There was a slight push, though not connected to the 50th. That seems to have gone quiet again.
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50 MAGICal Enhancements for the 50th ...
- Thread starter WDW1974
- Start date
lentesta
Premium Member
I've heard nothing about this year. They'll need to announce something by the middle of September, I think, if they're trying to do something big that'll pull in out-of-state visitors.
No. Just a push for more uncharge events leading up to starting to charge for FP+ ... but I'll hit on that topic in a new thread, likely in the next week or two.
EPICOT
Well-Known Member
I'm guessing Disney is salivating at how how much money Universal and Cedar Fair are making off of their upcharge fast pass services. What a shame as I always feel like a second class citizen in those parks and enjoyed that Disney didn't stoop to that level.
Disone
Well-Known Member
How much money are they making? Is that documented anywhere for Disney to be salivating over?
peter11435
Well-Known Member
I don't think it needs to be. They can see how much those locations charge for their services and can see the amount of usuage. Combined with their own polls on the subject and the fact that with the infrastructure they already have in place the cost of implementation of a paid system would be virtually non existent.
Disone
Well-Known Member
It definitely needs to be. Disney doesn't do anything on emotion or gut feelings, and most especially it does not act on hypotheticals. It does something because there's a strong business case to do so. I don't think Disney is salivating over anything especially when Disney themselves knows they have trained their own guest for decades to enjoy a free service.
EPICOT
Well-Known Member
I'm sure Disney has access to some sort of information about it, but I doubt that would ever be made public. Yes, most frequent Disney vacationers will be used to FP being free; however, many people are becoming used to having a paid option since that's what the parks back home do. Kings Island and Cedar Point charge well over $100 for the privilege (2x-3x the cost of admission!). How could Disney not being looking into that option since it's already proven that people will pay up?
peter11435
Well-Known Member
They definitely don't need to see documentation of how much others are making to make their own business case. They know their own business and can project what their usage and price point might be. It's not based on gut feelings it's based on evidence both internal and external. Disney would almost certainly be salivating over the prospect of millions of dollars with little investment. I don't expect to see free fastpass simply eliminated. At the very least it will be a gradual transition but most likely a hybrid system like what you now see at Disneyland and Shanghai Disneyland.
Mike S
Well-Known Member
Not to me. Due to the fact you have to buy them that means there's less people actually using them than if they were free. Lines aren't impacted as badly as if there were a mass of people in the express line so there's less of a need for it. Also not all rides have it.
Casper Gutman
Well-Known Member
Yes, Uni's version is vastly preferable because of how little actual impact it seems to have on lines. And when the lines aren't long, my reaction to people in the express lane is less jealousy and more quiet bemusement. Now, this is obviously also helped by Uni's lower attendance. But I've always said I whole-heartedly support making FP+ unlimited, guaranteed - and something like $1500 per person per day. Make those big spenders feel really special - no lines ever! - and let the rest of us go back to the old days.
A side note - when Uni opened their incredibly popular Potter rides, they (gasp!) exempted them from Express for several years and made people wait in line. That alone makes their system superior - and more logical, since it means they didn't build a beautifully themed queue people are desperate to bypass (ie. Pandora).
Mike S
Well-Known Member
$1500? That's funny right there.
Casper Gutman
Well-Known Member
Hey, if there's one thing the last several years have shown, people will pay it. What the heck, throw in a cupcake party.
Interesting. I'm wondering if FP+ will end up being managed similar to UO's model? In other words, different hotels receive different benefits based upon the resort hotel. Everybody else (including the value resorts) can pay extra if they want those benefits in some fashion.
Indeed they do, it's basically the VIP Tours.
You nailed it. At its core, TWDC doesn't care, because they *know* people will come no matter what. In that regard, they are living off of the reputation built by Walt and Card Walker and Eisner, and they couldn't care less about building on that legacy because the stock price is high and stock analysts are happy, which is all that matters to Iger and Chappie and their ilk. Well, Iger's ego is what is building SWL, but it's so grotesquely out of place at DL and seems like it's going to take over DHS, but why should that matter...
UpAllNight
Well-Known Member
I always assumed they'd monetise it by giving it free to only resort guests, thereby further encouraging resort stays and increasing revenue that way.
How do you get people to pay for something? Get them hooked on the free version and market it as a "must-have" thing. It's simply a matter of when, not if, Disney charges for FastPass. Like @peter11435 said - The free version won't just go away, but it will not be the sole FastPass offering sooner rather than later.
Sonconato
Well-Known Member
You nailed it, too. I just spent twenty minutes on the phone with a Disney employee about a complaint and I thought I was talking to a robot.
Kman101
Well-Known Member
Wish you'd bring good news LOL. You mean upcharges like a Magic Kingdom Food Tour. Of the park that has the worst food choices out of the four WDW parks? (Well, that's not really an upcharge but it's something else to get money from people)