NextGen, Magic Band, and FP+

[Cheshire_Girl]

As a FL resident AP Holder...I am completely and totally disgusted at what's going on here in The World.
All of these coming and proposed changes are all geared toward first time visitors from out of town (I think someone else may have actually pointed this out earlier in the thread) And ultimately, it is goes they way they seem to have planned- there is no reason for me to go. I won't be able to get a table to eat or ride more than 1-2 rides in day since I don't have FP+. Why bother?
Was in the parks this weekend and it seems that the crowds were very light when walking around, but the wait times were not in line with that. It just seemed like the Workld was not right. The more I read about this FP+ and Magic My Way nonsense the more I think next year my amusements dollars will be headed a little further up I-4...Between Bush Gardens in Tampa, Sea World and the Universal parks, I should be able to find something to do and save some money too (no more pin or vinyl trading!)
Disney if you're reading this...Shame on you for this none sense...

[ChipNDale79]

As a FL resident AP Holder...I am completely and totally disgusted at what's going on here in The World.
All of these coming and proposed changes are all geared toward first time visitors from out of town (I think someone else may have actually pointed this out earlier in the thread) And ultimately, it is goes they way they seem to have planned- there is no reason for me to go. I won't be able to get a table to eat or ride more than 1-2 rides in day since I don't have FP+. Why bother?
Was in the parks this weekend and it seems that the crowds were very light when walking around, but the wait times were not in line with that. It just seemed like the Workld was not right. The more I read about this FP+ and Magic My Way nonsense the more I think next year my amusements dollars will be headed a little further up I-4...Between Bush Gardens in Tampa, Sea World and the Universal parks, I should be able to find something to do and save some money too (no more pin or vinyl trading!)
Disney if you're reading this...Shame on you for this none sense...

This forum really needs a like button.......

[doodleboy]

I have a trip in May and September of this year. I am wondering when FP+ will happen? Will I be affected in May while staying at BCV? I just hate to show up and realize I missed my window to use FP+. Don't like the idea as I have stated before, but my arm being twisted I will have no choice to comply if I want to ride TSM in a reasonable time.

[waymickey]

Called this weekend to make my Res. and ask about the FP+ and wrist bands for my trip in August. I was told " If it is up and running in August I would be notified after final payment . The wristbands will be sent with instructions"

This is the first time that I made reservations and I am not jumping with excitement. I feel more nervous (if that is the right word) that maybe my hard earned cash could have been better used soemwhere else.

[Stu29573]

Called this weekend to make my Res. and ask about the FP+ and wrist bands for my trip in August. I was told " If it is up and running in August I would be notified after final payment . The wristbands will be sent with instructions"

This is the first time that I made reservations and I am not jumping with excitement. I feel more nervous (if that is the right word) that maybe my hard earned cash could have been better used soemwhere else.

After final payment? That sounds a bit mercenary. What if you needed to know before then? Wow, can they screw this up any more? (Don't bother answering that)

[Aurora]

"The wristbands will be sent with instructions."

I couldn't help it -- I heard the music from "MIssion: Impossible" in my head when I read that.

[PopPhan]

After final payment? That sounds a bit mercenary. What if you needed to know before then? Wow, can they screw this up any more? (Don't bother answering that)

I don't understand why you would call that mercenary. What would you need to know about the 'band' before you had finalized your visit by paying in full.

It would actually surprise me if they sent the physical bands to you and not have you pick them up at your resort upon check in. Are they really going to have all your data programmed into the RFID chip at that point, or will you need to present the band at check in to activate it as a room key? I mean, you never got your KTTW card prior to check in, why would this be different?

Unless you have a room only reservation, you must be paid in full within 45 days of arrival. I would expect that until you are paid in full they would not want you to be taking FP+ allotments away from fully paid guests.

You do not need the 'band' to make ADRs, only your reservation number.

[Stu29573]

I don't understand why you would call that mercenary. What would you need to know about the 'band' before you had finalized your visit by paying in full.

It would actually surprise me if they sent the physical bands to you and not have you pick them up at your resort upon check in. Are they really going to have all your data programmed into the RFID chip at that point, or will you need to present the band at check in to activate it as a room key? I mean, you never got your KTTW card prior to check in, why would this be different?

Unless you have a room only reservation, you must be paid in full within 45 days of arrival. I would expect that until you are paid in full they would not want you to be taking FP+ allotments away from fully paid guests.

You do not need the 'band' to make ADRs, only your reservation number.

I took it as they wouldn't give you information about the program before you paid up. How to make your FP+ reservations and such. I guess that shows how much my perception of WDW (whom I used to think could do no wrong) has changed. If they have lost me, they have REALLY screwed up.

[ChipNDale79]

I took it as they wouldn't give you information about the program before you paid up. How to make your FP+ reservations and such. I guess that shows how much my perception of WDW (whom I used to think could do no wrong) has changed. If they have lost me, they have REALLY screwed up.

There's a lot of negativity regarding FP+ on here and on other Disney forums i visit. We all have one thing in common here, we're all disney nuts, so imagine how the "non disney nuts" will perceive this once its up and running.

If we think disney can do no wrong, and believe they are now, then disney is really going to get a negative response from the "non disney nuts" crowd......

To me disney is taking the fun, or magic, out of the vacation. Without that, then what's the point?

[Stu29573]

There's a lot of negativity regarding FP+ on here and on other Disney forums i visit. We all have one thing in common here, we're all disney nuts, so imagine how the "non disney nuts" will perceive this once its up and running.

If we think disney can do no wrong, and believe they are now, then disney is really going to get a negative response from the "non disney nuts" crowd......

To me disney is taking the fun, or magic, out of the vacation. Without that, then what's the point?

I completely agree.... This is a disaster, even if it doesn't prove to be as bad as everybody thinks. The PR damage is done...

[WDWPrincess]

Can someone please answer a simple question for me? I just discovered this Fastpass+ thread and I am a bit confused.

What does this all mean for the person who does not stay on Disney property?

If I stay at a hotel off property and arrive at the Magic Kingdom one morning - will the regular Fast Pass machines be gone? Will I have to "purchase" a wrist band? Will I have a new line to stand in just to get the privilege of being able to buy a wrist band that lets me have one or two fast passes for the day? Has any mention been made of just being able to walk up to an attraction and obtain a fast pass for later in the day? Is that concept completely killed now?

[ChipNDale79]

Can someone please answer a simple question for me? I just discovered this Fastpass+ thread and I am a bit confused.

What does this all mean for the person who does not stay on Disney property?

If I stay at a hotel off property and arrive at the Magic Kingdom one morning - will the regular Fast Pass machines be gone? Will I have to "purchase" a wrist band? Will I have a new line to stand in just to get the privilege of being able to buy a wrist band that lets me have one or two fast passes for the day? Has any mention been made of just being able to walk up to an attraction and obtain a fast pass for later in the day? Is that concept completely killed now?

The answer to that is, no one really knows....

There are rumors out there stating that FP+ will only be for onsite guests. So you might not be able to take advantage of the new fast pass system at all.

There are also rumors out there that the current Fast Pass system could go away completely in the near future.

Basically, if you arent staying on property, there's a change you'll have to wait in the stand by line.

[doodleboy]

The answer to that is, no one really knows....

There are rumors out there stating that FP+ will only be for onsite guests. So you might not be able to take advantage of the new fast pass system at all.

There are also rumors out there that the current Fast Pass system could go away completely in the near future.

Basically, if you arent staying on property, there's a change you'll have to wait in the stand by line.

I stay on property all the time as a DVC member and don't think it would be fair to exclude people from FP+ just because they don't stay on property. It's like paid protection and very unfair. So if I live in the area, have relatives to stay with or just choose to stay elsewhere I can be doomed to standby lines all day? I hope that all of this is just negative speculation and WDW knows better than to annoy some of its best customers with a plan like this. In some respects I guess it's like EMH in that it is a perk for those of us that stay on property, but this seems to go too far in my mind. Maybe I'm being soft.

[Janmac]

I am currently on property with the rfid room key and magnetic strip parks admission ticket (military). Of course we don't have the FP+ capability but I am liking the touch capability of the rfid. Getting into the room is quick and so far paying for stuff is easy. Not all cash registers are equipped, but really liking the ones the ones that are.
At AK we had two turnstiles available for the old style media but even at mid day got in with no wait
So far, the main thing that will reduce the number of our visits is the crowd level. Monday night at MK was horrible. My sister and her daughter are not feeling the magic. Ride waits were worse on Saturday but if you can't move along the walkways, it's not fun. Add to that irritation the rude CMs, litter, cheerleaders and they're done. It's the people aspect that is spoiling the fun.

Jan

[BrerGnat]

I stay on property all the time as a DVC member and don't think it would be fair to exclude people from FP+ just because they don't stay on property. It's like paid protection and very unfair. So if I live in the area, have relatives to stay with or just choose to stay elsewhere I can be doomed to standby lines all day? I hope that all of this is just negative speculation and WDW knows better than to annoy some of its best customers with a plan like this. In some respects I guess it's like EMH in that it is a perk for those of us that stay on property, but this seems to go too far in my mind. Maybe I'm being soft.

Disney has been very transparent that MyMagic+ is designed as an incentive to onsite guests. At this time, in order to participate, you need to hold a valid park ticket AND be staying in a resort on property.

This is not about fairness. It's about "enhancing" the guest experience for Resort guests.

The truth is, the current "perks" for onsite guests are rather lame and competition for offsite (cheaper) lodging is fierce.

The whole point of this program, from what I understand, is to offer another level of perks for staying onsite, that you CANNOT get any other way. Rather than provide a "pay for premier access" type fastpass system like Universal and Six Flags, this is what Disney has come up with.

I know a lot of people think that this system will make things unfair for non resort guests, in that it will reduce FP availability, but I don't really understand how that could be, considering that guests who opt IN to MyMagic+/FP+ will be limited to only THREE FP per day in only ONE park. Think about that. At this time, there is NO limit to how many FP tickets you can get in one day, and you can do it in all 4 parks if you want. Imagine once this system is up and running, ALL the resort guests are now limited to 3 FP total per DAY, in one park. I don't know about the rest of you, but on any given trip where I'm going at it commando style, I get more than 3 FP per day...

Seems to me that this system will not reduce the number of available FP for non resort guests, but rather will free up MORE slots.

Maybe someone can correct me if my thinking is flawed. But, logistics dictate that limiting FP daily quantities for resort guests will serve to make FP work more effectively for non resort guests (i.e. a FP you get at 9am won't have a 7pm return time) and also decrease standby times, since they can better control the FP distrubution throughout the day.

[ChipNDale79]

I know a lot of people think that this system will make things unfair for non resort guests, in that it will reduce FP availability, but I don't really understand how that could be, considering that guests who opt IN to MyMagic+/FP+ will be limited to only THREE FP per day in only ONE park. Think about that. At this time, there is NO limit to how many FP tickets you can get in one day, and you can do it in all 4 parks if you want. Imagine once this system is up and running, ALL the resort guests are now limited to 3 FP total per DAY, in one park. I don't know about the rest of you, but on any given trip where I'm going at it commando style, I get more than 3 FP per day...

So what your saying is that park hopping will now become harder to do. A lot of times we do one park in the morning and then another one later in the evening, if we can't get a fast pass at our second park of the day, then shouldn't they reduce the price for the park hopper add on?

This whole thing is getting beyond ridiculous.

[Cheshire_Girl]

I know a lot of people think that this system will make things unfair for non resort guests, in that it will reduce FP availability, but I don't really understand how that could be, considering that guests who opt IN to MyMagic+/FP+ will be limited to only THREE FP per day in only ONE park. Think about that. At this time, there is NO limit to how many FP tickets you can get in one day, and you can do it in all 4 parks if you want. Imagine once this system is up and running, ALL the resort guests are now limited to 3 FP total per DAY, in one park. I don't know about the rest of you, but on any given trip where I'm going at it commando style, I get more than 3 FP per day...

Ok-So this is a good point that I hadn't thought of. Thanks for pointing this out. I feel a bit better now. But just a bit.
I can't stress enough how much this new system feels like it is designed to push out the locals. Now, I wish they would just roll it out and get it going and let the "chip n dale" fall where they may so we can see how this is going to play out.
The more I think about getting a Universal pass, the more I hate the thought of no Disney...I really hope it doesn't come to that.

[PopPhan]

I know a lot of people think that this system will make things unfair for non resort guests, in that it will reduce FP availability, but I don't really understand how that could be, considering that guests who opt IN to MyMagic+/FP+ will be limited to only THREE FP per day in only ONE park. Think about that. At this time, there is NO limit to how many FP tickets you can get in one day, and you can do it in all 4 parks if you want. Imagine once this system is up and running, ALL the resort guests are now limited to 3 FP total per DAY, in one park. I don't know about the rest of you, but on any given trip where I'm going at it commando style, I get more than 3 FP per day...

Although you have the concept correct, only FP+ FastPasses will be limited to 3 in a single park in a day. You will still be able to get "standard" FastPasses in all the parks every day. The FP+ allows you to pre-schedule 3 FastPasses prior to arriving at a park.

[Jared]

Although you have the concept correct, only FP+ FastPasses will be limited to 3 in a single park in a day. You will still be able to get "standard" FastPasses in all the parks every day. The FP+ allows you to pre-schedule 3 FastPasses prior to arriving at a park.

Actually, this isn't completely correct. One Fastpass+ is operational, the traditional Fastpass system will be phased out of the parks.

[BrerGnat]

Although you have the concept correct, only FP+ FastPasses will be limited to 3 in a single park in a day. You will still be able to get "standard" FastPasses in all the parks every day. The FP+ allows you to pre-schedule 3 FastPasses prior to arriving at a park.

Nope. That's not true.

As a Resort Guest, you are given a choice to opt in to MyMagic+. If you opt IN, you CANNOT also use traditional FP. If you opt OUT, you can use traditional FP, but you cannot use MyMagic+ (any aspects of it).

You cannot be using both systems at once. You have to choose.