FastPass+ Most Certainly Not Coming Back As It Was

[Jedijax719]

They have done the calculas that the amount of guests they might lose is offset by the cost savings. Your logic is intuition based on guest experience and a company that is trying to attract customers, their "logic" is backed by a spreadsheet and the notion that one problem they suffer is too much demand for their product.

Yeah, that's how it always works with everything. However, removing so much that it makes trips ever so cumbersome must have an impact. That is why I would assume they are continually in the planning stages of replacing a lot of things. Just removing things won't work out in the long run. There is a thing called word of mouth and reputation. Those things have impact over a period of time. And it may just be a matter of making everything mobile in order to replace the in-park or in-resort hardware.

 

[DisneyHead123]

Yeah, that's how it always works with everything. However, removing so much that it makes trips ever so cumbersome must have an impact. That is why I would assume they are continually in the planning stages of replacing a lot of things. Just removing things won't work out in the long run. There is a thing called word of mouth and reputation. Those things have impact over a period of time. And it may just be a matter of making everything mobile in order to replace the in-park or in-resort hardware.

My theory... I think demand is sooo far ahead of supply, that they won’t see a significant decrease in visitors until a significant competitor emerges. I don’t count Universal as they are right next door and probably increase Disney visitors just by existing... they contribute to “Orlando as THE ULTIMATE vacation destination” in general. It would have to be non-Orlando based. Maybe not even a single park, but a trend towards more local entertainment nationally. Until you see competition, you will have a Monopoly-esque situation. Those are discouraged for a reason, of course - competition is good for consumers.

I do think that losing guest spending in specific areas, like a decrease in onsite guests, and overall national reputation (because they still want to sell Disney globally in the form of merch and Disney+, to people who will never visit the parks - so anything that is “PR nightmare” level would still impact those markets) will continue to act as a watered down check and balance on the cost cutting spree, however. I’ve said I don’t think they will immediately go to all paid FastPasses for this reason. It would be a terrible look after a pandemic.

 

[orky8]

Yeah, that's how it always works with everything. However, removing so much that it makes trips ever so cumbersome must have an impact. That is why I would assume they are continually in the planning stages of replacing a lot of things. Just removing things won't work out in the long run. There is a thing called word of mouth and reputation. Those things have impact over a period of time. And it may just be a matter of making everything mobile in order to replace the in-park or in-resort hardware.

I agree with you. They don't. Time will tell.... That will be Chapek's successor's problem. Just like Iger handed Chapek a mess with regard to WDW, but in fairness, he was starting to fix it a little bit and then Covid hit.

 

[drizgirl]

You guys are really giving the CEOs a lot of credit for small things like fastpasses.

Lots of small things in Disney Parks. But I don't think the fastpass system is one of them.

 

[orky8]

You guys are really giving the CEOs a lot of credit for small things like fastpasses.

The FP+ system was a huge capital expenditure, which was authorized on the basis that it would allow the company to better utilize existing ride capacity rather than investing in new capacity. Now the issue is whether/how to bring back that system as it was or bring it back as a pay to play system. I absolutely believe the CEO has visibility into that and would not consider it a small thing.

 

[Mark48]

Me no like a Da Chapek

 

[larryz]

You guys are really giving the CEOs a lot of credit for small things like fastpasses.

It was the then-CEO who gave FP+ the ultimate green light, reportedly responding to a live demonstration, "It better [expletive] work!"

 

[Disone]

Me no like a Da Chapek

Josh Amaro posted to his Instagram from the preview event of 100th anniversary of Knott's Berry Farm.

The fact that he would do this speaks volumes about his leadership and also perhaps demonstrates that he has quite a bit of understanding maybe even passion for the theme park industry.

 

[MisterPenguin]

Josh Amaro posted to his Instagram from the preview event of 100th anniversary of Knott's Berry Farm.

The fact that he would do this speaks volumes about his leadership and also perhaps demonstrates that he has quite a bit of understanding maybe even passion for the theme park industry.

People in the industry aren't usually at war with one another, like the fans are.

They all know that they may need to apply for a job at a competitor's.

 

[flutas]

The site that can’t be named just posted about a recent Disney patent application (US Patent Application 20210150421) for Dynamic Management of Virtual Queues. It seems interesting and a lot of what it describes is similar to what has been rumored / discussed on this site recently.

What if FastPass as we know it is dead, but the new version is already in the parks, very publicly visible and "battle" tested?

Imagine a system similar (aka cloned from) the ROTR virtual queue system.

Based off of multiple factors then ops could decide to open a virtual queue to guests for attractions at various points throughout the day. Instead of hard FPs for certain rides you get X number of virtual queues per day that allow you to skip the physical line. Maybe you could even set a list of priority experiences and get an alert when a virtual queue for that ride is about to open.

It would solve the "60+ day planning" problem, and allow ops to decide how many "FastPasses" they can hand out for a ride at any one time. It would also allow them to speed up or slow down groups when they need them rather than having people show up at a set time... Best of all for a certain Bob, it keeps people wandering the park and potentially spending money instead of waiting in line.

Just a thought...

I’m thinking it’s more genie than FP now, but maybe not.

 

[MagicWDI]

People in the industry aren't usually at war with one another, like the fans are.

They all know that they may need to apply for a job at a competitor's.

**Matt Ouimet entered the chat**

 

[Jedijax719]

Another issue (may seem to be a small issue but might be larger than you think) is that many families go through travel agents to prepare WDW trips. Right now, travel agents cannot help. They don't have a clue how things are going to work. They will have to be trained and with things changing all the time, that becomes an insurmountable task.

 

[MurphyJoe]

I’m thinking it’s more genie than FP now, but maybe not.

Maybe both in a sense? Don't purchase an upgrade and wait in 1 VQ at a time. Pay and Disney's backend either speeds up the return time or allows for multiple VQs at once. To the average guest it'd look like a rebranded FP (you get to use the short line after making your selections!), but is functionally different with how it operates.

 

[AEfx]

It is seeming like making a WDW vacation plan is becoming almost impossible. Either they are planning much easier ways of doing things as we speak or WDW is going to be losing guests at a time when they should be attracting more.

Believe it or not, WDW used to work just fine before "Magical Express". You basically got the same service from Mears for $30 a head, it just wasn't included and didn't show you promo videos on the way. Somehow we all survived not checking into the airport until we got there - and, can't everyone just do that on their cell phone now to begin with?

I'm not arguing that it is a good thing that Disney is taking away these arrival/departure "benefits" - but, if these things were what kept people staying on property - then they were pretty much getting ripped off to begin with, if they were truly paying $100's of dollars a night extra than one can pay off-site just to take a branded bus on their way in and out.

 

[homerdance]

Just an FYI (for real this time):

According to Disney's website, the Disney Private VIP Tour is $425 to $750 per hour, depending on the season, minimum of 7 hours up to 10 people.

So, if you can get 10 people chipping in and all agreeing on an itinerary, then it would cost each person $300 to $525 total depending on the season.

That's 7 hours of unlimited FP for $300-$500.

If you have kids, get them jobs.

Disney Private VIP Tours

Add even more magic to your visit with this unique experience at Walt Disney World.

disneyworld.disney.go.com

You can also buy “experiences”. Which I would think is similar to what @marni1971 is describing

The Ultimate Day of Thrills VIP Tour - Temporarily Unavailable

Add even more magic to your visit with this unique experience at Walt Disney World.

disneyworld.disney.go.com

 

[marni1971]

Just an FYI (for real this time):

According to Disney's website, the Disney Private VIP Tour is $425 to $750 per hour, depending on the season, minimum of 7 hours up to 10 people.

So, if you can get 10 people chipping in and all agreeing on an itinerary, then it would cost each person $300 to $525 total depending on the season.

That's 7 hours of unlimited FP for $300-$500.

If you have kids, get them jobs.

Disney Private VIP Tours

Add even more magic to your visit with this unique experience at Walt Disney World.

disneyworld.disney.go.com

The limit on attendees is moot. They’ll take as many as you want to pay for.

 

[DisneyHead123]

The limit on attendees is moot. They’ll take as many as you want to pay for.

Do you know this for sure? We go in a group of 11, 12 or 13 so I assumed we’d have to pay the whole rate twice for like 2 extra people. You can just add them to the first group, or is that not what you meant?

 

[marni1971]

Do you know this for sure? We go in a group of 11, 12 or 13 so I assumed we’d have to pay the whole rate twice for like 2 extra people. You can just add them to the first group, or is that not what you meant?

I was fortunate to be invited to a group of 27.

 

[Bastet]

International guests could not use the luggage transfer on arrival or check in for return flight at the resort so the lack of them makes no difference to me

 

[DisneyHead123]

I was fortunate to be invited to a group of 27.

Wow! I’m wondering if they paid 3x the regular rate, though.