How FastPass Should Be a Guest Benefit...

[jdmdisney99]

FastPass was invented so Disney could rake in more cash. Period. It was touted around as a revolutionary system to skip the lines, but that's a false placebo for the true purpose; when you spend less time waiting in lines, you'll spend more time in shops and eateries handing over your money for Disney products. With the original FastPass system, however, this wasn't what happened. It basically backfired. Guests would spend more time in line, because they'd get a FastPass ticket, then go wait in line for another ride; which brings me to the point that the stand-by line they are now in is longer due to FastPass, thus extending the line time even more. Then visitors could get another FastPass after one hour, then wait in line for another ride, then get another FastPass, and so on and so forth. It was somewhat beneficial to guests who used the system well. But Disney wouldn't have it, so they decided to up it even more with what is now being released as FastPass+. It allows guests to reserve THREE FastPass ride times SIXTY days in advance, so, in theory, they wouldn't be able to run around to any other FastPass lines or want to wait in longer stand-by lines so then guests would spend that money the corporation so coveted. You see, they have taken guest benefits out of the situation. Why do I need to book what I want to ride in advance? Couldn't I just as well make an itinerary and wait in stand-by? Well, not anymore because those lines are unbearably long.

FastPass, in an efficient world, should be a true way for guests to even out and skip the lines. Here are some keys to make it work...

1. Bring back the days of spontaneous legacy FastPass - Like I said above, what is the point of booking a ride time in advance? If people like planning ahead, make an itinerary. But really, theme parks are about wandering and exploring with your family. So to make this system better the following changes should be made; for day guests, make FastPasses only available day of, for resort guests, let ONE FastPass be booked in advance for each day of their trip at the time of their arrival, and for passholders let SEVEN FastPasses be booked in advance every week of the year. Also, enable the previous mantra that guests can get a new FastPass every hour. That way, it is truly a way for guests to skip the lines.
2. Decrease the amount of FastPasses available and decrease the space FastPass lines take up - one of the big problems with FastPass is how it harms the wait times in regular lines. FastPass results in a reserved window for FastPass riders. For big chunks of time, ride vehicles go out with only FastPass riders or no passengers at all. At this point, the stand-by line is paused and waits for the window to end. By decreasing the number of virtual "tickets" available, you decrease the constant and lengthy reservation periods, resulting in a more steady movement of the stand-by lines and lower wait times. This also allows to shorten FastPass lines and increase indoor queue space for stand-by, decreasing the abundance of outdoor switchbacks.
3. Get rid of FastPass at attractions with high capacity and no need to skip the lines - High capacity rides take in more people. Simple. So why would one need to skip an almost non-existent, constant moving line? Just as described in the previous point, it increases the stand-by wait times. By taking away FastPass from these attractions, you decrease normal wait times for other guests.

So, really, FastPass could be a wonderful way to benefit guests, but it turned out to be a money-grabbing effort. In the future, hopefully we can have a system that serves as a true "skip the line service" that provides a shorter, quicker second line, that doesn't cannibalize the stand-by.

 

[DisneyJoe]

what is the point of booking a ride time in advance?

This eliminates the mad morning dash for fastpasses, as well as allows those who like to sleep in or have conferences or other commitments to have a chance at an attraction.

Some examples:

- I was at a conference that had us busy in meetings until 1pm. I was able to schedule FP+ for TSMM for that afternoon. This greatly reduced the stress of my day.
- I was also able to do the same when the meetings ended at 4pm for attractions at other parks
- My niece and her friend traveled in early December. One night they were out very late, and were able to use the MDE app to reschedule their FP+ for the next day so that they could sleep a little.

 

[jdmdisney99]

This eliminates the mad morning dash for fastpasses, as well as allows those who like to sleep in or have conferences or other commitments to have a chance at an attraction.

Some examples:

- I was at a conference that had us busy in meetings until 1pm. I was able to schedule FP+ for TSMM for that afternoon. This greatly reduced the stress of my day.
- I was also able to do the same when the meetings ended at 4pm for attractions at other parks
- My niece and her friend traveled in early December. One night they were out very late, and were able to use the MDE app to reschedule their FP+ for the next day so that they could sleep a little.

1. Are you an AP? If so, you could be able to book SEVEN FastPasses in advance every week if a system like I described above was implemented.

2. Was your niece staying at a resort? Then she could change her ONE pre-booked FastPass for the following day at any time.

3. There wouldn't be a rush in the morning to grab a FastPass. The digital age is upon us, and guests would be able to get FastPasses in the morning on mobile devices and kiosks within the park, starting at the moment the park opens.

 

[DisneyJoe]

3. There wouldn't be a rush in the morning to grab a FastPass. The digital age is upon us, and guests would be able to get FastPasses in the morning on mobile devices and kiosks within the park, starting at the moment the park opens.

Sorry, this one made me laugh. Yes, there would be a rush, but it would be a digital rush.

I can picture everyone with their mobile device or web browser waiting for the moment that FP+ are available for that day and then hitting submit at the same time, crashing or at least bringing the Disney infrastructure down, or at least to a very slow crawl.

Ever call in to Disney Central Reservations when a new Disney offer is released? Ever sit on the phone for 2 to 7 hours? Or try to get a Be Our Guest reservation?

Disney has a LONG LONG way to go to be a reliable part of the digital age.

 

[jdmdisney99]

Sorry, this one made me laugh. Yes, there would be a rush, but it would be a digital rush.

I can picture everyone with their mobile device or web browser waiting for the moment that FP+ are available for that day and then hitting submit at the same time, crashing or at least bringing the Disney infrastructure down, or at least to a very slow crawl.

Ever call in to Disney Central Reservations when a new Disney offer is released? Ever sit on the phone for 2 to 7 hours? Or try to get a Be Our Guest reservation?

Disney has a LONG LONG way to go to be a reliable part of the digital age.

Okay, whatever you want to say. If you want to talk about the current Disney corporation, than this thread doesn't make any sense, because Disney wouldn't change it to be more beneficial. Besides, they have FP+ now and those kiosks stack up with loads of people, and many changing or checking at the same time, and I have yet to hear about a major MDE crash. Also, why would you NEED to rush. Everybody except day guests could already have AT LEAST one FastPass pre-booked, so I don't see why everyone would run to get another. Besides, I thought I mentioned, anyone who pre-booked would have to wait an hour after park opening to get any new FastPasses, so you couldn't anyways. Oh, and thanks for answering the rest of my questions in what I thought would be an simple conversation.

 

[jdmdisney99]

Sorry, this one made me laugh. Yes, there would be a rush, but it would be a digital rush.

I can picture everyone with their mobile device or web browser waiting for the moment that FP+ are available for that day and then hitting submit at the same time, crashing or at least bringing the Disney infrastructure down, or at least to a very slow crawl.

Ever call in to Disney Central Reservations when a new Disney offer is released? Ever sit on the phone for 2 to 7 hours? Or try to get a Be Our Guest reservation?

Disney has a LONG LONG way to go to be a reliable part of the digital age.

We can agree to disagree. Disney's digital service today is terrible. But in the future anything is possible...

 

[PolynesianPrincess]

I can confirm with 100% certainty that we will spend no more time in the gift shops spending money than we did before FP+. When you go to Disney with X amount of money to spend on souvenirs, food etc, then that's it. Having more time to spend in the gift shops isn't magically going to make more souvenir money appear. At least it won't for the people who save a certain amount of money for shopping. FP+ is going to allow us to stand in longer lines at rides like Pirates, Haunted Mansion, Spaceship Earth, etc.. because these atttractions now have FP+ and DO NOT NEED IT.

I DO like being able to change FP times and not rushing to the parks to get FP. I DO NOT like having to book this 60 days ahead of time. It's bad enough dining is made at 180 days out, now this. It's just too much planning, too far in advance. I understand with legacy FP you still had to do some planning, but nothing like with FP+.

 

[DisneyJoe]

We can agree to disagree. Disney's digital service today is terrible. But in the future anything is possible...

Oh, agreed, someday, some year, eventually. I have been using their booking engines to book travel for clients since 1998, and I have seen marginal improvements over the years, but nothing to lead me to believe that they will ever be at the level of Amazon or Ebay. They'd need a visionary CIO with deep pockets to get there.