Is Disney To Scrap Fast Pass System?

[Jabba]

Just returned from a fab holiday in WDW.
Universal has scrapped its free express pass system in favour of a paying system (conmen!!!) We complained at guest relations (what a joke they are) about the paying for an express pass. They said Disney would be phasing out there pass system at the end of 2006 to a paying system like there's.

Is there any truth in this?

PS The queues at Universal a week ago were crazy. 60-90 mins for the Mummy and 50 mins for Back to the future. I wont be returning to Universal until express pass is once again free!!!

 

[Zippa D Doodah]

I would be very surprised if WDW started charging for FPs. Talk about poor customer relations! There have been rumbles over the past several months about possible reforms in the system (extra FPs for on-site guests, etc). But I can't imagine Disney charging for basic FPs

 

[bicker]

Is there any truth in this?

No. Universal will be the last people to know. We'll know about something like that here on the DIS before the folks at Universal would find out about something like that.

What is plausible is that Disney might extend certain FastPass priorities to its own resort guests or deluxe resort guests. That wouldn't affect how anyone else gets or uses FastPasses, though.

Rest easy.

 

[RedxPanda]

They better not! The FP is one inovation that makes Disney great! w/o them it would be impossible to get everything done in a timely matter, especially on busy days =(

 

[Peter Pirate]

Sadly Universal is having a lot of problems (attendance down, ownership dilemma's, commitment issues) and decided the increased income over the lost customer loyalty they are causing was worth it.

Disney may examine some 'pay for' or 'Resort only' options but I really expect little to come of it as they are so big and with so many guests the FP system needs to be closely monitored and I believe the hue and cry would be enormous. I know I would NEVER go back to the wait in line system under any circumstance...Life is too short.

 

[disnut8]

Disney just extended free Magical Express from the airport to their resorts. That could be a cash cow right there. But they still aren't charging for it. So I highly doubt FastPass is going to a "pay" system. FastPass has been around for seven years with minimal tweaking.

 

[Tam1067]

I did read somewhere (sorry I can't remember where) that Disney might, as someone alluded to earlier, give those staying onsite and in deluxe properties more access to FP--so the higher paying guests would get more. I wouldn't trust anything I'd heard at Universal about Disney, though!

 

[TinyLolitaBunny]

I couldn't imagine they would. It's just not 'Disney' to do sucha thing.

The last time I went to Universal they were already charging for it. I didn't know they EVER had it for free... the last time I went was like 7 years ago!

 

[367PVK]

I wouldn't believe it either.

They may as others have said give "VIP FP's" to those in suites or concierge like they do in Paris. It just means you get one fast pass to use throughout your stay.

 

[tmt martins]

Also the Fastpass is trademarked as a free service so they would lose the trademark as well if they started to charge for it.

I see them maybe adding it as a perk to on-sight guest but they already get the EMH .

The truth of the matter is Dinsey doesn't make money for the 1 to 2 hours your standing in line.They would rather have you on and off rides going through the endofride stores ,eating or shopping.The more rides they get you on the more hints they can drop on what you need to buy.

 

[eclectics]

I can't see people paying Disney for FP's, at least in the slower times of year. Universal yes, because it is not as good as Disney in the crowd control arena. I would hesitate paying for the privilege at WDW when it is not too busy. We went last September and were fully prepared to take advantage of the FP system and believe it or not we did not have to use it once in the 10 days we were there! The wait time at every ride we went on just didn't justify the FP use. I think the longest we waited was 20 minutes and that was for Soarin. I do realize though, when WDW is busy, FP's are probably a mandatory way to go.

 

[tink1978]

Universal would say anything about Disney to get more people to come to their parks. Universal has been competing with Disney for years and will never have the same magic as Disney.

 

[justplaingoofy]

Disney just extended free Magical Express from the airport to their resorts. That could be a cash cow right there. But they still aren't charging for it. So I highly doubt FastPass is going to a "pay" system. FastPass has been around for seven years with minimal tweaking.

I agree that the Magical Express does cost them some money..however....I think that Disney is making more $ from offering it. In my opinion I think ALOT less people are renting cars because of it. Back when they didn't offer it Mears motor shuttle was about $30 per adult, $23 per child. Total about $106. For a couple of dollars more guests could rent a car and be able to go "off property" to Universal/Sea World and "non Disney" shopping areas. Now I think the car rentals are down, therefore more guests staying on property buying souveneirs, meals, etc...

??? Just my thinking

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

I highly doubt Disney would scrap it. Not only does fastpass mean those that use it are spending less time in line, but peak times in the standby lines have dropped because of it also. That gives you more time to look in teh shops and eat and munch and stuff and leads to more satisfied guests and more money in their coffers.


I got ads for for $119 for a season pass with 4 extra months attached and another for 2year passes for the price of one at Universal awhile back. At that kind of low pricing for admission, of course they're going to make you pay for express pass or stay at one of their hotels.

 

[40-Something Kid]

Disney and Universal are very different entities. I think pay-for-extra-fastpass at Universal is fine, and I've done it, but it's a much more raucous, anything-goes kind of environment.

Disney takes great pains to treat every guest as special, and this is even more important for the young princesses and princes. I think it would take away from the magic if there were any tiering or preferential treatment in access to the rides.

 

[laura001]

I also agree that it would be an "undisneylike" thing to do. I believe that if you are paying to get into the park everyone should have the same opportunity to see the attractions, use fastpasses etc. If they just wanted to make money, they could raise the ticket price across the board, but to start separating everything would do nothing except cheapen the experience.

 

[PocahontasLookALike]

Yeah, I wouldn't trust what Universal has to say. From experience, we received the WORST customer ever at Universal/IOA.

ITA with what everyone else has to say. Disney is a well-oiled machine and they realize that people standing in lines = no money making.

 

[Peter Pirate]

Anyone who knows me knows I'm a dyed in the wool Disney fan...But I will say that Universal Team Members at entrance points of USO are friendler than those at Disney. We even had a USO Team Member approach us for a quick chat then escort us to the FOTL for Hulk. This has NEVER happened to us at Disney.

So please keep the analogies logical. Disney is what it is and so is Universal. Disney was suffering a couple of years ago and now they're riding high, USO was riding high a couple of years ago, now they're suffering. It's in our (the cosumer's) best interests that both do well.

 

[El Tel]

I can't see that it makes sense for Disney to do that. Standing in lines doesn't generate revenue and creates bad feelings. It would make more sense to provide additional incentives rather than take them away. I think Universal is making a big mistake .

Has anyone got any more info about the rumours that resort guests may get special FP privileges? I'm staying onsite in October, and this may broaden my smile even more.

 

[LVE_HBRDN]

It's absoulutly rediculous for someone to suggest that disney would be fasing out their fast pass system. If the story where true why would disney bother putting fastpass machines in most of their new rides and even a seperate que for rides like EE.

Also why would disney be advertising their fastpasses on their vacation planning dvd if they where planning on fasing it out?

While I have known disney to often be a cheapskate and charge outrageous prices for most of their stuff. This is one thing I doubt they will start charging for. Imagine the outrage from people who have gotten used to using the system and expect to be able to avoid a few of the lines.