MyMagic+ and FastPass+

[perditax]

After seeing what passes as a Level 3 crowd in January, I was really glad to have FPs for our afternoon parks.

I was less thrilled to wait stand-by for 30 minutes for Haunted Mansion on a Level 3 day, but that's the way it went.

Hijack from a newb, or rather someone who hasn't been to WDW in over a decade. So I guess the quote above proves what I've been reading, that there's no such thing as "off" season anymore?

Secondly, I think I understand FP+. I'll be in WDW the weekend of Feb 27th, but we don't know which parks we might want to go to on which days. So I hadn't intended to buy tickets till we get there. Which means I can't book rides. When I see people talking about trying to get their FP rez made as far out as possible, it gives the impression that there are a finite number of passes per ride per day and they go fast.

In other words, and without hyperbole, are we now at a point where even in February, if I don't buy my park tickets and reserve my rides in advance, I may not be able to get FP+ for the headliner attractions on the day of?

 

[Angel Ariel]

It gets back to why my original reaction was that this program was not very informative. I think most of the participants were more interested in letting everyone know how much they dislike FP+ than they were in providing useful information.

I've been watching the podcast for a few months now. TBH, the second hour (which this MM+ discussion was) is quite frequently more of a roundtable discussion than anything else. Pete is rarely on this part of the podcast (at least as I have seen), and it usually revolves around opinion-based discussion about certain topics.

Last week (or maybe the week before?) it was about what are the best times of year to visit WDW. The vast majority of the broadcast was each podcaster giving their personal experience and their personal opinions as to what time of year was best. There were some facts thrown in here and there, but the vast majority of the discussion was opinion based. This seems to be the format of this second hour of the podcast more often than not.

So, in the interests of being fair, I don't think it's right to blast the podcasters for spending most of the time giving their opinion on the subject, when that is what the second hour of the podcast does very frequently. It just so happens that this time it was on a more controversial subject than others.

 

[Angel Ariel]

In other words, and without hyperbole, are we now at a point where even in February, if I don't buy my park tickets and reserve my rides in advance, I may not be able to get FP+ for the headliner attractions on the day of?

It depends on when you are going, and what attractions you are wanting.

Personally, if Anna and Elsa or the Seven Dwarves Mine Train are very important, and you want to use FP+ for them (not RD), I would not expect them to be available day of.

TSMM/Soarin/TT - honestly, I don't know what their availability is like day of during non peak times. I would not expect a ton of availability for them day of during peak times, but off peak there may be availability there. Again, though, if they are make it or break it attractions, I wouldn't wait.

Most of the Mountains in MK, probably most in AK, would likely be available day of (esp. if getting your tx and booking as close to RD as possible) in February.

Keep in mind, though, that Rope Drop is still incredibly helpful. Because of A&E and 7DMT, Adventureland/Frontierland/Tomorrowland are pretty dead near RD. We had pretty much walk on rides on BTMRR at least 2x in a row at 10am (1 hr after opening)..HM was a 15 min wait or so at 10:30am (this was a RunDisney weekend in November).

Is it a *requirement* to book in advance? No. Not for anyone. But if there are attractions that are absolute make it or break it for your family, and they are popular attractions that do run out at some point pretty much every day (A&E/7DMT/Soarin'/TT/TSMM/RNRC being the main ones I'd think of there), then reserving in advance is a benefit.

 

[wisblue]

This was the first time I have ever watched one of these podcasts so I had no prior knowledge of or expectations for any of the participants.

Based on this program I won't be going out of my way to watch another one.

 

[SuperTink]

Hijack from a newb, or rather someone who hasn't been to WDW in over a decade.

Just for the sake of accuracy--last trip was in 2008.

 

[perditax]

Angel Ariel, thank you very much. Your reply was extremely helpful. I'll be going with an adult who's never been there, no kids, and my idea of headliner attractions is still Thunder Mountain/Space Mountain. I think I can live without the mining train.

Sorry for the hijack and thanks.

 

[Angel Ariel]

This was the first time I have ever watched one of these podcasts so I had no prior knowledge of or expectations for any of the participants.

Based on this program I won't be going out of my way to watch another one.

I understood that, which is why I provided background. I don't think it's fair to basically blast them for having a show revolving around opinions when that frequently IS the format of *this* portion of the show.

The live podcast is a 2 hr show on Tuesdays. The first hour has everyone (unless Pete is out, as he was last week) - and it focuses on Disney News stories, announcements, etc.

Then there's a 15 min (or so) break - the streaming video shows different scenes from Disney with a countdown until the second part of the show starts.

The second part of the show is a more roundtable discussion, and is frequently more opinion based (esp. compared to the first hour).

You're certainly entitled to your opinion. I would encourage you to watch the first hour of the podcast before being so critical of these people, but that's obviously your decision. You seem to think the podcast is only about sharing opinions and isn't informative at all, and that just isn't the factual case. The first hour of the podcast is very informative, and very news/fact based.

ETA: I also wanted to add that I also felt Dustin was trying very hard to insert facts at various points, and to inject some positive comments, but that the conversation just kept pulling towards the individual opinions instead. (I felt this as I was watching the show live, not due to this thread). There's a lot of strong personalities on the podcast, and I think that's a bit to be expected when focusing on what is already a controversial subject.

 

[Tarheel girl 1975]

Just because your DH didn't have a problem with it doesn't mean that goes for every other new Disney person.

The family I helped plan a trip for in November had never been to Disney. My friend came to me AFTER she'd booked/started trying to plan her family's trip because - in *her* words - she was completely overwhelmed with the planning (ADRs, the MDE account, FP+ - all of it). I emphasize that she started booking/planning the trip on her own to emphasize that her feelings were what she brought *to* me, not something she got *from* me.

As I have said all along on these boards - I understand that there are many who pick up on it right away, who are not overwhelmed, etc. I don't doubt those people or question their experience at all.

That said, there are people who DO have a more difficult/overwhelming experience with the system, and their experience does not deserve to be dismissed as "well, someone just overcomplicated it for them. It's easy, because it was easy for this person"*

My mom is not tech savvy, AT ALL. She would never get through setting up her MDE account by herself. I know that there are other people out there like her.

I also think that in some ways FP+ could be easier for a first time visitor who has no expectations regarding their trip. They may be happy to pick 3 rides, take the initial times given to them by Disney, and work everything else around them. I'm still trying to see if I can make FP+ fit into the way my family has toured WDW in the past. So I'm trying to figure when I' ll be in a certain area of the park and make my FP+ accordingly.

 

[Angel Ariel]

Angel Ariel, thank you very much. Your reply was extremely helpful. I'll be going with an adult who's never been there, no kids, and my idea of headliner attractions is still Thunder Mountain/Space Mountain. I think I can live without the mining train.

Sorry for the hijack and thanks.

You're welcome! The mine train is actually quite similar to Thunder It's a bit tamer than Thunder Mountain - and a LOT smoother too. I'm seriously considering it being my daughter's first coaster when she's tall enough because it's such a smooth ride

 

[Tarheel girl 1975]

Hijack from a newb, or rather someone who hasn't been to WDW in over a decade. So I guess the quote above proves what I've been reading, that there's no such thing as "off" season anymore?

Secondly, I think I understand FP+. I'll be in WDW the weekend of Feb 27th, but we don't know which parks we might want to go to on which days. So I hadn't intended to buy tickets till we get there. Which means I can't book rides. When I see people talking about trying to get their FP rez made as far out as possible, it gives the impression that there are a finite number of passes per ride per day and they go fast.

In other words, and without hyperbole, are we now at a point where even in February, if I don't buy my park tickets and reserve my rides in advance, I may not be able to get FP+ for the headliner attractions on the day of?

You might want to check out this post on thedibb.com. It will give a you a good idea of availability.

http://www.thedibb.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=835236

 

[SmithSmith]

Just because your DH didn't have a problem with it doesn't mean that goes for every other new Disney person.

The family I helped plan a trip for in November had never been to Disney. My friend came to me AFTER she'd booked/started trying to plan her family's trip because - in *her* words - she was completely overwhelmed with the planning (ADRs, the MDE account, FP+ - all of it). I emphasize that she started booking/planning the trip on her own to emphasize that her feelings were what she brought *to* me, not something she got *from* me.

As I have said all along on these boards - I understand that there are many who pick up on it right away, who are not overwhelmed, etc. I don't doubt those people or question their experience at all.

That said, there are people who DO have a more difficult/overwhelming experience with the system, and their experience does not deserve to be dismissed as "well, someone just overcomplicated it for them. It's easy, because it was easy for this person"*

Angel, I was speaking to LT, not you. LT asked me to imagine it from the perspective of a person who has never been before. So I shared my husbands experience as an example. I also noticed that some of the verbiage being used by the podcasters did not come from Disney, so I concluded that perhaps they over educated themselves and that bred their confusion. That is all.

If I had been directing my comment towards you I probably would've known to add the following disclaimers that you require:

1. I'm not speaking generally, only about the people and instances I mentioned.
2. By sharing my experience, I am in no way dismissing other people's experience.

Since LT doesn't require these disclaimers, I didn't add them.

 

[Angel Ariel]

Angel, I was speaking to LT, not you. LT asked me to imagine it from the perspective of a person who has never been before. So I shared my husbands experience as an example.

And I shared an example of another person who has never been. That's all. I didn't realize I was intruding on a private conversation.

If I had been directing my comment towards you I probably would've known to add the following disclaimers that you require:

1. I'm not speaking generally, only about the people and instances I mentioned.
2. By sharing my experience, I am in no way dismissing other people's experience.

Since LT doesn't require these disclaimers, I didn't add them.

And you know what..I had actually typed out a disclaimer originally to indicate that the last part wasn't directed specifically at you because I thought it might be taken that way. That's why there's an asterisk at the end of my post - there was a disclaimer there originally. But then I thought that from the point where I said "As I've said all along on these boards" that it was clear that I was no longer directly addressing you, so I deleted it.

Obviously it wasn't so clear. For that I apologize.

 

[SmithSmith]

As I have said all along on these boards - I understand that there are many who pick up on it right away, who are not overwhelmed, etc. I don't doubt those people or question their experience at all.

That said, there are people who DO have a more difficult/overwhelming experience with the system, and their experience does not deserve to be dismissed as "well, someone just overcomplicated it for them. It's easy, because it was easy for this person"*

And I shared an example of another person who has never been. That's all. I didn't realize I was intruding on a private conversation.

And you know what..I had actually typed out a disclaimer originally to indicate that the last part wasn't directed specifically at you because I thought it might be taken that way. That's why there's an asterisk at the end of my post - there was a disclaimer there originally. But then I thought that from the point where I said "As I've said all along on these boards" that it was clear that I was no longer directly addressing you, so I deleted it.

Obviously it wasn't so clear. For that I apologize.

Thank you, I appreciate it. For clarity, the bolded above seemed like it was directed specifically at me since it basically paraphrased what I said to Lake.

 

[Angel Ariel]

Thank you, I appreciate it. For clarity, the bolded above seemed like it was directed specifically at me since it basically paraphrased what I said to Lake.

And that's why i had originally written the disclaimer. The sentiment that you bolded is one I have seen here often, not from you or wisblue, just in general over the last year or so. That is why I said it, not as a specific response to you.

I am sorry I was unclear.

 

[SmithSmith]

And that's why i had originally written the disclaimer. The sentiment that you bolded is one I have seen here often, not from you or wisblue, just in general over the last year or so. That is why I said it, not as a specific response to you.

I am sorry I was unclear.

Cool, thanks.

 

[Suvadoo]

My mom is not tech savvy, AT ALL. She would never get through setting up her MDE account by herself. I know that there are other people out there like her.

I also think that in some ways FP+ could be easier for a first time visitor who has no expectations regarding their trip. They may be happy to pick 3 rides, take the initial times given to them by Disney, and work everything else around them. I'm still trying to see if I can make FP+ fit into the way my family has toured WDW in the past. So I'm trying to figure when I' ll be in a certain area of the park and make my FP+ accordingly.

IMO MDE and FP+ exclude some of the population. Never before were guests expected to be computer literate before embarking on a trip to WDW. I know that a lot of guests didn't understand Legacy FP. But now a lot more rides are FP+, so using the FP+ becomes an important part of touring unless you don't care about attractions.

But it all boils down to FP+ being controversial. I wonder if Disney will ever find a way to make this more palatable for more of their guests. It's been a year since implementation and I don't see them changing FP+in any significant way. If FP+ was such a winner it wouldn't remain the hot topic on these boards. FP+ is confusing to an awful lot of people.

 

[wisblue]

Seems like the debate is suddenly shifting.

It has been my observation that the VAST majority of the complaints about FP+ on these boards have come from people who feel like the system results in them being able to do less than they did before. There are also a lot of complaints about the need to make decisions about what park to be in on which day in order to select FPs and then what time of that day to select which attractions. Then there are the complaints that the FP selections they want are not available, even if they try to select them the instant they are first able to make them. And then the complaints that FP+ makes standby lines longer than they used to be for some attractions.

None of these complaints have anything to do with the system being too complicated for them to figure out. If FPs for certain attractions are running out in advance, that suggests to me that a lot of guests are having no trouble figuring out how the system works.

Sure, FP+ is confusing for a lot of people who are trying to use it for the first time. But trips to WDW have always been a little confusing or intimidating. If that wasn't true there wouldn't be as many guidebooks as there have been trying to help people get the most out of their WDW vacations.

 

[mom2rtk]

Seems like the debate is suddenly shifting.

It has been my observation that the VAST majority of the complaints about FP+ on these boards have come from people who feel like the system results in them being able to do less than they did before. There are also a lot of complaints about the need to make decisions about what park to be in on which day in order to select FPs and then what time of that day to select which attractions. Then there are the complaints that the FP selections they want are not available, even if they try to select them the instant they are first able to make them. And then the complaints that FP+ makes standby lines longer than they used to be for some attractions.

None of these complaints have anything to do with the system being too complicated for them to figure out. If FPs for certain attractions are running out in advance, that suggests to me that a lot of guests are having no trouble figuring out how the system works.

Sure, FP+ is confusing for a lot of people who are trying to use it for the first time. But trips to WDW have always been a little confusing or intimidating. If that wasn't true there wouldn't be as many guidebooks as there have been trying to help people get the most out of their WDW vacations.

Was there some sort of deadline for submission of complaints about FP+?

I'm sure you are aware I have read a fair number of these FP+ threads. And I've seen the issue raised plenty of times. It's probably not the number one issue though for people who post regularly on message boards.

And I'm glad to see you agree that FP+ is confusing for a lot of people trying to use it for the first time. I thought WDW was made up of mostly first time visitors though. If that's the case, then a system that was confusing to first time visitors could be problematic.

 

[Laketravis]

Was there some sort of deadline for submission of complaints about FP+? I'm sure you are aware I have read a fair number of these FP+ threads. And I've seen the issue raised plenty of times. It's probably not the number one issue though for people who post regularly on message boards. And I'm glad to see you agree that FP+ is confusing for a lot of people trying to use it for the first time. I thought WDW was made up of mostly first time visitors though. If that's the case, then a system that was confusing to first time visitors could be problematic.

Not to mention that's an awful lot of complaints being acknowledged.

 

[Suvadoo]

Seems like the debate is suddenly shifting.
It has been my observation that the VAST majority of the complaints about FP+ on these boards have come from people who feel like the system results in them being able to do less than they did before. There are also a lot of complaints about the need to make decisions about what park to be in on which day in order to select FPs and then what time of that day to select which attractions. Then there are the complaints that the FP selections they want are not available, even if they try to select them the instant they are first able to make them. And then the complaints that FP+ makes standby lines longer than they used to be for some attractions.

I don't quite understand why you are saying the debate is suddenly shifting. FP+ is unsatisfactory to some people on many levels.

If FPs for certain attractions are running out in advance, that suggests to me that a lot of guests are having no trouble figuring out how the system works.

Yes, but according to the last Disney report, about 1/2 of the guests are using them. So what happens if they are able to increas that number?

Sure, FP+ is confusing for a lot of people who are trying to use it for the first time. But trips to WDW have always been a little confusing or intimidating.

Wasn't WDW confusing and intimidating enough without adding FP+? When did increasing the confusion and complexity of a vacation destination become a good idea?