My Magic + details ...

[flynnibus]

Some time ago, WDW implemented a $10/person credit card charge for anyone not showing up for their ADR.

If FP+ selections are not tied to tickets, do you think Disney will do something to limit potential FP+ selection abuse?

IMO.. no

With ADRs there is an opportunity cost lost when no one shows... and the volumes are smaller. With FP+.. if no one shows up.. what happens? The lines move a little quicker? Yes there is contention for the passes that is held up... but how rampant would the problem be?

If Disney is able to keep a reasonable limit on the # of fake profiles created.. it shouldn't be a problem. Their only risk is people trying to slam the system with the intention of trying to lock out an attraction all together for the lulz. Unlike spammers, there is no return for success.

 

[RSoxNo1]

This is the scenario I've been speculating they will follow. Tickets are just your gate admission.. they are transient... its your profile that is static and permanent. It is the root. And that allowing FP+ reservations before you have a ticket is the best pro/con scenario since there are sooo many scenarios where a guest will not have their final, valid ticket before they are onsite.

And tickets can't be the hub of your FP+ activity because your tickets have a high probability of being replaced, swapped out, upgraded, etc.

Your ticket really is two concepts

1 - an entitlement to services (admission)
2 - a physical token you use

The second is optional, as it can be replaced by the band. The first is a floating property that is purchased via the ticket, but once you have that entitlement, it's possible to separate it from the original ticket (making the original ticket null and just a piece of paper).

Once your online profile is established and persistent.. it's possible to move to an 'all digital' form of entitlement and currency. Imagine just buying admissions and having them transferred directly to your profile... no need for a ticket at all! Know what that means?? No more secondary ticket selling.

This is why I think only allowing access to the Fastpass+ system once you're in the park is the way to go. Keep the old rules, make it electronic and it's a substantially improved system.

 

[asianway]

This is why I think only allowing access to the Fastpass+ system once you're in the park is the way to go. Keep the old rules, make it electronic and it's a substantially improved system.

Open the FP+ for that day at 8:30am so you have something to do waiting for the turnstiles to open. But that would never work.

 

[RSoxNo1]

Open the FP+ for that day at 8:30am so you have something to do waiting for the turnstiles to open. But that would never work.

I love it, that's a great idea.

 

[RSoxNo1]

So I've been playing around with the My Disney Experience App a lot lately (I'm always interested in wait times during peak times). I noticed they have a "Filter" option when searching wait times or attractions but the way it works is a little strange.

For Epcot for example if you select "Adults" and "Fastpass Availability" it won't show all items for adults and all items for Fastpass Availability it will only show where the two overlap. Personally, I think this would be useful if you could select/save to your profile the attractions you're interested in and then your wait times will only show those attractions.

Failing that, I'd like to see the ability to set the default pages and order on the app. For me, I'm going to use "wait times" more than anything else so I want that to be available in a lower number of clicks. I also want to see "wait times" sorted alphabetically but it defaults to lowest wait time first. I'm sure some people prefer that or the third option, sorting by land.

The good thing is, features are being added to the app on a regular basis, but it's still not as user friendly as it needs to be. I hope they read this and truly make it so the app can actually be personalized to the user preferences. After all, it is called "MY Disney Experience."

Back to Fastpass+, one of the practices we use now is that if someone doesn't want a Fastpass for a particular attraction we may get a Fastpass for an another attraction and utilize that ticket's restrictions. By this I mean if you have a group of 6 people and only 3 want to go on Splash and Thunder Mountain you can use those 6 tickets to get Fastpasses for Splash and Thunder for the 3 that want to experience them. I hope that once your "group" is linked on the Magic Bands that the Fastpasses essentially act the same way as a pile in your pocket. Currently, the cast member doesn't know that this Fastpass wasn't acquired by your ticket. I think it would be a pain in the a$$ if we have to play the "ok, let me take your Magic Band or RFID ticket so I can ride this ride using Fastpass". Of the people that have tested this, did you happen to see how you Fastpass access was identified at the Fastpass+ entrance? I assume it mentioned you by name, but I wonder if it showed you as being part of a group and counted the Fastpasses accordingly. I assume everyone had to scan their band at the Fastpass+ entrance.

 

[pjammer]

For Epcot for example if you select "Adults" and "Fastpass Availability" it won't show all items for adults and all items for Fastpass Availability it will only show where the two overlap. Personally, I think this would be useful if you could select/save to your profile the attractions you're interested in and then your wait times will only show those attractions.

You can do this. If you click the little heart next to the attractions name it puts them on your wishlist. Then you an view your wishlist and see all your favorite rides in all four parks in one page. It is also a good way to just look at one page and see which park is the busiest.

Back to Fastpass+, one of the practices we use now is that if someone doesn't want a Fastpass for a particular attraction we may get a Fastpass for an another attraction and utilize that ticket's restrictions. By this I mean if you have a group of 6 people and only 3 want to go on Splash and Thunder Mountain you can use those 6 tickets to get Fastpasses for Splash and Thunder for the 3 that want to experience them. I hope that once your "group" is linked on the Magic Bands that the Fastpasses essentially act the same way as a pile in your pocket. Currently, the cast member doesn't know that this Fastpass wasn't acquired by your ticket. I think it would be a pain in the a$$ if we have to play the "ok, let me take your Magic Band or RFID ticket so I can ride this ride using Fastpass". Of the people that have tested this, did you happen to see how you Fastpass access was identified at the Fastpass+ entrance? I assume it mentioned you by name, but I wonder if it showed you as being part of a group and counted the Fastpasses accordingly. I assume everyone had to scan their band at the Fastpass+ entrance.

You will have to take bands off and switch them although i don't the attraction cm will mind if you tap the band and it say Maybelle instead of Joe.

 

[RSoxNo1]

You can do this. If you click the little heart next to the attractions name it puts them on your wishlist. Then you an view your wishlist and see all your favorite rides in all four parks in one page. It is also a good way to just look at one page and see which park is the busiest.

Good to know, thanks.

You will have to take bands off and switch them although i don't the attraction cm will mind if you tap the band and it say Maybelle instead of Joe.

Just throwing this out there... a $1 billion system should be able to address this.

 

[pjammer]

Good to know, thanks.


Just throwing this out there... a $1 billion system should be able to address this.

Not to start a an argument (which it will) but if you read the print on the back of the FP ticket it says it is non transferable. Same rules apply to band as it is printed in the back. It is just that the paper FP ticket it is harder to enforce such rules. Probably why the system isn't designed to do this.

 

[stevehousse]

The biggest downside to FP+ is the tiered ride system they have in place!

You will not be able to get a FP+ for space, splash, and BTMR as your 3 FP+ rides. The system is tiered, so you will be able to choose only one e ticket ride, then a ride from the next group, and another ride from te bottom group.

So I go and do my FP+ reservations and it would let you choose like this;

Space mountain
Pirates
Winnie the Pooh

Just imagine the poor folks who end up with the following;

Peter Pan
IASW
Carousel of progress!

Te tiered system is a awful!

 

[englanddg]

The biggest downside to FP+ is the tiered ride system they have in place!

You will not be able to get a FP+ for space, splash, and BTMR as your 3 FP+ rides. The system is tiered, so you will be able to choose only one e ticket ride, then a ride from the next group, and another ride from te bottom group.

So I go and do my FP+ reservations and it would let you choose like this;

Space mountain
Pirates
Winnie the Pooh

Just imagine the poor folks who end up with the following;

Peter Pan
IASW
Carousel of progress!

Te tiered system is a awful!

Agreed.

 

[RSoxNo1]

Not to start a an argument (which it will) but if you read the print on the back of the FP ticket it says it is non transferable. Same rules apply to band as it is printed in the back. It is just that the paper FP ticket it is harder to enforce such rules. Probably why the system isn't designed to do this.

I get that, but a legit complaint that people have had here is that this eliminates an individual's ability to "create magic" by gifting Fastpasses to another group. This is the same thing as using Grandma's Fastpasses. It also points to the letter of the rules vs. the spirit of the rule. Fastpasses are non-transferable mainly because Disney doesn't want you selling Fastpasses.

The biggest downside to FP+ is the tiered ride system they have in place!

You will not be able to get a FP+ for space, splash, and BTMR as your 3 FP+ rides. The system is tiered, so you will be able to choose only one e ticket ride, then a ride from the next group, and another ride from te bottom group.

So I go and do my FP+ reservations and it would let you choose like this;

Space mountain
Pirates
Winnie the Pooh

Just imagine the poor folks who end up with the following;

Peter Pan
IASW
Carousel of progress!

Te tiered system is a awful!

It's not that the current system isn't tiered, is that it's more logical because it doesn't group attractions into an A and B category. The system now is self governing. If you want a Fastpass for Space Mountain you can get one, but it means you won't be able to get another Fastpass for 2 hours, and you likely won't be able to ride for longer than that. That system was fair, and now Disney is trying to force nearly all aspects of Fastpass+ in a haphazard manner, presumably to meet the objective of keeping more people on property. I've got an article coming out on this very thing soon.

 

[wogwog]

I love it, that's a great idea.

I am completely non tech. Lap top computer and a dumb phone for phone calls only. But I doubt the wifi would support large usage at the front. The new terrible touch point entry system is wifi controlled by a device that needs constat re-booting and the battery charge life is short. Disney would not want entry slowed down even more. That system crashes a lot according to cast working them. Hence the backup GR folks right behind the touch points that you do not see behind the old hard wired entry bank of turnstiles. So much for perceived labor saving. Some of you nerds might have a better answer.

 

[wogwog]

Good to know, thanks.


Just throwing this out there... a $1 billion system should be able to address this.

I hear it is projecting out closer to $2 b with no end in sight.

 

[wogwog]

Not to start a an argument (which it will) but if you read the print on the back of the FP ticket it says it is non transferable. Same rules apply to band as it is printed in the back. It is just that the paper FP ticket it is harder to enforce such rules. Probably why the system isn't designed to do this.

Exactly, correct assumption.

 

[Genie of the Lamp]

Possible ways/solutions to fix/enhance the fastpass/fastpass+ system(s) at WDW:
http://micechat.com/34743-fixing-fastpass/

 

[wdisney9000]

Possible ways/solutions to fix/enhance the fastpass/fastpass+ system(s) at WDW:
http://micechat.com/34743-fixing-fastpass/

Great article. They hit the nail on the head. Disney is trying so hard to sell MM+ as something that guests were demanding when in reality its just their way of keeping guests on property. Its all smoke and mirrors. The fact that NONE of the other Disney parks are even beginning to install any of the NGE, MM+ speaks volumes about the confidence (or lack of) they have in it. Am i wrong? Have any other parks began the installation process? I couldnt find anything online. If guests are confused by the current FP and demanding a better system/experience in Florida, wouldnt they be demanding the same in California or Paris or Tokyo? I guess people only get confused by FP in Orlando. Some people need to take off the rose colored glasses and recognize this for what it truly is. Or better yet, what it isnt. It is not anything that will make your experience at Disney better. Do you really think the executives that dreamed up this idea honestly care about how magical your vacation is? If they did, they would have built more attractions, not raised prices, they would have spent the $2,000,000,000 on anything other than an Animal Farm system.

 

[RSoxNo1]

Possible ways/solutions to fix/enhance the fastpass/fastpass+ system(s) at WDW:
http://micechat.com/34743-fixing-fastpass/

Thanks for posting. One thing I neglected to mention in the article came up in the comments:

The declaration that “you don’t have to use the Fastpass+ system if you don’t want to” is a gigantic load of crap. Guests who don’t use any Fastpass system are at a disadvantage, but at least under the current system all guests have access to the same system. With this they’re essentially charging for preferred access to the system, they’re just not directly charging for it.

 

[FigmentsFangirl]

Here is something I am just not getting with this; Being a casual Disneygoer myself here, SOMETIMES I use a FP, and that is when I really just want to skip the line, get on the ride, and then meet up with my party after the ride is over. Otherwise I honestly do not mind standing in line. However, why put a fastpass for Haunted Mansion, or even Peter Pan, or Small World, those rides are all but omnimovers as it is. They do not need fast passes! I mean sure Haunted Mansion people like to get pictures or play around with the scenery. I guess I do not understand it at this point personally as a causal Disneygoer.

Hate to be a downer about this, but personally, I always saw the FastPass system as limiting {get one, cannot get another until time listed is used up, get the next one, same thing as the first, get the last one, wasted it as by time you get to the ride there's no line, period. {Jungle Cruise after 1900 hours}} Basically the most I could get per day when it first started and my family got into it was 3 at the very most in one park. We tried fast passes in other parks on the same day, but none of them worked {with the AP parkhopper too}.

I guess I really do not see just how this will impact FP users on a more FPHardcore basis. I mean, even if you go first thing to get fast passes for Spacemountain, Splash mountain, and BTMRR you're still limited to three, and you even then have to wait until the time expires anyway.

I think I shall stick with the normal line, regardless of the wait time. Personally speaking. I am however rather intriged by the MyMagic+, isn't there an app already out for that for the iPod/iPhone ? If so, I've used it. Unless that's just ride times and park maps in digital form.

Also I recall reading that when you use the first FP+ more will open up in the same park ? Like say you select three, {Peter Pan, Splash mountain and BTMRR before entering} and you go on BTMRR first, once done, the other two rides disappear for the moment and more appear in their place with open FP times to access, so you pick three and go to the next one, once on that the other rides poof and maybe the original two from the first three of the day reappear with times open to go on ?

Or was I reading that wrongly ?

 

[BigThunderMatt]

If Disney is able to keep a reasonable limit on the # of fake profiles created.. it shouldn't be a problem. Their only risk is people trying to slam the system with the intention of trying to lock out an attraction all together for the lulz. Unlike spammers, there is no return for success.

As I stated previously, dummy accounts won't make a difference as you will either have to have existing ticket media linked to your account along with a resort reservation to book 60 days out or book in the park with your ticket day of. Just like today in order to book FastPasses in the park day of you will either have to use your RF ticket at one of the in-park kiosks or link the ticket you purchase that day to your account and use it to book FastPasses from your phone.

There will be no way to book FastPasses in advance or day of without a linked room/ticket combo or a linked ticket respectively.

 

[BigThunderMatt]

The biggest downside to FP+ is the tiered ride system they have in place!

You will not be able to get a FP+ for space, splash, and BTMR as your 3 FP+ rides. The system is tiered, so you will be able to choose only one e ticket ride, then a ride from the next group, and another ride from te bottom group.

This has changed and is no longer accurate. I'm doing a beta test in 2 days and I definitely have FPs booked for all 3 mountains.