No more FastPass?

[MagicalMonorail]

I just saw on MiceAge.com that Disneyland is closing and/or limiting FastPass at many of its attractions. Any word on if the same will happen at WDW?

 

[Disneyfanman]

Disneyland had many more rides on Fastpass then WDW parks. This led to fewer people in the lines and unbelievable congestion in the smaller walkways. Rides like Pirates never needed Fastpass. They are trying achieve a better balance. WDW seems to have a better handle on it, so I would anticipate no quick changes.

 

[ToTfan]

It says in the article that they are trying to do what WDW is already doing with its fastpass system.

 

[TnkrBelPixiDust]

I heard that attendance at DL is low.. do you think this may have something to do with it? :veryconfu

 

[Slosh]

They would never fully get rid of the fastpass system. From a business standpoint its a genius concept: keep people out of the lines so they have time to spend money in the stores.

 

[marni1971]

They would never fully get rid of the fastpass system. From a business standpoint its a genius concept: keep people out of the lines so they have time to spend money in the stores.

Slosh - welcome to the boards! You would think what you said would be true (Pressler and Harris certainly did) but in general the oposite happened - people left the park quicker! Due to the size of Disneyland, too many people were walking the streets instead of standing in line - it seems its a fine line in the parks design between a capacity crowd queueing and being out of an attraction. Plus, the last DL Regieme closed so many eating establishments in favour of Outdoor Vending Carts (which themselves blocked the streets) this just kept people who were actually spending on the streets too!

It sounds like WDW may be a model for Fastpass for TWDC (even then there are a few rides I wonder why got fastpass - like DLC Pirates, their loading and ride system capacity negates the need for it since the line keeps moving)

If anything I would think Paris is the model Fastpass - the Disneyland Park has FP only on BTM, Indy, Peter Pan, Space Mountain and Star Tours. And even when crowded (and believe me it does get very busy) the queues for non FP lines are acceptable.

 

[ToTBellHop]

I would guess they will do something similar at WDW, although not to the same degree as Disneyland is going through. There are some rides at wdw that have no business having Fastpass, like the Haunted Mansion, Jungle Cruise, all of the 3D shows except PhilharMagic, Living with the Land, Kali River Rapids after Everest opens (it's ridiculous how many rides at Animal Kingdom have Fastpass), Who Wants to Be a Millionaire. The whole view that every new ride needs to come with Fastpass is also a bit off. I don't think Stitch needs it (Alien Encounter was fine without it, and if they are going to add it to the Speedway, that'd be 4 Tomorrowland attractions w/ Fastpass, which is excessive). I think during the summer, FP has the same effect at Animal Kingdom as it does at Disneyland. In addition to being so stinking hot at Animal Kingdom, every afternoon, the wait times for all attractions at this park have become absurd, causing people to just leave as it gets too crowded. My big qualm with the over-use of Fastpass is that it drives up late day wait times, during hours when the rides used to see decreased wait times, they now continue to hold 60+ minute waits.

 

[brentley2]

Well, I for one, certainly hope that FP never goes away entirely.
It makes for much more enjoyable trips to WDW and to DL for me and my family.
I hate standing in line....and FP was great alternative to that!

 

[disneydisney]

I would guess they will do something similar at WDW, although not to the same degree as Disneyland is going through. There are some rides at wdw that have no business having Fastpass, like the Haunted Mansion, Jungle Cruise, all of the 3D shows except PhilharMagic, Living with the Land, Kali River Rapids after Everest opens (it's ridiculous how many rides at Animal Kingdom have Fastpass), Who Wants to Be a Millionaire. The whole view that every new ride needs to come with Fastpass is also a bit off. I don't think Stitch needs it (Alien Encounter was fine without it, and if they are going to add it to the Speedway, that'd be 4 Tomorrowland attractions w/ Fastpass, which is excessive). I think during the summer, FP has the same effect at Animal Kingdom as it does at Disneyland. In addition to being so stinking hot at Animal Kingdom, every afternoon, the wait times for all attractions at this park have become absurd, causing people to just leave as it gets too crowded. My big qualm with the over-use of Fastpass is that it drives up late day wait times, during hours when the rides used to see decreased wait times, they now continue to hold 60+ minute waits.

I agree that some attraction don't need Fastpass, but some attraction like Jungle Cruise can get up to an hour or long and many people don't want to stand that long around that many people so they do something else or relax. We got fastpass last visit when it was around an hour and walked pretty much right on to the ride. Also, shows like Millionaire can guarantee that you do get into that show. Addition, with Stitch coming and Soarin' coming Living with the Land might need a fastpass. Stitch is going to draw to alot more people now before teens and older and now younger to older. Personally, just from my expierence I don't always like waiting in line so I would much rather go sit on a bench and eat a mickey bar and then go ride unstead of waiting and satnding on my feet all day. :slurp:

 

[bgraham34]

I have to agree some rides just should not have fastpass. But sometimes there is no need for fastpass to be on when there is a 5 or 10 minute wait on a ride then it should be off. But I dont know how many times there was no wait and you could still get fast pass.

 

[KevinPage]

I enjoy FastPass as most of us impatient Americans do. But I would have no problem with them "streamlining" it. You only need it on larger E tickets like Splash, Space, & Big Thunder.

Also, the length of a ride should be taken into consideration as well. I don't have a problem waiting 45 minutes for an attraction that is going to give me 10 minutes of entertainment. But 45 minutes for a 2-3 minute coaster is tougher to justify

 

[Chape19714]

No FP changes at WDW just DL enough said!

I love FP!!!!! I use it for EVERYTHING!!!!

 

[Brewski]

No FP changes at WDW just DL enough said!

I love FP!!!!! I use it for EVERYTHING!!!!

Yes, i agree with you. Fastpass is a great system. People kinda get on my nerves whenthey say that Fastpass is a bad idea, and that they would prefer to use standard lines. They then get mad at the ones that did use Fastpass.

 

[brentley2]

Yes, i agree with you. Fastpass is a great system. People kinda get on my nerves whenthey say that Fastpass is a bad idea, and that they would prefer to use standard lines. They then get mad at the ones that did use Fastpass.

Yep, that's about how I feel about it...if you don't like Fast Pass, don't use it...but then don't get mad at those of us who do use it. A casual observation I have made is that the people who really don't like FP are those people who get to go to the park A LOT. Those of us who can only get to the park once a year need to experience as much of the magic as we can, and FP certainly helps to do that.
I LOVE FP...don't take it away!

 

[DigitalDisney]

FastPass is great when you can get it to work. It can be a buy one get one free coupon on big rides in the morning, and you can do other stuff until your FP is active later on in the day.

That being said, there are definately some negative aspects to FP as well.
- If FP's run out or you want to go on a FP ride w/o a FP, the standby line can be a disaster
- You don't get to enjoy the line

While I enjoy FP, I wouldn't be sad if it left. Waiting in a standby line can be very boring, but waiting in a non-FP line isn't that bad. You can also do what you want, when you want.

 

[shopgirl146]

I personally Love Fastpass. But, i have noticed that since they have introduced it, it has made me less patient while waiting in the Stand-by line. Where as before Fastpass was introduced I didn't mind waiting in line as much. Does anyone else feel like this too?

 

[PhotoDave219]

I just saw on MiceAge.com that Disneyland is closing and/or limiting FastPass at many of its attractions. Any word on if the same will happen at WDW?

Yes, FP is here to stay. FP seems to be constantly tweek'd here at WDW.

 

[netenyahoo]

I think that for Stitch it should open with Fastpass and then maybe a year or two later then take it out. Philarmagic should also lose Fastpass in like a year or so too. Haunted Masnion shouldn't need Fastpass as it is an omnimover and constantly moving.

 

[speck76]

I think some attractions that use FP today, may not always need it. When a new attraction is opened that is not a signature attraction (i.e. Philharmagic), but that will be overly-popular for the next years because it is new, it would make good use of the system. As the attraction ages, and bigger/better things come along, the system may no longer be neccessary. Some attractions may always need it, but not all of them.

 

[StevenT]

I agree, I think in a few years fast pass should be removed from things like Stitch and Philharmagic, as the popularity dies down a little bit.

I think right now, most of the rides at the Magic Kingdom at least, need the fast pass except the Haunted Mansion. I have only used FP for that maybe twice.