FastPass+ Most Certainly Not Coming Back As It Was

[MurphyJoe]

If there's going to be three tiers of passes, and none of them are anytime, maybe it'd go something like this:

1. Free - Limited number of attractions and passes available daily for those attractions.
2. Schedule X number of passes to a wider range of attractions before you arrive at the park, then the free tier kicks in.
3. Unlimited number of passes to all available attractions, but you can only schedule your first pass before arrival (if at all).

 

[Queen of the WDW Scene]

One thing I can easily imagine:
Genie app “ride now” for an up charge, with dynamic pricing.

Skip the 2 hour line at FOP for $39.99 per person.
Skip the 60 minute line at Mine Train for $19.99.
“Pirates of the Caribbean is currently a 25 minute line, but the Genie can grant your wish and ride now for $4.99”

So depending on the attraction, the time of day, the length of the standby line, the “Genie lightning pass” price is fluid. Constantly reacting to supply and demand.

just 1 way it could work.

I do like the thought of the in app purchase of a "ride now" situation but I don't think it will be QUITE as pricey as your example.
But I would totally get behind it. That way I could pick and choose what's worth my time vs money.

 

[jt04]

If by attractions and content, you mean yachts for Chapek, then yes. Chapek has no desire to invest. He will rearrange the deck chairs until the ship goes down. He’s not investing.

People said the same exact thing about Iger in the early 2000's. Then he invested billions upon billions in rides and infrastructure across the globe.

I don't expect Chapek will match that but I expect he will want to leave his own mark at the parks.

I know the default talking point for many is to cast all CEO's in the worst way possible but they hardly have the absolute power people insinuate. There is a board of directors, investors big and small and of course, the customers.

Iger created expensive tent pole attractions, and now TWDC will fill in the fine details in the remaining spaces. IMO.

Of course, I'm an optimist about the parks.

 

[Peter Venkman]

Historically, Disney has been a place where you couldn't tell the haves from the have nots. They've been eroding that perception for a while now, but if it becomes this much more obvious, I think people are going to lose it.

people will lose it. they'll stamp their feet and write letters and make threads on message boards. they'll say they're never going again. then a month later they'll be booking another Disney trip. Disney knows this which is why they don't care.

 

[CastAStone]

Bahahahaha $200 a day? You guys are on drugs.

Nobody is going to buy a FastPass product that costs more for one week than TWELVE NIGHTS at Animal Kingdom Lodge at rack rate.

I wish we were on drugs. Here’s Universal’s pricing:

in any case, the people who know things have repeatedly said that it’s going to be sold in packs of fast passes, So we’re all arguing over something that’s not going to happen

 

[havoc315]

I do like the thought of the in app purchase of a "ride now" situation but I don't think it will be QUITE as pricey as your example.
But I would totally get behind it. That way I could pick and choose what's worth my time vs money.

Thats why it would be dynamic pricing.
For example… they may set aside 200 “ride now” spots per hour at FOP.
If the line is 2 hours… and they aren’t getting demand at $39.99…. They could instantly drop the price to $29.99 or $19.99. If demand is tooo high at $19.99… raise the price.

It can even be selective… different guests seeing different prices. Genie could see a family that never buys the ride now… they get a “special” notification… ride Mine Train now for just $1.99!!! In the hopes that once the family tries the feature, they start to use it more often.

The goal, I suspect, would be to get another $100-$200 in daily revenue from guests using the system.

 

[Disney Glimpses]

I wish we were on drugs. Here’s Universal’s pricing:View attachment 561051

in any case, the people who know things have repeatedly said that it’s going to be sold in packs of fast passes, So we’re all arguing over something that’s not going to happen

The issue with this pricing at WDW is that it essentially promotes shorter vacations over longer ones. Sure I’d pay this for one day at Universal but not for a week. Nor would I stay at Universal for anywhere near a week. Universal and WDW aren’t directly comparable with pricing models. They don’t want an offering that someone “buys for one day” and then not for the rest of their trip.

But you’re right, it’s clear unlimited isn’t in the cards. And those reasons are probably why.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

I wish we were on drugs. Here’s Universal’s pricing:View attachment 561051

in any case, the people who know things have repeatedly said that it’s going to be sold in packs of fast passes, So we’re all arguing over something that’s not going to happen

Universal gets way more one-or-two day visitors than WDW. WDW visitors go for a week.

 

[Jrb1979]

I take it that will mostly be like the Shanghai system. My only hope is they price it high enough to discourage too many people buying it

 

[Disney Glimpses]

I take it that will mostly be like the Shanghai system. My only hope is they price it high enough to discourage too many people buying it

Agree but the reason people are confused because Brayden suggested they were floating a $100-300 price point per person per day. I think that is just bad info quite honestly.

 

[MurphyJoe]

Agree but the reason people are confused because Brayden suggested they were floating a $100-300 price point per person per day. I think that is just bad info quite honestly.

I didn't watch the video, but from the comments here it sounds like he's regurgitating this discussion. The only person who seems to have an inside scoop, at least here, is marni and he's not talking, only dropping teases of what could be.

 

[havoc315]

Universal gets way more one-or-two day visitors than WDW. WDW visitors go for a week.

But that’s because Universal is far smaller than WDW. Even without Express pass, you can hit every significant attraction in 1-2 days. WDW takes 4-5 days.

With unlimited express pass, you can cover Universal in 1 day. If Disney had a similar system, it would still take 3+ days. (Especially as shows and fireworks return… would take at least 3 days to see HEA, Harmonious, Fantasmic… while Universal has only 1 mediocre night show).

so it’s not the express pass that changes things — it’s just the size of the parks.

And the majority of guests don’t have the express pass. So the existence of the express pass is mostly irrelevant to the length of the stay.

And WDW gets tons of 1-day visitors. Cruise ship excursions alone are huge.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

But that’s because Universal is far smaller than WDW. Even without Express pass, you can hit every significant attraction in 1-2 days. WDW takes 4-5 days.

With unlimited express pass, you can cover Universal in 1 day. If Disney had a similar system, it would still take 3+ days. (Especially as shows and fireworks return… would take at least 3 days to see HEA, Harmonious, Fantasmic… while Universal has only 1 mediocre night show).

so it’s not the express pass that changes things — it’s just the size of the parks.

And the majority of guests don’t have the express pass. So the existence of the express pass is mostly irrelevant to the length of the stay.

And WDW gets tons of 1-day visitors. Cruise ship excursions alone are huge.

No, cruise ship excursions are not "huge."

 

[Queen of the WDW Scene]

Agree but the reason people are confused because Brayden suggested they were floating a $100-300 price point per person per day. I think that is just bad info quite honestly.

Remember he did give fair warning that this entire thing is pure RUMOR vs his usual this is definitely happening it just hasn't been announced yet.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

The point is, at the price point we're talking about, it's literally cheaper to extend your vacation entire whole days for cheaper than adding FastPass. I don't know anyone who would rather visit WDW for three days with FastPass than eight days without it for the same price.

 

[Disney Glimpses]

Remember he did give fair warning that this entire thing is pure RUMOR vs his usual this is definitely happening it just hasn't been announced yet.

And for all we know, he asked his source what the price is who could’ve off the cuff said something to the effect of “who knows, $100? $300? Whatever it is it’s not gonna be cheap” etc.

I’d be surprised to see Disney do something like that to their everyday park experience. Very surprised. Typically premium offerings are in form of special events that don’t affect day to day visitors.

 

[havoc315]

No, cruise ship excursions are not "huge."

It’s between hundreds to thousands (peak periods) of people per day. And that’s just 1 type of day visitor.

Did a RC cruise a few years ago. During the Florida port day, 240 people — just from 1 ship, did a WDW excursion.

 

[Goofyernmost]

What does that have to do with anything? So rude and unnecessary.

Then ignore it and see if you can find a tiny sense of humor.

 

[MurphyJoe]

The point is, at the price point we're talking about, it's literally cheaper to extend your vacation entire whole days for cheaper than adding FastPass. I don't know anyone who would rather visit WDW for three days with FastPass than eight days without it for the same price.

Depends on how long the lines are. Plus unless Disney requires length of ticket purchases for this product, I'm anticipating most people who do purchase will do it for a day or two (probably MK then HS), not their entire trip.

 

[Goofyernmost]

Not at $300 per person per day.
I'm not talking about some add on fee, I'm talking about a steep add on fee.

Yea, I'm a little confused about that too. The details are a little foggy. Is that the cost of a ticket including park and pass or just super Fastpass.