Changes to Fastpass+ Tiers at Hollywood Studios Effective 8.29

[zurj]

Not really.

Pretty sure it will. Simple math. If fewer people are able to ride ToT with FP, then less of the ride's capacity is dedicated to FP users. Therefore, more of the rides capacity will be dedicated to standby. If more of the ride's capacity is dedicated to standby, then the standby line will move quicker. If the standby line moves quicker, I won't have to wait in the standby line as long as would have. Then I can hop over to RNR which also will have less of it's capacity dedicated to FP users.

Star Tours on the other hand....

 

[zurj]

I'm genuinely curious why you think this. It seems to me that the exact opposite will be true - I think the standby lines for all attractions will increase (as I said in my OP, that seems to be the point). The only somewhat positive aspect of this from the guest perspective that I can think of is that it should be marginally easier to get SDD FP, because ToT and RnR diehards may opt for them over SDD.

If fewer people are able to ride ToT (or any of the other new Tier 1 rides) with FP, then less of the ride's capacity is dedicated to FP users. Therefore, more of the rides capacity will be dedicated to standby. If more of the ride's capacity is dedicated to standby, then the standby line will move quicker.

The inverse will be true with Star Tours though. Everyone will take Star Tours as their Tier 2 FP, which means standby lines will be super inflated (due to so much of the rides capacity being used for FP users).

 

[Thelazer]

Wish they would just do away with FP all together.... and bring back a few rides that have a higher capticy per hour

 

[ToTBellHop]

If fewer people are able to ride ToT (or any of the other new Tier 1 rides) with FP, then less of the ride's capacity is dedicated to FP users. Therefore, more of the rides capacity will be dedicated to standby. If more of the ride's capacity is dedicated to standby, then the standby line will move quicker.

The inverse will be true with Star Tours though. Everyone will take Star Tours as their Tier 2 FP, which means standby lines will be super inflated (due to so much of the rides capacity being used for FP users).

But I can currently get FP for SDD, TOT, and Star Tours. Now it will be SDD, Star Tours, and...Indy. Standby for ToT is definitely longer than FP and I could have seen Indy w/o FP.

 

[zurj]

But I can currently get FP for SDD, TOT, and Star Tours. Now it will be SDD, Star Tours, and...Indy. Standby for ToT is definitely longer than FP and I could have seen Indy w/o FP.

Yeah of course. You're right. My point was only that standby lines will move much faster. Let's say I couldn't get a ToT FP under the current system, then my only recourse is to ride standby line which is so long because so many other people got a FP for it. In the new system, I'll still have to ride standby, but the standby line will move much faster because so much less of the ride's capacity is dedicated to FP users.

 

[EOD K9]

interesting... so basically almost every "ride" at the park will be tier 1? might as well just do away with fastpasses and reduce all standby lines

I would love to see that as an experiment and find out the new wait times. The lines may seem to move quicker. I was in DL at TSMM about seven years ago and it was great without a FP.

 

[Rteetz]

Pretty sure it will. Simple math. If fewer people are able to ride ToT with FP, then less of the ride's capacity is dedicated to FP users. Therefore, more of the rides capacity will be dedicated to standby. If more of the ride's capacity is dedicated to standby, then the standby line will move quicker. If the standby line moves quicker, I won't have to wait in the standby line as long as would have. Then I can hop over to RNR which also will have less of it's capacity dedicated to FP users.

Star Tours on the other hand....

More people will be standing in the standby line though. I think it may be slightly shorter but not significantly.

 

[nickys]

Pretty sure it will. Simple math. If fewer people are able to ride ToT with FP, then less of the ride's capacity is dedicated to FP users. Therefore, more of the rides capacity will be dedicated to standby. If more of the ride's capacity is dedicated to standby, then the standby line will move quicker. If the standby line moves quicker, I won't have to wait in the standby line as long as would have. Then I can hop over to RNR which also will have less of it's capacity dedicated to FP users.

Star Tours on the other hand....

But everyone who can’t get Slinky as their tier 1 will now be able to choose something else as their tier 1 instead of just TSMM or Aliens. RnR or ToT will now become the 2nd most sought after FP in the park.

It may mean you can get an FP for these rides at less than 60 days out, but I don’t see it meaning fewer FPs for them, just makes them easier to grab maybe even at 30 days.

 

[zurj]

More people will be standing in the standby line though. I think it may be slightly shorter but not significantly.

Point noted.

If people use their FP on shows, they may feel like they have to watch the shows which would keep them out of the standby lines.

Also, hopefully Disney will poor some money into making some great shows so that they don't feel robbed by having to FP a show.

 

[zurj]

But everyone who can’t get Slinky as their tier 1 will now be able to choose something else as their tier 1 instead of just TSMM or Aliens. RnR or ToT will now become the 2nd most sought after FP in the park.

It may mean you can get an FP for these rides at less than 60 days out, but I don’t see it meaning fewer FPs for them, just makes them easier to grab maybe even at 30 days.

I agree that FP for ToT and RnR will become more desirable, but now instead of being able to get both TSMM & ToT, they can only get one of the two... which means fewer people total in the FP lines.

 

[monothingie]

Is this related to the proposed changes coming to the FP or paid FP system?

 

[larryz]

Yeah of course. You're right. My point was only that standby lines will move much faster. Let's say I couldn't get a ToT FP under the current system, then my only recourse is to ride standby line which is so long because so many other people got a FP for it. In the new system, I'll still have to ride standby, but the standby line will move much faster because so much less of the ride's capacity is dedicated to FP users.

You're assuming there won't be a huge increase in people in DHS... which is likely a bad assumption.

 

[zurj]

You're assuming there won't be a huge increase in people in DHS... which is likely a bad assumption.

The standby lines may have more people in them due to increased crowds, but the rate at which those people move through the line will be faster.

 

[larryz]

The standby lines may have more people in them due to increased crowds, but the rate at which those people move through the line will be faster.

Not if those increased crowds all score a Tier 1 FP+. More people + More Tier 1 attractions = more people getting FP+ for Tier 1 attractions = Stand By lines just as long and slow as ever.

 

[JillC LI]

Pretty sure it will. Simple math. If fewer people are able to ride ToT with FP, then less of the ride's capacity is dedicated to FP users. Therefore, more of the rides capacity will be dedicated to standby. If more of the ride's capacity is dedicated to standby, then the standby line will move quicker. If the standby line moves quicker, I won't have to wait in the standby line as long as would have.

Not quite. They will still give away just as many FPs for TOT as they did previously. It will just be to those people who choose TOT as their favorite ride or to those who couldn't get FPs for their favorite ride and chose TOT as a backup. With the same number of people in the FP line and more people in the standby line, your wait will get longer, not shorter, if you don't have a FP.

 

[larryz]

I wonder how those of us who booked months ago feel about this change...

 

[zurj]

Not if those increased crowds all score a Tier 1 FP+. More people + More Tier 1 attractions = more people getting FP+ for Tier 1 attractions = Stand By lines just as long and slow as ever.

Better than all those people getting FP for multiple rides

Not quite. They will still give away just as many FPs for TOT as they did previously. It will just be to those people who choose TOT as their favorite ride or to those who couldn't get FPs for their favorite ride and chose TOT as a backup. With the same number of people in the FP line and more people in the standby line, your wait will get longer, not shorter, if you don't have a FP.

Wrong.
Scenario A: John gets FP for TSMM with Tier 1. John gets FP for ToT with Tier 2.
Scenario B: John gets FP for TSMM with Tier 1. No FP available now for ToT with Tier 2. OR John gets FP for ToT with Tier 1. No FP available now for TSMM with Tier 1.

Scenario B has lower percentage of FP users clogging up total capacity, which means standby lines will move at a faster rate than otherwise with all things being equal.

 

[doctornick]

Better than all those people getting FP for multiple rides

Wrong.
Scenario A: John gets FP for TSMM with Tier 1. John gets FP for ToT with Tier 2.
Scenario B: John gets FP for TSMM with Tier 1. No FP available now for ToT with Tier 2. OR John gets FP for ToT with Tier 1. No FP available now for TSMM with Tier 1.

Scenario B has lower percentage of FP users clogging up total capacity, which means standby lines will move at a faster rate than otherwise with all things being equal.

As already mentioned, the key difference is an expected large increase in the number of guests at DHS. That is why they are rolling this out when SW:GE opens.

The same number of FP+ for all of the Tier 1 rides (SDD, ToT, RNR, etc.) will be given out, it's just they will go to more people. To use your example...

Scenario A: John gets FP for TSMM with Tier 1. John gets FP for ToT with Tier 2. Sally doesn't go to the park.
Scenario B: John gets FP for TSMM with Tier 1. Sally gets FP for ToT with Tier 1.

Still one FP+ for each ride is used. The difference is that now that it is more likely that both John (for Tot) and Sally (for TSMM) will use the standby line. So you have the same FP+ usage and more people in standby.

Honestly, though, it doesn't matter what system Disney uses for FP+. The park is going to be a mess because it does not have the attraction capacity to handle the crowds expected. This change in FP+ is not in any way an attempt to make lines shorter, it is a way to make sure that everybody going to DHS gets at least one "good" FP+ as well as the potential for one for Star Tours (which has really high capacity with its 6 vehicles). The current tiers would leave a lot of people shut out from most any rides or maybe just get one.

The flip side is the new system doesn't favor onsite guests as much as it renders the extra 30 day advantage relatively meaningless.

 

[trainplane3]

So I guess I'll be taking the same approach that I do in MK? Use my 3 FPs, look at the ridiculous waits, then go to Epcot. Cool.

 

[aliceismad]

And DAH and EMM at HS start to look better and better.