Fastpass+ Coming in May?

"More of the multi-year NextGen initiative is about to go live. Arguably the key piece of the entire plan is the ability to make ride reservations even before the vacation begins - the part called xPass internally - and it's about to start tests with the public. Called "FastPass+" (pronounced FastPass-Plus, like Google+), the full details aren't known yet. What we do know is that early May will see a random selection of visitors to Disney hotels receiving an invitation to participate - it certainly won't be everyone with a hotel reservation! - and they will indeed get to select ride times ahead of their trip."

For the rest of the article by Kevin Yee, head over to The Ultimate Orlando Blog.

 

Oh boy - here we go. ; Food reservations 11 months in advance, coffee reservations 11 months in advance, now RIDE reservations 11 months in advance. ; Great news for those who like to plan their trips with less advance warning. ; Yay - checked hotels, and I found availability next month! ; Got my annual pass! ; Ready to go to Disney! ; Even though I can't get into any restaurants or rides during my length of stay - I'll just walk around the parks waving at people and drinking from the water fountains (at least until those go on advance reservations too).

 

+1

 

Somebody with adjacent property to Disney is going to get smart and build a huge platform 400 feet in the air, so everyone that failed to make advance reservations for everything can stand on the platform and see the Disney parks and imagine being there vicariously. ; Maybe TMIP can get in on the action, and have our photos displayed at the platform for others to use as inspiration for their virtual mind tour.

 

Nah, you're just going to need to buy Walt Disney World Adventures (2012) for XBox Kinect, and use either the Google Glasses or the Sony 3D glasses. ; From the comfort of your own living room you can enjoy the many wonders of riding the Monorail from the TTC, going through the security line, waiting in line for Pirates of the Caribbean, having it go 101 when you are the front of the line, riding Splash Mountain, going on Maelstrom, watching the fireworks, with even a special Magic Memories and You show with screen captures highlighting your visit - from buying churros from an ODV cart, waiting in line for Space Mountain, and getting escorted out of the park at 3am. ;

XBox Live account required, game experience subject to change or inactivation after 12/31/2012. Additional DLC required for Fastpass, Fastpass+, PhotoPass, and access to in-game badges you can earn by playing in-park games.


Get ready for the Walt Disney World Adventures (2013), with such new and exciting things like a second Dumbo, the Little Mermaid dark ride, a new Magic Memories and You show featuring a new Sandcastle design, and Wishes 2013, with 1% new firework bursts!

 

Ooh...sounds good!

Sarcastic bunch, aren't we??!!

 

It was looking like the White House Situation Room...

For a second there, and I *KNOW* I saw it, it looked like we were all 5-star generals, and this looked like a gathering in the Situation Room to take down Bin Laden or something.

Now, the generals are all gone. ; What was that?!

 

It's been done, and it's called Characters in Flight.

 

So I presume lips are sealed over the incident? ; General? ; I feel naked without my medals now!

 

I spoke to a cast member back in 2006 who told me this was coming. ; Now I know how slowly it takes for the wheels of progress to move there

 

Gary,

If you want that spontaneity back, go to Disneyland. ; It's still pretty much alive and well there

 

I still do the spontaneous Disney trips, despite their best efforts to take it away. ; It just involves throwing in even more flexibility to my trip - such as spending time enjoying touring resorts, hitting parks and just skipping certain rides knowing there's no shot, finding alternate restaurants and just skipping the ones I know will be booked (fortunately there are still tons of great restaurants all around, and some remain rather unknown to the masses...plus, if you're willing to spend a little more, you can go to the ones that are priced above the dining plan that don't get as overbooked).

I still pick my park of the day spontaneously...sometimes just based on the first bus to arrive, or how many people at the bus stop are going to one park which makes me decide to go to another. ; And I still sleep in and enjoy my coffee - you can have your rope drops and fast passes!

 

Last I heard a few select park guests were already testing the system. ; So they are probably working out the bugs now that it's in the real world and/or waiting for Dumbo #2 to come completely online first (with the new queueless waiting system)