Disney's NextGen Initiative

[jtsalien]

Yeah, some of the minors were decent, like Magic Kingdom had some good ones that could build up long waits, but at DHS the only good minor was Tower of Terror (was surprised though), so it's not terrible, but I will probably just wait until I get into the park to book them like I did on my last day since it was very quick and painless. They give you a sheet ahead of time for you to pick your rides.

I'd love to see some pics of the process if you can grab a couple on your next trip.

 

[Skubersky]

Check Touringplans.com for new info on FP+ for offsite Annual Passholders. Beta program is being implemented soon. You'll be able to book up to 7 days of FP+ in a rolling 60 day window. 3 per day, one park only (no parkhopping).

 

[MrRoamer]

Check Touringplans.com for new info on FP+ for offsite Annual Passholders. Beta program is being implemented soon. You'll be able to book up to 7 days of FP+ in a rolling 60 day window. 3 per day, one park only (no parkhopping).

Just saw another story on this linked off of Screamscape, and all I can think of are long streams of expletives. I am so incredibly happy now that we didn't renew our annual passes because I would have flipped my lid to hear that after putting down $622 for the four of us to not be able to definitively use the FP+. I'm curious as how they notify and spin it as a good thing that you have been enrolled in this wonderful beta.

We were just talking about how the different parks treat their annual pass holders the other day. In just two weeks for us, Sea World has done a fantastic job of giving you extra bonuses (Free ticket, extra discounts on everything) and it has really impressed me. Universal is pretty good with consistent discounts and free entry to most of their special events (Mardi Gras, Summer Music, Grinchmas). Then there is Disney, who will change your discounts which don't work everywhere or require and additional purchased discount card, bill you for every special event they can, and now completely alter your experiences with how this entire MyMagic/FP+ roll-out has gone since day one.

 

[Hockeyman55]

So now i see Disney slapping AP holders even further with only allowing FP+ reservations only 7 days within a 60 day window from what I saw, forget where I saw that last night but it was on Twitter somewhere. This wont really effect me but It would piss me off if I was more local and went all the time

Edit - see it was mentioned in the Touring Plans article also.

 

[Skubersky]

So now i see Disney slapping AP holders even further with only allowing FP+ reservations only 7 days within a 60 day window from what I saw, forget where I saw that last night but it was on Twitter somewhere. This wont really effect me but It would piss me off if I was more local and went all the time

Edit - see it was mentioned in the Touring Plans article also.

Screamscape reported it incorrectly, and made it sound like after 7 days you have to wait 60 to get any more FPs. It's actually a rolling 60 day window, which means you can hold advance FP+ for any 7 different days out of the next 60. It resets daily, so you could perpetually book FP+ for every day of the week if you wanted.

 

[UNIrd]

Screamscape reported it incorrectly, and made it sound like after 7 days you have to wait 60 to get any more FPs. It's actually a rolling 60 day window, which means you can hold advance FP+ for any 7 different days out of the next 60. It resets daily, so you could perpetually book FP+ for every day of the week if you wanted.

And this won't be abused how?

 

[MrRoamer]

Screamscape reported it incorrectly, and made it sound like after 7 days you have to wait 60 to get any more FPs. It's actually a rolling 60 day window, which means you can hold advance FP+ for any 7 different days out of the next 60. It resets daily, so you could perpetually book FP+ for every day of the week if you wanted.

Thanks Seth!! I trust you much more as a source.

That is way different than their article I had read, you are saying is that it is a lock to keep the AP holders from booking out an entire year on day 1. Just to make sure I'm clear it is a 60 day rolling window, if I have all of next week booked up I can't make anymore reservations until I cancel one of those days. Once the first day has passed I can book day #8 and so on and so forth.

If that is the case that makes way more sense and addresses one of my fears that the rides will eventually be like the restaurants where you need a reservation, or you are going to be waiting a good long time.

And this won't be abused how?

It can still be abused but requires more constant effort instead of a one shot kill.

 

[Skubersky]

Thanks Seth!! I trust you much more as a source.

That is way different than their article I had read, you are saying is that it is a lock to keep the AP holders from booking out an entire year on day 1. Just to make sure I'm clear it is a 60 day rolling window, if I have all of next week booked up I can't make anymore reservations until I cancel one of those days. Once the first day has passed I can book day #8 and so on and so forth.

If that is the case that makes way more sense and addresses one of my fears that the rides will eventually be like the restaurants where you need a reservation, or you are going to be waiting a good long time.



It can still be abused but requires more constant effort instead of a one shot kill.

Aw, thanks! Screamscape is great when it comes to digging up & sharing info, but their interpretations of said data is sometimes a bit garbled.

Having read the internal memos (which aren't exactly a model of clarity) I'm fairly certain it's a rolling 60 window. Let's say you book FP+ for all 7 days next week, then you decide you want to go the park tomorrow. You could cancel 1 of the 7 days you booked, make new FP+s for tommorrow, then rebook the 7th day after you leave the park tomorrow. It's a bit confusing, we won't know 100% how it works until someone tests it out...

 

[Hockeyman55]

Just booked Pop Century for a long weekend at the end of February so will be able to test out this new FP+ junk. Should get my pretty bracelet in the mail here soon.

 

[kimlovesfl]

I really feel like FP+ is a big f-you to the casual attendee like myself. I go to Disney when I can get free tickets from someone, which isn't often. It is not something I plan too much in advance for, just enough to make sure we both have the day off together, and on my day off, I do not want to plan what I want to ride when, before I even leave my house. This is so not relaxing to me. I like to wander and take my time.

 

[TylerDurden]

I really feel like FP+ is a big f-you to the casual attendee like myself. I go to Disney when I can get free tickets from someone, which isn't often. It is not something I plan too much in advance for, just enough to make sure we both have the day off together, and on my day off, I do not want to plan what I want to ride when, before I even leave my house. This is so not relaxing to me. I like to wander and take my time.

You don't plan anything before you step into the gate if you're just a casual visitor. If you're not staying in an on-site resort, your only option is to reserve your FP+ when you get there.

 

[Skubersky]

I really feel like FP+ is a big f-you to the casual attendee like myself. I go to Disney when I can get free tickets from someone, which isn't often. It is not something I plan too much in advance for, just enough to make sure we both have the day off together, and on my day off, I do not want to plan what I want to ride when, before I even leave my house. This is so not relaxing to me. I like to wander and take my time.

Sorry, but if you only go to Disney infrequently when you can get free tickets, you are NOT the guest that Mickey spent $1.5bil trying to please... ;-)

 

[natespf]

^ & ^^ Good points. Not to beat you up on this one kim, but when considering the casual visitor I am still thinking about someone with a paid ticket. But if you do not want to use this feature can't you just go and not use the feature?

 

[UNIrd]

I really feel like FP+ is a big f-you to the casual attendee like myself. I go to Disney when I can get free tickets from someone, which isn't often. It is not something I plan too much in advance for, just enough to make sure we both have the day off together, and on my day off, I do not want to plan what I want to ride when, before I even leave my house. This is so not relaxing to me. I like to wander and take my time.

So I guess Disney wouldn't be too concerned with losing your...business?

 

[Hockeyman55]

Seth, You might be able to answer this one. What happens if lets say you book a room, get your Magic bands, make your ride reservations and then cancel your hotel reservation?

Also once you link those bands to your passes will they be linked forever or does it end at the end of your hotel reservation?

 

[Skubersky]

Seth, You might be able to answer this one. What happens if lets say you book a room, get your Magic bands, make your ride reservations and then cancel your hotel reservation?

Also once you link those bands to your passes will they be linked forever or does it end at the end of your hotel reservation?

You can make a room reservation, and keep rebooking it into the future indefinitely. But if you cancel it entirely, you lose FP+ access.

Currently if you link your AP to a hotel reservation you can make unlimited FP+s indefinitely, but this loophole is being sealed shortly in favor of the new 7 days in 60 window for APs. If you just have regular tickets tied to a hotel res, FP+ access ends when the hotel stay does, or the tickets expire, whichever comes first.

 

[Hockeyman55]

You can make a room reservation, and keep rebooking it into the future indefinitely. But if you cancel it entirely, you lose FP+ access.

Currently if you link your AP to a hotel reservation you can make unlimited FP+s indefinitely, but this loophole is being sealed shortly in favor of the new 7 days in 60 window for APs. If you just have regular tickets tied to a hotel res, FP+ access ends when the hotel stay does, or the tickets expire, whichever comes first.

Thanks Seth. We have a Pop reservation right now but are going to cancel it. Ended up finding a place that is a 1 bedroom suite for more than $20 less a night so decided to go with that. Our bands are actually out for delivery today so for the heck of it was going see what happens with the ride reservation since mine is linked to my AP

 

[kimlovesfl]

^ & ^^ Good points. Not to beat you up on this one kim, but when considering the casual visitor I am still thinking about someone with a paid ticket. But if you do not want to use this feature can't you just go and not use the feature?

Yes, of course I can do that, but what are the wait times going to be? And I know they don't give 2 craps about losing my infrequent business, but I do still spend money when I go, on food and drinks, and sometimes, parking. And other than passholders and people who live out of town, how many of us here in Orlando pay to go to any of the parks?

How does this work for cast members? Do they get an RFID-chipped maingate pass, with the ability to get fastpasses, or do they have to wait in a stand-by line?

 

[TylerDurden]

Yes, of course I can do that, but what are the wait times going to be? And I know they don't give 2 craps about losing my infrequent business, but I do still spend money when I go, on food and drinks, and sometimes, parking. And other than passholders and people who live out of town, how many of us here in Orlando pay to go to any of the parks?

How does this work for cast members? Do they get an RFID-chipped maingate pass, with the ability to get fastpasses, or do they have to wait in a stand-by line?

Ive found that with the more controlled dostribution of FPs all around, standby lines move at a faster rate. For example, on MLK weekend, Everest was consistently a 30 minute wait or less, and was constantly moving once in the line. So its a win win ever for you should you choose not to use it.

 

[Nitro_230]

Yes, of course I can do that, but what are the wait times going to be? And I know they don't give 2 craps about losing my infrequent business, but I do still spend money when I go, on food and drinks, and sometimes, parking. And other than passholders and people who live out of town, how many of us here in Orlando pay to go to any of the parks?

How does this work for cast members? Do they get an RFID-chipped maingate pass, with the ability to get fastpasses, or do they have to wait in a stand-by line?

You have to remember that people are no capped at 3 fast passes a day, and that's spread out over a lot more attractions. So in theory it should bring down the number of fast passes at the big attractions.

That theory is of course screwed up by the fact that on the paper system not everyone got fast passes, but the same is true for the new system. Also not everyone got 3 a day, but now obviously everyone who uses it will get 3. But there were also many power users who got more then 3.