FP+ and big tour groups?

[wellsm]

Does anyone know how the FastPass + is working with the large tour groups?

It occurred to me when they first announced FP+ that this may help with some of the issues with large tour groups.

I was thinking that the logistics of a tour operator setting up magic bands for all of the members of a tour group would be very difficult. (Unless, of course, Disney provides them a method for doing so.) They would need to set up an account for each tour member on their behalf, right?

In the old days it seems that the tour operator would take the pack of tickets to the FP machine and feed them in to collect a stack of fast passes, then hand them out to the tour group at the ride entrance. This scenario really breaks down with FP+, unless I'm missing something.

Maybe this would encourage the big groups to break up into small groups as they tour.

Has anyone seen how the big groups are handling it?

[Ms. Mode]

This is a good question.

Here's something I find strange: my DD and SIL are going in June and made their FP+ ressies. A week or so later they got a notice that one of the FP+ was unavailable and the time had been changed. Now, I'm wondering why all of the sudden the time they had wasn't available. This made me wonder about the tour group question too. :confused:

[Maleficent's Dad]

Does anyone know how the FastPass + is working with the large tour groups?
.....
Has anyone seen how the big groups are handling it?
My son's HS band group was in WDW in early April. The kids (and chaperones) were all given the gray bands. No one could make FP+ ressies in advance. If you wanted a FP, you had to do it the day of. So for the kids, lots of long lines. Not a lot of "day of" FP availability by the time they got into the parks.

Just read that Disney isn't holding back any FP+ for day of people. So for those large tour groups, this could be a potential game changer.

[LandFan]

Yeah, that could make thing very interesting!

[texas211]

I wish we could use bracelets to track large tour groups :) Kinda like in aliens.. That would be an awesome app. :thedolls:

[TheVBs]

I don't know if this is relevant to the FP+ issue, but we saw a few groups, both from other countries and what looked like cheerleading groups, on our trip a couple of weeks ago. The groups we saw were very small. Maybe breaking them down helps with the same day FP+ lines?

[wellsm]

That's what I was wondering also.

Will we be seeing the big groups breaking up into many smaller groups instead?

If I were a tourist with a large group, and staying with the big group offered me no benefit for ride times, etc., I think I would break away with my friends.

I would be surprised if Disney didn't start reserving more day-of FP+ reservations for when off-property people come to the park, but even you wouldn't get the whole group with the same FP time.


This may be the "silver lining" to all of the challenges and changes of FP+.

[wellsm]

I wish we could use bracelets to track large tour groups :) Kinda like in aliens.. That would be an awesome app. :thedolls:

I have no doubt that Disney can track all of the guests... :)

I wonder what that looks like. I'd guess it would be more statistical than visual. It would be cool to see where the people are, how they flow through the park, etc. but I expect the reality is much more boring than my imagination. :)

[mom2morgan]

I have no doubt that Disney can track all of the guests... :)

I wonder what that looks like. I'd guess it would be more statistical than visual. It would be cool to see where the people are, how they flow through the park, etc. but I expect the reality is much more boring than my imagination. :)
I'm picturing it being like a giant "Marauder's Map" :magic:

[NewDVCowner]

I'm picturing it being like a giant "Marauder's Map" :magic:

Wrong park. :mickey: