Ticket Price increase

[manutd1]

You realize the kiosks will be going away eventually right? And the only way to get that 4th FP is though the app...

Magical place on earth has become drone city... How many times are people getting injured because their heads are down looking at their phones? Now this is the only way to do a Disney theme park in WDW... Looking down at your phone instead of taking in the sights and surroundings in WDW...

Don't go to WDW then.. if its such an issue...why bother.
And, yes you can get the 4th pass with no app. We do it...all the time
You don't have to use the app....we do sometimes we don't sometimes...We still take it all in...Leave the phone at home if its an issue...I stop and smell the roses all day long..
But you are 100% wrong about both the kiosks and the 4th pass needing the app. 100% either wrong or misinformed.
We went to the kiosk for 4-6th fp. Have done it, will do it...

[AgentC]

Uh, when did that change? I thought you HAD to go to the kiosk for the additional FPs?????

In January, I had to go to the kiosk. They were not allowing FP over 3 to be booked on the app. I hadn't heard this had changed either but maybe I missed it.

[manutd1]

In January, I had to go to the kiosk. They were not allowing FP over 3 to be booked on the app. I hadn't heard this had changed either but maybe I missed it.

Right...the kiosk is and will be the way to book 4 and so on...Unless of course the app allows it.
For some reason I recall using the app for over the 3rd FP..but maybe not. I like the Kiosks...

[DizneyFreak2002]

Don't go to WDW then.. if its such an issue...why bother.
And, yes you can get the 4th pass with no app. We do it...all the time
You don't have to use the app....we do sometimes we don't sometimes...We still take it all in...Leave the phone at home if its an issue...I stop and smell the roses all day long..
But you are 100% wrong about both the kiosks and the 4th pass needing the app. 100% either wrong or misinformed.
We went to the kiosk for 4-6th fp. Have done it, will do it...

I'm going to ask you to please go back and re-read what I wrote... And not twist words to fit your defense of a company who cares nothing about you...

I said the kiosks WILL BE going away... I didn't say they were taken away just yet, did I? I said, when the kiosks do eventually go away, the app will be the only way to get a 4th FP.. I never once said that is the way it is done right now... Just that, eventually, it will be... So yes, you'll have no choice but to use the app...

[manutd1]

I'm going to ask you to please go back and re-read what I wrote... And not twist words to fit your defense of a company who cares nothing about you...

I said the kiosks WILL BE going away... I didn't say they were taken away just yet, did I? I said, when the kiosks do eventually go away, the app will be the only way to get a 4th FP.. I never once said that is the way it is done right now... Just that, eventually, it will be... So yes, you'll have no choice but to use the app...

You wrote..only way to get that 4th pass is through the app.. thats why others also questioned your comment.....But, even if one has to use the app..not an issue. i just like the kiosk.
And, Who in the world...(no pun intended)..cares or expects a company to care about me(you) or anyone. that is not why they exist.
We love WDW/DLR have gone since 1973 I was three then ..my first visit. Married 2 kids now age 7 and 9 ...gone every year since 1990. Not a better vacation around...imho. Kids love it and life couldn't be better. and after all....thats what makes Disney special..the kids experience. Disney and your experience with it is so much different with children by ones side. Makes all things right!

[DizneyFreak2002]

You wrote..only way to get that 4th pass is through the app.. thats why others also questioned your comment.....But, even if one has to use the app..not an issue. i just like the kiosk.
And, Who in the world...(no pun intended)..cares or expects a company to care about me(you) or anyone. that is not why they exist.
We love WDW/DLR have gone since 1973 I was three then ..my first visit. Married 2 kids now age 7 and 9 ...gone every year since 1990. Not a better vacation around...imho. Kids love it and life couldn't be better. and after all....thats what makes Disney special..the kids experience. Disney and your experience with it is so much different with children by ones side. Makes all things right!

Here is exactly what I wrote:

You realize the kiosks will be going away eventually right? And the only way to get that 4th FP is though the app...

Meaning, once the kiosks go away, the app will be the only way to get that extra FP...

I think you and Melanie just misunderstood... It's ok cause sometimes meaning is lost when typed in a forum, not spoken...

[AgentC]

I don't want to speak for Melanie but the reason I replied to her is that when Disney announced the extra FP , it was announced as kiosk only and I hadn't heard you could now get the extras through the app.

I would actually prefer to use the app rather than go to a kiosk.

[Melanie]

Here is exactly what I wrote:

You realize the kiosks will be going away eventually right? And the only way to get that 4th FP is though the app...

Meaning, once the kiosks go away, the app will be the only way to get that extra FP...

I think you and Melanie just misunderstood... It's ok cause sometimes meaning is lost when typed in a forum, not spoken...

Would have understood if it had said 'will be' initially.

[DizneyFreak2002]

Would have understood if it had said 'will be' initially.

Well I did say, initially, the kiosks WILL BE going away...

You realize the kiosks will be going away eventually right? And the only way to get that 4th FP is though the app...

Again, it was misunderstood, as I said, meaning can get lost in translation on a forum... it's all good...

[TheVBs]

Nobody thinks it's fun to see a price increase. As for the value... that's a personal opinion. I know I've said this many times before, but telling someone they're not getting good value for their money when they feel they are, or they're too pessimistic to realize their getting good value for their money, is ridiculous. Each of us individually decides what is worth parting with our vacation dollars for and to argue with someone's opinion on that is pointless.

I think the most unfortunate thing about the price increases is that there are plenty of people who would like to try WDW out for just one day. They would like to take their children to the Magic Kingdom to experience it, but have never been to WDW before, so aren't ready to commit to a week long vacation there where they would be spending thousands, but getting a better value on their daily ticket prices. These are people who may become repeat visitors, but are priced out of sampling a day at one of the parks. I think that's a shame.

[GMRO]

For gosh sakes it sure would be nice to able to enjoy my TIME away from PLANNING while on vacation.

To me it's not a matter of IF a person is capable of planning or IF they are an over planner etc. And it's not a matter IF the app is cumbersome and not easy to navigate. Least that is my contention.

The issues I have are that I don't want to follow a schedule/plan while I'm away on vacation. Sitting in front of a PC all day, yes I plan for a living and have exceptional time management skills, and now months prior to my vacation I need to make PLANS for what I want to ride or experience OR I won't be able to experience or ride it. Then having to follow the PLAN while on my vacation? Yes I know all about changing the FP+’s on the fly…again more work.

No thanks.

And have I seen the folks huddled around an idevice over the past 2 years as they change and modify their PLANS as well as many walking heads down staring at their phones with the app on? YES! Used to be we’d joke about the teens on their phones 3 to 5 years ago walking around head down in the parks. Family time while on vacation? NAAAA - they gotta stay connected to their friends at home. Updating their facepages on the fly…look where I’m at?!?!?!? No respect for what monies their parents spent to even get them to the happiest place on earth. Now EVERYONE is on some form of device planning/swapping etc.

I don’t reject advancements or technology advancements. Heck I love it! But this is just ridiculous. Now there are charging stations in the parks? Bet the brain-stormers who first came up with this app/FP+ idea never gave that a thought. By jove’were gonna drain their smartphone batteries with all the mandatory app usage! Better install charging stations all over the parks pronto. LOL

PAPER legacy FP was an issue with paper tags dirtying up the ground? OK, let me walk up to the ride/attraction kiosk bump my magic band on the Mickey neon circle and get my FP - IF available. Let it then PING my magic band account so I can check an app on my phone so now I know what time I need to return. And let me be able to punch up an attraction/ride on my app so I can see the REAL TIME wait time from anywhere in that park. This way I can decided IF that is an area of the park I want to go to. Simple as that. You need to be in the parks to do it so it restores some spontaneity while on my vacation. I decided right there at that minute based on the crowd flow and my feeling for the moment of WHAT I wanted to do while on my vacation. It also removes a huge amount of planning and schedule/plan following while I’m on my vacation too and I'm all about that.

I see myself and DW spending more time on the water/sea. PLUSES - no over sold out special parties to contend with; no planning for what I want to do; and I can still find OPEN areas on the ship where DW and I are the only ones believe it or not. It's actually quite MAGICAL! Yup, feeling the MAGIC, which IMO is exactly WHY we go in the first place.

NO other place like it!

Least it was that way…

PS> And for the record the CM's on the ships far beat the land CM's far as kindness and willingness to do right by you - the GUEST. We have never been on a DCL cruise where a CM didn't greet us and ask us if there was anything we needed or if we were having a good time. That goes for officers and regular CM's as well. On land? Yea - good luck even getting a wave from a CM passing by. Unless you have 20 buttons on your shirt saying what you are there for or what you are celebrating while there...

[The Hitchhiking Ghost]

I don't want to speak for Melanie but the reason I replied to her is that when Disney announced the extra FP , it was announced as kiosk only and I hadn't heard you could now get the extras through the app.

I would actually prefer to use the app rather than go to a kiosk.

Right. Nothing I like better than after waiting 20-30 minutes to go on a ride is to wait another 20 minutes or more in a kiosk line to get an additional FP, only to find out that the only ride left is the Tea Cups.

Here is an inherent flaw, and I don't blame the CM's because every CM at the kiosk I saw or talked to was great, extremely helpful, but the way they have it set up *****. You can't see what rides are available and times, you have to sit and click on each one individually to find out what's available and at what times. That's fine if you are sitting at home on your computer, but when there are a dozen families behind you waiting, while you try to decide, then call another family member on the other side of the park to see if the times work, it really slows down the process.

I liken those kiosks to those multiple pop dispensing machines, where you see 20-30 choices on the front screen, then you have to tap to get to the next screen, see another 5 choices, then go to the next screen... All I want is a pop, not a 15 minute wait at a dispenser. There was more than once that I got frustrated having to sit in line waiting to see if I could get another FP.

And in January, only way to get FP 4 or beyond was at the kiosk, something I didn't realize initially and couldn't figure out why my app wasn't working.

[MNNHFLTX]

Well, being forced to buy tickets up front last month (to get FP+ capability) for our March trip ended up being a good thing. At least that's the spin I'm putting on it.

[AgentC]

Well, being forced to buy tickets up front last month (to get FP+ capability) for our March trip ended up being a good thing. At least that's the spin I'm putting on it.

Small victories.

[Tekneek]

Here is an inherent flaw, and I don't blame the CM's because every CM at the kiosk I saw or talked to was great, extremely helpful, but the way they have it set up *****.

They have demonstrated that they (Disney) can make the vast majority of their guests experience the parks the way they (Disney) want them to. In the past, they used design elements to get guests to move certain ways, feel certain things, etc, but you cannot really track that and get metrics on it. Every time people are selecting options in the apps, or going to the kiosks, they know you are ceding control over your behavior. It isn't sinister, as in evil, but it is another way they are going to be improving margins. They will be able to find out if they can successfully push guests towards particular attractions, sections of the parks, etc, at any given time by using the technology to funnel them that way. Only they (Disney) know if FP+ slots are available for specific attractions when you're checking.

[PopPhan]

Here is an inherent flaw, and I don't blame the CM's because every CM at the kiosk I saw or talked to was great, extremely helpful, but the way they have it set up *****. You can't see what rides are available and times, you have to sit and click on each one individually to find out what's available and at what times. That's fine if you are sitting at home on your computer, but when there are a dozen families behind you waiting, while you try to decide, then call another family member on the other side of the park to see if the times work, it really slows down the process.

Not to belabor the FP+ options beyond 3 in a day, but why don't they have tote boards at the kiosks that tell you what FP+ options are available and what the current return times are?

Doesn't EPCOT still have the big board in Innoventions plaza that lists wait times and FastPass (FP+?) availability?

It has been over a year since my last visit and I did not even know you could get more than the initial 3 FP+ options. (Yes, I know [now] the rules where the first 3 must be used or the return windows closed on all.)

[manutd1]

All I know is the last time we went...Late July...The kiosk line was a non issue...We got the 4th 5 th and 6th fast pass easy and without issue.
I got one for Splash the other for Space and the last for Big thunder at dark. I was hardly EVER on my iPhone during the day because there is no reason to be. There kiosk has all the info you need and you have to use it anyway beyond the first three. I guess the app is nice to see wait times and FP distribution times...But, it isn't necessary. We were there in the middle of summer...no fuss no muss.

[The Hitchhiking Ghost]

All I know is the last time we went...Late July...The kiosk line was a non issue...We got the 4th 5 th and 6th fast pass easy and without issue.
I got one for Splash the other for Space and the last for Big thunder at dark. I was hardly EVER on my iPhone during the day because there is no reason to be. There kiosk has all the info you need and you have to use it anyway beyond the first three. I guess the app is nice to see wait times and FP distribution times...But, it isn't necessary. We were there in the middle of summer...no fuss no muss.

Could this still have been in the roll-out phase, and more restrictions to non-resort guests. Basically reducing the number of people that could use the FP+ system.

Generally (end of this January) EPCOT kiosks usually had lines, the Kiosk by Mickey's Philharmagic was hit and miss, over by Frontierland I had a decent wait and at DHS by Muppets wasn't too bad.

I'm sure had we not bookeds 7 Dwarves or Anna and Elsa we could have booked earlier FP and then gone on more rides, but most rides at MK were pushing 30 minutes or more and FP availability wasn't there. And what was there certainly wasn't the Mountains like in your instance.

[manutd1]

Could this still have been in the roll-out phase, and more restrictions to non-resort guests. Basically reducing the number of people that could use the FP+ system.

Generally (end of this January) EPCOT kiosks usually had lines, the Kiosk by Mickey's Philharmagic was hit and miss, over by Frontierland I had a decent wait and at DHS by Muppets wasn't too bad.

I'm sure had we not bookeds 7 Dwarves or Anna and Elsa we could have booked earlier FP and then gone on more rides, but most rides at MK were pushing 30 minutes or more and FP availability wasn't there. And what was there certainly wasn't the Mountains like in your instance.

I don't know about restrictions...or not. Ve usually stay at a value..I booked the original 3 fp ..60 days out..and arrival date was July 27 for a week.
IMHO, if a ride is 30 min wait or less...I don't mess with FP. Just no need to. 30 min is not a long wait. But thats just us.
I do know..that according to some on here and a lot of "planning type websites" the secret to FP+ is not to use it for parades or anything later in the day. When I book our our first 3 60 days out...I make sure the last one is to expire no later than 2 ish. That gives a lot of time to get more. 7 dwarfs ride...we booked it once..the other times we rode it, it was at park opening...15 min wait to half hour max... And Splash mountain after what 8 pm...usually always has a small line 10-20 min tops. Thats just my experience.

[MNNHFLTX]

Small victories.

Right. I'll take them where I can get them.

After reading the previous discussion, I got to wondering--manutd1 and DizneyFreak, are you two related? You have very similar phrasing and posting styles, albeit with different viewpoints.