Letter to Disney re: FP+

[Kenny1113]

Nice letter. I plan on writing a letter to share my thoughts as well. We were disappointed with the preplanning and spending too much time on the phone to unsuccessfully change FP times.

[JerseyDad]

....Bravo....Bravo!! Excellently worded ...to the point ...and insightful letter from the most important person influencing the Disney "payroll" ...THE GUEST!!

...several weeks back, I too sent a letter to Disney related to my last stay in Aug/Sept ....it touched on my lack of love for the FP+ system ...but was mostly initiated by the poor attitudes of the Disney CM's and operations of the resort (POP). Only difference was that my letter was a bit more on the acerbic side.

.....I know that these boards are but a small slice of the overall Disney vacation "populous" ...but I can't imagine that there aren't others out there that just aren't feeling "the love" for WDW given the recent events / changes.

[DisneyBarb]

Great letter Chris! I didn't see your post until now and I just emailed Disney myself on the same issues. Who knows if they will do anything but maybe if everyone writes, especially the loyal disney people.

[Gregandmel]

I also sent a letter yesterday (thanks for the inspiration Chris!). I had 4 paragraphs and each one had a title: "Our first trip 1997" "Fastforward 11 years" "My current thoughts/concerns" and lastly "Going to Universal next summer". In a nutshell: Our first trip was in the summer and before FP (no desire to go back) 2nd & 3rd trips (11 years later and trips18 months apart) were 100% due to the FP and our success in utilizing them, falling in love with Disney, planning trips for other people and creating new Disney addicts. My current concerns mimic the other concerns on this board and my last one says it all. We decided to move our vacation plans from Disney to Universal next summer - not even planning a day trip to Disney for now. I need to see how it all plays out - it sounds so very disorganized and even for the most Disney savvy travelers, it is a mess.

My last sentence to them was not to underestimate the power of social media, blogs, word of mouth, etc.. to please listen to the concerns and recognize that some things work, others do not. For "First Time Visitors" who are already overwhelmed with the cost and planning - what sort of experience are they going to have and will they also wait 11 years before returning? And to please restore the FP system the way it was. I really hope they listen.

Sidenote: I truly do understand the thought behind what they are attempting to do - this affects those guests who don't get to the park until later in the day, or who want to park hop. I "get" that FP's might be gone for their favorite attractions the later in the day it gets. I "do" understand the attempt. However, doing it this way has affected EVERYONE....not just those who get to the parks later and it has made everything so much more complicated and frustrating and this is the end result of a system that needs to be fixed as soon as possible.

[DonaldDuckUSA]

Thanks for sharing your letter.

I agree with much of it, although I'll say that letting people get more than 3 FP+ selections would make things even more worse for locals and guests staying off-site than the whole FP+ testing has already been for us.

With the current 3 FP+ selection system, locals and off-site guests are showing up and, with a large chunk of FP slots already 'pre-booked,' are finding long standby lines and late FP return times even when they arrive early. Giving people 5 or more FP+ selections just means that Soarin' and Test Track and the other E-ticket level attractions will run out of FP that much sooner. I understand that would benefit you staying in a Disney hotel, but if you push on the balloon on your side, it protrudes on my side because of the way FP+ is set up. That's why they went to the 1 premium setup at Epcot and Hollywood Studios, they were angering local passholders and off-site guests.

I'd be all in favor of being able to pre-book one attraction only, and then having the traditional paper FP system for the rest. That would allow people to book their can't-miss attraction but not at the expense of the flexibility the traditional FP system allowed. Disney seems bent on going all FP+ and doing away with the traditional system however so who knows hos this mess will turn out.

I gotta agree here and I'm glad you made this point.

It may make me unpopular, but I like the limit.

We're FL residents. The fact is that we CANNOT afford to stay on site. We just can't. It's nice knowing that people like us (who won't be able to book FP+ several months prior to arrival) will have a shot too.

Honestly, I think its fair.

[NJGIRL]

Funny story....I was in Primo's (a chain sub shop) today and I heard a delivery man talking to the woman at the register. The delivery man just got back from Disney and was not happy with the new FP+. He said he has not plans on going back.

[Imalismom]

Very good letter. I am also waiting for a large price hike. Those bands are much more expensive then tickets to manufacture I am sure... The cost has to be past on to the consumer...

[VWL Mom]

Very good letter. I am also waiting for a large price hike. Those bands are much more expensive then tickets to manufacture I am sure... The cost has to be past on to the consumer...

Not only the bands but the pre trip usb package, is that really necessary?

[WiltonJohn]

I've sent emails and a snail-mail letter also.... broad subject range. Well before this thread. Waiting for a response. None yet.

best,

.......................john

[stephicakes]

Great letter Chris. REALLY well written and it shows that you spent a lot of time putting your thoughts together and you didn't just spew your overall dissatisfaction at them. It was organized and all your main points were supported with SOLUTIONS that could easily fix the issues. Please let us know if you hear back from them with something other than the "run of the mill" response.

We just booked our FP+ options for our January trip. It took some playing/moving around of times to get things where we thought they would work best for us but it leaves me worried that our usual spontaneity will be gone. *sigh* We are also AP holders so this will be the test to see if we will be renewing or not. Fingers crossed...

steph

[WiltonJohn]

I've sent emails and a snail-mail letter also.... broad subject range. Well before this thread. Waiting for a response. None yet.

best,

.......................john

Had a very professional phone call today from Disney Guest Relations. We had a wide ranging amd pretty long conversation. I felt like they were listening.

best,

..............john

[cer]

Had a very professional phone call today from Disney Guest Relations. We had a wide ranging amd pretty long conversation. I felt like they were listening.

best,

..............john

This is encouraging.

[Strmchsr]

Thanks for the update John!

[Strmchsr]

I also got a call from Disney on Friday. Had a good conversation with the guest relations CM. She was asking a lot of specific questions about what worked/didn't work and said it helped her a lot because I was knowledgeable about all things Disney and not just saying "I don't like it." The end of the conversation was basically she didn't know what would happen in the future with FP+. She said it's still definitely considered to be in the testing phase and the upper management is listening closely to guest feedback (so get those letters in about the current disaster of the way FP+ is presented). What she said jives with conversations I've had with friends who are in Disney management (just not in the area of FP). They are honestly listening to feedback and need as many guests as possible to provide feedback.

[LVT]

Impressions: fastpast was unknown and unused to many 1st or 1 time visitors. This may include them better. Much more in-your-face than the brief mention in the vacation literature.
They did need to do something for people who would not/could not arrive early and rush to a kiosk in the back of the park. (they lose out on TSM for example)
The fastpasses should not be able to be all gone before noon. There should be some holdbacks per hour of some sort that only become available to someone in the park 2 hours before a possible ride etc.
I was hoping that part of the problem is 2 systems up at the same time. The rides have physical patron limits per day. The fastpass system has to respect that and leave room for the standby people since only a few rides are pre-selectable.
Maybe the upper level management do not know how many rides a customer needs to be able to get on to be "happy".
I suspect they do not want to build more capacity in rides. Just make do with less like all managers. I have had a time and motion person tell me they consider all the 1 or 2 minutes between functions should be usable. Thus they are "wasted".

[JMTStone]

Not only the bands but the pre trip usb package, is that really necessary?

By the time I had my USB, I had all my FP+ and other items booked.

[stephicakes]

By the time I had my USB, I had all my FP+ and other items booked.

DITTO!! I was like, "Um... I already watched that video on MDE. How much money did they spend on that??"

[JMTStone]

DITTO!! I was like, "Um... I already watched that video on MDE. How much money did they spend on that??"

As we go at least once a year, maybe they can dispense with the additional cost of these items - or at least let us opt out.

Maybe there's a setting where if you haven't been there in XX months, you get the USB.

However, I was thinking.... there are a lot of people out there who don't have INTERCOT

[princessgirls]

Thank you Chris for writing! Let's hope someone hears it!

Who in their "right" mind, thought this would be a good idea????? 3 fast passes???? We were like you, up to 7 a day! My family is going to be miserable, and I am thinking twice about going until this all gets resolved. I get Magic bands are here to stay, but why can't the system be similar to the old way, when you run over to the attraction, you scan your band, and it gives you the time to go back.
I AM NOT SCHEDULING EVERY MINUTE OF MY VACATION! My life is on a schedule....
The dining we tolerated, but not this!
Julie

[JMTStone]

I agree, we were doing 5 Fast passes a day at different parks. The only improvement I would have imagined for Fastpasses would be some centralized kiosks at each park.

But I think 3 is enough go get the "must-see" pre-planning at any park. Especially since it already limits the locals. But as a DVC/Annual Pass member, I'm watching INTERCOT carefully and will give my feedback here and to Disney directly upon my return after #runICOT.

We're planning to be locals some day. I imagine a day where my husband and I say "lets take next Friday off and do MK in the morning and EPCOT at night". I don't think we can get fastpasses for Soarin with this new system as a local.