Reply from Disney regarding Fastpass Disgust

[Kaspian]

Originally Posted by LadyDebs86

Thank you! It seems people have made their mind up that the system doesn't work before they even have any experience of it and are completely blind to any comments to the contrary. As said above I don't know how people can get so wound up about something that is free!

As for the comments 'I paid the high ticket price so I shouldn't be penalised' - good lord. You pay to get let into the park and are free to queue for whatever rides you choose. You also get a free perk that you can pre-book to skip the majority of the lines at all the major attractions. Someone who pays through the nose to stay on site gets to do that a little bit before you. My heart bleeds for you. If you don't like to have to plan your holiday in advance then fine, that's your CHOICE, Disney don't force you, you can't then complain that certain FPs are gone for the very popular rides on the day (although most still WILL be available) because other people chose to take advantage of an offered perk that you declined. I just despair at some people.

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We've used FP+ in January and loved it. It was SO much better than legacy

[Twin mummy]

We are "choose our park on the day" people on the whole but I just think I'm going to have to adapt our strategy next time to fit in the popular rides. All I'm planning to do is decide on 1 afternoon/ early evening for MK, HS and Epcot and book the popular fast passes for those days. If our plans change, or we've managed to do the rides on another visit I'll just cancel them. I will just tie them in to any ADR's we book as well so we still have flexibility for the other days.

[Tink75]

I think some of this is comparing apples with pears. There are distinct differences to the way this system works depending on the time of year you go. Going in peak season is never going to work as well, you'll get your initial 3 FPs and probably won't get a 4th tbh - I've heard many people saying there is nothing much left on the day to choose and queues are long to use a kiosk (hoping this changes to be able able to use a phone/tablet at some point). As for 7DMT, well it's a new ride - look at the issues with Gringotts at US as well...

But, in quieter times the FP+ does seem to work well and 4th FPs can be obtained more easily. Having said that, how much you need FPs in quieter times, I'm not sure on!

It is hard to quantify or qualify on here as you get lots of people saying "oh I managed no problem to get mine" but actually, without knowing when they are going/went, what they wanted to do etc. You can't compare!

I am still not sure about the system, but one thing it does allow in peak season is for you to know you have at least 3 rides (mostly headliners) guaranteed on one day. This, to me, is an improvement on the old paper system where FPs ran out early in the day and you could be running all over to obtain them.

I still wonder whether WDW will continue to tweak.

[Kaspian]

Think of it like this, in Universal, people are rushing at 6am to get in the line for Gringotts, their newest ride and still having a 2-3 hour wait.

At Disney, you can FP+ to get on at a time to suit you and if not, you can standby line it (just like Universal) and because the FP+ people have a slot, they won't be in that standby line with you, thus making it shorter.

So looking at Disney's competition, looks like Disney are the place to beat here!

[Gezzs]

Originally Posted by Kaspian

At Disney, you can FP+ to get on at a time to suit you...

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If you are up at 5am, 60 days before you want to ride - in the case of the major attractions...

[Guest]

OK I started this so a few comments,SORRY for calling you all computer geeks, I didn't realise this was SO offensive.The point I was trying to make is the CRAZY way we have to organize our lives (holiday)months in advance. We are out here 6 adults & it takes us hours even deciding WHAT PARK to visit let alone at what time & what order we are going to go on rides,OK we are RANDOM folks trying to have a easy, relaxing take it as it comes type of holiday (does anyone ever remember those days).

[Kaspian]

Originally Posted by Gezzs

If you are up at 5am, 60 days before you want to ride - in the case of the major attractions...

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Nope. I booked my 7DMT FP+ and all my other ones at lunchtime about 2 weeks ago and we're going on Friday...

[Gezzs]

Originally Posted by Kaspian

Nope. I booked my 7DMT FP+ and all my other ones at lunchtime about 2 weeks ago and we're going on Friday...

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You did well. I've tried numerous times from 30 days out including yesterday, at various times of day...not a sausage

[BevS97]

As has been repeatedly posted, apart from 2 rides (7DMT, Toy Story Mania) and 1 character experience (Anna & Elsa), you can book Fastpasses on the day or the night before.

As a rule, people who have been over there and actually used the new system like it. People who have not yet been are scared of it. There is a lot of complaining by people who haven't yet tried it, but the reality is it works well.

7BMT and Toy Story would have been had to get fast passes for under the old system, you used to have to run to Toy Story and the fast passes would be for late afternoon by 9:30, and sold out by 10am.

[Ellelledee]

When the new system came out and I read about it I did hate the idea and tbh it really put a downer in my whole view of our visit, and even made me think this could have potentially been our last Disney holiday, and could see us moving to the other end of town.

In the past I've always slated universal for their express pass system, and I always refuse to get one - my family all ride the big rides but I don't, so say at IOA it would mean paying the same price for me literally to go into "Poseidons adventure" quicker, so when we do IOA I literally don't ride. This time, there had been no need whatsoever to use express pass, the only crowding/long queues have been the HP ride and that's not included in express pass anyway.

I'll be honest it niggled me about the 60 day/30 day booking privilege, we don't WANT to stay on stir and if it came to staying ON PROPERTY for any kinds of perks then my family would opt for a night at a universal hotel as it would enable my DD to do the HP ride. In all honesty I'd not want to stay on disney property just to be able to do 7DMT. We like where we stay we don't drive but we have excellent access to everything, and we are in perfect location AND THATS OUR CHOICE.

I personally was negative initially but decided I wasn't going to let it spoil my holiday, and I have found plus points to it. We do plan in advance, we did before this new system came in, we know exactly what parks we will do on each day, so it was just a case of choosing which rides and when, but another plus for me was it bulked the day out, in the past I've found that sometimes the afternoon we maybe hit a dead end as the queues build up and FPs are taken but we have rode standby in the mornings and saved FPs for the afternoon.

I've taken it on the chin and accepted the new system, I've accepted onsite guests get privilege of 30 extra days (and all at once) my "niggles" and I mean NIGGLES cos I wouldn't describe any of my feelings as disgust, are:
The tiering - I couldn't get ToT and RnR, so we have had to opt for ToT one day and RnR the other day, usually in the past we have ridden RnR several times (as this is one of e only coasters I like) but we rode it once (at park opening) and when we got off the standby was 50 minutes I think.
The standby lines building up - as above in RnR, I was worried that because if the new system the standby lines would be longer. RnR was, and also I was quite surprised at Spaceship earth, I have NEVER known queue build up for that.
The fact that I could not get another FP until all 3 have been used - I thought if you are allowed 3 then surely once one is used you can attempt to book another, but also could not do it on my phone or tablet, I initially booked them on the tablet so don't get how I couldn't change them on that. I'm sure my friend said people were on phones in queues booking others.

But all in all, it's ok, I've accepted this is the new system, maybe they'll make small changes when THEY see how they think it's working, the people that implement it will be aware there are likely to be teething problems and may make minor changes, but I doubt very much they will change anything just because people don't like it and so it's just a case of accepting it and making the best of it. I suppose it's slightly easier for us as we DO plan in advance, and maybe not so good if you prefer to wing it on the day, but it's such a shame to let it spoil your holiday. I'm here and I keep telling myself I've counted down to this so enjoy the magic.