The GAC is not a perk but rather a service used by handicapped people to have easier access the various rides, shows, etc.
I understand exactly what the GAC is, my point is that the alternate/fastpass line privilidges of the GAC would be far less complex if that was the new pay service that Disney offered.
Instead Disney seems to be over complicating something that's likely not going to be worth it from a cost standpoint compared to the relative effeciency of the service.
You don't want to base it on ride vehicles, etc.. because that is only a theoretical capacity, not your actual capacity. Your actual capacity is based on your dispatch interval, and how many guests fit per vehicle (which for many rides is dependent on the guests). Then look at how many seats go out empty because of party size mismatches, etc. It's not a reliable measurement if you are trying to make the standby board more reliable.
Trying to set the model based on your current ride configuration would be futile. It's far better to simply measure your actual throughput. Then you average out the guest irregularities and you measure based on your crew's performance, not the theoretical performance.
Measuring guests in the queue as well as recent hourly capacity is still a far more accurate way of determining the standby time than what is currently being done.
In my experience seen from when FP opens for the day. It's 45mins+1hr window. But I may be off there.
Fastpasses return times can be as close as 36 minutes from distribution to the first minute of the return time. When it gets to 35 minutes away, the return time automatically bumps up an additional 5 minutes. This is accelerated when more Fastpasses are distributed in 5 minutes than were allocated to be distributed during that 5 minute interval.
Stupid less relevant question--- What made people think it was okay to use their fastpasses later in the first place?
Not trying to start a fight or anything, just curious. I never knew I could do it until a few months ago on here, as someone visiting the park I just never thought to do it. I could see if you accidentally miss your time, thats different, but for the people that have saved them for the end of the night, how did they know this would be okay? Without having been on these boards, I wouldn't try that because I'd be worried that they wouldn't take them after the time.
Just wondering, maybe I'm just out of it :wave:
There is actually an official cast member policy to accept late arrivals. That is the policy that is changing.
I believe stats I have heard in the past say average attraction counts for guests are more like 12-15 - not 20+. So boosting 25% would only mean 3+ rides.. which is not unreasonable.
And I think you exaggerate with 'because there's not enough time to visit another attraction'
The default return window is typically an hour or more away. That means your return time is at least 1-2 hours away, usually more. You can't enjoy an attraction or eat or tour within 1-2 hours?
If you thought people rode 20-25 attractions a day.. that would be like 2 attractions an hour for people. Yet now you think they can't get something done in an 1-2 hrs? Your own math defeats your point.
Jim Hill mentioned that the break even point on guest satisfaction is typical 10 rides, shows, or attractions.
I'm not a math guy, so help me think this one out: How would FP be impacted if the "next FP available" time was extended? Instead of being able to get a new FP just as your current FP window opens, what if EVERYONE were forced to wait an hour or two after the window opens? (for example, at 10am I get a FP for BTMRR with a window of 2-3pm. My next opportunity to get a FP would not be until 4 or 5pm)
It seems that would immediately cut down on the number of FP's in the park. Fewer opportunities to obtain a FP means fewer people in the FP lines. Fewer people in the FP lines means the Standby line moves faster, getting things closer to life in the pre-FP days. (I also recall that in the early days of Universal's Express Pass, you really would only be able to get 2 or 3 passes a day, with huge gaps of time between the two).
By enforcing the return window and adding additional FP attractions (as it appears Disney is doing), guests would have more choices to strategize their FP use.
The knee-jerk reaction to such limits would probably be for most visitors to cash in their limited FP's at a headliner E-Tickets like Space Mtn. or ToT. But just like now, the slots will fill up quickly. So for most visitors, if you want to burn your FP on one of those E-tickets, you probably won't be able to get any more FP for the day.
In that scenario, the big E-Tickets could have slow Standby lines all day. But the trade off is that other FP attractions (like Peter Pan) will have quicker Standby lines.
A visitor could also decide to wait in the 90 minute Space Mtn. line in exchange for being able to get a few more FP's throughout the day for some of the smaller FP attractions.
At the end of the day, more visitors would have a chance to get a FP for something, while minimizing those commando visitors who snatch up FP's and deprive the uneducated or inexperienced from getting them. With fewer FP's in the system overall, more visitors will be forced to use the Standby lines.
With less demand on the FP lines, Disney could then add in the X-Passes. Although those will slow the Standby lines more, the impact would not be as bad as adding X-Passes under the current system .
That's my theory, anyway. Any holes in my math?
The biggest way this would be affected is that the attractions that have a high demand would probably see an even higher demand for Fastpass. Usually when the return time is less than 2 hours out, the crowds at the attraction aren't particularly high, as such people would be less likely to get Fastpasses that have shorter return times.
As such, by extending out the "get a new fastpass time" on all attractions to 2 hours, you would essentially eliminate the need/demand of Fastpass for attractions that typically only have a 40 minute difference between distribution and return.
I want to make a couple points I made yesterday, since they're buried 10 pages back at this point...
I'm not in favor of this "as described" for one reason, and no one yet has given a reasonable and logical idea against it:
If they're going to enforce the return time window, then make it easy for me to find out what the current distribution time is for each FP attraction around the park.
This is something that is incredibly important. And in today's age, it is unacceptable that Disney doesn't have this information available.
This needs to be addressed as part of Next Gen.
It's noon, and I'm at Space Mountain. I've got a little one that will nap at some point, dinner reservations, and a specific time I need to leave the park for the night. I want Splash Mountain fast passes. Currently, I've got no problem walking all the way to Splash because even if the window doesn't work for me as printed, I can return later and still use them.
With the change they're wanting to make, I have no idea if it's worth walking over to Splash because I don't know if the return window will work for my schedule.
You explained a very logical scenario perfectly. I look at an attraction like Soarin' as another culprit here. Moreso than any other park, days at Epcot are often dictated by dining reservations. Your Soarin' Fastpass distribution is often more than 2 hours out and the tip board in Future World West is never accurate.
Most attraction signs are digital, and they are all linked to the red card system which is also electronic. I refuse to believe that Disney lacks the capability of linking all of this to accurate tip boards, and smart phone apps. They are looking to add RFID technology all over the parks yet are incapable of setting up a very primative network to communicate ideas to guests - this is laziness and nothing more.
Knowledge is power. If they're going to do this, they should have a board in each land and one in the hub that shows the current FP distribution return times. Something like this should be in place before they flip the switch on this... But obviously there won't be.
I also want to make this point clear:
They are NOT making this change to help out the folks in the stand by lines. They are making this change because of a bigger picture that ultimately will mean that you'll either have to pay more for the perks, or you'll be standing in the standby line watching others that HAVE paid for this perk pass you by.
A lot of you praising this change are doing so because you feel like you've been "following the rules" and everyone else should too, or you think that by enforcing the return window your standby line experience will improve. MARK MY WORDS: IT WON'T BE THAT SIMPLE.
Everyone knows there will be more to it than this... And I just ask everyone to remember that when they praise this change.
Be careful what you wish for.
The change is fine - it disrupts my touring, but I'll live. Accurate tip boards have been long over due. The tip boards that they have now are altogether useless. If they're not going to be accurate, then they shouldn't have them at all.
For this one.. you're arguement of why this is important is to avoid having to walk to the ride and risk not being able to participant. Why is FP any different from standby in this regard?
People managed to survive walking around the park without Tip Information in every land both pre and post fastpass.
What are you are asking for are NEW enhancements and shouldn't be held as requirements related to this change in return enforcement at all.
That's a horrible argument. In the days of DACS it was still possible to link a variety of things, now this is something that can be handled by an excel spreadsheet. The need for accurate tip boards has been there, it's just heightened by this change in policy.
Another reason why Disney shouldn't be bowling people over to make this happen? The more efficient you get in the park, the quicker you will move through the park, the sooner you'll be done in the park, and the sooner you'll be arguing 'the park is only a half day park, we need more things to do'. There needs to be a balance between 'slowing the customer down to see your product' and customer satisfaction. Customers moving by at 55mph don't stop and buy stuff. Customers in the park half as long as others are less likely to buy stuff. In some degrees, making your stay longer is all about ensuring Disney gets the max value for their investment and they increase impressions for marketing/sales.
What this is accomplishing is a leveling of the playing field. Say that hypothetically your average Disney Fan Boy was able to tour 50% more efficiently than the casual guest prior to the policy change in Fastpass return time. Now that same guest will still be more efficient, just not 50% more.
On that note, how come no one is called TDO a bunch of communists yet? There's already been other outlandish statements.
I do think that this policy change is likely to result in an increase in spending as people will likely "kill time" in the area to avoid back tracking.
