Re: Disney "NextGen" ride reservations

**N.J.boy@N.C.St.** · 02-21-2011, 11:41 AM

When I was down last summer, in mid-July, when WDW is at its highest crowds, it was just myself and my cousin (he is 2 years younger than me) and my aunt drove us to where we wanted to go (and she would sometimes come with us as well) and then we would different types of transportation (monorail, boats, buses, etc.) to get around...we would get to the parks right when they opened, fastpass one thing immediately then wait (and in the morning, usually not that long of a wait for most things) in line for the other and it worked perfectly...we did everything that we wanted to each day in each park, and never stayed past 2:30pm (including eating lunch) except the day we did all 4 parks in one day, and any dining reservations we had we just went back at night...

The point is that strategy is key...if you figure out what you want to do when on that day then you're set, and since most of us here are pros at going to WDW, we know what to avoid when and how to get around and strategically use fastpasses and know where to wait...with this in mind, there is no point to reserving a ride time before you go to the park...it COMPLETELY takes away from the going to the parks experience...you're completely bound to that schedule, usually only having to worry about dining reservations...other than that we are free to do what we want...with reserving ride times you don't get the excitement of "ok, now we're going on [insert ride here] this attraction"...it's now "ok, we're going on[insert attraction here] at noon then [insert attraction here] at 2"

Strategy really is what it's about, planning the night before or day of is perfectly fine...I don't want to have to worry about going on Splash Mountain at noon on the wednesday that I'm there...heck when I was down in the summer, my cousin and I wouldn't decide what we wanted to do or which park(s) to go to until the morning of...the only thing we planned in advance was our 4-park day

**20K** · 02-21-2011, 12:12 PM

Here's a question -

Your ride reservation is for 1400 and the attraction conveniently breaks down at 1356. What then? Persumably you would be issued a re-ad, but then at what cost to the reservations at the attraction as a whole?

**WDW4Ever** · 02-21-2011, 12:39 PM

It's not even that often that I use fastpass. I usually get a fastpass with no intention of returning during the allotted time only because I know that I will want to ride given attraction at some point during that day, but I'll get to it when I get to it. I'm not going to make my schedule fit around the 2:30-3:30 block. CMs are always good about letting you use a fastpass even if its well after your time slot. I only get fastpasses so I'm guaranteed to get on the E-Ticket sometime that day.

Saying that made me just ponder this question: if you miss your reservation, how gracious will CMs be?

**20K** · 02-21-2011, 01:23 PM

You could use the old-as-time Fastpass excuse of "I'm sorry, my child was feeling unwell and wanted some water"...!

**JNota0005DakMC** · 02-23-2011, 03:48 PM

Originally Posted by HauntedGabe

Never about having to wait my turn. How many of us have actually filed a complaint that Staggs could compile or is he fixing something that is not broke?

i know what your saying... which begs the question... where does he get his information from...?

**HauntedGabe** · 02-24-2011, 12:34 AM

Originally Posted by JNota0005DakMC

i know what your saying... which begs the question... where does he get his information from...?

My vision of him: Idea

Now all you department heads get on, I'm announcing it to the shareholders in 2 days, you have 2 years to make it happen...don't want to hear any excuses. Make it happen and make it work or you're out of here.

We will tell the Guests we hear you and this ones for you, you ask and we deliver.

**catywamp** · 03-27-2011, 03:45 PM

I am really surprised to see how upset people are over this. Who would actually argue to stand in line? I think Disney is doing a great thing by trying to redesign how we wait for a ride/attraction. I have not experienced any of the interactive queues yet but I can assume its better than nothing. They will never get rid of the regular line, that will never happen, but why bash them for giving us options? If you don't like fastpass, then don't use it, it's just another option, same would go for advanced reservations. Some people like a completely schedule free trip, others like to plan and plan and plan, neither way is wrong it's just a difference of taste. For those who do like to plan this would be a great feature. I don't see myself planning every attraction for the day, but the idea of knowing I can ride certain high volume rides at a given time with a shorter wait appeals to me. Again, if you don't like it, don't use it. I really don't understand why people are so upset by this.

**Cortini** · 03-27-2011, 06:29 PM

Its not that i am upset. I just find that new comers are going to over plan their vacation and not enjoy it has much as they would. I like the idea i just feel as if people are going to over use it. Like get one for every attraction and not enjoys the trip because they are jumping from ride to ride. But if they use it for one or 2 attractions i don't think that there will be much rush or much problem. Will I use it probability because of the time of year i go. But i won't use it for every ride just the hard to get a FP and if u don't have a FP u will be waiting forever rides.

**catywamp** · 03-27-2011, 06:40 PM

Originally Posted by Cortini

I like the idea i just feel as if people are going to over use it. Like get one for every attraction and not enjoys the trip because they are jumping from ride to ride.

I understand what you're saying about the first trip Magic being different. But I'm sure, as with fastpass, there will be some kind of limitations.

**20K** · 03-27-2011, 10:01 PM

Originally Posted by catywamp

I really don't understand why people are so upset by this.

Because Disney nuts are the most protective and easily-riled people on the planet, it seems...

**catywamp** · 03-27-2011, 10:10 PM

Originally Posted by 20K

Because Disney nuts are the most protective and easily-riled people on the planet, it seems...

Fair enough

**TammiKatt** · 03-28-2011, 03:19 PM

I read about the ride reservation on a local news website. I HATE the thought. As it is, have have to wait 6 months to get Reservations for Chef Mickey's. Can you imagine have a reservation for day/time, and the ride breaks down, and then, it's "sorry, but you will have to make a new reservation, your time isn't valid"?

ANOTHER thing: I truly feel that they should LIMIT the number of fast passes given out in the course of one hour.

How many of you have attempted to ride Toy Story Mania? This past Thursday was my first attempt. We got to the park at 10:00 am, had a glitch because of the renewal of the annual passes. We got back to TSM by 10:30 am. The stand-by wait was 60 minutes (NOT missing Indiana Jones this time around, sorry kids), the fast pass return was 5:30 pm to 6:30 pm, which we hadn't planned on staying that long. Can you imagine was the return was for later in the day, if there were any fast passes available.
Now IMAGINE this concept of this NextGen reservation system.

My five-year-old was so upset that she couldn't do TSM.

We had a very similar experience with Epcot on Jan 2... no more Passes for Soarin @ 2 in the afternoon. And the wait time was 2 hours.

I have only waited in line for an hour or more twice:
12/26/2009 for Expedition Everest (my niece REALLY wanted to ride it and this was her first visit to Disney since in 10 years, and we only paid for a one day parkhopper for her)
07/10/2010 for Jedi Training Academy - This is what my son wanted to do for his 9th birthday. (Any recommendations on 10th birthday, please send me a private message)
Both of these were ABSOLUTELY worth it, just for the pleasure it brought to them.

So, I have promised my kids that the NEXT time we go to Hollywood Studios, TSM will be the first thing we hit, and we will get there WHEN the park opens.

I just see the advanced scheduling to be a negative, not a positive. Plus Disney already has special fast pass things for birthday parties, etc. (we kind of got bumped back from a large party of 30!)

Note to self: Wear the knee brace!

I guess what bugs me is the idea that all of the reservations will already be taken for any given day.
Imagine telling a 5 year old, we can't ride TSM until September...

There has to be limitations on the amount of pre-reserved slots they give, just like there should be limitations on the number of FP's that are given out in a hour time frame.

We don't always PLAN to go to MK, HS, AK, or Epcot. We have annual passes and live an hour away (depending upon traffic). So, if we decided to reward the kids for a week of good behavior and good grades and say, "Hi, we are going to Disney tomorrow." I don't want every ride to already be pre-reserved where we can't ride it.

**Cortini** · 03-28-2011, 08:39 PM

I agree i have only wanted an hour+ for to rides 1 was soarin' when it wasn't even a couple months after it had open and for TSM because we got there late and rly wanted to ride it so we waited. Both of these were totally wroth it but its not something i will do again anytime soon.