Reviews of FastPass+
Reviewed by bmdisney Review Date: 12/17/2014
Rating: (2) Not Recommended
i recently returned from my first trip to DW using the new FastPass Plus system. i did not have a good experience with it at all. I stayed on property so I had made reservations 2 months in advance. Some people may like to decide 2 months in advance what park they are going to attend. I am a planner - but not that much. But if you want a FP to rides like 7 Dwarfs or Toy Story Mania or Soarin, you have to do it this way. I like to plan but also maintain a bit of flexibility. The new system won't allow for that. You have to decide on what day you will attend MK, HS, Epcot or AK weeks in advance. The My Disney Experience App never worked well in the parks for me - either on my phone or my iPad. When i tried to use the kiosks they told me i could not make changes to my FPs if i made reservations online - WHAT?!?! I know the new system is here to stay and for me the change is not a good one. For me, there is nothing about the new system that is better than the old one. It will make it more likely for me to return to Disney World but less likely.
Pros:
none off the top of my headCons:
eliminates spontaneity, eliminates flexibility, app was sluggishReviewed by John Review Date: 12/07/2014
Rating: (1) Not Recommended
The new FP+ system have taken away from any freedom that one might have had. Now you have to pre-plan every day.
I personally hate the new system.
Pros:
Allow long range planningCons:
Have destroyed the MagicReviewed by brianhat Review Date: 11/05/2014
Rating: (3) Not Recommended
We had experience of FP+ earlier this year and it was OK. I think at that time, many people had not got to grips with it and weren't taking full advantage.
That's because we're visiting again in a couple of weeks and things have changed dramatically for the worse. As I originally feared, the system is discriminatory and I say this for 3 reasons:
1 I live in the UK. To get a decent time for a popular attraction or in the case of some attractions getting a time at all, I have to go online at 5am (4am last week before daylight savings ended). If I want to sleep and wait until later in the day there are no decent times available and sometimes nothing at all.
2 We stay in a villa and are beaten to the FPs by 30 days by those people staying on site. This explains why we never get a sniff at a FP for the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train. As the vast majority of park guests stay off-site, Disney aren't being fair to those who don't, who pay the same prices for tickets.
3 We are annual passholders and I found out today (with no warning through the apps or info on Disney website) that we can only have FPs over 7 days. We visit 4+ weeks a year and it seems for 50% of our days on Disney property effectively we are stuck with standby lines only. This takes me back to pre paper Fast Pass days - must we enter the parks at daybreak like the good old days (except this time there will be many more fortunate who have no restrictions on their FPs)? This isn't progress! If I bought a 2 week pass, I can book FPs for every day of my stay, so why should I be discriminated against as an AP holder?
We've made 20 trips to WDW of 2 weeks or more in the last 34 years and sadly we may be nearing our last as we're beginning to not feel wanted.
Pros:
NoneCons:
Discriminatory as it's currently structuredReviewed by SarahL78 Review Date: 11/02/2014
Rating: (1) Not Recommended
I've been a frequent WdW visitor for years and I'm quite a planner, but this system truly marks the death of any spontaneity in the parks. I am not a robot. I am on vacation. I don't want to choose exactly which park and which particular day and every ride-time a month in advance! If something changes, or there is an unforeseen circumstance, I'm screwed. I resent being glued to my phone. The system was fine. If it ain't broke don't fix it. I am far less likely to park hop for the reasons stated in the reviews above. I echo all the criticisms in the reviews on this site. I like a bit of flexibility at wdw - maybe I want to change plans and go over to Epcot one day and try for a fast pass for test track. Ha! Impossible now. The tiered system is a rip off. I'm taking every opportunity at guest services to tell Disney that this is trip-planning overkill. For first time visitors, this must be truly overwhelming. Walt would've hated this. I'm rethinking my decisions as to when and how often to go to WDW, and Will spend more time at Disneyland, where my day is flexible, I call the shots, and I don't have to deal with this truly anal retentive nonsense.
Pros:
NoneCons:
Lack of flexibility, unable to access as many attractions as before, spontaneity is gone, and everything else about this productReviewed by MM from Connecticut Review Date: 10/02/2014
Rating: (2) Not Recommended
Fast Pass+ forced me to micro-manage our vacation. Not only did we have to select 3 attractions per day, but now I had to coordinate those attractions with my dining reservations (location, time to get from one to the other, etc.) and had to predict a month in advance where and what time I wanted to be at a certain attraction?!? And what if we woke up in the morning and decided to go to a different park? Or decided to stay at the pool and go to the park in the evening? Out of luck -- no way to get any decent Fast Pass attractions. Completely took out all the spontaneity of the trip. Not a fan ...
Pros:
Can get Character Greetings and other non-attractionsCons:
Way too much planning ... impossible to change for anything decent last-minute, app doesn't always workReviewed by StacyLovesDisney Review Date: 07/20/2014
Rating: (1) Not Recommended
I am a planner by nature and thought I would love this product. However, after using the FastPass+ system twice, I have decided this is not a great addition to Walt Disney World.
Problem #1--My family got the flu as soon as we arrived to WDW--domino style. First son, then me. I had to spend a day and a half in the hotel room. This meant all of my fast passes for Tues. were unusable. I had to switch around my park days to accommodate a must do breakfast at Hollywood Studios. What did this mean?
*Some attractions were already "sold out" because people get to choose what they want before arrival. We missed a few of our favs.
*When the grandpa got the flu, grandma had to switch around her days to join my kids and me. She had to go wait at Guest Relations for them to change around her Fast Passes.
*The grandma's fast pass times did not sync up with what we had scheduled.
*All the fast passes that were wasted and unused on the days the family couldn't make it to the theme parks could have been used by others who were actually at the parks.
Problem#2 I do not have a smart phone. I have to carry around return times on a piece of paper. Terrible on the day when I forgot my sheet of paper with the times.
Problem #3 The portable iPads would not work on my MagicBand, so I was told I'd have to go to Guest Services at the FRONT of each park to have a Fast Pass modified.
Problem #4 Waiting in Line to get a Fast Pass at a Kiosk. LONG LINES!!! I did the parks a couple of days w/ 2 kids, age 8 and age5-by myself w/o adult help. They couldn't last in a long line in the heat.
Problem #5--My husband decided at the last minute to join us at MK on our last day (he had been golfing each day minus the sick days) When we got to MK NONE of our Fast Pass times would sync with our band. Here we go again. He could not ride any of those rides with us---one of which was Splash Mountain. Kids disappointed Daddy couldn't go with them.
Problem #6--We finish our day in the parks around 2-3pm so kids can go enjoy resort pool. When one has to modify a fast pass the morning times or early afternoon times have been taken. So, we either didn't get to ride some of them. We had to leave Hollywood Studios in the early afternoon and return at 5:45 just so we could ride Toy Story Mania!
Problem 7# --A couple of times we arrived to use our fast pass and there was only a 0-15 minute wait! For example, Character Greetings at Epcot for Mickey was a 5 minute wait! We could have used that fast pass for something else. Yet, more waste.
Problem #8 -I was thinking about going to Disney at the last minute in a couple of weeks. (I've been so many times I don't need that much time for planning....) Then I remembered about the new fast pass system. Because guests can reserve their attractions so far in advance, I bet the fast passes have already been taken.
Here is my suggestion....BRING BACK the old Fast Pass system and modify it so you can tap your Magic Band and get a fast pass return time on the spot. The old system let you plan SOOOO much better by actually not really letting people plan that much into the future.
Pros:
NoneCons:
inability to change attractions when plans change, waiting for more fast passes after 3 are used, sometimes I did NOT need to use fast pass because line was short--waste!!!Reviewed by DonLSJ Review Date: 07/10/2014
Rating: (1) Not Recommended
The old Fastpass system worked well. This new FP+ system is totally messed up. They SAY you can make a 4th FP+ pick after the using the first 3, but by that time the ones for major attractions are all taken. I had my 3 FP+ picks used by 1pm at MK on 6/18... then after a 45 min wait at a kiosk, none were left for the big rides. My kids are used to doing Splash Mt 3 or 4 times, it's their fav. Can't do that now. If they don't fix this, I doubt we will return.
Pros:
can choose 3 in advanceCons:
everything elseReviewed by hello12345 Review Date: 06/02/2014
Rating: (2) Not Recommended
This system is still a failure in my opinion. The only positive is that it allows you to reserve three rides ahead of time. Even in July I was able to score up to 5 fastpasses before 3pm using the old paper system. Did it require some walking and park criss-crossing? Yes. The new concept of getting additional fastpasses once you have used the 3 is also flawed. I have to schedule my 3 fastpasses in the morning when you don't need them as much. If you don't get to the kiosk by 11am forget about getting fastpasses for any rides other than Small World or Figment. The line for Test Track's Fastpass was still 30+ minutes and stretched 200 feet passed the entrance both times we visited. It appears Disney is giving too many fastpasses for this ride. I am not a fan of spending all the $$$$ to stay on the resort and I still only get the same number of passes as non-resort guests. Disney resort guests should get more choices end of story. Deluxe resort guests should get even more. I am all for non-resort folks getting 1-2 or even none. There should be a benefit to paying the $$$$ to stay on resort. The only exception should be Annual Pass holders.
Pros:
Getting a little better, but not muchCons:
Too manyReviewed by jlnasl Review Date: 05/27/2014
Rating: (2) Not Recommended
First, I must say that I am a huge planner. I love to plan my vacations. That said, I found this system restrictive, rigid and left no time for a spontaneous moment. I hated using my phone constantly in the park. And to add to the frustration, the system was not always accessible. I do not want to plan my days 60 days in advance because the weather in Florida is so unpredicable. A rainy day can mean a drastic change of plans, which doesnt work out when fastpasses are no longer available. As for the new parkhopping feature, you must use your three fastpasses at one park, then go to the other park and make your selection for one additional fastpass at the kiosk. The kiosks had tremendous lines when we were at the park in late April, after spring break. I dont think it is possible to decide the night before which park you would like to visit. I will not visit again until the system is changed which makes me very sad. I love Disney and have been to the parks multiple times per year. I do not live anywhere near Florida and have visited 30 days per year. I cannot imagine the confusion and lack of fastpass selections in the summer when the thousands of tour groups descend on the theme parks. I am so disappointed in this system and eagerly await the day that it is revised.
Pros:
noneCons:
No more spontaneityReviewed by May3 Review Date: 05/26/2014
Rating: (1) Not Recommended
I just found out that the paper fastpasses are gone! I am so shocked that I am posting a review here. Normally, I just read the stuff here, I'm too lazy to write anything.
Last fall, I was picked for testing the Magic Band. In all fairness, it worked nicely for getting into the hotel and into the park and buying stuff and all, replacing the Key to the World card in such a way that I no longer needed to take the Key out so often. Anything I wanted, scan the band, and everything worked instantly!
So back then, I was quite happy. The three fastpass+ we got each day all worked nicely. It was all great until last night, when I found out that those three fastpass+ things are all that we get now. Oh, no!
One thing I love about Disney is the fastpasses, being able to get them when I need them. I was OK with the three extra fastpass+, but thought they were kind of unnecessary. They eliminate walking, but I love walking in Disney World. That's why I go there. Plus I don't know when I might feel like doing a certain ride, depending on the kids' needs, my feelings, whether there is a parade walking by that we should stop to watch, etc. I don't want to sell myself into having to do Splash Mountain at 11 a.m. I'll do it when I feel like it.
I love the feeling of the fastpass tickets in my hands. I love showing them to cast members, as if they are tickets to a special place. (They are!) I love the mad dash towards Toy Story Mania. It gives meaning to life at Disney World! And in case you think I'm some young, energetic dude, I'm not. I'm a middle aged mother of three sons. I spend most my days suffering from chronic fatigue, but in Disney World I have energy to spare! I push my youngest in the stroller as I speed across Hollywood studios while I holler at my teens to WALK FASTER!!!
And now all that is gone, gone, GONE! It is a huge part of why Disney World is more wonderful than your average amusement, why I spend so much to go there every year!
Please Disney, bring the paper fastpasses back!
Now you have to get more fastpasses only after the first 3 are used. Yeah, what if your third fastpass is late in the night? Well, sucks for you! So you think, just get the three in the morning and hope for more openings later. But Disney says "Additional FastPass+ selections must be made at a FastPass+ kiosk within the same park as the FastPass+ experience that you wish to select." In other words, you can't do this on your iPhone; it has to be done at their kiosk. Guess how many kiosks there are compared to the number of guests, and how slow it is to use them compared to fastpass machines? And guess how many people are stuck with fastpasses they don't want (because you have to have 3) and therefore prevent others from getting them? And guess how slow it is to scan in the magic bands compared to just showing a handful of fastpass tickets to a cast member?
In fact, even last fall I remember there being a big line in front of the Test Track fastpass+ lane because the scanning procedure was so slow. I didn't give it much thought then, but now I realize what a disaster that is going to be
I only know of one way to handle this. Get up early and make it to the park before everybody else does. Kick my kids out of bed no matter how late they swam the night before.
Here is what I think Disney should do: let everybody prebook one fastpass+ per day on the magic band. The rest of the fastpasses stay in ticket form so that we can have both. Then people can get the one ride they really have to do, and everything else is fair game.
Or even just allow the deluxe guests to get one fastpass+ while the rest use the paper fastpasses. They pay such a horrendous amount for so little that they deserve it. There aren't that many deluxe guests, so they won't make a difference. The rest of the resort guests can enjoy the magic band, which is still very cool and better than offsite guests can enjoy. Offsite guests can get magic bands too, but they don't get to open their hotel rooms with it.
I love the magic band, I think it's very nice the way I can do everything with it. But if I had to pick, I'd rather lose the magic band than lose the paper fastpasses. I can do the same thing the magic band does with the Key to the World card, just a little more clumsily. But without paper fastpasses, I can't even clumsily get fastpasses when I want them. That is a big step backwards, Disney.
And I wish Disney had spend the billion dollars building new rides or improving on old ones, rather than installing fastpass+.
