Some people really do not realize that FP are free?

[AmandaChan]

Friends of ours have recently returned from their trip and said they had to wait in lines for up to an hour. We asked if they got any FP and they honestly thought they had cost money and they didn't even try to get any... so sad!!! Is this common?? I just want to put out a public service announcement to people to let them know that FP are included with price of admission!! How could someone miss that? And we knew they were going to WDW for some time but we really do not talk to them too often and we had no idea that they didn't realize that. And the only other complaint they had was the massive tour group circulating.

[Melanie]

I think you may be surprised at a lot of things people don't know about a Disney vacation that we seasoned folks do. Just listening in on conversations on the monorail, a park bench, in a restaurant, etc. will tell you that.

It's all about research, research, research.

[DizneyRox]

To be honest, Disney has their hand in your pocket the whole time, I can understand why people would see something like that and think its not free. Your Key to the World is often a charge card, so it's not a stretch that people think they are swping it (for a charge) at those machines.

[TinkerbellT421]

Agree with both Mel and DizneyRox.

We talked to a couple one night while waiting for Illuminations to start, sounded like their first trip, married couple with two kids. They were complaining of the lines and that they didn't even try to ride Soarin'. I asked if they fast passed it, and she said no we didn't purchase that option. I looked at her bewildered and just said you realize fast pass is part of your already paid for admission right? She was completely broken hearted and dismayed that it was already part of the admission she already paid. I gave her a couple of other pointers as well she was completely clueless about.

It never surprises me how so many first timers or couple timers never research what they are doing and just go on a whim thinking hey I buy a ticket and a flight and just wing it. One time a guy told me he spent over $10k, for just him and his girlfriend To this day I still cannot for the life of me figure out what he spent 10 grand on.....

[ibelieveindisneymagic]

To be fair, I don't think first timers can really get their heads around the size and scope of a Disney vacation.

I remember taking my Mom for the first time, and she ws shocked at the size and couldn't believe all of the planning that had gone into the vacation. This was after we'd bought her a couple of planning books!

In her case, she was trying to picture the parks and the whole resort in terms of things she already knew. So, the busses from the resorts, were like city busses, with bunch of stops that took you the short distance from the resort to the park ... she had no idea it was a 15 ride at regular speed!

Same thing with the parks, most people compare it to their local amusement park, which doesn't take a lot of planning. We know that's wrong, but I don't think they realize. Most local parks have a "special" admission for FP type access, so they just asusme that Disney does the same thing.

I agree, I found intercot when we were planning our honeymoon, and have learned SO MUCH here, but most people don't realize that that they have so much to learn for a really awesome vacation.

[BrerGnat]

A lot of people don't know that FP is free. It's very simple, really, they DON'T read the literature that Disney basically crams down your throat every 5 minutes.

If some of these same people would simply put their smartphone down and READ the park brochure, they would see the FP information plain as day.

I bet most of these people don't ever even open the folder you get at check in with all the resort information. They are the same people asking dumb questions of the park CMs.

Frankly, I've always been baffled by this phenomenon. If you are waiting around so much, don't you have time to read the park map?

[DVC2004]

We were in line to get in to Universal a few years ago and a man and his family were in front of us. They presented their Disney Park Hopper tickets. The lady at the turnstyle was telling them I'm sorry sir, these tickets are to Disney, this is Universal. The man just kept saying over and over: "My travel agent said these are good at all the parks!"

[c&d]

I don't understand that either, there is a CM at the FP booths, why not ask.

I also think that many people think they've got it on their first trip. They read the literature but don't really get how big it is and honestly if we look back to our first trips how overwhelming it was. There is just so much to see and do.

I took my aunt last April, she hadn't been in ~30 years, she read all the books, spent quality time on Disney's website and was still amazed by how much there is to WDW. As she kept saying to me, just tell me where I need to go because I'm lost.

[DVC2004]

We've also walked through the fast pass queue line- several rides but I recall Space Mountain on a particular time- and heard a family in stand by grumbling it wasn't fair as we walked oast. I think they were not aware it was free.

[MickeysBestPal]

If some of these same people would simply put their smartphone down and READ the park brochure, they would see the FP information plain as day.

Disney is on the brink of nearly REQUIRING guests to use their smartphones to negotiate their days at the parks... including using FP.

And, this to me does not look to be an improvement in "guest experience."

[Dulcee]

Our last trip we met up one day with a couple we're friends with. They too did not realize that Fastpass comes with their tickets. They live in FL have been several times and also didn't know there was a boat ride in Mexico.

It makes me glad I've trained DH right

[BrerGnat]

Disney is on the brink of nearly REQUIRING guests to use their smartphones to negotiate their days at the parks... including using FP.

And, this to me does not look to be an improvement in "guest experience."

Well, hey, you gotta adopt the medium that the majority of people are using.

[WDWdriver]

Some guests do ask. It's very common for a guest to come up to us at The FP distribution machines and ask how much it costs. It's always a pleasure to tell them that FPs are included in their park admission.

[Mitzie]

I can completely understand why people go to WDW and walk away saying never again..We had friends who did this years ago. They went in the middle of summer when it was hot and crowded and didn't plan ahead. We too have over heard people and many times have chimed in to help. One gentleman was telling his wife at the T&T center that they just needed to stay on the monorail they were on and they would get to HS..ummm I said Sir this doesn't go to HS..I told them the way they needed to get there and they thanked me profusely..who knows how much time they would of wasted trying to get to HS on that monorail..And don't get me started on how many times we have overheard people who do not know how the DDP works..I have explained that to people as well..

[Belle of the Ball 051411]

Nothing surprises me anymore, ha. As others have stated, I think people think FP costs money because at other theme parks it does. I'm always one to research before any trip so I have a good handle on things before I go. A lot of people don't do that though...

[ANG]

I wish there wasn't such a crazy push for FPs in those planning DVDS. I think it's important that people know about them and utilize them. But when I went with my family last year, they were so obsessed with making sure they had one at all times, even for a ride I assured them it wouldn't be needed.

[Dopey's Girl]

I also think that many people don't understand the whole Disney process. Many of us know it like the back of our hands, and can work the system out to our advantage in our sleep. But for the average guest, who is planning their first trip, there is no book, planning DVD or web site that can help them understand the size and scope of WDW. I think many get overwhelmed just thinking about it, and kind of give up, and wing it.

I brought my best friend and her daughter 4 years ago, and I still remember her astonishment at the size of the resort as a whole. If she had been alone, she wouldn't have seen or done half of what we got accomplished, simply because she could have never been prepared enough.

I do always try to help out people when I can see that they are struggling with something in one of the parks. When I was in MK a few weeks ago, there was a family who was clearly overwhelmed and tired of lines, standing near the stand by queue for BTMRR, which had a 60 min wait. One of the mom's was kind of yelling at the other mom, that she just wanted to go back to the hotel and not do any more parks because the lines were too long and she wasn't paying for that pass thing. The kids were horrified at that suggestion, so was mom #1. I stepped in (I can't help myself!) and helped explain fastpass to them. They both seemed to calm down, and got everyone a fastpass for just a bit over an hour later. I don't know if they used them the rest of the trip, but they seemed to be happy to get some info from a human!

It just all ties back to another one of my ideas. Disney should make first timers take a 20 min class, 1 part for the dining plan and how it works, another for fastpass. It would solve so many issues!

[emerzmom]

Meg, you summed it up nicely!
Thinking back to my first WDW trip I spent way too much money and didn't do 1/2 as much as I can now do on a WDW vacation. I was just so overwhelmed on that first trip by the whole thing.
I also know several people who have been and say "never again" but when I asked why it is typically for reasons that could have been avoided (too crowded, long lines, too expensive, etc.). ...well if not avoided at least managed better
My best resource has been Intercot! I have learned so much from true "pro's' on this discussion board that has helped me to save money and get the most out of my precious WDW vacation days.

Julie

[Butters]

Two trips ago when walking through the FP line one guy looked at his wife in a snappy voice "look those are the people that can afford to skip us in line". Normally I would try and help people but thanks to his attitude it felt my h better to let him wait for the people that can "afford to research their vacation."

[waymickey]

I too have seen people not understand FP and think that people are cutting the line. But I can understand their confusion since many of the parks charge. I hope that the new FP+ doesn't make my head sizzle because right now it seems very confusing.