Stand By Lines and FP+

[SciFi]

Initially I was excited about the next gen options coming to WDW. As details came out, I was less excited (for example only 3 fast passes per day and in only one park).

Then after our June trip I am less optimistic that Disney is technologically competent enough to pull this off smoothly (we had several major and minor technology glitches during our stay).

So, I am looking for a silver lining. I'm assuming traditional fast passes will be a thing of the past. Will this new system take pressure off of uber long stand by lines and make them more reasonable?

What do you think?

 

[Robo]

Initially I was excited about the next gen options coming to WDW. As details came out, I was less excited (for example only 3 fast passes per day and in only one park).

Then after our June trip I am less optimistic that Disney is technologically competent enough to pull this off smoothly (we had several major and minor technology glitches during our stay).

So, I am looking for a silver lining. I'm assuming traditional fast passes will be a thing of the past. Will this new system take pressure off of uber long stand by lines and make them more reasonable?

What do you think?

Not optimistic, myself.

 

[Suellen]

Not all the details have been released yet.

I've heard at least equal if not better then what you currently have.

I'm holding out that you will still be able to get day of FP's added to your card/bracelet/whatever.

 

[ttintagel]

So, I am looking for a silver lining. I'm assuming traditional fast passes will be a thing of the past. Will this new system take pressure off of uber long stand by lines and make them more reasonable?

It's possible that this may happen with rides that already have FP and dispense a lot of them. However, many rides that did not previously have or need FP are being retrofitted with FP+, and there's no way that that won;t make standby waits longer.

 

[Don Disney]

Not optimistic, myself.

Now,I'm worried!!!!

 

[pumpernickel]

From the bit we know, this is a horrible idea and might be enough to push me away from Disney. Might go for a day here and there, but that is it. Limiting the use of FP is stupid IMO. Disney keeps raising the prices and keeps taking away.

Disney says: Come pay us even more money and get to ride less because you can only have 3 a day.
Guest says: Sure, I will do it because Disney can do no wrong.

 

[BuckeyeBama]

Only two things can make standby lines shorter for the major attractions:

* Fewer guests - not happening anytime soon
* More major rides to spread out the crowds - only the mine train ride comes close in the near future

 

[SciFi]

Only two things can make standby lines shorter for the major attractions:

* Fewer guests - not happening anytime soon
* More major rides to spread out the crowds - only the mine train ride comes close in the near future

I wonder if there were any in the board room suggesting they take the money they would have spent on next gen and add more attractions. This may have given all the stake holders what they were after.

I'm reminded of the part in Jurrassic Park when the character played by Jeff Goldblum says "your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn't stop to think if they should."

However, I still hope I am pleasantly surprised in the end regardless of my current misgivings.

 

[BuckeyeBama]

I wonder if there were any in the board room suggesting they take the money they would have spent on next gen and add more attractions. This may have given all the stake holders what they were after.

The people in that room are only after one thing - higher profit margins.

 

[BuzzBelleMom]

It's possible that this may happen with rides that already have FP and dispense a lot of them. However, many rides that did not previously have or need FP are being retrofitted with FP+, and there's no way that that won;t make standby waits longer.

A thought (you can decide if it is horrible) just popped into my mind: FP+ and long standby for CoP.

 

[doconeill]

There is a difference between shorter and faster when it comes to the standby line.

It can be physically longer, but if they are taking more people from it per cycle, it can actually be faster/shorter wait time.

From some information that's coming from Disney lately, they appear to be hoping to make the standby line faster - and what they are saying is that they plan to reduce the number of Fastpasses issued to do it.

However, this info seems to be in conflict with others, so it remains to be seen what will happen. It depends on predicting the mob mentality, which is tough when the system is not available to everyone yet.

 

[KelleyGirl]

I was just there on a day with soft opening of Fastpass+. Standby lines were horrible. Amount of people in fastpass line were longer than ever, and even at the turnstile, cast members were taking ALL fastpass people before standby. At Splash Mountain, at the cast member taking fastpasses, our family waited for 40+ people to get thru the fastpass line, and no others were in line, before she switched back to the standby line. No more toggling between the two. I understand the need to take them first, my point is there were just so many more people there! Maybe that is also the result of no longer honoring fastpasses past there end time.

Also found lines that didn't have fastpass and now do, were now much longer (obviously). In general, not overly excited about the changes coming to the parks.

As we drove around the Lake Buena Vista area later that night, we commented on the amount of development still going on. Hotels upon hotels still being built. As long as people fill the rooms, the parks will overflow. A sign of the times, I guess.

 

[BuckeyeBama]

There is a difference between shorter and faster when it comes to the standby line.

It can be physically longer, but if they are taking more people from it per cycle, it can actually be faster/shorter wait time.

From some information that's coming from Disney lately, they appear to be hoping to make the standby line faster - and what they are saying is that they plan to reduce the number of Fastpasses issued to do it.

However, this info seems to be in conflict with others, so it remains to be seen what will happen. It depends on predicting the mob mentality, which is tough when the system is not available to everyone yet.

I remember a time when there were no fast passes, and the waits were very, very long. That is why WDW implemented the FP system.

 

[SciFi]

The people in that room are only after one thing - higher profit margins.

Adding a nice roster of new attractions should eventually lead to higher profits, possibly even sooner than magic+ could.

 

[BuckeyeBama]

Adding a nice roster of new attractions should eventually lead to higher profits, possibly even sooner than magic+ could.

I am not so sure. How many more people can they get into the existing parks right now? Their best bet is to increase ticket prices, increase resort prices, and find a way to get people to spend more money while in the parks. This represents an attempt to address the third area.

 

[mom2rtk]

There is a difference between shorter and faster when it comes to the standby line.

It can be physically longer, but if they are taking more people from it per cycle, it can actually be faster/shorter wait time.

From some information that's coming from Disney lately, they appear to be hoping to make the standby line faster - and what they are saying is that they plan to reduce the number of Fastpasses issued to do it.

However, this info seems to be in conflict with others, so it remains to be seen what will happen. It depends on predicting the mob mentality, which is tough when the system is not available to everyone yet.

Quite a mish mash of theories, isn't it?

Maybe they think that by adding fastpass to attractions that didn't have it before (Haunted Mansion, ETWB, Great Movie Ride, Captain EO), they will give people a route to a faster line..... even though it will certainly lengthen the wait for those left in the standby line.

 

[999DoomBuggies]

Disney is frankly screwed in terms of having shorter lines. They would have to make more good rides which we all know disney is not willing to do right now or they have to jump prices to 140 a day. I believe a major price jump will not hinder the profits but will thin the parks. It is a matter of time.

 

[doconeill]

I remember a time when there were no fast passes, and the waits were very, very long. That is why WDW implemented the FP system.

Disney implemented FP to get people out of those long waits and into shops and restaurants while they waited.

They seemed to forget that there was a third option - get into other lines. Which is what most guests did.

If the guests didn't get into other lines, the wait in the standby line should have been the same with FP as without - the total capacity of the attraction didn't change.

But given that guests could now occupy two (or more) lines at once, essentially, the standby line times at the major attractions would be adversely affected.

By at least reducing the number of FPs issued, the standby line would move faster. By limiting the number of FP+ that a guest can use, it may in fact make them shorter too, as they won't be occupying multiple lines as much.

 

[mom2rtk]

Disney implemented FP to get people out of those long waits and into shops and restaurants while they waited.

They seemed to forget that there was a third option - get into other lines. Which is what most guests did.

Which just proves that sometimes Disney misses the boat in predicting how these newfangled systems will pan out in reality.

"We sense that our guests want to interact more with their electronic devices when they are in the parks".

Uh..... nope.

 

[Robo]

Disney implemented FP to get people out of those long waits and into shops and restaurants while they waited.

They seemed to forget that there was a third option - get into other lines. Which is what most guests did.

I have this EXCEPTIONALLY great idea on how to get guests to stop riding and go into the shops and restaurants.

Every 3 hours, all day long, they simply stop running the attractions and offer discount prices at all restaurants and shops.

"Attention Disney guests... for the next hour, Disney is offering a special price to all guests who'd like to take a MagicBreak for shopping and a snack...
Check the MyMagic Displays around the park (and on your MyDisneyExperience Wireless application) for this hour's MagicDiscounts.
We hope you take advantage of our MagicBreak and enjoy all that Disney has to offer.

(Send my 250 million dollar planning fee- C/O "Robo" at Disboards.com.)