Rumor Version of MaxPass coming to WDW in May?

[UNCgolf]

We did it around Christmas so maybe everyone paid it thinking the same thing I did

Yeah, it's probably so busy at Christmas that the lines are still long.

I was there in February (in 2017, I think). Plus, I also stayed at the Royal Pacific, so I didn't pay anything extra for Express Pass because it comes with the room. I'm sure the inclusion is factored in to the price of the room, but that hotel was still cheaper than any of the Disney deluxes and the room price wasn't really off what I'd expect to pay for a hotel of similar quality regardless of Express Pass, so I was prett happy with it.

 

[lazyboy97o]

How is it possible to guarantee that the CMs controlling line flow are using those numbers?

The number of people moving through each queue is counted. The counters are now typically overhead.

 

[peter11435]

My understanding was that it's supposed to be 75/25, but is often run at 85/15 or 90/10.

It’s supposed to be 80/20... but factors exist that sometimes force it to shift even more heavily towards fastpass.

 

[flutas]

What if FastPass as we know it is dead, but the new version is already in the parks, very publicly visible and "battle" tested?

Imagine a system similar (aka cloned from) the ROTR virtual queue system.

Based off of multiple factors then ops could decide to open a virtual queue to guests for attractions at various points throughout the day. Instead of hard FPs for certain rides you get X number of virtual queues per day that allow you to skip the physical line. Maybe you could even set a list of priority experiences and get an alert when a virtual queue for that ride is about to open.

It would solve the "60+ day planning" problem, and allow ops to decide how many "FastPasses" they can hand out for a ride at any one time. It would also allow them to speed up or slow down groups when they need them rather than having people show up at a set time... Best of all for a certain Bob, it keeps people wandering the park and potentially spending money instead of waiting in line.

Just a thought...

 

[UNCgolf]

What if FastPass as we know it is dead, but the new version is already in the parks, very publicly visible and "battle" tested?

Imagine a system similar (aka cloned from) the ROTR virtual queue system.

Based off of multiple factors then ops could decide to open a virtual queue to guests for attractions at various points throughout the day. Instead of hard FPs for certain rides you get X number of virtual queues per day that allow you to skip the physical line. Maybe you could even set a list of priority experiences and get an alert when a virtual queue for that ride is about to open.

It would solve the "60+ day planning" problem, and allow ops to decide how many "FastPasses" they can hand out for a ride at any one time. It would also allow them to speed up or slow down groups when they need them rather than having people show up at a set time... Best of all for a certain Bob, it keeps people wandering the park and potentially spending money instead of waiting in line.

Just a thought...

This has been discussed a lot -- virtual queues aren't workable except on an incredibly limited scale. There's no room for people. People wouldn't be wandering the park and spending money because they wouldn't be able to get inside any of the shops due to the sheer number of guests crowding everything.

 

[larryz]

How is it possible to guarantee that the CMs controlling line flow are using those numbers?

Video surveillance and analysis of the daily throughput compared to FP+ check-ins.

 

[havoc315]

This has been discussed a lot -- virtual queues aren't workable except on an incredibly limited scale. There's no room for people. People wouldn't be wandering the park and spending money because they wouldn't be able to get inside any of the shops due to the sheer number of guests crowding everything.

Fastpasses ARE virtual queues.
All depends how things are implemented though.

VQs are used for multiple rides at Universal -- but not every ride. They tried using VQs for almost everything at Volcano Bay and it created the mess you describe. (the few things that didn't have VQ had insane lines when I was there).

One very workable system would likely entail using VQ's for e-ticket attractions, and standby lines for everything else.

 

[UNCgolf]

Fastpasses ARE virtual queues.
All depends how things are implemented though.

VQs are used for multiple rides at Universal -- but not every ride. They tried using VQs for almost everything at Volcano Bay and it created the mess you describe. (the few things that didn't have VQ had insane lines when I was there).

One very workable system would likely entail using VQ's for e-ticket attractions, and standby lines for everything else.

Yes they are, but a totally different kind of VQ and those rides all still have standby lines which are quite busy. It's not the same thing as going entirely VQ. I'm pretty sure Universal only uses VQs at certain times and only for a very small number of rides.

Using VQs for every E-ticket wouldn't be workable at any park but the Magic Kingdom, because the other parks don't have enough capacity and at least half of their rides would likely qualify as E-tickets. But the Magic Kingdom is also the park where a number of VQs would make the crowding unbearable, because even with the current long standby lines for many attractions the park is overly crowded on busy days. Dumping an extra 5k+ into the walkways and shops because they're in VQs would not be pleasant -- and if they all go get in other standby lines, then it just makes all the standby lines ridiculously long.

 

[MisterPenguin]

This has been discussed a lot -- virtual queues aren't workable except on an incredibly limited scale. There's no room for people. People wouldn't be wandering the park and spending money because they wouldn't be able to get inside any of the shops due to the sheer number of guests crowding everything.

Well, obviously, the answer is to have Virtual Queues for all the shops. And for restaurants. Oh, wait, they already have that, it's called 'reservations.'

 

[havoc315]

Yes they are, but a totally different kind of VQ and those rides all still have standby lines which are quite busy. It's not the same thing as going entirely VQ. I'm pretty sure Universal only uses VQs at certain times and only for a very small number of rides.

Some rides are 100% VQ, some switch to VQ during high crowds. And unless they have changed it, Volcano Bay is almost entirely VQ.

Using VQs for every E-ticket wouldn't be workable at any park but the Magic Kingdom, because the other parks don't have enough capacity and at least half of their rides would likely qualify as E-tickets.

Really not that hard. You don't have to do it for every e-ticket ride. And you space people out by only allowing them to be in 1 VQ at a time.

Magic Kingdom: Mine Train, Jungle Cruise, Space Mountain, Splash Mountain.
Epcot: Test Track and Frozen
DHS: ROTR and Slinky
AKL: FOP and Safari

If you were to just do that, and make everything else standby, you'd probably both improve the guest experience AND increase profitability with people spending less time in line and more time in restaurants/shopping.

But the Magic Kingdom is also the park where a number of VQs would make the crowding unbearable, because even with the current long standby lines for many attractions the park is overly crowded on busy days. Dumping an extra 5k+ into the walkways and shops because they're in VQs would not be pleasant -- and if they all go get in other standby lines, then it just makes all the standby lines ridiculously long.

 

[flutas]

This has been discussed a lot -- virtual queues aren't workable except on an incredibly limited scale. There's no room for people. People wouldn't be wandering the park and spending money because they wouldn't be able to get inside any of the shops due to the sheer number of guests crowding everything.

Don't tell Disney.

Might not want to let Merlin know either. But maybe, just maybe, he's going to become a Genie in the end?

---

I think there may be a misunderstanding here though. This won't replace standby, it will be the replacement for fastpasses. So essentially instead of 60 days out fastpasses, now it's random drop times in the parks on your phone. You can still do standby for space mountain, but get a virtual queue for TRON at the same time.

 

[StarshipDisney]

I'm shocked at how many people prefer universal express pass. I found the lines just as long or longer.

Agreed. We have stayed at Portofino Bay Hotel twice and had their whatever pass as part of the package. I was not impressed and still had to use the chaotic mandatory locker system. No help for Hagrid's Motortbike Adventure.

 

[marni1971]

What if FastPass as we know it is dead, but the new version is already in the parks, very publicly visible and "battle" tested?

Just imagine.

 

[UNCgolf]

Some rides are 100% VQ, some switch to VQ during high crowds. And unless they have changed it, Volcano Bay is almost entirely VQ.



Really not that hard. You don't have to do it for every e-ticket ride. And you space people out by only allowing them to be in 1 VQ at a time.

Magic Kingdom: Mine Train, Jungle Cruise, Space Mountain, Splash Mountain.
Epcot: Test Track and Frozen
DHS: ROTR and Slinky
AKL: FOP and Safari

If you were to just do that, and make everything else standby, you'd probably both improve the guest experience AND increase profitability with people spending less time in line and more time in restaurants/shopping.

I don't think that would work out the way you think. Take EPCOT -- that would likely just end up with 2-3 hour lines for Soarin' (or for Test Track/Frozen once GotG and Ratatouille open). Beyond that, the restaurants and shops are already packed constantly. There's a hard limit to how many people can eat at any restaurant at any given period of time, and those spots are basically all already full under current operations. It's not like people can just no longer be in a line and now go spend more money at shops and restaurants when those shops and restaurants don't have any room for them.

Regardless, people would likely just go wait in a standby line for a different attraction even if the shops/restaurants weren't all already full. So then you just make the standby lines for those attractions that much longer and it's probably not saving anyone any time at the end of the day (or at least not any more than FP+ currently does).

 

[wdwmagic]

What if FastPass as we know it is dead, but the new version is already in the parks, very publicly visible and "battle" tested?

Imagine a system similar (aka cloned from) the ROTR virtual queue system.

Based off of multiple factors then ops could decide to open a virtual queue to guests for attractions at various points throughout the day. Instead of hard FPs for certain rides you get X number of virtual queues per day that allow you to skip the physical line. Maybe you could even set a list of priority experiences and get an alert when a virtual queue for that ride is about to open.

It would solve the "60+ day planning" problem, and allow ops to decide how many "FastPasses" they can hand out for a ride at any one time. It would also allow them to speed up or slow down groups when they need them rather than having people show up at a set time... Best of all for a certain Bob, it keeps people wandering the park and potentially spending money instead of waiting in line.

Just a thought...

And spread the anxiety level that is already at ridiculous levels for Rise to all the other e-tickets. Doesn't sound like a vacation to me, but I think what you describe could well be it.

 

[UNCgolf]

And spread the anxiety level that is already at ridiculous levels for Rise to all the other e-tickets. Doesn't sound like a vacation to me, but I think what you describe could well be it.

That would probably be enough to end any future WDW trips for me.

 

[havoc315]

I don't think that would work out the way you think. Take EPCOT -- that would likely just end up with 2-3 hour lines for Soarin' (or for Test Track/Frozen once GotG and Ratatouille open). Beyond that, the restaurants and shops are already packed constantly. There's a hard limit to how many people can eat at any restaurant at any given period of time, and those spots are basically all already full under current operations.

“current operations” aren’t permanent. The restrictions on operations would be long gone by the time Disney is ready to unveil a FP replacement in 2022.

It's not like people can just no longer be in a line and now go spend more money at shops and restaurants when those shops and restaurants don't have any room for them.

Regardless, people would likely just go wait in a standby line for a different attraction even if the shops/restaurants weren't all already full. So then you just make the standby lines for those attractions that much longer and it's probably not saving anyone any time at the end of the day (or at least not any more than FP+ currently does).

 

[UNCgolf]

“current operations” aren’t permanent. The restrictions on operations would be long gone by the time Disney is ready to unveil a FP replacement in 2022.

I shouldn't have said current -- I meant normal operations; not COVID ops. A VQ system would actually be more likely to work under COVID because of park capacity restrictions.

 

[nickys]

Don't tell Disney.

Might not want to let Merlin know either. But maybe, just maybe, he's going to become a Genie in the end?

---

I think there may be a misunderstanding here though. This won't replace standby, it will be the replacement for fastpasses. So essentially instead of 60 days out fastpasses, now it's random drop times in the parks on your phone. You can still do standby for space mountain, but get a virtual queue for TRON at the same time.

And I assume if you pay for Genie, you’ll get notified of the drops, or even automatically get given a spot in the VQ if you pay for the highest level, depending what preferences you’ve given Genie.

So those that wanted all stand-by lines have kinda got what they wished for.

The pay-to-play component is Genie. The big question then becomes can you get a VQ slot without paying? Maybe you only get a shot at a VQ if there are any spaces left after those that have paid get allocated one. Those people that pay for Genie get first shot at one, with remaining places opening up if there are any left.

 

[HauntedPirate]

A “Pay-to-play” model isn’t one that fits a theme park very well. Or at all. Maybe someone should let the Bob’s know that? Or are we too far down the “charge for anything and everything road to make more revenue for our most important people, the large shareholders” already?