Tom Morrow
Well-Known Member
I live here too. Right in the center of all of it. Aside from a few key areas, the traffic around Orlando isn't any worse than any other major city, except Thanksgiving/Christmas/Easter break.
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Lines at the FP+ entrances
- Thread starter djkidkaz
- Start date
pumpkin7
Well-Known Member
It seems to me that if you're an on site guest, these bands are fantastic for getting into your room, charging food, purchases, getting into the parks etc. That sounds great and epic and easy.
Why, did they have to bother including the FP system? Really, it's just seems so messy and bothersome. I'm hoping they decide to switch back to the paper FP system. Keep the bands for onsite guests instead of key cards, but give us back Legacy FP! It was easy, quick, minimal hassle... the only thing I see that FP+ adds is that you don't have to run straight to a specific attraction like TSMM at rope drop. Plus now, it's a waste of time to Park Hop, and that's just losing money.
Why, did they have to bother including the FP system? Really, it's just seems so messy and bothersome. I'm hoping they decide to switch back to the paper FP system. Keep the bands for onsite guests instead of key cards, but give us back Legacy FP! It was easy, quick, minimal hassle... the only thing I see that FP+ adds is that you don't have to run straight to a specific attraction like TSMM at rope drop. Plus now, it's a waste of time to Park Hop, and that's just losing money.
Disneyfamily4
Well-Known Member
Sadly the paper fast passes are gone forever. They took the machines out of every park, so there is pretty much no way they will bring them back in.
Rose&Crowner
Well-Known Member
FP+ lines have either been walk on for me, or a steady fast pace(safari only) with 0 complaints from us. Rescheduling in the fly is wacky easy.
Disneyfamily4
Well-Known Member
I am praying they stay that way for March and April.
Goofyernmost
Well-Known Member
It will be whatever it will be regardless of how much gloom and doom is forecast. Since it really hasn't been tested in full during high time, we will have to see how the system holds up and if they have considered every factor. Go in feeling positive and things will probably go smoothly. I know I got FP's for things that I was never able to get before because I usually arrive well after rope drop and stay offsite. It worked really well for me, but I was there off season, so... who knows?
Disneyfamily4
Well-Known Member
Like I said before, after peak season, that is when we will all know for sure, about how good for Disney these bands are. All the talk about how it has been smooth sailing so far means nothing, until the system is truly tested when the park has 100 times the people.
For a lot of people here, we have been to Disney, when we cannot even push a stroller through the crowd and become trapped in a walk way for a long time. These are the crowds that will test the system to the max.
It appears Disney may have already figured that out, being that they already now changed their well promoted policy, to let off site guests reserve FP's in advance. Only within the next few months will we know if that is a good or bad thing. For the people who are going at the peak, hearing how good things are now, provides no assurances.
For a lot of people here, we have been to Disney, when we cannot even push a stroller through the crowd and become trapped in a walk way for a long time. These are the crowds that will test the system to the max.
It appears Disney may have already figured that out, being that they already now changed their well promoted policy, to let off site guests reserve FP's in advance. Only within the next few months will we know if that is a good or bad thing. For the people who are going at the peak, hearing how good things are now, provides no assurances.
Well my wife and myself stayed at POFQ from 21st January>4th February with a Credit Card linked and spent the grand total of $0.00 lol (made sure to have multiple $50+ meals at Wolfgang Puck Express on the free Quick Dining Plan though haha and some nice Artwork from Downtown Disney with the free $200 gift card) This is the least amount of money we have spent on-site in 13 visits (spent plenty at the Outlets though) - Thanks Disney ;-)
This is correct - this was the first visit to WDW that we have made at this time of the year, it used to be May, but more recently has been September; And we were really surprised how busy the Parks were.. MK was insane nearly every time we visited, thought it would have been much quieter than it was - saw Pirates Stand-by 35-40 mins on several occasions / 50 mins for BTM. September was much quieter - but it was £1000 cheaper to visit in January. What we could have payed for POFQ in September would have got us 2 weeks at the Grand Floridian not that many years ago!
Not really.. Opening the Room Door was hit and miss, Dining Plan was ok, purchased nothing on the Band and getting into the parks was a nightmare..
It took about 25 mins to get into Epcot one day, even though we were only about 30 feet from the entrance. There was a problem with almost every guest, Blue Mickey after Blue Mickey - CM's repeatedly holding their hands up to get assistance from the CM's with iPads. Other days it would take 20 seconds plus for the spinning white light to even react. Super stressed CM's and impatient Guests - what a great start to the day..
Another annoyance is using the Tragic Bands at the Resort Security gates. As I wear my watch on my right wrist, I had to swap it over to the left arm (which I hated) so I could put the Band on my right as it seemed more natural for me.
This meant that I had to use the left lane every time we returned to our resort for the Guard to manually scan my band, as it was on my Right Arm - making it impossible to reach over to the reader for the automatic barrier (this must be really annoying for the Guards)
The hand-held Tragic Band machines used by Resort Security and CM's are also useless as the Mickey has to be aligned blindly to make contact - they amount of times a CM held my arm to to check eligibility during extra magic hours was annoying (and a little creepy).
pumpkin7
Well-Known Member
Disneyfamily4
Well-Known Member
How long were the fast pass lines?
I spent the day yesterday at Tokyo DisneySea. Incredible park. FP worked well, lines were totally manageable, even with Indy, Aquatopia, and a couple other things being down for refurb. No need whatsoever for FP+ or any idiotic MagicBands. It was great being in a park that is more interested in investing my money into quality attractions and quality experiences...instead of things like MM+
It was great. Between my day trips down to Disneyland in California over the last couple months, and this visit to Tokyo Disneyland Resort, it is clear from a long-time guest perspective that WDW has screwed itself by launching MM+. Such a waste of my time (as a guest) to be forced to use MM+. I have no desire to go back to WDW...for the first time ever in my life. I used to look forward to my 2 to 3 trips per year. No longer. It is seeming more and more that MM+ was never conceived to improve WDW guest experiences - it was simply a mechanism that TDO felt could entice guests to spend more $$$ without actually improving anything.
It was great. Between my day trips down to Disneyland in California over the last couple months, and this visit to Tokyo Disneyland Resort, it is clear from a long-time guest perspective that WDW has screwed itself by launching MM+. Such a waste of my time (as a guest) to be forced to use MM+. I have no desire to go back to WDW...for the first time ever in my life. I used to look forward to my 2 to 3 trips per year. No longer. It is seeming more and more that MM+ was never conceived to improve WDW guest experiences - it was simply a mechanism that TDO felt could entice guests to spend more $$$ without actually improving anything.
William King
New Member
I believe the new system is a step backwards in progress. You do not get more options, instead your options are limited. You can now only pick one "main ride" and two "secondary" rides. I used to go in the park fastpass soarin, get in standby for soarin, ride it, then ride it once more with FP, then head over and do the same with test track. I used to get more than 3 in one day also. They also have it now where you can not get passes in mulitple parks, only one park per day. They have cut options in half. Adding FP to certain rides and attractions, that you never needed them for anyways is pointless and not actually adding to your options in my opinion. I understand it is a free service, and i used to praise it compared to "express line" options other parks offered, but i can not praise it any longer. By saying they have given more options is a twist on the reality of the situation. I should be able to fast pass soarin and test track, toy story and rockin roller coaster, not either or.
Goofyernmost
Well-Known Member
You and many others. While you were joyfully riding the same rides more then once or monopolizing the FP kiosk, others were unable to ride those same things. If there is nothing else about this system that I like (and that's not the only thing I like) it will cut down on that and give others the opportunity to enjoy Disney as well as you.
Also, it looks like they probably won't be using the tier system when it is all said and done, but you still are going to be slowed down a little. Besides you can still, do the same thing (double riding) with the new system. Nothing is stopping you from using the standby line or the single rider line while holding a FP for the same ride.
JimboJones123
Well-Known Member
Are Blue Mickeys at the front gates becoming more and more of a problem?
Out of the combined 16 entries we have had in the last week, we have gotten 11.
Mine has not worked a single time. I get tired of being asked if I am "really sure this is the finger I always use?" I have been reconfigured each time, but I still get the additional DisTSA screening including my name, a look at the ID, request for when my last park entry was and at which park.
The 4-6 second entry is taking me between 2-4 minutes each time.
Why don't they just put pictures on the APs like the grown up parks like Cedar Point andSix Flags?
Out of the combined 16 entries we have had in the last week, we have gotten 11.
Mine has not worked a single time. I get tired of being asked if I am "really sure this is the finger I always use?" I have been reconfigured each time, but I still get the additional DisTSA screening including my name, a look at the ID, request for when my last park entry was and at which park.
The 4-6 second entry is taking me between 2-4 minutes each time.
Why don't they just put pictures on the APs like the grown up parks like Cedar Point andSix Flags?
Disneyfamily4
Well-Known Member
It is absolutely a step backwards despite what the few loyalists say. Every forum, every site you see, there are hundreds of different people complaining about it, while just a handful of the Disney deity like and defend it.
It's crazy, just a total waste of money and pointless.
How anyone can justify over one thousand million dollars squandered to please a small percentage of people who like to arrive after rope drop over investment in new rides and experiences or a ton of maintainance and improvements is beyond me..
We just got back from our 13th visit and usualy we are either 1] Waiting to visit WDW, 2] at WDW or 3] Planning our next trip to WDW - well this will be the first time we will be doing none of the above.
There will need to be massive changes to this system and plenty of new things to do before we will consider going again. Maybe our next visit will be for WDW's 50th in 2021?? Better get saving for that.. a Pineapple Float may cost $30 by then..
I suppose the myriad of pictures that have been taken of long FP lines are all fake.
Goofyernmost
Well-Known Member
Didn't say that at all, but two dimensional pictures don't tell any depth story and also doesn't even begin to explain why it is that way, even if it is. You folks are just looking for an instant scape goat and that is FP+ regardless of what is actually happening. So in that respect, yes pictures with no detail are in some ways fake. They only tell what you want them to tell.
Arty Cordova
Well-Known Member
First solution would be to stay at a Disney hotel, then you can plan your fast passes in advance