How Many FASTPASSES Does One Really Need?

[jc9812]

ALL OF THEM....I miss the good old days. THis pic is from Dec 2011. It was quite crowded that day as I remember. This made for a great evening. We had ridden most of the park from rope drop to lunch. We like to ride most rides multiple times and the old style touring allowed this. Even in its current state the FP system allows this style of touring. I guess we will have to wait and see how the new FP+ plays out, but from what I see so far I don't think I like the concept. I hope I get lucky enough to test the new system in September while the current system is still in place.

 

[RoonieRoo]

Yes.....but this can still be done without FPs. For example....My husband and I have done (in June with a crowd level of 7) Peter Pan, Haunted Mansion, BTMRR, Splash Mountain, POTC, HM, Phil all before 11 AM without standing in a line more then 5 minutes and without a single FP. The only other headliner attraction left would be SM which you could have the FP for. So really......it can be done with a good touring plan and only that one headliner FP.

I am trying to remember which FPs people have been offered but I'm pretty sure that I remember during initial testing that you could choose up to 2 headliners or up to 2 "other" attractions. This might not be accurate and it could have since changed.....but that is what I remember. So...if that is the case, then we really can be golden for the day. If not.....well then....we will adjust.

And that works fine if you are happy with only riding the headliners once. We don't ride Peter Pan or the kid ones very often and tend to ride the headliners multiple times on a single day. We are two adults sans kids most trips.

 

[George]

And that works fine if you are happy with only riding the headliners once. We don't ride Peter Pan or the kid ones very often and tend to ride the headliners multiple times on a single day. We are two adults sans kids most trips.

"I believe the appropriate metaphor here involves a river of excrement and a Native American water vessel with out any means of propulsion"
-Sheldon Cooper

 

[WallEMan]

We went for a 5-day trip in April and did well with 1 or 2 FP per day. We hit RD, took afternoon breaks (kids are 4 and 7), did most of the headliners once or twice, and a ton of other rides. We'll probably go once every couple years so we still want to hit a variety of attractions and not just maximize headliners. So for us the new system may be a net win to avoid FP running and being able to time the reservations more efficiently.

Depending on how they define the tiers, that could even be ok since there are a couple mid-tier rides like Jungle Cruise and Buzz that generally have FP available 40 mins out and help to avoid lines.

 

[butchie30d]

And that works fine if you are happy with only riding the headliners once. We don't ride Peter Pan or the kid ones very often and tend to ride the headliners multiple times on a single day. We are two adults sans kids most trips.

Same for us even though our kids are with us. Just not interested in many of the rides but enjoy the headliners and some "lesser" attractions. Since there's really nothing I can do about it I'll just wait to see what happens and make the best of it, but I'm not going to pretend that it's okay for us if we can only get one or two headliner FP's per day. We've been to WDW enough to have been on everything and we know what we like so less FP's won't "force" us to do other stuff. It may encourage us to go to WDW less and Universal more, especially as our kids become teenagers.

 

[MrFredricksen]

With the exception of 9:00 to 9:40 - I prefer to have a FP for as many time windows as possible. I would rather have them and not use them (give them away), over not having them and regretting it. Limiting the number they give us is a big mistake. If they want to limit it, then limit it to 1 per attraction, but let me get one for every attraction I want and can fit into my schedule.

 

[bnoble]

tend to ride the headliners multiple times on a single day. We are two adults sans kids most trips.

This used to be me as well, until enforced return times made it a lot harder. Now I find myself doing the "lesser" attractions more often than I used to. Much to my surprise, this has made my trips more enjoyable, not less---the additional diversity of experience has been a net positive in ways I did not expect.

 

[George]

This used to be me as well, until enforced return times made it a lot harder. Now I find myself doing the "lesser" attractions more often than I used to. Much to my surprise, this has made my trips more enjoyable, not less---the additional diversity of experience has been a net positive in ways I did not expect.

Me too, though I must admit at first it was a bit freaky to be in the parks and passing headliners which I always thought were the be all and end all of park-touring success.

Then I discovered carrot cake cookies, literally and metaphorically.

 

[Marianna]

Yep. ^ Also known as a "snack attraction". There's the E ticket snacks and the D ticket snacks and the filler snacks for in between the really important snacks.

 

[RoonieRoo]

This used to be me as well, until enforced return times made it a lot harder. Now I find myself doing the "lesser" attractions more often than I used to. Much to my surprise, this has made my trips more enjoyable, not less---the additional diversity of experience has been a net positive in ways I did not expect.

We have different days on how we tour depending on how long our trip is and the time of year. We have plenty of diversity in our trips as we go frequently enough since we own DVC. I actually think that the fact that we do go at least once a year is why we don't ride the "lesser" attractions as often. We do a lot more other stuff now but when we are in the parks we do gravitate towards the headliners and our favorites (which aren't most people's favorites) the most since I just can't get jazzed over riding Winnie The Pooh each trip.

I am not a cynical type of person. I'm annoying optimistic to the irritation of much of my family. But in the last 5 or 6 years, I definitely took off my rose colored Disney glasses and have been seeing things through a bit of harsher light. 5 or 6 years ago, I would probably be a pretty big FP+ cheerleader even with the same plans/information because I did genuinely believe that whatever they rolled out would be awesome. I don't really know what changed that. Maybe we are going too often. I don't know.

But, I really would like to have the happy optimism back that I used to have and just be convinced that this would be great. Our next trip is coming in December. We were supposed to be there in April but my MIL passed away and we had to cancel our trip 3 days before leaving. I should point out that Disney 100% came through for my family on that very sudden cancellation and helping us not lose our points or hardly any money on the planned trip and get everything rescheduled for December. They pulled out some magic for us on that day.

 

[ernierich]

Will hitting rope drop still be as useful as it once was? I've read (somewhere) that the new FP+ will start at park opening. Interesting times...

 

[RoonieRoo]

For those of you that keep saying that you don't need FP to enjoy the parks, when do you go to Disney? July? Christmas week? Any of the really insanely busy times or do you only go the first couple of weeks in December or September? We go the "low" times when we can but that is not always an option. What about the teachers that can only go when it is crazy? I think this is going to be rotten for them. I also think this might work out in the end for regular visitors as, my cynicism aside, we will learn to work the system like we always have. But I think this is going to be seriously unfun for newbies and cause even more grouching for people that only get to go once or so in a lifetime.

To me the existing FP was really well advertised and YET a huge number of visitors weren't using it or understanding it. I cannot see how on earth the FP+ is going to fix that since that seems to be what Disney wants to fix.

 

[Jessmela]

For those of you that keep saying that you don't need FP to enjoy the parks, when do you go to Disney?

My preference is during low times, but my last trip was Memorial Day week. Not as crazy as Christmas, but it was still busy. Did I use FP more than I usually do on that trip? Yes. But I could have used the FP+ model and done just as well I think. If anything, I would have really appreciated not walking all over the park to get FPs in the heat.

When we travel during low crowds, we often have days that we don't use a single FP. And there were plenty of fabulous vacations at WDW and DL for decades before FPs came into the picture. Being at RD to tour without crowds and before the worst heat of the day is a much bigger part of my enjoyment than FP. Now if they were moving park opening to 10 or 11 am, then I'd be worried.

 

[blyday]

For those of you that keep saying that you don't need FP to enjoy the parks, when do you go to Disney? July? Christmas week? Any of the really insanely busy times or do you only go the first couple of weeks in December or September? We go the "low" times when we can but that is not always an option. What about the teachers that can only go when it is crazy? I think this is going to be rotten for them. I also think this might work out in the end for regular visitors as, my cynicism aside, we will learn to work the system like we always have. But I think this is going to be seriously unfun for newbies and cause even more grouching for people that only get to go once or so in a lifetime.

To me the existing FP was really well advertised and YET a huge number of visitors weren't using it or understanding it. I cannot see how on earth the FP+ is going to fix that since that seems to be what Disney wants to fix.

We have gone just about every time of year there is except for the 2 busiest (Christmas week and Easter week.) We most often go late May/Early June for DH's Birthday and SWW. We even go into HS during the busiest SWW days so....not only crowd levels of 7 but in the most unrecommended park there is.....and can still get by with only one or two FPs if we needed to and still do absolutely everything we wanted to. Okay...so maybe we don't get 5 rides on ToT....but honestly.....I don't need to go on the same attraction over and over and over again to have a good time. Maybe I'm the odd ball here but I really don't. That doesn't mean that I don't enjoy it when I do get to repeat favorites but I don't NEED to do them over and over again to be happy.

I guess maybe I have a different perspective about why I go to WDW then some do. We don't go for the attractions....we go for the experience. We take family members that we rarely see otherwise because we live on opposite sides of the country and we get to spend time with them, talk with them and just enjoy building relationships with them.....especially with the nieces and nephews. So.....being forced to slow it down and maybe stop for a Mickey Bar rather then race to use that 10th FP is a good thing.

Besides.....there is so much more to WDW then rides and headliners. Quite honestly....when it comes to rides.....Disney isn't the top of the line...there are so many other parks that have so much better rides then you'll find at WDW....especially the biggies. We went on more major roller coasters in 5 hours at Busch Garden's Williamsburg (not repeating a single one) then you can do repeating all of the coasters in WDW during a week trip. WDW offers experiences that you can't just get everywhere....and slowing down on headliners and enjoying those extras can really add to a trip....not take from it. I'm not talking about riding TTC 20 times in a day...or even every trip. I'm talking about visiting resorts and participating in the various activities they have going on every day. I'm talking about spending some time in the Water Parks (something that I still have not done) or maybe getting a water craft, etc.

 

[pfalcioni]

Quite honestly....when it comes to rides.....Disney isn't the top of the line...there are so many other parks that have so much better rides then you'll find at WDW....especially the biggies.

So true!!

 

[revral]

I'm not concerned at all but than again I don't use fastpass a lot. However I go solo & in late January / early February when tempratures, crowds & wait times are for the most low.

 

[RoonieRoo]

Everybody goes to Disney for different reasons, different experiences and different things make the trip enjoyable. One way or the other is not the wrong or right or missing out on the magic.

I think it is interesting that in discussing FP+ the reaction is to make the case that Fastpasses just aren't needed in order to see the positive side of this program. So whether you are pro, anti or just don't care about FP+, it seems that everyone agrees that this, good or bad, kills fastpass touring in a fashion.

Most posters here are experienced visitors. What do you think this is going to be like for the first timers? We might go enough that it's not that big of a deal that we don't get to ride Test Track and Soarin' but what about that family that this might be their only or one of a few trips? I also think that couples like my husband and I will be much less impacted by this than families.

Frankly, I wish they would just get rid of FP all together over FP+. That was much better touring back in the day.

 

[Strangeite]

So whether you are pro, anti or just don't care about FP+, it seems that everyone agrees that this, good or bad, kills fastpass touring in a fashion.

I don't know about that. The more I have read on the subject (patents, peer-reviewed articles, spec lists of MagicBands, etc.) the more I am cautiously optimistic. Disney is trying something that has never been done before on this level. The direction and control of crowds in excess of 100,000+ (including their emotional, economic and societal characteristics) in real time, using artificial agents. Sure it might be a flop, but damn, it is ballsy.

They are spending 1.5 to 2 BILLION dollars on the program.

Think about that.

Whether it is a success or failure for the Disney visitor, it is an intriguing endeavor.

 

[Jessmela]

What do you think this is going to be like for the first timers? We might go enough that it's not that big of a deal that we don't get to ride Test Track and Soarin' but what about that family that this might be their only or one of a few trips?

Most of the first timers I talk with fall into one of two camps: planners and non-planners. The planners are more like us. They may not know all the details to start with, but they'll do some research and likely book the FP+ in advance. The non-planners won't and they really won't know what they're missing. The non-planners I've talked to when they get back either loved WDW despite missing out on a lot or hated it because of lines, etc. Even for first timers, there's no single ride or rides that make or break a trip. I haven't ever been on TT or M:S and I haven't been on Soarin' since 2007 (pre-short people accompanying me ) and it didn't take away from any from my enjoyment of the parks.

I don't think FP+ is going to change that much. There will be some change at the margins, especially if Disney manages to hit that sweet spot that they seem to be aiming for of encouraging non-planners to plan more without making it seem like work to do so. Maybe it's the optimist in me, but I just don't see this as something that will magically make it "click" with the non-planners or change their priorities. And as long as there are non-planners, a good touring strategy will generally work and any FP or FP+ opportunities are just bonuses.

 

[blyday]

Most posters here are experienced visitors. What do you think this is going to be like for the first timers? We might go enough that it's not that big of a deal that we don't get to ride Test Track and Soarin' but what about that family that this might be their only or one of a few trips? I also think that couples like my husband and I will be much less impacted by this than families.

I might be a "seasoned" visitor but over the past 9 trips that I have been to WDW....only 4 of them have not been with first timers. I am also a TA who has clients who go to Disney World for first time visits and more often then not....it is a once in a lifetime event (or so they think.) Not a single one of these first timers actually knows what a FP even is until I tell them about it. They get plans because I provide them for them. When we skip rides because they are down or we just can't make them work into the schedule....not one of them feels cheated, etc. Quite honestly....the first time, once in a lifetime visitor will be less impacted then the regular visitor. These people don't know any better and therefore are not going to feel like they are cheated out of something. It's the whole concept of you can't miss something you never had. And quite frankly.....it is planning for those first timers that makes me the most excited about FP+.....because now I can help insure that they at least get on a few headliners without lines!!