kides say Magic Bands have ruined Disney

[scubadiver]

We have gone to Disney twice a year for the past 6 years. The kids, as well as the adults, always look forward to going. this time was no different, they talked about it for weeks, prior to our departure. It was a birthday trip and they were prepared for the large crowds. This week at DWD, the crowds have been large, but expected and manageable. The kids have said Disney has ruined the experience and they do not want to come back. When pressed for a reason, they are very precise...Magic Bands. When we booked the fast passes, the family received 2 fast passes in the morning, and the 3rd in the mid to late afternoon. The kids say they feel trapped in that one park. Everyone is tired of having to kill time for the last fast pass. We have gone in every gift shop (not bought anything), gone to every show, gone on every possible ride to kill time. Then by the time the 3rd fast pass is used, there are no fast passes left for any ride in the park.

The kids were to the point of bringing friends with them, but now they do not want to return at all. As they said, they do not want to subject anyone else to wasting time in a particular park. They are old enough to reason it out, it makes not sense to even attempt to park hop.

If Disney is a business, they need to find a way to keep people coming back again and again. At the present time, they are in danger of losing my kids and their potential families from every coming to Disney. If other families are finding the same to be true, Disney better figure out something quickly.

Now what do I do with the DVC purchase???? Dave's????

 

[Gracie09]

You know you can change the time for FP as long as they are available? We alternated between stacking ours all in the morning starting around 10 and putting them in the afternoon after lunch. In the morning its good because then you can get a 4th or 5th etc after you use your three initial. In the afternoon is good because you can usually ride with little wait first thing in the morning.

 

[bigbabyblues]

Are they upset with the Magic Bands or FP+? Were you aware that you could change the times on the FP+? I don't understand "we received 2 FP in the morning and 1 in the afternoon". I thought you get the times and attractions you choose (assuming availability).

I'm sorry you didn't enjoy your trip.

 

[1stvisit0909]

We tried different ways to do it, but ended up liking our fast passes in the evenings/afternoons. We found plenty of things we'd never noticed before in the "wasting time" time we also hopped more than previously. It did change the way we toured, but we found it more relaxed.

 

[scubadiver]

I tried to stack all the fast passes in the morning, but due to this week at WDW, there was no way to move the fast passes around, especially for the popular rides (7 dwarfs, test track, ect.) I even took some throw away fast passes (i.e. Nemo) at 8 am, to get things stacked in the morning. I tried for 6 months to move the times around, it was impossible. One of the draw backs with coming between Christmas and New Years.

 

[DisneyWishes14]

I don't understand how you "received" your fast pass times. When you book your fastpasses, you have the ability to pick the times presented and then immediately modify the times and even the attraction to suit your family. If you are still in WDW, you can modify your times right now to better suit your touring style so you don't have to waste any more time wandering around gift shops. You can also modify them on your phone app as you walk around the park or go to a kiosk and ask a CM to help you.

As the PP mentioned, best thing to do IMHO, is start FP+ times around 10/10:30 am and do three in a row so you are done with FP+ times by 1:30 pm or so. Then you can either go to a kiosk and get another or hop to another park for the rest of the day and get FP+ there. Or even do RD in one park with no FP+ and save your FP+ for your second park of the day. Seriously, no reason to be wandering around aimlessly in gift shops.

I understand you've been to WDW a lot and the system has changed. We've all had to wrap our heads around it and come up with new touring strategies that incorporate the new system. It sounds like you didn't fully understand the system before you went on this trip. If you are still there, I encourage you to try to change your FP+ times to suit your family so they don't feel like the trip was ruined.

 

[minnie mum]

There is no doubt in my mind that FP + simply isn't a good fit for the way some families prefer to visit the parks. It appears that this may be the case with your family. The heavy crowds, long lines, and very heavy demand for FPs while you were there is probably a major contributing factor, though. You might have better luck during a slower time of year. But it sounds like your kids would prefer other vacations for a while. Not a bad thing, in the grand scheme of things. Maybe they'll change their minds in a few years.

 

[BugsDaddy]

I don't think your kids issues were with magic bands as much as FP+.

I guess it is time for you to begin exploring other vacation destinations as Disney is not only not looking at doing away with the new system but expanding it.

I think when I was a kid, if I went to Disney World twice a year for 6 years in a row, there would come a point where I wouldn't have much excitement about going. There is such a thing as over saturation. I would probably not want disappoint my parents for whom this was a very special place, so I would try to find some legitimate excuse for not wanting to go and hope that my parents caught the hint.

 

[SmithSmith]

I tried to stack all the fast passes in the morning, but due to this week at WDW, there was no way to move the fast passes around, especially for the popular rides (7 dwarfs, test track, ect.) I even took some throw away fast passes (i.e. Nemo) at 8 am, to get things stacked in the morning. I tried for 6 months to move the times around, it was impossible. One of the draw backs with coming between Christmas and New Years.

You can only schedule Fp+ 60 days out if you're stsying onsite.

 

[nickcapp]

Continue to use your DVC and have a less theme-park-centric vacation. Concentrate on everything else Disney has to offer. Head over to Universal (gasp) if only because the crowds are significantly lighter with less need to plan if you need the theme park fix.

We like FP+, it suites our family as we have been in that "less theme-park-centric" mode for some time now. We enjoy the resorts as a whole.

I feel sympathy for you as I can see how FP+ has completely uprooted the park commando types.

I hope you find some resolution.

 

[SmithSmith]

I don't think your kids issues were with magic bands as much as FP+.

I guess it is time for you to begin exploring other vacation destinations as Disney is not only not looking at doing away with the new system but expanding it.

I think when I was a kid, if I went to Disney World twice a year for 6 years in a row, there would come a point where I wouldn't have much excitement about going. There is such a thing as over saturation. I would probably not want disappoint my parents for whom this was a very special place, so I would try to find some legitimate excuse for not wanting to go and hope that my parents caught the hint.

I think you have an excellent point. I LOVE Disney World but even I couldn't do 12 trips in 6 years. Moderation is key.

 

[Jennasis]

Well, we hate FP+ and the entire MDE site for that matter AND we just bought DVC this year. Because I love WDW. Our plan is to do less time in the parks and enjoy lounging around the resorts more. We'll also use the DVC room as a base for touring more of Central Florida (USO, SW etc). When we do visit the parks we will continue to spend next to nothing on trinkets and souvenirs and use FP+ very little if at all. It did not suit our style of touring at all, had me stressed out the entire trip, and frankly was a fun-sucking burden most of the time.

But, crazy me, I love the place too much to give it up. Maybe your kids just need a break for a while? Absence makes the heart grow fonder.

 

[greentea]

I think BugsDaddy has a point re: over-saturation. I think, even though they wanted to go and talked about it pre-trip, it's not new and exciting anymore and you could benefit from choosing some new vacation options. I think even you are feeling that -- you mentioned being trapped and (grudgingly?) going on rides and seeing shows to kill time. That to me sounds like you're all getting a little bored. If there are only a couple things you even want to do in the parks anymore, take some time away. And when you go back, try for a less crowded time of year when it's easier to get the FP+ times you want.

 

[IWannaBuildASnowman]

I get what you are saying and yet... Nobody is holding a gun to your head to use the last FP. If you are waiting for hours, go standby or just go.

 

[prudence64]

You can just cancel the third fp if you don't want to kill time before you do it and would rather jump to another park.

 

[Allison]

Maybe I am misunderstanding, but if by mid-afternoon you have done all the shows, the shops and all the possible rides and only have one fastpass+ left to use wouldn't that be a good thing and allow you to move onto another park or back to the resort or whatever?

 

[Saimaeve]

how were you able to try to move it around for six months? I wasn't even able to do it 3 months in advance.

If the entire resort was ruined because of FastPass, perhaps they're just not as big of fans. Not everyone likes Disney.

Sorry your vacation was ruined. Family time is such a precious thing and it's sad when it's destroyed.

 

[TimothyG]

One of the draw backs with coming between Christmas and New Years.

Ahh, that's the problem. The week between Christmas and New Years is absolutely the most crowded week of the year by far. I don't think that your results would have been any better under the old system during this week. When the old system was in place, there was no way I was going to get 3 FPs in one day during that week -- even when showing up before rope drop.

I'd encourage you to give FP+ another chance during a less crowded time of the year. I have never used more FPs than I have over the past year, at better times and I love the ability to change the reservations on my phone.

 

[CampbellzSoup]

Mayve just maybe your kids are telling you they want to go somewhere else...?

I did Disney three times this year regular, Halloween and Christmas and I'm burnt out for at least a few years.

FastPass and Magic Bands are incredible planning tools and great family assets.

Change bad. Stay the same good.

 

[Mambo Junkie]

I was having the same problem the first part of my trip. Too restricted by ADRs and fps. So, about mid vacation, I parted ways with the ADRs and fps and had a much better time. First, most of the fps you don't need. Second, the majority of them can be gotten on the fly using your phone app. if you so choose. You will not get the hard to get fps, but it allows you so much more freedom not to be tied to the fp system. I, too, like to park hop, and found the reservation thing restricting.

I think one of the problems is that because the fp system is there, people feel they need to use it. If I ever go back again, I think I will only book around 6 or 7 fps, and not even use the rest. I was already blowing off fps from day 1 anyway. That, and try really hard to figure out a time when the crowds are low. Very low. Just trying to get around was way more aggravating than the fps.