My magic+ testing report

[dadddio]

No, thats not what I meant. I understand how FP+ should theoretically work and I'm firmly in the "this is going to me off A LOT" camp.

I basically want to see specifics posted where I am wrong about these assumptions, the largest one being that all the FP+ reservations will be reserved 60 days out and that passholders will get screwed big time.

No one has to prove that these suppositions are incorrect. They're not my suppositions. The onus is on the person who created them to prove them correct.

Like others have wondered, how will same-day tickets be handled?

what do you mean? Those people would be able to pull FPs as available up to the maximum that they can hold at any time. It seems that this is spelled out in the T&C, but I'm too lazy to pop over and verify it right now.

How will tickets be handled by anyone who gets one through an authorized Disney seller (Military, AAA, Disney Stores)?

That has definitely been addressed. The ticket holder would enter them not his/her profile and they would function exactly as if they had purchased the tickets as part of a package.

 

[dadddio]

If you reserve 3 fastpasses in advance... can you obtain more fastpasses on the day of your visit while you're in the park? Or is it 3 and done?

The Terms and Conditions suggests that you will be able to obtain additional FPs during you visit, but no official statement has been made about this one way or another.

And if you can obtain more same-day, could you possibly get a second fastpass for a ride you've already fastpassed via advance reservation? (I know I'm jumping the gun by asking questions before anything's official, but I'm just curious if I missed this.)

The T&C specifically states that you can only FP a specific ride nice per day.

 

[dadddio]

AP holders could kill FP+ if they wanted. I have a hard time believing that AP holders go to WDW every day. Now with that in mind, I just read on the MM+ etc details page "AP holders will have the same FASTPASS+ rules as resort guests, with 60 days out reservations, for one park only per day, and three selections per day." So if AP holders reserved FP+'s for everyday, even ones when they are not there, then FP+'s would have to be extremely rare. Not that AP holders are going to do this, but it is wrench that could damage the cogs of the FP+ system.

The T&C states that a person can only hold FPs for a certain number of days.

 

[PhotoDave219]

I sure will, just as soon as we know how it will work. What I won't do is take someone's Internet supposition as fact, and then build a worse scenario based on that and moan about it.

You'll forgive my skepticism but we have our own Bothan Spies around these parts. You're gonna need some street cred to back some up some of what you're saying. Ex., Start naming sources.

No offense intended but you've come out of the woodwork and are talking like you are in the know.... which seems to contradict what we are hearing from people that are 100% on this.

So if you could elaborate a tad more on where your information is coming from, Daddy-oh.... it would be appreciated.

 

[dadddio]

And will guests miss that window to change their FP+ or ADR when they have to truck to the kiosk located on Main Street and stand in line to use a Kiosk cause guests are all having WiFi/Crashing Phone issues?

My DS has quickly learned to turn his phone off at work during moderate to busy times or his iPhone is dead when he goes to use it. Guests having to turn off phone is kinda bad PR...turn off your phone because Disney is going to kill your battery life, remember to go back to yesteryear and carry a camera as a back up to your iPhone.

Alternatively, your son (or whoever) could simply charge his phone whenever convenient throughout the day. When I arrive at my office, my phone gets put in it's charger. In the car, the phone gets plugged in to top it off. If I am out of pocket all day, an external battery pack gets tossed in the gear bag.

My folks will not do FP+ they have enough issues with the DVD player, email and accepting a call on their cell instead of hitting ignore. So either I will have to plan their entire trips or they have come to the end of their Disney days as it is too much for them. My Dad a retired veteran was a number in his day as his dog tags attested. Explaining he must wear a band in the future to be able to do the things he use to without it, well lets say didn't go over well.

He can simply opt for the RFID card. Cinderella probably won't know his name, but I doubt that he'll care.

 

[dadddio]

You'll forgive my skepticism but we have our own Bothan Spies around these parts. You're gonna need some street cred to back some up some of what you're saying. Ex., Start naming sources.

No offense intended but you've come out of the woodwork and are talking like you are in the know.... which seems to contradict what we are hearing from people that are 100% on this.

So if you could elaborate a tad more on where your information is coming from, Daddy-oh.... it would be appreciated.

My information comes from official statements and the T&C. I much prefer relying on that then the mystery sources claimed by others.

 

[PhotoDave219]

My information comes from official statements and the T&C. I much prefer relying on that then the mystery sources claimed by others.

Well.... they have a several year track record of being right. In some cases, they've been vetted. So when they speak that something is going to happen (ala Star Wars/Carsland is likely coming) or when details come out about a program (see the original post), I tend to go with it until I get contradictory information.

I tend to challenge or be skeptical of most public statements - I'm a journalist, I dont take for granted what people tell me when they're with big corporations, with giant legal departments. I also don't read much into the terms and conditions as they too have been crafted by some giant legal department and are generally bovine fecal matter.

So I am trying to take a deep breath on this and just roll with it, but I'm 95% sure that these details are for real. They reinforce other things we've been told over the past 12-18 months as well as observations I've seen while in MK.

Not trying to pick or start a fight or offend you in any fashion, I'm just trying to see where your information is coming from.

 

[nytimez]

My information comes from official statements and the T&C. I much prefer relying on that then the mystery sources claimed by others.

This is a weird place to hang out of if you prefer to rely on official statements.

Coming here and complaining about rumors from mystery sources is like going to a bar and complaining about all the booze.

 

[bubbles1812]

But you don't have to explain all of Disney in thirty seconds. I can certainly fully explain what we know about FP+ in that amount of time. I have little doubt that once it is rolled out we will be able to explain the mechanics of obtaining and changing FPs in that amount of time, also.

And I am sure that person new to WDW will fully appreciate that 30 second rush job through the mechanics of FP+... Now are going to be kind enough to let them know they shouldn't be wasting that FP on Philharmagic instead of that other choice for Splash Mountain or are you going to leave them in the dust? The FP+ system is more complicated. And while we have mainly been talking about FP+ in this thread, the thread title involving magic+... So I think it's perfectly valid (even if you are being silly and think not) to bring up the point that FP+ is one component. There would be much more to be explained to a new person. Going to Disney is complicated. And FP+ is one more complication to an already complicated system

And also, @nytimez and @PhotoDave219 said... Following only company statements here and exactly toeing the company line... That's your prerogative certainly. But as they said, the majority of these people with their mystery sources have been proven right over and over. So taking them seriously isnt viewed as a bad move as you seem to want to imply. Does that mean their flawless? No. But then much of what Disney puts out "officially" is often changed too.

 

[bubbles1812]

The Terms and Conditions suggests that you will be able to obtain additional FPs during you visit, but no official statement has been made about this one way or another.

Please point out where this is. I actually want to know. I would be pleased if this happens, but I have seen literally no information from tests, official releases, reports, or anyone here that supports what you are putting forth.

 

[Sneezy62]

@disney206313 Thanks for telling us how the test is going. I Hope you will have time when you get back to tell us if you took part in any surveys and what questions were being asked. Glad you are having a great time!

 

[Brian Noble]

So your argument is that a system more complex than the current system will be better for the "casual guest". You realize how crazy that is, right?

The basic *idea* is not all that complex, I don't think---it's a reservation. Most casual visitors understand how reservations work. After all, what are the chances that a first-time WDW guest has never made a restaurant reservation, or bought tickets in advance to a live performance, or perhaps even advance tickets to a movie?

While the details we've seen have been "the full set of rules", that almost certainly won't be the messaging used for guests when they are booking their vacation and presented with the ability to book FP+.

 

[ddrongowski]

The basic *idea* is not all that complex, I don't think---it's a reservation. Most casual visitors understand how reservations work. After all, what are the chances that a first-time WDW guest has never made a restaurant reservation, or bought tickets in advance to a live performance, or perhaps even advance tickets to a movie?

While the details we've seen have been "the full set of rules", that almost certainly won't be the messaging used for guests when they are booking their vacation and presented with the ability to book FP+.

I have never ever done any of those. Never had any problems either.

 

[Gabe1]

Alternatively, your son (or whoever) could simply charge his phone whenever convenient throughout the day. When I arrive at my office, my phone gets put in it's charger. In the car, the phone gets plugged in to top it off. If I am out of pocket all day, an external battery pack gets tossed in the gear bag.

I'm kinda shaking my head here, did you mean your post to be that condescending? Most of us here in the real world vs WDW know how to charge a cell phone and know the various options and ways to charge a cell phone. Your scenario is a very different from the drain that is happening to cells in WDW currently. That is why he turns it off.

What you missed by only quoting part of my post or ignoring that part is my son is a CM at WDW. First shoving an external battery charger into his pocket would be frowned upon as would carrying a gear bag. Disney is cracking down on guests using outlets throughout the park and guiding them to authorized areas only. While he does not work in a park any of your suggestions would not fly with Disney management.

He can simply opt for the RFID card. Cinderella probably won't know his name, but I doubt that he'll care.

How does a RFID card change the planning that will be required Magic My Way? I'd still have to make my Dads FP+ reservations with the RFID card or the Magic Band since the FP machines will be going away after full roll out.

 

[jed012788]

I have never ever done any of those. Never had any problems either.

You'e never in your entire life bought a ticket to a sporting event or a concert or a play in advance? You've never made a restaurant reservation? Where do you live? How is that possible?

 

[ddrongowski]

You'e never in your entire life bought a ticket to a sporting event or a concert or a play in advance? You've never made a restaurant reservation? Where do you live? How is that possible?

I have lived in OH, MI, LA, GA, TN, CO, and TX. An no I have never bought anything of that in advance. How is that possible? I guess I know people or better people know me.

 

[jed012788]

I have lived in OH, MI, LA, GA, TN, CO, and TX. An no I have never bought anything of that in advance. How is that possible? I guess I know people or better people know me.

I want your life!!!

 

[doctornick]

Please point out where this is. I actually want to know. I would be pleased if this happens, but I have seen literally no information from tests, official releases, reports, or anyone here that supports what you are putting forth.

The official Terms and Conditions don't indicate that "day of" FP+ will be available. That said, they don't say they won't be either. In fact, they are non-specific enough to allow for a wide variety of implementations -- and it's probably quite likely that a lot of specifics aren't decided or worked out yet.

Personally, I think the question of how "unreserved" FP+ slots are going to be allocated is a good question. It's quite possible they will just be left accessible only as part of a person's 3 per day FP+ numbers -- so that day guests can get some or people can change reservations on the fly or replace missed FP+ experiences. But it's also quite possible that the additional inventory might be made available for "day of" use or might be used to give Deluxe or Moderate guests extra passes or might be used for surprise "bonus" FP+ to manage crowds.

While I don't necessarily share @dadddio optimism about FP+, I do think he correct that many people are taking the limited "facts" that we know and often extrapolated worse case scenarios and then condemning the system. It's one think to describe your apprehension and concerns, it's another to outright condemn a system that we don't fully understand at this point. I don't think it's that unreasonable to actually get some more specific and concrete details before we riot on Main Street. Just IMHO.

 

[bubbles1812]

The official Terms and Conditions don't indicate that "day of" FP+ will be available. That said, they don't say they won't be either. In fact, they are non-specific enough to allow for a wide variety of implementations -- and it's probably quite likely that a lot of specifics aren't decided or worked out yet.

Personally, I think the question of how "unreserved" FP+ slots are going to be allocated is a good question. It's quite possible they will just be left accessible only as part of a person's 3 per day FP+ numbers -- so that day guests can get some or people can change reservations on the fly or replace missed FP+ experiences. But it's also quite possible that the additional inventory might be made available for "day of" use or might be used to give Deluxe or Moderate guests extra passes or might be used for surprise "bonus" FP+ to manage crowds.

While I don't necessarily share @dadddio optimism about FP+, I do think he correct that many people are taking the limited "facts" that we know and often extrapolated worse case scenarios and then condemning the system. It's one think to describe your apprehension and concerns, it's another to outright condemn a system that we don't fully understand at this point. I don't think it's that unreasonable to actually get some more specific and concrete details before we riot on Main Street. Just IMHO.

You raise some good points. And I would, as I said, honestly love if we got 3 reserved and then extra the day off because 3 just seems like a rather pathetic number. But sadly, anyone who has reported on it thus far seems to indicate this wont be the case. But @dadddio was claiming as fact that the Terms and Conditions implied/down right stated that this would happen. Thank you for clarifying that he was wrong and providing the info you did

 

[AngryEyes]

Since I don't have an AP, I encourage all AP holders to crash the FP+ system by overloading the system and not showing up. That's an amazing idea with no possible consequences...