If FastPass+ Was Retired...

[71jason]

It made me start wondering, what if Disney scrapped it? Would people quit coming (it is supposed to be some huge benefit)? Would ride times become nuts? Or, would ride lines become more constant and predictable?

We have a real world example. Universal had a system virtually identical to legacy FastPass up until around 2004- 2005. Then one Sunday, they turned off the machines, ending the program.* Lines went down. And they've stayed down--even with an increase in guest numbers driven by Potter, the lines for the headliners rarely match pre-2005 levels.

We can only assume the same would happen at WDW.

* [Could still buy FP, and guests at the three on-site hotels still got for free, but the numbers were minimal compared to when the system was free.]

 

[gmajew]

I don't know what it would do at the level of the crowds these days.... We forget that the last time WDW did not have fastpass was when they were drawing what half the yearly attendance numbers.

So I don't know if the lines would move as well...

 

[Bluewaves]

The whole reason fast pass exists is that Disney believes that people will spend money if they aren't stuck in a line. This whole reserve a ride months in advance is getting a bad or if not worse than the dining. Fast passes should be the night before at earliest, dining a month max. Tired of having to plan my vacation like its an invasion of a foreign country just to enjoy myself.

 

[Disney.Mike]

I'd like to go to a system that encourages guest to stay on property more.

Deluxe resort 7 go book 60 days out
Moderate 5 book 45 days out
Value you book up to 3 at a kiosk in the park the day of visit.
None for off sight guest unless they pay like universal has.

This would stop all the hordes from squeezing 5 people in at a value and gumming up the system as well as the people who can't afford to stay on property

 

[jakeman]

The whole reason fast pass exists is that Disney believes that people will spend money if they aren't stuck in a line. This whole reserve a ride months in advance is getting a bad or if not worse than the dining. Fast passes should be the night before at earliest, dining a month max. Tired of having to plan my vacation like its an invasion of a foreign country just to enjoy myself.

Well good news for you that you don't have to operate that way. As of right now at MK everything except the princess meet and great and Space Mountain is available. If you want to eat lunch within the next 30 minutes over 40 restaurants have availability.

Timelines you want to limit it to? Everything but the princesses available at MK tomorrow. In a month almost 80 restaurants have availability.

The extensive advance planning is a myth, nothing more.

 

[Cowboy Steve]

The FastPass has always worked well for us - but that may have to do with the time of year we visit. Our last 3 vacations at WDW have been right after Thanksgiving... since that is not an overly busy time of year at the parks (by Disney standards anyway), maybe our experience isn't typical. We used our FPs for the stupid-popular attractions (TSMM, Soarin', 7DMT when it was new, etc) as they ALWAYS have ridiculous wait times... and rarely waited more than 30 mins to ride anything else (even FP rides). Most wait times were 10-15mins. I have never been at WDW at a really busy time of year during the FP era, so not sure how effective it would be for us during those times. But for us it works as designed, and probably saves us 90 mins - 2 hours of wait time a day.

 

[thomas998]

So, I just returned from a brief trip (three days) and thought that I would discuss this (which has already been discussed ad nauseum). What if Disney scrapped FP+/FP? We were there for Extra Magic Hours at Magic Kingdom and there were still a LOT of people. Without FP+ gumming things up, the ride lines moved consistently and were the actual wait times posted or even less than usual.

It made me start wondering, what if Disney scrapped it? Would people quit coming (it is supposed to be some huge benefit)? Would ride times become nuts? Or, would ride lines become more constant and predictable?

I know that they have sunk too much money into it to just scrap it but I actually think that it would improve the experience. The magic bands for paying and using as keys to rooms, parks, and the Magical Express could be maintained. I would even suggest having people scan in for each ride so that Disney could track which rides have the most repeat riders and which rides could be replaced (I am thinking of Stich). So, give me your thoughts.

It wouldn't change much.... The same number of people in the park as before only difference is you would have to be more spontaneous in your trips. You would quickly see that this ride has a 120 minute line while that one has a 30 minute and many would then go to the 30 minute ride..... But since all the rides have a fixed total daily capacity you would likely end up with people getting about the same number of rides in as before only they wouldn't really know which ones they would be riding before they got there.