FastPass+ Most Certainly Not Coming Back As It Was

[Trauma]

We don’t know what the Disney system is yet.

I can’t even get Disney’s website to work half the time.

I’m actually trying to log into my DVC account right now to an error message.

Yeah I’m sure the system will be great!!

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

No ride is worth paying twice for.

Did you hear me Bob?

And THAT…is the bottomline.

People are asking/talking about what they’d pay for and how much…not what they’re paying for their room and ticket to enter…

…insert shock here

 

[jpinkc]

We are (were) a once a year family. It might be a 3-4 day stay or 7-10. Depends on the year and time I can take away. 2019 was an exception kids wanted to try Universal again (Volcano Bay). 2020 well we know what happened. Now 2021 my wifes 50th our 20th anniversary etc. Possibly last trip with the kids? I dont see any way whats being shown to us is in ANY WAY!!! a good thing. Yes FP to FP+ took an adjustment, but I could still guarantee my kids that they could ride favorite rides at least once. It worked for us as we could plan our day around the FP+. Yeah bit inconvenient but it worked. Yes we always stay on property, we save like MAD to make this work. My brother and his family go every other year and the too SAVE LIKE MAD! to do this as we are a Disney family. This new idea of having to RACE TO ROPE DROP to book a ride queue is INSANE!! How is that a vacation! It sounds as stressful as a workday. I really see all these amenities we are losing to stay on property being the straw that will break us. Yes we are trying the Swan this trip because of lack of the usual amenities and its a short trip over Thanksgiving for my wifes 50th. I know Disney doesnt care but this is just rubbing SALT in a wound. To me.

 

[RobbinsDad]

In principle I agree…
…until you take the price over the point of no return. And Disney isn’t at risk much of that…but not entirely insulated I either.
If the chairman/board crash Disney - they walk away rich. That was the value of Disney’s prior leadership…their sense of ego/legacy.

That's the threat to any mature organization. The farther removed from the founders/visionaries it gets, especially massive corporations like Disney, the less legacy matters. Take the money and run.

 

[RobbinsDad]

I'm praying they hold off until November!

I'm praying they hold off until 2022.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

We don’t know what the Disney system is yet.

It’s going to be smartphone based no matter what

They’d be foolish to do it around the 50th. It would overshadow everything. Real bad optics. If they cared…

Now do you believe me that it was never a “thing”?? They don’t do that in Orlando anymore…lip service…it’s not needed.

 

[ParentsOf4]

So, what would be better:
If a restaurant charged $per person, but it was unlimited all-you-can eat… You can have the lobster, steak, caviar.

Or, if a restaurant charged only for what you order— so the person who wants the lobster pays $50, the person who wants the steak pays $40, the person who wants the salad pays $20…. And the person who wants all 3 pays $110.

Breaking up pricing actually works to the benefit of the customer, more often than not.

It’s an inaccurate analogy.

Using your analogy, you previously paid $110 for an all-you-can-eat buffet that included lobster, steak, caviar, etc.

Now the restaurant wants to change it so you pay $110 for a table, and then you still have to pay more for any food.

Or you can not pay more and get everyone else’s leftovers.

 

[CuteAsMinnie]

No ride is worth paying twice for.

Did you hear me Bob?

 

[Waters Back Side]

I'm praying they hold off until 2022.

I'll be there for the New Year. They will need some type of line system. I'm just praying it turns out we made a big deal about nothing and still get some rides we can walk onto (or wait a short time)

 

[ppete1975]

welcome to the class system.

IF youre rich, you can do whatever you want.

If you arent you will not be able to ride certain rides.

I think next years trip might be my last... and im stunned writing that.

 

[MerriwetherAdamPleasure]

It’s an inaccurate analogy.

Using your analogy, you previously paid $110 for an all-you-can-eat buffet that included lobster, steak, caviar, etc.

Now the restaurant wants to change it so you pay $110 for a table, and then you still have to pay more for any food.

Or you can not pay more and get everyone else’s leftovers.

I think the process sounds insane. I know I don't understand it yet, and it is never as bad as a change seems when announced; however, If entrance costs remain the same or increase, but I have less access to attractions, that's going to be a problem for alot of folks. I'm afraid Disney is getting to a point where you continue to fix something until it's broke

 

[Tom Morrow]

I'm seeing some people make the argument that it will be a good thing if this is expensive, because less people will be using it, thus less interference with the standby lines.

Well, no. At Universal, the Express pass costs more than a one day ticket, yet Universal's Express lines are often jammed which, like Fastpass, often grinds the standby lines to a halt.

 

[ppete1975]

If this works at lets say 10 bucks and the demand is great.... then they will quickly increase the price...
if it works on one ride... it will be added to others...

Basically its going to repeat how disney used to be.... modern, technologically superior ticket books.....
except the entrance fee will cost what it should cost you to be able to ride everything

 

[GoofGoof]

I'm seeing some people make the argument that it will be a good thing if this is expensive, because less people will be using it, thus less interference with the standby lines.

Well, no. At Universal, the Express pass costs more than a one day ticket, yet Universal's Express lines are often jammed which, like Fastpass, often grinds the standby lines to a halt.

Express pass is free to deluxe resort guests. What you are describing is why Disney can’t offer deluxe and moderate guests free front of the line access.

 

[IanDLBZF]

Well, no. At Universal, the Express pass costs more than a one day ticket, yet Universal's Express lines are often jammed which, like Fastpass, often grinds the standby lines to a halt.

That's my biggest gripe with Universal.

 

[ppete1975]

Theres a better fix for all of this... build more attractions... build attractions that have a realistic capacity... we are in this problem because of disney... and now they will profit from it.

 

[dreamfinder912]

I'm seeing some people make the argument that it will be a good thing if this is expensive, because less people will be using it, thus less interference with the standby lines.

Well, no. At Universal, the Express pass costs more than a one day ticket, yet Universal's Express lines are often jammed which, like Fastpass, often grinds the standby lines to a halt.

Express costs more than a one day ticket if you buy it day of. But if you bought it in advance the way you used to have to book FP 60+ days in advance express is far less. Express passes get more and more expensive the closer you get to the date you want it, it's at its most insane day of (if it hasn't sold out) but you CAN get it for less. If you plan, that is.

 

[Willmark]

I know this was a rhetorical question, but I actually think you bring up a good, quasi-existential question about Disney theme parks.

Because you're right - we'll drone on and on for days (and years!) about the difference in the Disney experience vs. other parks, and how queues and preshows and elaborate theming are an essential element in that difference . . . and then immediately turn around and fight for a fastpass so we can just get on the dang ride already.

I'm once again gonna relate the experience to that of a Meal - if a Ride is an Entrée then perhaps the Preshow more like an Appetizer, and the Queue maybe more like an Hors D'oeuvre. If you have the choice between two restaurants who serve comparably good Entrées (or not comparable, your mileage may vary), you may yet favor the one with the better appetizers and hors d'ouvres. It is still possible that some days you may simply want just order the Entree, but the additional offerings may still inform your overall favor of restaurant.

I do think this situation doesn't quite exist in a vacuum - if the parks weren't being orchestrated (intentionally or otherwise) to negatively impact the guest's general ability to get on as many rides as possible then there might be less impulse to blow past the queue and preshow and just get on the ride. But I do also think it's fair to say that a trend has grown in recent years where we're being offered more meaningful hors d'oeuvres and appetizers while they scale back on the Entrees, and you wouldn't let that slide in your favorite restaurant. And if they slow service to give you more time to focus on those first parts without delivering fully on the later parts, you might reach a point where you don't necessarily want to invest in a full meal, you just want to skip to the "meat" and then get on with your day.

This can all be true and still have you feeling like you prefer this restaurant's menu over the restaurant down the street.

Thank you getting my point.

I’ve been told that WDW represents some sort of step up from a traditional park (I don’t see it). WDW is just another amusement park with a lot of IP, overzealous IP lawyers, and a lot of people who go who have memories as a kid (not to those who want to pounce, I didn’t say all).

I should think that if Disney is such a cut above everyone else (very debatable) that part of it would be getting lost in the immersion of “the world”.

 

[Jrb1979]

No ride is worth paying twice for.

Did you hear me Bob?

I guess I'm in the minority there as I almost always pay for fastpass at every park I go to. So in essence I am paying for a ride twice.

 

[ParentsOf4]

Not every attraction will be using virtual lines.

Yes, and those attractions without virtual queues will see (much?) longer Standby lines.

Guests are not going to sit around waiting for their return time. They're going to look at the My Disney Experience app, find an attraction that is not using a virtual queue, and get in line for that.

The beauty of the current COVID "Standby line only" system is that a Guest can only occupy one line at a time. With virtual queues, they will occupy 2 lines at the same time (i.e. one virtual and one physical queue). Wait times will increase everywhere, which is what Disney wants, so Disney can charge even more for Premier Access, whose cost is based on wait time.

Effectively, Disney will create demand where none exists, which will allow Disney to charge more for Premier Pass.