FastPass+ Most Certainly Not Coming Back As It Was

[pax_65]

Your point is taken but this doesn't account for the changing ways people spend money or some of the massive upgrades done to the resort hotels and properties, new fireworks shows, new technologies, increasing cost of labor including live performers, etc.

I've said this before, I don't think this really accounts for every price increase we see, but it is so much more complicated than we make it out to be sometimes on the boards.

Totally fair point. And one attraction isn't necessarily equal to another. Rise of the Resistance has more value than the Teacups. New attractions, live entertainment, fireworks, etc adds value - and I'm definitely willing to pay more for that stuff! That's how this should work - add value to the parks and charge more. I'd be fine with that.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

If Disney really wants to reduce wait times and improve Guest saris, build more attractions!

Disney has spent so much money on systems that allow them to spend less money on attractions. I wonder if it’s really come out ahead for them.

 

[yensid67]

is this is their plan their are dumber than I thought. While I understand those in queues aren’t spending money, if that make ways for more to be outside of queues shopping and dinning, we’ll dining places already stay full and how many more can you fit into the emporium? They want us to pay for a fastpass to get in there too?

Paid replacement for FastPass+ for Walt Disney World seems to be a step closer with a new ride reservation system coming to Disneyland Paris

Would you pay to experience a specific ride for near immediate access? Disney hopes so.

www.wdwmagic.com

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

is this is their plan their are dumber than I thought. While I understand those in queues aren’t spending money, if that make ways for more to be outside of queues shopping and dinning, we’ll dining places already stay full and how many more can you fit into the emporium? They want us to pay for a fastpass to get in there too?

Wait…

you didn’t know this?? That was the original goal of fastpass.

that’s it. No discussion. It’s not a “debate”

now…when + came - due to lack of investment - it becomes more of a crowd management system.

now it appears it will be a for fee crowd management system.

The term is “devolution”

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Disney has spent so much money on systems that allow them to spend less money on attractions. I wonder if it’s really come out ahead for them.

It absolutely has…

rides cost money and generate none once you enter the park and you’re there. Apps with fees are the opposite.

 

[mattpeto]

It is ... but it's also a bit of a Catch-22 right? There's no motivation to update and support the tech, if your guests are still largely attached to the old systems.

How many times do we have to go thru this loop:

Disney introduces Fastpass and the guests hate it and want the old standby queues.
Disney introduces Fastpass+ and the guests hate it and want the old paper tickets.
Disney introduces Virtual Queues and Boarding Groups and the guests hate it and want the old Fastpass+ options.
Disney introduces Paid Fastpasses and ... ?

Thank you for this perspective. It's going to be alright...

While Disney is in operations to make money (and appease their shareholders), they will need to strike a balance somewhere: improve profitability but not doing something so counteractive to will lead to horrible guest satisfaction.

Disney is pretty bold on distributing surveys on EVERYTHING, if you don't think they simply don't care how something is perceived, your logic is flawed.

We only know the new system in broad strokes, thanks to the insiders here. Yes, the DLP thing is new, but it hasn't been executed yet.

 

[Waters Back Side]

It absolutely has…

rides cost money and generate none once you enter the park and you’re there. Apps with fees are the opposite.

You cannot be serious. Rides generate NO money? Take the rides out of the park. HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE GOING TO DISNEY WORLD?

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

It absolutely has…

rides cost money and generate none once you enter the park and you’re there. Apps with fees are the opposite.

Maybe. The apps haven’t been charging fees until now. How much has already been spent? We know it’s over 1 billion.

 

[Waters Back Side]

If you are talking about the money they spend on maintaining and operating the rides, the definitely do spend money but they rely on their attractions to draw guests into the park. People go to Disney for (in order of priority):

1) go on rides
2) see shows (parades, fireworks)
3) dining
4) characters

Take #1 away.. how many people would go to Disney for the other 3?

 

[pdude81]

If you are talking about the money they spend on maintaining and operating the rides, the definitely do spend money but they rely on their attractions to draw guests into the park. People go to Disney for (in order of priority):

1) go on rides
2) see shows (parades, fireworks)
3) dining
4) characters

Take #1 away.. how many people would go to Disney for the other 3?

Rarely are people excited by going number 2

 

[dsinclair]

Another time - temporarily - was back in 2009. for a short period WDW offered this crazy discount package deal:

Guests who buy a four-night/four-day non-discounted Walt Disney Travel Co. Magic Your Way hotel and ticket package for stays most nights from Jan. 4 to April 4, 2009, and April 19 to June 27, 2009, will receive three extra nights of hotel accommodations and three more days added to their theme park tickets for free. As a bonus, guests traveling on this package from Jan. 4 to March 29, 2009, will also receive a free $200 Disney Gift Card.

If you could go to WDW for 7 nights, the room was 43% off, the tickets were each $10 off, and you ALSO got a $200 gift card.

Does anyone know what the total cost of this would have come out to for a deluxe resort stay?

 

[ParentsOf4]

It absolutely has…

rides cost money and generate none once you enter the park and you’re there. Apps with fees are the opposite.

To be clear, an amusement park is (almost) all about the rides.

Universal hit a grand slam when the first built WWOHP. Attendance skyrocketed. Ticket prices went up. In-park sales of food, beverage, and merchandise soared. That’s what is supposed to happen.

I don’t buy a concert ticket and then have them charge me for each song I want to hear.

I don’t show up at a baseball game only to have them charge me more to see specific batters hit because those players are not generating revenue once I’m in the park.

I paid for my ticket. I just want what I paid for.

If the front office wants to improve attendance, they invest in better players. If a musician wants to boost sales, they release another album.

WDW should be no different.

 

[jpinkc]

Totally fair point. And one attraction isn't necessarily equal to another. Rise of the Resistance has more value than the Teacups. New attractions, live entertainment, fireworks, etc adds value - and I'm definitely willing to pay more for that stuff! That's how this should work - add value to the parks and charge more. I'd be fine with that.

WHAT INSULTING MY TEACUPS

 

[Chip Chipperson]

I disagree. I think this will turn out to be very popular among those Disney values most: guests with (perceived) unlimited income to spend at the parks. 60 dollars for my family of four to avoid an hour+ wait for SDMT? Done. Now I also have time to pick up some Disney ears or a cupcake or the Bluey plushie my kid has been dying for. Bam - increased guest satisfaction, and return visits, at least until the shine wears off or the kids get older. In that case there's a new crop of young families discovering the omnipresent Disney entertainment magic.

WDW is basically now a casino - cater to the real and wannabe high rollers, inconvenience the $5 blackjack table players enough to where they either stick it out for the privilege of being there or move on.

I'm not so sure there will be increased guest satisfaction over paying for the ability to skip 1 long line when previously you could skip that long line + 2 others for free. Even people with money to burn don't like to feel like they were ripped off (at least not the ones who realize they're being ripped off).

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

You cannot be serious. Rides generate NO money? Take the rides out of the park. HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE GOING TO DISNEY WORLD?

The rides are already there, hoss…and in the case of most of the “new rides”…they dumped old aside and are installing replacements.

Disney sells a lot of nostalgia…including 50 year old rides. They practically live off it now. It would help if they wouldn’t have pooched Star Wars…but whatever.

once you show up, pay $125 a day and $300 for a “moderate”…the rides are “costs”

unless…you now sell individual rides…that’s the ticket
Cha-ching

and now we’re back around to the thread topic. Which I think your hope/optimism is clouding your judgment on.

this is to sell the same stuff at little to no additional cost. It’s what the investors dream of…they are going to tell you this, dressed up behind some misdirection crap.

 

[jpinkc]

Rarely are people excited by going number 2

Uhm since when have we had a REAL Parade since MSEP left. Daytime parade was always a meh to us.

 

[dovetail65]

I feel for the families. Imagine paying for a trip and a family has 4 kids. 18 x 6 is 108 per ride. if they did 3 fast passes that's 324 more per day.

The way it will work in Paris is you get in the park and only when you are in the park then you can only buy ONE, then only AFTER you actually get off the ride can buy another.

Now imagine having 4 little kids with you. Not only the cost but not being able to plan at least 3 at a time you can potentially be all over the park. And trying to do that on your phone in the park with 4 kids after each ride?

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

To be clear, an amusement park is (almost) all about the rides.

Universal hit a grand slam when the first built WWOHP. Attendance skyrocketed. Ticket prices went up. In-park sales of food, beverage, and merchandise soared. That’s what is supposed to happen.

I don’t buy a concert ticket and then have them charge me for each song I want to hear.

I don’t show up at a baseball game only to have them charge me more to see specific batters hit because those players are not generating revenue once I’m in the park.

I paid for my ticket. I just want what I paid for.

If the front office wants to improve attendance, they invest in better players. If a musician wants to boost sales, they release another album.

WDW should be no different.

I don’t disagree with any of this…but this is NOT how the management has been running wdw. For a longtime. Avatar was a knee jerk reaction…and it’s the best thing they’ve installed in decades. Thank you, Comcast.

the rest has been MehCity

 

[DisneyMusician2]

Sure, But I dont see how Disney is going to try and keep 36,000 hotel rooms full by running guests off every 3-4 days. I still think they want people there as long as possible. Of course I could be completely wrong. Wouldn't be the 1st time.

They don't want to do that at all, I believe they'd rather make money off a guest coming once every few years for a longer trip than coming every year for a shorter trip, making more money off each client per capita in different years while controlling cost and overall park capacity.

I'm also guessing they feel that they can cut down on overall customer complaints through better crowd control and management and streamline operational issues. Hence park passes, predictable after 2 PM park hopping, the package discount focusing more of the 4-5 night stay earlier this year, and slower return of the dining reservations than the park capacity is growing.

The pandemic gave them the opportunity to hit the reset button on a ton of issues they felt they were experiencing operationally, and if I had a nickel for every time I read on the boards about parks being overly crowded even in the offseason or operational issues that seemingly never get fixed I'd be able to open Disney NYC

I'm not sure if I like this new business model and I guess we'll have to see but its clearly a different direction. Its no longer about getting more people more often its about growing the amount they make off the individual guest even if they come less often and hopefully providing a worthwhile experience.

Lets see if they can pull it off.

 

[SteveAZee]

Sure, But I dont see how Disney is going to try and keep 36,000 hotel rooms full by running guests off every 3-4 days. I still think they want people there as long as possible. Of course I could be completely wrong. Wouldn't be the 1st time.

I would guess they have a pretty good spending model of a typical resort guest over their length of stay. For example, I usually go for a 10 day stretch, but by the end of those 10 days I'm pretty tired of going to sit down restaurants and I've spent what I want on souvenirs, so I'm pretty 'low spend' the last few days. I suppose if they could kick me out at 6 or 7 days in and fill my room with a fresh new spender, then Disney would generate more revenue from the same on-site room.