End of Fast Pass...

[happyleesh]

Chip+co is reporting MAJOR fp changes coming at the end on this month....

The short and skinny is all Fast Passes will be eliminated for everyone except resort guests with Key to the World Cards or linked Magic Band. If you are staying on property you will be limited to 3 Fast Passes per day at only one park. If you are a local no Fast Passes for you unless you are staying the night. So basically no room, no Fast Pass!

is this accurate/to be trusted?

 

[thunderbug548]

I'm not buying it.

I have been talking to a friend of mine who is at Walt Disney World this week...

Doesn't sound like a trusted CM or higher up. It's already been said this will be linked to tickets, not resort stays.

 

[Redarrow5150]

Wow if true forcing me to stay on resort for three fast passes a day? Ok then I won't stay on the resort...for three measly fast passes a day. Thanks Dis as staying off site just got easier with this move.

 

[tony609]

I agree with the above response. If Disney did this...most people would drop their Annual passes (locals for sure) know I would.

 

[disneychrista]

My understanding was with the new Magic Bands that let you pre-book your Fastpass return times was limited to resort guests. But regular FP was still going to be available to everyone.

 

[Ravenne]

I hope that the 3 a day part is completely, and utterly false. Especially since that would make it moot and pointless to get Park Hopper. If it's true, then it's completely weaksauce.

 

[DisMomme]

Not really thinking this is going to happen. Disney has already said they will continue to allow all guests to use MyMagic and Fastpass +

Dan on January 7th, 2013 at 7:05 am

How is this going to work for Annual Passholders? So far it sounds and looks like something to give Disney hotel guests a leg up on the rest of humanity. I would love to be able to arrange my day at any one of the parks. Everyone should be equal when it comes to being in the parks!!!!
Tom Staggs on January 7th, 2013 at 2:15 pm

Thank you for the comment, Dan. I see there are several questions concerning Annual Passholders. Our Annual Passholders are very important to us and we’re taking extra care to provide access to all the features and benefits of MyMagic+. Stay tuned as we are finalizing our timeline and we’ll keep you posted.

http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2013/01/taking-the-disney-guest-experience-to-the-next-level/

Looking for the other entries in this same official blog where Disney says they will include everyone.

 

[GSUJillybean]

This can't be possible. They haven't rolled out RFID to all the resorts yet, have they?

 

[DisMomme]

Kara on January 7th, 2013 at 11:39 am

What about those of us that stay off site? How is this going to work? We will have paper tickets that will need to be converted? What will they be converted too? A plastic card with RFID in it, or a wristband? Or will we still use the old FP system? Very confusing, lots of questions…but no answers here yet?
Thomas Smith on January 7th, 2013 at 6:07 pm

Guests staying at Walt Disney World Resort hotels, and Annual Passholders will receive a band, as well as those guests who purchase a photography package. All other guests will receive a ticket with features of touch to enter the park, touch to redeem FastPass+ and touch to pay. These guests can participate in My Disney Experience and purchase a MagicBand if they wish.

Found it. So, back in January the Disney official line was that Fastpass+ would be available to all guests. The only difference I see is that resort guests will get a Magic Band and others can purchase them if desired. The tickets for guests staying offsite will have all the features of the RFID system.

 

[GSUJillybean]

I wonder if she got confused and what she actually means is that the paper kiosks will be gone by the end of September and they'll go solely to touch screen.

 

[Alice Royal]

Yet another example of news outlets blowing things out of proportion/twisting words. There has been no official word that FP is being reserved strictly for resort Guests. The only unofficial speculation is that FP+/MyMagic+/My Disney Experience will become the de facto way of reserving FP times for ALL Guests and that MagicBands will be available to resort Guests (that being said, this is also speculation, so they may be available to AP holders and offsite visitors in the future as well).

I was just at WDW yesterday and the paper FP system was alive and well, although new FP+ kiosks/entrances are beginning to be put into place. Test Track now has one FP entrance that is marked 'FastPass+' (although paper FPs are still available and use the same entrance). This makes me think that we might see a shift to all-FP+ in the future, but keep in mind that the new systems are still in testing! Unless we suddenly see all of the paper kiosks disappear and plastic tickets suddenly lose functionality with the My Disney Experience app and FP+ reservation kiosks, there is NO way to prove this is true.

 

[super mike b]

I really can't see how they could do something that restrictive without losing a ton of business at the gate. A lot of visitors to the parks stay off property.

 

[Planogirl]

It would be awful to exclude locals and those who stay offsite for a variety of reasons! There are slews of great places to visit in the Orlando area and I can't see why offsite visitors would put up with anything like this.

 

[ParrotBill]

RFID seemed to be rolled out to all resorts... Mickey head turnstiles were in use for 99% of guests last week...

Since all guests are now expected to have RFID tickets, I wonder if this will turn out to be a conversion from the paper system to the RFID/Fastpass+ system?

I can see that any guest would go to any Fastpass+ kiosk and choose an attraction and time and then tap each card.

But they'd need a lot more kiosks! I did not see many and the ones I found were in hard to find places. (as discussed in another thread.)

 

[wiigirl]

I agree with the above response. If Disney did this...most people would drop their Annual passes (locals for sure) know I would.

Agreed.

 

[dcibrando]

If I were Disney... I would not want to do anything to shoot myself in the foot when catering to the frequent annual passholder visitors

 

[HelenParr]

Until we hear this from Disney, or a more reliable Disney source, seems hard to believe, particularly since (as PPs note) it is contrary to things Disney has released on MDE and FP+

But, as many will recall, there were similar arguments about EMH and locals or offsite guests. Yet EMH is still only for on-property (plus S/D and Hilton) right?

 

[Spacedog1975]

Seems highly unlikely.
Haven't there been reports of new fast pass stations at attractions that hadn't had them before?

 

[lockedoutlogic]

I don't think the standard fast pass is in danger just yet...

But I'm curious... Why would they "lose money" if it did?

 

[KSUWildcat]

Honestly, I don't see why Disney WOULDN'T give on-site visitors a leg up over off-site. I mean, people staying on-site ARE paying more. So why shouldn't they get better privileges?