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Possible Disneyland FastPass Changes
- Thread starter DisneyDrum
- Start date
ForeverAnna
Well-Known Member
I got my very first phone for a trip to WDW. Not for FastPass+, it was before that, but so it was easier for my party to split up.
dweezil78
Well-Known Member
I posted this in another thread -- but there are pros and cons to this system. The con, obviously, is that it takes some of the spontaneity of just going to the park on a whim which we Disneyland'ers love to do. On the otherhand, the current FP system really only benefits those who get there early enough to take advantage of it, at least when it comes to the big E tickets. If I want to head down to the park for the evening and go for a ride on Space or Splash Mountain, my only chance is to wait in 1hr+ standby lines which i usually won't do (and my wife definitely won't do!).
So the pro to FP+ is that it allows more flexibility with your day and when you can arrive to the park, even though on the surface level it seems like more planning. I was originally 110% anti-FP+ but have since come around on it a bit. Still not completely sold on it for Disneyland, but I do love the idea of actually being able to ride some of the bigger attractions without having to get there for rope drop and feel like I'm on Amazing Race.
As someone else mentioned, at least in WDW, you can still use kiosks in the park if you don't want to be tethered to a phone for the experience.
So the pro to FP+ is that it allows more flexibility with your day and when you can arrive to the park, even though on the surface level it seems like more planning. I was originally 110% anti-FP+ but have since come around on it a bit. Still not completely sold on it for Disneyland, but I do love the idea of actually being able to ride some of the bigger attractions without having to get there for rope drop and feel like I'm on Amazing Race.
As someone else mentioned, at least in WDW, you can still use kiosks in the park if you don't want to be tethered to a phone for the experience.
Phroobar
Well-Known Member
For someone that is disabled, Disneyland already issues virtual fast passes. My son has CP and we signed him up for the service. When we want to go on a ride, even if all fast passes have been distributed, we go to the information kiosks throught out the park. They create a virtual fast pass for us by scanning our AP cards or tickets and assigning a time with their iPhones. When we go to the ride, they scan our passes and allow us into the fast pass line.
I can see this happening for everyone. Fastpass+ machines would scan your ticket to assign a time. CMs would use their iPhones to check the time on your fastpass.
I can see this happening for everyone. Fastpass+ machines would scan your ticket to assign a time. CMs would use their iPhones to check the time on your fastpass.
IMFearless
Well-Known Member
The biggest rarely acknowledged (at least by Disney) change with FP+ is increased length to the standby lines of the non headline attractions. Rides like POTC and Mansion which never really needed FP+ but now have it, are heavily affected with a large percentage of their capacity allocated to FP+.
The system therefore forces visitors to get on board or face a 40 minute queue for POTC or HM each time. It is the increase in wait times for these secondary attractions that is the main difference with FP+.
To me POTC never needed FP. It is a fast moving queue line through a well themed and intricate scene setting environment - to me a 20 minute wait is acceptable, 40 minutes not so much. It is the speed at which the standby line moves as much as anything; there can be a lot of standing in one spot, not the way the lines were designed to be used - with a ride like Pirates the line rarely came to a standstill before FP+ was put in. I felt the queue was more like a short immersive journey to the boat dock. That aspect of the ride has been lost.
The system therefore forces visitors to get on board or face a 40 minute queue for POTC or HM each time. It is the increase in wait times for these secondary attractions that is the main difference with FP+.
To me POTC never needed FP. It is a fast moving queue line through a well themed and intricate scene setting environment - to me a 20 minute wait is acceptable, 40 minutes not so much. It is the speed at which the standby line moves as much as anything; there can be a lot of standing in one spot, not the way the lines were designed to be used - with a ride like Pirates the line rarely came to a standstill before FP+ was put in. I felt the queue was more like a short immersive journey to the boat dock. That aspect of the ride has been lost.
Californian Elitist
Well-Known Member
^^^^ This is exactly why FP should just be rid of.
dweezil78
Well-Known Member
Not that this makes your point any less valid, but we had the same problem at Disneyland when they put physical FP machines at rides like POTC and HM. It's the reason why management eventually reconsidered and took them out after putting what I'm sure was a considerable amount of $$$ into adding them in the first place.
jamesstock
New Member
If things are all on reservation system, it makes 'vacationing' the other way. Vacation should be 'free' of schedules (except of course flight / train plans, hotel chk in/out times etc)....look at the disney dining reservations... 180+ recommended...and most of the 'popular' ones already 'sold out' / 'full'... disney should set aside some tables for reservations...some for walk ins...
D
Deleted member 107043
You could also argue that vacations should be free of lines. The last thing I want to do on a vacation is queue 120 minutes for a 5 minute ride, and this has happened to me at Disney parks before.
dweezil78
Well-Known Member
You're either dealing with it in advance of the trip or stressing about it when you get there. When it comes to a WDW trip where things are so spread out and you typically go there for days at a time, I'd prefer to deal with it advance personally. Disneyland, on the otherhand, is a mixed bag because so many of us decide to go to the park same day and wing it.
Kramerica
Well-Known Member
Can I put in my two cents?
I used to HATE Fastpass Plus. I thought it was inconvenient, confusing, and worst of all, led to over planning of your vacation. I mean, who wants to be dedicated to a park weeks in advance because you got a good Fastapass! Yuck!
I just got back from Disneyworld about a week ago though. And I have to be honest, I'm really coming around to it. It's still guilty of being confusing, this I can admit. But once you sort it out. At best it's a way to do a LOT more in a crowded day at the parks and at worst it'll save your feet some miles. If you use it to it's full extent, you can get a killer Fastpass roster the day before the park, burn through those three rides the next day and then select your next passes at the kiosks throughout the day. And if somewhere along the line you decide you made a bad choice, you can cancel any particular Fastpass and select a new one. Or move the one you have to another time. But if you choose to be a holdout, or if you simply just don't want to use your phone. No problem.
Guys, if you ignore the MDX app and just use kiosks, it's essentially the same system you have now, except instead of having to go to the attraction you want the fastpass for, you can get any fastpass you want at one, localized location. It's neat!
Whether parks should even have Fastpasses in the first place is another debate. But if they're going to have them, I see this as a far superior option. Plus, I kinda dig the Magic Bands. I have one with the Haunted Mansion wallpaper printed on it. Awesome.
I used to HATE Fastpass Plus. I thought it was inconvenient, confusing, and worst of all, led to over planning of your vacation. I mean, who wants to be dedicated to a park weeks in advance because you got a good Fastapass! Yuck!
I just got back from Disneyworld about a week ago though. And I have to be honest, I'm really coming around to it. It's still guilty of being confusing, this I can admit. But once you sort it out. At best it's a way to do a LOT more in a crowded day at the parks and at worst it'll save your feet some miles. If you use it to it's full extent, you can get a killer Fastpass roster the day before the park, burn through those three rides the next day and then select your next passes at the kiosks throughout the day. And if somewhere along the line you decide you made a bad choice, you can cancel any particular Fastpass and select a new one. Or move the one you have to another time. But if you choose to be a holdout, or if you simply just don't want to use your phone. No problem.
Guys, if you ignore the MDX app and just use kiosks, it's essentially the same system you have now, except instead of having to go to the attraction you want the fastpass for, you can get any fastpass you want at one, localized location. It's neat!
Whether parks should even have Fastpasses in the first place is another debate. But if they're going to have them, I see this as a far superior option. Plus, I kinda dig the Magic Bands. I have one with the Haunted Mansion wallpaper printed on it. Awesome.
PrincessJenn5795
Active Member
I actually like the FP+ system, and find being able to use my phone for fastpasses very convenient. The only pass we booked before our last trip were the 7DMT, which had just opened a month before. Everything else we booked either on our way to parks in the morning or while we were there. Just like with the paper Fastpasses, if the line was too long for the ride we wanted we would just book a Fastpass, but without having to wait in line at the machines. It was really handy. It is also nice being able to cancel them and book a new one if needed, instead of just missing out if something gets in the way, which we had to do twice.
Curious Constance
Well-Known Member
Being from out of town, I really hope the Fastpass system is upgraded at the DLR. I would love to be able to have a fastpass for things like parades and fireworks. With such limited time, I really don't want to waste more than 30 minutes standing waiting for a parade or fireworks to begin. I also love the idea that I don't have to go to the physical machine to get a fastpass. If I'm in Disneyland and want to get a Fastpass for Tower of Terror, it would be awesome being able to reserve from a phone!
JarretttheGuy
Member
The new Disneyland App is very useful for accurate Ride Times, so adding a FP feature to it? Great!
Also FP+ so I can plan in advance? Great!
I've been in the Queues of every ride at WDW & DL, I'm over the queue, let me get on that ride and move on to the next thing!
Also FP+ so I can plan in advance? Great!
I've been in the Queues of every ride at WDW & DL, I'm over the queue, let me get on that ride and move on to the next thing!
Curious Constance
Well-Known Member
I love the new Disneyland App! I can't wait to use that next time we're at the DLR.
D
Deleted member 107043
dweezil78
Well-Known Member
Gotta say... I just booked 5 days worth of Fastpasses for an upcoming WDW trip in December and it feels pretty great. Was able to frontload the mornings with 3 each and now I have the afternoons to grab more from the kiosks. The only thing that kind of sucks about it, but it really wouldn't be any different if it were regular FP obviously, is that you can't mix and match FPs between parks (I mean theoretically you could with regular FP, but it's not that easy to park hop there). So on the day I plan on doing AK in the morning and Studios in the evening, I went with Studios passes instead since I feel like those are going to be longer waits. Still, I'm digging the FP+ system more and more assuming my reception in the park doesn't crap out!!!
Stevek
Well-Known Member
We did the same thing...however, since we got to the MK first thing in the AM, we didn't need to even use our FP+. Once we realized we could knock out all 3 rides in 30-60 min total, we immediately changed our FP to new rides...this happened several times during the day where we didn't need to use the FP and booked new ones. We don't have this flex on the current FP system (yes, I wish all FP would go away but it's here to stay).
Mukta
Well-Known Member
FPP is great for rides where you have a pass. With FPP, I am now waiting in lines for things that used to be walk ons like Journey into Imagination and The Great Movie Ride (with the time of year that I go).
I go to DL after work on weeknights. Most things I like are walk ons. This will increase the waits for those and i am not a fan of that.
I go to DL after work on weeknights. Most things I like are walk ons. This will increase the waits for those and i am not a fan of that.
Californian Elitist
Well-Known Member
Exactly.