Disney is lying to us.

[JAB]

That part isn’t true. AP holders could only hold 7 days worth of FPs at a time in any one rolling month. Certainly better than the 3 days now, but not all their days.

Thanks for the correction. I've updated my original post, as the corrected info still fits with my point that ParkPass reservations aren't exactly the same as FP+ reservations were.

 

[TotallyBiased]

There was no park reservations before C19. Week before Xmas /2019 was our last trip. All was normal.

 

[Goofyernmost]

You missed my point.

I don't disagree that FP+ pushed many people to decide on their park days in advance, so I agree that, for you and the many others like you who chose their FP+ reservations in advance and didn't park hop (or only made FP+ reservations for their first park every day), they are essentially the same. However, my point was that just because that's true for you and others doesn't mean the assertion that Park Pass reservations are the same thing as having to choose parks to select FP+ is true for everyone.

• Park Pass is required for park entry; FP+ was not. This is a key difference; you didn't have to make FP+ reservations if you didn't want or need to. Just because guests could choose FP+ in advance doesn't mean everyone did. As I said, I know some people who refused to reserve FP+ because they didn't want to be "locked in" and wanted to go to whatever park they "felt like" on the day. Even if guests made FP+ reservations, they didn't have to go to that park. In addition, local APs could just pop into a park for shopping, dining, or a few rides without needing to make FP+ reservations. Now these same scenarios require people to make reservations that they didn't have to before.
• Park Pass forces you to visit your "chosen" park first; FP+ did not. Some guests would make afternoon FP+ reservations for headliner attractions at one park, and then rope drop the headliner attractions at a different park. Obviously, this one is currently not applicable since FP+ isn't available, but if FP comes back with Park Pass still in place as is, this won't be possible, and will definitely be a difference for those guests.
• Park Pass limits the number of reservations APs can make; FP+ did not. APs could make FP+ reservations 30 days in advance for whatever days as they wanted and they could still visit the parks in the meantime. With Park Pass, they are limited to three park reservations at a time, and if they made all three 30 days in advance as they could with FP+, they'd be locked out the parks for a month.
• Park Pass only allows APs staying at off-site resorts to reserve 3 days of their trip; FP+ allowed them to reserve 7 days.

.

(Edited to correct # of AP FP+ days)

For me: The first two:... Those two combine when it comes to myself. I always chose my FP's for spots in the morning of my "chosen" first park. so now it might be a rule but it isn't going to affect me. Because before when I chose FP's it was for attractions in a specific park and that automatically became my chosen park. No difference except in nomenclature. I'd get my three and usually hopped to my second choice for the day and made FP choices while in line for other attractions in my first park.

As for the other two. Don't have a AP, don't want an AP, cannot use an AP, so it doesn't mean anything to most of us.

 

[Disstevefan1]

I guess I have to agree. There was a time when they sold 10 day non-expiring park tickets plus Park hoppers. It was not unusual for me to be siting there watching a program on Sunday in the evening and decide I wanted to go to WDW the next day. I'd run to the computer and find an offsite hotel at usually around $50 to $60 dollars a night. Throw a few things in suitcase and hit the road at 6am. I'd stop for lunch as my longest stop and arrive in Kissimmee around 4:30pm. I lived about 2 miles from I-40 E to I-95 S loop around Jacksonville on I-295 E side, back on I-95 S to I-4 W, Easy Peasy.

Disney made sure that I could no longer do that. That went away along with paper FP's. That's when my visits went from 1 or 2 visits per year to 1 visit every three years. For someone like me they got to charge me for 10 days and invest that money that I didn't use for usually 3 years. Now they don't get it until a couple of days before I actually go there if not on the day that I arrive. I used to buy them at the Disney Store here in Raleigh. The PLUS experience cut down a lot on their on paper cash flow. So now not only do I not go to WDW anywhere near as often as I once did, but partially because of this, the stores have lost that income making it look like it isn't doing as well, so now even that is closed. Businesses do not usually push to diminish their exposure to the public like Disney does. It will catch up someday.

You have to wonder how may folks are feeling and doing the same as you. I think many.

But here’s the thing, today, Disney only wants you to show up once every three years; prices are so high on everything, they feel they can get enough money from you every three years or so.

For Disney it equates to less people (therefore less overhead) spending more money.

Disney wins again.

 

[LuvtheGoof]

It's even better today. The line for Slinky Dog extended all the way to the Little Mermaid show building. Lines for ToT and RRC extended down that street all the way to Mickey and Minnie.

Just to the north, the line for Three Caballeros is extending to the pyramid doors.

show doesn't even do it justice. We've been going to WDW every mid-to-late July for years now and while it's always been crowded, it's never been this bad or so painful to actually ride any rides.

After going to Disneyland and Disney World for 40 years, I frankly may be done after this.

Welcome to no FP Disney. It was like this in the 90's before any FP at all. SM would be an hour or more wait within an hour of park opening. I know some will dispute this, and say it ain't so, but I lived it. It is true that there were slower times back then that the waits were quite reasonable, but it was never true in the summer when we had to take the kids. Of course, there are very few, if any, "slower" times nowadays.

 

[Disstevefan1]

Welcome to no FP Disney. It was like this in the 90's before any FP at all. SM would be an hour or more wait within an hour of park opening. I know some will dispute this, and say it ain't so, but I lived it. It is true that there were slower times back then that the waits were quite reasonable, but it was never true in the summer when we had to take the kids. Of course, there are very few, if any, "slower" times nowadays.

I don't think what we are seeing today is because of no Faspasses. I think this is all the folks who were locked in their homes, got their vaccines, then went on their "COVID revenge vacation".

But don't worry, the FastPass system is coming back.... This time, for a price.

 

[Shelen74]

I was at Epcot yesterday and it was packed it could not of been at 35% capacity. I would say it was 50+ so why are they still doing Park reservations?

I would assume so they can shift staffing to where it is needed, not be understaffed at highest volume parks and vice versa

 

[chriskbrown]

I don't think what we are seeing today is because of no Faspasses. I think this is all the folks who were locked in their homes, got their vaccines, then went on their "COVID revenge vacation".

But don't worry, the FastPass system is coming back.... This time, for a price.

The lack of availability in DVC bears this out

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

The lack of availability in DVC bears this out

DVC rooms are sold like 20 to 1…

there’s never enough room for everyone…hence the borrowing restrictions. I’m surprised DVC isn’t worse than it is. A year disruption isn’t built into the math.

 

[Goofyernmost]

You have to wonder how may folks are feeling and doing the same as you. I think many.

But here’s the thing, today, Disney only wants you to show up once every three years; prices are so high on everything, they feel they can get enough money from you every three years or so.

For Disney it equates to less people (therefore less overhead) spending more money.

Disney wins again.

Solid Business Plan for any executive only caring as far into the future as their own retirement or golden parachute.

 

[Disstevefan1]

Solid Business Plan for any executive only caring as far into the future as their own retirement or golden parachute.

Totally agree. I USED TO think these short sighted, money grab schemes the executives did would eventually hurt the company in the long run. I don’t think that anymore. TWDC is invincible.

 

[Disstevefan1]

The lack of availability in DVC bears this out

Agreed - TWDC IS WINNING $$$$$$$$$$$$. TWDC asks, “What pandemic?”

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Totally agree. I USED TO think these short sighted, money grab schemes the executives did would eventually hurt the company in the long run. I don’t think that anymore. TWDC is invincible.

You can keep saying this…and I mostly agree…but there are ceilings to all prices and reputations…

those 5 shares you got are never gonna be worth $50,000 each

 

[Goofyernmost]

Totally agree. I USED TO think these short sighted, money grab schemes the executives did would eventually hurt the company in the long run. I don’t think that anymore. TWDC is invincible.

Yes, it does seem that way, but unless they change their long range planning soon it will happen. How many Sears stores to you see around anymore. They were once invincible. Same as Kodak, JC Penney and multiple others. Whatever happened to Pontiac & Oldsmobile. Disney is riding pretty high right now, but if there is another major economic downturn they are going to have a big problem. The big thing is that they have been giving themselves a lot more "benefits" in the form of Bonus's then they are throwing toward the shareholders. That will not last forever either. Sadly, I probably won't live long enough to see it, but I'm sure it will at some point.

 

[Raineman]

Welcome to no FP Disney. It was like this in the 90's before any FP at all. SM would be an hour or more wait within an hour of park opening. I know some will dispute this, and say it ain't so, but I lived it. It is true that there were slower times back then that the waits were quite reasonable, but it was never true in the summer when we had to take the kids. Of course, there are very few, if any, "slower" times nowadays.

This was 31 years ago, but on my first trip to WDW, I remember the Space Mountain line stretching all the way out to the Peoplemover/Astro Orbiter platform-which is why I didn't ride it until my second trip 24 years later.

 

[jprusso]

Disney has always talked out of the side of their mouths. They create a consumer narrative to justify business decisions. Consider a family on vacation not able to get a reservation for MK, HS, or EPCOT. What do you think they would do to maximise their expensive trip or keep the kids happy? Go to AK.

If we look at historical park attendance across all four we can see that there are less desirable parks. The attendance is reflected as total revenue per park which is negatively or positively received by shareholders. So, Disney uses the reservation system to limit access to one popular park so that the overflow heads to a less desirable park. At the end of the day, all parks are showing more balanced attendance resulting in equal revenue streams and the stock holders are happy.

 

[Disstevefan1]

Yes, it does seem that way, but unless they change their long range planning soon it will happen. How many Sears stores to you see around anymore. They were once invincible. Same as Kodak, JC Penney and multiple others. Whatever happened to Pontiac & Oldsmobile. Disney is riding pretty high right now, but if there is another major economic downturn they are going to have a big problem. The big thing is that they have been giving themselves a lot more "benefits" in the form of Bonus's then they are throwing toward the shareholders. That will not last forever either. Sadly, I probably won't live long enough to see it, but I'm sure it will at some point.

I kinda see your point, in the case of Kodak and Xerox the leadership had lack of vision for the future technology.

Kodak INVENTED the digital camera, but the leadership said, “we have film, we don’t need digital”.

Xerox INVENTED the Windows type of operating system, including the mouse, but the leadership said we have photocopiers, we don’t need this Windows stuff.

Brick and mortar retail like Sears could possibly also survived if they committed to e-commerce at the very beginning when Amazon was just selling books. Once again I guess it’s lack of vision for new technology.

Just my opinion, the car companies were killed by the unions, the unions got too powerful, paying workers to literally not to work.

The theme parks to me are different. It’s leisure and entertainment. As long as folks have the cash, folks will pay, and Disney can ( and do) change things up. To keep making money.

After what I am seeing now, I still think TWDC is invincible.

 

[DfromATX]

It's even better today. The line for Slinky Dog extended all the way to the Little Mermaid show building. Lines for ToT and RRC extended down that street all the way to Mickey and Minnie.

Just to the north, the line for Three Caballeros is extending to the pyramid doors.

show doesn't even do it justice. We've been going to WDW every mid-to-late July for years now and while it's always been crowded, it's never been this bad or so painful to actually ride any rides.

After going to Disneyland and Disney World for 40 years, I frankly may be done after this.

Are they still rerouting the lines? When we were there in February, for Peter Pan they made us line up in Columbia Harbour House restaurant. And most (if not all) the ride lines were outside. Tower of Terror was all the way down the street! It looked like it was a 2 hour wait, but it was only 45 minutes. Just wondering if they quit doing that.

 

[Tom Morrow]

It's taking people two hours this week from the time they drive onto WDW property to actually get in to the parks because it's so backed up. If they're limiting capacity, it's just barely, and only to avoid having to constantly go to phase shutdowns. This is possibly the busiest summer Orlando has ever seen. I don't have proof of that, but I've lived here a while, and I feel it.

 

[Disstevefan1]

You can keep saying this…and I mostly agree…but there are ceilings to all prices and reputations…

those 5 shares you got are never gonna be worth $50,000 each

I honestly see no end. As long as there are folks to pay the money no matter the price and accept whatever they get. The stock will continue to climb and eventually split. I have no shares, but I am sure shareholders are happy.