Changes to Fastpass+ Tiers at Hollywood Studios Effective 8.29

[Sirwalterraleigh]

But you are saying this as if the Fastpasses for those attractions won't book up to capacity.
It means that the most popular attraction will book up first...then people will try for the next which will book up...and then all of Tier 1 will be booked. If the Fastpasses are at max capacity for that attraction, that means that the same amount of people are using Fastpass for it and those that get shut out will be forced into standby.

Whether I personally use Fastpass on 2 of those attractions or two people use 1 Fastpass on each attraction, the same amount of Fastpasses are being used...just by different people.

You really can’t go “back” on fast pass to standbys. The algorithms have changed how the rides operate. Simply dividing every line in two slows down your load rate and lengthens the standby line.

The only “option” is what is going on in Anaheim: queued entry into lands.

How MAGICAL is gonna be in 10 years when there are queues everywhere out of need? “Wishes, Magic, dreams, wonder!!”

The only way to reverse is to build a lot more and a massive white collar recession...but I can’t say that out load or I overload the “truth circuitry”

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

agreed they need some people eater attractions and shows - to bad they can't have a nice show during the daytime in the fantasmic theater

That would help...maybe something in the hunchback theater?

Some kinda kiddie land - for gods sakes...or more Umph in toy Storyville

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I couldn't agree more.. so dumb! Why bother having a tier. Just let it go back to paper tickets or none at all. Then its only 1 at a time.

I liked the old system better...the more time goes on.

The sheer volume over a year makes it kinda difficult with prebooks. That’s just me.

 

[Janir]

All the shows are tier 2.

IF this is true it must be to spread people around DHS, so that you can’t book Slinky, RnR and ToT. You will have to book at least one show to be able to get a 4th FP in the same park.

I can see a lot of people booking 3rd FP+ for a show and then just not using it. or booking a show, check in, and skipping the show just to get a 4th real FP+ on a Tier 1.

 

[Janir]

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).

There's an easier way to do that, just don't dedicate as may FP+ slots to a ride int eh backend.

 

[JacksonSq]

If this is true, do you think that they will offer more Disney After Hours events at DHS? With or without access to SW:GE?

 

[WDWFREAK53]

The only way to reverse is to build a lot more and a massive white collar recession...but I can’t say that out load or I overload the “truth circuitry”

You could do both actually. Build more obviously (but don't increase the park capacity...because that shoots you in the foot), and then Tier the Fastpasses based on what level accommodations you book.

DVC gets 6 FP/day (2 Tier 1)
Deluxe gets 5 FP/day (2 Tier 1)
Moderate gets 4 FP/day (1 Tier 1)
Value gets 3 FP/day (1 Tier 1)
Off-site gets 2FP/day (1 Tier 1)

Annual Passholders get 3FP/day (1 Tier 1) unless their resort accommodations offer a greater incentive.

 

[GhostHost1000]

That would help...maybe something in the hunchback theater?

Some kinda kiddie land - for gods sakes...or more Umph in toy Storyville

EXPAND is the key word... not rip and replace existing (that can be done at times as well but we need additional people eaters)

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

If this is true, do you think that they will offer more Disney After Hours events at DHS? With or without access to SW:GE?

Of course they will...it’s like selling beer to drunken sailors

 

[Janir]

You could do both actually. Build more obviously (but don't increase the park capacity...because that shoots you in the foot), and then Tier the Fastpasses based on what level accommodations you book.

DVC gets 6 FP/day (2 Tier 1)
Deluxe gets 5 FP/day (2 Tier 1)
Moderate gets 4 FP/day (1 Tier 1)
Value gets 3 FP/day (1 Tier 1)
Off-site gets 2FP/day (1 Tier 1)

Annual Passholders get 3FP/day (1 Tier 1) unless their resort accommodations offer a greater incentive.

This also solves their on site "edge" problem, giving on site resorts some edge again for staying on property.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

There's an easier way to do that, just don't dedicate as may FP+ slots to a ride int eh backend.

But then that disables their crowd predictor...which was the whole point.

That’s used to sell things...so that a “no”

 

[Kman101]

Amen

Also boo for allowing their normal crowds to outgrow comfortable ride capacity...but we lost the battle and died on that hill 10 years ago

Yep. Maybe they should have ... you know ... built some things for the decade+ they stagnated ... now here we are and they can't keep up. So we get this rationing of rides. HS is a mess. GE will just create more problems. They just simply don't have enough to do.

 

[Kman101]

But then that disables their crowd predictor...which was the whole point.

THIS.

FP isn't a true benefit for any of us, IMHO (if that makes sense to some, others won't get it). It does benefit Disney though. They WANT you booking things months in advance ... for a reason. Not to make life easier for uber planners.

 

[Kingoglow]

Hard cap a maximum capacity for each park, much much lower than they currently do.
Let no one in until 100 guests have left under that new cap.

 

[zurj]

But you are saying this as if the Fastpasses for those attractions won't book up to capacity.
It means that the most popular attraction will book up first...then people will try for the next which will book up...and then all of Tier 1 will be booked. If the Fastpasses are at max capacity for that attraction, that means that the same amount of people are using Fastpass for it and those that get shut out will be forced into standby.

Whether I personally use Fastpass on 2 of those attractions or two people use 1 Fastpass on each attraction, the same amount of Fastpasses are being used...just by different people.

But let's say, hypothetically, there are 100 people in the park. Each person gets to fastpass 2 rides. That makes 200 spots taken up by fastpass. If each person now only gets to fastpass 1 ride, then that cuts fastpass spots in half. Hence a lower percentage of the lines being dedicated to fastpass.

I think your point is that if 200 people came into the park, there would still be 200 total spots for fastpass... If correct, Disney is making a decision that instead of 100 people getting to take 2 fastpass spots each and 100 people getting to take no fastpass spots each, it would be better for them that 200 people each get 1 spot each.

I think we all agree that Disney does not want people in line longer than they have to be. They want people walking around the park buying $4 bottles of water, $8 cupcakes, and $40 T-shirts. The more time in line, the more time away from shopping and dining.

 

[TTA94]

Can someone explain how it works to get the paid fast passes currently? Only club level correct? And are you guaranteed any FP as long as you pay for it? or is it still depending on availability?

 

[Kman101]

I am a DVC owner since 2012 and have been to Disney over a dozen times. The reason I bring this up to begin post is that I recently brought my 13, 12 and 10 year old to Universal. I am a life long Disney fan and while I did enjoy Universal, I still like Disney much better. Of course with one exception. Universal's Express Pass is far superior to Disney Fast Pass. We stayed at Hard Rock and got to skip every line. My family kept saying "why would we wait in lines for 60+ minutes at Disney when we can do this." I think Disney needs to rethink their Fast Pass system and offer some kind of increased value whether its staying in certain signature hotels, being an annual passholder, being a DVC member or even selling additional Fast Passes. The amount of time you have to wait is unacceptable and I think they are losing business over it

I agree it's time to rethink it completely. But they like you booking FP+ so many months ahead because they can "forecast" that way and plan accordingly. I think it's only a matter of time before some paid option(s) become available. But also to add to that, they need quite a few more rides in each of the parks, beyond what they're doing now ... Personally though I don't wait very long in the FP+ line when I have one. They get you through fairly fast (as standby remains at either a total standstill or a slow crawl). But the system needs an overhaul. IMO.

Disneyland seems to have done it right (mostly), and I find Shanghai's somewhat appealing.

 

[zurj]

As an aside, I don't think the new land will drive wait times up across the park as much as feared. I believe Star Wars land will be awfully crowded, but the rest of the park (I think) will not be nearly as crowded as feared. I went to Universal about 3 weeks after Diagon Alley opened, and wait times across the park were not bad at all. Diagon Alley was super crowded... 3 hour waits for Gringotts. 1 hour waits just to get into the land... but you could go over to MIB and only wait 10 minutes.

 

[Kman101]

As an aside, I don't think the new land will drive wait times up across the park as much as feared. I believe Star Wars land will be awfully crowded, but the rest of the park (I think) will not be nearly as crowded as feared. I went to Universal about 3 weeks after Diagon Alley opened, and wait times across the park were not bad at all. Diagon Alley was super crowded... 3 hour waits for Gringotts. 1 hour waits just to get into the land... but you could go over to MIB and only wait 10 minutes.

With Hollywood Studios, imagine exiting Galaxy's Edge and having only a few options for rides. At least at Disneyland you exit Galaxy's Edge and enter Walt's park with tons of things to do plus a park literally a minute away with a healthy selection of attractions/rides. I'm very curious to see what effect GE has. The parks are already nearing uncomfortable crowd levels on "regular" days so will the crowds be there just for Star Wars and head out or will they funnel into the rest of the park. What happens when the land is at capacity and you have tons of people forced to walk around and get into standby or go watch a 30 year old stage show?

 

[MickeyLuv'r]

Okay, first off- currently this = a change to the CL program, as relates to HS right after the new SW ride opens. Likely this is a change to all tier one- but there's also a small potential this only impacts guests opting to buy the 6 FP.

In my mind, if this change really happens for everyone, then I see this as a way to encourage more park hopping to/from HS, to limit crowds in HS for a while.