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Post by noreen99 on Jan 14, 2023 11:33:59 GMT -5
As much as I hate these park reservations, and I REALLY do, I just got a survey from Universal, and it got us thinking/discussing around here. It was a survey about Epic Universe, and revolved around the possibility and our feelings on park reservations vs showing up and possibly being turned away due to capacity. I am sure they are expecting insane crowds at Univeral when Epic opens. So based on the survey questions, DH was very pro reservations for this new park. And I can see some of the point. I can't imagine planning a big Universal trip, only to show up at the gates at Epic, and being turned away due to capacity. I don't know what they'll end up doing. doesn't open until 2025. maybe the new NIntendo land in US Hollywood will give an indication, after seeing what kind of crowds they get. I know it's apples/oranges in a lot of ways. A brand new theme park vs older ones, but got me actually thinking a reservation in that scenario might be preferable. that said, I still want WDW to do away with them. We are actually heading to California next week- And are planning to try for the Nintendo soft opening thats in progress. They are doing some sort of reservation system with pass holders and IMO that sucks. Lots of complains from pass holders that they need to reserve yet day guests are just wandering in... Got the same survey and I would rather plan entire trip accordingly off season weekday than play the reservation game- for us the risk of getting turned away isn't as bad. |
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Post by helenabear on Jan 15, 2023 15:34:06 GMT -5
I've said many times they should've done this from the start. Make it a real perk that fills rooms and costs them nothing. That’s the thing though there at this point aren’t enough perks for staying onsite - in the last 18 months I have stayed off site more than in the last 20 years. It has just become so complicated. Especially if your traveling with 1st timers or non-park people . We had my sons buddies show up and it’s not like they could grab a ticket and join us. Neither 20 something had a MDE account that they could access- they would have needed to create new emails from scratch, open an account, accept friends and family requests before we could even get to available park reservations. Even though we were staying @ OKW our destination was UO/IOA. We showed up at noon parked the car they grabbed tickets at the gate and WALKED IN! Headed over to Finnegan’s- & were immediately seated had lunch.The next thing I hope they work on is the “60” day window. It’s ridiculous 60 days for all guests means I am either eating in the room or paying for a snipe service for dining reservations. the announced changes are a great start but a lots gotta change before I feel comfortable planning anything more than a solo trip. That's my point. They need real perks onsite. Doing so would be a free perk for Disney to give. |
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Post by BWV Dreamin on Jan 15, 2023 15:38:42 GMT -5
I mean it is really getting rediculous. I had no idea that it was that easy to go to Universal!! I've said many times they should've done this from the start. Make it a real perk that fills rooms and costs them nothing. That’s the thing though there at this point aren’t enough perks for staying onsite - in the last 18 months I have stayed off site more than in the last 20 years. It has just become so complicated. Especially if your traveling with 1st timers or non-park people . We had my sons buddies show up and it’s not like they could grab a ticket and join us. Neither 20 something had a MDE account that they could access- they would have needed to create new emails from scratch, open an account, accept friends and family requests before we could even get to available park reservations. Even though we were staying @ OKW our destination was UO/IOA. We showed up at noon parked the car they grabbed tickets at the gate and WALKED IN! Headed over to Finnegan’s- & were immediately seated had lunch.The next thing I hope they work on is the “60” day window. It’s ridiculous 60 days for all guests means I am either eating in the room or paying for a snipe service for dining reservations. the announced changes are a great start but a lots gotta change before I feel comfortable planning anything more than a solo trip. |
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Post by brp on Jan 15, 2023 16:50:03 GMT -5
I mean it is really getting rediculous. I had no idea that it was that easy to go to Universal!! That’s the thing though there at this point aren’t enough perks for staying onsite - Interesting. I responded to this yesterday and it's gone. Maybe the ProBoard Server issue?
For us, the benefit to staying onsite is staying onsite. Walking to 2 parks, easy access to others. Being in the magic. Sure, I'd like even more benefit, but we get enough as it is.
Cheers.
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Post by noreen99 on Jan 15, 2023 17:17:00 GMT -5
I mean it is really getting rediculous. I had no idea that it was that easy to go to Universal!! That’s the thing though there at this point aren’t enough perks for staying onsite - in the last 18 months I have stayed off site more than in the last 20 years. It has just become so complicated. Especially if your traveling with 1st timers or non-park people . We had my sons buddies show up and it’s not like they could grab a ticket and join us. Neither 20 something had a MDE account that they could access- they would have needed to create new emails from scratch, open an account, accept friends and family requests before we could even get to available park reservations. Even though we were staying @ OKW our destination was UO/IOA. We showed up at noon parked the car they grabbed tickets at the gate and WALKED IN! Headed over to Finnegan’s- & were immediately seated had lunch.The next thing I hope they work on is the “60” day window. It’s ridiculous 60 days for all guests means I am either eating in the room or paying for a snipe service for dining reservations. the announced changes are a great start but a lots gotta change before I feel comfortable planning anything more than a solo trip. If that wasn’t sarcasm yes it’s that easy… brp - we almost never walk to the parks at WDW and I really dislike disney buses so we usually have a car, but that’s me when stay at Universal usually Cabana Bay - we skip the car and walk - the pathways are beautiful and having the separate resort guests security entrance is wonderful |
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Post by brp on Jan 15, 2023 17:44:07 GMT -5
I mean it is really getting rediculous. I had no idea that it was that easy to go to Universal!! - we almost never walk to the parks at WDW and I really dislike disney buses so we usually have a car, but that’s me when stay at Universal usually Cabana Bay - we skip the car and walk - the pathways are beautiful and having the separate resort guests security entrance is wonderful Precisely. Staying onsite has enough benefit in, and if, itself for some and not for others. That's why we each get to choose 
Cheers.
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Post by helenabear on Jan 15, 2023 18:46:17 GMT -5
I've said many times they should've done this from the start. Make it a real perk that fills rooms and costs them nothing. That’s the thing though there at this point aren’t enough perks for staying onsite - in the last 18 months I have stayed off site more than in the last 20 years. It has just become so complicated. Especially if your traveling with 1st timers or non-park people . We had my sons buddies show up and it’s not like they could grab a ticket and join us. Neither 20 something had a MDE account that they could access- they would have needed to create new emails from scratch, open an account, accept friends and family requests before we could even get to available park reservations. Even though we were staying @ OKW our destination was UO/IOA. We showed up at noon parked the car they grabbed tickets at the gate and WALKED IN! Headed over to Finnegan’s- & were immediately seated had lunch.The next thing I hope they work on is the “60” day window. It’s ridiculous 60 days for all guests means I am either eating in the room or paying for a snipe service for dining reservations. the announced changes are a great start but a lots gotta change before I feel comfortable planning anything more than a solo trip. I totally forgot to comment on the dining part. So many seem to want 90 or even 180 days back. I do know the walk up option that became more popular post covid is more helpful. Still I want to choose on the fly. Given dining plan is now dining card, maybe they'll shift from the awful dining plan. |
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Post by helenabear on Jan 15, 2023 18:48:51 GMT -5
I mean it is really getting rediculous. I had no idea that it was that easy to go to Universal!! Interesting. I responded to this yesterday and it's gone. Maybe the ProBoard Server issue?
For us, the benefit to staying onsite is staying onsite. Walking to 2 parks, easy access to others. Being in the magic. Sure, I'd like even more benefit, but we get enough as it is. Cheers. This is to noreen99's post that is there from yesterday. Lodgelady's post was only made a few hours ago magicowners.com/post/1254/thread |
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Post by Cynister on Jan 22, 2023 13:05:56 GMT -5
IMO These are all nice, but not enough & not any that I'll really benefit from. #2 irks me because there are many AP holders that aren't locals. For my family, this isn't a benefit for us really since we'd likely be doing something else onsite (either a park reservation or resort) until 2pm when we're allowed to park hop anyway. They should have also included the ability to park hop earlier. Even 11AM or 12PM would be more reasonable for people to spend time in multiple parks comfortably. They also should have allowed G+ to be booked before the day of for everyone with a reservation. Then if the reservation gets canceled, the G+ gets canceled immediately. Personally, I'm fine with the park reservation system staying if it would work in real-time. Meaning, let people reserve a park & be able to park hop when they want as long as there's an available park reservation. Is it 11AM & your family has had it with the crowds at MK? Great, open the app & look to see where there are available park reservations for the # in your party. Make the reservation & go. No silly time restrictions. They've already proven that their systems can do this via the existing reservation system, as well as things like virtual queue. |
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Post by donaldquack on Jan 29, 2023 11:43:53 GMT -5
A lot of other changes needed
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Post by Ellie54 on Feb 15, 2023 13:36:03 GMT -5
Hello,
As an AP and DVC member this is great news! SO when does it become effective?
Thank you for the info.
Ellie
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Post by helenabear on Feb 15, 2023 15:30:03 GMT -5
Hello, As an AP and DVC member this is great news! SO when does it become effective? Thank you for the info. Ellie No announcement yet on when. |
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Post by fuzzylogic on Feb 15, 2023 16:31:00 GMT -5
Part of the article where Josh D was still pushing park reservations talked about “the guest experience”. I laugh at that…the parks are packed. It’s not a pleasant guest experience. If they need to keep them in place for other reasons, that’s fine, but please don’t say it’s about the guest experience. How about telling the real reason? Interesting that you see the parks as so packed with a negative experience. I've been a lot of times over the last few years and see the opposite trend. It used to be that restaurants were packed to the point that every table was full and when you show up to check in you'd wait 30-60 min for a table. Recent? Every restaurant has many tables open, you check in on the app and are called in minutes. It used to be that getting in the park involved a massive crowd outside and slow security that took forever to get thru. Recent? We walk in with practically no stopping. It used to be if you did not book something in advance you could not get a table. Recent? We were at Epcot and booked several dining reservations about an hour before we wanted to eat with many times available. Just looking ~right now for tonight~... I can book so many restaurants. We're talking Tiffins, Whispering Cyn, Cali Grill, Cape May, Enzo's, Hoop Dee Doo, Oga's -- really great options. The guest experience is so much better. Think back 10 years ago. The hot thing was Toy Story Mania and the opening scenario was a mob style crowd trampled each other for the FP kiosks and to be first in line because that ride built a massive wait. It was not good. Recent years we've ridden TSMM hundreds of times and not waited more than 10-15 min. |
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Post by JaxFLBear on Feb 23, 2023 9:14:14 GMT -5
Start dates announced for AP and Genie+ enhancements:
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Post by ncstatetigger on Feb 23, 2023 18:50:45 GMT -5
Start dates announced for AP and Genie+ enhancements: |
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