Big changes coming to FASTPASS in March

[flynnibus]

And I think is really unfair. It's smart of them to want to charge extra for fastpass, and it makes sense for them to implement a system that does just that and make it "easy" to pick your return time from home. But this is something that should have been introduced from the jump, and not years after it being a "free" service as it was marketed as.

It's called VALUE ADDED SERVICES

Companies could simply give everything away for free. But that's not a solid way to do business.

 

[DisneyJoe]

Deluxe resort guests are more likely to do things that make it harder to make your exact return window.

I disagree based on the info I have from my travel agent clientele. All levels are equally affected. Disney promotes the ability to go back to your resort to all guests, and many take advantage. I know many commando Deluxe guests, and many value resort guests that take hours off to swim mid-day.

 

[PolynesianPrincess]

I wonder if it would be unlimited, or if they'd "run out" or give time frames like the current Fastpass system? I'm ignorant to how Six Flags or Universal do it, but I'd imagine there would have to be some type of structure for it to work properly.

For Universal's Express Pass, you have the opportunity to use it for almost every ride in the park once. There are 2 or 3 exceptions. There is no set time you need to use them. They scan the barcode when you use it so you cant use it again for the same ride. There's no rhyme or reason as to when you need to use it at what ride. There's nothing to stop everyone who has an Express Pass to use it at 10am on the Hulk. It seems to work out ok for them. However, they are extra $$$. I think we paid $25 for ours last spring and that was for both parks there.

 

[DonaldDoleWhip]

If you have a dining ADR for Ohana at 5:45, and you go to Splash and see FP return for 5:30 to 6:30, a reasonable person would know they are going to miss their FP return window.. then you don't get the FP... if the ride is that important for you, either get there first thing in the morning or just wait online...

Or you book it with NextGen/X-Pass and get a time that'll likely work. That seems to be the point. Disney wants customer satisfaction to go up, not down (which is what would happen if more guests were forced into skipping rides or doing standby).

I disagree based on the info I have from my travel agent clientele. All levels are equally affected. Disney promotes the ability to go back to your resort to all guests, and many take advantage. I know many commando Deluxe guests, and many value resort guests that take hours off to swim mid-day.

I disagree based on my observations. A lot of people choose deluxe resorts for the more convenient transportation and locations, nicer pools, etc, and it's been commonly observed that people who choose deluxe resorts tend to spend more time at their resorts (overall, but of course there are exceptions). Likewise, the value resorts look cheap and have crappy amenities because most people are just using them for a room and bus service. Many people comment that value resorts are their pick if they want to go commando, but deluxe resorts are their pick for true relaxing at the resort.

And Disney would have all the consumer spending info they need to verify this, so they know who to target. After all, if they're about to pitch something that could easily cost hundreds of dollars extra per day, which group of customers seems more likely to buy?

 

[the-reason14]

It's called VALUE ADDED SERVICES

Companies could simply give everything away for free. But that's not a solid way to do business.

True, but fastpass been free for how long?

 

[Captain Chaos]

For Universal's Express Pass, you have the opportunity to use it for almost every ride in the park once. There are 2 or 3 exceptions. There is no set time you need to use them. They scan the barcode when you use it so you cant use it again for the same ride. There's no rhyme or reason as to when you need to use it at what ride. There's nothing to stop everyone who has an Express Pass to use it at 10am on the Hulk. It seems to work out ok for them. However, they are extra $$$. I think we paid $25 for ours last spring and that was for both parks there.

Unless you stay at a Universal resort, then it is a perk... Disney can do the same, include this type of FP for guests staying at a Disney resort or charge for the privilege...

 

[Lee]

We took that view a few years ago and are passholders out there now. A far superior product to FLA, in my opinion.

Agreed, and I may do something similar.
We're leaving Florida in a couple months, and while I will continue to visit WDW, my trips out west will certainly become much more frequent.

 

[Buried20KLeague]

BS - they've always had reservations. The problem was before you couldn't do it except day of, which meant scrambling in the morning to get your reservations for the day to eat where you wanted. It was one of the primary purposes of the interactive kiosks put in EPCOT. You always had to plan ahead if you actually wanted to get what you wanted. Just when/how has changed.

Maybe you're the small case where you could fit between the cracks and spare capacity. But dining reservations and working that has virtually always been part of WDW. The main difference now is when you must make those reservations and the demand increase due to DDP.



Yes, but you aren't excluded from participating in the attractions either. It is also fact that someone who plans WHEN they goto certain attractions will wait in less lines then someone who wanders and happens to hit the attractions at bad times. That isn't to say we FORCE everyone to minimize their waits by following a specific touring plan, but for someone who chooses not too.. they must accept they are not going to get the maximum potential someone else might.

People can't cry when someone who works harder gets more.

I could have been more specific, I suppose... I didn't mean to imply that you could never make dinner reservations before... Only that it didn't have to be months in advance. I see making dinner reservations months in advance and making them the morning you get to the park as entirely different things. And even then, you didn't HAVE to make them that morning "or else"... You could still walk up and get in.

I said multiple times that not working the system like others meant standing in more lines... I never said I wouldn't be able to experience the attractions. You're making the exact same point I am. :shrug:

I "work harder to get more", as you put it... I just don't like that I have to.

 

[DonaldDoleWhip]

People can't cry when someone who works harder gets more.

You mean like how some people took the initiative to find out if the fastpass return time was binding, subsequently found out that it wasn't, and used this info to better enjoy their time spent in WDW?

 

[flynnibus]

For the millionth time, I never said all deluxe guests are impacted, but that deluxe guests are more likely to be impacted. Learn to read, please. Or if you can read, stop putting words in my mouth and address my actual point.

Your logic is bad.

For this to impact the person, they have to be a person that ignored the FP window to start with. That is important because that shrinks the impacted audience far greater then starting off with 'will impact deluxe guests the most'.

A deluxe guest who followed the return window in the past isn't affected AT ALL. So that's why the distinction of is importance.

Of the people who ignored the FP window, a deluxe guest might have more reasons to leave the park ignoring their FP return knowing they can use it later. But that's within the subset, not all deluxe guests.

This doesn't change anything for people who respected the return time to start with... deluxe or not.

So maybe your thought was on - but how you wrote it overstated it's impact. The Deluxe Hotel population is no more disadvantaged by this change then they were before.

It's just simple logic. If I get a fastpass for 1pm but I feel like going back to my nice resort at 12pm and then swim for 2 hours, I'll miss my return window. If my fastpass is for 5:30 but I have a reservation for Citricos at 5:45, I'll miss my return window. Deluxe resort guests are more likely to do things that make it harder to make your exact return window.

Possibly - but again the premise is these things were possible before because you made the choice to ignore the return window. If you had not made that choice prior, this is not a reduction in your possibilities at all. It's the same as it was before.

 

[PolynesianPrincess]

Unless you stay at a Universal resort, then it is a perk... Disney can do the same, include this type of FP for guests staying at a Disney resort or charge for the privilege...

That is correct. I forgot that it was free for universal resort guests. And theirs are for unlimited use. They also have that option for people buying the passes as well called the VIP pass. Unlimited use rather than 1 time per ride.

It could work including it for Disney resort guests. But the difference there is Universal only has a few resorts where Disney has 20+. If they include that for ALL resort guests, plus allow some for purchase, that's a LOT of X-passes or whatever they're going to call it, plus regular Fast Passes.

 

[Buried20KLeague]

You mean like how some people took the initiative to find out if the fastpass return time was binding, subsequently found out that it wasn't, and used this info to better enjoy their time spent in WDW?

Ha. :lol:

 

[Captain Chaos]

Or you book it with NextGen/X-Pass and get a time that'll likely work. That seems to be the point. Disney wants customer satisfaction to go up, not down (which is what would happen if more guests were forced into skipping rides or doing standby).

But until they do that, you have to choose: dining at 5:30 or FP...

and in all honesty, no one knows exactly what Disney will be doing with this.. all anyone knows is they are going to finally enforce their policy... What we don't know is what they are going to add to this.. For example, if you took a DVC tour, you received 3 FPs for that day for any park you go to... The FPs had no window they had to be used, just had to be used that day... I know this is a stretch, but how do we know that, if you have an ADR for Crystal Palace at 5:30PM and FPs for 5:00PM to 6:00PM, and you didn't use the FPs, that the restaurant won't issue one of those types of FPs (it was just a yellow piece of paper receipt from what I remember from the DVC tour) to dining guests showing the guests had an ADR and this is why they are late??? We don't... otherwise, there is a window you need to show up between, and if you don't, you wait on standby or get a FP for later in the day...

 

[Buried20KLeague]

We're leaving Florida in a couple months.

Whoa! Big news!

How are you planning to detox? It's not going to be easy to not be able to hop in the car and spend the day at Epcot... Even with all the issues.

 

[Captain Chaos]

That is correct. I forgot that it was free for universal resort guests. And theirs are for unlimited use. They also have that option for people buying the passes as well called the VIP pass. Unlimited use rather than 1 time per ride.

It could work including it for Disney resort guests. But the different there is universal only has a couple resorts where as Disney has 20+. If they include that for ALL resort guests, plus allow some for purchase, that's a LOT of X-passes or whatever they're going to call it.

That would be a lot of guests, which maybe then offer it to DVC and Deluxe resort guests, or maybe just deluxe resort guests...

 

[DonaldDoleWhip]

So maybe your thought was on - but how you wrote it overstated it's impact. The Deluxe Hotel population is no more disadvantaged by this change then they were before.

Possibly - but again the premise is these things were possible before because you made the choice to ignore the return window. If you had not made that choice prior, this is not a reduction in your possibilities at all. It's the same as it was before.

I stand by my point.

Also, you don't always know when you're going to feel tired and want to leave the park. And you also don't know if your meal at Citricos will last for an hour or for 2.5 hours. That's why spontaneity is a nice thing. Not everything can be planned out perfectly.

If you could choose your ride time instead of settling for the one window available, this discussion would be moot...and that's where X-pass is most likely about to come in.

 

[flynnibus]

You mean like how some people took the initiative to find out if the fastpass return time was binding, subsequently found out that it wasn't, and used this info to better enjoy their time spent in WDW?

I've never complained about that population - only that Disney allowed it to be a problem. Now they are stopping it. My post record shows that clearly.

And I rarely hear people who don't use the grace period complain about others that do. You hear people complain about the FP system in general because they either are excluded from getting a FP, or act like they refuse to use them and hence complain about the impact of FP on what experience they prefer.

The point was about Anti-FP arguments that try to say the world must be universally fair.. even when people put themselves at the disadvantage or because someone with some experience can get a greater return then someone who doesn't. It's a crap argument and why I say people can't cry when someone who puts more effort into something may actually get more out of it.

 

[Lee]

Whoa! Big news!

How are you planning to detox? It's not going to be easy to not be able to hop in the car and spend the day at Epcot... Even with all the issues.

In theory, the lower cost of living, better job (hopefully) and proximity to family will ease the transition.

Honestly, I spent more days at WDW my last year back home than I did last year living 3 hours away.:shrug:

I'll live.. :lookaroun

 

[Buried20KLeague]

Thank you, I'm glad you've enjoyed my posts and rants over this change lol.

And I see where you're coming from and a lot of other people when they talk about WDW being stale etc. The bigger picture is slowly but surely fitting nicely in it's frame and I'm seeing what a lot of people have been talking about. I haven't "ignored" things like messed up AAs or light bulbs not flickering right etc, but I've never chalked them up to being a huge deal, at least not big enough to make me want to stop going. However I have been extremely blessed to have gone to WDW so many times over the years, that I can honestly see myself cutting back from 4 or 5 trips a year to none in saving up for Disneyland. Disneyland is still new and exciting as I've only ever been once. It's not like WDW is building anything interesting to me personally over the next few years. So slowing things down and observing may be in the cards for me. It's funny how your perspective can change over one little thing haha.

Disneyland gives you far more bang for your buck, as well. Especially after Carsland opens, IMO.

 

[DonaldDoleWhip]

I've never complained about that population - only that Disney allowed it to be a problem. Now they are stopping it. My post record shows that clearly.

And I rarely hear people who don't use the grace period complain about others that do. You hear people complain about the FP system in general because they either are excluded from getting a FP, or act like they refuse to use them and hence complain about the impact of FP on what experience they prefer.

The point was about Anti-FP arguments that try to say the world must be universally fair.. even when people put themselves at the disadvantage or because someone with some experience can get a greater return then someone who doesn't. It's a crap argument and why I say people can't cry when someone who puts more effort into something may actually get more out of it.

This thread is full of those people, and that's what's driving the discussion. I'll get used to the new policy, but I'm sick and tired of being called a rule breaker, scum of the earth, a scammer, a cheater, an abuser, and whatever example of word vomit you can think of.