Big changes coming to FASTPASS in March

[Tom]

Part of what they seem to want to accomplish with xPass will undoubtedly be a benefit. Being able to schedule attractions same day from your phone and being able to order counter service as it's a takeout order are both great benefits.

Really it's everything else that's risky/potentially unnecessary.

I would agree that the same-day features of xPass will be pretty cool. But the talk about booking your 6:15 ride on Splash Mountain weeks before your trip - not so much. That is a ridiculous idea, and I hope it's not the way they go with this.

 

[RSoxNo1]

I would agree that the same-day features of xPass will be pretty cool. But the talk about booking your 6:15 ride on Splash Mountain weeks before your trip - not so much. That is a ridiculous idea, and I hope it's not the way they go with this.

This is a point where I disagree with Jim Hill's perspective. He's right that there is little to know spontaniety in preparing for your trip as well as many components of your trip, but planning out that many details of your day, especially experiences that are typically less than 5 minutes (rides) is tougher.

But if this is done in the same day, it will likely result in a higher return time for Fastpasses (as opposed to being ignored), but it may also result in a better distribution throughout the day. I would guess that the 2 hour "new fastpass" window will also go away, and guests would receive a set number in each category that can be booked each day. If anything it's a closer return to the A-E tickets as guests will be forced into a choice of which attractions they want to wait in short line for vs. a long line.

 

[Tom]

This is a point where I disagree with Jim Hill's perspective. He's right that there is little to know spontaniety in preparing for your trip as well as many components of your trip, but planning out that many details of your day, especially experiences that are typically less than 5 minutes (rides) is tougher.

But if this is done in the same day, it will likely result in a higher return time for Fastpasses (as opposed to being ignored), but it may also result in a better distribution throughout the day. I would guess that the 2 hour "new fastpass" window will also go away, and guests would receive a set number in each category that can be booked each day. If anything it's a closer return to the A-E tickets as guests will be forced into a choice of which attractions they want to wait in short line for vs. a long line.

This makes much more sense, and I would see it as an actual perk.

 

[Brava Centauri]

In theory, being able to reserve fast passes via smart phone the day you're in the park is a potentially good idea. However, they would seriously need to upgrade their service hardware/software in order to accommodate the instant onslaught of guests who log on at the exact moment the window to reserve opens up so they can get the exact times they want. If the service only works in the park, you'll still have the crowds of hard-core guests at rope drop ... but instead of rushing to get their passes, they'll be standing in a corner crashing the servers.

If they can pull that off, then they also have to accommodate those who do not have smart phones/internet services. I could see them using a sort of computer kiosk (obviously a dozen of them to handle crowds), which they could install in the area where the current princess meet/greet is (once it is moved into the sacred and desecrated ground where SWSA is).

So, when xpass does roll out, will it completely replace the current FP system of going to the attraction, obtaining a ticket, and returning within your window? What about if you decide not to reserve your FP and you're across the park at BTMRR? Do you need to walk all the way back to the front of the park to use their provided method if you don't have a smart phone? And if you do have a smart phone, does reserving the FP online replace the need for there to be physical FP distribution machines?

 

[RSoxNo1]

In theory, being able to reserve fast passes via smart phone the day you're in the park is a potentially good idea. However, they would seriously need to upgrade their service hardware/software in order to accommodate the instant onslaught of guests who log on at the exact moment the window to reserve opens up so they can get the exact times they want. If the service only works in the park, you'll still have the crowds of hard-core guests at rope drop ... but instead of rushing to get their passes, they'll be standing in a corner crashing the servers.

If they can pull that off, then they also have to accommodate those who do not have smart phones/internet services. I could see them using a sort of computer kiosk (obviously a dozen of them to handle crowds), which they could install in the area where the current princess meet/greet is (once it is moved into the sacred and desecrated ground where SWSA is).

So, when xpass does roll out, will it completely replace the current FP system of going to the attraction, obtaining a ticket, and returning within your window? What about if you decide not to reserve your FP and you're across the park at BTMRR? Do you need to walk all the way back to the front of the park to use their provided method if you don't have a smart phone? And if you do have a smart phone, does reserving the FP online replace the need for there to be physical FP distribution machines?

Yeah, the big thing right now is that the current infrastructure isn't capable of this. Perhaps this is where the bulk of the large $1 billion investment is going towards. I know one of the guys at touringplans.com was recently hired by Disney. I would guess that touringplans software is probably better equipped to handle this problem than Disney's current system.

As for those people that don't use smartphones, I strongly recommend listening to our recent episode with Jim Hill. On it, Jim explains how one thing being considered is the use of a cheap to make, virtually indestructible smart phone like device dubbed the "ice cream bar". This device can either be rented, or given to every guest for their vacation. The other option is to wait until smart phones are even more widespread than they are now. The problem is, this could just as easily become dated within a year of the program debuting.

 

[disneyeater]

I just returned from a WDW trip and noticed several long FP lines. We waited over 30 minutes in the FP queues for Soarin', Test Track, Mission: Space, and Star Tours. FP lines seemed "normal" at Splash Mountain, Space Mountain, Peter Pan, Tower Of Tower, Rock 'n Roller Coaster, and Toy Story Midway Mania, but we were at these early in the morning or late at night, near the start or end of the FP distribution windows. I'm not sure what these FP lines were like in the middle of the day.

I'm don't know if the increased waits were due to the new FP system or simply bad timing on my part. (There has been speculation that WDW might be distributing more FPs with the implementation of the stricter return time enforcements.)

Is this just me or has anyone else noticed a change?

I was there the week they implemented the change and noticed this immediately. I thought, my timing cannot be this bad at every ride.

 

[flynnibus]

I just returned from a WDW trip and noticed several long FP lines. We waited over 30 minutes in the FP queues for Soarin', Test Track, Mission: Space, and Star Tours. FP lines seemed "normal" at Splash Mountain, Space Mountain, Peter Pan, Tower Of Tower, Rock 'n Roller Coaster, and Toy Story Midway Mania, but we were at these early in the morning or late at night, near the start or end of the FP distribution windows. I'm not sure what these FP lines were like in the middle of the day.

Curious.. when you say waited 30mins.. are you talking before you got to the grouper or safety spiel? Or some other point? Soarin is notorious for a long wait even if you are at the front of the line due to the staggering of grouping, preshow, waiting for the previous show, etc. Test Track can be variable depending if they are bypassing the preshow, etc.

But there does seem to be reports from this springbreak/easter that they have been experimenting with higher distribution of FPs - meaning more people in FP queues.

 

[Annielkd]

Curious.. when you say waited 30mins.. are you talking before you got to the grouper or safety spiel? Or some other point? Soarin is notorious for a long wait even if you are at the front of the line due to the staggering of grouping, preshow, waiting for the previous show, etc. Test Track can be variable depending if they are bypassing the preshow, etc.

But there does seem to be reports from this springbreak/easter that they have been experimenting with higher distribution of FPs - meaning more people in FP queues.

Last year in April I waited 75 minutes in the fast pass line from the time I got to the first booth, till the time I was seated. Most of the time was just staning. NO one believes me... but, I timed it. THAT was the fast pass line!!!!! So, you had a better week then me at Easter time. 30 minutes I could probably handle.

 

[FettFan]

LOL. "Big Changes" = "We are going to actually enforce the rules of the game"

WOW.

 

[WDWYankee15]

LOL. "Big Changes" = "We are going to actually enforce the rules of the game"

WOW.

Nice thread bump. When I saw the thread title I thought this was about full implemenatation of FastPass+ in March 2014...then I saw the OP date.

This thread was the precursor of changes to FastPass to lay the groundwork for FastPass+.

 

[FettFan]

Hmm. Whoopsies.

This thread is actually on WDWMagic's homepage as a "Most Read" article. I too thought it was referring to March 2014.

Easy to be confused, since it's on the ticker next to current articles....Osborne Family Lights, Carousel of Progress down for 1-day refurb, DD/Disney Springs construction updates, etc.

 

[RSoxNo1]

I too was expecting this to be a Fastpass+ discussion... curses.

 

[Tom]

I too was expecting this to be a Fastpass+ discussion... curses.

Nah, that big news is in another thread started today. You know, then one announcing that Disney has far too much confidence in the current reliability of the Magic Bands?