Our interesting FP+ experience

[JimmyV]

Originally Posted by UNCFanatik

Did the OP really think that the FP+ was fully operational and that they would be able to pull FP+?

We are not in a position to know this, and certainly, Disney was in no position to make this call. Last time I checked, CMs at Guest Realtions don't ask you for your disboards "join date" or the number of posts you have.

Originally Posted by UNCFanatik

The OP wasnt inconvenienced in any way. There was no "making it right" necessary.

Again, we do not know this, and the CM certainly cannot know this. There is the doctrine of detrimental reliance to account for. If the OP altered their arrival time, their ADRs, or in any way planned around the fact that they were not going to have to wait an hour or more for TT and/or Soarin', then they relied to their detriment on the belief that they were going to use FP+s for these attractions. Put yourself in the CMs postion. What would s/he do if relief had been denied and the OP then complained that had they known that the FP+s that appeared on their i-Phones and which had been procured through Disney's website were not going to be honored, then they would have arrived at RD to beat the crowds. But now, learning for the first time that the FP+s were not going to be honored, they are stuck having to face 75+ minute waits, all because Disney made a mistake. Would you want to be that "magical" CM telling the OP: "Sorry. You relied on a fiction. You should have known better than to think that a FP+ that loaded seamlessly onto your i-Phone was NOT part of a beta test, was not part of the fully operational system, and was not real in any way"? Sorry. But for a system that is still shrouded in mystery and sketchy information, there is no way for a CM to presume so much of a guest. I don't even think this is a close call. Make-up FPs was the way to go.

[UNCFanatik]

Originally Posted by JimmyV

We are not in a position to know this, and certainly, Disney was in no position to make this call. Last time I checked, CMs at Guest Realtions don't ask you for your disboards "join date" or the number of posts you have.

It is not about what the CM knew, it was about the OP having some knowledge that the FP+ system had not been rolled out yet because of reading about it on the DIS. I can certainly understand the OP's curiosity and trip to guest services to inquire about the system though.

Originally Posted by JimmyV

Again, we do not know this, and the CM certainly cannot know this. There is the doctrine of detrimental reliance to account for. If the OP altered their arrival time, their ADRs, or in any way planned around the fact that they were not going to have to wait an hour or more for TT and/or Soarin', then they relied to their detriment on the belief that they were going to use FP+s for these attractions. Put yourself in the CMs postion. What would s/he do if relief had been denied and the OP then complained that had they known that the FP+s that appeared on their i-Phones and which had been procured through Disney's website were not going to be honored, then they would have arrived at RD to beat the crowds. But now, learning for the first time that the FP+s were not going to be honored, they are stuck having to face 75+ minute waits, all because Disney made a mistake. Would you want to be that "magical" CM telling the OP: "Sorry. You relied on a fiction. You should have known better than to think that a FP+ that loaded seamlessly onto your i-Phone was NOT part of a beta test, was not part of the fully operational system, and was not real in any way"? Sorry. But for a system that is still shrouded in mystery and sketchy information, there is no way for a CM to presume so much of a guest. I don't even think this is a close call. Make-up FPs was the way to go.

The CM did not give the FPs, the IT person did.

Again, I would buy and support your argument if a person had zero previous knowledge about the whole FP+ system going in.

If I were playing around with the app on my IPhone and I was somehow able to reserve FP+, I wouldnt automatically assume that the system was fully functional or in some sort of "soft opening" mode. I would think that it was a glitch at this stage and I would definitely check it out before altering my plans in any way. AND, when I went to Guest Services and they confirmed my suspicions then I would not feel in any way that Disney some how needed to make me whole.

I can see it now, everyone will be trying to do this now and getting upset if they dont get the same treatment for any future startup glitches with the system.

[g-dad66]

OP: Thanks for the first-hand report!

Hopefully this thread won't go the way of other FP+ threads, so...

Trying to keep the discussion on target (learning about your FP+ experience), am I understanding correctly that each of your time choices (A, B, C, D) listed a specific FP time tied to each of the attractions you had selected? For example, Option A might have said something like:
10:00-11:00 Test Track
12:00-1:00 Soarin
2:00-3:00 Seas with Nemo and Friends

The reason I ask is because I'm thinking that in some situations, a different order of rides might be preferred (maybe a family wanting to check out how a young child does on the Seas before trying Soarin and Test Track).

Sounds like you weren't able to pick the order of the attractions within each Option, correct?

(I realize that what they are testing may not be the way it will work when it is live, but still interested in learning all I can before our trip in 2 weeks.)

[JimmyV]

Originally Posted by UNCFanatik

The CM did not give the FPs, the IT person did.

The IT person is a CM.

Originally Posted by UNCFanatik

If I were playing around with the app on my IPhone and I was somehow able to reserve FP+, I wouldnt automatically assume that the system was fully functional or in some sort of "soft opening" mode. I would think that it was a glitch at this stage...

Perhaps you would. I wouldn't jump to that conclusion. I would assume that it was a beta test.

Originally Posted by UNCFanatik

I can see it now, everyone will be trying to do this now and getting upset if they dont get the same treatment for any future startup glitches with the system.

The chances of this glitch repeating itself seem minimal.
This is WDW, the land of magic (some of it for a limited time ). Faced with the option of

a) telling a guest that they were unreasonable in assuming that FP+s that loaded seamlessly onto their phone could possibly have been on the up-and-up, or
b) handing them a wad of no-cost FPs,

the choice was easy. People have been handed discretionary FPs fof far less. Again, this isn't even a close call.

[dadddio]

Originally Posted by UNCFanatik

The OP has been a member of the DIS since 2011. In her reported discussion with CMs, she demonstrated a knowledge of how FP+ were purported to work. Did the OP really think that the FP+ was fully operational and that they would be able to pull FP+?

I could buy your position more if a guest that had zero idea of FP+ went and was able to do this.

The OP wasnt inconvenienced in any way. There was no "making it right" necessary.

If you believe that, then you should be doubly impressed that they gave the OP the FPs.

[UNCFanatik]

Originally Posted by dadddio

If you believe that, then you should be doubly impressed that they gave the OP the FPs.

I am impressed as a matter of customer service but do not think there was anything that warranted an inconvenience or Disney having to make things "right"

[UNCFanatik]

Originally Posted by JimmyV

Perhaps you would. I wouldn't jump to that conclusion. I would assume that it was a beta test.

And if you were to assume it was a beta test, would you also assume they would have picked the beta testers and you werent one of them?

Originally Posted by JimmyV

The chances of this glitch repeating itself seem minimal.
This is WDW, the land of magic (some of it for a limited time ). Faced with the option of

a) telling a guest that they were unreasonable in assuming that FP+s that loaded seamlessly onto their phone could possibly have been on the up-and-up, or
b) handing them a wad of no-cost FPs,

the choice was easy. People have been handed discretionary FPs fof far less. Again, this isn't even a close call.

Again, you are basing this all off a person who would have ZERO knowledge of the FP+ system which I would agree with your argument completely. But this wasnt the case with the OP.

[jimim]

Originally Posted by UNCFanatik

How was this making anything "right"?

and you cant make any firm conclusions from this one instance to say how the FP+ will work when it is fully rolled out and operational

Holy crap. It was nice that the cast member was helpful and spread some happiness for this family. He made things right by answering their questions.

I don't think anyone else is saying this is concrete info but it does paint a somewhat nice picture of what things will look like.

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

[grimley1968]

Thanks for posting this, OP. It is indeed nice to read a real-life, objective account of how FP+ will possibly work. I am intrigued by the multiple choices of return time windows.

I agree with (some) others that it was very nice of the CM to give the standard FPs to the OP, just to make sure that no expectations were dashed, though the OP did not indicate (IMO) any undue expectations. Very easy thing for the CM to do, yet makes for happy guests, in a very unique situation not of their own making.

[UNCFanatik]

Originally Posted by jimim

Holy crap. It was nice that the cast member was helpful and spread some happiness for this family. He made things right by answering their questions.

I don't think anyone else is saying this is concrete info but it does paint a somewhat nice picture of what things will look like.

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

The irony is lost on people who are saying how incompetent Disney IT is and then trying to think they any specifics about the FP+ system correct.

Too funny

[grimley1968]

Originally Posted by UNCFanatik

The irony is lost on people who are saying how incompetent Disney IT is and then trying to think they any specifics about the FP+ system correct.

Too funny

Wake up on the wrong side of the bed today?

Wow. The OP was simply relating an experience about the FP+ system, and others were simply noting interest in some of the details in the system test. Rather than worry about how long people have been on the DIS, how much knowledge they have about FP+ rumors, how others might complain about Disney's technological incompetence at times, it would be advisable to read the OP's post as a (I thought interesting) relation of an actual experience with the FP+, even though it was a live test that shouldn't have been.

[Supermom3]

Originally Posted by grimley1968

Wake up on the wrong side of the bed today?

Wow. The OP was simply relating an experience about the FP+ system, and others were simply noting interest in some of the details in the system test. Rather than worry about how long people have been on the DIS, how much knowledge they have about FP+ rumors, how others might complain about Disney's technological incompetence at times, it would be advisable to read the OP's post as a (I thought interesting) relation of an actual experience with the FP+, even though it was a live test that shouldn't have been.

^^this

I found the OP post interesting and helpful to get an idea of how the FP+ might work considering all the speculation out there.

The OP never indicated that they thought they were due anything, but I think, mentioned it as an example of how Disney often exceeds a guest's expectations with a little Pixie Dust.

[dadddio]

Originally Posted by UNCFanatik

The OP has been a member of the DIS since 2011. In her reported discussion with CMs, she demonstrated a knowledge of how FP+ were purported to work. Did the OP really think that the FP+ was fully operational and that they would be able to pull FP+?

I could buy your position more if a guest that had zero idea of FP+ went and was able to do this.

The OP wasnt inconvenienced in any way. There was no "making it right" necessary.

Given that there has been oodles of discussion on these boards that FP+ could be rolled out any day and that we might not have any forewarning, it would surprise me if any DISer didn't check the app right before a trip to see if FP+ was up and running and to preschedule FP+s if able to do so.

It would almost surprise me more if a guest saw that FP+ was up and running on the app, but then assumed that it wasn't available at the parks. I suspect that most would preschedule their FPs and expect to be able to access the FP queue with their RFID ticket.

[UNCFanatik]

Originally Posted by dadddio

Given that there has been oodles of discussion on these boards that FP+ could be rolled out any day and that we might not have any forewarning, it would surprise me if any DISer didn't check the app right before a trip to see if FP+ was up and running and to preschedule FP+s if able to do so.

It would almost surprise me more if a guest saw that FP+ was up and running on the app, but then assumed that it wasn't available at the parks. I suspect that most would preschedule their FPs and expect to be able to access the FP queue with their RFID ticket.

Honestly, if you, yourself had the same thing happen to you would you really believe that the FP+ system was fully operational or would you suspect there was some sort of testing going on?

Do you really think they are just going to roll this thing out unannounced? I could see them doing some beta testing with a preselected group but cant see them just opening it up to the general public with no warning. People on the DIS would be screaming if they didnt know this in advance and someone other than them had an advantage they werent aware of

[WishingMom]

Originally Posted by UNCFanatik

It is not about what the CM knew, it was about the OP having some knowledge that the FP+ system had not been rolled out yet because of reading about it on the DIS. I can certainly understand the OP's curiosity and trip to guest services to inquire about the system though.

The CM did not give the FPs, the IT person did.

Again, I would buy and support your argument if a person had zero previous knowledge about the whole FP+ system going in.

If I were playing around with the app on my IPhone and I was somehow able to reserve FP+, I wouldnt automatically assume that the system was fully functional or in some sort of "soft opening" mode. I would think that it was a glitch at this stage and I would definitely check it out before altering my plans in any way. AND, when I went to Guest Services and they confirmed my suspicions then I would not feel in any way that Disney some how needed to make me whole.

I can see it now, everyone will be trying to do this now and getting upset if they dont get the same treatment for any future startup glitches with the system.

Why would you assume it was a glitch? If it was live on the system, regardless of whether or not it was accidental, why wouldn't the OP think it was actually live for the general public?