The Spirited Back Nine ...

NearTheEars

NearTheEars

Well-Known Member
tribbleorlfl said:
Of course my opinion is anecdotal and confined to the way my family chooses to enjoy the parks, but for us (we live about 35 minutes away, give or take a few depending on I4 traffic through downtown), the MM/FP+ experience hasn't been drastically different than the average on-site vacationer. In fact, I would venture to say our "quality of life" while in the parks has actually improved under the MM/FP+ system.

We fit the prototype of a "typical" local AP where we often decide day-of to visit, and very rarely do we plan more than a week out to go (the exception would be for family coming in from out of town, a hard-ticket we're attending or a Christmas narrator/F&W band we want to see). With the exception of the Anna and Elsa M&G, we've really had no trouble securing FP's to the rides and attractions that are important to us. In the year we've had access to the FP+ system, we've ridden on Soarin' and TSMM more than we have in the entire life spans of those rides pre-FP+. On the last Saturday of Frozen Summer Fun, we were finishing our lunch when we decided, "Hey, let's go out to HS." Hopped into the MDE app and claimed the 4:30 TSMM FP's that were available.

I think it's also important to point out a lot of the criticism that's levied on FP+ also existed in the old FP system. Unless you were the "Commando" type that was at the parks for the rope drop, or were one of those abusing the system, you weren't likely getting a FP for Peter Pan at 1:00, either.
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Id have to agree. We've had pretty good luck booking day of or a couple of days out. What we have found, though, is that MDE and FP+ has made our day trips so efficient that we don't spend nearly as much time in the park. Which really goes against what corporate wants.

But the system wasn't put in place to benefit APs, so maybe it doesn't matter.
 
CDavid

CDavid

Well-Known Member
the.dreamfinder said:
Not sure how seriously we should take this.
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We stand a better chance of seeing Horizons, SpectroMagic, and the Lights of Winter again. Not to mention the idea of a maglev for such a short distance application is ludicrous.

PhotoDave219 said:
0.0% serious given the way this town works.
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I think you're giving them the benefit of the doubt. Your percentage is too high.
 
pax_65

pax_65

Well-Known Member
What about the effect upon the standby line? You guys are comparing the old FP to FP+ and I agree, there are advantages - despite hating FP+ I agree the app is pretty cool and I've had fun jumping on the app to land a FP for an attraction we want to do that has a line. (Rare that I could get it on-demand like that, but it does happen.)

But the standby lines have changed. With the old FP system, the standby lines seemed much shorter - especially for less-than-E-ticket attractions. With the old FP system, you'd walk up to an attraction, see a 20-minute or shorter wait and just get in line. Why waste a FP on it? With the new FP system, you plan your day as far out as possible. If you can't get all the e-ticket FPs you want, you take whatever is available - something you like to do at a time that works for your schedule. So now there are many, many more people using FP for that attraction that you never used to need a FP for. So the standby line isn't moving nearly as fast because so many more people are queued up in the FP line. Attractions that used to be 20 minutes are now an hour - or more.

I'm talking about somewhat popular attractions... I've specifically noticed it on Pirates, Haunted Mansion, Star Tours, Kali River Rapids.

So it's not just about using the FP system, it's about your overall experience in the park. I'm not waiting an hour for Kali. Just not going to happen.
 
Next Big Thing

Next Big Thing

Well-Known Member
You guys are so pessimistic. Sure the high speed rail between Orlando to Tampa go slashed, but lets be real, what good was that going to do? Tampa has horrible public transport. You can't just drop people off in downtown Tampa with no way to get around efficiently.

Florida does have a lot of active transport projects ongoing. Phase 1 of the SunRail is already open (with Phase 2 on the way) and All Aboard Florida, a privately funded project, which will go from Orlando to Miami (with stops in Ft. Lauderdale and West Pal Beach as well as a side rail to Cocoa) just got underway in October. Phase 2 plans to extend to Jacksonville.

Florida is WAY behind on transportation and this Maglev project would be huge for Orlando. Sure it might not happen, but don't act like things like it aren't being built in Florida.
 
Kman101

Kman101

Well-Known Member
Not sure it was mentioned but you can change the time of your FP after you select it. You couldn't do that before. You were stuck with that time. Again, I do prefer the old FP way, but you aren't really stuck with the time they give you. You can change it.
 
lazyboy97o

lazyboy97o

Well-Known Member
Next Big Thing said:
You guys are so pessimistic. Sure the high speed rail between Orlando to Tampa go slashed, but lets be real, what good was that going to do? Tampa has horrible public transport. You can't just drop people off in downtown Tampa with no way to get around efficiently.

Florida does have a lot of active transport projects ongoing. Phase 1 of the SunRail is already open (with Phase 2 on the way) and All Aboard Florida, a privately funded project, which will go from Orlando to Miami (with stops in Ft. Lauderdale and West Pal Beach as well as a side rail to Cocoa) just got underway in October. Phase 2 plans to extend to Jacksonville.

Florida is WAY behind on transportation and this Maglev project would be huge for Orlando. Sure it might not happen, but don't act like things like it aren't being built in Florida.
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American Maglev Technologies has been in business for 20 years and pitched projects all over the world. They've got nothing yet.
 
Next Big Thing

Next Big Thing

Well-Known Member
lazyboy97o said:
American Maglev Technologies has been in business for 20 years and pitched projects all over the world. They've got nothing yet.
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Ok, so they haven't done anything. Doesn't negate my point that rails in Orlando are becoming a thing.

Sure, this company may not have gotten a single project done in 20 years, but I highly doubt there's an area that's been in more need of this type of transport than Orlando is.

If Maglev doesn't get it done, someone else will eventually. Looking at the map of the proposed route, a commuter line like that would be very beneficial to the Orlando economy and it would hopefully help keep tourists off the roads as much as possible.
 
lazyboy97o

lazyboy97o

Well-Known Member
Next Big Thing said:
Ok, so they haven't done anything. Doesn't negate my point that rails in Orlando are becoming a thing.

Sure, this company may not have gotten a single project done in 20 years, but I highly doubt there's an area that's been in more need of this type of transport than Orlando is.

If Maglev doesn't get it done, someone else will eventually. Looking at the map of the proposed route, a commuter line like that would be very beneficial to the Orlando economy and it would hopefully help keep tourists off the roads as much as possible.
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A big part of the problem is the focus on shiny versus practical. It's what doomed the high speed train and it'll probably doom this one too.
 
The Mom

The Mom

Moderator
Premium Member
Next Big Thing said:
Ok, so they haven't done anything. Doesn't negate my point that rails in Orlando are becoming a thing.

Sure, this company may not have gotten a single project done in 20 years, but I highly doubt there's an area that's been in more need of this type of transport than Orlando is.

If Maglev doesn't get it done, someone else will eventually. Looking at the map of the proposed route, a commuter line like that would be very beneficial to the Orlando economy and it would hopefully help keep tourists off the roads as much as possible.
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FL is not known for having a taxpayer base that will vote to pay for a service that doesn't personally benefit them. Floridians already have a love/hate relationship with tourists. Those who have a direct relationship with the industry want more, more, more. Those who don't couldn't care less - until the numbers dwindle enough to have an economic impact on them. Which could take decades, and if you look at the population demographics, a lot of people assume they'll be dead by then.

It's hard to convince people who can hop in their cars and get anyplace they wish that sometime in the future they will be too incapacitated to do so safely. And that their world will be limited due to lack of public transportation. Especially if they see no need for that transportation today, and think that they are only paying for "someone else."

This will never be built if it's being pitched only towards tourism. Or those unable to afford a car.
 
Next Big Thing

Next Big Thing

Well-Known Member
lazyboy97o said:
A big part of the problem is the focus on shiny versus practical. It's what doomed the high speed train and it'll probably doom this one too.
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I get that. Everything always looks and seems better in the design phase.

My point though is that, for a city that attracts as many people as it does, the fact that something like this maglev line isn't already in place makes little sense.
 
wogwog

wogwog

Well-Known Member
PhotoDave219 said:
Well I remember when we were supposed to have high-speed rail going from Orlando international airport all the way to Tampa with a stop at Disney
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The same math formula applied to that one. I think the only new train that might happen in Florida in the not too far off future is the Orlando to Miami that wants to use a lot of existing track and is mostly privately financed.
 
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