Reserve ride time from home?

[kcarts]

http://www.cfnews13.com/article/enterta ... -from-home

Sorry if I'm late to the party on this.

I saw this a week or so ago and was wondering if anyone else had seen it. And also what everyone's thoughts were on it.

Personally, I can see the advantages for WDW. Based on reservations they can better estimate crowd sizes in the parks on any given day. From there they can more efficiently staff the parks. Real time info is always better than historical data.

As a vistior to the parks, I like to go with the flow. This is something I don't think I would use.

Thoughts?

[theBIGyowski]

I could see something like this possibly working for DLR...because a good majority of the crowds are people local to the area. But WDW draws in so many people from around the country as well as internationally, that I don't really see there being a major benefit. It could maybe be a benefit to give to AP holders...since their tickets are open-ended.

[Amy]

I could see something like this possibly working for DLR...because a good majority of the crowds are people local to the area. But WDW draws in so many people from around the country as well as internationally, that I don't really see there being a major benefit. It could maybe be a benefit to give to AP holders...since their tickets are open-ended.

I think BIG had got a point, too many people visiting WDW aren't local.
Interesting concept though. It does seem to work more in the resort's favor as far as staffing and such.

[Wizzard419]

Kind of a weird concept actually, I think part of it might only work in this lower economy where the hotels are not fully booked.

I've almost never arrived at a hotel (except for this one hotel by one of our offices that caters to biz travelers) before 2 PM and been able to check in and go to my room. That being said I've also never arrived at WDW before like 5 or 6 PM, so they may only be fully booked on rare occasions.

But anyway, looking at the article, it looks like a small expansion of what they already offer. I would love to see how that is going to mess with fastpass distribution since the service is kind of unnecessary, but may work if the price is right.

[mindflipper]

Kind of a weird concept actually, I think part of it might only work in this lower economy where the hotels are not fully booked.

I've almost never arrived at a hotel (except for this one hotel by one of our offices that caters to biz travelers) before 2 PM and been able to check in and go to my room. That being said I've also never arrived at WDW before like 5 or 6 PM, so they may only be fully booked on rare occasions.

But anyway, looking at the article, it looks like a small expansion of what they already offer. I would love to see how that is going to mess with fastpass distribution since the service is kind of unnecessary, but may work if the price is right.

On my last trip to WDW, I got to the hotel before 11 AM I was able to check in and drop my luggage in my room before heading out to the parks. It can be done. Doesn't this concept take out the spontaneity in visiting a park?

[theBIGyowski]

DW and I got to POR around 11:00 AM and were able to check-in and go to our room. Now...it was our honeymoon so maybe that had something to do with it...but we were pleasantly surprised.

[mindflipper]

But anyway, looking at the article, it looks like a small expansion of what they already offer. I would love to see how that is going to mess with fastpass distribution since the service is kind of unnecessary, but may work if the price is right.

I would assume it would decrease the number of fast passes to be distributed for that time period.

[yodiwan1]

see and on my last trip I got to the hotel at 10:30 and the room wasn't ready until after 4! I think for people going on lengthy trips this could be great! I know if I had the cahnce to plan out the most to do in the shortest time, I would 100% take advantage of that!

[Amy]

see and on my last trip I got to the hotel at 10:30 and the room wasn't ready until after 4! I think for people going on lengthy trips this could be great! I know if I had the cahnce to plan out the most to do in the shortest time, I would 100% take advantage of that!

I don't think I would want to plan too much out in advance. Much like ADR's you would have to be in a certain place at a certain time. And then what happens if an attraction breaks down. All your perfectly laid out plans could crumble...

[mindflipper]

Good point, Amy! How often does Test Track, Mission: Space, TSMM, and Splash Mtn seem to go down for an hour or so?

[Amy]

Good point, Amy! How often does Test Track, Mission: Space, TSMM, and Splash Mtn seem to go down for an hour or so?

Plus some other big ones, like rock n roller coaster was down almost every time I tried to ride it this past December.
I guess I would rather be a little more spontaneous on my vacation. I might like to go, go, go ~ but I want to go, go, go on my own schedule

[Brian845]

Speaking as a planning freak (planning is half the fun!), I could definitely use this kind of tool. It drives my wife crazy, so I don't try to share too much detail with her, but I have a pretty good idea of what we want to do on an hour by hour basis in each park, at least 6 months away from our trip. We were up at 6am the other day, making our ADRs online which was a lot of fun!:)

Incidentally, we learned that WDW Dining does take Disney Reward Redemption Cards (for things like the Hoop Dee Doo Revue, which is paid in advance), although we had to call and speak to a live person to do it.

[yodiwan1]

simple solution...ride goes down and you had a reservation for it..get a fastpass type ticket to come back to go to another attraction. problem solved =)

[Amy]

simple solution...ride goes down and you had a reservation for it..get a fastpass type ticket to come back to go to another attraction. problem solved =)

Unless the fastpasses are unavailable to you since you have reserved your ride time from home?!

[mindflipper]

simple solution...ride goes down and you had a reservation for it..get a fastpass type ticket to come back to go to another attraction. problem solved =)

Unless the fastpasses are unavailable to you since you have reserved your ride time from home?!

As the fast pass system won't allow you to get another FP for an hour, I think there would have to be similar kind of restrictions for the new system. If you already have a valid reservation, then the FP should not be available in order to prevent any unfair "double dipping".