Let's discuss that rumor of the elimination of no charge Fastpass!

[mickEblu]

Admission tickets to TDL were available on a reservation system in first few years after it opened, so it wouldn't be the first time a Disney park has used a total reservation system.

Interesting. I never heard of this. Of course only difference is the majority of those guests probably had no experience with Disney parks at the time. Here they would be taking a perk that guests have had for years and doubling down by making some attractions FP only. So you get to the park, don't have free FPs anymore, AND have an upcharge to ride specific attractions with no option for standby. I don't think that would go over too well.

 

[shortstop]

I don't see the point of having it be FP only. The attraction's supply is limited by its capacity already. All this will do is make it impossible to ride the ride if you don't get to the park first thing in the morning, since it seems the attraction's FP would book rather quickly.

I wouldn't mind the elimination of no charge FP, assuming they can find the optimal point of price/limiting demand. If it's too cheap, then everyone will have it, and it'll be worthless. If it's too expensive, well then that's more money.

 

[Deleted member 107043]

I don't see the point of having it be FP only. The attraction's supply is limited by its capacity already.

That's true, but presumably the goal of such a system is to eliminate lines. Assigning ride times based on an attraction's daily capacity in an orderly fashion seems like a good idea to me.

All this will do is make it impossible to ride the ride if you don't get to the park first thing in the morning, since it seems the attraction's FP would book rather quickly.

Or they could set it up in such a way that a percentage of slots are available for walk-up reservations.

 

[Curious Constance]

I think totally taking away the possibility of spontaneity would backfire eventually. And I'm a hyper planner.

 

[Phroobar]

So will the price to get in the park go down if I have to pay extra to ride anything? It would be like the old days of park admission and buying "virtual" tickets books separately.

 

[shortstop]

That's true, but presumably the goal of such a system is to eliminate lines. Assigning ride times based on an attraction's daily capacity in an orderly fashion seems like a good idea to me.



Or they could set it up in such a way that a percentage of slots are available for walk-up reservations.

What's the benefit to eliminating lines? Now, instead of waiting in line, I'll be waiting... well, somewhere other than in line. I just feel like it will make crowding problems even worse.

 

[Deleted member 107043]

What's the benefit to eliminating lines?

Improving guest experience for one thing. Who enjoys waiting in lines for things? Do you?

Now, instead of waiting in line, I'll be waiting... well, somewhere other than in line. I just feel like it will make crowding problems even worse.

Waiting, or being entertained by other offerings? Offerings that maybe haven't even been dreamed of yet.

I think experimenting and testing ideas for what the theme park experience of the future might be is a worthwhile thing to do. With the exception of the various iterations of Disney Fastpass and similar systems, the way amusement parks has managed ride waits has been basically the same since forever. The first theme park operator who can solve how to drastically minimize or eliminate waits without negatively impacting revenue will change the business forever.

 

[BrianV]

So will the price to get in the park go down if I have to pay extra to ride anything? It would be like the old days of park admission and buying "virtual" tickets books separately.

I think you know the answer to that. Prices only go up. For one year they might freeze prices at best and do a fancy advertising job of saying the cost of ticket plus FP is the price of old ticket alone. But I wouldn't expect that either.

 

[mickEblu]

Universal Studios Orlando does that (Or have recently done) for the Harry potter attractions, and the Fastpass system their is usually ABOVE 100$ when it's needed.

Are you sure? So there is no standby option for the Harry Potter rides at USO currently?

 

[drizgirl]

So will the price to get in the park go down if I have to pay extra to ride anything? It would be like the old days of park admission and buying "virtual" tickets books separately.

Yeah, that's a good one.

 

[BrianV]

Are you sure? So there is no standby option for the Harry Potter rides at USO currently?

I don't believe that is true. What they recently did is allow express pass to work with the two HP rides. There will still be a standby.

 

[shortstop]

Improving guest experience for one thing. Who enjoys waiting in lines for things? Do you?



Waiting, or being entertained by other offerings? Offerings that maybe haven't even been dreamed of yet.

I think experimenting and testing ideas for what the theme park experience of the future might be is a worthwhile thing to do. With the exception of the various iterations of Disney Fastpass and similar systems, the way amusement parks has managed ride waits has been basically the same since forever. The first theme park operator who can solve how to drastically minimize or eliminate waits without negatively impacting revenue will change the business forever.

I don't love waiting in line, but I fear this takes the problem of FP (i.e. allowing people to be in two places at once) to its worst extreme.

 

[Phroobar]

I don't love waiting in line, but I fear this takes the problem of FP (i.e. allowing people to be in two places at once) to its worst extreme.

So if all rides are scheduled where do all the people go if not in the queues? The place will be packed like a fireworks show all day. I still don't see what is wrong with eliminating virtual queuing entirely and just go back to regular lines.

 

[shortstop]

So if all rides are scheduled where do all the people go if not in the queues? The place will be packed like a fireworks show all day. I still don't see what is wrong with eliminating virtual queuing entirely and just go back to regular lines.

Yep, I'd love to see what standy-by waits would be like. As it is, I rarely get to ride Space Mountain, RSR, etc. since when I go to the park I usually can't arrive until after FPs are out.

 

[Curious Constance]

As someone coming from another state, and at this point, only going every couple of years or less, I feel like there is never enough time when we're there. Even though we usually spend 4-5 days in the parks, we always seem to be racing around to experience everything as much as we want, and we never seem to have enough time to browse shops for more than a couple of minutes at a quick pass, or experience much of the entertainment, or just relax!

So to me, the idea of being able to pre-plan all of it and avoid lines all together, is extremely appealing. If it afforded us the chance to be more leisurely in the park, and we had to worry less about what we'll miss out on if we take an hour to wait for and watch the fireworks, it would be awesome.

However, on the flipside, I recognize that I'm not exactly the norm. Not a lot of people would enjoy planning every last detail of their trip like that, and if standby wait times were gone all together, I think the lack of spontaneity would ruin it for a lot of people. Especially given that DL attendance is so AP driven. Even I would miss being able to ride Splash Mountain 3 times in a row in the morning when the standby line is 5 minutes because no one wants to get wet that early in the morning. Or deciding to take that one last trip on Pirates on our last night to say goodbye.

 

[Deleted member 107043]

Yep, I'd love to see what standy-by waits would be like. As it is, I rarely get to ride Space Mountain, RSR, etc. since when I go to the park I usually can't arrive until after FPs are out.

You're still thinking about this in terms of way the park is set up right now. It's entirely possible that in the future everything be specifically designed to work very differently.

 

[JD2000]

"it's a small world" scanners added but no other work indicates a distribution point. maxpass only attraction? the beginning of phasing out no charge fastpass? hmm.

 

[disneygeek90]

"it's a small world" scanners added but no other work indicates a distribution point. maxpass only attraction? the beginning of phasing out no charge fastpass? hmm.

They may be considering more condensed distribution areas a la WDW. No longer are there kiosks near every attraction if you want to choose a FP for it. You just go to one of the designated locations around the park and can schedule any available ride. Or, on your phone with Maxpass.

 

[Phroobar]

They may be considering more condensed distribution areas a la WDW. No longer are there kiosks near every attraction if you want to choose a FP for it. You just go to one of the designated locations around the park and can schedule any available ride. Or, on your phone with Maxpass.

That way you can wait 45 minutes for a fast pass and clog up more walk ways.

 

[drizgirl]

That way you can wait 45 minutes for a fast pass and clog up more walk ways.

I always love when I can wait in a line to avoid waiting in a line!