FastPass+ Most Certainly Not Coming Back As It Was

[CaptainAmerica]

Can you imagine a tool that would basically let Disney know how many people are going to visit their park each day and give them a sure fire way to measure future demand so that they can adjust variables like staffing and hours to compensate for this demand?

park pass is here to stay long after the pandemic is gone.

FastPass+ was that tool.

I understand thar Disney WANTS the data from park pass, but there's no compelling reason for guests to actually use it.

 

[Po'Rich]

What was the usual average standby wait for those bigger rides?

FOP right now is 65 minutes, which I admit is less than the 90 minutes that I frequently saw when there was FP+. Yet, how much of the lesser time is due to reduced capacity at the parks. I can only imagine how impossible it will be to get on rides like this when parks are back at 100%. Plus, I don't really think spending an hour in a line is a particularly good use of time.

For me, I'd much rather spend a little time planning if it assures that I'll get to ride some of the bigger rides.

 

[Po'Rich]

It's a win win in that those that do buy it will have low wait times. Those that don't will have few people in FP queues to affect you wait times. I'm guessing many people don't visit other parks that have a paid system.

Yes you pay more but IMO it's a far better system. Being able to have low wait times and a high possibility of getting multiple rides on attractions makes it worth the money.

Isn't this the VIP system?

 

[MurphyJoe]

He makes a good point, though.

If the parks aren't actually reaching daily capacity (they normally don't) and thus there are reservations available for all parks almost every day, people don't really have an incentive to book one early. If there are thousands of people only making a selection the day before or day of, that doesn't give Disney especially useful information.

I suppose Disney could require someone to book park reservations when they buy their ticket, but unless they made those selections permanently locked (which would cause a bunch of other headaches) it still wouldn't be that helpful when people could just change them later on.

The other option I see would be to lower the daily capacity for every park so that they are getting fully booked, but that would be giving up money in multiple ways and I can't imagine Disney doing that.

Disney could make it so until a guest has booked a park pass they're unable to reserve dining and experiences within that park and they're unable to use whatever system replaces FP+ and/or Genie. So people can still wing it, but they're at a significant disadvantage versus those who made park pass selections.

 

[MurphyJoe]

Isn't this the VIP system?

The VIP system is probably unaffordable for the average guest. Plus VIP tours cost Disney money since there's a guide involved (even if it's a fraction of the tour cost) and I'm willing to bet there's a limited number of people available who meet the requirements and are willing to work for Disney's wages. The replacement FP system(s) most likely won't require additional staffing per paid option beyond what was the cost of running FP+. Thus Disney can pocket nearly 100% of the upcharge rate with the ability to sell it to more people.

 

[mergatroid]

This thread

 

[Parker in NYC]

This thread

Really? I'd hate to see what some other threads would look like.

 

[matt9112]

As long as it’s not anywhere near as high as Universals, I’d be ok with paying for it sometimes. What I don’t want is them to oversell these like they did the nighttime parties so you felt like you were actually paying for something other than waiting for 30 minutes in a different line.

Would probably cost more if it works the same way since disney has far higher demand and attendance figures. If its more so paying to digitally wait in line like current system but you dont get to just walk to any attraction at any time i could see it being affordable. Maybe 10 or 15 per day. Than again people pay what 30 bucks now to park? Yall big ballers keep coming and them prices will keep going up.

 

[matt9112]

I am... incredibly interested... to see what Disney does here. There will be some alternate queue system going forward. There will definitely be an added cost involved to use it to the fullest extent. Most people will probably hate it. Me? I'm actually going to be thankful that I don't have an obligation to schedule my 9:35 AM Tower of Terror ride 60 days before I even wind up in Central Florida. I am thankful I don't have to see families rush through the FP+ line at Magic Carpets of Aladdin and think they got a deal. I'm hopeful that they can pretend to have learned a lesson and not overdistribute fastpasses to buzz lightyear's space ranger spin so you're not in the normal standby line in the building for 30 minutes on an omnimover ride.

We'll see! Think it comes before or after Holiday 2021?

I doubt the doing it so far in advance is going to go away...thats a boon for disney they want to know exactly how many employees they need to staff etc. That type of data is priceless. Probably just charge you for the privilege to wake up at 5am to do that. I wish spontaneity would return but it legitimately flys in the face of the business model.

 

[matt9112]

that’s awful...

but at least we’re “out of the box”

I agree....i have a severe allergic reaction to his idea.

 

[matt9112]

Also worth noting that Disney's theme parks have, for many years now, been the only major parks to not charge for their line-cutting system. I know you can book earlier with hotels and whatnot, but at its core, fastpass has always been included for everyone who purchases a ticket. This positively differentiates Disney from the industry standard and probably goes against Bob Chapek's core values, so I'm surprised it's stayed that way for so long, and I'll be sad to see it cost money.

Bobs core values are a cold dead heart filled with lots and lots of dollars.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Also worth noting that Disney's theme parks have, for many years now, been the only major parks to not charge for their line-cutting system. I know you can book earlier with hotels and whatnot, but at its core, fastpass has always been included for everyone who purchases a ticket. This positively differentiates Disney from the industry standard and probably goes against Bob Chapek's core values, so I'm surprised it's stayed that way for so long, and I'll be sad to see it cost money.

chapek is not qualified for that Job. Covid side effects have seemed to create amnesia on that.

BUT...an ideal scenario is some type of “free”
System...combined with a revenue system.

wdw is just a different animal than the prototype systems used in Anaheim and Paris

 

[Goofyernmost]

I don’t think this is an apples to apples comparison. Given how much attendance has increased since the introduction of fastpasses and Disney cutting staffing and park hours without adding more attractions, you were going to see increased waits anyway. Fastpass+ isn’t the cause there.

Attendance on any give day has not increased that much, at least to my visual determination. The overall attendance of WDW has increased but not necessarily out of proportion with the added parks and added attractions. When I went there was no Splash Mtn. and the area where the snow white stuff is now was the 20K league attractions which was the slowest capacity in the park. The lines were full. They really couldn't get any fuller, but they kept moving and it went quite rapidly. The parks, especially MK was no bigger then it is now and it was close to being the only park there.

Fastpass did not increase capacity at all, all it did was direct things into two lines. One that kept moving and one that was relagated to stand still while the FP line zoomed on through. Once FP was instituted the people with FP's were moving through those lines quickly but for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. In this case the FP line moves swiftly and the standby line doesn't move at all. It was always a disaster for very many people, especially newbie's that really didn't understand completely how to work the system. It arbitrarily gave some people a perk that really didn't have any reason to be getting. Those unable to get the FP paid the same ridiculous ticket price as those that were able to be privileged. It stunk from the very beginning.

It was promoted as something the was available to everyone. That alone was almost criminally misleading. Yes, if you were able to meet the requirements ranging from getting there early to hanging on the phone waiting for the window to open and attempt to reserve a specific FP. Otherwise you pretty much had to use whatever was available until they decided that enough were distributed and then if you were the queen of England it wouldn't matter, they were gone and YOU could not get one no matter how many times they said, it was available to everyone. It has always sucked but those with a few FP's in hand were conned into thinking that they got something special, when they didn't gain a damn thing in time or effort. What time they saved on an individual attraction was quickly eaten up by the additional time that was required in the queue on an attraction that didn't have a FP available for you. That, however, is just the tip of the iceberg. Don't forget the time that was spent attempting to actually reserve a FP for yourself online. I guess if your time isn't worth anything it is OK. But, it is a part of your life that you will never get back. So, the moral is, spending time in a line that is moving steadily to your goal or spend it setting yourself up to save a few minutes on a specific attraction. It all works out the same.

 

[marni1971]

I'm willing to bet there's a limited number of people available who meet the requirements and are willing to work for Disney's wages.

There’s quite a few guides. I know some myself. Even help them now and then.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Then you haven't thought it through I humbly suggest.

it was dumb...can you just move on?

you suggested “buying a special ticket event” to get what you paid for during the day...

Ease off the pipe

 

[Goofyernmost]

Can you imagine a tool that would basically let Disney know how many people are going to visit their park each day and give them a sure fire way to measure future demand so that they can adjust variables like staffing and hours to compensate for this demand?

park pass is here to stay long after the pandemic is gone.

I agree with that, but it is just one more control of your desires. However, since there is hardly a time when you cannot get into a park on any specific day, it really is only a formality that can wait until that day if you don't have to add FP's or ADR's.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

The VIP system is probably unaffordable for the average guest. Plus VIP tours cost Disney money since there's a guide involved (even if it's a fraction of the tour cost) and I'm willing to bet there's a limited number of people available who meet the requirements and are willing to work for Disney's wages. The replacement FP system(s) most likely won't require additional staffing per paid option beyond what was the cost of running FP+. Thus Disney can pocket nearly 100% of the upcharge rate with the ability to sell it to more people.

I believe the current “Vip” scenario is about $2500 minimum.

to skip the line for small world

 

[marni1971]

Ease off the pipe

Quote of the day.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

He makes a good point, though.

If the parks aren't actually reaching daily capacity (they normally don't) and thus there are reservations available for all parks almost every day, people don't really have an incentive to book one early. If there are thousands of people only making a selection the day before or day of, that doesn't give Disney especially useful information.

I suppose Disney could require someone to book park reservations when they buy their ticket, but unless they made those selections permanently locked (which would cause a bunch of other headaches) it still wouldn't be that helpful when people could just change them later on.

The other option I see would be to lower the daily capacity for every park so that they are getting fully booked, but that would be giving up money in multiple ways and I can't imagine Disney doing that.

I think they’ll be trained to book the park anyway...even if it’s day before or day of...

that doesn’t help Disney as much as weeks out...but they’d still rather know

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Quote of the day.

...you better not encourage me