YIKES. It’s (3/12) So busy! Planning and FP are so important.

[cmwade77]

I’ve been amazed all week to not see more families having meltdowns. The lines are crazy, FP availability is really limited even with good knowledge of how to work the system, and most days have been pretty hot...and yet most people we’ve passed have ranged from bored to cheerful, not sad and angry. I can’t imagine waiting in most of those lines and not being grumpy, though! Walking by the small world line today late morning...wow. (Meanwhile I had grabbed a FP for it about half an hour ahead, and then very slowly moved it up to about 15 minutes. It took way more refreshing than I’m used to, though!)

Honestly, I can go to Disney and not ride a single ride and still have a good time taking in the atmosphere, watching shows, etc. Do I like to ride the rides? Absolutely, but I can still have a good time without doing so.

 

[Tiggerlover91]

My mom did this. She talked about going when she had a week long trip for months. I told her to plan. They ended up buying a ticket the night before they wanted to go and only because I told her that she had to at least get some fastpasses. If she hadn’t known me she would be in line during food and wine at the gate buying tickets.

Now I’m taking her on a proper Disney trip in May and I arranged everything so she can see how the pros do it.

Some just don't get it. I have friends who haven't been who said they will wing it. Others who say why plan so much? I say to all of them...go to Disney and then question what I do!

And this is exactly why I keep saying moving to a FP structure like Disneylands (without the paying for Maxpass part) would work much better. All FPs would be day of only, you don't get to pick a time slot, you get what ever return window is available for the attraction you want to go on at that time and you can only book a FP after entering one of the parks for the day. You could through the app book a FP for another park, but only if your tickets have park hopping entitlements.

This would actually make everything far more fair and since there would still be no paper FPs, they could even stop distributing for say an hour for a particular attraction, then distribute again to ensure that people who arrive later in the day have a fair shot at FPs.

Disneyworld already had that structure, which I believe is why they moved to the current FP system in place now.

 

[cmwade77]

I get her being done. If she's anything like me, when your child is upset, you are upset. So basically no one or nothing is going to help at that moment.

And wow! FPs gone already at 7?! This is a sure sign of what next week is going to look like. That is spring break for most schools up here where we are in Northwest FL. One of my colleagues is going to be there so I'll be curious to hear from her what crowds are like. She's leaving Saturday morning to get to Disney that afternoon.

Many schools on the west coast are out for spring break. Disneyland is currently finding Mondays to be the busiest day of the week, so I can only imagine what Disney World has.

Then after all of the spring breaks are done (some go as late as early May this year), some schools start getting out for summer as early as early May, so there isn't going to be much break between spring break and summer this year I'm afraid and we have a trip booked for early June, but will make the most of it.

 

[StacyStrong]

And this is exactly why I keep saying moving to a FP structure like Disneylands (without the paying for Maxpass part) would work much better. All FPs would be day of only, you don't get to pick a time slot, you get what ever return window is available for the attraction you want to go on at that time and you can only book a FP after entering one of the parks for the day. You could through the app book a FP for another park, but only if your tickets have park hopping entitlements.

This would actually make everything far more fair and since there would still be no paper FPs, they could even stop distributing for say an hour for a particular attraction, then distribute again to ensure that people who arrive later in the day have a fair shot at FPs.

No. I don’t like this.

People who arrive later would have a fair shot if they showed up earlier.

 

[Tiggerlover91]

Many schools on the west coast are out for spring break. Disneyland is currently finding Mondays to be the busiest day of the week, so I can only imagine what Disney World has.

Then after all of the spring breaks are done (some go as late as early May this year), some schools start getting out for summer as early as early May, so there isn't going to be much break between spring break and summer this year I'm afraid and we have a trip booked for early June, but will make the most of it.

I teach in one district, my son goes to school in another. In the district I teach in, our kids are out on May 24th. I finish on May 29th. My son finishes the week after me on May 31st. Those teachers don't finish I believe till June 6th! It's that time I'm year I'm thankful to be teaching in the district I'm in. My son and I will be coming home from Disney on the day those teachers are finished with their post planning! We'll be there on the 2nd.

 

[cmwade77]

Some just don't get it. I have friends who haven't been who said they will wing it. Others who say why plan so much? I say to all of them...go to Disney and then question what I do!



Disneyworld already had that structure, which I believe is why they moved to the current FP system in place now.

They sort of did, without the being able to book from the phone, the new system is a complete failure and causes a lot of stress. So let's merge the two together (which Maxpass does extrodinarily well at Disneyland).

 

[cmwade77]

No. I don’t like this.

People who arrive later would have a fair shot if they showed up earlier.

I personally agree with you, but that is the biggest push back I see when I or anyone else mentions day of FPs only, so my suggestion gets around that problem. But either way, the not being able to pick a return window is key to the system working well.

 

[StacyStrong]

The new system is not a complete failure. It's one thing not to like it, but come on now.

 

[cmwade77]

The new system is not a complete failure. It's one thing not to like it, but come on now.

No, it really is a complete failure, i think anything that brings more stress to the planning process, which it definitely does is indeed a complete failure.

 

[cmwade77]

I teach in one district, my son goes to school in another. In the district I teach in, our kids are out on May 24th. I finish on May 29th. My son finishes the week after me on May 31st. Those teachers don't finish I believe till June 6th! It's that time I'm year I'm thankful to be teaching in the district I'm in. My son and I will be coming home from Disney on the day those teachers are finished with their post planning! We'll be there on the 2nd.

Hey, some of the schools here don't get out until the end of June and then start after labor day, so the schools are definitely staggered.

 

[StacyStrong]

No, it really is a complete failure, i think anything that brings more stress to the planning process, which it definitely does is indeed a complete failure.

I don't think it does at all.

Agree to disagree.

 

[SaintsManiac]

We already have a 37 page thread debating every aspect of fast passes on the Rumors forum.

 

[rkstocke5609]

Everytime I have been in the parks lately I look at the crowds, at the length of standby lines (Bless Their Hearts) and I thank the heavens that I have been so often (thanks DVC) that I never sweat not getting something in. It will just happen next time. Once noon hits I am the H*** outta there headed back to be poolside at the resort or maybe lunch at DS. I will not battle it when it gets ugly. I honestly have no idea how they can pack so many people in at what it costs. I always get an AP and make sure I get 12-18 days out of 2-3 trips when I am doing WDW. Last year this meant that it cost me $150/day for 3 of us to enjoy the parks - I can live with this and care not about crowds.

But, I pity the folks that bring a family of 4 on a once in a lifetime trip. I fear that unless they plan everything out very carefully most of them feel that they just blew a whole lot of cash and felt annoyed with the endless lines. People that “wing it” are destined for sadness at WDW IMHO.

 

[3SpoiledPrincesses]

We are here now. We went to Epcot on Sunday and it was crazy crowded and Test Track was down at opening. We did Nemo, Crush, Living with the Land(FP), Space Ship Earth(FP), had a snack and Test Track was still down . World Showcase was so crowded that we could hardly get through it.

On Monday we went to Hollywood Studios and it was insane. At 9:20 Jedi Training only had 3:00 or after slots and the line behind us was huge. We had FP for TOT, RNR, and SDD. We did standby for the other two toy story rides and I noticed on Toy Story Mania that the standby line was not very long but had a large wait time.

The problem was the FP line. It steadily streamed in and the standby line didn’t move. We got in line in the maze by the Potato Head and it took 58 minutes to get on the ride. The FP line never stopped. I wish that there were less FP distributed so that the standby line was more balanced.

We still had a good day because of the 3 FP that we had and having an ADR.

I have been to Disney all different times of the year, including the same week as of now and I’ve never seen it this crowded.

 

[Tink_83]

Everytime I have been in the parks lately I look at the crowds, at the length of standby lines (Bless Their Hearts) and I thank the heavens that I have been so often (thanks DVC) that I never sweat not getting something in. It will just happen next time. Once noon hits I am the H*** outta there headed back to be poolside at the resort or maybe lunch at DS. I will not battle it when it gets ugly. I honestly have no idea how they can pack so many people in at what it costs. I always get an AP and make sure I get 12-18 days out of 2-3 trips when I am doing WDW. Last year this meant that it cost me $150/day for 3 of us to enjoy the parks - I can live with this and care not about crowds.

But, I pity the folks that bring a family of 4 on a once in a lifetime trip. I fear that unless they plan everything out very carefully most of them feel that they just blew a whole lot of cash and felt annoyed with the endless lines. People that “wing it” are destined for sadness at WDW IMHO.

I know a few families that have not really planned for Disney and truly hated it. Coming from the PA area there is Hersheypark, six flags, etc. and they are use to showing up at a theme park and not planning anything out and then try to do Disney and don’t understand why anyone would return.

Then there are people like my parents, who have gone for years and never had to plan back in the 80s and 90s and don’t seem to care about the lines (they ride the rides they like, and don’t worry about it)... my brother joined them last time and couldn’t stand it because they basically just waited in line the whole day.

He’s joining me on my upcoming trip and happy to let me plan everything... but happy to know that someone is planning and making the FP for him. At least someone in my family understands my “overplanning” of Disney.

 

[si-am]

We were there last week and the crowds were incredible... I thought it would be too early in March for most spring breaks, but there was definitely something going on because the parks were just as crowded as they have been during Christmas!

I don’t think there’s a slow time at Disney anymore. I can deal with it because I’ve been so many times. If I miss a ride or two, it’s no big deal. But.... it does take away from the atmosphere and the enjoyment. My family has been going to Disney every year since I was born (my first trip was in 1975!) But its gotten so expensive and so crowded that we’re cutting back now. Maybe every 2-3 years.

 

[Tink_83]

We are here now. We went to Epcot on Sunday and it was crazy crowded and Test Track was down at opening. We did Nemo, Crush, Living with the Land(FP), Space Ship Earth(FP), had a snack and Test Track was still down . World Showcase was so crowded that we could hardly get through it.

On Monday we went to Hollywood Studios and it was insane. At 9:20 Jedi Training only had 3:00 or after slots and the line behind us was huge. We had FP for TOT, RNR, and SDD. We did standby for the other two toy story rides and I noticed on Toy Story Mania that the standby line was not very long but had a large wait time.

The problem was the FP line. It steadily streamed in and the standby line didn’t move. We got in line in the maze by the Potato Head and it took 58 minutes to get on the ride. The FP line never stopped. I wish that there were less FP distributed so that the standby line was more balanced.

We still had a good day because of the 3 FP that we had and having an ADR.

I have been to Disney all different times of the year, including the same week as of now and I’ve never seen it this crowded.

It’s reports like this that have me concerned for my Memorial Day trip. I’m using touring plans but I sort of think the software has some optimistic wait times... I guess I’ll just have to see how it turns out.

 

[cmwade77]

We were there last week and the crowds were incredible... I thought it would be too early in March for most spring breaks, but there was definitely something going on because the parks were just as crowded as they have been during Christmas!

I don’t think there’s a slow time at Disney anymore. I can deal with it because I’ve been so many times. If I miss a ride or two, it’s no big deal. But.... it does take away from the atmosphere and the enjoyment. My family has been going to Disney every year since I was born (my first trip was in 1975!) But its gotten so expensive and so crowded that we’re cutting back now. Maybe every 2-3 years.

As I said, Spring Breaks have begun in earnest, actually some began a couple weeks ago.

 

[cmwade77]

It’s reports like this that have me concerned for my Memorial Day trip. I’m using touring plans but I sort of think the software has some optimistic wait times... I guess I’ll just have to see how it turns out.

I ave subscribed to their Disneyland one since I live locally and figured I could at least use it to see how accurate they are and the reality is I have been finding their wait times to be slightly longer than the actual wait times. Of course once Galaxy's Edge opens all bets are off for a while for everyone, but in the meanwhile, it should give a decent representation.

 

[Tink_83]

I ave subscribed to their Disneyland one since I live locally and figured I could at least use it to see how accurate they are and the reality is I have been finding their wait times to be slightly longer than the actual wait times. Of course once Galaxy's Edge opens all bets are off for a while for everyone, but in the meanwhile, it should give a decent representation.

That’s good to hear! If so then I’m going to get quite a bit accomplished in my day