Lines at the FP+ entrances

[TalkingHead]

If you want unattended kiosks to use, stop by City Hall at MK or I'm sure the other parks' guest relations lobbies have unattended kiosks as well.

Are the kiosks labeled on the park maps, or are there signs around the park directing you to the nearest kiosk? Or is it something you just have to figure out for yourself?

 

[roj2323]

Attractions that are out of FP+ for the day are at the bottom of the list and says standby only.
FP+ CMs do have styluses to use on the screen.
Also FP+ CMs are there to assist guests mainly because it is a new system and many people will be unaware of how to use it. So they were only trying to be helpful. If you want unattended kiosks to use, stop by City Hall at MK or I'm sure the other parks' guest relations lobbies have unattended kiosks as well.

So perhaps the attendant I got stuck with was just a jerk? I told him to let me do it on multiple occasions and he kept trying to rush us through it. We actually had to reselect attractions and reset times twice because of it.

 

[Redhawk]

So perhaps the attendant I got stuck with was just a jerk?

Maybe the CM was having a tough day because this new FP+ system is glitchy and complicated. The CMs have to explain it over and over and over, sometimes to guests who for many reasons don't understand and then get flustered or angry and act impatient with the CM. I doubt the CMs are jerks, and I feel like this must be a really difficult situation for them.

 

[roj2323]

Maybe the CM was having a tough day because this new FP+ system is glitchy and complicated. The CMs have to explain it over and over and over, sometimes to guests who for many reasons don't understand and then get flustered or angry and act impatient with the CM. I doubt the CMs are jerks, and I feel like this must be a really difficult situation for them.

I honestly think it had more to do with his age (accompanying young-ins don't know what there doing attitude) and his unfamiliarity with the system which was odd since it seemed like it could be pretty simple. The part that really bugged me however was, we were being nice (the GF is cast after all), and it did not seem to help.

 

[asialeigh]

Certainly a number of flaws at the kiosks that need improving, I agree. You're absolutely right that there needs to be a more readily available notice that lets you know which FP+ attractions are out of Fastpasses. Ideally, there should be overhead screens BEFORE you get to the kiosk displaying which attractions currently have FP+ available as well as noting the current return times, just like the old FP system had. The lack of a paper trail will always be mindboggling to me as well.

Except there is no "current return time" as it is always changing depending if people modify or cancel their selections, new options can turn up at any time.

 

[PhishinDisney]

Am i the only one that feels this is way to much work to ride space mountain?

 

[asialeigh]

Are the kiosks labeled on the park maps, or are there signs around the park directing you to the nearest kiosk? Or is it something you just have to figure out for yourself?

The kiosks are not labeled on the park maps because they have not yet redone the new park maps with FP+ info just yet. I'm assuming the next set of park maps will have this information. There are however "buck slips" (like the times guides) with info and location of kiosks around the park. And near the location of these kiosks there are signs saying "FP+ kiosk" directing you to the location. The unattended kiosks are not made aware of. They are just kind of there for self service if a guest comes across them, like the one in City Hall.

 

[Tom Morrow]

I honestly could have walked to both attractions in that time.

No, you could have walked to one attraction, and then been blocked out from getting another Fastpass until somewhere between 45 minutes to 2 hours had passed.

 

[asianway]

Thought people might be interested to know that there are incentives in place for cast members to increase guest use of FP+, with competitions for all the parks for which park can get the most FP+s booked. Specifically, Disney wants cast to encourage guests to use all three of their FP+s, which I'm sure explains the strange stories on here of the guest relations CMs encouraging guests to book all three even when the guests said they'd be leaving soon after.

I'm sure this isn't helping the lines at FP+ return, since there are now many guests lining up for rides they may not have even booked if Disney hadn't encouraged them to. I would say it's accurate that usage of FP+ is stronger than Legacy FP, since Disney seems to be making sure that guest awareness is higher.

Sounds like they are trying to move the needle on the FP used per guest metric. Must be a bonus at stake

 

[Darth Sidious]

So I've been noticing as have others on this board that we are starting to see long lines form at the FP+ entrances to attractions. I am pretty sure its not the fact that you have to tap your band at the entrance because it takes the same amount of time it did when they would glance at your FP ticket previously.

I think whats happening here is that with the ability to adjust the time to YOUR preference, we're seeing a lot more people use the FP system rather than getting FP's the old way and not using them. Prior, I would walk into Magic Kingdom and get a FP for Splash Mountain at noon and it wouldn't be available to use until 6pm. I think most people were like myself and if I was near Splash at 6pm, I would use it, but I wasn't making a special trip all the way back there if I was across the park. It just wasn't efficient or convenient touring.

Also, I believe people are switching FP's regularly once they realize they aren't needed for a certain attraction. So I got to the FP+ kiosk at 5:20 and got a FP for Dumbo for 5:20-6:20, but when I walked over to Dumbo, the standby was only 15 minutes, so I didn't use the FP and was able to switch it for something else with a line which I would believe many others are doing the same. If Im standing in front of Splash which I have a FP for but its only a 10 minute wait and Big Thunder next to it has a 30 minute wait, you better believe Im logging into my phone and switching my Splash FP for the Big Thunder FP and just standing in the Standby Line for Splash.

So overall I think we're just seeing a lot more people use the FP system to completion rather than getting a FP and not using it and I think we're seeing smarter, more efficient touring causing back-ups at the FP lines.

Whats your thoughts?

I saw a FP line for Star Tours wrap to the front of Indy. It was right before New Year but that was absolutely insane. I think they are administering more FPs now and it is going to cause problems with Standby lines unless they tweak the system a bit.

 

[dreamfinder]

But as you point out, anyone who has a Magic Band and sees other people using them for FP+ is going to be inclined to "test" the system and see if they can do the same thing.

Except anyone who has a Magic Band should have received information about FP+ via mailing materials at home, as well as being informed about how the system worked when they checked in/picked up their online checkin in packet. So as long as the MB are kept for resort guests only, guests have no real excuse for not knowing what they need to do.

I saw a FP line for Star Tours wrap to the front of Indy. It was right before New Year but that was absolutely insane. I think they are administering more FPs now and it is going to cause problems with Standby lines unless they tweak the system a bit.

As mentioned already, the lines outside the ride make the FP+ wait seem way worse that it really is. Our trip a few weeks ago, the FP line did go most of the way to the Backlot Express, but once you made it past that first CM, it was straight walk all the way through to the second CM inside the ride. The same was occurring at BTMR & TSM. There was a 30-40 person line at the first Mickey Head, but you then walked all the way straight through to the second Mickey Head with the line moving as fast as you can walk.

 

[John]

Sounds like they are trying to move the needle on the FP used per guest metric. Must be a bonus at stake

Not sure what the reasons are but when I used the kiosk this past week I was told the system requires that I make 3 selections, that I couldn't make just one or two. I felt that at EPCOT there was only a couple of attractions that I was 10 interested in riding and that 2) actually needed a FP.

I also have to agree that the FP kiosk touch screens were crap. You had to tap it a few times to take. The CMs are helpful but what happens many times is that you have several family members standing around a kiosk trying to decide what attractions they want to do..

At AK I seen lines for the kiosk (15 people). The line was not moving very fast. Also besides MK you have to go deep inside the park to reach a kiosk. What I noticed is there are not many signs directing you to the kiosk location.

I could be wrong ( most assuredly) but I didn't see on the kiosk computer for any choices for changing the language. Can anybody confirm this? I am sure English is the default language but can you change it?

SO now that I finally experienced FP+ and MME, how do I feel about it? As many have said I had no problems with the bands themselves and their performance. But its relatively low tech I don't see how it could be botched. We had many issues with the app. it became relatively useless for us in the parks. The system overall? I don't see how it was needed. Most of the features are not huge improvements over the KTTW cards. I am sure there were some back of house upgrades that were needed badly but how could so much in park infrastructure, additional CMs needed to implement, educate and apply the system make it fiscally plausible? I tried to take notice of guest using their MB to pay for merch etc. Noticed very few. Maybe just one or two. Using the band for dining? The CM swiped the band but stiff went in the "back" to get the receipt and do whatever. Still had to sign. Didn't seem to save any time what so ever.

I don't think the system is a failure, I just don't see it as being an upgrade or even necessary. Its like we did this because we could. For me it reduced my experience, I was limited to how many FP's I could get, for which rides I could get them for and which parks I could get them for. For me it isn't about weather the system works for practical purposes but if it works for my touring of the parks. It didn't.

@ParentsOf4 and I both thought there were going to be winners and losers with the system. What I am wondering now is who are these winners? Those who just are in favor of the system. I stayed on property and certainly didn't feel I was somehow a big winner. Because of being a CM guest I couldn't participate in making my selections 60 days out, but I don't think that had any impact on my ability to score FP's. I think that it had to do with light to moderate crowd levels due to the time of year. There maybe winners and losers when it is peak season and the ability to score FP's become more restrictive, but I don't see how anyone can feel this system is something that enhances their experience all that much. I can think of one. You can prebook them and get to sleep in.....wow! That maybe great for some people. I get up the same time everyday no matter what day it is. So if you like to sleep in congrats! you are the big winner in the FP+ sweepstake!

 

[Weather_Lady]

Are the kiosks labeled on the park maps, or are there signs around the park directing you to the nearest kiosk? Or is it something you just have to figure out for yourself?

If you'd like to know where to look for them ahead of tiem: you go to the easy wdw website and click on the link in the first entry to "cheat sheets," you'll see that the cheat sheet for each park contains a list of all the FP+ kiosks in that park, ordered by least busy to most busy. There are also "temporary" kiosks (i.e., a castmember with an iPad) in each park -- just keep an eye out for the black signs with the FP+ logo on them.

 

[WDWDad13]

Am i the only one that feels this is way to much work to ride space mountain?

not really... get there when the park opens and no one has to worry about a FP

 

[roj2323]

I don't think the system is a failure, I just don't see it as being an upgrade or even necessary. Its like we did this because we could. For me it reduced my experience, I was limited to how many FP's I could get, for which rides I could get them for and which parks I could get them for. For me it isn't about weather the system works for practical purposes but if it works for my touring of the parks. It didn't.

I could not have said this better myself. I simply do not understand how they thought a computer was going to be faster than the human brain.

 

[WDWDad13]

As mentioned already, the lines outside the ride make the FP+ wait seem way worse that it really is. Our trip a few weeks ago, the FP line did go most of the way to the Backlot Express, but once you made it past that first CM, it was straight walk all the way through to the second CM inside the ride. The same was occurring at BTMR & TSM. There was a 30-40 person line at the first Mickey Head, but you then walked all the way straight through to the second Mickey Head with the line moving as fast as you can walk.

this is correct... the "line" people are seeing is the line to scan their MB...not the line all the way to board the attraction

 

[Buried20KLeague]

Am i the only one that feels this is way to much work to ride space mountain?

AMEN.

 

[FerretAfros]

One of the things that annoyed me that would be easy to fix is to allow more flexibility in selecting your FP+ times. As it is now, you rank the attractions in order of importance, which seems to have some bearing on the times, but seemed pretty random to me.

It would be great to have the option to pick a general time like morning, afternoon, or evening, allowing you to park hop or to have more control over where you are right before/after your dining reservations. This would be an easy fix that would add a lot of value to the system (especially for online bookings weeks in advance), but right now it's just a hassle to try and get what you want

 

[maxairmike]

Except anyone who has a Magic Band should have received information about FP+ via mailing materials at home, as well as being informed about how the system worked when they checked in/picked up their online checkin in packet. So as long as the MB are kept for resort guests only, guests have no real excuse for not knowing what they need to do.

All most of the guests know is that they're in Florida, at this Disney place with a bunch of parks and things to do. Expecting anything more is asking to be disappointed. Most of any pre-arrival education Disney will attempt will go in one ear and be out the other by the time they arrive in Florida. And anything they try to do at the parks/resorts...it will fly right over their heads.

 

[TalkingHead]

If you'd like to know where to look for them ahead of tiem: you go to the easy wdw website and click on the link in the first entry to "cheat sheets," you'll see that the cheat sheet for each park contains a list of all the FP+ kiosks in that park, ordered by least busy to most busy. There are also "temporary" kiosks (i.e., a castmember with an iPad) in each park -- just keep an eye out for the black signs with the FP+ logo on them.

Thanks, I was only asking because I was curious how confusing the new system currently is for average guests.

Doesn't sound any simpler than having FP machines next to the attractions. Have to research the various kiosks to find which ones are least busy? Have to luck into finding a roaming CM with an iPad? I can't imagine the average day guest is having fun with this.

It will be interesting to see how the system and CMs handle the Spring Break crowds.