Rumor Version of MaxPass coming to WDW in May?

dreday3

Well-Known Member
Don’t get too excited!
Four things we don’t know:
  1. Is this new thing something that will generally improve your park experience?
  2. Will it be gamable by those who care to learn to game it?
  3. Will it cost money?
  4. If so, will using it (or using it productively) cost more money than I personally am (or you personally are) willing to spend on it?
The answers to these four questions will make a biiiig difference in whether this is good or bad!

Oh for sure. I just figure they will announce it right before my trip and throw a wrench in all my planning (except, I'm not really doing much planning...) and then I'll just throw money at the problem to fix it. 🤣 (which might be their plan.... 🤔)
 

ChrisM

Well-Known Member
There’s enough for quite a few months or so.

Hard to read this any other way than it's going to be....complicated...with lots of changes and options.

Now I'm anticipating some sort of giant mess including all of the following:

- Set number of "free" FP entitlements for day guests/annual passholders.
- A different number of "free" FP entitlements for resort holders.

- A variety of pre-purchase FP packages for day guest/annual passholder and resort guest groups (similar to the Club Level FP packages for purchase).

- Immediate, pay-per-use FP options (with variable/surge pricing) - this will probably be extremely expensive.
 

PirateFrank

Well-Known Member
This is probably going to be a hugely unpopular opinion.....

...but I *strongly* welcome the idea of a premium/paid fastpass (maxpass) system. We've all debated the drawbacks of FP+ ad nauseam...I've been of the opinion that the system has been an abject failure for several years. The end result of FP+ was that every park, every attraction, suffered from ghastly wait times. Even the attractions that you would have otherwise jumped on to wait out another fastpass return time were stuffed. At some point following the implementation of FP+, WDW visits became extremely frustrating - first because I had to plan out my days 2 months prior, and second, because once I got in the parks and used up the 3 fastpasses, the rest of the day was spent standing on abnormally large queues. To me, it's not a value-added system if everyone's using it.

Whacking the whole system and moving to a system where you charge a flat or incremental fee for access to FP queues would be something I would welcome with open arms....the express pass system at Universal is worth its weight in gold, especially during busy times of the year. If I have to drop extra cash to get a similar benefit at WDW - I'll happily absorb that in the cost of my WDW trip.

...ok, flame away! 😄
 
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Roy G. Dis

Well-Known Member
This is probably going to be a hugely unpopular opinion.....

...but I *strongly* welcome the idea of a premium/paid fastpass (maxpass) system. We've all debated the drawbacks of FP+ ad nauseam...I've been of the opinion that the system has been an abject failure, for several years. The end result of FP+ was that every park, every attraction, suffered from ghastly wait times. Even the attractions that you would have otherwise jumped on to wait out another fastpass return time were stuffed. At some point following the implementation of FP+, WDW visits became extremely frustrating - first because I had to plan out my days 2 months prior, and second, because once I got in the parks and used up the 3 fastpasses, the rest of the day was spent standing on abnormally large queues. To me, it's not a value-added system if everyone's using it.

Whacking the whole system and moving to a system where you charge a flat or incremental fee for access to FP queues would be something I would welcome with open arms....the express pass system at Universal is worth its weight in gold, especially during busy times of the year. If I have to drop extra cash to get a similar benefit at WDW - I'll happily absorb that in the cost of my WDW trip.

...ok, flame away! 😄

I more or less agree. For the guests who only visit once every few years and have the cash to spend on minimizing wait times? Let them spend extra on FP access. For APs who visit once a month and can take their time? They don't have to pay-to-play but could if they really wanted to. Disney just needs to make sure the "floor" of an experience is still tolerable, hey maybe even FUN and profitable while raising the ceiling for those who can and will spend more.
 

flutas

Well-Known Member
Whacking the whole system and moving to a system where you charge a flat or incremental fee for access to FP queues would be something I would welcome with open arms....the express pass system at Universal is worth its weight in gold, especially during busy times of the year.

I would agree, but I don't think it's going to go that way.

After my research last night I'm thinking it's going to be a hybrid model, almost similar to the current park pass system with different buckets.

Bucket A = Genie guests
Bucket B = All guests
Bucket C = Paid FPs

Now the exact rules on booking everything I have no clue about.

It seems like there will be a potentially "unlimited" FP option (Ultimate). I think it's also going to be similar to the current date selection on tickets, where you will select how many pre-booked FPs you want when buying your ticket.
 

CastAStone

5th gate? Just build a new resort Bob.
Premium Member
As always, the correct price point for preferred ride access is whatever the exact most I am willing to pay is.

A dollar cheaper and you might as well give it everyone, it’ll be a free-for-all with all the riffraff jumping in line ahead of me.

A dollar more expensive and it’s a crime, Disney might as well just call itself the Aman Orlando Resort and Waterpark with how expensive and elite everything has gotten.
 

ShookieJones

We need time for things to happen.
This is probably going to be a hugely unpopular opinion.....

...but I *strongly* welcome the idea of a premium/paid fastpass (maxpass) system. We've all debated the drawbacks of FP+ ad nauseam...I've been of the opinion that the system has been an abject failure for several years. The end result of FP+ was that every park, every attraction, suffered from ghastly wait times. Even the attractions that you would have otherwise jumped on to wait out another fastpass return time were stuffed. At some point following the implementation of FP+, WDW visits became extremely frustrating - first because I had to plan out my days 2 months prior, and second, because once I got in the parks and used up the 3 fastpasses, the rest of the day was spent standing on abnormally large queues. To me, it's not a value-added system if everyone's using it.

Whacking the whole system and moving to a system where you charge a flat or incremental fee for access to FP queues would be something I would welcome with open arms....the express pass system at Universal is worth its weight in gold, especially during busy times of the year. If I have to drop extra cash to get a similar benefit at WDW - I'll happily absorb that in the cost of my WDW trip.

...ok, flame away! 😄
Not unpopular with me.
I've used Max Pass at DL - LOVED IT <<Don't forget this includes the DL's version of Memory Maker included!
I've used Express Pass at Uni - LOVED IT

Emulate it for WDW as it exist in DL and then as a perk -
Free to Deluxe Resort Guests
Discount it for Moderate and Value Resorts.

Now you have a REAL benefit to staying on property.
 

PirateFrank

Well-Known Member
I would agree, but I don't think it's going to go that way.

After my research last night I'm thinking it's going to be a hybrid model, almost similar to the current park pass system with different buckets.

Bucket A = Genie guests
Bucket B = All guests
Bucket C = Paid FPs

Now the exact rules on booking everything I have no clue about.

It seems like there will be a potentially "unlimited" FP option (Ultimate). I think it's also going to be similar to the current date selection on tickets, where you will select how many pre-booked FPs you want when buying your ticket.

I might be a little behind on the vernacular. What do you mean by Genie guests? I thought this Genie thing was just a new name for the MDE app on your smartphone (I presume Im wrong?)
 

havoc315

Well-Known Member
This is probably going to be a hugely unpopular opinion.....

...but I *strongly* welcome the idea of a premium/paid fastpass (maxpass) system. We've all debated the drawbacks of FP+ ad nauseam...I've been of the opinion that the system has been an abject failure for several years. The end result of FP+ was that every park, every attraction, suffered from ghastly wait times. Even the attractions that you would have otherwise jumped on to wait out another fastpass return time were stuffed. At some point following the implementation of FP+, WDW visits became extremely frustrating - first because I had to plan out my days 2 months prior, and second, because once I got in the parks and used up the 3 fastpasses, the rest of the day was spent standing on abnormally large queues. To me, it's not a value-added system if everyone's using it.

Whacking the whole system and moving to a system where you charge a flat or incremental fee for access to FP queues would be something I would welcome with open arms....the express pass system at Universal is worth its weight in gold, especially during busy times of the year. If I have to drop extra cash to get a similar benefit at WDW - I'll happily absorb that in the cost of my WDW trip.

...ok, flame away! 😄

I couldn't agree more actually.

The thing to remember:
- Ride capacity is ultimately a limited commodity.
- All fastpasses do, is shift around some of that capacity. Let's some of that capacity get reserved in advance, which then reduces the amount of unreserved capacity. As a result, it makes the non-fastpass lines longer.
- For a guest who just wants to use their 3 fastpasses, maybe catch a parade, and then call it a day... the existing FP system could work fine. But for guests who actually want to experience lots of attractions, the time they "save" with fastpasses, they eventually pay back in other lines elsewhere.
-So how can you make FP truly a time-saving device? Simply--- you stop giving it to everyone. Just like you can't give front row seats to everyone -- because there are a limited number of front row seats. If you significantly reduce the number of fast passes allotted, then you can have far more unreserved capacity for regular standby you, and the fast passes that are allotted can be true time-saving devices.
- So how do you *reduce* the number of fastpasses? The "fairest" way is actually to make it something you can pay for. Either with an explicit cost, or implicit (tying it to onsite booking). This way, each guest can determine whether it's something worth paying for, or not.

It really works very well at Universal... If the benefit is worth it for you, you can pay for it. You can then skip ahead of most of the lines at Universal.
 

flutas

Well-Known Member
I might be a little behind on the vernacular. What do you mean by Genie guests? I thought this Genie thing was just a new name for the MDE app on your smartphone (I presume Im wrong?)

Genie will essentially be a part of MDE, but it will be paid vacation "plans".

You can read more about it here and here.

Also: FWIW I think the new version of fastpass (whatever it may be in the end) will be on both coasts.
 

CntrlFlPete

Well-Known Member
This is probably going to be a hugely unpopular opinion.....

...but I *strongly* welcome the idea of a premium/paid fastpass (maxpass) system. We've all debated the drawbacks of FP+ ad nauseam...I've been of the opinion that the system has been an abject failure for several years. The end result of FP+ was that every park, every attraction, suffered from ghastly wait times. Even the attractions that you would have otherwise jumped on to wait out another fastpass return time were stuffed. At some point following the implementation of FP+, WDW visits became extremely frustrating - first because I had to plan out my days 2 months prior, and second, because once I got in the parks and used up the 3 fastpasses, the rest of the day was spent standing on abnormally large queues. To me, it's not a value-added system if everyone's using it.

Whacking the whole system and moving to a system where you charge a flat or incremental fee for access to FP queues would be something I would welcome with open arms....the express pass system at Universal is worth its weight in gold, especially during busy times of the year. If I have to drop extra cash to get a similar benefit at WDW - I'll happily absorb that in the cost of my WDW trip.

...ok, flame away! 😄

why not just bring back attraction tickets? I hope that folks wanting Disney to charge for FastPasses would want them to drop the # of passes way down say 80% stand by as opposed to 80% FP.

Anything outside of just dropping FP, it really sounds like a tier is being created that puts rides as an additional add on for the consumer.
 

PirateFrank

Well-Known Member
Genie will essentially be a part of MDE, but it will be paid vacation "plans".

You can read more about it here and here.

Also: FWIW I think the new version of fastpass (whatever it may be in the end) will be on both coasts.

Ahh, Thanks for that. Your links clear it up...

So taking you're bucket idea, is this what you're thinking? That there would be a base number of FPs for everyone, and then the genie users and paid users get a certain number of additional? Kinda like:
  • Bucket A (Genie guests) - X + Y fastpasses
  • Bucket B (All guests) - X fastpasses
  • Bucket C(Paid FPs) - X + Z fastpasses
 

flutas

Well-Known Member
Ahh, Thanks for that. Your links clear it up...

So taking you're bucket idea, is this what you're thinking? That there would be a base number of FPs for everyone, and then the genie users and paid users get a certain number of additional? Kinda like:
  • Bucket A (Genie guests) - X + Y fastpasses
  • Bucket B (All guests) - X fastpasses
  • Bucket C(Paid FPs) - X + Z fastpasses

I think it would be close to that, yes.
 

YorkshireT

Well-Known Member
Well I’m hacked off at the thought of paid for FP. We in UK, as Marni will know, come often for 10+ days (usually 2 weeks and sometimes 3) and they even sell well priced long tickets for us in the UK. Even talk of $10 a day each would add huge sums to the family vacation. I hope if they do start charging they have some special deal to take this into account.
Personally we loved FP, as we won’t queue for rides for long.
 

kong1802

Well-Known Member
I couldn't agree more actually.

The thing to remember:
- Ride capacity is ultimately a limited commodity.
- All fastpasses do, is shift around some of that capacity. Let's some of that capacity get reserved in advance, which then reduces the amount of unreserved capacity. As a result, it makes the non-fastpass lines longer.
- For a guest who just wants to use their 3 fastpasses, maybe catch a parade, and then call it a day... the existing FP system could work fine. But for guests who actually want to experience lots of attractions, the time they "save" with fastpasses, they eventually pay back in other lines elsewhere.
-So how can you make FP truly a time-saving device? Simply--- you stop giving it to everyone. Just like you can't give front row seats to everyone -- because there are a limited number of front row seats. If you significantly reduce the number of fast passes allotted, then you can have far more unreserved capacity for regular standby you, and the fast passes that are allotted can be true time-saving devices.
- So how do you *reduce* the number of fastpasses? The "fairest" way is actually to make it something you can pay for. Either with an explicit cost, or implicit (tying it to onsite booking). This way, each guest can determine whether it's something worth paying for, or not.

It really works very well at Universal... If the benefit is worth it for you, you can pay for it. You can then skip ahead of most of the lines at Universal.

I'm "for" a paid system (like they care lol) if it reduces the FP allotment. If standby moved again and you didn't "need" a FP, let those who have it flaunt it.

I already know they would have to price something like that higher than Uni's, making it a no from us to purchase, but if they could alleviate the standby while doing it, it could work.
 

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