Very angry about Fast Pass + choices or lack there of for June 17-20!

[EvilQueen-T]

Part of your Elsa/Anna issue could be which day you chose on your trip or the time of day. Have you tried all the dates for your trip? I ask because I just made our selections for the 21st-28th of June and they were available (I realize this isn't your same dates) but sometimes picking a different day to be in mk can help. It doesn't always happen but when we were there the week of March 23rd we were able to walk in to see them (with about a 5-7 minute wait) at the end of the night, I just can't remember if the emh's had started yet or not but it was a night with emh's.

I totally agree about hating the tier system. One of the things I liked about the old system was that as long as there were times available I could do the same ride each time or if available I could do soarin and test track. Using the old system we were able to get 6-8 fps per day so we never had to do standby (so yes I miss it with how we did the parks). Right now we feel like we get 1 ride and basically 2 throw aways on our epcot days since we don't often park hop.

 

[bethymouse]

@EvilQueen-T When you say "throw aways" I know what you mean. We have never had to use fast passes for spaceship earth or captain eo ( ridiculous) or any of the other options they have! We like to ride Soarin and TT our faves, but now we'll only get to ride them once maybe twice if that. I think we'll be OK at MK. I was able to snag all of our faves including the Mine Train ( which we have never ridden). I just can't imagine waiting 2-3 hours for Anna and Elsa. We won't do it, but I guess some people do! DHS was the same way with "throw away" fast passes! There is no need IMHO for a fast pass to see Lights Motor Action!

 

[jlsHouston]

@stevehousse Wow! I can't believe there is a FP hack! Really? Yikes! We're going June 16-22. No park hoppers and already have ADR, for Be Our Guest no less ( tried for that nearly 2 years). We only have 4 day passes ( one park each day with a resort/rest day since we're staying at GF). We drive also, so 2 days have to be "travel days". Our 1st day and last day there we don't visit parks. Oh well, I will still enjoy our vacation, but just voicing my dislike/opinion of FP+.

I hate FP+. Yes I will admit there are features to it that I appreciate, but overall it has given me the expectation of never having to wait in a long line for a ride and it seldom works that way. Also last summer all my FP's kept cancelling at MK either due to weather or ride malfunction and I couldn't get the app to work on my phone to do a replacement and we just ended up doing alot of walking searching for a ride...because of my mindset about waiting in a line.
I think it is best to pick your favorites for MK and do them rather early, but use the first few hours after rope drop to walk on a few rides. If you can end up near a kiosk after you complete your 3 FP choices you can go get another FP...and so forth and maybe at some point the M&G for the Frozen sisters will become available.
Also keep checking because the FP's for popular attractions do open up and change daily the closer you get to your arrival date...not sure why that is, I think it is a statistical thing

 

[bethymouse]

Thanks @jlsHouston . I guess I'll have to wait to find out how it goes in June, soon. But, so far I don't like it!

 

[jlsHouston]

Will people be mad at me and my family if only *I* wait in the standby line and tell my husband to take our youngest for a snack or walk while I wait so her wait time isn't as bad?

Possibly..............some people will be understanding and others will not....

 

[jlsHouston]

Thanks @jlsHouston . I guess I'll have to wait to find out how it goes in June, soon. But, so far I don't like it!

LOL I will be over at SSR when you arrive ! I haven't booked but one days worth of FP's yet and that is for the 13th which is my DHS "Star War" day....not sure what day we are doing what parks yet except for the 2 days I am giving to DHS, one day for Star Wars and one day I bought the Frozen package. Honestly I can't imagine the parks being any busier than it was the week after Easter when I made a short brief trip to see F&G....and I did manage to snag late in the game FP's for those 3 days. It's almost like ADR's you have to keep at it with the FP+ crap. Which is probably why some people LOVE it and others find it annoying and tedious. It either feeds the Disney obsession or it ruins it LOL.

 

[jlsHouston]

Thanks @Rob562! Just wanted people's opinions...so thanks for your input

Honestly back before the FP+ was in full swing and A&E were at Norway over at EPCOT, dads did this all the time. They would do the wait while the kids went and rode something and then swap out....

 

[bethymouse]

@jlsHouston They were almost forced to with a 2-3 hour wait or more! I don't think FP+ has helped much.

 

[Rob562]

Also last summer all my FP's kept cancelling at MK either due to weather or ride malfunction and I couldn't get the app to work on my phone to do a replacement and we just ended up doing alot of walking searching for a ride...because of my mindset about waiting in a line.

When a FP+ reservation becomes unavailable because the attraction shut down for weather or a ride system issue, the FP+ isn't cancelled. Instead, it becomes a "wildcard" FP+ that can be used on most other attractions with FP+, or to be used on the original attraction at any time after it reopens. There's nothing needed to do on the app or kiosk. You simply go up to the original attraction or the replacement one, tap your Band/Card and walk in.

If you have your phone you'll get an email giving you the replacement attractions you can use the wildcard FP+ on, or I presume that a CM with the iPad at the attraction entrance can assist you in finding your replacement options if you don't have your phone.

-Rob

 

[BrianV]

I'm not sure why they don't put an Anna and Elsa M&G in every park. Or they could have multiple chambers in the M&G at MK with multiple Anna and Elsa's! Unlike a mine train, where building an additional one to increase capacity is very expensive (kind of like toy story or soarin), two more princesses with a handler and a photographer isn't al that expensive. I've never understood. The best if can come up with is that the people waiting in line are absorbing part of the crowd, and if they passed through too quickly, they would clog up the other rides.

 

[jlsHouston]

When a FP+ reservation becomes unavailable because the attraction shut down for weather or a ride system issue, the FP+ isn't cancelled. Instead, it becomes a "wildcard" FP+ that can be used on most other attractions with FP+, or to be used on the original attraction at any time after it reopens. There's nothing needed to do on the app or kiosk. You simply go up to the original attraction or the replacement one, tap your Band/Card and walk in.

If you have your phone you'll get an email giving you the replacement attractions you can use the wildcard FP+ on, or I presume that a CM with the iPad at the attraction entrance can assist you in finding your replacement options if you don't have your phone.

-Rob

Yah I know. But it's too much for me to process. When I am by Splash and it's down and the option for replacement is at the other side of the park, I tend to want to go back to my resort and chill. I feel like my 8 year old grandson when I tell him we are not doing another interactive find the Perry or Pirate game today. I turn on a dime for some things but I've noticed I don't do it well at WDW when a hiccup occurs in my touring plan using FP+. I did a little better with it in April. Parks busier than August that week after Easter but the heat wasn't bad so maybe my brain was less fried. Also not much inclement weather. The worse thing was not making a single FP time I had set at EPCOT because it took longer to get bags, rent car and get to WDW than it ever has in the past. I couldn't believe it. Usually within 2 hours of landing or before, with small children in tow, I'm throwing bags somewhere and we are either hitting EPCOT or a dining venue. It was 3 hours from landing to arrival at the Dolphin in April. I have never seen the traffic jams in Orlando I saw that Tuesday. And I drive in Houston where there are jams at 2 am. Plus I had the slowest rental car agency in the world. But other than losing the FP's the first day, no real glitches on day 2 or 3 with FP+.
But I personally just can't feel the love with FP+ that I had with legacy.

 

[Rob562]

I can safely say that we have two very different mindsets when touring the parks...

-Rob

 

[jlsHouston]

I can safely say that we have two very different mindsets when touring the parks...

-Rob

I knew that, but I appreciate you trying to help me have more magical experiences!

 

[Mouse_Trap]

I'm sure that one day, not too many years from now; once the the fp- investment has been fully depreciated and the hardware all needs upgrading, some new smart park exec will come along and say “hey guys, do you realize that we can save tens of millions of $ a year from our operating coats by scraping this system and going back so regular lines like everywhere else. Most guests hate having to book slots months in advance so it would improve even guest satisfaction”

A in a few months this terrible experiment would all be over allowing people to actually enjoy the parks without having to schedule an experience.

One day.

 

[BrianV]

I'm sure that one day, not too many years from now; once the the fp- investment has been fully depreciated and the hardware all needs upgrading, some new smart park exec will come along and say “hey guys, do you realize that we can save tens of millions of $ a year from our operating coats by scraping this system and going back so regular lines like everywhere else. Most guests hate having to book slots months in advance so it would improve even guest satisfaction”

A in a few months this terrible experiment would all be over allowing people to actually enjoy the parks without having to schedule an experience.

One day.

Will that be the same year they stop requiring ADRS 6 months in advance in order to eat at the restaurants? Compared to that I've no real problem with fast pass reservations 2 months in advance. In fact, since you are bound to your ADRS with a deposit, I'm happy to be able to book rides since I have to pre-plan my days anyway.

 

[Stpdfw]

I like that they're trying. I mean, it wouldn't work to be way more stringent on maximum capacity in the parks or buying tickets to only specific days. So, as long as there are large crowds, there will potentially be long waits.

I'd actually love if a theme park were quadruple the price but way less people. That's selfish though bc I don't want even less children to be able to visit, especially at Disney.

 

[bethymouse]

Give it 10 years, and things will change again! It's a cycle. It's an experiment... just like education ( for all of you teachers out there... you know... that "common core" stuff).

 

[HolleBolleGijs]

Will people be mad at me and my family if only *I* wait in the standby line and tell my husband to take our youngest for a snack or walk while I wait so her wait time isn't as bad?

I know this is like two months late, but I wanted to chime in!

I was crazy and waited 3 hours by myself for A&E at Disneyland Paris so I could get autographs for my cousins' Christmas presents, and people were coming and going to get food or use the bathroom, no questions asked. Might be different at MK, but I think everyone understood how miserable it was to wait in line for that long. That being said, it's not exactly the situation you described; people weren't place-holding while the rest of their family joined them right at the front of the line. I would recommend all getting in line at once and taking a break as needed!

 

[Ayla]

I must have been lucky; we booked a last minute trip for next month at the 35 day mark and I was able to book SDMT and A&E multiple times during our 5 park days. I ended up canceling A&E, though.

 

[rucifee]

If you folks think FP+ is bad at 60 days out, imagine what it's like for us passholders and our selections within a 30 day window. They don't reserve any slots for us, it's first come first serve. We've been able to get on Mine Train twice using FP+ in the last 6 months. We've never met Anna or Elsa either. We'll just keep trying though, and hope for the best.