whiporee, I think you have sound logic and I like you looking at the math. I am an engineer and ANY good data can help understand something. I really like TheDisGuy and Itchin's response to your and everyone saying FP+ is better for the specific guests (like me) who like a fast-paced touring plan (FP+ is better for the more casual touring plan). As far as legacy FP, I would venture to guess the majority of guests did not know how to maximize usage. Let's take Soarin for example, I think most of us knew the trick/strategy to scan a FP as you were walking onto it after RD. Sometimes I would actually stand and wait a few minutes until the return time was in the window I wanted. When I came back to ride it later I would see a FP return time 5 - 7 hours later and people were scanning their legacy FP. This took them out of FP equation for those 5 -7 hours. While using my FP I walked past MANY others standing in the 90-min standby line. Not only would I never stand in line over an hour, I would be off the ride before these people allowing me to get another FP somewhere else in the park before them, essentially taking THEM out of the FP equation. Other attractions had longer FP return times and standby lines taking all those people out of the equation as well. I don't know the load times so you can probably do the math better. You can see those of us who knew exactly which FPs to get and more importantly WHEN to get them gave us a HUGE advantage.
Its about preference, depending on your touring plan, you may or may not like FP+. For those of us that do not, we just need to learn the new crowd patterns and how the system works. Like if a SB line gets under 30min will the system open up FPs? If we knew that and if/when a line for a ride typically gets low then we could take advantage of that fact. The other thing I think Disney could do is put a few hidden kisoks around the parks for those of nuts that have fast-paced touring plans.
