You have very legitimate concerns, trust me there is no fee for FastPass+. At FIRST it will be made available to everyone in different ways. the near future changes, are still very much part of the idea of leading the way. Those things you read about "resort guests only" are simply because a change of this magnitude can't be rolled out to everyone overnight, Disney just needs to use the demographics that they get with resort guest to collect data. It is because of guests, like yourself, who voice their opinion and share previous experiences that the company is evolving. I am unfortunately not in the liberty to correct, confirm nor deny a lot of what I have read here this evening but one thing for sure is good... People are talking about it. We will have to wait and see how, once it's all put together works. Exciting times ahead for Disney fans... That is for sure.
-
Welcome to the WDWMAGIC.COM Forums!
Please take a look around, and feel free to sign up and join the community.
Fast pass plus
- Thread starter jklakeview
- Start date
RSoxNo1
Well-Known Member
The thing is, this is creating more work for the "convenience" of being able to select your Fastpass attractions 180 days in advance.
In other news, this is a bad idea. They can still gain value from having RFID chips in your ticket media but the complications with Fastpass+ are going to be the brown stain on this project. (Well that, and the price tag).
wedenterprises
Well-Known Member
A bracelet, a watch, a smart phone and an itinerary. man this vacation is sooooo relaxing.
ParentsOf4
Well-Known Member
I appreciate your calming words but as a multi-decades WDW guest and DVC member I am gravely concerned Next Gen will move WDW away from its current egalitarian system to multi-tiered perk system based on resort level, with FP+ as one of its foundations. WDW's multi-tiered resorts have never bothered me and I've always greatly admired its feel of equality once in the parks. I fear those days are numbered.
I'd find it impossible to spend $1.5B capex within my company without justifying it with a strong expected ROCE. My shareholders want to see a good return on their investment. TWDC is no different. If TDO is spending $1.5B on WDW, I suspect it's because TDO believes it will drive significantly improved revenue and profits. At this time, I cannot fathom an advertising strategy that will be able to "sell" Next Gen well enough in a 30-second spot to drive sufficient increased attendance to justify its cost so I have to assume TDO has another strategy planned for Next Gen.
My current theories surrounding Next Gen are in the following 3 posts:
http://forums.wdwmagic.com/threads/numbers-cars-and-quality.856357/page-17#post-5225009
http://forums.wdwmagic.com/threads/numbers-cars-and-quality.856357/page-18#post-5225183
http://forums.wdwmagic.com/threads/numbers-cars-and-quality.856357/page-21#post-5226260
I sincerely hope you have time to read them.
wedenterprises
Well-Known Member
Common question I hear about WDW: "do you pay to get in and then pay to get on the rides?"
new answer is "yes, both."
new answer is "yes, both."
Buried20KLeague
Well-Known Member
People are still talking about a non functioning yeti 6 or 7 years later too... Is that good?
Thank god I can check my iPhone to recall what time I scheduled a FP+ time for E:E weeks earlier though.
If by some small chance you actually DO have anything to do with TDO, can you please pass a message along to them for me?
You are woefully out of touch with your customer base and you continue to drive WDW into the ground, and more people are noticing.
M.rudolf
Well-Known Member
Not to be condescending, but the way that I've seen this presently being marketed is for it to be an additional feature for an added fee. Yes there will be fastpass+ that will be free but it will be very limited, as in 2 fast passes per day, where as with and added fee you would be allowed unlimited number of fast passes. The end game for this will be it replaces the dining plan for The free incentive when booking. Could it be a good thing maybe, could Disney really screw the pooch, likely. Everything I've seen from presentation materials to the people I've talked too basically say the same thing, this is high risk and could hurt Disney more than it helps in the short term. Depending on the final implementation it could also hurt them long term also. I think Disney forgets, I go on vacation to get away from computers, away from planning, away from having to be at a certain place at a certain time. I'd like to be able to leave the cell in the room and my iPad and laptop at home I really would like Disney to become more spontaneous and less restrictive
bubbles1812
Well-Known Member
This^^ But it ain't happening and chances are great it could be a disaster. Exciting times indeed...
ParentsOf4
Well-Known Member
Universal's problem is that it simply cannot touch WDW's grip on the younger audience. As long at WDW dominates that market, WDW will always come out ahead. My teenagers love what's going on at Universal but little of it would have appealed to them when they were under 48". My kids didn't grow up watching Universal movies; they grew up watching Disney movies. "Disney" is still the place to go for the kiddie patrol, although South Americans have added an interesting attendance trend into the mix.
Somehow Next Gen (with FP+ lumped in under this umbrella) has to financially justify its capital investment. The big mystery is how?
Next Gen has to increase profits by reducing expense, enticing new guests, getting existing guests to spend more, or a combination of the above. But how?
I can envision FP+ being used as an onsite perk to eventually replace the expensive Extra Magic Hours (EMH). Why do you need EMHs if onsite guests have extra FP+ reservations during normal park hours? OK, that's a big opex eliminated. Maybe Next Gen eliminates some behind the scenes opex as well, better ability to schedule staff, etc. If it's successful enough, use it to eliminate the expensive "Free Dining".
I still haven't figured out how Next Gen & FP+ gets significantly more people into the parks. There are plenty of people who don't understand the current FP system and others who dislike the extra planning associated with FP+. If there are those within TDO who think large numbers are going to change their vacation plans because of Next Gen's nifty technology or because they have a few extra FP+ before they arrive, then they better have strong marketing data to support this because I simply don't see it. FP+ is no WWOHP or Carsland.
Getting existing guests to pay more, well, that's a different matter completely. The one thing guests have repeatedly shown is a willingness to pay more for that "perfect" vacation.
Based purely on speculation and rumor, Next Gen appears to be a money grab by TDO to squeeze more cash out of existing WDW vacationers. As I've written before, “pay more to play more.” Yes, it adds some nifty wiz-bang technology (“Look mom, no hands while I walk through the turnstiles!”) or some conveniences for uber planners (“Awesome, I have my Fast Passes 27 days before I arrive!”) but, at its financial heart, it seems it will try to convince some guests to pay more for "something", with nobody exactly knowing what that something is. My current theory revolves around convincing guests to upgrade their resort level using FP+ and ADRs as incentives but, I also suspect, just like the Magic Your Way tickets, there will be repackaging to hide other price increases. Everyone will participate in Next Gen and FP+ but those that pay more will "participate more".
Mom and Dad have been saving for 4 years to visit WDW and are desperate, absolutely desperate, to have a “perfect” WDW vacation. That’s why they called at 9 AM (or whatever the time) exactly 180 days out so they could get their ADRs. That’s why they were willing to spend $60/adult on a character buffet for food that costs them $15/adult offsite. That’s why they’re shelling out big bucks for the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique and Pirates League. Little Johnny is 7 and Little Sue is 4 only once. If Mom and Dad don’t get this vacation exactly right, their little ones’ lives will be lessened and they’ll miss out on a memory of a lifetime. They are just begging WDW to make it better.
WDW is obliging (taking advantage of) them by creating Next Gen.
“Don’t worry about your Fast Passes, parade & nighttime show viewing spots, or ADRs. We’ll take care of it for you. Just stay at one of our beautiful Deluxe Resorts and we’ll give you the perfect vacation.”
Complaints from the peanut gallery? “Our wonderful guests are paying us so that their loved ones can have the ultimate WDW experience. If you don’t like it, we suggest you vacation someplace else. Better yet, try it, you’ll love it! In fact, once you see these people walk past you after standing in line for 50 minutes at Peter Pan, we’re sure you’ll be telling yourself (and your friends!) that the only way to visit WDW is with our premium package.”
Walt Disney RIP
ParentsOf4
Well-Known Member
Similar to you, I leave my electronics in the room. Otherwise, I'm dealing with a million calls, text messages, and emails from my office while I'm supposedly on vacation. Great for the Type A's but I actually want to be on vacation while I'm on vacation.
wdwfan22
Well-Known Member
I think you are wrong on this one.
bubbles1812
Well-Known Member
No offense but it feels like you are telling me "These aren't the droids you're looking for..."
You seem to be implying you either work for Disney or are involved with Disney in some way. The company doesn't do anything unless they think it'll increase their profit margin. End of story. "Disney just needs to use the demographics that they get with resort guest to collect data." Oh really? They need to, do they? Sounds like an excuse and a play to try to make the medicine go down easy... But at least you admit the purpose of Next Gen.
awoogala
Well-Known Member
so where does the paper saving come in? or ease of use?
M.rudolf
Well-Known Member
Another reason I don't think it will work is because of children. With kids it's hard to plan what happens when no one can agree on what to do. What happens when someone gets sick and the plans have to change.Similar to you, I leave my electronics in the room. Otherwise, I'm dealing with a million calls, text messages, and emails from my office while I'm supposedly on vacation. Great for the Type A's but I actually want to be on vacation while I'm on vacation.
And I politely beat anyone over the head with a golf club if they take their phone with them on the course.
That's a really good point and I agree, I am sure that in this whole process, those people who choose to leave their mobile devices back home, or those who don't even have a mobile device, will have an alternative whitin the park.
neoshinok
Well-Known Member
I have to thank you both for this info. You both seem to have some inside authority on the matter. Hearing chatter of paying for fastpass, I decided this would be the nail in the coffin for my tenure as a passholder. I sure hope you're right!
wedenterprises
Well-Known Member
For the price of tickets I shouldn't have to worry about ANYTHING. I shouldn't even have to wear a watch.
EOD K9
Well-Known Member
Just remember with NextGen (bracelets), Disney will have RFID readers placed all through the parks. It will monitor crowd flow, and will be able to tell them a certain area is crowded or empty. They will then get some streetmosphere going to the crowded area to keep them entertained. They will then have said streetmosphere characters start an impromptu "follow me" parade to bring the masses to the not so crowded areas. "Hey Kids, CoP is empty and so is People Mover". It will also keep track of your spending habits. When you walk past an unused SoTMK window, Mickey will pop up and tell you that you are thirsty and/or hungry and step to the left to get yourself a Dasani and a Dolewhip. Mark my words!!
Here is some additional fastpass+ related info. This comes from Disney's Terms and Conditions, but as always this can change before launch.
Web Site / Mobile App Features:
Disney will add a "Friends and Family" feature to the application and website. Through this site you will be able to create a profile for you and members of your party. You will also be able to add other friends by either sending an invite using their name and birthdate or connecting though friends of friends. You must be 18 or older to manage the account, but there can be managed accounts for children 13-17 that have limited functionality. Children 12 and under are not permitted to register, but can be managed by an adult. There will be two groups of friends, "Managed Friends" and "Connnected Friends". Managed Friends are profiles that the main user creates and manages on thier behalf.
Once friends are accepted they can share information and plan activities together. Friends can share character photos and make plans for both their managed and connected friends. There will be a choice to share all activities with connected friends or just the activites that you have in common. Friends will be able to arrange dining and event reservations together.
The number of Fastpass+ experiences you may select and arrival windows are limited and based on factors such as the theme park you are visiting, the attraction type, the time of year, the day of week, and the prior demand for the expierience.
You may make Fastpass+ reservations for yourself, your managed friends, and your connected friends. Reservations made on behalf of friends will count toward their allotment. Your connected friends may also make reservations on your behalf.
You can only make Fastpass+ reservations for one park per day.
You can only book the same Fastpass+ expierience once per day per person.
If your plans change you can cancel your Fastpass+ reservations for the entire day up until the first pass is redeemed or the first usage window expires.
Unused and expired Fastpass+ reservations are not refunded and count toward your allowance.
Magic your Way ticket holders may make Fastpass+ selections beginning 60 days prior to the day of use. The selection window may vary for other tickets or passholders. Passes with blackout dates won't be able to make Fastpass+ reservations during blackout days.
Fastpass+ will be avaialble for some dining expieriences. This will secure an arrival window and allow you to order before you arrive. This could apply to both quick service and table service.
Edited for spelling.
Web Site / Mobile App Features:
Disney will add a "Friends and Family" feature to the application and website. Through this site you will be able to create a profile for you and members of your party. You will also be able to add other friends by either sending an invite using their name and birthdate or connecting though friends of friends. You must be 18 or older to manage the account, but there can be managed accounts for children 13-17 that have limited functionality. Children 12 and under are not permitted to register, but can be managed by an adult. There will be two groups of friends, "Managed Friends" and "Connnected Friends". Managed Friends are profiles that the main user creates and manages on thier behalf.
Once friends are accepted they can share information and plan activities together. Friends can share character photos and make plans for both their managed and connected friends. There will be a choice to share all activities with connected friends or just the activites that you have in common. Friends will be able to arrange dining and event reservations together.
The number of Fastpass+ experiences you may select and arrival windows are limited and based on factors such as the theme park you are visiting, the attraction type, the time of year, the day of week, and the prior demand for the expierience.
You may make Fastpass+ reservations for yourself, your managed friends, and your connected friends. Reservations made on behalf of friends will count toward their allotment. Your connected friends may also make reservations on your behalf.
You can only make Fastpass+ reservations for one park per day.
You can only book the same Fastpass+ expierience once per day per person.
If your plans change you can cancel your Fastpass+ reservations for the entire day up until the first pass is redeemed or the first usage window expires.
Unused and expired Fastpass+ reservations are not refunded and count toward your allowance.
Magic your Way ticket holders may make Fastpass+ selections beginning 60 days prior to the day of use. The selection window may vary for other tickets or passholders. Passes with blackout dates won't be able to make Fastpass+ reservations during blackout days.
Fastpass+ will be avaialble for some dining expieriences. This will secure an arrival window and allow you to order before you arrive. This could apply to both quick service and table service.
Edited for spelling.
Little Johnny gets beaten with a light-up Tinkerbell wand and mom and dad go to jail for child abuse.
I'm obviously being sarcastic, but probably not too far off. As it is, some parents (understandably) want to get their money's worth out of Disney, and some kids (understandably) wear out faster than they do at home. Everybody is in a bad mood, leading to temper tantrums from both kids and their parents.
Take away the flexibility to break away for a needed but unexpected nap, or snack time to make everyone feel better and cool off, and you've got a park full of ticking time bombs ready to explode.