Is anyone else starting to think it may not be worth the price to visit without any Fastpass+ or similar system? I feel like we’ve jumped through all these hoops with hotels, park reservations, etc. and we’re paying full price, only now to plug rides into TP and see waits way longer than at least I expected for these crowd levels.
Feeling really disheartened and nervous now. With FP+ and TP we’ve never waited more than 20 minutes for a ride.
I think all bets are off in this unprecedented situation, and it will take a good volume of data upon parks reopening to get a good handle on what the true crowd levels are and for the TP formula to catch up with the new normal. There’s not much to base wait times on yet, so I wouldn’t worry yet.
I am actually so so happy to have a trip without Fastpasses! I have never been a fan. Looking forward to a trip like the good old days when you just do what you want when you want and not have to be tied to a set schedule.
Just to reiterate what was previously said… The data TP has is no longer valid. It will take a minimum of 4 weeks, probably 6 - 8 weeks, before they’ve collected enough data to begin providing accurate queue wait data. (They’ll most likely do an update in mid - late August / early Sept. with their initial stats.)
I honestly cannot wait! It will take me back to my childhood. No ADRs you just walked in for a table, no FPs…the old magic was just being able to be on property and go to the parks. They have added SOOO much that all thats known now is all the extras. Yeah sure parades and fireworks have always been there an now won’t but hey, lets go and just experience the parks. Stop worrying about rushing from one FP to another FP to a reservation, to a show, to a parade to the fireworks…just slow it down and enjoy it
Ah. Too true. But then, we had already planned park days and never do park hoppers, so it isn’t really a change for us.
Same for us. We always have planned park days and I have never park hopped in my life
The TP data is irrelevant right now so plans are merely a list of what you want to do - not their fault but there is literally no information to go from.
I will say I’m a bit relieved that I am not embarking on a trip in the first month or so of opening. I will be watching closely to see how things play out and then maybe consider trying for late fall - as of now, though, I think I’m putting odd until next spring.
Currently the data they are using to give you that 83 min wait for whatever ride you are looking at is data used back when there was FPP so therefore it’s thinking you’re waiting standby and accounting for all the numerous people walking into the FPP queue when your in line. So it’s not accurate; there’s just no way it can be accurate right now.
Also we have to take into account we don’t know ride capacity or anything like that.
However, I still totally feel your pain. It is so disheartening to look at a plan and see those wait times when you’re a liner and don’t ever wait in line. For me, I loved the thrill of getting the next fpp, and the next and the next, and the same day drops. So its a little weird to not have that to look forward to.
I have TPs for all of our park days at the end of July. I haven’t given them a glance at all since the cancellation of the FP system. I’m eyeing wait times the first week after the parks reopen to determine if it’ll be worth it to attempt our trip. If wait times end up looking like an AH event (I realize this is a big if…if not a pipe dream on my part) I think I can convince my kids to deal with the masks with promises of lots of re-rides on their favorites (not something we get to do often due to lack of FPs for high demand rides) and lots of treats 
This is exactly why I haven’t cancelled my trip yet. After seeing how low crowds are at Universal & other Orlando places, I can deal with masks. It’s always hot / humid / sweaty anyway. A mask isn’t, IMHO, going to make it much worse.
To illustrate, here’s the wait times for the last few days at Universal:
(from ThrillData)
Even on a Saturday, the queues are less than 30 minutes on average. People are reporting getting on Hagrid’s 6 - 9 times in a day!
I agree up to a point: same day fp+ is a game changer. You can get a fp+ one after another and do whatever you want without waiting.
Now if I could go back to 1980s crowd levels and no cell phones… but then I’d want to carry a camera!
Ok, thanks everyone you make me feel a lot better. I was expecting what Universal has looked like in recent days, and then to see these hour long or more waits pop up–it just wasn’t what I expected at all! I even filled out that survey yesterday from Disney about what my expectations are, and I answered, “My trip will be just as magical!” Some of the magic comes from within:smiling_face_with_three_hearts:
I’ll just keep monitoring Universal and Disney once July 11th rolls around, and keep the faith!
I SO agree.
Back when I was following along, I rarely found any same day FPs for any rides we cared about…so while I would try to use them, I didn’t seem them as useful as they could be otherwise.
If you get another chance, give it a try. We got 7dmt multiple days, as many Space as we wanted, any of the dark rides. Had to refresh a few times, but could usually get them.
It does take away a little because you’re stuck looking at a phone. But using a dozen fp+ gets you on a lot of rides.
Here’s the irony, though. On the days you CAN easily get same-day FPs for more rides, the stand-by lines are also crazy short. So you’re saving very little actual time in those cases.
Don’t get me wrong…if you can get them, use them! But I was quickly seeing as I’d “sample” various parks across numerous days that the same-day FP selection was almost worthless. MK was the only park where it was somewhat useful, since there are so many more rides.
Regardless, I stand by what I said: I prefer no Fastpass system at all!
I don’t think much of TP will be useful right now, because everything is based on historical data. Given the number of attractions, shops, and restaurants that won’t be open, a “Covid CL3” may well be different than a “historical” CL3.
Here’s a calendar that shows wait times for this month at Shanghai Disneyland. On a weekend, some rides had short lines (<20 minutes), most lines were 30-40 minutes, and the biggest rides did have lines of about an hour. Some of the rides in the middle-to-big category had virtual queues, allowing those “in line” to go on a smaller ride, eat, or shop. I do think Disney World will be something between Universal and Shanghai when it opens. People expecting 10 minute lines everywhere will be disappointed, but I don’t think it will be that bad, especially if virtual queues are popular.
