RandomPrincess
Keep Moving Forward
Really? I was unaware. I guess I never went when it was not a Resort or pay service.
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Fast passes for those staying on site ONLY?
- Thread starter MickeyPeace
- Start date
Really? I was unaware. I guess I never went when it was not a Resort or pay service.
ParentsOf4
Well-Known Member
Making FastPass+ (FP+) an onsite only perk certainly was one of the options being considered at the beginning of 2013 but, at that time, Disney had "settled" on making FP+ available to everyone. Later, we learned that onsite guests could book FP+ experiences at 60 days plus length of day, presumably giving onsite guests a slight booking advantage, similar to Advanced Dining Reservations (ADR).
Extra Magic Hours (EMH) are an expensive onsite perk and plans were to reduce and eventually eliminate it to bring down operating expensive. FP+ is a logical choice to act as an onsite perk replacement. Why keep EMH if onsite guests can cut lines during normal park hours?
What's been disappointing is the reported 30% pre-arrival participation rate in FP+. In other words, during testing, only about 30% of test subjects bothered to make their FP+ selections before arriving. I've been told that, despite Disney's desire to the contrary, a lot of onsite guests still resist preplanning their vacations. So far, FP+ has not turned everyone into uber planners as originally hoped for.
There also was negative feedback to Disney's plans to limit FP+ selections. Onsite guests don't want to be forced to use a FP+ selection for less popular attractions. If they are going to be limited to 3 per day, they want them for the 3 "best" attractions possible.
One could imagine a lot of onsite guests staying at WDW's highly profitable resorts being pretty upset if they arrived at WDW and all the "good" FP+ selections were unavailable.
Making FP+ an onsite only perk would mirror Universal's successful Express Pass perk for onsite guests, so such a scheme is not without precedent.
Still, to cut out all non-onsite guests would be highly unusual for WDW and upset a lot of local AP holders. In recent years, we've seen a number of moves suggesting Disney no longer values AP holders in high regard. Making FP+ an onsite only perk would be the coup de grâce for local AP holders.
One thing I know for certain is Disney is taking FP+ feedback seriously and is using that feedback to "improve" the system. Whether you consider it an "improvement", well, that's a different matter.
Extra Magic Hours (EMH) are an expensive onsite perk and plans were to reduce and eventually eliminate it to bring down operating expensive. FP+ is a logical choice to act as an onsite perk replacement. Why keep EMH if onsite guests can cut lines during normal park hours?
What's been disappointing is the reported 30% pre-arrival participation rate in FP+. In other words, during testing, only about 30% of test subjects bothered to make their FP+ selections before arriving. I've been told that, despite Disney's desire to the contrary, a lot of onsite guests still resist preplanning their vacations. So far, FP+ has not turned everyone into uber planners as originally hoped for.
There also was negative feedback to Disney's plans to limit FP+ selections. Onsite guests don't want to be forced to use a FP+ selection for less popular attractions. If they are going to be limited to 3 per day, they want them for the 3 "best" attractions possible.
One could imagine a lot of onsite guests staying at WDW's highly profitable resorts being pretty upset if they arrived at WDW and all the "good" FP+ selections were unavailable.
Making FP+ an onsite only perk would mirror Universal's successful Express Pass perk for onsite guests, so such a scheme is not without precedent.
Still, to cut out all non-onsite guests would be highly unusual for WDW and upset a lot of local AP holders. In recent years, we've seen a number of moves suggesting Disney no longer values AP holders in high regard. Making FP+ an onsite only perk would be the coup de grâce for local AP holders.
One thing I know for certain is Disney is taking FP+ feedback seriously and is using that feedback to "improve" the system. Whether you consider it an "improvement", well, that's a different matter.
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Lisalyn
Well-Known Member
Really? Your going to get on me for the font I'm using??? I didn't say I had a "lot of insider friends" - I said it's all over Facebook. I belong to a ton of Disney groups on FB and it's being plastered all over the place. There was no need to be rude about what I posted nor the font I used. But thanks for your 2 cents LOL
1023
Provocateur, Rancanteur, Plaisanter, du Jour
I can't see them taking away the FP system from off-site guests. It would be too much of a PR nightmare. I could see them giving the on-site guests access to more FP+'s per day. The incentive could be 4 FP+'s per day for guests staying at value resorts, 5/day for those staying at the mods and 6/day for those staying at the deluxe resorts.
msteel
Well-Known Member
I say, if the fonts are enabled then You are free to USE THEM.
But others are allowed to dislike them.
JimboJones123
Well-Known Member
No kidding. What would be the point of Universal's express pass line if everybody got it free?
CaptainShortty
Well-Known Member
FP+ will be available to all guests. Eventually, all guests in the park will also be able to use a magicband and thus have the theme park perks that come with it (park entry, FP+, Photopass+, etc.). Once MyMagic+ has been rolled out to all of the resorts other types of guests (day guests, Cast Members, Groups, Annual Passholders not staying on property, etc.) will begin to become eligible to use the MyMagic+ system in its entirety. The Legacy FP system will not go away until ALL guests have been completely transferred over to the FP+ system.
Rob562
Well-Known Member
It wasn't an unlimited Express Pass, it was a reserved-time thing like FP is. You swiped your park ticket at a kiosk, were given the choice of three time windows on the touchscreen and it then printed out your slip. I only ever went to IOA once when the system was up and running, and only used it once since I was there on a day when the park was dead.
It was removed from the parks after a couple years.
-Rob
PhotoDave219
Well-Known Member
Hey Big Font Poster.... STOP THAT.
First. Well STOP THAT.
Second.... just because its facebook, doesnt make it true.
This is an article (i read it) that has zero sourcing beyond "I heard it from a guy who heard it from...." etc, etc, etc. Its third hand information, that is largely rumor. There is not one shred of evidence that says this will happen.
It went viral and is bouncing around in an echo-chamber effect. People see multiple outlets all reporting the same bull(pooh!) that all came from the same unsourced blogpost. Yet no one is willing to see through the bull(pooh!) and realize that its from an unsourced blogpost that sites they "heard it from a guy"....
This isn't credible.
Also.... "My best friend's sister's boyfriend's brother's girlfriend heard from this guy who knows this kid who's going with the girl who saw Ferris pass out at 31 Flavors last night."
englanddg
One Little Spark...
luv
Well-Known Member
Yes, it was. Shortly after Uni began their FOTL program, the EP machines just disappeared. Poof! Gone.
Locals were ed. I don't have stats to support it, but a lot of people were ed as heck. It (mostly) blew over, but I know one guy who still refuses to get an AP there because of it, lol. He's holding on to that grudge for it is worth!
Locals can get an AP that allows them to ride the EP rides after 4:00. It is the more expensive of the APs, but it is available.
I think Disney will pull FP from non hotel guests, but I am just guessing and have no way of knowing anything until Disney announces it (which, apparently, would qualify me to be an online columnist.)
luv
Well-Known Member
First, Uni got EP.
Disney said, "Hey! Cool idea! Let's do that, too!" and came out with FP.
Then, Uni came up with a FOTL program, ripped out the EP machines and increased hotel occupancy.
Now, Disney is rolling out their souped-up FP program. We will all have to wait and see what happens next.
Lisalyn
Well-Known Member
So I don't get noodled to death over my font - I'll keep it norm. Although I was quite sure the fonts, smileys, colors and such were to be used to enhance our posts.
The news outlet that posted this last night has retracted their statement. If they had just stated...."this is a rumor" instead of starting it out "huge changes coming for fastpass" we wouldn't even be discussing the notion.
So it IS a rumor and nothing more. Could it potentially happen? Of course but nothing is etched in stone as of this moment.
The news outlet that posted this last night has retracted their statement. If they had just stated...."this is a rumor" instead of starting it out "huge changes coming for fastpass" we wouldn't even be discussing the notion.
So it IS a rumor and nothing more. Could it potentially happen? Of course but nothing is etched in stone as of this moment.
RandomPrincess
Keep Moving Forward
They didn't retract anything. The article from the start said it was "gossip", they just reiterated the fact for all the people who lost there minds over "gossip"
FYI, Disney released online training for travel agents last week, and in that training, it states that My Magic+ and FP+ will be available for all guests, both onsite and off. MagicBands would be included to those who book onsite stays, but will very easily available for AP holders. Those staying offsite will get a RFID card, but that can be converted to a Magicband too.
PhotoDave219
Well-Known Member
Yes. Anything could happen.
Robin Williams could possibly dance the watutsi down Main Street while an asteroid could possibly wipe out all life as we know it on Earth.
As for Disney making FP+ an "on property exclusive?" No, Wont happen. Too much backlash.
The alleged "News Outlet?" Your first mistake is calling them a news outlet. I work in the news and lady, I've never seen them out at any of the things I've covered. Even as far as Disney News goes, I've never heard of them before today. I know (or know of) most of the Disney bloggers that live locally and cover the ins-and-outs of the resort on a day-to-day basis. Of course, very few actually report Disney news (like that mears bus crash, the kid that fell at AKL yesterday or even a critical analysis of attendance) and instead are there for the free goodie bag.
So when the Associated Press, Orlando Sentinel or any of the countless TV stations try and report this with a sourced, factual report, then I might look at that.
Otherwise, your first mistake was actually considering them a reputable news outlet.
PhotoDave219
Well-Known Member
Well, theyre not a news site in the first place. Its like calling Perez Hilton a "news outlet"....