FastPass+ Most Certainly Not Coming Back As It Was

[kong1802]

“What they dont realize is that in general they are actually not accomplishing anymore than they would if we didn’t have FP+”

Utter nonsense. I would always FP splash mtn, 7 dwarfs and space mtn. Got them 60 days out from our planned trip. Never had a problem doing that for an entire decade. If we hadn’t done that, I would have waited 1.5-2hrs per each of those rides because it’s was July (ummm that’s possibly a total of an extra 6hrs!) longer of my time at MK in a day. Can’t see how that “evens out” as the naysayers say. In the 3-6hrs time I saved by using FPs for those major attractions, we waited in 10+ smaller attraction lines and took a midday break to go swim at the resort. Came back around dinner time and rode some more utilizing FP one at a time for anything we hadn’t done but still wanted to do earlier in the day. Everything rode at MK in one day. Without FP that wouldn’t have been possible. Did I spend a few moments on my phone while riding the monorail or while waiting in a short line checking for those FPs later in the day? Yeah I did. But we got them and we had a fantastic vacation. And hopefully one day soon we will be doing it again

So in a way, you did pay for FP+. You stayed on site. For locals or offsite visitors, who didn't pay for the early booking period, obviously there are different results.

I'm not begrudging those who "paid" for FP+. Just didn't like that I had to pay for onsite or keep refreshing to get on the mine train.

 

[Jedijax719]

There’s no pricing yet.

It’s likely there will be a small pot of free fastpasses. If these aren’t available you pay for a designated ride or rides depending on type of ride, group selected and price point.

It also likely you’ll be able to buy a set of passes for a certain group, eg the big Mountains, and ride each one once. It’s also likely that if you do that you won’t be able to get a pass for say PotC or the Dwarf Coaster. There will probably be single attraction passes available too and maybe an ultra priced Ultimate pass but again with conditions and no re rides. Most passes will probably also be return time specific.

Availability and amount of free or paid passes will vary and depend on day to day operations and attendance predictions.

This sounds convoluted and extremely stressful just to figure out.

 

[MJM]

There is no cult of insiders (though some claiming to be show up and try to start one). So, you're good there.

BTW, this thread is about FP+ being changed or going away completely based on insider info. So, if you have no interest in insider info and think we're all a bunch of cultists... you can stop reading and replying in this thread, because, doing so, makes you one of us.

I just don’t go around believing everything I read on a forum of any kind. Just because you say there are insiders giving information on here doesn’t mean it’s true. I definitely don’t think this is a cult of any kind nor did I ever say that. All I’ve done is give my opinions about the benefits of FP from my families’ perspective and some don’t agree with me. That’s ok. But I’m entitled to give my opinion as to why I feel it makes or breaks a WDW vacation for my family. And also to say I hope it returns in some fashion

 

[TheMaxRebo]

So the $15 or $20 per day per person is for ONE ride? Thus, if you want to use this system for 3 rides in a day, it would be $45-$60 per person? (with the ride limitations factored in?).

If you look at what they do at Shanghai Disneyland as a guide, it varies by day but each Premier Access pass costs ~$20 per ride, but then they bundle the rides so you can get one for each of a group. The largest is do 8 attractions and the peak pricing for that but for is ~$120.

I would think that would be the starting point at WDW but just a guess (I could see super peak times - Christmas, spring break, etc) being higher

 

[Chi84]

This sounds convoluted and extremely stressful just to figure out.

Sounds like a very expensive nightmare. I'm sure they'll figure out a way to simplify it for people if they expect them to use it.

 

[MJM]

So in a way, you did pay for FP+. You stayed on site. For locals or offsite visitors, who didn't pay for the early booking period, obviously there are different results.

I'm not begrudging those who "paid" for FP+. Just didn't like that I had to pay for onsite or keep refreshing to get on the mine train.

It is what it is. Disney decided to “sell” FP+ as a perk of staying at one of their resorts. My family felt it was a perk well worth staying on property for. Now don’t get me wrong-that wasn’t the only reason we stayed on property when we visited WDW but FP+ was something we utilized to it’s full potential and it helped make our vacation less stressful and more enjoyable

 

[kong1802]

It is what it is. Disney decided to “sell” FP+ as a perk of staying at one of their resorts. My family felt it was a perk well worth staying on property for. Now don’t get me wrong-that wasn’t the only reason we stayed on property when we visited WDW but FP+ was something we utilized to it’s full potential and it helped make our vacation less stressful and more enjoyable

You don't have to justify yourself to me. I get it. Semi-envious of those who had the 60+4 advantage while we elbowed our way at rope drop or spent time trying to break our group up and search for FP's or hitting refresh at FP drop times throughout the day.

Since we don't really ever stay onsite anymore, FP+ is more of a hinderance to us. A group always loses out, so again I get it. But can't a man dream of the day he gets to stay at the Embassy and not be 34 days behind?

 

[Nickp1983]

My guess

 

[ImperfectPixie]

I just don’t go around believing everything I read on a forum of any kind. Just because you say there are insiders giving information on here doesn’t mean it’s true. I definitely don’t think this is a cult of any kind nor did I ever say that. All I’ve done is give my opinions about the benefits of FP from my families’ perspective and some don’t agree with me. That’s ok. But I’m entitled to give my opinion as to why I feel it makes or breaks a WDW vacation for my family. And also to say I hope it returns in some fashion

The fact that the insiders aren't being ignored or questioned by every long-time user here should give you something to think about.

 

[Jedijax719]

My guess

I'm guessing that is a joke.

 

[Nickp1983]

I'm guessing that is a joke.

 

[WDWTrojan]

It is your opinion that Disney thinks FP is a failure. Because that is how you personally feel. I personally feel it made our family vacations awesome. We love it and want to see it back in some form. Maybe revamped maybe not

Disney didn't create FP out of the goodness of their heart. They created the original iteration to keep people dining and in stores instead of in lines. This largely failed, as people just went into other lines. Then MDE was created as a way to mine data and direct traffic, this also wasn't what they hoped. So, yes, for them FP failed at its original intention.

 

[WDWTrojan]

Utter nonsense. I would always FP splash mtn, 7 dwarfs and space mtn. Got them 60 days out from our planned trip. Never had a problem doing that for an entire decade. If we hadn’t done that, I would have waited 1.5-2hrs per each of those rides because it’s was July (ummm that’s possibly a total of an extra 6hrs!) longer of my time at MK in a day.

The waits would have been far less for those attractions without FP operating.

 

[AEfx]

Because there is no way to have perfectly fair line cutting.

I feel like the original FP system was pretty fair. I could see arguments against that - people who get up later, etc. - but all in all, it worked and was a nice bonus that everyone had equal access to.

It went from that, to the cell phone ninja squad - I mean, when I read people who describe how they sat on their phone all day in queues to end up with 10 FP or whatever, I get why they don't want to give that up - but I also think it sounds like my nightmare, because I'm not paying thousands of dollars to be at Disney to sit staring at my phone refreshing all day, either. I just want to put the dang thing away and enjoy the parks. That's just me, though. If I were in my commando prime, I'd probably be all up in it.

That said...pay per attraction as @marni1971 is describing it, sounds almost worse. Kind of like deciding between a Bantha turd sandwich with mayo, or a Bantha turd sandwich with mustard.

The fact that the insiders aren't being ignored or questioned by every long-time user here should give you something to think about.

I'm nobody myself, but I will throw my 17 years as a member here behind @marni1971 ...in nearly two decades of watching "insiders" prance about, faux 1% and all, there is not a single one I trust more. He's also literally (and I hate to use that word, but I have to here) the only one who doesn't have his own personal agenda. He just tells it the best he knows it - as much as he can - based on what is going on at the time. He's a fan like us who just happens to have made friends with the right people over the years, and is kind enough to share with us what he can.

 

[ImperfectPixie]

I feel like the original FP system was pretty fair. I could see arguments against that - people who get up later, etc. - but all in all, it worked and was a nice bonus that everyone had equal access to.

It went from that, to the cell phone ninja squad - I mean, when I read people who describe how they sat on their phone all day in queues to end up with 10 FP or whatever, I get why they don't want to give that up - but I also think it sounds like my nightmare, because I'm not paying thousands of dollars to be at Disney to sit staring at my phone refreshing all day, either. I just want to put the dang thing away and enjoy the parks. That's just me, though. If I were in my commando prime, I'd probably be all up in it.

That said...pay per attraction as @marni1971 is describing it, sounds almost worse. Kind of like deciding between a Bantha turd sandwich with mayo, or a Bantha turd sandwich with mustard.



I'm nobody myself, but I will throw my 17 years as a member here behind @marni1971 ...in nearly two decades of watching "insiders" prance about, faux 1% and all, there is not a single one I trust more. He's also literally (and I hate to use that word, but I have to here) the only one who doesn't have his own personal agenda. He just tells it the best he knows it - as much as he can - based on what is going on at the time. He's a fan like us who just happens to have made friends with the right people over the years, and is kind enough to share with us what he can.

I think you nailed it with the analogy!

 

[eliza61nyc]

you’re misinterpreting this, Liz

“right of passage” was always a thing...at least for the eastern US in Orlando. They just had a wider “door” for people to fit through.

you can get a small sedan for the Cost of a week now...

whether or not it’s “good” for their longterm business remains to be seen. But every move by stockmarket **** Bob was done to push an “envelope”

and then he left. That was always the problem Disney defenders don’t appreciate enough

I guess I don't remember it being as fanatical as I see it know or maybe growing up in the big apple dampered some of that.
Your right it does remain to be seen but let me add that I've been around for at least 8 years and we've been predicting Disney's doom for at least that long.

 

[dreday3]

Sounds like a very expensive nightmare. I'm sure they'll figure out a way to simplify it for people if they expect them to use it.

Just like everything else, people will learn it and adapt.
Some will find a way to make the most of it.
Some will complain about it and not use it.

Some won't even realize it's there.

 

[GymLeaderPhil]

One thing that tends to pop up a lot in these discussions is that the original FastPass and by extension FastPass+ were complete failures for Disney. I have to disagree.

While the majority of people may not have been spending their time in-between return windows by eating three character meals, there were some who did make reservations for a sit down meal who may have felt pressured to get the most out of their day by waiting in line for all the popular rides and making do with just quick service. Especially when the return windows were lax with paper FastPasses.

Sure, guests may have utilized their time going on nearby area attractions that weren’t fully utilized to their full capacity before their return window came up. This wasn’t a negative to Disney. Nor was it an issue when attractions were added to the roster with FastPass+ that artificially increased the perceived demand for them.

They wanted people to be happy.

Happy guests meant that they may decide to upgrade their ticket to add additional days instead of venturing elsewhere off property. Happy guests also meant that maybe they would purchase that overpriced Dooney & Bourke handbag. Most importantly, happy guests meant that they would be more inclined to return to spend their money on a future vacation.

The numbers may have changed slightly since MyMagic+ was being sold to executives, but that intent to return hinged on guests doing at least 8.5 things (rides, shows, meals, meet & greets) at Magic Kingdom, around 5 for Studios/Animal Kingdom, and a nebulous amount for Epcot. Both FastPass and FastPass+ gave guests a taste of what a VIP Tour offers, with caveats/restrictions, so they could increase guest spending indirectly.

While the rollout and execution of other elements of MyMagic+ could be seen as abject failures, FastPass in its original flavor and its versions across the world were not. The amount of data they have on guests utilizing the program since 1999 is vast and it’s clear that monetization of the service going forward as it has done in Asia and Anaheim is the future for Orlando as well. They’ve socially engineered the medicine with just the smallest amount of sugar to make it palatable.

 

[UNCgolf]

One thing that tends to pop up a lot in these discussions is that the original FastPass and by extension FastPass+ were complete failures for Disney. I have to disagree.

I don't think original FastPass was a failure at all. I think it's much easier to argue that FP+ was, but as you mentioned, it's all tied in with the overall MyMagic+ system.

 

[AEfx]

I don't think original FastPass was a failure at all. I think it's much easier to argue that FP+ was, but as you mentioned, it's all tied in with the overall MyMagic+ system.

'member when MM+ was going to be this amazing system, that wasn't just about spending a couple billion bucks so people could have FastPasses and tickets on bracelets, oh no - it was going to to revolutionize the theme park experience, characters would talk to you by name, rides would recognize you and customize the experience just for you, and it wasn't just one of the biggest IT money-pit boondoggles of all time?

I 'member...