. Ain't happening. What we've got is the current system of fastpasses, which have new rules that we've got to live with. It doesn't matter whether you like it or not, what matters is knowing how to use it effectively. There's not a single person on this board or anywhere else who knew the best way to use legacy fastpass prior to their introduction, but we all learned. Complain all you want, in the mean time I'm going to figure out the best way to use the new system to my benefit, and see you at the finish line.

The old system is gone. We know that. It isn't coming back. We have a terrible new system which has been a failure through testing and since going live. And no, we don't have to live with it. We can continue to complain, and many of us have complained to Disney management. The new system isn't better. It is worse.

And no thank you, I wouldn't want to go back to high school. Enough school in my life.

 

[Captain Chaos]

So under the old system you chose not to ride attractions that had wait times of 120 minutes, but under the new system disney is punishing you by making you choose to not ride attractions with 120 minute waits... Got it.

Under the old system, if I didn't want to wait 120 minutes for standby, I was able to walk up and get a FP. Under the new system it is book the FP 60 days out and MAYBE get one, if you get one great no waiting, but if you are shut out, then wait 120 minutes, or not ride.

And again, if I had planned on doing Epcot on September 10 but decided that morning to go to MK instead, I now have to cancel my FP+ times and hope I could get FP+ for the rides I want for MK. If I try to book Splash Mountain, and no FP's are available already (before park even opens cause people booked 30 and 60 days out), then I'm stuck waiting 120 minutes or not ride at all. Under the old system I wouldn't have had that problem.

 

[Martiyoman]

Under the old system, if I didn't want to wait 120 minutes for standby, I was able to walk up and get a FP. Under the new system it is book the FP 60 days out and MAYBE get one, if you get one great no waiting, but if you are shut out, then wait 120 minutes, or not ride.

And again, if I had planned on doing Epcot on September 10 but decided that morning to go to MK instead, I now have to cancel my FP+ times and hope I could get FP+ for the rides I want for MK. If I try to book Splash Mountain, and no FP's are available already (before park even opens cause people booked 30 and 60 days out), then I'm stuck waiting 120 minutes or not ride at all. Under the old system I wouldn't have had that problem.

Yeah, but at 10:00am, your fast pass is not available until 5:00pm, as you stated in your story. So you get to ride splash without a wait, but I can't imagine that if splash has a 120 minute wait that space and big thunder won't be far behind, so big brother, even back then, punished you by only allowing you one fast pass and making you wait 90-120 minutes to ride your favorite rides. These guys just can't win...

 

[freediverdude]

I think all this talk of the parks being packed is a bunch of BS. It SEEMS like it's packed because there's a lot of people in the walkways instead of being in line, because of fastpass+ and people not wanting to wait 60-90 minutes for a ride. This was my experience when I was at MK yesterday. The standby wait times posted were fairly long, but the queues were not as full as one might expect. It just takes a long time to get through that short standby queue because they're taking 1 standby person for every 10 fastpass+ people. All this makes it seem like the parks are bustling, when in fact the attendance is about the same as it has always been.

 

[Captain Chaos]

Yeah, but at 10:00am, your fast pass is not available until 5:00pm, as you stated in your story. So you get to ride splash without a wait, but I can't imagine that if splash has a 120 minute wait that space and big thunder won't be far behind, so big brother, even back then, punished you by only allowing you one fast pass and making you wait 90-120 minutes to ride your favorite rides. These guys just can't win...

1) I was making times up. Maybe I get to MK at 10:00 and the FP for Splash is already at 9:00 PM, or 6:00PM or 1:00 PM. Don't take the time so literal.
2) If BTMRR is also 120 minutes, I walk away. If my Splash FP was for 5:00, then I head over to Splash, ride Splash, and look to see BTMRR wait times. If it is still 120 minutes, then I either FP, assuming there are some left, or I skip it.

My experiences have been, I have seen Splash at 120 but BTMRR only 30 and Space 30-45. But again, my experiences don't make it fact. Just like your experiences don't. Just like no ones' experiences make things fact. I have also seen the opposite: Space at 60 minutes while Splash had only 30 and BTMRR 45.

 

[Captain Chaos]

I think all this talk of the parks being packed is a bunch of BS. It SEEMS like it's packed because there's a lot of people in the walkways instead of being in line, because of fastpass+ and people not wanting to wait 60-90 minutes for a ride. This was my experience when I was at MK yesterday. The standby wait times posted were fairly long, but the queues were not as full as one might expect. It just takes a long time to get through that short standby queue because they're taking 1 standby person for every 10 fastpass+ people. All this makes it seem like the parks are bustling, when in fact the attendance is about the same as it has always been.

Nah, attendance is up. The numbers are there. People aren't making that up. But FP+ is inflating standby wait times are rides which never had FP. Take Pirates. Standby wait times have increased due to FP being added to the ride. Same for HM. Take FP away and those wait times drop.