Debate: Should Disney Parks Go Back To A-E Ticket System?

[Lesley]

Good god, no!

Okay, I confess...I managed to lose my dh's annual pass last December when getting fastpasses.....I can't imagine having to juggle the kids, the photographic equipment, the backpack, the stroller (ah, not long until those days will be over....), our priority seatings/basic plans AND have to work out how to use our ticket books to our greatest advantage and enjoyment.....I'd probably lose my mind before I lost the tickets.....

Sorry, I'm overwhelmed enough with the ap's, room cards, fastpasses.....

Now, if they want to continue in their current direction and be sure that a loyal guest will no longer return......they should go ahead.

 

[doubletrouble_vb]

Okay the basic idea is a complete bust. But let's take it, twist it and stand it on its head.

1. Replace the fast pass system with this psuedo ticket book. You get a packet of cards when you walk in the gate. One for every E-ticket ride. You can fast pass your way onto any ride once. Will eventually reduce the wait on the stand by line. Problems with this...producing the tickets in the first place. Actually this is an excellent opportunity to get people to stand in line! If you want a fast pass booklet you can either get it when you purchase your tickets or stand in line for it at guest services if you aren't buying a ticket that day. And!!! for you fans of making on site guests special...a card key with the tickets built in (UMP/UPH) would get fastpasses the old way. AP and hopper holders would have to stand in line.

2. Sell the ticket book as cheap alternative to the vibrating Pal Mickey. Users would tear off a small ticket (leaving a big stub as a souvenier) as they do various things in the park. It would be a great way to alert people to what they may have missed. You wouldn't actually use it as a ticket book...but you might get more people to go on the A-list rides.

 

[kitnrose]

2. Sell the ticket book as cheap alternative to the vibrating Pal Mickey. Users would tear off a small ticket (leaving a big stub as a souvenier) as they do various things in the park. It would be a great way to alert people to what they may have missed. You wouldn't actually use it as a ticket book...but you might get more people to go on the A-list rides.

I like this, doubletrouble! Pretty much a new take on those passports for the World. Except I would recomend something besides tearing off first because of litter and second because I'd want to keep all of the book! But make it that somewhere either in the line or just after unloading (but somehow not in the way of everyone else!) there's a stamp machine or such. Ok, so except for the content, it would just be another passport. But I LIKE those! Next time I go down I'm so getting one.

 

[Lesley]

Okay, I think the kids (and dh) would practically beg for a "passport" that could be stamped (by cm or machine...whatever would work) at the end of each ride or something.....It probably would be a way to get us to ride some of things we might skip over otherwise (though with a 3yo....we don't skip much that she can ride!). It could be a sort of guidebook/check-off/souvenir "look what I did at WDW" sort of thing....

The fact that it would be inexpensive and not a necessity would be the clincher...no big deal if it gets lost (well, you know what I mean.....who would argue with riding things again?) Heck it could even be like a book....and have autograph space....be sold with a fat pen for characters to hold.....designed to hold the pen....

And it would be my greatest scrapbooker's wish that the pages would be acid and lignin free, tear out to place in a scrapbook, and the pen would be fadeproof and water resistant....LOL. Oh and the stamps too.....

Yeah, just what I need, more stuff to carry around the parks...but packaged right we could be sucked right in....we've found a lack of cool stuff to buy at Disney in the past few years. Yeah, I think we'd be in for at least 2 of them each trip....and it might change our touring strategies a bit....

 

[Beckles]

How would you handle park hopping in one day? You'd have to have dated or color-coded ticket books or something for each day, otherwise I'd go to every park each day and get a book, then maybe actually only do one park ...

 

[DisneyVillain]

As I recall, the main reason that Disney dropped the ticket books was that other theme parks had gone to the unlimited ride model. I don't think that the Six Flags parks and other similar parks compare well to the MK, (except for convenience). As a kid, however, I remember that the unlimited ride model at Six Flags (over Georgia) meant that I would have rated Six Flags and MK much closer to even than I would now. Offering unlimited rides was a HUGE plus for Six Flags.

My point is that everyone now expects the unlimited ride model, so Disney CAN'T go back to the ticket books. I didn't answer the pool, because I believe that it is a moot point.

 

[seashoreCM]

The idea of selling a "second fastpass" card is actually one of several in between compromises between the current system (known in the amusement industry as "pay one price") and the old (pre-1980?) A-E ticket system.

By being a separate card, it uses the existing infrastructure with no added labor costs except at the ticke booth. The fastpasses fetched via it are fitted into the existing return time schedule instead of being used at unpredictable times causing unpredictable crowding in the fastpass lines.

By being a separate card (actually the feature could be added to an existing UPH or park pass too at the ticket window with newer technology) the guest can still fetch fastpasses in the normal fashion with his existing UPH or park pass.

By being sold, it generates additional revenue for Disney. To recap, under the old A-E ticket system, you could buy additional allotments of tickets.

If desired, it, too, can be limited to one usage of any particular ride per day.

Also, to recap, for a brief period when fastpass was introduced, room keys (and rumor has it certain other non-Disney magnetic cards) behaved as second fastpass cards.

Yes it does create or accentuate a "caste system". So did the original A-E ticket system.

 

[Tekneek]

If Disney went to this, and Universal did not, it would be real bad news for Disney and very hard to recover from. Disney has expanded way too much to roll back the calendar to the 1970s. The only way it would work is if the competition went along with it. Universal would simply explode with people interested in the convenience of one-price-fits-all and Disney would be left to pick up the pieces. Besides, if they want to roll back to the ticket book, there are plenty of attractions I want to see return. If they did not bring those old attractions back with the retro ticket model, I would go elsewhere with all of my money.

 

[rexmundi]

I remember going to Disneyland as a little kid in the early 70s. I was waiting in line and dropped my last ticket to get onto the ride I wanted to go on, and the only thing I had left was tickets that my parents made me use at the Carousel of Progress, whcih was about 10 years behind the times even then. The ticket system was a nightmare and brings back one of my worst childhood memories. I would NEVER EVER go to Disney World if they brought back the ticket books. EVER.