My Fpass experience so far..

[ThatBrunette]

Magic Kingdom
Fps for Monsters Laugh Floor, Big Thunder Mountain, Main St Elec Parade..
(Our options were really limited here..)

On a recent trip, I was able to change my FPs during the same day. If you aren't completely happy, randomly check to see if there is something you like more. I was able to switch a BTMRR to 7DMT while I was in the park.

 

[12_Ears_Dad]

I'm confused. Was your original intent for this thread to actually find out why some of us don't like the new system, or start a "FP vs. FP+" argument? It sure seems like the latter

I really wasn't trying to start a debate, but that's what ppl do here so it kinda just happens.. I never even mentioned the original FP system (most likely because I never had the pleasure to use it)

 

[CaptainAmerica]

I don't see how deciding what you want to ride 30 DAYS IN ADVANCE is more spontaneous than the day you actually go to the park.

Because you already know what you want to ride way before 30 days. I'm going in 240 days or something like that and I know TODAY that I'm going to want to ride Peter Pan. Without FP+, I spend the next eight months stressing about what lines are going to be like and if I need to get there right at rope drop or wait 70 minutes. WITH FP+ I know I'm going to ride it with little to no wait. That's a big win when you have needy children.

And you still don't get to choose exactly when your FP are either.

That's not true at all. The suggestions presented on MDX are just that... suggestions. You can customize specific times for each attraction. MDX isn't a bad system just because you don't bother to read the (simple) instructions.

Question: Were you able to choose exactly when your FP was under the old system? No? Weird.

 

[JohnD]

O

Ok great. It has really improved since the last time I was there (and that was before people could get extra ones after the first 3). That's promising. Now if they could eliminate the kiosks and let us do it all on our own before I get back there this summer...

Except you're back to standby. I really don't see the issue you're concerned about. In the old system, you would have to go ride-to-ride to grab the FP for the time it gives you. You do standby until that next ride.

Now, you schedule three in advance, then schedule one at a time at the closest kiosk for available FP+ anywhere in the park. Could some be unavailable like 7DMT? Sure. But in the old system you would have to run to an attraction and hope it still had availability. More often than not, you would run to Soarin and find out all FPs were distributed for the day. Going to a kiosk shows you availability immediately.

 

[Disney4family]

Except you're back to standby. I really don't see the issue you're concerned about. In the old system, you would have to go ride-to-ride to grab the FP for the time it gives you. You do standby until that next ride.

Now, you schedule three in advance, then schedule one at a time at the closest kiosk for available FP+ anywhere in the park. Could some be unavailable like 7DMY? Sure. But in the old system you would have to run to an attraction and hope it still had availability. More often than not, you would run to Soarin and find out all FPs were distributed for the day. Going to a kiosk shows you availability immediately.

Ok, I guess I was just thinking as far back as when they started posting times online so you wouldn't have to run around from ride to ride.

 

[JohnD]

Ok, I guess I was just thinking as far back as when they started posting times online so you wouldn't have to run around from ride to ride.

At least they posted on the "scoreboard" outside The Land so that you wouldn't have to run inside.

 

[Disney4family]

At least they posted on the "scoreboard" outside The Land so that you wouldn't have to run inside.

I would give anything right now to be standing by that board!

 

[Nick Wilde]

Because you already know what you want to ride way before 30 days. I'm going in 240 days or something like that and I know TODAY that I'm going to want to ride Peter Pan. Without FP+, I spend the next eight months stressing about what lines are going to be like and if I need to get there right at rope drop or wait 70 minutes. WITH FP+ I know I'm going to ride it with little to no wait. That's a big win when you have needy children.



That's not true at all. The suggestions presented on MDX are just that... suggestions. You can customize specific times for each attraction. MDX isn't a bad system just because you don't bother to read the (simple) instructions.

Question: Were you able to choose exactly when your FP was under the old system? No? Weird.

Wait. You can choose exact times for your FP? Really? I really didn't know that. I've never seen that option. I seriously didn't know this.

I don't have psychic powers and I don't know exactly what I'll want to ride and exactly when I'll want to ride it by the way. If you do, more power to you.

Anyway, arguing is kinda pointless. We both have our opinions, and both of us aren't going to change them.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

Wait. You can choose exact times for your FP? Really? I really didn't know that. I've never seen that option. I seriously didn't know this.

Yes. You pick one of the suggested itineraries and then can adjust each attraction.

 

[SW_matt]

is it really necessary to book that far in advance? Our normal plan is to decide what we are doing the day before so we will look to make bookings the evening before the park we are going to

 

[12_Ears_Dad]

is it really necessary to book that far in advance? Our normal plan is to decide what we are doing the day before so we will look to make bookings the evening before the park we are going to

It's not necessary at all. If you want to be completely spontaneous go for it. The downside is that you will most likely be waiting in long lines for most things. You could always try to schedule FPS the day before, but your options will be limited.

 

[Doug Means]

I don't see how deciding what you want to ride 30 DAYS IN ADVANCE is more spontaneous than the day you actually go to the park. And you still don't get to choose exactly when your FP are either. I'm sorry that the old FP was inconvenient for you. It worked great for me. My OPINION (which is what everything on this thread is) still stands. I was just trying to answer the OP's question.

i got to pic the exact times i wanted, then even changed my mind and went back a few days later and changed the times, no problems. The system picked times, at first that didn't interfere with my ADR's, but i changed the times twice...worked really great for me and it makes me feel very good to know i have a plan to hit the ride i could not get a FP for right away after the rope drop.

i'm no expert but have been to the parks enough. the old system was good and i would have lived with it if it was still here but it was hard to run around and try to insure you got reasonable times. AND several times we would go to the kiosk to only find out the time available was for the same time as our ADR. so we either had to leave the kiosk and come back later to get a time or wait around long enough for the time to change to a time we could use.

 

[Chef Mickey]

Um, Pirates having a 40 minute wait in September(witnessed first hand) is NOT a normal thing and is a byproduct of this garbage FP- system. With the old system we could rack up FPs out of the wazoo. We didn't have to go wait in line for 15 minutes behind people that didn't understand English or how to use these oh so advanced kiosks.

And if you think that Disney has a warm heart and is interested in "giving everyone an equal chance" to experience all of the rides, then why does their charity and whole heartedness begin with on-site folks having a handy jump on the off-site folks? They simply wanted to spread the crowds, there was nothing about this that was done out of fairness or a kind heart.

I agree with the premise of Disney doing this not for the guests, but for their own gain. They are just scratching the surface with the capabilities of the technology.

Essentially, they wanted to know more about what you are doing, where you are spending, and have the ability to track your every movement. By understanding crowd behaviors, they can plan their own staff better, plan food/snack vendors, and start introducing specialized offers based on habits.

Disney does want you to have a good time, but only because they want to keep you in the parks like sheep, happy and spending.

This thing was always about control and the "benefit" they are selling might have its merits, but make no mistake, this was developed purely out of dollar signs.

 

[12_Ears_Dad]

*Tries to put the lid back on the jar of worms he opened...won't...fit....ugh*

 

[Ralphlaw]

The new system does make it more difficult to just show up and get on your favorite rides. In that way, the spontaneity is gone. What might be fruitful for us to discuss are ways to avoid missing out, which would include the following:

1. Come at slow times of the year.
2. Take the time and learn FP+.
3. Understand that very few vacations these days can be fruitful unless some planning is done beforehand.
4. Appreciate the reality that so many thousands more folks visit WDW that some e-system had to be rolled out.
5. Still do the rope drop mad rush for Dwarf's Train, Soarin', Midway Mania and Everest for stand by lines.
6. Make full wise use of Extra Magic Hours.
7. Acknowledge that the World is now a far more crowded and techy place.
8. Use your gizmo. Embrace your gizmo. Be your gizmo.
9. Vent here and elsewhere.
10. Start a small business helping people plan their Disney vacations.

Yeah, that's about it.

 

[12_Ears_Dad]

Still do the rope drop mad rush for Dwarf's Train, Soarin', Midway Mania and Everest for stand by lines.

Why? I was able to get FP for all those except Dwarfs Train

 

[Ralphlaw]

If you want to do them more than once and/or you used your premium ride on FP+ for Splash Mountain, Test Track, Tower of Terror or the new Avalon ride.

 

[JIMINYCR]

Nice list ....
1. Come at slow times of the year. Check
2. Take the time and learn FP+. Yup, doing that
3. Understand that very few vacations these days can be fruitful unless some planning is done beforehand. Agree Wholly
4. Appreciate the reality that so many thousands more folks visit WDW that some e-system had to be rolled out.
Double Check... it was inevitable
5. Still do the rope drop mad rush for Dwarf's Train, Soarin', Midway Mania and Everest for stand by lines. Planning on it
6. Make full wise use of Extra Magic Hours. Yup got my planning schedule ready
7. Acknowledge that the World is now a far more crowded and techy place. Triple Check
8. Use your gizmo. Check Embrace your gizmo. Ummm, if I have to Be your gizmo. Crap.. guess I'll do it
9. Vent here and elsewhere. We'll see how it goes
10. Start a small business helping people plan their Disney vacations. Plan on helping other confused friends

 

[Ralphlaw]

Now that's the attitude! Welcome to the twenty-teens.

 

[Chef Mickey]

If it works as designed, meaning the FP+ line isn't longer than standby, I don't really see the downside.

I was a FP+ hater in the beginning because they had not worked out the kinks. Now, it's very difficult to argue it's not a better system than before. You know you want to ride x,y,z in advance, so it's not really like, "OMG, why do I have to plan every ride?!?!" This system just guarantees you'll get to ride it at a time of your choosing.

I suppose you could get more Fast Passes with the legacy system, but if they actually enforced the time windows (which they started doing more toward the end), you couldn't hoard them. They also tightened the amount you could have at once at some point.

The new kiosks and cast members helping have been a welcome addition and totally streamline getting more Fast Passes after you use the first few. My only regret is they don't allow multiple park Fast Passes, which I'm not sure why because I don't really see the downside.