So FP+ suddenly no longer 3 selections - it's 1 'Premium' + 2 'others'

[DizneyFreak2002]

I can tell you that people will be unhappy when unforeseen things happen, and their carefully constructed vacation goes boom. They will be angry and upset. They will start thinking of alternatives to Disney.

I wonder how long it will take for Disney to realize they are shooting themselves in the foot.

People are already unhappy... Guest Relations lines have never been longer... They have to hire more GR cast members to handle all the complaints and issues... They know they shot themselves in the foot... And they don't care... They will continue to move forward with this mess... They will have invested nearly $2.5 billion dollars when all is said and done... and nothing positive is coming out of it... As I said, this program is going to collapse under its own weight... Heads are going to roll... Too bad the heads won't be of the morons who thought of this... And by then Iger will have walked away leaving this mess to someone else... In fact, they already have turned it over to WDW President George Kalogridis... Anyone want to wager the over/under of when Georgie is canned and made the fall guy for this disaster in the making?

[wildernesslady]

We just returned yesterday from a 7 day trip. The bands are a great addition. FP+ not so much. When trying to select FP ahead of time, there were times when some of our party were not listed. Not always the same person. Guest services could not explain why as it appeared everyone was listed. We used our tickets and got FPs the old fashioned way. So much better.

Also, we were able to walk onto most rides so we didn't use FP that much. We never did get on TSMM though. This is the first time I'm not in a hurry to go back and I activated my AP this trip. Too much planning for me. The parks had a different vibe this time. I'm not sure why.

[1DisneyNut]

Why are you shocked? There were some of us telling everyone how much of a disaster this was going to be before it was even implemented... and were were basically told to shut up, stop going to Disney, and called a doomer and gloomer... Well, can I ask who apparently was right? Don't say you weren't warned... Cause you were... (Not you personally Ian)...

Welcome to the new WDW.. Where magic (and Imagination) goes to die...

^^^This

I have been called a complainer, doomer and gloomer, even a troll (which I got the biggest laugh out of). We were told if we hate it so much, don't go......which is basically what I have done. I have cut my WDW time down from around 14 to 17 days per year (2 or 3 trips per year) down to 2 or 3 days in WDW per year and staying offsite. It has gotten so bad at WDW, we are actually going all the way across the country to Disneyland next summer.

This whole thing is a complete mess as predicted. It has made going to WDW so complicated with all the pre-planning and scheduling months in advance it is mind numbing. I cannot imagine being a first time visitor and trying to wade through all of this having no idea what, where or when you should schedule anything. It is bad enough being someone who has been dozens and dozens of times.

IMO, they should can the entire FP+ system and cut thier losses. It is never going to be anything but a nuisance that alienates guests. I would suggest going back to using cards or perhaps allowing fastpass scheduling through the MDE app once you are actually inside the park and limit the number of fastpasses to around 3 to 5 per day. If you could do it once inside the park through MDE, that would eliminate the mass rushes to the popular rides. It really is just that simple. Hey WDW, if you want to straighten this mess out, get with me and I will help you sort it out rather quickly.

[Biggeek]

Isn't this in "testing" phase yet? Which mean's to me to expect changes untill "testing" is completed.

Yes, but it's not like they give us a discount now. We don't get a lot of Vacations these days and it's turning into a nightmare. It was one thing when we could choose to opt in previously to Magic+, but this change was made after we had agreed to test the system a different way (3 FPs) then they change it to essentially 1 FP/day since the other 2 'options' per day never need fast pass anyway.

[buzznwoodysmom]

Wow!

We are adding one person to our already large group of 24 tomorrow. I will need to add that one person to some of the FP+ selections I've already made. This new guest is my 11 year old nephew. So I guess now either he won't be able to have the same FP selections as the rest of the group, or I'll have to change my family's FP so that he is not left out. I can't leave an 11 year old sitting out by himself while everyone else enjoys a ride. Wow, just wow.

Just wanted to update on my post from a few days ago.

I was able to add my nephew to all our FP+ selections. I had some issues at first, but I kept logging out and back in and eventually I was able to match his to ours.

For MK I had to go in and make selections for just him (for some reason it wouldn't let me copy another guests passes for MK) and I was able to match them up to the ones the rest of us had, only one FP ended up with a window that was a little off. Our FP window is 2-3pm, his is 2:05-3:05pm.

For the other 3 parks I was able to select a guest in our party and do a "copy" to the new guest. Again a few selections are a slightly different window, but all of them overlap making it possible for him to use his at the same time as ours.

So if you are adding a guest to your already booked FP+ selections definitely try to go the "copy" route instead of selecting for the individual from scratch. The 3 parks other than MK would only let me select one "big attraction" then 2 of the less popular attractions. Good thing I was able to copy our schedule over to him.

Still not liking the new system, but I am very thankful that it worked out for me this time.

Also wanted to note that I logged in to our Be Our Guest lunch FP, and my nephew that we added to our resort reservations last night automatically appeared on our already booked Be Our Guest FP.

[John]

I invite everyone to listen to this weeks INTERCOT Podcast and hear about my experiences first hand... they echo many of the posts in this thread so far.

[Aurora]

Just wanted to update on my post from a few days ago.

I was able to add my nephew to all our FP+ selections. I had some issues at first, but I kept logging out and back in and eventually I was able to match his to ours.

For MK I had to go in and make selections for just him (for some reason it wouldn't let me copy another guests passes for MK) and I was able to match them up to the ones the rest of us had, only one FP ended up with a window that was a little off. Our FP window is 2-3pm, his is 2:05-3:05pm.

For the other 3 parks I was able to select a guest in our party and do a "copy" to the new guest. Again a few selections are a slightly different window, but all of them overlap making it possible for him to use his at the same time as ours.

So if you are adding a guest to your already booked FP+ selections definitely try to go the "copy" route instead of selecting for the individual from scratch. The 3 parks other than MK would only let me select one "big attraction" then 2 of the less popular attractions. Good thing I was able to copy our schedule over to him.

Still not liking the new system, but I am very thankful that it worked out for me this time.

Also wanted to note that I logged in to our Be Our Guest lunch FP, and my nephew that we added to our resort reservations last night automatically appeared on our already booked Be Our Guest FP.

My goodness, I couldn't even keep reading after "copy another guest's passes." I am seriously considering canceling our ressies for next year and waiting until this is all sorted out.

[TIGGER17179]

I don't have a trip planned yet but was looking into it. I mean I know the planning is part of the fun but it's getting to be a little too much. My Husband was laughing when I told him you have to plan ahead everything. You already have to plan where you stay what days you go where. On top of making reservations for places to eat months in advance NOW we have this??!!!?? So much for relaxing vacation, it was already a little hectic. You will need a vacation after just to recover now from your Disney vacation. I mean come on now.. losing the magic a bit.

[vicster]

You already have to plan where you stay what days you go where. On top of making reservations for places to eat months in advance NOW we have this??!!!?? So much for relaxing vacation, it was already a little hectic. You will need a vacation after just to recover now from your Disney vacation. I mean come on now.. losing the magic a bit.

We were there 10/11/13 - 10/18/13 and we were totally exhausted when we got home and that was a first.

[yjgirl32]

I hope it gets better for everyone. I have a while till my Disney trip, hoping they have all the "bugs" out by then.

[dismommy]

So I'm going to ask a stupid question. We will be traveling fall of 2014, and I am told the magic bands will be fully rolled out then. I can't get regular paper fast passes anymore with the bands? and you are limited to 3 a day? I am very confused by this whole thing, seems it makes planning very complicated!

[buzznwoodysmom]

.. losing the magic a bit.

I think it's more than just a bit of lost magic.

I have planned 16 family vacations to WDW since my kids were born. They have been 16 times and they are only 13 and 11. Planning this trip has been one of the most frustrating things I have had to do lately. Disney has taken all of the fun out of planning for a trip, and replaced that fun with confusion, frustration, and worry. And I feel things went much smoother for me than other reports I am seeing.

Now the trip feels so over scheduled! As if planning meals and parks wasn't enough, now you must coordinate rides around meals, and forget about much spontaneity. Sure, we could forgo this FP+ planning, but then I worry about what the lines will be like and what kind of FP availability there will be once there. It doesn't help that we will be there Thanksgiving week!

Sad to say that, unless this trip turns out much better than I anticipate, for the first time in 16 years we have absolutely no plans to return to Disney in 2014! We have decided to skip at least a year. If we do decide to head to the Orlando area next year it will most likely be a Universal trip during my kids fall break to see all the new Harry potter stuff. We would maybe squeeze in a day trip to Epcot for Food and Wine, but that's only because we've never been for F&W and would like to check it out.

Looks like it's probably time for us to experience Disneyland if we feel we need a Disney fix.

[faline]

So I'm going to ask a stupid question. We will be traveling fall of 2014, and I am told the magic bands will be fully rolled out then. I can't get regular paper fast passes anymore with the bands? and you are limited to 3 a day? I am very confused by this whole thing, seems it makes planning very complicated!

The fastpass system, as you know, is slated to disappear - more than likely before your next trip. Currently, the new fastpass+ system is limiting folks to 3 fast passes per day wich all three fastpasses needing to be in the same park - so you can't get 2 at Epcot & 1 at the Magic Kingdom. Who knows what this system will look like by next fall?!

[ChipNDale79]

This is exactly what I've been afraid of.

Quite frankly we enjoy planning our Disney vacation, but I cant tell you how many times our plans change during the middle of our vacation.

I live a rigid live has it is now, when I'm on vacation I want to do what I want when I want.

Disney is taking that away from it's guests, it doesnt sound that fun anymore.

[Donald Duck]

We're are going right after Christmas and I'm starting to worry.

I already made my FP+ reservations before they made this ridiculous change to EPCOT.

I'm hoping the old FP system will still be up and running so we can get to actually go on more than 3 rides per day.

We used to go to WDW every year but we have been cutting back now for years.
Our last trip was 3 years ago.
The prices of everything there has gone way up (rooms, tickets, food...) and continues to go up year after year while the service goes down.

[NJGIRL]

Heading to Disney World next week and we are participating (reluctantly) in the Magicband / FP+ program. Couple weeks ago I had already made our FP+ selections (3 / day) but today I went to make a change to a day and met with a very unpleasant surprise..

I can now only select 1 from the "premium ride" list -- Soarin, test track, maelstrom.. and a couple others i don't recall, and select 2 from "others' such as Imagination, captain EO, Mission space, turtle talk and the like..

If I don't change the others, I'm okay and can keep my 'regular 3' .. but this is ridiculous..

Seriously.. I'm already hobbled with only 3 now they're taking away all my good choices.. seriously??.. they really are trying to ruin the experience...

That's better than the rest of us got two weeks ago. Arrived at the park at opening and couldn't get any fast passes after 9:30 for any ride! We had one for Test Track and that was it for the day.

To add salt to a cut....people with reserved fast passes on their magic bands were also getting paper fast passes.

[NJGIRL]

This is absolutely crazy. So now people who have chosen Soarin' for their "preferred" experience can't get a FP for Test Track even when FPs are still available??? I have no words.

Don't worry...at that point fast pass will not be available at Test Track for anyone.

[Kerry823]

We liked the magic band for the ease of not pulling out the card every time you wanted to use it for dining or to get in the room. It was also great for us when entering rides with a fast pass.

However,I don't like the way fast passes are able to be selected. You can only choose in one park per day and we were midstream in our vacation when the change happened regarding the premium/alternates. That will make me reconsider ever purchasing a park hopper again because the system basically pigeon holes visitors with the times of fast passes in one park. (lost revenue Disney!)

Also, all the planning for dining and now rides and parks even before you leave home has taken the magic out of the vacation. My daughter actually said this whole process was "like a job" which is exactly what I don't want on vacation. Sometimes organizations need to really listen to their consumers. This fast pass+ component seemed like a good addition to them but it is clear that they were not considering it from the vacationers perspective.

[TIGGER17179]

If it's paper they wanted to eliminate - couldn't they have done something with the room key or the park ticket you get? Maybe scan it in or something? Just wondering..

[SurferStitch]

If it's paper they wanted to eliminate - couldn't they have done something with the room key or the park ticket you get? Maybe scan it in or something? Just wondering..

I've been thinking the EXACT same thing!!

DH and I are getting AP's for our trip in December. That means no FP+ selections prior to activating them. I thought about just getting our 10-day park hoppers now, and upgrading at the park. This way I can make them.

BUT... I really don't want to plan everything out like that! I don't want to be stuck at a certain park at a certain time. We love to park hop, and we change our park plans all the time when we're there.

So, if we miss some rides because of long waits and no FP, so be it. I'm not there for the rides (okay, well, SOME rides). We're there for the experience, to relax, and just enjoy our time together. I refuse to get swept up in the lunacy that is FP+.