Paid Fastpass System???

[Skovdaddy]

Someone I know told me that when he was at Magic Kingdom two weeks ago, Disney was testing out a paid Fastpass system, similar to Universal's Express Plus. This person said the Regular Fastpass machines were disabled, and that Disney was offering this Paid Fastpass for $40.00 per person. This is not the first time I heard of Disney testing out a paid fastpass system, I heard they tried it for two weeks last fall. Has anyone else heard of this system being tried at Disney, or been there during one of its "tests"?

 

[JoeyGuacamole]

I highly doubt it. Disney is pretty happy to point out that while Universal does indeed charge for it, they give Fastpass free. they started charging for tickets with park hoppers, but I don't see this happening.

 

[Tim G]

Huh!!??!! Universal just discontinued that program...

 

[Ghostbuster626]

Would be nice if Disney discontinued the program.

 

[Enderikari]

No, to my knowledge, Disney has never instituted even a test for a paid fastpass system. Hasn't happened, isn't happening, and god-willing won't happen. Fastpass is fine the way it is, a great guest satisfier.

 

[Tim G]

Would be nice if Disney discontinued the program.

What the heck are you talking about....

 

[JoeyGuacamole]

Wait..what did Universal discontinue? I havn't been down there in a while....

 

[robynchic]

wait- so this fastpass charging isn't just a rumor?

Can someone elaborate, please?

 

[kal1484]

Disney-Free
Universal-Used to be free, now charges

And I hadn't heard anything about disney testing charging for Fast Pass

 

[dizneycrazy09]

Paid Fast Pass = horribleness :brick:

even made up a word to show how bad it would suck. thank god it will never happen though.

 

[JoeyGuacamole]

Not true. No way. No how.

 

[RonAnnArbor]

I love these "someone I know told me" posts...Nope, there has been no test of a paid system and there is no plan to have a paid fastpass system. Universal is a completely different creature and they are now charging for their express pass service. This does not impact WDW.

 

[Skovdaddy]

I hope that Disney never does a paid fastpass system, I just have heard from many people that they tested it out for two weeks sometime last fall.

While I don't like Universal's Express Plus system, which charges you $15-$35 for an Express Pass that will get you into the Express line of almost every ride and show in that park one time, I know that Universal must be making a ton of money off of it. And Disney knows this.

Although park guests will spend money in the parks while waiting for their fastpass time, Universal guests will just spend $35 extra for no material object(except the pass itself), just the ability to cut in line. So whenever someone buys an Express pass at Universal, almost all of that $35 is profit.

 

[RonAnnArbor]

A lot of parks do this in one way or another. Cedar Point, for example, calls their paid pass "Joe Cool Club"...it gets you into the park one hour earlier to ride 4 selected coasters or new attractions each year...it brings in TONS of extra money on season passes, and it costs the park nothing, since they start test running the rides an hour before the park opens anyway - they just do that 15 minutes earlier on the Joe Cool CLub rides. Disney has no reason to do that -- they increase their revenue with things like Parkhopper passes, extended day passes, etc.

 

[nemobruce]

I am glade someone else started this. I made reservations at universal last week for spring break:brick: I know I know. Anyway I proceeded to ask why did universal stop the express pass system in the parks and start charging for them. I was told that they were going to discontinue charging too, and the only way to get express was to stay at their resort. I told the lady that’s why your #’s keep going down and Disney’s go up. At that time she stated that I was in for a surprise that by the end of the Disney’s fastpss system was going to change. I thought it was funny. But I guess we will see what happens. They might know more then the rest of us. I for one like the fastpass system the way it is.

 

[MickeyTigg]

Someone I know told me that when he was at Magic Kingdom two weeks ago, Disney was testing out a paid Fastpass system, similar to Universal's Express Plus. This person said the Regular Fastpass machines were disabled, and that Disney was offering this Paid Fastpass for $40.00 per person. This is not the first time I heard of Disney testing out a paid fastpass system, I heard they tried it for two weeks last fall. Has anyone else heard of this system being tried at Disney, or been there during one of its "tests"?

Disney is not going to charge for FastPass....if anything they'll add perks to the system for resort guests based on the level of resort they're staying in.

This has been a rumor for over a year....I think someone is giving you old information.

 

[xstechbabe]

Me personally...I would like to see fast pass go.

Buzz = less than 15 min even in summer...(we had low staffing one day...all the way to COP and only 20 min)

Stitch = Does anyone even go there anymore?

Space = 2 coasters? 20 min tops... by the time you get up the queue you are ready...

 

[beyondthepalace]

Disney is not going to charge for FastPass....if anything they'll add perks to the system for resort guests based on the level of resort they're staying in.

This has been a rumor for over a year....I think someone is giving you old information.

Big note there everyone "Based on the level of resort they're staying in"

Staying at the All Star? Little perks
Staying at the Grand Floridian? Big Perks
All 3 Universal Hotels: same perks!

While Disney is still free, you are still held back by time frames. Universal is not free but you can experience the rides anytime you like!

I agree that the Express Plus is kinda on the high side, it is a great revnue gaining tool and I will be surprised if Disney does not offer this soon because we all know Mickey likes his cheese!

 

[Interruption?]

Me personally...I would like to see fast pass go.

Buzz = less than 15 min even in summer...(we had low staffing one day...all the way to COP and only 20 min)

Stitch = Does anyone even go there anymore?

Space = 2 coasters? 20 min tops... by the time you get up the queue you are ready...

...You're joking, right?

 

[Interruption?]

Big note there everyone "Based on the level of resort they're staying in"

Staying at the All Star? Little perks
Staying at the Grand Floridian? Big Perks
All 3 Universal Hotels: same perks!

While Disney is still free, you are still held back by time frames. Universal is not free but you can experience the rides anytime you like!

I agree that the Express Plus is kinda on the high side, it is a great revnue gaining tool and I will be surprised if Disney does not offer this soon because we all know Mickey likes his cheese!

Yeah, but I don't think they'll start doing it in such a cut and dry "money for cuts" way. I suspect that if they DO decide to offer a paid fastpass system they'll build it into one of the vacation packages as a way to sell it as "add EVEN MORE magic to your vacation by being able to use an all day, all fastpass rides, all park fastpass!" while keeping the free fastpass open. This way, Mickey can have his cheese AND eat it too.