A Modest Proposal - Fast Pass(+) for Resort Guests

[Bstanley]

After our visit to Orlando a couple of weeks ago I was ruminating about how Disney could offer the convenience of the 'FOTL' privilege that the Universal hotels offer their guests without swamping the attractions at WDW simply because there are larger numbers of people staying at the Disney hotels.

How about a expanded version of Fast Pass just for Disney Resort guests?

Fast Pass(+) would allow a Resort Guest to get a Fast Pass for every attraction for the entire 'Early Entry' park for that day.

Comments?

 

[KNWVIKING]

I would like to see some sort of "wildcard" FP for on-site guests. Maybe each guest is giving two vouchers per day. We had a Disney package when we stayed at DL in Sept, and we were given four passes- two each- to be used during our stay, (thats four total,not per day). We were there for nine nights, so four total was a little less then I would have expected.

"Fast Pass(+) would allow a Resort Guest to get a Fast Pass for every attraction for the entire 'Early Entry' park for that day."

Wouldn't this defeat the purpose of EE ? If I can get FP for entire park for the whole day, what is my motivation to be up at dawn to attend EE ?

 

[jlambrig]

This has been discussed before and one concern I agree with is the number of onsite guests being problematic.

I agree that using it for the EE park could defeat the purpose of EE. It would also have the potential for increasing the problems caused by the sheer number of guests if only one park was available each day.

If they were to do this, it seems it could be coded onto room keys.

 

[wdwguide]

That's a really great idea during the off-season, but during peak periods when FastPass lines for attractions like Pooh, RnRC, Test Track, Splash Mountain, etc tend to get backed up quite significantly, the added number of guests using the system with FP(+) would just completely overload it and break down the benefit for everybody.

 

[eeyorefanatic]

Perhaps a one pass per day for each member of your party would work.

 

[Bstanley]

The way I was thinking of implementing it the Fast Passes would not be for use at any time at any attracdtion that the guest chose, but would rather be spaced in time at each of the attractions throughout the day - it's just that you could get all of them at once rather than just the 2 that you can get now.

That way I don't believe the attractions would be overloaded.

Wouldn't this defeat the purpose of EE ? If I can get FP for entire park for the whole day, what is my motivation to be up at dawn to attend EE ?

I agree - I guess if this was implemented you could do away with EE because a resort guest would still get to avoid lines, but wouldn't need to get up early to do so.

 

[seashoreCM]

Too many fastpasses with no entry time on them will cause problems because the system can no longer predict how many fastpasses the machines should issue.

The fastpass system is not currently set up to allow guests to hand pick times, yet.

The success of the FOTL program at Universal is due to the very small number of eligible participants. A FOTL program at WDW that is comparable to that at Universal would cover only the deluxe resorts.

Disney hints:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/disney.htm

 

[mjstaceyuofm]

In 1999 (or 98) when the FP system first debuted (or "soft-opened") prior to major advertisement, I could swear that the system was only available to those guests staying on-site. Can anyone else corroborate this story? This is how my wife and I both remember the system. Am I crazy??

To me, FP available to on-site guests only is the way to go. So much of the financial success of WDW is related to near-capacity hotel occupancy rates, why not give a real incentive to staying on-site? In that scenario, you're not creating two tiers of FP, you're reducing the number of FP participants and reducing wait-times for FP users and stand-by lines as well.

 

[morphi]

why not give a real incentive to staying on-site?

I agree that FastPass should be an onsite perk. To be fair, those who live within a certain radius of WDW AND who have APs should have access to FP as well. Why shouldn't those who are loyal to WDW derive extra benefits? Hotel occupancy is probably a better contributor to the bottom line than just theme park admission alone. There should be a real incentive to stay on-site. This would also eliminate the need for EE which would be a good cost savings. Why are many so afraid to offend those who choose to stay off-site?

 

[All Aboard]

morphi, that will absolutely kill off-site visitor business. Think about it. If Fastpass is limited to onsite guests, all offsite guests will be forced into the stanby lines that are being made longer already by Fastpass. The offsite guest will either 1) decide, "boy I gotta stay onsite next time" or more likely 2) say "screw this, this sucks".

Even if WDW kept its resorts 100% occupancy year 'round, they still need the other 50% - 60% of guests that DON'T stay onsite. Alienating them in this fashion would make little business sense.

Not that it really matters, but gives perspective to my argument - I always stay on site. The plan you propose would benefit me directly, but I still think it is a very bad idea for Disney in general.

Universal gives its onsite guests something better, but still keeps Universal Express open to everyone.

 

[Peter Pirate]

I agree Greg.

How about making FP+ a perk of just one or two Resorts...Maybe just the GF? That way Disney would gurantee higher demand for their most expensive rooms, yet the guest who really wants this perk will have the ability to get it...Or perhaps rotate the perk between deluxe resorts monthly allowing all deluxes to share in the 'high demand pie'.

 

[DisneyKidds]

How about making FP+ a perk of just one or two Resorts...Maybe just the GF? That way Disney would gurantee higher demand for their most expensive rooms, yet the guest who really wants this perk will have the ability to get it...Or perhaps rotate the perk between deluxe resorts monthly allowing all deluxes to share in the 'high demand pie'.

This just reeks to much of the haves and the have nots. A true Landbaron caste system. At least a pay for play FP system would give everyone a chance. Not everyone is going to have a shot at dropping $300 a night on the Grand. Then, what do you do about DVC owners and the like. Am I to sell my DVC membership if I want to be able to take advantage of the most advantageous FP system?

I think an on-site FP advantage would be great. It would also likely overtax the system and negate some of the benefit. The current system is designed to only issue that amount of fastpasses that the system can handle. It does so by spacing those FP's out. Resort guests given uncontrolled FP's could wreak havok. Giving resort guests dictated ride times is a poor excuse for a benefit.

I have no idea how to expand and improve the system, but giving the advantage to the elite or telling the masses when they have to ride is not the best solution IMHO.

 

[All Aboard]

Pirate, you know my stance on that. I really like the fact that everyone in the park is on basically equal footing with respect to access to the attractions.

I admit to having a double standard when it comes to WDW v UO. While I love the Express Access I get by staying at HRH, I would absolutely hate it if WDW were to initiate anything similar.

 

[TRAPPED-PARENT]

I really like the fact that everyone in the park is on basically equal footing with respect to access to the attractions.

I agree and have no problems with the current Fastpass system. We were just there (staying onsite) and took advantage of EE and e-ride nights. We saw everything at the four parks we wanted to with time to spare in the three days we went in.

 

[C.Ann]

I don't like the concept of Fast-pass anywhere - period.

Whether one stays on-site or off is irrelevant.. As long as everyone is paying the same admission to get into the PARK itself, then everyone should have to wait in the same line..

 

[Peter Pirate]

Personally I love FP the way it is too, but in trying to "compete" with Universal is where my suggestion stems. It wouldn't benefit me if Disney added the perk to the GF only as I suggested (we can't afford to stay there) and it just seems like it would be quite innocuous...I mean one hotels guest WOULDN'T be likely to alter the regular FP system noticably and FP WOULD still be available to the general public - but it would offer a perk to those who really 'have to have it' although it's true they'd have to stay at the most expensive hotel to get it ... and it would be a huge money maker for the hotel I'm sure...Sorry Kidds DVC members not included (just to rankle Landbaron)...

My concern about a special FP offered for sale to the general public is (1) it really looks like gouging from a PR standpoint and (2) the ability to secure the privilage would make getting a table at Cindy's seem like a walk in the park...Just maybe more trouble than it's worth...

 

[KNWVIKING]

Another problem with a "for sale" type FP is that the numbers would have to be limited and sold on a first come-first served basis. Bottom line IMO is that at any given time Disneys on-site population is just too large to offer much of a FP perk for those guests without overwelming the system or alienating off-site guests. Want to give me a perk- code a 10% discount on all purchases to my room key for that days EE park.

 

[SnackyStacky]

Quite frankly, I think the entire idea of a special fastpass system, however it's implemented - be it for on site guests, or DVC members, or select resorts - is a move of pure greed. Greed on both the part of Disney, for selling such a perk, and on the part of those who would take part.

The way I see it, as many have said, there are WAY too many people on-site to make viable anything comparable to Universal's Front of the Line Access. The way Disney's system works right now, nobody gets out of waiting in line. Whether you're standing in a queue area, or eating an ice cream, or sitting in the shade, you still have to WAIT to get on that ride.

We are a society that demands instant gratification. If I don't answer an E-Mail within a few hours, I hear about it! If I don't respond to a voice mail within a few hours, I hear about it! I think that this "Me! Me! Me! Now! Now! Now!" attitude is permeating every aspect of our lives.

Instead of trying to manipulate a fastpass system to accomodate the on-site guests, I would just as soon have Disney offer some sort of SUBSTANTIAL discount on non-length of stay admission. (Substantial meaning more than 5% you can get at various outlets like AAA or Ticketmania..I'm talking maybe 25 - 30%) I know that would entice me to book one of their hotels.

 

[seashoreCM]

>>>> I don't like the concept of Fast-pass anywhere - period. Whether one stays on-site or off is irrelevant.. As long as everyone is paying the same admission to get into the PARK itself, then everyone should have to wait in the same line..

With the current FastPass system everybody already waits in the same two lines, Fastpass and regular.

>>>> In 1999 (or 98) when the FP system first debuted (or "soft-opened") prior to major advertisement, I could swear that the system was only available to those guests staying on-site. Can anyone else corroborate this story?

On one of my visits shortly after Fast Pass debuted, I found that my room key (All Star) could fetch Fast Passes independently from my park pass, thus giving me twice as many fast passes as an off site guest. I was guessing that this was the remnants of an early soft-opening or test marketing of the Fast Pass system. This loophole was closed shortly thereafter.


9/65 Disneyland
3/75 *World Inn (now Doubletree Club)
4/85 *Kon-Tiki (now Econolodge Hawaiian)
'80s Disneyland once or twice
7/94 Dixie Landings (now Port Orleans Riverside)
9/97 All Star Music
11/98 ASMu & first premium annual pass
12/98 *Knights Inn on 192
9/99 All Star Movies
12/00 All Star Sports & PAP#2
9/01 ASSp
11/01 ASSp
1/03 *Motel 6 & ASSp & PAP#3
11/03 Pop Century planned
* off site

 

[Bstanley]

Looks like we need a Modest Proposal - Mark II.

My original thought was based on a couple of premises:

Premise 1. WDW doesn't want to give away any money.

So a 10% discount to resort guests would probably never fly with the powers that be. It's possible that WDW as a whole might gain $$ if some people stay on site that wouldn't have with that perk - but I can just imagine the restaurant guys and the shops guys squealing bloody murder about giving up 10% from their budgets...


Premise 2. Offering FP(+) to the resort guests wouldn't overwhelm a single park if the passes were spaced out throughout the day.

After listening to the comments here I started to doubt that premise - so I did the math I should have done before I typed the first message OK - Disney has about 30,000 hotel rooms. Figure 85% occupancy and you have about 26,000 occupied. Figure an average of 4 people a room and 80% of them are going to visit a WDW theme park that day ~ 83,000 people a day.

It's clear I was wrong and no single park could handle that load along with the offsite guests - but we know that splitting up those 83,000 among the parks would work - it happens every day now. So we just need to figure out how to divide the folks up among the parks.


Premise 3. Someone staying at the All Stars gets the same EE/FP/etc park perks as someone staying at the Grand Floridian.

No 'internal caste-ing' allowed (orders from the Herr Baron .


Premise 4. Someone staying at a Disney Resort can be offered park perks not offered to someone staying offsite.

'External caste-ing' is allowed - it happens every day now (EE, no parking fee, etc).


Premise 5. People staying at a WDW resort want the same FOTL privilege that UO offers.

I've got to admit it - I don't feel at all bad/embarrased/etc when I walk down the Express lane at UO/IoA because I've stayed at a UO hotel. But there have been several comments about not wanting any further 'caste-ing' to occur...


OK - so here's 'A Modest Proposal' - Mark II.

FP(+) - a Disney resort guest can get a set of Fast Passes for all the FP attractions at a single park each day, the FPs are spaced throughout the day so that the FP attractions won't get swamped at 10am 'cause everybody got up and headed to that attraction. Each day the parks are divided up among the resorts such that the number of of possible guests won't overwhelm a particular park. So for example on Mondays the monorail resorts might be able to choose between getting a set of FPs for MK or EPCOT while on Mondays the All Stars get to pick between The Studios or AK, etc.

It doesn't cost WDW any money (in fact they could probably do away with EE so it might save them so money) and it gives the Resort guests a tangible perk (minimal lines).

OK - new comments?