Frustration with Lack of Spontaneity

I agree with you! Having to plan each day so far out and kinda being licked into it takes some of the fun away. We haven't been back in severeal years and do not have a trip planned anytime soon. (financial reasons). But not in a real hurry to get back due to changes and all the construction going on.

I totally agree with you as well. We were there thanksgiving week and ran into the same dilemma. We ended up changing plans and not even using many of our FP's. I may start a thread on our trip when I get a chance.

The first couple of days we found ourselves just running all over the park we were in trying to get to FP's and then running around trying to do rides in between. I started keeping up with the time we were spending trying to do each ride and it turns out we would walk across the park fighting through crowds for 15 minutes, get in the fastpass line which typically wasn't so fast because of the number of FP's they give out and we waited around 15 minutes to get on the ride and then usually had to go back across the park to our next ride we were going to do or get back to where the wait times were lower which took another 10 to 15 minutes walking. So if you do the math, we had around 45 minutes in each ride we used a FP on and the standby wait times for many rides were 30 minutes. My point is, we were getting less rides done per day by using the FP+ system.

The only time a FP+ is handy is for one of the rides you know you want to do and you know 100% for sure the wait time is going to be extremely long such as soarin. Outside of that, don't waste your time with them and just go with the flow like old times and you will enjoy your vacation much much more.

Y'all obviously don't know what you are talking about. Tom Staggs HIMSELF said the FP+ creates more spontaneity. {sarcasm off}

RunDMV;2474921 wrote: Y'all obviously don't know what you are talking about. Tom Staggs HIMSELF said the FP+ creates more spontaneity. {sarcasm off}

Yeah, I laugh every time I read that in their press releases and advertisements. I would like to sit down with the marketing knuckleheads that write that stuff and get them to explain how in their minds that something that locks you down to specific dates, times, places and experiences months in advance results in spontaneity.

I have no desire to use the new Fastpass+, but I haven't been there since it was implemented. I'm one of those people that doesn't even make ADR's. We decide where we are going when we wake up and eat at whichever restaurant lets us in when we are hungry. :blush: The only time I know where I'll be, at any given time, is if I'm attending a hard ticket event, like MVMCP or I'm at an Icot meet. My planning is centered on getting a good deal on my resort and a cheap car rental, if we even get a car. The rest of it has to be spontaneous or I don't feel like I've been on vacation.

Now, that being said.. I've been to WDW a lot of times, I help others plan trips and figure out all these systems, have knowledge of what to avoid and I don't mind missing an attraction or two if my day doesn't go perfectly. I feel bad for people that are on a first trip (or an only trip) and have no idea what they are going into. Their bad day can't necessarily be fixed by a soak in a hot tub.

Yes, planning so far ahead as to which rides you're going to ride on which day does tend to lock you into a park much more than the old system did. Good for Disney - to know the crowd levels to expect at each location. Not so good for the rest of us who might like to hop to a less-crowded park!! Doesn't look like the current system is going to change any time soon so it is what it is!!

The running back and forth between rides is what I hate the most about it. Last time we went, we spent three days in the parks and I don't remember SEEING anything. It was a mad dash to go from ride to ride because the FP times were right on top of each other. It felt so hectic and disjointed.

That's why we are not on the dinning plan for our next trip. I don't want to be committed to so many sit down meals.

But Tom Skaggs says they can get 5,000 into the parks a day and still have the same experience.

Patricia;2474924 wrote: I have no desire to use the new Fastpass+, but I haven't been there since it was implemented. I'm one of those people that doesn't even make ADR's.

We used to be like that, way back when we could decide in the morning where we were going, call to make an ADR for that park, and be on our way. No problems. Now, to eat at our favorite places (which also happen to be everyone else's faves), we have to do the ADRs. That didn't bother me so much. I could change ADRs if we decide to head in another direction. Then they started making you give your card # for meals so you can't cancel less than 24 hours out if you don't want to be charged. Okay. I got the reasoning there. I thought that would make it easier to get ADRs because it would cut back on people booking multiple reservations to hedge their bets. We never get a dining plan (we do Tables in Wonderland sometimes - not every trip), so I don't *have* to make ADRs. Not a big deal to cancel if plans change, but we have to know a day ahead what we're doing. But now I cannot make myself go without making the FP reservations. We usually go during value season, but the past 2 years we've been at Thanksgiving. If it wasn't for the FPs we had every day, we would never have ridden anything. I refuse to stand in a line that's more than 40-45 minutes. There's no way I'm waiting 2 hours for Peter Pan or RnR or Seven Dwarves Mine Train. At one point that ride was up to a 3-hour standby line (and it hadn't been down all day for any reason!) We have been trying to find a time of year to go that cuts down on missed school days for the kids now that they're older.

RunDMV;2474929 wrote: But Tom Skaggs says they can get 5,000 into the parks a day and still have the same experience.

WDW executives should all be required to work a shift at Guest Relations once a week. Most of them never even step foot into the parks.

BrerGnat;2474937 wrote: WDW executives should all be required to work a shift at Guest Relations once a week. Most of them never even step foot into the parks.

The execs should be required to spend a week as a guest in the parks. Make FP+ reservations in advance, ADR's in advance and then bring their families along to deal with complaints about it being too hot, too crowded, too rigid. Personal experience is the best teacher.

MNNHFLTX;2474940 wrote: The execs should be required to spend a week as a guest in the parks. Make FP+ reservations in advance, ADR's in advance and then bring their families along to deal with complaints about it being too hot, too crowded, too rigid. Personal experience is the best teacher.

True, but they would probably find a way to spin that experience.

Listening to people complain all day is better punishment. ;)

BasketMommy, so sorry about your trip experience! That stinks. It is frustrating to be so conflicted on whether to stick with the plans you hashed out so far before the trip, or improvise when it looks like another park would be better.

For the people who are using too much time getting from one FP to another, my DH came up with a great plan for us and it's worked on each trip. If you already have a touring plan, book your FPs around the park based on the approx. time you'd be there anyway. This made such a huge difference for us! At the MK, we always walk down Main St., hit Adventureland and tour around the park in that direction. We hit each FP without rushing or backtracking and still had time for rides and food in between.