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Magic Kingdom going FP+ only on 1/14/14
- Thread starter donsullivan
- Start date
seafoodbuffet
Active Member
Lots of info here
http://m.wdwmagic.com/other/mymagicplus.htm
In short, it's the new fast pass replacement at WDW. Although it's been "in testing" and largely only available to resort guests, they are converting to this for everyone.
Animal Kingdom is already FP+ only, no legacy FP ticket machines anymore.
Magic Kingdom sounds to be doing the same on 14 Jan
http://m.wdwmagic.com/other/mymagicplus.htm
In short, it's the new fast pass replacement at WDW. Although it's been "in testing" and largely only available to resort guests, they are converting to this for everyone.
Animal Kingdom is already FP+ only, no legacy FP ticket machines anymore.
Magic Kingdom sounds to be doing the same on 14 Jan
Fractal514
Well-Known Member
Why shouldn't guests who stay on site get an advantage. They are giving Disney more money, Disney is giving them more access. I think it makes sense. In any industry and market if you choose to buy a cheaper product, you get less features. So yes, staying off-site means you have to make your selections day of, but you also saved a butt-load of money. What drives me crazy about this discussion is that it seems like everyone wants the system to be designed to benefit their own particular situation the most, and the only one here who gets that privilege is Disney.
Furthermore, to all of those who preferred the old system, I hear you, but it's gone and won't come back and Disney doesn't OWE us anything in that regard. The old system certainly benefited smart guests who did their research and planned ahead, but that isn't the majority of park guests, by a long shot. The new system may not work AS WELL for us in the know, but I think in the long run it will work a LOT better for the general visitor.
Finally, to those who say they hate lines? "Effie, we all got pains." Is there a single person on this board who actually enjoys waiting in line? I don't mean appreciating the details or playing the games or what have you, but is there anyone who would wish for longer waits to get on rides? We all hate lines, EVERYONE hates lines, so keep in mind that one of the goals (whether it will be met or not is to be determined) is that this new system will reduce the total time spent waiting in for EVERYONE, yes individuals may see an increase, but in general the wait time should be reduced.
Don't get me wrong, there are parts of this new system that I like and parts that I don't, but I think the passion some people are exhibiting is a little much.
ParentsOf4
Well-Known Member
Donald Gennaro: And we can charge anything we want, 2,000 a day, 10,000 a day, and people will pay it. And then there's the merchandise...
John Hammond: Donald, Donald... This park was not built to cater only for the super-rich. Everyone in the world has the right to enjoy these animals.
Donald Gennaro: Sure, they will. Well, we'll have a, a coupon day or something.
Fractal514
Well-Known Member
It works just like it used to. You receive a rider swap when you present your child to the cast member and ask for one. They give you a card good for you and, I think, 3 other guests (might be two). However you get through the line is irrelevant. If you wait through the stand-by, then it is a time savings for the person using the rider swap as they get to go through the FP line, no FP+ needed, just turn in your rider swap pass.
What is interesting is, that using this method a small family could effectively double their FP+ options. Let's say we're a family of four, mom/dad/jr. and baby. Mom makes a FP+ for SM, BTM, and SPLASH in the morning, and the family rider swaps all of them. There is nothing to stop Dad from FP+ Sever Dwarfs, and perhaps a repeat on SM and Splash for the afternoon.
While this is an abuse of the system (of sorts) I think it kind of balances out the limitations that are naturally imposed on a family by having small children with them. It really inhibits your ability to get on a lot of attractions when you have to stop constantly to be a parent, and so it doesn't bother me if this system is used in this way.
Fractal514
Well-Known Member
Wait a minute, are you seriously arguing that unless everything is exactly equal in all ways that the park is somehow catering to the super-rich? I'm sorry, but FP+, a steak dinner at California Grille, the King Kamehameha Suite at the Poly, Parasailing on Bay Lake, and all sorts of experiences at WDW are not a part of the base ticket price.
The idea that Disney parks should be open to all, and not just the super rich, refers to the ability to enter the park and enjoy the rides/experiences. If you think that FP+ and/or the ability to plan it out in advance is central to that ability, then I think you are mistaken. It is a perk, not a right, and certainly not critical to being able to have fun at a Disney park.
CheshireCat12
Well-Known Member
If you go at rope drop you can ride standby with a low wait also. This is what I would do.
Fractal514
Well-Known Member
Then don't. Don't do any FP+ and just go into the parks and ride things that you want. If you don't want to wait in line, then don't.
Unless what you are really saying is, you don't want to plan ahead and yet you still want the ability to just walk right on the rides you want, when you want. That's just not gonna happen.
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What about APs who visit the parks on a regular basis? or those who may own vacation homes in the area, so they can take multiple trips to WDW throughout the year. Yes, people staying on-site may pay more at the time for their tip, but there's no way to absolutely quantify that they definitely pay more overall....
Fractal514
Well-Known Member
I think there are two ways of looking at it. One, being forced to choose a third might actually drive some guests to visit an attraction that they wouldn't have otherwise, which is arguably a good thing (at least for Disney). Second, the attraction you picked probably didn't even need a FP, therefore you aren't hurting anyone by not using it.
Fractal514
Well-Known Member
No, you're right you can't say they don't pay more overall, but... they aren't staying on property and this particular perk is linked to that particular purchase. The perk you get for having an AP is a drastically reduced price to enter the parks (depending on your usage). The perk you get for having a time share is reduced price for your accommodations and perhaps better amenities depending on your tastes.
Every purchase decisions provides rewards and limitations. In this case, choosing to stay on property has a big advantage, which is crucial, because Disney really does charge a high premium and the benefits aren't always obvious. This is a step in making it obvious that staying on property will be worth the cost.
No, it's not obvious. It is the market that Disney has decided to create with their resorts. But that doesn't mean those who either don't need to stay on site or choose not to should be accorded any less potential access to the rides and attractions their park admission gives them....
Redhawk
Well-Known Member
My thought about having to choose 3 FP+ instead of only 1 or 2 is that it will decrease the amount of FP available to others who might actually want a FP for that attraction. I don't understand why the system forces you to choose 3.
Fractal514
Well-Known Member
Yes it does. You are looking at it from the perspective that staying off site gives you less access, whereas I'm saying that staying on-site gives you more. It's semantics. Disney has certainly had a history of providing more access to guests staying on-site in the form of Extra Magic Hours.
Your base ticket grants you access the parks and attractions. You still have that, no one has taken that away from you.
The selfishness of this response fascinates me. What you're failing to grasp in this an other posts around the the board where you're expressing the same "Passholders are not worthy" perspective belies Disney's own commitment on this program in April, 2013.
See: https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/plan/my-disney-experience/passholder/
published in April 2013 where Disney committed this capability would be available to Passholders 'later this year' and has not delivered. Many people purchased AP's since that date and there was a published commitment of equal access to the program that Disney has not delivered on and refuses to commit that they will or when they will.
The arbitrary statements you've made above and in other places about spending more suggests you have no clear perspective on the amount of money a local Passholder who enjoys experiencing all of WDW spends in a given year. While not all are at that spending level, I can assure you that I spend way more than most guests who spend a week at Pop Century each year. That starts with $900+ for admission media alone.
No, I'm looking at it from the aspect that those staying offsite should not have less access than those staying on. One should not have to pay the absurd costs of a Disney resort to justify getting better access to FP+ when it is your park tickets that determine when they are reserved.
And one hour a day (sometimes in the evening) at a random park throughout the week has little to do with FP+ availability. Indeed, if the EMH program remains, those hours should not be part of the FP+ schedule.
seafoodbuffet
Active Member
I thought about that, consider this:
For a typical family of 4 (2 adults, 2 kids)
7-day single-park ticket is $1,275
7-day park hopper is $1,527
AP is $2,594 (not considering the Florida-resident discount, FL resident pricing is closer to $2,000)
then resort costs (using the current spring discounts, not the rack rates),
7 nights at Pop: $1,041
7 nights at POFQ: $1,560
7 nights at Poly: $4,074
The price paid by that on-site family ranges from: $2,316 - $5601, for a single stay. Where as the AP family has paid about $2600.
Assuming equal spending on food/merch (though I'd bet that data would indicate that out of town guests spend more, plus APs get TiW and merch discounts), an AP's "expected value" is closer to the low-end than the high, which is why Disney isn't tripping over themselves to throw out tons of AP benefits.
This all makes sense if you think of Disney as a high-profit, high-occupancy hotel business that uses theme parks as a way of making their hotels attractive.
Which perhaps is a way of saying, if you're an AP, sure you've given a lot more revenue than a typical offsite guest, but the reason Disney is making it so attractive for onsite resort guests is because it's their business, and they are spending more than you.
If the cost of the AP is already at the low range of a single stay, and that AP family visits multiple times (and many in the area are there on almost a daily basis) spending on food, drink and merchandise, then it's not unfair to say they're spending either as much or more than those making one visit per year....
Fractal514
Well-Known Member
Ok, first off, I don't think my response is selfish, I am an AP holder, and so this certainly does affect me. I've never said anything about passholders being worthy, simply that they already receive a benefit from their purchase of an AP, in that we get dramatically reduced entry cost per visit. If they choose to open this up to AP's for advance booking, great, but I don't think they "owe us."
I absolutely understand how much money APers contribute towards WDW and that Disney has a strong motivation to make them happy. But... I don't know about you, but I've noticed a decrease in perks for all sorts of programs from AP to DVC members over the years, so it isn't like they aren't willing to do what's best for the bottom line either.
Btw, that family that spends a week a pop, how often do you think they get to visit? Once in a lifetime (in general). I'm ok with them getting better FP+ access, since I'm going to be visiting twice a year or more and will have lots of opportunities to ride everything. You accuse me of being selfish, but in reality, I'm just grateful for the experiences I've had and will continue to have, and don't understand the vitriol people have. Maybe I'm just trying to put out another way of looking at things that isn't about us not getting what we feel we deserve, and more about looking at it from another perspective. But if that makes me selfish and arbitrary, so be it.
Fractal514
Well-Known Member
I disagree, I think that two hours at night or an hour in the morning can be MORE of an extra access to rides that FP+, depending on how you use it. Just because YOU don't value it, doesn't mean that others don't.