XPass - You may never tour Walt Disney World the same way again ...

Yeh I know that some of these things are necessary... They are a sign of the times... My issue is more along the lines of the planning out every step of your trip... I'm ok with ADRs and such as they are a part of many trips... Not just Disney... Just not into having a reservation to ride Space Mountain on August 10 at 3:30... Not my idea of a vacation...

The biggest unknown right now is how this will affect the standby AND regular Fastpass users. Sure, you don't HAVE to use xPASS. But until we know how it affects those not using it, not using it could be a distinct disadvantage - much like with ADRs (at least in the past).

If xPASS slots are in addition to existing Fastpass slots, then there will be fewer standby slots, and standby loses. Fastpass also loses somewhat because there will be more people entering the Fastpass/xPASS line.

If xPASS replaces some portion of the Fastpass slots, then standby is OK, but Fastpass users lose out as there will be less available.

If xPASS replaces Fastpass completely, then non-xPASS users have no choice but to stand in line.

We don't know which of the above scenarios is taking place. But unless I'm missing a scenario, someone has to lose. At best they could limit the impact if there are limits on how xPASS can be used - for instance, if you are using xPASS, you CANNOT also get a Fastpass, etc.

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Originally Posted by DVCDad

Wholly "sky is falling" attitude. 90% of the restaurants you don't need a reservation for unless you're going at a busy time. And tell me, just how does the Xpass work exactly? That's right, no one knows yet.

Worst case scenario BS just doesn't cut it. There's more than enough ways to enjoy a vacation without ever making an ADR or getting a fastpass.

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If you're satisfied eating at a counter service for all of your meals, then more power to ya. Sure you can eat any time you want. However, my tastes go a bit above chicken strips and french fries for dinner, and my wife and I prefer to be seated and served. Getting table reservations is a bit more difficult unless you are willing to eat dinner at 3pm with the senior citizens, or at 9pm.

Fact is, my wife and I have been turned away from some of the better restaurants as late as 8pm due to their being overbooked and no availablity for the rest of the night. It's a fac. It has happened. I don't see how your sanctimonius dismissal that my "opinion" is incorrect. Especially when I am basing it on actual real personal experience. Sounds like you're talking from the same place you pulled that interesting little 90% of the restaurants bit of trivia from? Hmmm????

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Originally Posted by JNota0005DakMC

Yeh I know that some of these things are necessary... They are a sign of the times... My issue is more along the lines of the planning out every step of your trip... I'm ok with ADRs and such as they are a part of many trips... Not just Disney... Just not into having a reservation to ride Space Mountain on August 10 at 3:30... Not my idea of a vacation...

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Glad to hear you're not one of those dolts who feels the pointless need to create charts and graphs to plot out their entire trip's worth of rides months in advance, Joe. Show up and enjoy... ride what you can when you can.

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Originally Posted by supernova

Glad to hear you're not one of those dolts who feels the pointless need to create charts and graphs to plot out their entire trip's worth of rides months in advance, Joe. Show up and enjoy... ride what you can when you can.

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mike... thats how i vacation... i like it to be a vacation... not another job... i already work 2 of them...

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Originally Posted by doconeill

The biggest unknown right now is how this will affect the standby AND regular Fastpass users. Sure, you don't HAVE to use xPASS. But until we know how it affects those not using it, not using it could be a distinct disadvantage - much like with ADRs (at least in the past).

If xPASS slots are in addition to existing Fastpass slots, then there will be fewer standby slots, and standby loses. Fastpass also loses somewhat because there will be more people entering the Fastpass/xPASS line.

If xPASS replaces some portion of the Fastpass slots, then standby is OK, but Fastpass users lose out as there will be less available.

If xPASS replaces Fastpass completely, then non-xPASS users have no choice but to stand in line.

We don't know which of the above scenarios is taking place. But unless I'm missing a scenario, someone has to lose. At best they could limit the impact if there are limits on how xPASS can be used - for instance, if you are using xPASS, you CANNOT also get a Fastpass, etc.

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Exactly, someone has to loose.

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Originally Posted by supernova

If you're satisfied eating at a counter service for all of your meals, then more power to ya. Sure you can eat any time you want. However, my tastes go a bit above chicken strips and french fries for dinner, and my wife and I prefer to be seated and served. Getting table reservations is a bit more difficult unless you are willing to eat dinner at 3pm with the senior citizens, or at 9pm.

Fact is, my wife and I have been turned away from some of the better restaurants as late as 8pm due to their being overbooked and no availablity for the rest of the night. It's a fac. It has happened. I don't see how you can self-righteously claim that my "opinion" is incorrect. Especially when I am basing it on actual real personal experience. Sounds like you're talking from the same place you pulled that interesting little 90% of the restaurants bit of trivia from? Hmmm????

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Agree. DD and I made a spur of the moment trip a while back, visiting the concierge we found none of the better sit down restaurant were available, frankly neither were the just OK ones. We were left with choice like Capt. Jacks etc., or very late night left over buffet. It was annoying because we purchased the dining plan, won't do that again for a spur of the moment trip. Our concierge cheerfully offered the solution that we could use our sit down credits for a counter service.:inquis:

I love to plan trips but this is too much. Knowing what attractions you want to do, sure, but planning what time of day you'll do them months in advance? No thank you...

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Originally Posted by HauntedGabe

Agree. DD and I made a spur of the moment trip a while back, visiting the concierge we found none of the better sit down restaurant were available, frankly neither were the just OK ones. We were left with choice like Capt. Jacks etc., or very late night left over buffet. It was annoying because we purchased the dining plan, won't do that again for a spur of the moment trip. Our concierge cheerfully offered the solution that we could use our sit down credits for a counter service.:inquis:

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And the places that DO have seating, well, there's a reason that they're available. I've had a few awful meals, especially outside the parks at DTD and the Boardwalk area.

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Originally Posted by Caribbean Lady

I love to plan trips but this is too much. Knowing what attractions you want to do, sure, but planning what time of day you'll do them months in advance? No thank you...

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Thank you for being another sane voice. Have you seen these nuts walking around the parks with their homemade time tables and color-coded index cards? It's enough to drive you mad. It's shameful that these overplanners have changed the idea of a vacation fromb eing a time when you were supposed to leave your watch at home.

So... my opinion (you were waiting for it weren't ya? I know you were! :lol:)...

Until I know more I can't have an official "OMG" or "YAY" moment here. It's interesting. The technologies at work here and what they could be used for fascinate me. Sure everyone is focused on the "reservation" part of XPass but it's so much more than that right (or at least rumored to be)?

I'm one of those crazy people who actually does up spreadsheets and all sorts of jazz for their trip but it's more just to organize what we've planned. Like for example, if we plan on doing table service restaurants and make ADRs, I do up a little spreadsheet with what day, what restaurant, what time and the ADR confirmation number. It helps us specifically because we usually don't do Park Hoppers. So, I need to have it documented somewhere what ADRs I've made because if the restaurant is in a park, we're going to have to make sure we plan to spend the right day in the right park. For me I actually enjoy that piece. I'm kind of OCD when it comes to organization though so it makes sense. It's not more work for me at all nor does it take away from my being able to sit back and enjoy my vacation.

Now... that said... will my organization OCD be changed by XPass? Probably not. I'm still very much on the fence until I see something official from Disney on how this could all potentially work. Part of me thinks that because we normally don't Park Hop, the ability to "reserve" certain attractions in advance may be a nice thing. They are attractions we'd ordinarily FastPass anyway so to have the flexibility to be able to decide to "reserve" a spot for it might be fun. If we were park hopping though... or were booking a vacation long enough to spend multiple days in multiple parks, I'd probably just wing-it. It really would all depend on the "type" of trip we're planning. We've done everything from trips with Park Hopper, trips with tons of ADRs, trips where we plan to do nothing but Counter Service, trips where we FP the "big stuff," and trips where we wing it. So, I can see XPass being useful for some of those types and not-so-much for others.

The bottom line here that continues to be an issue on every forum on every topic in every country in the world (I assume on that last part lol) is everyone is entitled to their own opinions jsut as much as everyone is entitiled to vacation how they want to. Disney is obviously doing this because they think it's something their guests will enjoy the benefits of. I'm sure there will be folks who "poo poo'd" it while it was in the rumor mill that end up loving the heck out of it once it becomes a reality and vice versa. Until I get all the facts, I can't decide yet myself. Either way, I'm a techy geek who loves new gadgets and technology so I'm sure I'd at least give it a chance to impress me once.

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Originally Posted by BamaJenn

I'm one of those crazy people who actually does up spreadsheets and all sorts of jazz for their trip but it's more just to organize what we've planned. Like for example, if we plan on doing table service restaurants and make ADRs, I do up a little spreadsheet with what day, what restaurant, what time and the ADR confirmation number. It helps us specifically because we usually don't do Park Hoppers. So, I need to have it documented somewhere what ADRs I've made because if the restaurant is in a park, we're going to have to make sure we plan to spend the right day in the right park. For me I actually enjoy that piece. I'm kind of OCD when it comes to organization though so it makes sense. It's not more work for me at all nor does it take away from my being able to sit back and enjoy my vacation.

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I can see setting up dining reservations if you're doing ADRs. Especially now that they're charging for missed reservations (and I am SO glad about that -- with all of the chart and graph people, there is no reason to book five different ADRs for the same time as a 'just in case' measure), although I've never once had a host ask me for my confirmation number. Otherwise, keeping meals straight in your mind is necessary. Figuring out to the second what time you need to be riding Winnie the Pooh? Not so necessary.

I've set up spreadsheets, but not for micromanging each day. It's more for knowing what park we plan to be in, when our ADRs are (along with the res numbers - they have helped me once or twice), etc.

Then we can look at it, and be able to visualize and make decisions about changing plans, etc.

I keep a post-it note in my wallet with my ressie numbers. The CM at Prime Time told me we were not on the list and they were overbooked, sorry. I called the dining number gave them my ressie number and handed my cell phone over to the hostess after I was told it was too a valid reservation. She seated us. :inquis:

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Originally Posted by HauntedGabe

I keep a post-it note in my wallet with my ressie numbers. The CM at Prime Time told me we were not on the list and they were overbooked, sorry. I called the dining number gave them my ressie number and handed my cell phone over to the hostess after I was told it was too a valid reservation. She seated us. :inquis:

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Something similar happened to us several years ago, except the Dining CM screwed up the reservation.

We had reservations already at Coral Reef, but then the Candlelight Processional packages were released and I called up to change to it that. She did it, gave me a new reservation number, and that was that.

Come that day, we show up for dinner - and they can't find us at all. And they are fully booked (they had already been turning away walk-ups) Fortunately I had something with the reservation numbers on it, dug it out, and read it to here. There it is...for a wholly different day the following week, AFTER we'd be back home. The CM apparently rebooked for the wrong day.

Fortunately, before I could say anything else, the manager had already shown up and saw what happened, and said they would squeeze us in, and although they only had a set amount of the CP passes which were spoken for, she called over to the CP information booth, where we would be able to pick up the passes.

It turned out to be one of the best dinners we've had on property.

Had I not had the res number, we likely would have been shut out.