Fast pass plus

[the.dreamfinder]

Here's a radical idea: kill park hoppers (partially) and fastpass/FP+ over a period of time.
Park hoppers were created to justify DHS's, then MGM, lack of attractions because a day at MGM cost as much as a day at Epcot or MK. Circa early 90's, it was a quick fix marketing gimmick to keep guests from feeling like they're getting ripped off in the interim while they built more rides at the park. But as is often the case with WDW (see SC tents), anything that's meant to be temporary becomes permanent. The park hopper makes the half day park justifiable from a consumer standpoint and it is used as an excuse by executies to not make these parks full day parks. Look at TDR (http://www.tokyodisneyresort.co.jp/en/ticket/multipass/index.html), park hoppers only kick in for guests with 3+ day tickets after day 2. With WDW's current offerings, you cannot justify that sort of structure ... yet. However, I think that Disney needs to get serious about the hidden costs of PH like extra transportation costs/wear on infrastructure and realize that it would be beneficial in the long term to have 4 FULL day parks and have a park hopper that kicks in on day five.

FP/FP+ create false demand for most attractions/shows. FP only works with high demand attractions like Soarin', PPF, and TSMM because the high demand for these low capacity attractions needs to be spread through the day. The issue, as we know, is that there's a reason why those rides are in high demand other than their popularity (which is certainly debatable in the case of PPF), it's a lack of attractions. With Soarin' a lack of high quality family attractions in FW and a lack of non-thrill/no height restriction rides at DHS. Lines self regulate. If there's a long wait, folks move on. When I went to Hersheypark this summer, this worked perfectly as it has for like ever.

So get ride of the marketing gimmicks and queue schemes (if you think FP+ is bad, imagine if Comcast could prioritize its services over others, then connection speed, and then CHARGE you more for using say Netflix!) and focus on QUALITY and MAGIC!!!

Remember, we need more stuff like this,

and less stuff like this.

(and this too .. don't want to know what he used that stick for...)

 

[Longhairbear]

I'm not understanding why TDO is seemingly derailing WDW's reputation for fine dining. First came the DDP, and now Fastpass plus?
We love to cook, and the reason we always used to book our trips for Food &Wine. As DVC members we'd eat out, try all the booths, and have a few in villa home cooked dinners. Since the DDP was introduced we found we were cooking in our villa a lot more. After all, groceries can be delivered. The DDP lowered our ability to get a table at anyplace we wanted to go. The DDP lowered the selection and quality of most of our fave eateries.
I'm not usually one to brag, but I can make a much better tasting , and less costly dinner in my DVC villa in less time than it takes to wait for an open table at any WDW restaurant. I'm not an idiot, and I am certainly not without cooking skills. I am, however a fan of WDW, and a Disney fan in general. I'm not a "Mommy blogger" that bought into a full DVC kitchen that will be never used because she is on vacation. The "Mommy bloggers " are the biggest fans for the crap TDO is dishing out.
I for one intend to use my DVC membership exclusively in CA at DLR for the time being. There is no DDP, so the food is better, but I still grill steaks at VGC on occasion.
TDO has totally missed an opportunity for keeping cash spent on property. They should offer recipe, and grocery packages for those like me that cook during food & wine. Go to the chef meet& greet, watch the demo, they should offer to buy a grocery pack to take back to your villa, bake, saute, or roast it all and enjoy the overpriced wine purchased at EPCOT.
Idiots, instead we get shut out of more dining experiences by Fastpass plus.

 

[Juliaz3]

No, I don't make plans when heading to WDW beyond a meal here or there (something you once didn't have to do).

I only plan what days will be spent in which parks. We don't even use ADRs as we tend to go to DW at quieter times and eat at different times than most folks. I really enjoy the advance planning that allows me to say "Hey, we want to ride this in the afternoon and then catch the parade that will start nearby." I would hate the advance planning that basically required me to pre-plan a lot of my day by the hour and then rush around trying to get to everything on time. I suppose that's an exaggeration of how FP+ will work, but maybe not.

There are plenty of people who are schedulers and really stick with those Touring Plans, but a lot of people also show up in the parks to this day having no idea what FP is or how to use it. Why skew so much toward those micro-planners rather than help everyone to have a pleasant, non-rushed experience?

 

[bgraham34]

I just talked with someone here at work about the new Fastpass. They already knew about planning their dining 6 months in advanced but are having second thoughts about the whole reserve your ride time now. They are actually thinking about changing their trip in Nov of next year to an island. They dont want to get into the whole over planning your vacation.

 

[evilzorac]

The focus on the negative aspects of FP+ is largely the result of TDO's recent track record, along with some business sense: ...


Thanks for such a great post. As a Florida resident and someone who has had AP's for many years (18+) I am not in favor of this tech and most of my negative thoughts are grounded in the track record of TDO. At this point my AP's are up in March and I am thinking that instead of renewing them this year I will take the family on a trip to Anaheim instead.

I hope I am wrong in my assessment but it has been a long time since TDO has surprised me in a positive fashion.

By the way for any TDO social networking spy’s I am one of those forgotten AP'ers that stays in the deluxe hotels and eats at the best Disney restaurants. Perhaps pushing me out of the TDO "Nest" is a bad marketing call.

 

[flynnibus]

Not me. The Disney parks I regularly visit let me come back to an attraction anytime after the specific time on the Fastpass. Still, it's not the same. People are actually going to be reserving Fastpasses online... What is that? It sounds pretty ridiculous, IMO

Almost as ridiculous as the DLR base hating on FP so much.. yet being up in arms when people talk about actually enforcing return times which would cut down on some of the negative aspects of FP they hate so much. Reality is... people get up in arms over anything that threatens the way they want things to be. Human nature

 

[flynnibus]

Your avatar threw me off and yes the written word is not my strong point, haven't really needed it since college a couple of decades ago. You write like a PR person so don't get all upset I was just pointing out something that others should be aware of. I's got my learnin' on yars ago.......

My avatar? It's the same I've used here for years. It's the original Disney Channel Logo.

As for writing like a PR person... uh.. ok. I guess I'll take that over writing like an irrational, emotional consumer like many do.

 

[flynnibus]

And the post I was quoting was a thing of beauty. Brian Charles Kohn (wherever he is) would be proud.

Not familiar with him.. but it looks like you can still solicit his help here http://www.allexperts.com/ep/234-5553/Walt-Disney-World/Brian-Charles-Kohn.htm Was he a sparing partner of yours in the past?

My posts (unless quoted) are always my own thoughts and output. I have a strong disdain for those who plagiarize others because of my strong beliefs on valuing independent thought. People who just spew what they've heard turn me off quicker than people with pungent BO.

 

[flynnibus]

Different thread. Same ignorant attitude.

Pot meet kettle... once again you can't stay on point and when you fall back to your one liners.. get called out.. you cry victim. The pity party is 3rd door down on the right.

 

[Sneezy62]

I wonder if limiting FP+ to one per day per attraction will lessen the repeat rider demand on the 1-2 mega popular rides in each park. How many folks are big fans of SM or Soarin but only if they can ride with a fastpass. currently one can often grab 2, 3 or even 4 FPs a day if you watch return windows carefully and get to the park early, especially if the park is open late. FP+ will be less than one in reality because Mom and Dad might not let Jr FP SM if it means the whole family can't watch Wishes together in the reserved area.

So my question is will people still want to ride something three times if one time has a twenty minute wait but the other times will have a ninety minute wait.

 

[captainkidd]

Pot meet kettle... once again you can't stay on point and when you fall back to your one liners.. get called out.. you cry victim. The pity party is 3rd door down on the right.

I'm staying right on point. You just don't see it because my opinion differs from yours. I'm certainly not crying victim. You're rude to anyone on the forum that doesn't share your exact beliefs. I don't take it personally in the least.

 

[xdan0920]

BTW way I do research every day on what I do for a living and I'm very good at it, as far as this message board I don't get to researchy. Yes it's not a word. I do numbers baby and I don't answer to anyone.

yikes.

 

[captainkidd]

BTW way I do research every day on what I do for a living and I'm very good at it, as far as this message board I don't get to researchy. Yes it's not a word. I do numbers baby and I don't answer to anyone.

If you don't want to answer to anyone, put him on Ignore. Sadly, only way around it.

 

[menamechris]

I could see Disney moving to a system of limited FastPasses. Say - if you do not opt for FastPass+, you are allowed 2-3 FastPasses a day (and in all honestly, for 3 of the 4 parks that's actually sufficient...) If you pay for FastPass+, I could see unlimited FastPasses with the "perk" of scheduling them months in advance.

It makes sense - it would ease up the FastPass system, encourage guests to either pay to be on-site or pay for the premium service, and more importantly, could lock guests into feeling like they can't venture off-site, because Disney is offering this "walk on rides" option. Or "we already paid for dining AND FastPass+ for our whole vacation, so we can't cut out a day here to go to Universal or Sea World..."

It's clever. Is it worth $1.5 Billion? I hope some people are getting their resumes ready....

 

[Californian Elitist]

Almost as ridiculous as the DLR base hating on FP so much.. yet being up in arms when people talk about actually enforcing return times which would cut down on some of the negative aspects of FP they hate so much. Reality is... people get up in arms over anything that threatens the way they want things to be. Human nature

I honestly don't know what you're talking about. When Al Lutz claimed a long time ago that times were going to be enforced (they still haven't) starting in November, A LOT of people were upset, and there weren't any complaints about Fastpass in general. I've never heard any complaints about Fastpass at the DLR.

 

[Todd H]

I could see Disney moving to a system of limited FastPasses. Say - if you do not opt for FastPass+, you are allowed 2-3 FastPasses a day (and in all honestly, for 3 of the 4 parks that's actually sufficient...) If you pay for FastPass+, I could see unlimited FastPasses with the "perk" of scheduling them months in advance.

It makes sense - it would ease up the FastPass system, encourage guests to either pay to be on-site or pay for the premium service, and more importantly, could lock guests into feeling like they can't venture off-site, because Disney is offering this "walk on rides" option. Or "we already paid for dining AND FastPass+ for our whole vacation, so we can't cut out a day here to go to Universal or Sea World..."

It's clever. Is it worth $1.5 Billion? I hope some people are getting their resumes ready....

It almost sounds as if Disney has given up on attracting new visitors and is instead trying to desperately hold on to the regulars they already have. I have to believe they are feeling the effects of visitors spending a day (or two) at competing parks like Universal instead of on-site. And when resort guests are spending a day at Universal instead of WDW, they aren't spending their money at WDW.

I'm not sure how sound this strategy is. But this quote seems to apply...

"The more you tighten your grip Tarkin, the more star systems will slip through your fingers."

 

[flynnibus]

. I've never heard any complaints about Fastpass at the DLR.

Wow - you have been spared on of the most regular discussion topics on dlr. it's right up there with strollers and aps. It's equivalent to trying to discuss religion on sites like Micechat

 

[RSoxNo1]

I see the 4 Fastpass+ limit being a problem at the Magic Kingdom and 2 or 3 being a problem at DHS. Many people will use more than this on an average day.

At Epcot and Animal Kingdom this is less of an issue. What I also fear is that by putting this on shows we will now no longer be able to walk in 5 minutes early to shows like Beauty and the Beast (or it's replacement), Lights Motors Action, or Festival of the Lion King.

 

[Californian Elitist]

Wow - you have been spared on of the most regular discussion topics on dlr. it's right up there with strollers and aps. It's equivalent to trying to discuss religion on sites like Micechat

Funny because most of the complaints are about price hikes and quality.

 

[ParentsOf4]

Funny because most of the complaints are about price hikes and quality.

Although I like park improvements, I'll readily admit that if WDW maintained quality levels from 20 years ago and slowed down on price hikes (most recently another 7.5% for MYW, 10% for AP, and 12.5% for DDP) I'd be one happy camper. Gee, I might even be less paranoid about FP+.