Fastpass tiers

[Trackmaster]

Expanding Tier 1 at AK would just **** off the majority of guests. There are reasons Disney tiers things the way it does. I don't think any average guest would think that having to choose to FP FOP or Safari is a good thing.

Then explain why they do it at EPCOT. The tier system is most intrusive at that park: you get one FP+ that's actually useful, and two that are useless. I think that guests would be a lot happier with my suggestion when they realize that it might actually give them a shot at Flight of Passage.

 

[nickys]

Then explain why they do it at EPCOT. The tier system is most intrusive at that park: you get one FP+ that's actually useful, and two that are useless. I think that guests would be a lot happier with my suggestion when they realize that it might actually give them a shot at Flight of Passage.

Tiering was introduced because they don’t have enough attractions in a park. Which is why MK doesn’t have it but every other park does.

 

[aliceismad]

Then explain why they do it at EPCOT. The tier system is most intrusive at that park: you get one FP+ that's actually useful, and two that are useless. I think that guests would be a lot happier with my suggestion when they realize that it might actually give them a shot at Flight of Passage.

I guess I don't understand your point. You said earlier that it sucks that you get one good (tier 1) FP and 2 other useless FPs. So why would you want to put more "good" rides into Tier 1? Unless it benefits you personally because you don't want to ride Safari and will single-rider EE.

I get that conceivably a few people might choose to FP Safari or EE over FOP, thus giving people who don't stay onsite a chance at FOP at the 30-day mark. But that's the reason Disney gives onsite people 60 days. It's an incentive to pay a crapton of money to stay there. So why would Disney do something that would only be a benefit to people who stay offsite or are locals?

 

[Trackmaster]

I guess I don't understand your point. You said earlier that it sucks that you get one good (tier 1) FP and 2 other useless FPs. So why would you want to put more "good" rides into Tier 1? Unless it benefits you personally because you don't want to ride Safari and will single-rider EE.

I get that conceivably a few people might choose to FP Safari or EE over FOP, thus giving people who don't stay onsite a chance at FOP at the 30-day mark. But that's the reason Disney gives onsite people 60 days. It's an incentive to pay a crapton of money to stay there. So why would Disney do something that would only be a benefit to people who stay offsite or are locals?

Well, just saying that Disney cares about all guests having a crack at the rides at EPCOT, why do they all of the sudden only care about the 60 day FP people at the other three parks? And I agree, I went to EPCOT yesterday, its pretty bad at this point. Nothing to really ride there. There's a bunch of restaurants and stores, but why pay for a park admission just to eat and shop? There are plenty of places to eat in the world, and most people just order off Amazon these days (or... even if you demand bricks and mortar, you can shop anywhere). You go to parks to ride rides. Guardians of the Galaxy should help, but they really need to add some actual rides to the park. Its not the young professional adult haven that they envisioned.

 

[nickys]

Well, just saying that Disney cares about all guests having a crack at the rides at EPCOT, why do they all of the sudden only care about the 60 day FP people at the other three parks? .

I still don’t understand this bit.

The only park without tiers is MK. So why do you say Disney cares about all guests at Epcot but not the other three parks? Epcot is exactly the same as AK and DHS in terms of tiering.

I don’t disagree with what you say about Epcot needing more rides. Although I would say there is more to it than just rides, and personally I do enjoy World Showcase. But Innoventions is a sad reminder of how good it used to be.

 

[Trackmaster]

I still don’t understand this bit.

The only park without tiers is MK. So why do you say Disney cares about all guests at Epcot but not the other three parks? Epcot is exactly the same as AK and DHS in terms of tiering.

I don’t disagree with what you say about Epcot needing more rides. Although I would say there is more to it than just rides, and personally I do enjoy World Showcase. But Innoventions is a sad reminder of how good it used to be.

But for AK and HS, the tiering doesn't do much. both parks just have two rides each in the top 2, so a FP+ hawk is only missing out on one ride. Its much more pronounced at Ecpot. Tier 1 pretty much covers any ride that you would even remotely need FP+ for. So the way it works out, getting a super advantageous priority to FP+ only gets you one ride at EPCOT and is pretty worthless.

 

[nickys]

But for AK and HS, the tiering doesn't do much. both parks just have two rides each in the top 2, so a FP+ hawk is only missing out on one ride. Its much more pronounced at Ecpot. Tier 1 pretty much covers any ride that you would even remotely need FP+ for. So the way it works out, getting a super advantageous priority to FP+ only gets you one ride at EPCOT and is pretty worthless.

Well DHS has all 3 TSL rides in tier 1. The reasons are fairly obvious. Now when M&M’s train and Star Wars opens, who knows what it will look like?

AK didn’t have tiering until Pandora opened. Again, it was introduced to help manage demand for both rides.

At Epcot, I would never go without a Spaceship Earth FP, I don’t consider that a waste. And by adding the character spot, it makes it easier to get that as a 4th FP now, simply because only those with really little kids would book it. I guess I do now see what you mean, but again they are trying to manage demand for the most popular rides. The fact there really aren’t many others is a symptom of Epcot’s current state. I guess when GotG and Rat Open, FEA and TT may well drop off tier 1.

I still wouldn’t say they care about offsite guests at Epcot but not at the others.

 

[aliceismad]

Well, just saying that Disney cares about all guests having a crack at the rides at EPCOT, why do they all of the sudden only care about the 60 day FP people at the other three parks? And I agree, I went to EPCOT yesterday, its pretty bad at this point. Nothing to really ride there. There's a bunch of restaurants and stores, but why pay for a park admission just to eat and shop? There are plenty of places to eat in the world, and most people just order off Amazon these days (or... even if you demand bricks and mortar, you can shop anywhere). You go to parks to ride rides. Guardians of the Galaxy should help, but they really need to add some actual rides to the park. Its not the young professional adult haven that they envisioned.

I don't think their tiering system at Epcot has anything to do with giving people a shot at a FP. I think it has to do with crowd management and getting people to spend more $. For example, at rope drop, there are multiple options to run to. At AK, it seems people run to FOP regardless of whether they have a FP for it. At HS, they run for TSL. Tiering in ToT or RRC aren't going to help with crowd issues there.

Also, I disagree that Epcot has nothing to ride, but I'm not one of those people who think the only things worth riding are the "thrilling" ones.

And if part of the intent of the FP system is for people to ride the most popular rides with less wait (thus freeing them up to spend $ elsewhere), it would behoove Disney to favor those who stay onsite, since they're already spending more and more likely to spend more money on food and merchandise.

 

[Trackmaster]

Well DHS has all 3 TSL rides in tier 1. The reasons are fairly obvious. Now when M&M’s train and Star Wars opens, who knows what it will look like?

AK didn’t have tiering until Pandora opened. Again, it was introduced to help manage demand for both rides.

At Epcot, I would never go without a Spaceship Earth FP, I don’t consider that a waste. And by adding the character spot, it makes it easier to get that as a 4th FP now, simply because only those with really little kids would book it. I guess I do now see what you mean, but again they are trying to manage demand for the most popular rides. The fact there really aren’t many others is a symptom of Epcot’s current state. I guess when GotG and Rat Open, FEA and TT may well drop off tier 1.

I still wouldn’t say they care about offsite guests at Epcot but not at the others.

Wait, so you're saying I can just intentionally burn off a character greeting tier 2 that I don't plan to use to get a crack at a later tier 1? Sounds like an interesting loophole.

And I don't know how it got to this point at Epcot. It really is barely worth going to. Its usually pretty dead too, while the other three are mobbed. How can they still be charging full admission? Is it assumed that you would only ever consider going if you had a season pass or had a hopper?

They should have been balancing out the attractions between the four parks years ago.

 

[nickys]

Wait, so you're saying I can just intentionally burn off a character greeting tier 2 that I don't plan to use to get a crack at a later tier 1? Sounds like an interesting loophole.

And I don't know how it got to this point at Epcot. It really is barely worth going to. Its usually pretty dead too, while the other three are mobbed. How can they still be charging full admission? Is it assumed that you would only ever consider going if you had a season pass or had a hopper?

They should have been balancing out the attractions between the four parks years ago.

The character greet is actually now tier 1.

They charge full admission because the vast majority of people who go have multi-day tickets.

Clearly you aren’t going to believe that a lot of people like Epcot. I can easily spend 2 or 3 afternoons in World Showcase alone.

 

[aliceismad]

The character greet is actually now tier 1.

They charge full admission because the vast majority of people who go have multi-day tickets.

Clearly you aren’t going to believe that a lot of people like Epcot. I can easily spend 2 or 3 afternoons in World Showcase alone.

Frankly, I bet there are a lot of families who would go to Epcot just for the Frozen ride and Anna/Elsa M&G. Attractions like (potentially) GotG aren't the only reason one visits a theme park. Just like some people go to AK to enjoy the animals and live performers.

 

[Hawkeye_2018]

I'm guessing both Star Wars attractions and Mickey Train ride will be tier 1. And that will suck.

 

[aliceismad]

I'm guessing both Star Wars attractions and Mickey Train ride will be tier 1. And that will suck.

Maybe they'll get crazy and make three tiers. One for SW + M&M, one for TSL, and one for everything else.

 

[Hawkeye_2018]

Maybe they'll get crazy and make three tiers. One for SW + M&M, one for TSL, and one for everything else.

That wouldn't be the worst idea. Or they move the TS rides other than Slinky down to tier 2

 

[Trackmaster]

Yeah, three tiers might make sense. And you pick one from every tier. It would also work Disney's favor, because it would keep the guests coming back for more days so they can get a FP+ for each tier 1 ride at some point.

 

[nickys]

That wouldn't be the worst idea. Or they move the TS rides other than Slinky down to tier 2

I think that’s a given, IMO. The question is whether Slinky stays in tier 1.

 

[Trackmaster]

I think that’s a given, IMO. The question is whether Slinky stays in tier 1.

I think that Slinky being a tier 1 is pretty shortlived. Its a little kiddie coasters with some props around it. Only reason it pulls the crowds that it does is because of how new it is, and how starved people are for real rides at Disney World. It'll be old news in 5 years. Not innovative enough to warrant a long run of high demand.

 

[mindynorms]

thanks a million for that. I had no idea there were tiers. I have to wait until Feb 19th to do my fast pass reservations so I'm trying to do all my research now as I am a first timer!

 

[Trackmaster]

thanks a million for that. I had no idea there were tiers. I have to wait until Feb 19th to do my fast pass reservations so I'm trying to do all my research now as I am a first timer!

Its only really a big issue at EPCOT. AK only has the two Pandora rides, and HS is just three rides (I think they're all the Toy Story ones). But most of the useful stuff at EPCOT that isn't a walk-on anyway is tier 1. So you really have to choose wisely.

 

[mab7689]

Updated to reflect Epcot Character Spot moving back into Tier 2