Surprise Fastpass!

[cymbaldiva]

Originally posted by the_ceo_at_wdw
I just think its advertising for the sucky / unpopular attractions.. Not saying I dont like HiSta but it isnt that new and it needs some atention so does anyone think they did that on purpose? Like they did it to attract more "traffic"?.... Just a thought ..

While I basically agree with the point you're trying to make, was it really necessary to call HISTA "sucky"? Just because an attraction isn't new anymore doesn't make it bad...

 

[niteobsrvr]

Originally posted by the_ceo_at_wdw
I just think its advertising for the sucky / unpopular attractions.. Not saying I dont like HiSta but it isnt that new and it needs some atention so does anyone think they did that on purpose? Like they did it to attract more "traffic"?.... Just a thought ..

Actually, Disney has been refining the fastpass process since the day the first machines were installed. The addition of a suprise FASTPASS makes total sense given that one of the bigger guest complaints about the system was that you had to wait 2 hours before you could get your next FASTPASS. With this system, during your two hour waiting period you automatically have a ticket for another ride. That to me makes the system even more worthwhile.

Is Disney trying to drum up ridership for some of the slower attractions. Sure! Every Amusement/Theme Park has certain rides that are more popular than others. You end up with incredible waits at the more popular rides. Why not send the guests off somewhere else to a another attraction during this waiting period. This makes the guest happy because they dont feel like they are wasting their time waiting in lines unneccessarily.

Advantages:
1. Guests are Happier.
2. CM's are happier not having to hear complaints about waits they have no control over.
3. Disney gets the ability to redistribute guests to other areas of the park for a short period of time to utilize attractions that are alos costing money to operate that day.

In short, This is a WIN-WIN for everyone. In the future, I wouldn't be suprised to see this idea operating around the property. If you can tie the wait itmes into the fastpass system in a real-time situation, you shoudl be able to keep most of the wait times in the parks between certain preset time parameters.

Also, it will increase the popularity of the fastpass system. It still amazes me when I hear a guest say they didn't get to do this or had to wait forever for that. Then you ask them if the used Fastpass and they say something like "No, its too much of a hastle." Fortunately for those of us who do use it, this isnt true and you can actually make the most of your time in the parks on a busier day.

 

[aim]

I think this is an awesome idea!! I hope I get one! I have a great chance that I will (since I'll be there so long!)!! If I do, I'll be sure to let everyone know!! This is another thing to look forward to!

 

[The_CEO]

Originally posted by cymbaldiva
While I basically agree with the point you're trying to make, was it really necessary to call HISTA "sucky"? Just because an attraction isn't new anymore doesn't make it bad...

No it wasnt but its just my personal opinion.

 

[Worldphile]

Originally posted by niteobsrvr

Is Disney trying to drum up ridership for some of the slower attractions. Sure! Every Amusement/Theme Park has certain rides that are more popular than others. You end up with incredible waits at the more popular rides. Why not send the guests off somewhere else to a another attraction during this waiting period. This makes the guest happy because they dont feel like they are wasting their time waiting in lines unneccessarily.

I think that integrating the FLICK system and surprise FastPasses would be a good idea. The flick system will give real time information about how long the wait is on certain attractions. If the wait time drops at a certain attraction, more surprise fast passes could be given out for that attraction.

This could be used to redistribute guests around the park.

However, is the surprise fast pass good for my whole party, or just me? If I'm there with my wife, and I get a surprise fast pass and she doesn't, that doesn't do me much good since we would want to ride together.

 

[Sansaarai]

Every ticket has a magnetic strip like a credit card on the back. Now if you buy your tickets together wouldn't you get (lets say 4) consecutive numbers in your purchase?

Example:

4 tickets numbered
4001
4002
4003
4004

The computer knows that these numbers are "together" so it prints out 4 EXTRA surprise fastpasses.

 

[FourFourSeven]

Originally posted by Sansaarai
Every ticket has a magnetic strip like a credit card on the back. Now if you buy your tickets together wouldn't you get (lets say 4) consecutive numbers in your purchase?....The computer knows that these numbers are "together" so it prints out 4 EXTRA surprise fastpasses.

I don't think that would work, since a very large percentage of us do not buy our tickets all ot once. Many of us have leftover unused tickets from earlier trips. For my next trip, I have three days of a seven-day Park Hopper available. Other party members do not and will purchase new admission.

Also, what if you're meeting someone at the park? Or if you and your party each bought your tickets separately? Or if you bought two tickets at a Disney store, then learned more people were joining you, and bought two more a week later? I think there are too many situations like this for Disney to use a Fastpass strategy like you suggested.

I'm assuming instead they would want to make it a "Fastpass for the group" or give surprise Fastpasses to all people who enter their ticket into an attraction within a timeframe. (Though that, too, wouldn't be fair. What if I don't want to ride Test Track with my party, but would like to join them in HISTA?)