Lightning Lane Premier Pass

[Ayla]

I wish I could be there when you ask her how her visit went! Make sure to ask her if she bought an interactive wand.

Yeah, it was a short conversation. She didn't want to hear that I had visited almost 40 times over the last 18 years ~ she knew what she was talking about.

 

[wdwmagic]

More Thanksgiving 2024 Sell-Out Dates for Disney World's Lightning Lane Premier Pass​

More Thanksgiving 2024 Sell-Out Dates for Disney World's Lightning Lane Premier Pass

More Thanksgiving 2024 Sell-Out Dates for Disney World's Lightning Lane Premier Pass

www.wdwmagic.com

 

[Vegas Disney Fan]

Disney is super smart.

It’s a fine line between super smart and completely idiotic…

All these “premium” products are coming at the expense of the average guest, we’ve noticed a huge decline in our experience since they eliminated FP. Normal guests are now left with a lessor experience, paying substantially more for an equivalent experience (MP), paying ridiculously more for a superior experience (PP), going less than before (what we’ve chosen), or just not going at all anymore.

Lightning lane is pure profit but there’s a huge risk that new income is going to cost them more than it makes in the long run. I think they’re playing with fire and if they’re not careful they’re going to get burned in the long run.

 

[Disstevefan1]

It’s a fine line between super smart and completely idiotic…

All these “premium” products are coming at the expense of the average guest, we’ve noticed a huge decline in our experience since they eliminated FP. Normal guests are now left with a lessor experience, paying substantially more for an equivalent experience (MP), paying ridiculously more for a superior experience (PP), going less than before (what we’ve chosen), or just not going at all anymore.

Lightning lane is pure profit but there’s a huge risk that new income is going to cost them more than it makes in the long run. I think they’re playing with fire and if they’re not careful they’re going to get burned in the long run.

For me, I agree what they are doing is idiotic.

But what's idiotic to us is super smart for them to MAKE MONEY!

The current LLMP iteration is the worst as they took the worst parts about FastPass+ and are now charging for it.

To "help the guest" they offer LLSP and the best thing of all LLPP.

The are making money on top of money for NOTHING. This is super smart!

LLPP is SELLING OUT!

Are families being priced out? YES.

For my family, its not a matter of IF its a matter of WHEN.

 

[DisneyCane]

For me, I agree what they are doing is idiotic.

But what's idiotic to us is super smart for them to MAKE MONEY!

The current LLMP iteration is the worst as they took the worst parts about FastPass+ and are now charging for it.

To "help the guest" they offer LLSP and the best thing of all LLPP.

The are making money on top of money for NOTHING. This is super smart!

LLPP is SELLING OUT!

Are families being priced out? YES.

For my family, its not a matter of IF its a matter of WHEN.

As soon as it gets to the point where I can't experience one attraction per hour with 1/4 being headliners on an average day without paying for some kind of LL I'll stop renewing my Annual Passes and may never visit again. If I do visit it will be for a few days every few years and Disney will lose a ton of dining and merchandise revenue from my family.

 

[Disstevefan1]

As soon as it gets to the point where I can't experience one attraction per hour with 1/4 being headliners on an average day without paying for some kind of LL I'll stop renewing my Annual Passes and may never visit again. If I do visit it will be for a few days every few years and Disney will lose a ton of dining and merchandise revenue from my family.

I totally get you, but it seems they are not smart enough to realize how much money APers are actually spending EVERYTIME they visit, but that's looking over time and Disney only looks at things fiscal quarter to fiscal quarter.

Maybe their data says the family from Denver spends a lot in just a week stay (quick MONEY) and they only want those folks

 

[SplashJacket]

I disagree, CEOs and millionaires are the ViP tour market, I think this is directed more at the $250k crowd, guests that can’t afford/justify an extra $5k-10k a day but can afford/justify an extra $500-1500 a day.

The cheaper options like AK at $125 a person is even tempting to us and we’re way below $250k.

My guess is this is primarily being bought by upper middle class “normal” people… doctors, lawyers, realtors, contractors, white and blue collar management, etc. It’s still prohibitively expensive for the vast majority but this is priced more for the top 10% rather than the top 1%.

I disagree, a VIP tour is a vastly different experience.

You do a VIP tour when you have 1 day and want to do the headliners of all 4 parks. Or you’ve never been and really don’t know what to do.

A top 1% who’s gone to Disney every year since they were kids are not going to get a VIP tour for 5 days straight.

This makes the experience better for them if they don’t want a VIP tour.

Personally, I would maybe do a VIP tour once if it was free just to do it, but I would always take an unlimited skip-the-line.

I agree with you to an extent. I fall into that 1% category but I’ve only used a VIP guide once almost 20 years ago and only because I was with another family who wanted to get it. It’s nice but when I’m on vacation with my family I’m not a big fan of having a stranger with us no matter how nice they are. Which the VIP guides are amazing. But I would much rather be alone with my family. I have many friends who fall into this 1% category, who also frequently visit Disney parks and I would say only about 20% of them go the VIP route. This new premier lightening lane is much more their style including myself. Of course my experiences may be anecdotal but I don’t believe they are.

Exactly. Infinite skip the line (with no re-rides) is a vastly different experience to a VIP tour, and one that many people would likely prefer.

 

[Vegas Disney Fan]

For me, I agree what they are doing is idiotic.

But what's idiotic to us is super smart for them to MAKE MONEY!

The current LLMP iteration is the worst as they took the worst parts about FastPass+ and are now charging for it.

To "help the guest" they offer LLSP and the best thing of all LLPP.

The are making money on top of money for NOTHING. This is super smart!

LLPP is SELLING OUT!

Are families being priced out? YES.

For my family, its not a matter of IF its a matter of WHEN.

Short term gain, long term loss, that makes it good for Iger and current stockholders but bad for Disney, and I suspect a money loser for Disney over the long term also.

If they can sell it to 10% of their guests they gain $150-400 for each guest, but if it costs them 10% of their other guests they lose not only $175 per ticket, but hundreds in hotels, hundreds in food and drinks, hundreds in souvenirs, etc. I just don’t see how the math works out long term.

Igers bonus will likely be amazing though, long term declining attendance will be the next CEOs problem.

 

[Vegas Disney Fan]

I disagree, a VIP tour is a vastly different experience.

You do a VIP tour when you have 1 day and want to do the headliners of all 4 parks. Or you’ve never been and really don’t know what to do.

A top 1% who’s gone to Disney every year since they were kids are not going to get a VIP tour for 5 days straight.

This makes the experience better for them if they don’t want a VIP tour.

Personally, I would maybe do a VIP tour once if it was free just to do it, but I would always take an unlimited skip-the-line.

Exactly. Infinite skip the line (with no re-rides) is a vastly different experience to a VIP tour, and one that many people would likely prefer.

I agree with this but also suspect millionaires who go yearly likely have club33 memberships that already come with virtually unlimited FPs, or are friends with other millionaires who have memberships… the few very wealthy Disney fans I know do anyway. Always fun to do Disney with them because it’s a whole different experience than the one us peasants receive.

Our DL club33 friends don’t have WDW memberships but they network and have made friends with WDW members, when they go to FL their friends take care of them, when their FL friends go to DL they reciprocate and take care of them. Works out well for everyone.

ETA… I only know 2 couples who are members so maybe what I’m taking as normal is an anomaly though.