Jim Hill on XPass coming in 2012

[dreamscometrue]

A friend told me that he was asked some questions about XPass while down there. He said they indicated that there were going to be limits on how much you can use XPass. They way I understood it, they wont let you pre plan your entire day. They will only let you get one fastpass in advance. Maybe two.

I was told the exact same thing.

 

[c-one]

Having a CGI doll wave to me at the end of It's a Small World is the most absurd thing I've ever heard. Oh man.

 

[disneyeater]

For those of you complaining, all of this already exists. They have reserved locations for things if you are willing to pay and they have guides that will take people around the park and make sure they don't have to wait in line if you pay for it. All they are doing is cutting out the labor portion with the guide and streamlining the program.

 

[puntagordabob]

For those of you complaining, all of this already exists. They have reserved locations for things if you are willing to pay and they have guides that will take people around the park and make sure they don't have to wait in line if you pay for it. All they are doing is cutting out the labor portion with the guide and streamlining the program.

The xpass part that concerns me is the roping off of even more areas at the MK hub so the normal park Guest have even less desirable spots to watch the parade and fireworks....

Also has anyone considered the Uproar if DVC is not included in this?

 

[PhilharMagician]

I like the idea somewhat, but I just hope it doesnt end up like getting ADRS. Example: LeCellier booked months in advance and no ADRS even at 180 days out.
Could you imagine if TSSM FPS were all taken for the day online before you even had a chance to get to the park at 9:30am?

I agree with a certain number of passes per day, like 500. Universal does this currently for an upcharge and it works fairly well, because they keep it at a low number of 300 people per day I believe. If WDW did it like this, it would blend in just fine, a FP for a certain ride at a certain time.

As for the character picking a certain person out on a particular ride, I juyst don't see WDW doing that, it would ruin the experience for others on the ride. I call BS on this one.

Universal's Express Pass is available for an upcharge to guests not staying in a Universal resort. There is no more express pass available to non resort guests for free. It is only free to the resort guests.

This X-pass or whatever it will be called has been in the works for years since Disney filed a bunch of FP related patents. This sounds like only the begining of the changes to the system. As more Next Gen changes roll out in the next few years I would expect more changes to the FP system.

I am honestly surprised that WDC has not changed their FP system to the current philosophy that Universal has adopted. It would help drive WDW hotel occupancy numbers and would add income from guests staying off property if they wanted access to FP's.

 

[RSoxNo1]

Can you link me to a "major" Jim Hill article where he turned out to be accurate? Actually, make it two. We all get lucky.

Just stop.

 

[TP2000]

http://jimhillmedia.com/editor_in_c...aign=Feed:+Jimhillmediacom+(JimHillMedia.com)

What do you think?

I think Mr. Hill felt that enough time had lapsed since Al Lutz first broke the news on this Xpass thing that he thought he could re-introduce it and hope no one remembered the Al Lutz column from last July. :lol:

Here's what Al Lutz said about it on July 12th, 2011 when he first introduced the Xpass name and concept in a Miceage column, in the middle of a related story about executives at Disneyland and why Xpass is starting in Florida...

The core of the NextGen concept is something that currently has the working title of XPass, which is the next generation of Fastpass. XPass would work with the backbone of the current Fastpass and PhotoPass systems, but would go far beyond anything offered today as visitors would plot out each day of their Disney vacation weeks or months in advance with XPass. The system would schedule not just the big E Ticket return times for you, but nearly everything about your visit from lunch seating’s and Fantasmic! viewing to meet n’ greets with your kids preferred Characters to the smaller attractions and shows. The attractions that currently offer Fastpass to any park visitor, and plenty of attractions that don’t have Fastpass currently, would be converted over to XPass so that the only way to access a priority boarding slot at the ride would be to book your vacation with Disney and give your vacation plans over to the XPass system in advance.

An XPass card with an RFID tag in it and the visitors own smart phones (or a loaner unit from Disney) and the new QR codes they can scan would be necessary for anyone booking their trip through Disney. With the XPass RFID tag monitoring your every movement around property, every single on-ride photo or video capture device would know which vehicle you are in on rides, and once you walked out the exit it would offer instant picture previews sent to your phone for your purchase consideration through PhotoPass. XPass would seemingly know no bounds when it comes to planning your entire vacation and then shepherding you through day after day of pre-planned reservations and appointments and Character greetings and ride return times.

Rest of the entire article is still archived at Miceage here as a "Nextgen Update"... http://miceage.micechat.com/allutz/al071211a.htm

If you add the original Mr. Lutz info with the news from Mr. Hill that Xpass includes the widely reported parade viewing test, you get a rather long winded essay from Mr. Hill that doesn't really offer up much new information, aside from the 2012 start date.

All that said, I'll have to see how this actually works before I pass judgement. It would appear to have some positives, as well as negatives in planning and scheduling, but I'm interested to see how TDO works around those negatives and/or manages them out in the field.

It's a very interesting concept!

 

[captainkidd]

I am honestly surprised that WDC has not changed their FP system to the current philosophy that Universal has adopted. It would help drive WDW hotel occupancy numbers and would add income from guests staying off property if they wanted access to FP's.

It's not the same thing. You're comparing 2,400 rooms versus 30,000.

 

[PeoplemoverTTA]

The "reservation" aspect of this article doesn't bother me, but what gives me cause for concern is the prospect of a "special" guest being called out or addressed in an attraction. No problem if it's done in a way that doesn't affect other guests' experiences, but if it's done how it's described in Hill's article, I think it would be terrible.

 

[Disney05]

I don't like it. Where's the spontaneity in just visiting a theme park? Just leaves a bad taste for me. :shrug:

 

[Random Vids Inc]

I don't like it. Where's the spontaneity in just visiting a theme park? Just leaves a bad taste for me. :shrug:

I guess this is for those people that try to map out their entire trip before they go. You know they ones holding a folder and yelling at their kids because they have a dinner reservation and don't have time to see Tinkerbell right now.

 

[MiklCraw4d]

I think Mr. Hill felt that enough time had lapsed since Al Lutz first broke the news on this Xpass thing that he thought he could re-introduce it and hope no one remembered the Al Lutz column from last July. :lol:

Here's what Al Lutz said about it on July 12th, 2011 when he first introduced the Xpass name and concept in a Miceage column, in the middle of a related story about executives at Disneyland and why Xpass is starting in Florida...

Shootfire, I'm by no means an insider, and I don't get a fraction of a fraction of the traffic those guys get, but even *I* wrote about this in April 2009:

http://progresscityusa.com/2009/04/24/personal-experience-portal/

I didn't have the terminology quite right - "X-band" is a technology, not a branding, and a lot of it was super vague, but it's not exactly the "breaking news" JHM would have you believe.

 

[WDW1974]

No, this isn't news per se, except to Mr. Hill who appears to feel his work for free Huff Post gig has given him some added leverage/gravitas in the world of Disney fanbois.

But there also was nothing in Hill's column that wasn't true. And it really is just more segregating the WDW experience between those who 'just' spend obscene amounts of money and those who spend the GNP of several nations on a week at da World.

It goes counter to all Disney parks have been about. And this is vastly different that say some folks being able to stay at the GF or a two-bedroom villa at the BW and someone who is staying at the ASMu and someone else who is staying at Motel 6 in Kissimmee. Because everyone has largely been equal once they enter the gates of a park and this is simply a way to change that -- and make folks feel less than. Disney has already shown they don't care about that with their hard ticket parties by forcing families out while other 'special' families get to stay. I've witnessed quite a few meltdowns by children who don't get why the folks don't want (or can't) spend a few hundred dollars more to stay and party (this wasn't a problem when they did a hard close and then reopened an hour later for party goers!)

But, worse, to me is the fact that this IS designed to lead into more NEXT GEN initiatives and more planning ... I can't say how lucky I feel that I can visit DL, DLP, HKDL and TDL and not have to plan every second of my visit six months ahead of time to be on equal footing with the OCD crowd.

There's no fun in it.

Wandering around DL, deciding what to do as the day goes on ... that is truly MAGICal.

Worse, Disney is spending truly a (blank) load of $$$ on these things instead of investing in truly improving the parks for all guests.

BLECH. Enjoy ...

 

[danv3]

I'm not excited about these ideas, but if it's really limited to a small number (~500) then I don't think it will have much effect on the rest of us.

 

[pax_65]

Also has anyone considered the Uproar if DVC is not included in this?

I have :wave:. It was one of the first things I thought about.

I don't really have a big problem with this, but Disney needs to be VERY sensitive to the needs of guests who don't participate in the program. Currently they already do premium dining and fireworks events that give guests private fireworks viewing areas in the Magic Kingdom, Epcot, and the Studios. But the key difference, potentially, is the number of guests involved. They have to limit the numbers. If it becomes impossible to get a good view of the fireworks, or impossible to ride popular attractions without buying XPass, then you're have to make the choice: buy it or don't go to WDW. Period.

 

[toolsnspools]

The idea of plussing the experience for a premium is nothing new - MNSSHP, MVMCP, Dessert with Wishes, AK Safari Trek, etc. I guess the question is, how many people will be willing to drop the extra dime on it and how will it impact my "vanilla" vacation. Last time I was there (Oct '10) and visited the parks, I had to cram into a smaller area to see Illuminations because a huge area was reserved. I spent a day at an artificially packed MK because it was the only day that week with no MNSSHP. I left that vacation with a bad taste in my mouth. I have no problem with people buying up to better experiences, but when their premium show is at my expense, I notice. If they are always running out of FPs because they sold most of them, if I can't find a place to comfortably watch the fireworks because half the hub is roped off, if I have to watch a cheezy animation on every ride so "Suzy" can see the doll she created on the internet, then I'm not going to enjoy my "vanilla" vacations to WDW. I find it highly unlikely that I'll continue to spend my vacation $$ on vacations that I no longer enjoy.

 

[WDW1974]

I'm not excited about these ideas, but if it's really limited to a small number (~500) then I don't think it will have much effect on the rest of us.

It ALWAYS starts small.

Disney wants to control every second of a guest's visit and take every penny ... this started almost a decade ago with Destination Disney (that brought us everything from expanding FP to Pal Mickey to DME to the DDP to MYW tix) ... there is nothing small about a $1.5 billion (and climbing) initiative.

And money that could be better spent on the REAL guest experience for ALL. Not on masquerading a stale product to some guests by making them feel special by spending more. :xmas:

 

[sanctumsolitude]

It ALWAYS starts small.

Disney wants to control every second of a guest's visit and take every penny ... this started almost a decade ago with Destination Disney (that brought us everything from expanding FP to Pal Mickey to DME to the DDP to MYW tix) ... there is nothing small about a $1.5 billion (and climbing) initiative.

And money that could be better spent on the REAL guest experience for ALL. Not on masquerading a stale product to some guests by making them feel special by spending more. :xmas:

Have we seen any results of the NextGen project yet? So far it appears to have nothing to show. I keep hearing these billion+ budgets for it, but I can't picture where that money is going.

 

[Monty]

It ALWAYS starts small.

A lead-in statement ALWAYS guaranteed to be followed by a paranoid rant...

I suppose I should say "Welcome back"? :wave:

 

[WDW1974]

Have we seen any results of the NextGen project yet? So far it appears to have nothing to show. I keep hearing these billion+ budgets for it, but I can't picture where that money is going.

Nope. ... From what I've been told, the biggest aspect of NEXT GEN is behind the scenes in costuming (of course, Disney still won't go back to actually paying CMs to change at work and then clean the costumes themselves, show be damned) where RFID has supposedly made the department run smoother.

But beyond that? ... We've seen them trying out entry at EPCOT ... and chips in cups/mugs at the A$$ ...and those oh so necessary interactive queues at Pooh, Mansion, Space etc.

Anything else? Don't think so ... :xmas: