FastPass+ Most Certainly Not Coming Back As It Was

[DisneyCane]

This is interesting. If the fact is that HALF of WDW guests stay off site, then if you cut the free FP option for all off site guests that would cut the avavailabity of FP in half hence allowing ALL resort guests to get 3 and greatly improving the standby waits. Win - Win.

You wouldn't improve the standby waits (at least not at the headliners) unless you also cut the FP inventory in half. Otherwise they'll end up with the same total FPs, just reserved by resort guests.

The root of this whole issue is that the headliner attractions do not have the hourly capacity to handle the current attendance. There is no possible way that every guest in DHS can ride RotR one time in a day, even if it is running smoothly for example. Unless they add enough D+ and E-ticket attractions that make it so you don't have to ride every single ride in a day, there will be an issue with long wait times.

They can make a system with a paid line skip option that also keeps standby lines somewhat reasonable. They have to limit the available line skipping inventory to probably 10% of what they allocate to FP+. To make enough revenue from it they just have to charge a lot for the privilege.

$10 per skip doesn't sound expensive but when you think about it in terms of a family it adds up quickly. It also adds up quickly for revenue. Let's say they assign 10% of a 1,700 rider per hour ride to the paid line. At $10 a pop, that's $1,700 an hour. If the park is open for 12 hours that's $20,400 per day. If a park has 5 attractions that support that revenue, that's $102,000 per day, $37,230,000 per year times 4 parks is almost $150 million per year. That's basically pure profit as there won't be much cost to run the system beyond the initial software coding.

If they did limit it to 10% of ride capacity, they could probably charge $20 a pop and still sell it out every day but still keep overall guest satisfaction because with 90% of the capacity, the standby line would at least be moving constantly.

 

[Waters Back Side]

We have “established” no such thing.

and it doesn’t matter who “begs”…they won’t reverse a major decision…nor will they “de-monetize” something. Never happened…never will.

if they introduce a paid system…you have two choices.

This is true. But after so many pages on this thread, people seem to think they "know" whatever major decision Disney has made or is going to make.

And even I and most of us people who likes FP+ and want it back agree that a paid form is coming. Whether it is in tokens, credits, dole whips or whatever.

 

[Willmark]

I still think waking up early a month in advance is better than running around like a headless chicken as soon as the parks open in order to gather paper FPs. But I realise it's a matter of personal preference, and neither side is going to convince the other.

Don’t know why but your post made me think of this one with the “running around like a headless chicken” line:

So why weren't there many strollers back in the day?

- Do you actually have data to back this up -Yet we still see an increase in strollers and also the age the people are putting their children in strollers has also increased. - Or is it an observation? Why on earth would you change your "lifestyle" just for a trip to Disney? Children have...

forums.wdwmagic.com

 

[MrPromey]

This is interesting. If the fact is that HALF of WDW guests stay off site, then if you cut the free FP option for all off site guests that would cut the avavailabity of FP in half hence allowing ALL resort guests to get them free (2 or 3) and greatly improving the standby waits. Win - Win.

Which is great if you're a resort guest but for Disney, that means greatly ing off the group most likely to pay full single-day retail to enter the parks.

They want their cake and to eat it, too so I doubt they'd go that route.

 

[Waters Back Side]

Cutting the inventory in half would be eliminating the availability to any non resort guest.

Personally I think Disney believes they will never no matter what they do will be able to completely fix the stand by line waits without ing off a large amount of people in either direction and hurting themselves in the long run, and will look to just improve it in different ways, including making it a paid option as well.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

This is interesting. If the fact is that HALF of WDW guests stay off site, then if you cut the free FP option for all off site guests that would cut the avavailabity of FP in half hence allowing ALL resort guests to get them free (2 or 3) and greatly improving the standby waits. Win - Win.

1. Then who’s paying for fastpasses?
2. Why would anyone buy tickets fo wdw from off site?

 

[threvester]

this was taken on the 40th ...i had zero issue getting plenty of paper on one of the busiest days

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Which is great if you're a resort guest but for Disney, that means greatly ****ing off the group most likely to pay full single-day retail to enter the parks.

They want their cake and to eat it, too so I doubt they'd go that route.

There is zero % chance they do that.

there is no reason to reward people staying in rooms that we’re going to sell anyway for no additional revenue. And revenue is the goal.

it’s far more likely they would only allow on-site people to buy them for an additional fee and give no “freebies” to anyone.

people are hunting the wrong “animal” here.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

this was taken on the 40th ...i had zero issue getting plenty of paper on one of the busiest days
View attachment 571327

Same with maxpass in Disneyland for me two years ago…

…but I see no way that is the “solution” at wdw

 

[Waters Back Side]

1. Then who’s paying for fastpasses?
2. Why would anyone buy tickets fo wdw from off site?

The answer to number 1 would be..off site guests and on site guests who exercised their free FP's/line skip limit.

The answer to number 2 will countered with the same question I have asked..what in incentive would there be for onsite guests to stay st a Disney resort if they have to pay the same as anyone else? A large segment of off site guests are not people who look for a hotel offsite specifically to save money on a trip to Disney. They are people who come for the day trip and live locally. They can walk in the 2nd week of February and ride 10 rides when the park is not busy. If they want free FP privileges you purchase a ticket/onsite resort package.

 

[Waters Back Side]

There is zero % chance they do that.

there is no reason to reward people staying in rooms that we’re going to sell anyway for no additional revenue. And revenue is the goal.

it’s far more likely they would only allow on-site people to buy them for an additional fee and give no “freebies” to anyone.

people are hunting the wrong “animal” here.

You keep insisting people will flock to Disney and occupy their resorts with no incentive. This is NOT a true statement. WDW would take a hit for sure.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

The answer to number 1 would be..off site guests and on site guests who exercised their free FP's/line skip limit.

The answer to number 2 will countered with the same question I have asked..what in incentive would there be for onsite guests to stay st a Disney resort if they have to pay the same as anyone else? A large segment of off site guests are not people who look for a hotel offsite specifically to save money on a trip to Disney. They are people who come for the day trip and live locally. They can walk in the 2nd week of February and ride 10 rides when the park is not busy. If they want free FP privileges you purchase a ticket/onsite resort package.

They really have no reason to incentivize buying rooms. Jacking them up and giving the “Kohl’s” discount is quite sufficient.

they don’t have that much trouble selling them (Except at the top ends spots) and the prices are already redonkulous.

and everyone is glossing 1/3 of rooms are timeshare. I’d love for them to give me line skips for something I paid for 15+ years ago.

but one question: why?

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

You keep insisting people will flock to Disney and occupy their resorts with no incentive. This is NOT a true statement. WDW would take a hit for sure.

Have you ever worked in resort ops or central management at wdw?

there’s a reason why I keep “insisting” it

 

[G00fyDad]

this was taken on the 40th ...i had zero issue getting plenty of paper on one of the busiest days
View attachment 571327

I'm not disputing your claim but you do realize that photo makes it look like you only had four fast passes for the day using a combination of up to four tickets don't you? I didn't hoard paper fast passes back then either but with four of us going to the parks I can insert all four room keys into the kiosks and do that exact same thing.

 

[Queen of the WDW Scene]

this was taken on the 40th ...i had zero issue getting plenty of paper on one of the busiest days
View attachment 571327

And the fact that you are holding so many shows me you were a collector who used them outside of their window which is not how it was supposed to work.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I'm not disputing your claim but you do realize that photo makes it look like you only had four fast passes for the day using a combination of up to four tickets don't you? I didn't hoard paper fast passes back then either but with four of us going to the parks I can insert all four room keys into the kiosks and do that exact same thing.

Which is more than the vast majority of people bothered to get with the prebook system…

which I’ll remind: appears to be gone so this is pointless

 

[Waters Back Side]

Which is more than the vast majority of people bothered to get with the prebook system…

which I’ll remind: appears to be gone so this is pointless

A few days back when I took the optimist approach and said the same thing about offering them free to on site guests you had told me that you hope I'm right and you want that to be the case.

Now you are saying you are 100% certain that will not happen.

They could realistically raise the room rates again and hide the line skip fees in that increase and nobody would know. I do agree...if they raised resort rates for guests like they have so many times, that would not affect occupancy. But that is something paid for well in advance and is required to be paid off 60 (I think) days in advance of your trip.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

A few days back when I took the optimist approach and said the same thing about offering them free to on site guests you had told me that you hope I'm right and you want that to be the case.

Now you are saying you are 100% certain that will not happen.

They could realistically raise the room rates again and hide the line skip fees in that increase and nobody would know. I do agree...if they raised resort rates for guests like they have so many times, that would not affect occupancy. But that is something paid for well in advance and is required to be paid off 60 (I think) days in advance of your trip.

I’m not “certain” of anything

but I tried to be as “objective” for multinational stock conglomerates as I can.

I’d love it if they gave me stuff I’m already paying for…it would be great. But it matches nothing they’ve done for 15 years. Absolutely not.

so what is more likely?

 

[pdude81]

They are incentivizing on-site stays. It's Early Theme Park entry, which isn't a huge perk but it will really matter for people wanting to not have huge lines and have to pay for a fastpass as soon as you enter the park. It also may well allow you to purchase the prime fastpass return windows before off-site guests.

If they see a reduction in WDW hotel bookings then they can add from there, but I believe they think it will be enough. It will depend on the (line management) program announced whether it is or not

 

[Jrb1979]

I see it as why offer perks to stay on site. When people are going right now with out them. Perks will only come back when they have to fill rooms. Your best bet would be free dining again for that.