Fastpass Plus is doing its job

[Rileygirl]

You ARE the Jedi Master! I can't figure out on this iPad how to get my response to your brilliant deduction, hopefully it did not pooh-pooh it!
(Again, the exclamation points... Where are they coming from?... It's a little freaky )

 

[doconeill]

You ARE the Jedi Master! I can't figure out on this iPad how to get my response to your brilliant deduction, hopefully it did not pooh-pooh it!

no, you actually complimented me for the fresh perspective.

 

[puffkin]

We just got back too from a trip last week and I LOVED FP+ so much more than FP-. My only problem was the lack of kiosks to make the additional FP+. Hopefully once it gets added to the app that will make things even better!

I cannot even begin to tell you how much more relaxing it was not having to do the FP dash every morning. We did water parks a few mornings and it was awesome to have FP waiting for us in the evening at a park.

We actually rode a LOT more attractions than ever before. I carefully planned my FP's to avoid criss crossing the parks as much as possible. Many times (in MK) I was able to get an immediate 4th and beyond FP for the second tier attractions. It was awesome. Honestly, we really didn't need too many 4th and beyond FP's in the other parks.

I did think the majors had shorter standby lines (except for 7DMT but obviously thats new and to be expected). We didn't really notice any large increases in Standby on lesser attractions....maybe pockets here or there but we pretty much walked on lots of rides. I really believe that FP is spreading people out better. We walked onto (standby) way more attractions this trip than we ever have in the past. The actual FP lines seemed much less crowded too. Is it getting people into more stores and to spend more money, I don't know....but it definitely is spreading people out more.

Finally, we commented on this a lot when we were down there and a fact I think is blown WAY WAY WAY out of proportion on these boards. It seems that the VAST majority of guests are not using Magic Bands or FP+. Many people still just see a ride and hop in line. Only a small % of people in the parks are wearing the bands because only a small % of park guests are resort guests. It still felt very exclusive and a "perk" for being a resort guest. I think that being on a disney oriented message board, people sometimes forget that we are definitely not the normal park guest.

 

[Mad Hattered]

Finally, we commented on this a lot when we were down there and a fact I think is blown WAY WAY WAY out of proportion on these boards. It seems that the VAST majority of guests are not using Magic Bands or FP+. Many people still just see a ride and hop in line. Only a small % of people in the parks are wearing the bands because only a small % of park guests are resort guests. It still felt very exclusive and a "perk" for being a resort guest. I think that being on a disney oriented message board, people sometimes forget that we are definitely not the normal park guest.

I'm not so sure that is a positive thing in Disney's mind (and 2 billion dollars later). If they can't lock you in with a MB then you might even make a trip over to see Potter.

 

[Rileygirl]

My comment, mad hatter, would be this. Disney is no longer in the business to create the best possible theme park in the world, just the most profitable. It is a business, after all.

I believe one needs to view the fp+ system as still in a very preliminary test phase. If it is already spreading out crowds as per that article on the first post, with such a MINOR percentage of people using the system, the bean counters must be rubbing their hands in glee. This baby is going to make them billions, in my opinion.

I think, however, that many disboarders who monitor comments on forums like these will be able to easily manipulate the system to their liking for the next year or two. it's going to make park touring easier for some peoples needs, maybe harder for other types, but overall I think many will be able to maximize the system to their own benefit. But like the dining plan, and the dining reservation system, as time goes own, you get less bang for your buck, and you have to jump through many hoops in order to get the cheese at then end of the maze.

 

[t_catt11]

So you were forced to make your FP+ back to back and across the park? I think that's more an issue of it being a new system isn't it? Why don't you just schedule differently in the future? Space out the times or group rides on the same side of the park together? In the past you could have had the same issue with running across the park to grab a FP for Space after Splash and then having to run back across the park to Big Mountain to grab another FP.

Because the options weren't there. I found that edits to the schedule to be painful or impossible.

 

[Monykalyn]

We've done pre-FP, old FP and now FP+; definitely requires more planning now-however with that planning we walked on nearly every ride we wanted (standby or FP+); the longest we waited was HM (30min) and Peter Pan(35 min); all others were less-we went last week and I didn't book FP+ nor dining until about 3 weeks out-as long as times are somewhat flexible it is easily doable (granted we didn't try for BOG, CRT etc-no character dining this time as kids not interested). My 8 yo DS got so spoiled by not having to wait that the few times we did he constantly asked why we didnt get a FP+! We also got 4th FP easily for the 2nd tier attractions, and found that riding during first fireworks showing led to low standby waits for headliners (exception being A&E and SDMT-we FP those); We stayed offsite, and bought MB's to make life easier. After experiencing ease of MB (we generally had a good experience with MB) we are looking at staying onsite next trip to take advantage of DDP...

 

[andyman8]

I think for most on this board there's a bigger difference between a 15 and 45 minute wait at POTC than a 90 and 60 minute wait at Space Mountain.

 

[itchin2go]

I think for most on this board there's a bigger difference between a 15 and 45 minute wait at POTC than a 90 and 60 minute wait at Space Mountain.

Well said. Some things are worth the wait, and some are not.

 

[practicallyperfect77]

I think for most on this board there's a bigger difference between a 15 and 45 minute wait at POTC than a 90 and 60 minute wait at Space Mountain.

Winner winner chicken dinner! Couldn't have said it better Andyman.

 

[mesaboy2]

I think for most on this board there's a bigger difference between a 15 and 45 minute wait at POTC than a 90 and 60 minute wait at Space Mountain.

Yep. One is a 200% increase and the other a 33% decrease.

 

[JoeA]

Yep. One is a 200% increase and the other a 33% decrease.

And both are 30 mins! Ain't math fun?

 

[tinawv]

Yep. One is a 200% increase and the other a 33% decrease.

 

[puffkin]

I think for most on this board there's a bigger difference between a 15 and 45 minute wait at POTC than a 90 and 60 minute wait at Space Mountain.

Most of us on this board should know then that immediate FP are available pretty much all day long for POTC so there is no need to wait in a 45 minute SB line (same with Haunted Mansion, Buzz, Small World, etc).

 

[Rileygirl]

What appears to be strange about this scenario to me: haunted mansion, pirates, and buzz are probably the three highest capacity attractions at MK. Their operational ride capacity per hour is the highest. Think of the number of people who must be doing fp+ on these b attractions in order to impact standby lines to that degree on a consistent level to statistically show up. That just seems strange to me.

Regarding the personal way we tour, I hate to see these 'fun' almost anytime attractions turn into a hmm, when best to fit them in ride.. Duly noted that you can grab one as an immediate 4fp+, and it's something we will utilize, it's just going to be a different way to tour.

 

[doconeill]

What appears to be strange about this scenario to me: haunted mansion, pirates, and buzz are probably the three highest capacity attractions at MK. Their operational ride capacity per hour is the highest. Think of the number of people who must be doing fp+ on these b attractions in order to impact standby lines to that degree on a consistent level to statistically show up. That just seems strange to me.

Regarding the personal way we tour, I hate to see these 'fun' almost anytime attractions turn into a hmm, when best to fit them in ride.. Duly noted that you can grab one as an immediate 4fp+, and it's something we will utilize, it's just going to be a different way to tour.

It might not just be those utilizing the FP+ - presumably a lot of them would have been in the standby line anyways, so it's a bit of one-for-one there...but it can also be those that used to ride Space Mountain multiple times via FP and can't now, going and doing "the other stuff".

 

[Rileygirl]

Hmm, that makes sense Doc. And if someone knew the original system well enough to get multiples on space under the legacy system, I would guess they would know now how to score 4,5 or six fp+ as immediate after fillers, creating a bigger use of fp+ for these 'b' attractions on the day of, thus impacting the standby lines. Interesting loophole that probably will get shut down eventually I suspect.

 

[doconeill]

Hmm, that makes sense Doc. And if someone knew the original system well enough to get multiples on space under the legacy system, I would guess they would know now how to score 4,5 or six fp+ as immediate after fillers, creating a bigger use of fp+ for these 'b' attractions on the day of, thus impacting the standby lines. Interesting loophole that probably will get shut down eventually I suspect.

I don't think it is a loophole (if you're just talking about the "one FP+ after the three..."), but as intended since it is fully advertised.

 

[Jeff_G]

I think we did a lot less running around the park with FP+. We scheduled ours for the afternoon when lines were long and it was hot. We did RD each day rode the headliners two or three times each before the park got busy, then enjoyed the FP in the afternoon.

We did spend less money this trip, but it was because prices were up for everything.

One thing we found with MM+, the kids absolutely loved the Pirates Adventure Treasure Hunt. It was so neat to see the magic bands interact with the environment. I hope they continue on that technology and perhaps integrate it into the ride queues.


We did ride more mid level attractions but this was also because we wanted to experience things we didnt do on our first trip.

I will say that one issue is when the weather or other events causes a disruption in your plans you are stuck.

 

[andyman8]

Yep. One is a 200% increase and the other a 33% decrease.

I'm admitidly not the most math savvy person.

Anyways, my main idea here is that, looking at his strictly from a timing perspective, the same 30 minutes means two totally different things for those (the majority) on this board who don't choose to wait in 60+ minute lines for attractions, so while it's "good news" that some waits are decreasing, it's somewhat negated by the fact that Figment can now see a 40 minute wait.

Most of us on this board should know then that immediate FP are available pretty much all day long for POTC so there is no need to wait in a 45 minute SB line (same with Haunted Mansion, Buzz, Small World, etc).

Definitely (assuming you already don't have one)!

I think that my opinion on FP+ (not that anyone really cares) has evolved into a mixed bag. Since the introduction of the "revolving" FP+, the FP+ system is barring more of a resemblance to the original FP system, just now allowing guests to pre-select some FP+s, which is something I'd consider a positive, but limitations like tiering at DHS and Epcot take away from some of that value and can complicate things. For late arrivals, FP+ is good if you just want to see a handful of headliners, but for those not spending much time planning (or are doing a last-minute trip), it can be somewhat difficult. This has been brought to light by 7DMT and A&E FP+s. The increased waits at formally short-wait attractions is another negative. So for me, there are pro's and con's, but at this point, it's more of matter of maximizing the current system than "reviewing" or "venting about" it.