Changes to Fastpass+ Tiers at Hollywood Studios Effective 8.29

[RSoxNo1]

Who’s aspiring to replicate universal?

Orlando and it’s business has always been driven by its highs and lows. Prices get comparatively stupid in “boom” times and are ground down to somewhat normal ones over time in the crashes...

So after traveling through several and living/working through a couple others...this last 7-8 years or so shows me that the formula may be finally broken for good. Both the management short sighted, lower value/quality trends and the customers willingness to vote against themselves.

The wheel is broken in my opinion. More to follow.

I think anyone paying $50 a day for fast passes to magic kingdom is certifiably nuts. It’s a ticket surcharge and the product doesn’t justify it. But I always lose these battles...years later people realize it sucked when the dust settles

Bob Chapek kind of is. He pointedly said during opening weekend of Galaxy's Edge that if any other theme park had Disney's collection of IP they'd be doing the exact same thing. It's effectively the Universal model.

 

[RSoxNo1]

Can anyone confirm where Star Tours and Fantasmic are ending up?

 

[RSoxNo1]

It’s been difficult to find 3 “worthy” fastpass at studios since the advent of the tier system

Damn near impossible at Epcot

Agreed. A much better option for Fastpass+ in non-MK parks was limiting advanced bookings to 2 or 1 for the other parks and eliminating tiers.

 

[Rteetz]

Can anyone confirm where Star Tours and Fantasmic are ending up?

I haven’t seen anything other than a report that Star Tours was tier 2. Not sure on F!

 

[nickys]

The system is very “glitchy”...the only way to have a good shot at a plan is to book 3, use them as early as you can...then allow the system to let you go beyond.

It’s why I always laugh when people say: “I get 4, 5, 6...no problem”....

You almost have to blow your O-ring trying to find a day, time and bug eying the app to do that. Probably better hobbies to have

Well we did manage several even on Christmas Eve in MK, Christmas Day, in Epcot, and New Years Day in MK.

But we simply logged on and saw what was available, we weren’t looking for any specific ride. DS simply said “we can go to Mission Space, Spaceship Earth or Nemo in the next 20 minutes - which will I go for?”

At MK it was just ridiculously easy. As we approached POTC, the posted wait time said 20 minutes. There was an FP available in 5 minutes ...... and people were joining the stand-by line as we walked in.

 

[ninjaprincesst]

I believe you will have to use your first three before getting access to another tier 1 in the same park, not positive though.

No I do it at epcot all the time, if you only make 2 you can book another tier 1 if available as soon as you have scanned your band for fast pass #2 or fast pass #1 if you just make 1.

 

[ninjaprincesst]

Due to this I am really really hoping for extra, extra magic hours to be extended. I have no problem being at the gate waiting.

 

[nickys]

No I do it at epcot all the time, if you only make 2 you can book another tier 1 if available as soon as you have scanned your band for fast pass #2 or fast pass #1 if you just make 1.

That’s only for park hopping. Where if you only book one or two, as soon as you tap into #1, you can book elsewhere - and those can be another tier 1.

If you’re in the same park, you do have to have either used or let expire, all three initial FPs before booking another tier 1.

If you’ve managed to get around that, I think it’s a glitch.

 

[RSoxNo1]

That’s only for park hopping. Where if you only book one or two, as soon as you tap into #1, you can book elsewhere - and those can be another tier 1.

If you’re in the same park, you do have to have either used or let expire, all three initial FPs before booking another tier 1.

If you’ve managed to get around that, I think it’s a glitch.

Opening weekend of Pandora there were a few times where Na'vi River Journey FP+ were showing up during the day (and I know that happens on occasion as well). I booked a FP+ for Tough to be a Bug scanned in and left the queue just to burn a Fastpass. Then I was able to get the Na'vi River Journey FP+ with no restrictions.

 

[nickys]

Opening weekend of Pandora there were a few times where Na'vi River Journey FP+ were showing up during the day (and I know that happens on occasion as well). I booked a FP+ for Tough to be a Bug scanned in and left the queue just to burn a Fastpass. Then I was able to get the Na'vi River Journey FP+ with no restrictions.

Yes, odd occasions like that are great for those who notice it!

But it doesn’t happen that often, does it? That was when they introduced tiers to AK for the first time.

 

[ninjaprincesst]

Yes, odd occasions like that are great for those who notice it!

But it doesn’t happen that often, does it? That was when they introduced tiers to AK for the first time.

Last year I did it at Epcot, I booked Frozen ever after first thing and only fastpass, scanned my band and made a FP for Soarin while in line, rode FEA, scanned into Soarin while in line got Test track fast pass. I also did it at AK had FOP first thing no other fast passes and got Navi River after scanning, I have done it at Epcot for years, surely it's not a glitch every year? I just don't see the point in using fastpass for shows or walk ons. I guess if I have to Ill just book another star tours as soon as I scan in and leave so I can get something else.

 

[RSoxNo1]

Yes, odd occasions like that are great for those who notice it!

But it doesn’t happen that often, does it? That was when they introduced tiers to AK for the first time.

By putting all rides in Tier 1, this should help same day availability at DHS. The move would be to either hop their in early afternoon or get some "instant" Fastpasses for Mermaid and Muppets to get into the cycling Fastpass mode. Conceivably you can get a 9:00 AM ride FP and then check same day availability for an early morning T2 show FP, check in for that show, leave the queue and do it again at another show. Conceivably you could have cleared 3 FP+ reservations by 10 AM.

 

[nickys]

Last year I did it at Epcot, I booked Frozen ever after first thing and only fastpass, scanned my band and made a FP for Soarin while in line, rode FEA, scanned into Soarin while in line got Test track fast pass. I also did it at AK had FOP first thing no other fast passes and got Navi River after scanning, I have done it at Epcot for years, surely it's not a glitch every year? I just don't see the point in using fastpass for shows or walk ons. I guess if I have to Ill just book another star tours as soon as I scan in and leave so I can get something else.

It is ‘t the way it is meant to work, unless you already had used 3 FPs before hand on the day. Otherwise everyone would do it. You’ve been lucky!

 

[CAV]

If this is true, I'm going to call/email Disney daily to complain. Using FPs for shows is a COMPLETE waste, so that means there is only one real use for a FP in Tier 2, and I'll have to do standby for nearly every ride in the park! ☹

I'm gonna let you in on a little secret. Move closer, I don't want anyone to over hear this juicy tidbit....DISNEY DOESNT CARE ABOUT OR WANT YOUR OPINION.

 

[CAV]

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).

Wait, what? Adding more people to standby makes standby move faster??????

 

[CAV]

And with all things Disney, this is not an end game, it is a way point.

Remember My Pal Mickey? That wasn't a consumer product. It was a testing platform for tracking your every move in the parks and FP+. And the evil trick is Disney got you to pay for being test subjects.

This is no different. It is to create an untenable situation so that you CANNOT wait to pay extra for a FP++.

 

[DisneyDreamer08]

Side question related to shows (property wide)- Do any shows save seats in a certain section, regardless of when you enter? On previous trips, we Fastpassed shows simply to avoid queuing up super early with our kids. In every instance, we were told the FP only got your line through the door first. Once FP was in, the stand by line was let in to get whatever seats were left. So essentially, you had to queue up even earlier than normal. It happened a few times we ended up entering after the stand by line and were told to just sit wherever. It didn’t really matter where we sat, but it seemed like a waste of a FP. It would make so much more sense to have an entire section dedicated to FP. Are there any shows that do this?

 

[larryz]

What's the point of paying to go anymore? They keep raising park ticket prices even though most of the rides in DHS were shut down for years. Now they are only going to let us do ONE Tier 1 ride with every group of Fastpasses.

What are they doing?

 

[twilight mitsuk]

Hogwarts and shamu here i come

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

And with all things Disney, this is not an end game, it is a way point.

Remember My Pal Mickey? That wasn't a consumer product. It was a testing platform for tracking your every move in the parks and FP+. And the evil trick is Disney got you to pay for being test subjects.

This is no different. It is to create an untenable situation so that you CANNOT wait to pay extra for a FP++.

Absolutely...that’s where I’m at as well.

People have to remember that even Disney has been very careful to advertise
FP+ as a “benefit”. They really haven’t...they offer it with out superlative. That in of itself is telling.

Here’s what it was designed to do:
1. Track movements to glean data for revenue streams and staff reductions
2. Ride ration...as near zero investment since DAK for a stunning 15 years grew crowds to a level where the parks flaws show.
3. Eventually - more revenue streams.

Iger himself - slime monkey that he is - talked about how he had to “convince” the board to authorize the spending on it. There is EXACTLY one way you convince a mercenary board of billionaires like Disney to spend. One.

But this is our responsibility - the consumers. It’s a relationship and you’re allowing everyone to be abused. When I see “oh I just wish they’d charge so I can be done with it...my time is too valuable”

That kinda thought cause rampant deflation of the value of MY time. There are no “individuals” in a team Disney. And there never will be. Wise up, peeps.