What Happened?

[MississippiBelle]

I'm not trying to "run" with it, BUT I can't let the statement pass that HP Forbidden Journey or FP Gringotts don't take up "a ton of space" or cost "a lot of money", because that's just wacky.

Merely pointing out that it would cost more money to theme an entire coaster to fit the landscape of Pandora properly than it would to build a simulator type ride. I gladly and freely admit that I could be 100% wrong about that but it seems logical to me, therefore everyone has to agree with me.

 

[barkerbird]

(I haven't read all four pages of posts)

But MagicBands themselves are not really different to the old Key to the World card, its just the band is on your wrist instead of a card in your wallet.

Just a side note for you folks that attach your credit card/debit card to the Magic Band. They don't charge your card until the day of check out, however, if you add days to your trip make sure it reflects on your Magic Band or you will be charged on the initial check out day. Speaking from experience, of course..

 

[ThemeParkFan]

Unless you know about 60 days prior to your trip you'll never get 7 dwarves passes... They vanish very quickly... I think the whole system is intended to make the parks more attractive to the guests that go there and plan on staying in their resorts because they are really the only people that this system works well for.

Exactly which not everybody in the world plans TWO MONTHS AHEAD as to which park they are going to on which day.

 

[ThemeParkFan]

I'd argue there aren't many places you can go and just flat out not plan.

I admit, Disney requires slightly more, but it's also a more unique experience because everything is "right there" and attractions will be done by everyone.

If you go to Disney or anywhere in the world, you have to plan flight/transportation, hotel, and typically at least a framework for food.

Disney's difference are the attraction fast passes you now have to plan, but I'd argue these are just like activities you need to plan anywhere you go, especially popular places.

If you just "show up" anywhere, chances are you're going to miss the most popular stuff because you either didn't know about it, or it will be full and/or unavailable for walk ups.

I've been all over the world and have always planned pretty meticulously. Do I plan more than others? Maybe slightly, but my point is that you really can't go anywhere and just wing it. If you do, you'll probably miss stuff.

This is why it is terrible for Florida residence members

 

[barkerbird]

Exactly which not everybody in the world plans TWO MONTHS AHEAD as to which park they are going to on which day.

It forces everyone to plan their vacation wayyyyy in advance. There are people that honestly sit, click refresh and snatch everything months in advance. Some people like to wing their trip, and that's not as easy leaving many disappointed guests. I myself plan like a true Griswold, haha.

 

[POLY LOVER]

I don't mind the new system, I understand why some folks do not like it. However I remember running to get a fast pass across the park to find out they were all gone or the times I got were way too late. I did like the ability to make someones day by handing them a fast pass that I could not use. Its not bad once you understand the game and plan accordingly. There is a certain excitement knowing the rides you will get on before you arrive on your vacation.

 

[POLY LOVER]

This is why it is terrible for Florida residence members

I wonder if Disney does what some concert venues do now, they hold back x-number of seats until the day of the show. I wonder if disney does not allow all rides to be totally booked in advance? I wonder if they release tickets on the day? Anyone know if they do that, it would certainly help eliminate the complaints.

 

[thomas998]

I'd argue there aren't many places you can go and just flat out not plan.

I admit, Disney requires slightly more, but it's also a more unique experience because everything is "right there" and attractions will be done by everyone.

If you go to Disney or anywhere in the world, you have to plan flight/transportation, hotel, and typically at least a framework for food.

Disney's difference are the attraction fast passes you now have to plan, but I'd argue these are just like activities you need to plan anywhere you go, especially popular places.

If you just "show up" anywhere, chances are you're going to miss the most popular stuff because you either didn't know about it, or it will be full and/or unavailable for walk ups.

I've been all over the world and have always planned pretty meticulously. Do I plan more than others? Maybe slightly, but my point is that you really can't go anywhere and just wing it. If you do, you'll probably miss stuff.

There is planning and then there is over-planning... Disney has become a place where you have to overplan to the nth degree. I would personally prefer they simply eliminated the preplanned fastpass and do something more like what Six Flags and Universal so where you want to jump ahead of the lines you pay more for the privilege...

At the moment the biggest pain is the 7 dwarves and with the BOG breakfasts going on before the park opens Disney has pretty much eliminated the ability of anyone to get on the ride quickly unless they either plan 60 days in advance and stay in the resort, or plan 180 days in advance and get a reservation at BOG that will get them into the park before it opens... Even if you make a mad dash for the 7 dwarves when the park opens you'll end up finding a long line of people already there ahead of you because they did the BOG prior to the park opening... It is things that like that really frustrate a visitor that didn't know way into the future when they would be going to Disney.

 

[DisneyFans4Life]

If Disney were to start charging for FPs, you'd have people complaining that it's just another way for Disney to make money and that the "short" ride isn't worth paying any price for. It's a lose-lose situation either way.

 

[POLY LOVER]

I prefer planning over charging a fee, I consider that discrimination by price. that would be worse, don't we have enough fee's in the world? Disney is doing it the right way, you can keep Universals fee

 

[MagicMike]

For those who knew how to "work" the old system of fastpasses and park schedules Fastpass+ really kills that. I can totally see how it's appealing for a family, who has never been to WDW before, to feel more at ease with the planning/touring of the parks but it does hinder the more experienced tourist. Don't get me wrong, it's not all bad but I certainly spent more time in queue lines this last trip (Sept '15) than I have in years.

 

[Chef Mickey]

There is planning and then there is over-planning... Disney has become a place where you have to overplan to the nth degree. I would personally prefer they simply eliminated the preplanned fastpass and do something more like what Six Flags and Universal so where you want to jump ahead of the lines you pay more for the privilege...

At the moment the biggest pain is the 7 dwarves and with the BOG breakfasts going on before the park opens Disney has pretty much eliminated the ability of anyone to get on the ride quickly unless they either plan 60 days in advance and stay in the resort, or plan 180 days in advance and get a reservation at BOG that will get them into the park before it opens... Even if you make a mad dash for the 7 dwarves when the park opens you'll end up finding a long line of people already there ahead of you because they did the BOG prior to the park opening... It is things that like that really frustrate a visitor that didn't know way into the future when they would be going to Disney.

People would complain if you made it a pay service. They could also do demand based pricing on fast pass. Want to get to the front of the Splash Mountain line at 2pm on a July afternoon? Pay $50 and you're at the front.

I guarantee people would get upset with that too. Now, it's a free service that takes minutes to complete and 90% of the time, you can get what you want.

Point is, people basically complain with everything. People complained at lines before Fast Pass was invented and even after Fast Pass was implemented.

Your complaints are very specific to 1-2 things. I agree it's annoying, but I rode 7DMT like 7 times each of the last 4 times I've been to Disney and never waited more than 20 minutes to ride it.

 

[thomas998]

People would complain if you made it a pay service. They could also do demand based pricing on fast pass. Want to get to the front of the Splash Mountain line at 2pm on a July afternoon? Pay $50 and you're at the front.

I guarantee people would get upset with that too. Now, it's a free service that takes minutes to complete and 90% of the time, you can get what you want.

Point is, people basically complain with everything. People complained at lines before Fast Pass was invented and even after Fast Pass was implemented.

Your complaints are very specific to 1-2 things. I agree it's annoying, but I rode 7DMT like 7 times each of the last 4 times I've been to Disney and never waited more than 20 minutes to ride it.

If people are going to complain whether it is a fee based system or a fastpass+ system then Disney should do what is best for the shareholders and do a fee based system... at least then they make more money while people still complain.

 

[MississippiBelle]

If people are going to complain whether it is a fee based system or a fastpass+ system then Disney should do what is best for the shareholders and do a fee based system... at least then they make more money while people still complain.

It's easy to be an arm chair quarterback, but I expect there is probably way more going on with each decision being made. If you had to pay for a fastpass "badge" (for lack of a better term) like you do in Universal, the lines would probably be just as long as standby. Disney is just too crowded for that kind of system now, I think. The Fastpass+ system could have been in part because people were complaining that top rides were running out of fast passes after an hour of the park being open. In the end, you just have to make the best of what is available and enjoy your time in the parks (which are still a lot of fun in case anyone forgot!).

 

[MickeyMomV]

I wonder if Disney does what some concert venues do now, they hold back x-number of seats until the day of the show. I wonder if disney does not allow all rides to be totally booked in advance? I wonder if they release tickets on the day? Anyone know if they do that, it would certainly help eliminate the complaints.

This is how it was initially set up. XX number of spots 60 days out, XX number at 30 days out, X number at 7 days, 1 day, and day of. Now, it has been 3 years (?) so I don't know if they still do it this way or not. But it would make sense and explains why people say they can get them the day before or the day of.

 

[DfromATX]

It forces you to plan ahead, which is great for the people who like to do that, but for anyone who is local and just decides to come to Disney someday or at a time, it sucks.

I've wondered what local people think. I'm a "planner" and don't live in Florida, but I could see it being a problem for locals who might want to just go on a whim. With everyone booking up everything so far in advance, how would one go on a whim and be able to ride anything?

 

[LuvtheGoof]

I've wondered what local people think. I'm a "planner" and don't live in Florida, but I could see it being a problem for locals who might want to just go on a whim. With everyone booking up everything so far in advance, how would one go on a whim and be able to ride anything?

Being a local, you can't simply decide on a Saturday afternoon that you want to go to the MK and ride Space or Splash with little to no wait. Never could in the past either unless you're talking about Jan-Feb or sometimes in Sep. If they try to tell you that they used to be able to do that anytime all year, they are lying through their teeth. I have been a local, and it has not been that way for almost 20 years (well except after 9/11 and the 2008 crash), and even then, it was still only during slower periods. There aren't anymore slow periods, so FP+ hasn't really changed much. AP holders can get FP+ up to 30 days in advance, and have 7 days worth on a rolling basis. Can they get 7DMT? Probably not, but we have ridden it, and see no need to ride it every trip, much less every day as a local. If they feel the need to ride it, go to rope drop, and wait 30 minutes or less. If you think it's that good, then you will wait. We don't. We have not had any issue getting any other FP+ for any other ride that we wanted at 30 days or less.

 

[rucifee]

Being a local, you can't simply decide on a Saturday afternoon that you want to go to the MK and ride Space or Splash with little to no wait. Never could in the past either unless you're talking about Jan-Feb or sometimes in Sep. If they try to tell you that they used to be able to do that anytime all year, they are lying through their teeth. I have been a local, and it has not been that way for almost 20 years (well except after 9/11 and the 2008 crash), and even then, it was still only during slower periods. There aren't anymore slow periods, so FP+ hasn't really changed much. AP holders can get FP+ up to 30 days in advance, and have 7 days worth on a rolling basis. Can they get 7DMT? Probably not, but we have ridden it, and see no need to ride it every trip, much less every day as a local. If they feel the need to ride it, go to rope drop, and wait 30 minutes or less. If you think it's that good, then you will wait. We don't. We have not had any issue getting any other FP+ for any other ride that we wanted at 30 days or less.

During non peak months it was possible to walk on just about anything before FP+. Peak months though, no way. Disney has all but eliminated the value seasons, there are no slow periods and without a plan 180 days in advance you are generally not going to have a good time if you are on vacation at WDW. I would rather have had anytime or after 4 FP anything than memory maker. Universal wins that round.

 

[Chef Mickey]

If people are going to complain whether it is a fee based system or a fastpass+ system then Disney should do what is best for the shareholders and do a fee based system... at least then they make more money while people still complain.

Oh, don't you worry. Disney does what's best for shareholder all the time.

That's why the parks have suffered so much lately.

 

[DisneyFans4Life]

Being a local, you can't simply decide on a Saturday afternoon that you want to go to the MK and ride Space or Splash with little to no wait. Never could in the past either unless you're talking about Jan-Feb or sometimes in Sep. If they try to tell you that they used to be able to do that anytime all year, they are lying through their teeth. I have been a local, and it has not been that way for almost 20 years (well except after 9/11 and the 2008 crash), and even then, it was still only during slower periods. There aren't anymore slow periods, so FP+ hasn't really changed much. AP holders can get FP+ up to 30 days in advance, and have 7 days worth on a rolling basis. Can they get 7DMT? Probably not, but we have ridden it, and see no need to ride it every trip, much less every day as a local. If they feel the need to ride it, go to rope drop, and wait 30 minutes or less. If you think it's that good, then you will wait. We don't. We have not had any issue getting any other FP+ for any other ride that we wanted at 30 days or less.

It's the same thing with dining reservations. I understand that someone may decide they want to go to Disney for dinner after work, but they should understand they probably won't get a sit down dinner. Disney is a destination spot for tourists to go on vacation, not some place to meet up at after a long day at the office. To have that expectation is silly and you're setting yourself up to be disappointed.