If FastPass+ Was Retired...

[Skibum1970]

So, I just returned from a brief trip (three days) and thought that I would discuss this (which has already been discussed ad nauseum). What if Disney scrapped FP+/FP? We were there for Extra Magic Hours at Magic Kingdom and there were still a LOT of people. Without FP+ gumming things up, the ride lines moved consistently and were the actual wait times posted or even less than usual.

It made me start wondering, what if Disney scrapped it? Would people quit coming (it is supposed to be some huge benefit)? Would ride times become nuts? Or, would ride lines become more constant and predictable?

I know that they have sunk too much money into it to just scrap it but I actually think that it would improve the experience. The magic bands for paying and using as keys to rooms, parks, and the Magical Express could be maintained. I would even suggest having people scan in for each ride so that Disney could track which rides have the most repeat riders and which rides could be replaced (I am thinking of Stich). So, give me your thoughts.

 

[kelknight84]

So, I just returned from a brief trip (three days) and thought that I would discuss this (which has already been discussed ad nauseum). What if Disney scrapped FP+/FP? We were there for Extra Magic Hours at Magic Kingdom and there were still a LOT of people. Without FP+ gumming things up, the ride lines moved consistently and were the actual wait times posted or even less than usual.

It made me start wondering, what if Disney scrapped it? Would people quit coming (it is supposed to be some huge benefit)? Would ride times become nuts? Or, would ride lines become more constant and predictable?

I know that they have sunk too much money into it to just scrap it but I actually think that it would improve the experience. The magic bands for paying and using as keys to rooms, parks, and the Magical Express could be maintained. I would even suggest having people scan in for each ride so that Disney could track which rides have the most repeat riders and which rides could be replaced (I am thinking of Stich). So, give me your thoughts.

I would love for them to scrap all fastpass! I miss the days of the lines constantly moving and everyone having a fair shot.

 

[CAPTAIN HOOK]

and everyone having a fair shot.

Everyone has the opportunity to obtain FP - although the system does favour Resort Guests

 

[Cmdr_Crimson]

If you like that expererience...Just take a trip to Disneyland. It's still like that......For now..

 

[Goofyernmost]

So, I just returned from a brief trip (three days) and thought that I would discuss this (which has already been discussed ad nauseum). What if Disney scrapped FP+/FP? We were there for Extra Magic Hours at Magic Kingdom and there were still a LOT of people. Without FP+ gumming things up, the ride lines moved consistently and were the actual wait times posted or even less than usual.

It made me start wondering, what if Disney scrapped it? Would people quit coming (it is supposed to be some huge benefit)? Would ride times become nuts? Or, would ride lines become more constant and predictable?

I know that they have sunk too much money into it to just scrap it but I actually think that it would improve the experience. The magic bands for paying and using as keys to rooms, parks, and the Magical Express could be maintained. I would even suggest having people scan in for each ride so that Disney could track which rides have the most repeat riders and which rides could be replaced (I am thinking of Stich). So, give me your thoughts.

I would love for them to scrap all fastpass! I miss the days of the lines constantly moving and everyone having a fair shot.

Fastpass has never been anything but a live action sleight of hand, designed to trick the patience impaired population that they are being ushered through Disney at high speed. The reality is that for whatever time they save with their limited numbers of FP's they more then make up for when they actually have to get into a stand-by line made longer by others with a FP.

It's a sham that I'm sure many avid supporters will deny because they think that it saved them so much time, just as they were supposed to think. I will be the first to admit that in the early days there were constant complaints about having to stand in line, but, it was a totally different atmosphere. People jokingly complained, but were never really angry. It was a part of the theme park experience. What did happen though was that the line moved constantly and when you made it to the front... you were next, no exceptions. I was able to see the same number of attractions that I do now, so nothing of any real gain has happened. You could also start in one direction around the hub and take them one at a time, because you didn't have to be on the other side of the park to "catch your window". You didn't have to constantly look at the time so that you didn't miss your next window. There was no sense of urgency. Your next ride was the one right next to the one you were presently on. If by some chance you got to the next one and the line was excessively long, you just walked past it and perhaps came back to it later or not at all, just on to the next one.

I feel that much of the attitude problems that are experienced now are in many ways a reaction to that... special line mentality that people do not seem to understand are not available to everyone. It caused anger and frustration that just didn't exist before FP showed up. If most people could remember how upset you were as a kid when someone cut in line ahead of you. You naturally knew, without being taught, that it wasn't supposed to happen that way. It wasn't fair. Those emotions we had as a child do not just disappear, no, they stay hidden until something triggers them to come out again. Nothing will trigger that anymore then being hot, sweaty, tired and then just before you are going to get into the cool air and relax a group of 20 people come prancing up the FP line and delay your movement for an additional amount of time. It's no damn wonder that there are so many meltdowns, that BTW, did not happen to any real extent before FP was instituted.

 

[Maerj]

I've been thinking about my last trips, the last one being just a couple of weeks ago. On each trip, we've used Fastpass+. It works... it works VERY well, in fact. You set three of them from home and can get additional ones throughout the day. Using Fastpass+, we barely waited in any lines at all.

Now, on to the negative part. Sometimes they spread the distance of the attractions out. We had one member of our party with mobility issues, so this was a little bit more noticeable this time. There was a bit of back tracking through the parks. It would be nice if they could group them a bit closer to where you are going to be based off of the first selection.

The second issue I have with the system is that with Fastpass+, you lose the laid back feel and your vacation ends up feeling rushed. You lose a lot of the ambience and little details, and that's what really makes a Disney trip for me. Sure it's nice to be able to run around from attraction to attraction with no wait. But then, that is exactly what you are doing, running from attraction to attraction. Perhaps if they spread out the time you have between Fastpasses? Make it an hour and a half window? Or like I was saying before, if they'd start grouping them for one area so that way you could see everything in one area without rushing around as much.

 

[Goofyernmost]

Everyone has the opportunity to obtain FP - although the system does favour Resort Guests

Even if the ratio of FP to standby was 80% in favor of FP, that would still leave 20% that cannot get a FP, because they are not available. The larger the allocation of FP's are, the longer the wait in standby. If everyone could get one, then the problem would be solved because it would then be the standby line and the attractions only takes so many people a day.

There is a world of difference between opportunity and availability. Opportunity means nothing if they are no longer available.

 

[CAPTAIN HOOK]

If everyone could get one,

If everyone could get a FP then the FP Line would become a Stand By Line - therefore there would be no point in having FP

There is a world of difference between opportunity and availability.

Like I said, everyone has the OPPORTUNITY to obtain a FP at either 60 or 30 days. Having the OPPORTUNITY to obtain a FP doesn't mean that there are sufficient FP to meet demand and therefore they're not AVAILABLE for everyone.
A concert arena has a fixed capacity - when tickets go on sale everyone (who wants a ticket) has the opportunity to book tickets - because of the arenas capacity not everyone can get a ticket

 

[Goofyernmost]

If everyone could get a FP then the FP Line would become a Stand By Line - therefore there would be no point in having FP

Like I said, everyone has the OPPORTUNITY to obtain a FP at either 60 or 30 days. Having the OPPORTUNITY to obtain a FP doesn't mean that there are sufficient FP to meet demand and therefore they're not AVAILABLE for everyone.
A concert arena has a fixed capacity - when tickets go on sale everyone (who wants a ticket) has the opportunity to book tickets - because of the arenas capacity not everyone can get a ticket

Absolutely, and I think you just said the same thing that I did. So what was your point? Having an opportunity is meaningless to someone unable to take advantage of it because of availability. To use your concert scenario, how satisfying would it be if someone asked you how you liked the concert and your reply had to be... It was great because I had the opportunity to get a ticket. Didn't get one but, I tried and that's all that counts, right? If they had 3000 tickets to sell all the people that got one had the opportunity. All those that didn't get one never really had the opportunity, they only thought they did until they found out they were all gone.

 

[WhatJaneSays]

If Disney 100% scraped FP/FP+ ... well ... by averages nothing much would happen. Ride wait times, how much time guests stay in park, how much time guests wait in line would be (averaged among all guests, for all rides, for all days) functionally the same. FP/FP+ was never about making those things "less" but about efficiently regulating a limited supply of something. For what FP does, it does extremely well. Many people have the false impression that efficient = faster, while that can and does happen in many cases that's not really what the system is designed to do.

 

[BiffyClyro]

It's honestly awful in my opinion. I liked the old system where you got one on the day if you were lucky. That seems fair to me, Not this lan 30 days in advance trash. Even if it was book at 9am on the day I wouldn't hav a problem. The only problem I had with the old version is the waist of paper.

 

[Goofyernmost]

I personally enjoy the new FP+ system. I love having my Fastpasses in hand when I walk into the park because I can ride what I want and be done. I'm also an obnoxious planner and I like having a plan of action before leaving my house, I hate "winging it" per say. The recent update to MDX just makes my experiences better, especially because I don't have to pick 3 FP when I only want 1. But I can empathize with people who don't like it. The only thing I hate is the un-necessary addition of the FP system to rides like HM, MTP, Pirates, SSE, etc THAT is what ticks me off

If FP has to exist, I prefer FP+ to the original for the same reasons you mentioned. I like having them preset, I know what time I have to be at them long before I ever set foot in the park. I can plan better concerning what I can do between times and I don't have to run all over the place to "maybe" get another one.

The thing is that the very reason FP+ exists is because Disney has been desperately trying to find a way to disperse the crowds to different place other then the primary attractions. They want people, who don't know any better to chose their FP's, completing their allotment at places that previously didn't have a demand. It has worked to some extent, but, the most popular ones remain that way, at least, to the seasoned Disney Guest. And the rest of the crowd is basically tricked into going to other attractions that have been less popular in the past to take some pressure off the featured ones.

 

[Susan Savia]

If it was retired... it wouldn't bother me a bit. We have never used it. Booking a ride months in advance and waiting up all hours of the night to score a particular ride or show, when we have no idea what the weather might be that day or which park we might feel like going into. I don't care to be tracked throughout my vacation either.

 

[Skibum1970]

If FP has to exist, I prefer FP+ to the original for the same reasons you mentioned. I like having them preset, I know what time I have to be at them long before I ever set foot in the park. I can plan better concerning what I can do between times and I don't have to run all over the place to "maybe" get another one.

The thing is that the very reason FP+ exists is because Disney has been desperately trying to find a way to disperse the crowds to different place other then the primary attractions. They want people, who don't know any better to chose their FP's, completing their allotment at places that previously didn't have a demand. It has worked to some extent, but, the most popular ones remain that way, at least, to the seasoned Disney Guest. And the rest of the crowd is basically tricked into going to other attractions that have been less popular in the past to take some pressure off the featured ones.

I agree so much with your posts. To me, FP+ makes the experience worse because I have to plan around my FP times. Plus, forget about getting SDMT unless you want to get up at 2:00 AM on the first open window. I use the system and hate it at the same time. I go to a theme park and I know that there are lines. If you go to any amusement park, there will be lines and people are generally cool with it. FP+ doesn't do away with the lines at all. It just makes them worse. Now, Pirates has 45 minute stand-by line and a 20 minute FP+ line where it used to be an easy stand-by time of 15-20 minutes (on a busy day). Again, I feel like it makes the experience worse. If you want to help the lines, build more rides to spread people out. Give them more options.

In my opinion, it is a matter of time until they start offering options to schedule more fast passes, say 5 or 10, for either an additional charge or for deluxe resort guests only.

 

[BAChicagoGal]

Actually, I never used regular fastpass. Now that Disney lets me make three fast passes ahead of time, I do like the fact that I can guarantee getting on some of my "must do" attractions, like Peter Pan at the MK, and Star Tours at DHS. I wish Disneyland did the same, I may never ride their Peter Pan again. It never has regular fastpass, and every time I have walked past it on my most recent trips, it is always an hour wait at least.

 

[dizda]

Personally, I like knowing that I will actually get to ride certain rides without waiting three hours in line and missing other rides or experiences.

 

[Tom Morrow]

 

[BobsMom]

In the pre-FP days, the posted wait times were very accurate. My brother liked to set his stop watch feature on his watch to test the time. It almost always came in at posted or below. We never waited 3 hours in line for a ride and I don't recall seeing "180 minutes" on a sign. I'm sure it happened, I just don't remember ever seeing it. Our rule of thumb was 45 minutes. If the line was 45 minutes or less, we queued up. Longer than 45, we'd come back during the parade or fireworks and practically walk on the ride. We played games in line to make the wait go by, and we enjoyed the theme of the line. IMHO FP ruined the wait time for Peter Pan. As soon as it received a FP, Peter Pan became the most wanted ride in Fantasyland. Snow White and Winnie the Pooh did not have wait times as long as Peter Pan did. The longest I ever waited for a ride was when Soarin' first opened and the FP's were gone before we got to that area of Epcot. We waited just over 2 hours. I would not mind it at all if we went back to the before FP days.

 

[gobstoper27]

I personally don't bother with the FP, we wait in stand-by and manage just fine. Our trips are already shorter than most as we do Uni, WdW, shop, etc and I'm always in go go go mode; rushing to meet ride windows would just make me flustered. I dont mind waiting in standby. The boy and I are still spending time together, we get to take in the queue details and laugh at some of the ridiculous conversations that we overhear. Now If the standby time is crazy long, we'll try and catch it later on. I never wait more than an hour, one recent exception was last visit. We had already waited in line for close to 40 min for 7DMT and it broke down....the mentality was we already waited this long, we were not leaving. It was up and running in 20 minutes and we were on pretty quick after that thanks to the people who left! There are different strokes for different folks and what works for some doesnt always work for others.

 

[JohnD]

Everyone has the opportunity to obtain FP - although the system does favour Resort Guests

Naturally. They (we) pay extra $$$ (or $,$$$) to stay at WDW.