Disney's NextGen Initiative
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- Oct 14, 2012
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Ok, I have to admit it...I like Fastpass +. A lot. I definitely feel like it makes my day more efficient yet at the same time relaxing. Now granted, it does mess up your plan if you feel like Parkhopping. But Ive always felt that none of the Disney parks are mere half-day parks if you really explore them. The other day we went to Animal Kingdom last minute and didnt plan on leaving. We queued up for FP+ and I overestimated its complexity. We got to pick our three favorite rides, they gave us a couple options as to when we could come back, and we were set for the day. I loved it.
Normally, we wouldve gone to Everest, gotten a FP, waited for 2 hours before getting another one, then waited another 2 hours after that at which point the park wouldve either closed or everything would have been sold out. With FP+ we took our time and didnt worry about being on the side of the park with the best FP optimization. We ate lunch, looked at some animals, and our reservation times came quietly and we got to ride our rides. It was relaxing to me to have everything planned out.
I also feel like in planning everyones FPs out in advance, Disney can control the distribution better. The standby lines werent necessarily short, but they moved A LOT faster than normal. I was very pleasantly surprised.
I know I sound like a plant right now but honestly, after expecting a miserable hassle, I cant help but not be impressed with the new system. I feel like most of its critics have yet to try it. I can definitely get used to it.
Normally, we wouldve gone to Everest, gotten a FP, waited for 2 hours before getting another one, then waited another 2 hours after that at which point the park wouldve either closed or everything would have been sold out. With FP+ we took our time and didnt worry about being on the side of the park with the best FP optimization. We ate lunch, looked at some animals, and our reservation times came quietly and we got to ride our rides. It was relaxing to me to have everything planned out.
I also feel like in planning everyones FPs out in advance, Disney can control the distribution better. The standby lines werent necessarily short, but they moved A LOT faster than normal. I was very pleasantly surprised.
I know I sound like a plant right now but honestly, after expecting a miserable hassle, I cant help but not be impressed with the new system. I feel like most of its critics have yet to try it. I can definitely get used to it.
I mean... it's a Tuesday in January. Why? Fastpass +, that's why.
http://instagram.com/p/jcOWBCwn8J/#
http://instagram.com/p/jcOWBCwn8J/#
Part of the problem with this system is people go up to the readers and half of them don't have an active FP when they scan their band, which turns into a process of the CM trying to help the person and it holds up the line. Almost everyone gets let in anyway because they need to keep the line moving so the CMs just say screw it.
The ACTUAL FP line isn't long. Once you get past that initial line, there's almost nothing in my experience. But people not understanding how to use the system is causing major backups.
The ACTUAL FP line isn't long. Once you get past that initial line, there's almost nothing in my experience. But people not understanding how to use the system is causing major backups.
- Oct 14, 2012
- 1,466
- 75
Like NextBigThing says, it's just a delay in people scanning their bands/cards. It moves quickly, the backup is just outside the queue rather than in it.
Personally, I really want to try out MyMagic+ and I hope my family gets to test it if we decide to go in May. We'll be staying on-site so I think we'll get a chance to. If not, the I don't mind at all.
I thought paper FastPasses were already gone in EPCOT and DHS
At least I think I read that on Twitter some days ago.
I thought paper FastPasses were already gone in EPCOT and DHS
Nope, EPCOT and DHS haven't switched yet. I think they're scheduled for later this month.
- Oct 14, 2012
- 1,466
- 75
Like I said in an earlier post, there are definitely some benefits to it, and I enjoyed my day at Animal Kingdom using the new paperless system. It was probably the best day at the parks I've had in a while.
Now, it DOES limit your ability to park-hop between all four parks in one day. But when you're doing that, you rarely have time to get FP's anyway, and would need to go when it's off-season, when FP's aren't needed anyway. The day I went to the park was pretty busy, with Animal Kingdom being open until 8 pm, but that proved a good time to utilize the new system. The advantages to the guest are:
1. Having your day planned out ahead of time is relaxing...before, you literally had to strategize your best FP times. If Everest's FPs were being issued Return Times of 7:30 when you were on the other side of the park, you had to make a mad dash to get there before they ran out. The problem of being in the right place at the right time for FP distribution has been completely eliminated. All it takes now is one quick stop to get 3 Fastpasses for any rides of your choosing, and then you're free to enjoy the rest of the day at your leisure. Knowing when our evening FP return times would be by noon meant we could plan meals easier and meander from ride to ride until our designated return time quietly arrived. Disney's insane crowds have made getting FPs a hassle, but with the new system this issue is completely eliminated.
2. Less to carry. This is more of a perk for hotel guests, obviously, but even for us it was nice to not have to worry about keeping track of six slips of paper that tend to like to get lost. This is a small perk, but it was nice nonetheless to need nothing but your ticket (or wristband) to check in with.
3. Faster standby lines. I'm not advocating that standby lines have become shorter with the new system...I don't know if they have or haven't, and haven't been to Disney enough times in the NextGen era to pretend to know. HOWEVER, I have been enough times pre-NextGen to know that the RATE at which the standby lines move, regardless of posted wait time, is A LOT faster under the new system. I'm not sure if Disney is distributing them differently, or strategizing return times, or if its the enforcement of return times that causes this but either way, there was no stopping and waiting for hours while FP guests got to go in front. In fact, even the FP lines themselves seemed much shorter. I'm guessing this is no coincidence.
4. Flexibility. Before, you got your FP and were stuck with it...if you got a FP for one ride instead of your favorite attraction because it was broken down, there was no switching it out once your favorite ride was fixed again. Now, you CAN switch out FP's if you so choose, which is a nice option that was not there before. I don't know how effectively this works, but the fact that it is an option at all in the first place means that it's always a possibility and can always be improved upon. This saves a lot of headache from your day.
Now, the system is not without its disadvantages. Like I said, when your whole day is pre-planned for you, it makes hardcore Parkhopping difficult. Also, the FP lines can get backed up due to people not knowing how to properly use the scanners. With that being said, once inside the actual line proper, past all scanners, the line is very quick. Also, veterans won't be able to save up Fastpasses and have like ten a day. But I think this improves the average guest's experiences in the long run anyway.
To answer your original question, OrlandoParks, I can see why Disney has rolled this system out. By planning your day for you, it forces you to stay in one park, like I said before. This means you have more time to eat and shop. But this ended up working out for us in the long run. Instead of spending huge amounts of money, we looked at all of the attractions we had never seen before in our time between Fastpass returns--we walked through some nature trails, saw a couple of side-shows, and still did not see everything in the park. It was a nice change of pace to actually walk through and explore Animal Kingdom the way it was meant to be seen rather than running to Everest, Dinosaur, and leaving. I had a lot of fun that day.
Add to that the lack of hassle FP+ gives you (when compared to the old system) and I'd say it's a pretty nice little feature. I was expecting a miserable day, but I was very pleasantly surprised by it. I think that most of its critics would be too, if anyone were to actually give it a chance. I was skeptical and negative too, but I have yet to see one negative review from an actual user of the new system. As one of the few here who's actually tried it so far (from what I've read), I have to say you can't really knock it until you try it. Maybe my low expectations helped my reaction, but in the end I think I can get used to it.
- Jun 30, 2013
- 20
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Your screwed if your a local AP holder who has to wait till you get there to make your FPP reservations. On site guests get to reserve 60 days in advance.
I read on another web site that if you have a reservation say for this Saturday for one night at a disney hotel then you can make FPP selections for months AFTER your actual stay. So I suppose (if this is true) us local AP holders cold book a camp space at fort wilderness for $40 and be able to make our FPP reservations whenever we want after the "stay"? Can anyone confirm if this is true?
I read on another web site that if you have a reservation say for this Saturday for one night at a disney hotel then you can make FPP selections for months AFTER your actual stay. So I suppose (if this is true) us local AP holders cold book a camp space at fort wilderness for $40 and be able to make our FPP reservations whenever we want after the "stay"? Can anyone confirm if this is true?
Never heard of that one before, but fortunately APs will be able to book in advance. When is the question.
Imagine you can manipulate guest flow, have guests book available passes to be in parts of the park that normally are "empty". While they do that you can track about what individual guest likes (rides, parades, princesses, etc) and pare that with where they eat and what they buy. Advertising to these guests is reading their minds (or like stealing candy from a baby). It also (when finished) detaches guests from their wallets and have them loose track of how much they spent.
For their hotel guests Disney knows where they eat, what times they visit what park and (to a degree) what they like to do there the most. Guests can add endless amounts of (money costing) possibilities to their planning from photo pass and dining to (later on) a character in it's a small world that yells out your "princesses" name or additional stuff that can be delivered to your room. After a few years Disney have enough information to connect their system with advertising, food-, merchandise and attraction management. If successful Disney can earn a lot of money without investing in new rides and shows and manipulate guests spending inside the resort and when they are at home.
Also, because every day is planned out they are less likely to lose guests to the ever growing popular Universal Studios Orland.
As of today paper FP is dead in all parks, FP+ only for everyone from now on!
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Right now offsite guests and APs can use in-park kiosks to make same-day FP+ reservations only. APs who have stayed onsite recently and received a MagicBand that they tied to their pass can make FP+s on any day up to 60 days out, at least until the loophole is fixed.
Or if your an APer just call and book a reservation and just cancel it after you make your FP+, or even better just keep pushing the dates back further and further so your always in the window :thumbs:
- Oct 14, 2012
- 1,466
- 75
Again, none of you have tried it so how "screwed" you say you are isnt quite relevant. Like I said, I went on a fairly busy day and did not get my FP+ until after noon...still had no problem getting the rides I wanted at reasonable times.
I've tried it at least 5 times. When it works perfectly and fits within your schedule it is really good. When it has hiccups it is really bad, scheduled FP+ getting lost, not being able to select the times you need for FP+, family accounts getting removed, annual passes getting erased (like the actual AP itself), mobile app issues, inconsistent tiers, unclear phrasing for shows, depending on how you book your hotel unable to link your current Magic Band (we have 3 sets and told them to just keep the last one), credit card linking only to one card for family, etc.
I'm sure with enough time they will iron out all the kinks, and it was amazing being able to go on Toy Story Mania without stress. For the time being though it caused us more headaches overall than not. I think it would be a better idea if they kept the paper FP for a few more months.
- Oct 14, 2012
- 1,466
- 75
^at least you can make a firsthand opinion . Sorry your experiences werent quite as good, hopefully they do iron out whatever kinks you ran into
. Sorry your experiences werent quite as good, hopefully they do iron out whatever kinks you ran intoBook with our Travel Partners
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