magicbob
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Mar 16, 2008
I wonder how many of us fully understood the whole Fast Pass system the first or second time it was introduced to us.
I keep hearing this "leveling the playing field" concept. What about FP isn't a level playing field? It's free. It's open to anyone in the park. It's been advertised throughout the park the same way for everyone. It's advertised on the Vacation Planning DVD the same way for everyone. The kiosks and return times are posted in the same place for everyone. There has been ample opportunity in the parks for one to learn about FP as it is now. Those who choose not to comprehend what's there now aren't going to comprehend a more complicated system any more than they do the very simple current one.
Yes it is open to all but by its very nature not all can participate. There aren't enough Fast Pass for all guests to have them.
These quotes and others got me to thinking...
For years, we've observed folks who don't know how to use FP or think it costs extra, etc. But discussions about the "unfairness" of the system typically hinge on the false premise that the MAJORITY of WDW guests fall into this category.
It's been repeatedly pointed out that DISers are a small percentage of overall park attendees (and FP uber-super-user-abusers are an even smaller subset of DISers). Yet, every day in every park, every FP for every attraction is typically distributed (admittedly, some faster than others, but that's a function of attraction popularity rather than guests' "FP education level").
The uber-super-user-abusers certainly account for some percentage of those FPs, but if you really think about it, we can't possibly be taking ALL of them.
I submit that, contrary to the conventional wisdom (that even I have accepted in the past), the vast majority of FPs are being used by the "average" guest.
It's true that not EVERY guest can get a FP, even those of us who know how to use/abuse the system have walked up to a kiosk and discovered that all of the FPs for the day have been distributed.
I theorize that the number of guests riding headliners multiple times with FP and maximizing FP usage by obtaining them as soon as they are available have a much smaller impact on the overall availability of FP to the "masses" than we think.
Even with limiting everyone to three FPs to "level the playing field," it's not possible to ensure ALL guests will have FPs available. The only way they are approaching that goal is to offer FP for more attractions (that have never needed it), and increasing the number of FPs available (to the detriment of the SB line).
The reality is that FP is a popular commodity in limited supply. Despite the fact that there ARE some clueless guests, the vast majority DO understand FP, or else TSMM, Soarin', etc. would not run out so quickly.