FastPass+ Most Certainly Not Coming Back As It Was

[mikejs78]

They have zero interest in “reducing attendance”

If they figured out that guests spent more money when it's less crowded, and that overall revenue went up, they would absolutely have interest in reducing attendance.

 

[ImperfectPixie]

Shenanigans…

this is Iger…he took it this way…and quit before a proper replacement was named. And that’s how you get the current fool.

I’ll remind - this is EXACTLY what Roy Disney fought Eisner on. Exactly. Probably worse…but the stock market wasn’t on government protected steroids then…so there was more whining in the halls of power.

Oh, I blame Iger for a ton of this...but in the future and looking back, most people will think it was all Chapek.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

FoP currently has a 105 minute wait and Navi has a 50 minute wait. But, everything is great without FastPass and lines are *so* much shorter.

I get tired of saying this…

the numbers won’t work. They needed to be adding capacity during the years when they only tinkered with prices and screwed up dining.

they did not

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

If they figured out that guests spent more money when it's less crowded, and that overall revenue went up, they would absolutely have interest in reducing attendance.

Nope…because every additional person would spend that much money…and it’s way above cost.

this is the part where diehards hope Disney is going to save them by “picking” them to come…good luck

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Oh, I blame Iger for a ton of this...but in the future and looking back, most people will think it was all Chapek.

..:almost by design

 

[G00fyDad]

I know I'm in the minority, but I'm trying to figure out why people are shocked that a resort area is making many of the same changes that resort areas are making all over the world over the past 10 years. Paid parking, optional shuttle, no baggage handling from the airport are standard things at properties all over the world.

Because these things thrown in (and people will debate about it always being "free" all day long) was what made Disney stand apart from all the rest. When you went to Disney and stayed in one of their resorts you had things that you didn't get with other resorts. You got to park for free, you got to park at the parks for free, you got to book FP+ earlier than off-site, you got to book ADR's earlier than off-site, you got a ride from the airports for free and they handled all your luggage for free, etc. Now, all of those things are greatly diminished or gone.

And honestly I've been three times post-pandemic and didn't miss FP+ one bit.

Because you have gone post-pandemic and especially right after. Try that now and get back to us.

 

[Waters Back Side]

The problem with saying other resorts have started charging for privileges and amenities that Disney has not yet and will be, is that most resorts also do not cost 5 figures for a party of 4 for a week. Thank you very much lol.

 

[DisneyMusician2]

They have zero interest in “reducing attendance”

I don't believe they are actively trying to reduce attendance but they are more focused on encouraging longer trips even if they are less frequent from their guests. And much more focused on the resort itself not just the parks.

I think they realize they can't keep you 'on property' the way they used to in the past and its changing where the dollars are spent.

 

[DisneyMusician2]

The problem with saying other resorts have started charging for privileges and amenities that Disney has not yet and will be, is that most resorts also do not cost 5 figures for a part of 4 for a week. Thank you very much lol.

Where don't they for the most part for a family of four with air?

 

[Incomudro]

Because these things thrown in (and people will debate about it always being "free" all day long) was what made Disney stand apart from all the rest. When you went to Disney and stayed in one of their resorts you had things that you didn't get with other resorts. You got to park for free, you got to park at the parks for free, you got to book FP+ earlier than off-site, you got to book ADR's earlier than off-site, you got a ride from the airports for free and they handled all your luggage for free, etc. Now, all of those things are greatly diminished or gone.



Because you have gone post-pandemic and especially right after. Try that now and get back to us.

It felt special.
You were made to feel special. (even if it wasn't a complete reality)
The Disney difference.
It's something that everyone I ever spoke to that stayed on site raved about.

 

[Waters Back Side]

Where don't they for the most part for a family of four with air?

The Atlantis was $7600k same week (end of December). For 5 people and the flight. That's one example of course I realize, bit it's the only other place we considered besides returning to Disney like we have every year.

If I am paying $10000 to continue returning to Disney and always during busy weeks, YES..as a consumer my expectation is to walk onto some rides for free. That's my opinion. Obviously many others feel different.

Had I stayed at a hotel by the airport and rented a car that's different. I choose to stay at a Disney hotel based on privileges and perks that come with it. Removing those perks and hearing some push back from it is not unreasonable by me or anyone else who agrees.

 

[DisneyMusician2]

Because these things thrown in (and people will debate about it always being "free" all day long) was what made Disney stand apart from all the rest. When you went to Disney and stayed in one of their resorts you had things that you didn't get with other resorts. You got to park for free, you got to park at the parks for free, you got to book FP+ earlier than off-site, you got to book ADR's earlier than off-site, you got a ride from the airports for free and they handled all your luggage for free, etc. Now, all of those things are greatly diminished or gone.



Because you have gone post-pandemic and especially right after. Try that now and get back to us.

Not sure I was there in May and going this weekend, so I'll let you know! And I don't believe for a second Disney was trying to give us value, they were trying to keep us on property as much as possible pre-ride sharing and more modern technologies. I suppose maybe this is a difference in perspective but I never decided to be at Disney because of any of those things, most were cute perks but I never did the math on making them a serious perk of my vacation. I mean if they started charging me to use the monorail or internal bus I could see your gripe, but I'm not sure it matters so much to me

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I don't believe they are actively trying to reduce attendance but they are more focused on encouraging longer trips even if they are less frequent from their guests. And much more focused on the resort itself not just the parks.

I think they realize they can't keep you 'on property' the way they used to in the past and its changing where the dollars are spent.

Their goal…and write this down…is to increase the “per day spending”

doesn’t matter if you’re there 1 day or 10…1000 people or 10,000

that’s the goal.

now if that metric goes way up and attendance flattens or hovers? They’ll live with it.

if attendance goes down 5%…they will promo the hell out of the place to bump it back.

there are a lot of knowledgeable Disney fans here…good people…but few seem to grasp how the game is played.

iger saying “we’re trying to control attendance”
Was a flat out lie…he’s not required to show his cards on a zoom call…

what it means is that they saw a disgruntlement trend and they would re-evaluate how best to push attendance and prices higher.

at least one obvious attempt failed…they built bad Star Wars stuff and the fanbase didn’t show beyond Disney nuts.

 

[DisneyMusician2]

The Atlantis was 7600k same week (end of December). For 5 people and the flight. That's one example of course I realize, bit it's the only other place we considered besides returning to Disney like we have every year.

Is Atlantis really comparable to Disney though? I was thoroughly unimpressed for the price being paid the last time I had visited, unless its changed a bunch over the past few years or so.

 

[ImperfectPixie]

It felt special.
You were made to feel special. (even if it wasn't a complete reality)
The Disney difference.
It's something that everyone I ever spoke to that stayed on site raved about.

During our honeymoon in 2000, it didn't matter where we went at WDW...every staff member we encountered referred to us as Mr. & Mrs. "OurLastName"...it felt VERY special.

 

[Waters Back Side]

Is Atlantis really comparable to Disney though? I was thoroughly unimpressed for the price being paid the last time I had visited, unless its changed a bunch over the past few years or so.

I've never been there. I've heard it's beautiful. We have pondered it for a while and circled back to..Disney.

 

[DisneyMusician2]

Their goal…and write this down…is to increase the “per day spending”

doesn’t matter if you’re their 1 day or 10…1000 people or 10,000

that’s the goal.

now if that metric goes way up and attendance flattens or hovers? They’ll live with it.

if attendance goes down 5%…they will promo the hell out of the place to bump it back.

there are a lot of knowledgeable Disney fans here…good people…but few seem to grasp how the game is played.

iger saying “we’re trying to control attendance”
Was a flat out lie…he’s not required to show his cards on a zoom call…

what it means is that they saw a disgruntlement trend and they would re-evaluate how best to push attendance and prices higher.

at least one obvious attempt failed…they built bad Star Wars stuff and the fanbase didn’t show beyond Disney nuts.

Agreed that is my point, they don't care about bumping the current attendance, they want to do more to hold you here and have you stay longer and save cost by having more predictable numbers every day. That's what he mans when he says 'control attendance' in my opinion, its knowing how many of everything they need and reduce their overhead. I don't believe Disney is thinking volume anymore it is efficiency and per vacation profit.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Is Atlantis really comparable to Disney though? I was thoroughly unimpressed for the price being paid the last time I had visited, unless its changed a bunch over the past few years or so.

Atlantis is different…except it’s highly overpriced…which kinda makes it the same

If they figured out that guests spent more money when it's less crowded, and that overall revenue went up, they would absolutely have interest in reducing attendance.

I’ll take that bet. They want both and they’ll get it as long as people don’t act mature enough to make sound choices

 

[Waters Back Side]

126 minute wait time on hold with Disney . Trying to see if switching from CBR to POR now that it is opening in Oct makes sense. If I can save some money that would be ideal, since I have NO choice but to purchase DPA (IF there is no free component to it). Its not like I'm going 2nd week in December. I'd be curious of the agent i get budges when I explain the reason is I worry about having to pay for rides. They will probably continue saying they know nothing yet.

 

[dreday3]

126 minute wait time on hold with Disney . Trying to see if switching from CBR to POR now that it is opening in Oct makes sense. If I can save some money that would he ideal, since I have NO choice but to purchase DPA (IF there is no free component to it). Its not like I'm going 2nd week in December. I'd be curious of the agent i get budges when I explain the reason is I worry about having to pay for rides. They will probably continue saying g they know nothing yet.

Well they don't know anything yet. Nothing has been announced for WDW...