Disney to charge for Fastpass

[EPCOT Explorer]

Things that make you go "Hmmmm..." :lookaroun

Yep...Hope this is just teh rumorz.

 

[SirGoofy]

Yea I wouldn't have a problem with it if they used the Universal way, where on site guests get it for free, and of course as long as they let castmembers keep it for free.

 

[lebeau]

So instead of waiting in line for Soarin for 2 hours without a Fast Pass I'll be waiting for 4 hours?

Fewer people using FP = shorter stand-by lines.

I would actually be in favor of this depending how it is implemented.

Most of what I have seen differs from Universal. The rumors I have heard had Disney scaling the number of FPs you get depending on your spending. Spend more, get more. Everyone would still get some FPs, but those who stay in deluxe resorts and buy lots of souveniers would get more than the AP-holder who stays off site.

 

[Keyda]

I can see paying for the Ultimate Fasspass where you could walk onto any ride at anytime had a while back. I dont' know if they still do it but just for the regular run of the mill fastpass I think it is ludicrous.

 

[Philo]

Like others, I believe that this might be lying around in the Disney files somewhere but I don't expect to see it announced anytime soon. There is quite a lot of marketing for the 'Free Fastpass' system (Vacation planners anyone?) so they will need to wait a while for that to disappear.

My guess is they just put a few thoughts together to see how the numbers would work out - they would be foolish not to as we know there are plenty of people out there who would pay for FP, even if it does mean damaging the Disney magic a little more.

 

[EmOhYouEssE]

This has been getting some good discussion recently. I believe there was a patent filed (or something else) that said Disney had a method of charging for the fastpasses. It was in another thread that I cant find.

Whether they implement it or not remains to be seen, but it seems like they want to go down that route.

I remember reading the same thing about it being written into the patent for FP, but as of yet, it hasn't been implemented. Perhaps the OP's friend was reading the original FP patent? That would seem to make sense, since the verbage for the charge is in there somewhere I believe, but Disney has yet to act on it.

Em

 

[fillerup]

As a local and an AP'er, it'll be a cold day in hell before I ever pay for fastpass privileges.

And in fact, this would be the sort of thing to move me back to Seasonal.

 

[MMFanCipher]

I hope they don't do this. I already spend a lot of money when we go to
WDW (nearly 2k on extra stuff, not including tickets or rooms, that's why it
takes us years to save enough to go back again, plus having 4 kids doesn't
help either.) Free FP is a nice perk. :xmas:

We'll just have to wait and see. :snore:

 

[dhoywdw20x]

I could see them doing this, they could add it on to your park pass such as Park Hopper and Water park and fun option, they could add a $20.00 Fast Pass Option.

 

[Edeyore]

I agree they could add it as an addition to your ticket price. It would make it more convenient for people instead of heading to the kiosks for the fast passes and it may not limit the exact time you could get into a fastpass line. There could also be huge logistical problems without having the defined times and the possibility of an unknown number of people having the fast pass option in hand. If it happens it happens, if not, keep getting there early and get those fast passes.

 

[lebeau]

Free FP is a nice perk. :xmas:

It is amazing to me what a good job Disney marketing has done with FP.

FP is not a perk. It doesn't make lines any shorter. It just redistributes the wait times. People who use FP effectively have shorter waits because other people are waiting in longer stand-by lines.

If you did away with FP entirely, everyone would wait in equal lines that would move much faster than stand-by lines currently do.

Disney marketing has sold people on the idea that FP makes lines shorter. But that simply isn't true.

 

[beefog]

I would pay for FASTPASS, as long as it was at everyride and I could get multiple FASTPASS's at a time, so I would never have to stand on standby. I would be willing to add up to $75 a ticket for this. & I am a fmily of 4 so that would be an extra $300 to WDW. but as long as it not reasonable for eveyone to do it and the fastpass line doesn;t get out of hand yes please charge I am all for it

 

[the-reason14]

I really hope this isnt true. This will really dent me wanting to go back to WDW, theres alot of things they're doing that Im not really pleased with, and this one will probably take the cake. Why charge after its been free for so long? Yea, other parks may do it and may have abandoned the free thing, but this is disney world, it isnt cheap to go there as is, so yea it would benefit them but it wouldnt really benefit us.

 

[wonka]

If this happens, I would expect that fastpasses as we know them would remain the same. You go up to a kiosk, you get a fastpass, you can't get a new one until that one expires (or shortly before it does, I don't remember off the top of my head).

I wouldn't be surprised to see them add an additional type of park-wide fastpass nearly identical to Universal's (or the dream fastpasses they've been giving out) where it will allow you to jump into the fastpass line once per ride for an additional fee.

As others have stated, I can easily see this as being added in as a perk for staying on-site or as part of a prepaid package.

 

[fosse76]

If you did away with FP entirely, everyone would wait in equal lines that would move much faster than stand-by lines currently do.

Not quite. As you said in a part I'm not quoting, FP redistributes the guests. But it does so in a way that the standby line won't see an increase in wait time. If the return time is an hour later, and the wait time is an hour, they are returning at the same exact time they would be boarding had they stood in the standby line. The only difference is that they didn't have to wait in the line, they could do other things.

The problem with charging is that unless they keep the exact same system in place, it will significantly increase waiting times in the standby line. If they use Universal's system, it would mean anyone with a FP can go to any attraction at anytime...so the crowd isn't redistributed. The more popular the attraction, the slower the standby line will be. I went to Six Flags the other day...and the wait time signs had clearly been adjusted to reflect the use of the FP system. One ride had a sign that said the wait was 45 minutes from the point I was standing. No one with a FP came during my wait. I boarded in ten minutes. Their system added over a half hour to my wait. If Disney keeps the system as it is (the FP machines only issue FPs to people who paid for it) I could see it working fine. But if they switch, then essentially you'd have to buy one otherwise you'd spend the whole day on four rides.

Personally, I think it should be illegal for any of these parks to charge for these things...you already have to pay to get in, and now you are being punished with longer waits if you don't want to buy a FP.

 

[crlachepinochet]

She's not a huge Disney nerd like I am, so she didn't read it very carefully, however she did remember that each day is going to be the same amount, unlike Universal Express, and that Disney was going to make a point of it being offered cheaper than Universal Express.

I think your friend is putting you on, simply because when does Disney EVER mention Universal in their advertising?

 

[Brian Noble]

i wouldn't mind if they let resort guests have it for free, like universal does. i wouldn't pay for fastpass, and if i was forced to in order to use it i would condisder other vacation spots.

You realize that these two sentences say completely different things, right?

As a local and an AP'er, it'll be a cold day in hell before I ever pay for fastpass privileges. And in fact, this would be the sort of thing to move me back to Seasonal.

I'm guessing that the Sharp Pencil Boys are okay with that. Guests who travel to the resort, staying in Disney-owned rooms, paying daily admission are likely to be more profitable. As long as travel demand continues to increase, they'll be okay with replacing you with someone who spends more. If travel demand crashes again, they'll go back to offering better discounts to AP holders to entice them back.

Disney marketing has sold people on the idea that FP makes lines shorter. But that simply isn't true.

True. But, it makes them shorter for me. So, I'm cool with that.

it will allow you to jump into the fastpass line once per ride for an additional fee...I can easily see this as being added in as a perk for staying on-site

I can't see this working for all on-site guests. There are 30,000 rooms---figure they average three guests each when full, and that's 90,000 people to be given instant FOTL access across the resort. It's especially a lot when you consider the average daily attendance for the four parks combined is a shade under 130,000, and that Disney resorts run at about 90% occupancy.

If they did offer Dream Fastpasses for sale, they'd have to be priced high enough that not too many people would take advantage of them, otherwise they become meaningless.

 

[lebeau]

Not quite. As you said in a part I'm not quoting, FP redistributes the guests. But it does so in a way that the standby line won't see an increase in wait time. If the return time is an hour later, and the wait time is an hour, they are returning at the same exact time they would be boarding had they stood in the standby line. The only difference is that they didn't have to wait in the line, they could do other things.

That is true unless the person with the FP gets in another line while waiting for his or her window (which is what most people do). When this happens, the system is holding a place in line for the FP holder while they are physically taking up space in a stand-by line. That extends the length of stand-by lines.

Disney would love it if we all shopped or visited restaurants while we waited for our FP window. If we all did this, the system would work as intended and lines would not be lengthed. But realistically, who does that?

The problem with charging is that unless they keep the exact same system in place, it will significantly increase waiting times in the standby line.

It depends how it is set up. There are several changes they could make that would actually result in shorter stand-by lines. Anything that makes FP used less often will result in shorter lines for the majority of visitors.

If they use Universal's system, it would mean anyone with a FP can go to any attraction at anytime...so the crowd isn't redistributed. The more popular the attraction, the slower the standby line will be.

I'd be very surprised if they adopted Universal's system. If they did, I would expect it to be priced high enough that very few people used it. If they made it exclusive to resort guests, I would expect the price of staying on Disney property to skyrocket.

Personally, I think it should be illegal for any of these parks to charge for these things...you already have to pay to get in, and now you are being punished with longer waits if you don't want to buy a FP.

Illegal? Surely you are kidding. Why would the government get involved? There are plenty of place where you pay to get in and then have the option to pay for additional options.

FP will almost certainly be changed in ways that add to Disney's bottom line. I doubt it will be a flat charge as Disney would have a hard time marketing that. But just as they have succeeded in making people believe that FP is a perk, I'm sure they will spin the new version of FP as an added benefit whether it really is or not.

 

[lebeau]

True. But, it makes them shorter for me. So, I'm cool with that.

That was the most honest response I've ever gotten when I got on my soap box about the evils of Fast Pass :lol:

 

[disneydiva72]

What would be nice is if we got the FastPass free with our room like Universal does.