Magic Kingdom going FP+ only on 1/14/14

GoofGoof

Premium Member
Rolling the system to everyone makes the most sense, this system is about the upsell of "personalization", you want to a)control the behavior of everyone in the park b)you want to manage staffing costs as well as food costs ;) c)increase spending. It is better to tap the whole market of guests coming to the resort onsite/offsite/AP'ers. Simply keeping it to resort guests would not generate the amount TWDC wants/needs to recoup investment.
The way I see it is the upsell is to get more guests to stay on property. The ultimate goal of the system is to increase per guest revenue and hotel rooms make up a significant portion of guest spending. If you offer the same perk to everyone then there is no opportunity to use it for upsell. I'm not saying I like the idea of creating a "class system", but they are borrowing a play from the play book of their neighbors down the street. The system would still be available to everyone day of and would help Disney to spread crowds around the parks and control behavior.
 

GoofGoof

Premium Member
One thing to add. Like their neighbors down the street I would expect Disney to offer the full FP+ experience (including bands and advance reservations) to off property guests for a fee...another way to upsell. In Steve's last update he mentions January testing including magic bands for offsite guests. The intent is to offer bands to off property guests at some point in the future for an additional fee. Here's the update:
http://www.wdwmagic.com/other/mymagicplus/news/10jan2014-full-mymagic-testing-for-offsite
 

SirLink

Well-Known Member
One thing to add. Like their neighbors down the street I would expect Disney to offer the full FP+ experience (including bands and advance reservations) to off property guests for a fee...another way to upsell. In Steve's last update he mentions January testing including magic bands for offsite guests. The intent is to offer bands to off property guests at some point in the future for an additional fee. Here's the update:
http://www.wdwmagic.com/other/mymagicplus/news/10jan2014-full-mymagic-testing-for-offsite

Correct to Bands, no to advance reservations hence the reason why they have been talking to ticket brokers here in the UK to reassure them the advance reservations will be available to everyone. Which is what I have been saying ... Magic Bands and Custom Printing to get the 11% from offsite, onsite will be coming from Custom Printing.

EDIT: I think the reason why some people are saying "no they won't they will never roll it out to everyone", is they think Bands are key to the experience when they aren't just the crappy FP+ part.
 

Redhawk

Well-Known Member
EDIT: I think the reason why some people are saying "no they won't they will never roll it out to everyone", is they think Bands are key to the experience when they aren't just the crappy FP+ part.
Right, if you're not staying at a Disney property, the bands work only for admission and same-day FP. The ability to make advance FP selections is the real bonus, and just having a band does not give you that.

Disney wants everyone to go to Magic Bands. They already have little plastic things for sale to clip on and customize your band, much like kids do with Crocs. Disney sees customization as another way to mint money.
 

SirLink

Well-Known Member
Right, if you're not staying at a Disney property, the bands work only for admission and same-day FP. The ability to make advance FP selections is the real bonus, and just having a band does not give you that.

Disney wants everyone to go to Magic Bands. They already have little plastic things for sale to clip on and customize your band, much like kids do with Crocs. Disney sees customization as another way to mint money.

From what I hear those are only a temporary item until they work the bugs out of the custom printing on Bands, as the Bandits(...I believe that is what they call them...) are getting a lot of complaints as they aren't affixing to the Bands themselves very well and guests are complaining that they are falling out.
 

Redhawk

Well-Known Member
From what I hear those are only a temporary item until they work the bugs out of the custom printing on Bands, as the Bandits(...I believe that is what they call them...) are getting a lot of complaints as they aren't affixing to the Bands themselves very well and guests are complaining that they are falling out.
Interesting. Wish I'd bought a set...
 

PrincessNelly_NJ

Well-Known Member
I'm curious. For people who want or believe disney will allow APs and off-site guest to book 60 days out as well. How exactly would that work? How is disney supposed to know you that you'll be arriving 60 days? Its obvious with people staying on property because... well they will be staying at a disney hotel.
 

SirLink

Well-Known Member
I'm curious. For people who want or believe disney will allow APs and off-site guest to book 60 days out as well. How exactly would that work? How is disney supposed to know you that you'll be arriving 60 days? Its obvious with people staying on property because... well they will be staying at a disney hotel.

You can book FP+ component upto 60 days out so there is that for offsite guests. 60 days is the maximum not the minimum, but just tap your booking confirmation number and away you go.
 

stevehousse

Well-Known Member
You can book FP+ component upto 60 days out so there is that for offsite guests. 60 days is the maximum not the minimum, but just tap your booking confirmation number and away you go.
Your post does not make sense?!? offsite guests cannot pre book, only onsite guests can. And I still think your absurd for trying to push th offsite guests early FP+ bookings. Yes they will allow offsite guests to get MBs down the line as a day of purchase,but pre booking FPs just doesnt even make sense at all for guests staying offsite. Do you only stay offsite and are really wishing and hoping that they do let you do this or something? I dont get why you keep pushing this so much...
 
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Fractal514

Well-Known Member
We discovered a while new glitch in FP+ (at least new that I have not seen noted) at MK last night.

We arrived with just under 2 hours before the park closed, but were only eligible for one FP+. The system had 8 eligible attractions to choose from, but once we selected one, it would not let us choose another.

We picked Space Mt., where the FP+ was literally 17 minutes later, but we were not able to select another even though there was plenty of time to get two more in (more than 90 minutes).

We were told that we were trying to get FPs too late to get more than one. So, apparently, even if there is FPs available, and time to use them, you will be limited after specific times.

We are locals, so it was not a big deal, but for somebody with a park hopper trying to squeeze in as much as possible, this left us missing out on 2 attractions last night. And not for any reason or posted reason.

So, just be aware, if using FP+ late, you can't to the fullest.

There is a built-in buffer in the system that doesn't let you have overlaps on your FP. So if you arrived at 7, got a fp for 7:30-8:30, you'd be done, because the last FP window is 8:00-9:00 but that's invalid since it would be overlapping with the other. I'm making some assumptions here, but this was what I gleamed from the system when I was using it on my last trip. It makes scheduling FP for late in the day harder to squeeze in, especially if you get slots that don't line up on the same "minute"
 

donsullivan

Premium Member
Original Poster
I'm curious. For people who want or believe disney will allow APs and off-site guest to book 60 days out as well. How exactly would that work? How is disney supposed to know you that you'll be arriving 60 days? Its obvious with people staying on property because... well they will be staying at a disney hotel.

In April, 2013 Disney published the page linked below that explicitly stated that this was going to be available.

https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/plan/my-disney-experience/passholder/

Any Passholder who has had a resort stay since all of this started has the ability to do just that now and has had the ability since their resort stay without any new or additional resort stay pending. As it has been described to me, they are still subject to the same 60 day window and can only have FP+ reservations for 7 unique calendar days at any one time. Once one of those days is either used or expired, they can book another day of FP+ reservations. This is an active capability in the system now that has been in place for many months now

Passholders who have not had a resort stay are still excluded from the advance reservation for FP+.
 

Fractal514

Well-Known Member
Ok, I just had an epiphany on why AP's and Off-site aren't in the system yet and the hurdle Disney has to jump through to get it right.

If you are staying on-site, then you have a high percentage of visiting the park that day, I'm staying for five nights, I have a five day tickets, chances are I'm going to use it one per day, Disney can make a safe bet that i'm actually going to be in the park when I say I am.

But AP's and those staying off site, just having a ticket doesn't mean that you're going to use it when you say you will. What's to stop an AP from making a Soarin FP+ every day at 5pm for the next two months, just in case they want to go over after work? I'm not saying this would be rampant, but after hearing all of these stories about booking multiple ADR's and then cancelling, I wouldn't be shocked at anything.

So, in short, have tickets, staying on site for specific dates, Disney can safely assume you'll be in the parks.
Have tickets, but nothing else tying to a specific date (that Disney can see), it's a riskier assumption to make.

Thoughts?
 

SirLink

Well-Known Member
Your post does not make sense?!? offsite guests cannot pre book, only onsite guests can. And I still think your absurd for trying to push th offsite guests early FP+ bookings. Yes they will allow offsite guests to get MBs down the line as a day of purchase,but pre booking FPs just doesnt even make sense at all for guests staying offsite. Do you only stay offsite and are really wishing and hoping that they do let you do this or something? I dot get why you keep pushing this so much...

Em ... instead of going backwards and forwards on things that are taking place currently.

Currently:
  • Onsite guests get Bands
  • Onsite guests get to reserve FP+ upto 60 days in advance
  • Offsite guests can only use terminals and not MM+ app.

Future:
  • Onsite guests get Bands and for an additional cost can be custom printed.
  • Offsite guests will get to purchase Bands as well as custom print on them in advance for an additional cost.
  • Onsite + Offsite guests will get to reserve FP+ upto 60 days in advance.
  • Onsite + Offsite guests will be able to use terminals and MM+ app.

This was told by a gentleman I trust who works in graphic design and layouts at a MAJOR UK TOUR OPERATOR who were briefed by The House of Mouse.

The reason I keep pushing it is because your being kinda Thick, but then this may only be for international guests not domestic ones ...
 

flynnibus

Premium Member
So, in short, have tickets, staying on site for specific dates, Disney can safely assume you'll be in the parks.
Have tickets, but nothing else tying to a specific date (that Disney can see), it's a riskier assumption to make.

Thoughts?

How to control 'when' APs use FP has always been a discussion.. would they do it by lead-time, by # of days you can book total, etc. But right now the limit is tied to the resort stay for some reason.. this seems more like an incomplete implementation still rather than a explicit desired requirement. It just screams 'no done yet!'
 

Furiated

Well-Known Member
There is a built-in buffer in the system that doesn't let you have overlaps on your FP. So if you arrived at 7, got a fp for 7:30-8:30, you'd be done, because the last FP window is 8:00-9:00 but that's invalid since it would be overlapping with the other. I'm making some assumptions here, but this was what I gleamed from the system when I was using it on my last trip. It makes scheduling FP for late in the day harder to squeeze in, especially if you get slots that don't line up on the same "minute"

I ran into this myself but going to one of the MM+ CMs with an iPad for assistance, they were able to override that 1 hour window restriction and put in all 3 FPs for me in the last 2 hours of park time when I arrived.

This was in Sept so I don't know if they would continue to do that for guests, but they have the ability to override it.
 

muteki

Well-Known Member
How has FP+ availability for high-demand attractions been day-of recently? Could I walk into MK today with no previous planning and get a FP for Pan/SM?

I don't see how it can be expected that AP's will book 60 days out, but not have anything available day of. I know in the past they said that there wouldn't be separate "pools" of availability and that all guests would be pulling from the same, singular pile, but if nothing "good" is available day-of for AP or local day trip guests that wouldn't work.
 

PrincessNelly_NJ

Well-Known Member
In April, 2013 Disney published the page linked below that explicitly stated that this was going to be available.

https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/plan/my-disney-experience/passholder/

Any Passholder who has had a resort stay since all of this started has the ability to do just that now and has had the ability since their resort stay without any new or additional resort stay pending. As it has been described to me, they are still subject to the same 60 day window and can only have FP+ reservations for 7 unique calendar days at any one time. Once one of those days is either used or expired, they can book another day of FP+ reservations. This is an active capability in the system now that has been in place for many months now

Passholders who have not had a resort stay are still excluded from the advance reservation for FP+.
Sorry for not clarifying but APs not staying at resorts and getting advance fp+ bookings is what I was referring to. How would advance bookings 60 days out work for them?
 

PrincessNelly_NJ

Well-Known Member
You can book FP+ component upto 60 days out so there is that for offsite guests. 60 days is the maximum not the minimum, but just tap your booking confirmation number and away you go.

Em ... instead of going backwards and forwards on things that are taking place currently.

Currently:
  • Onsite guests get Bands
  • Onsite guests get to reserve FP+ upto 60 days in advance
  • Offsite guests can only use terminals and not MM+ app.

Future:
  • Onsite guests get Bands and for an additional cost can be custom printed.
  • Offsite guests will get to purchase Bands as well as custom print on them in advance for an additional cost.
  • Onsite + Offsite guests will get to reserve FP+ upto 60 days in advance.
  • Onsite + Offsite guests will be able to use terminals and MM+ app.

This was told by a gentleman I trust who works in graphic design and layouts at a MAJOR UK TOUR OPERATOR who were briefed by The House of Mouse.

The reason I keep pushing it is because your being kinda Thick, but then this may only be for international guests not domestic ones ...

Exactly my question, How will disney know when "60 days out" applies to offsite guest. They have no way of knowing when offsite guest plan to arrive.
 

stevehousse

Well-Known Member
Exactly my question, How will disney know when "60 days out" applies to offsite guest. They have no way of knowing when offsite guest plan to arrive.

Especially when most offsite guests buy their tickets day of their visit. You have to remember that those of us on the board are very in the know of all these new systems and such, and the average visitor won't even know they had the capability to book in advance even if the option was given. It just doesnt make sense for offsite guests to be able to pre book, there is too much uncertainty with offsite guests and the new system especially since they don't have any ties to Disney as a resort guest does.
 

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