Lines at the FP+ entrances

[Goofyernmost]

I understand that the process of scanning bands is taking longer than the CM glancing at a piece of paper. In reality, the paper system did not require guests to stop - cast would glance at the ticket without the guest even stopping. The bands require the guest to physically stop, align the wrist, and wait for green. Factor in a few misreads and other issues, and you have a considerably longer FP entry time per guest.

That could be, but, we are talking mere seconds. And that is mostly because people don't know how to line up the band with the sensor. I had the plastic card and it took me a few tries before I realized that I was holding it wrong. As soon as I adjusted that... it was almost non-stop. I'm having a little trouble believing that people didn't have to stop, if only briefly with the old paper ones, unless they are referring to when they didn't really care and let them use them just about anytime.

 

[Goofyernmost]

Over 1.5 Billion spent. OUCH. I could have thought of 1000 better ways to have spent the money in Disney. Legacy fast passes were not causing such a problem that 1.5 billion needed to be spent to solve the problem.

Fastpass is but one small part of the system. It is incorporated into it but it wasn't the reason for it.

 

[Disneyfamily4]

Fastpass is but one small part of the system. It is incorporated into it but it wasn't the reason for it.

It was not a small part of the Magic Bands. Fast Pass + was major part of it, being they wanted to completely remove the legacy machines and over haul a complete new computer system for the experience.

And when I was there, people were stopped at the beginning of the fast pass line for the scanners to read. After it scanned, then next person stopped to have it read. It absolutely was not a non stop process. After there were so many complaints, the only thing that I saw that changed, was that if a family of 4 was going to enter the ride, only one member was being scanned at the beginning to speed up the process, but all members were being scanned at the end.

 

[Goofyernmost]

It was not a small part of the Magic Bands. Fast Pass + was major part of it, being they wanted to completely remove the legacy machines and over haul a complete new computer system for the experience.

And when I was there, people were stopped at the beginning of the fast pass line for the scanners to read. After it scanned, then next person stopped to have it read. It absolutely was not a non stop process. After there were so many complaints, the only thing that I saw that changed, was that if a family of 4 was going to enter the ride, only one member was being scanned at the beginning to speed up the process, but all members were being scanned at the end.

Well, it is one of the parts the affects, consciously, the average guests, but they didn't spend that kind of money to take care of Fastpass problems. It is just a small percentage of what the bands do or are intended to do.

 

[englanddg]

Exactly correct, MM+ would have been much better if the team had worked as front line CM's for a while, When I was hired as a Network Architect by a major university years ago my first three months were spent with a cable crew and helpdesk stints so I would KNOW in my bones what the issues and challenges were for when I began designing things those were the most valuable experiences in my career.

Unfortunately MM+ was designed in a boardroom with limited input from front line CM's and it shows.

This. Just this...

You have to know the issues before you try and solve them. In a board room, small things can seem like major problems, while major issues get tossed under the rug.

 

[ford91exploder]

That could be, but, we are talking mere seconds. And that is mostly because people don't know how to line up the band with the sensor.

This is the ROOT of the issue, Disney did not take the TIME to do a usability study on the scanners If you need to be instructed on how to use it it it's too complex,

Since Disney is largely secure buildings holding a card to a reader is a 'natural' act, To the majority of the world it is NOT I would wager only about half the people on this board use a RFID access system every day.

There is a reason every subway system and sports venue uses some variety of turnstile system, They work and people 'know' how to use them.

 

[Disneyfamily4]

What people should start to realize is, that Disney put 1.5 billion into this. No company is going to put 1.5 billion into their corporation if there was not a plan of action on how these bands will recoup it all, and then turn a huge profit.

We should brace ourselves for Disney to announce that they will start charging for fast passes and charging for fast passes could not have been done without the invention of the magic bands.

Lets pretend that in the future, Disney allows people to get only one with their ticket. But then they offer 5 fast passes for 10 bucks a day, per person, for every day of their ticket bought. So for a family of 4, with a 10-day pass, Disney will now get 400 bucks back. Now try to guess how many family of 4's enter Disney each month. 3000? which is probably ultra conservative. If so, Disney recoups 1.2 million a month.

Trust me, I am not the only person who thought of this. Disney is aware of this as well and they also are aware Universal has been charging for years for this. 1.2 million a month times a year gets their 1.5 billion back in a couple short years.

 

[GhettoJetta5]

That could be, but, we are talking mere seconds. And that is mostly because people don't know how to line up the band with the sensor. I had the plastic card and it took me a few tries before I realized that I was holding it wrong. As soon as I adjusted that... it was almost non-stop. I'm having a little trouble believing that people didn't have to stop, if only briefly with the old paper ones, unless they are referring to when they didn't really care and let them use them just about anytime.

I always seemed to have issues with the paper tickets... I am pretty sure we are the minority, but my sister and I spent a lot of time at Guest Relations getting new tickets after having to show our IDs to get in to the park... More recently (prior to MBs) they started putting barcodes on the tickets so a CM would scan them if they didn't read... With the RFID tickets\bands I haven't had those issues (I know there are tons of new issues)... Plus the new entrances seem to be easier on strollers & wheelchairs... The trade off is not worth it with the other issues & fast pass+, but entering the parks has been easier for us...

 

[JillC LI]

Just put a toe in first and make a dining reservation on your phone while waiting in line at Space Mountain.

My complaint isn't with FP+ (which I have yet to experience). I am just frustrated that I have to own a smartphone (which I do not) in order to take full advantage of the system in a convenient way (i.e., without waiting at FP kiosks). So I couldn't make that ADR while waiting in line at SM. :-(

 

[Disneyfamily4]

My complaint isn't with FP+ (which I have yet to experience). I am just frustrated that I have to own a smartphone (which I do not) in order to take full advantage of the system in a convenient way (i.e., without waiting at FP kiosks). So I couldn't make that ADR while waiting in line at SM. :-(

Sadly, In September, the dead time of year, people said they waited 20 minutes at the kiosks. If anyone is planning their trip in March or April, Good luck.

 

[englanddg]

What people should start to realize is, that Disney put 1.5 billion into this. No company is going to put 1.5 billion into their corporation if there was not a plan of action on how these bands will recoup it all, and then turn a huge profit.

We should brace ourselves for Disney to announce that they will start charging for fast passes and charging for fast passes could not have been done without the invention of the magic bands.

Lets pretend that in the future, Disney allows people to get only one with their ticket. But then they offer 5 fast passes for 10 bucks a day, per person, for every day of their ticket bought. So for a family of 4, with a 10-day pass, Disney will now get 400 bucks back. Now try to guess how many family of 4's enter Disney each month. 3000? which is probably ultra conservative. If so, Disney recoups 1.2 million a month.

Trust me, I am not the only person who thought of this. Disney is aware of this as well and they also are aware Universal has been charging for years for this. 1.2 million a month times a year gets their 1.5 billion back in a couple short years.

All with you until the math in the last sentence. 13 million a year times 5 (a few short years) doesn't even come close to a billion.

 

[Disneyfamily4]

All with you until the math in the last sentence. 13 million a year times 5 (a few short years) doesn't even come close to a billion.

LOL Remember, I was just using the 3000 families of 4 equation per month. Its when you add in every other guest who comes monthly is when it will add up

 

[msteel]

Like I said before, we are staying on site for 4days and no matter how much money I "save" I'm not buying more than one day tickets. They have to be park hopper for us which leads me back to disney not wanting us there. We can only schedule fast passes for one park, and its not like its impossible to enjoy all 4 in one day. FP+ just makes it more difficult to park hop.

How many days do you go to the parks? If you are at the parks for 4 days, why would you NOT buy a four day ticket? Especially if you get hoppers because the hopper option is priced per ticket, regardless of how many days the ticket is for? At current gate prices, without tax, a 4-day hopper is $338, but four one-day hoppers are $616 which is 82% more money.

Or, perhaps there is something I did not understand about what you said.

 

[ford91exploder]

What people should start to realize is, that Disney put 1.5 billion into this. No company is going to put 1.5 billion into their corporation if there was not a plan of action on how these bands will recoup it all, and then turn a huge profit.

We should brace ourselves for Disney to announce that they will start charging for fast passes and charging for fast passes could not have been done without the invention of the magic bands.

Lets pretend that in the future, Disney allows people to get only one with their ticket. But then they offer 5 fast passes for 10 bucks a day, per person, for every day of their ticket bought. So for a family of 4, with a 10-day pass, Disney will now get 400 bucks back. Now try to guess how many family of 4's enter Disney each month. 3000? which is probably ultra conservative. If so, Disney recoups 1.2 million a month.

Trust me, I am not the only person who thought of this. Disney is aware of this as well and they also are aware Universal has been charging for years for this. 1.2 million a month times a year gets their 1.5 billion back in a couple short years.

There has never been any doubt in my mind that Disney was going to monetize FP in some fashion.

 

[Disneyfamily4]

There has never been any doubt in my mind that Disney was going to monetize FP in some fashion.

Only a Disney puppet, who feels that all of these changes is to help the guests and not their pocket books, will think otherwise.

 

[JillC LI]

Sadly, In September, the dead time of year, people said they waited 20 minutes at the kiosks. If anyone is planning their trip in March or April, Good luck.

Ugh. Does anyone know if I bring my kindle to the Park whether I can use the free wifi in the Park to do the same thing I could have done on a smartphone? (Of course, if I can, that means I have to schlep a kindle around all day.)

 

[englanddg]

Ugh. Does anyone know if I bring my kindle to the Park whether I can use the free wifi in the Park to do the same thing I could have done on a smartphone? (Of course, if I can, that means I have to schlep a kindle around all day.)

Yes. You can.

 

[dreamfinder]

Once again, we have a comment from someone who has not even been to Disney to use the bands yet.

I'm glad you can speak on my behalf without knowing anything about me.
Been there twice in the past 4 months, used the bands exclusively both times. Had FP+'s cancelled on me due to the attraction being down most of the day, got my email, no problems. Using both 4g and WiFi in parks heavily, with my DW using the WiFi exclusively. We both got the notifications.
Alternatively, I had a FP+ for Buzz as well, however mine was for late afternoon. Walked over to the ride, saw there was a 5 min standby, hoped in that line, and changed our FP+ to meet Cinderella before we walked onto Buzz. (Gotta keep the DW happy) Got to Cinderella, saw a 45 min standby wait, and walked right on through FP+.
However, if you had been to the parks and actually used the system (see what I did there? made assumptions about your vacation history) you would know that you can change FP+'s after the fact as long as they were not used. So even if you were in the depths of a ride without service, you could do it later when you re-emerged into the sunlight. Alternatively, there were numerous points set up throughout the park where you could have a CM assist you.

Not that I would know any of this since I haven't used the bands, nor was I there the day that MK went exclusively to FP+........ Nothing to see here folks

 

[Disneyfamily4]

Ugh. Does anyone know if I bring my kindle to the Park whether I can use the free wifi in the Park to do the same thing I could have done on a smartphone? (Of course, if I can, that means I have to schlep a kindle around all day.)

My advice though is to go to the ride for your fast pass about 15 minutes early. If the wait time in the regular line is manageable, you will need about 15 minutes on your kindle to change your reservation to another ride.

 

[doctornick]

Ugh. Does anyone know if I bring my kindle to the Park whether I can use the free wifi in the Park to do the same thing I could have done on a smartphone? (Of course, if I can, that means I have to schlep a kindle around all day.)

Yes, but no. You can use a tablet to do the same thing as a smart phone. But the Disney MM+ app is not available for the Kindle. At least, not the last time I checked into it a few months ago.

However, I guess you could just use the Kindle to log onto the regular internet site for MM+