Any chance Disney will add FastPass during October

[mickeyfan100]

I’m right there with you. We arrive October 10 and the increased wait times lately have been scary... I would love for them to bring back fast passes for Columbus Day weekend, although realistically I don’t see it happening.

 

[nkereina]

I don't think a paid FP+ is out of the realm of possibility, but I do think they need to enhance the FP+ experience to make it worthwhile. I have no qualms paying for express pass at Universal because it allows me to ride any ride I want when I want to. No limits, which is a great value. Even at Disneyland, paying for FP was ok with me because the availability was there and I never felt pressured to book rides. If people purchase FPs and then can't obtain one for some of the headliner attractions, you know people will be at Guest Services wanting refunds.

 

[randumb0]

I don't see it happening

 

[Apiary]

Unless they increase capacity, thanksgiving week shouldn't be busier than the weekends have been lately. They've been at capacity for the park pass system, they'll probably be at capacity on thanksgiving week as well, but I wouldn't imagine the capacity would be different. It might even feel less crowded as more restaurants and shows open.

 

[Biggen]

Man I would love a paid FP. Disney needs to get this going ASAP.

 

[JulieBeeRN]

Unpopular opinion:
Disney should use this chance to bring paid day of fastpass, like max pass, to the parks.

universal is still successfully using their express pass system at this time. I foresee Disneyland opening with maxpass in play as it’s part of many AP’s and is connected to photo pass.

would gladly play for a similar in Disney world. We love maxpass at Disneyland. Day of for the park you are in.

We love them at Disneyland as well. I would definitely pay for a max pass system at Disney World.

 

[Shacka1]

We're going New Years Week and I am SO nervous to be there during a holidays without FP. Fingers crossed

 

[nicknamy1996]

I think social distance 'requirements' will need to be removed before they can think about FP again. There were a lot of rides at all four parks that were utilizing both lines (FP & regular) to keep as much of the queue "in the queue" as possible. Even with that some of the lines at AK and DHS were hilarious in length. The wait times were not terrible but the lines for TOT and RNR were literally back to Hollywood Boulevard.

 

[whiporee]

Man I would love a paid FP. Disney needs to get this going ASAP.

You may love the idea, but in order for WDW to make them functional in terms of reducing lines, it will need to be in the price ball park of the CLFPs. That's $25 per FP -- plus you have to do three days plus you have to stay at one of their most expensive rooms in that hotel. I don't think WDW could charge enough to make a full-day FP feasible -- a lot of these people coming would pay $400-500 without batting an eye -- people pay $600/hour (plus tip) for VIP tours. Even at a full load of 10 guests per tour, that's $60/hour per guest. With walking and FP lines, loading and unloading (remember, this isn't DAH; there are still crowds), I think it's hard to get more than three an hour, so $20/person/ride IF every person is going on every ride.

If they just sell full day FPs, in order for the paid FP to have the value it's intended, I don't think they could charge less than $500 each. So then you have the family of four's day at MK costing $2500 (you still have park admission). That's not great optics. Even at that, If they kill their VIP tour business and probably the CLFPs. And they end up with WDW being a place that only the rich(er) enjoy. And if they go much less, then everybody does it -- or everybody feels like they have to do it -- and the benefit is greatly reduced.

So I think it's one of those things that sounds really cool until you start thinking about how it would really work, and then the appeal to all but those with money to burn fades rather quickly.

 

[Shinrai]

You may love the idea, but in order for WDW to make them functional in terms of reducing lines, it will need to be in the price ball park of the CLFPs. That's $25 per FP -- plus you have to do three days plus you have to stay at one of their most expensive rooms in that hotel. I don't think WDW could charge enough to make a full-day FP feasible -- a lot of these people coming would pay $400-500 without batting an eye -- people pay $600/hour (plus tip) for VIP tours. Even at a full load of 10 guests per tour, that's $60/hour per guest. With walking and FP lines, loading and unloading (remember, this isn't DAH; there are still crowds), I think it's hard to get more than three an hour, so $20/person/ride IF every person is going on every ride.

If they just sell full day FPs, in order for the paid FP to have the value it's intended, I don't think they could charge less than $500 each. So then you have the family of four's day at MK costing $2500 (you still have park admission). That's not great optics. Even at that, If they kill their VIP tour business and probably the CLFPs. And they end up with WDW being a place that only the rich(er) enjoy. And if they go much less, then everybody does it -- or everybody feels like they have to do it -- and the benefit is greatly reduced.

So I think it's one of those things that sounds really cool until you start thinking about how it would really work, and then the appeal to all but those with money to burn fades rather quickly.

I don't think it would need to look like that. I think the reason the Maxpass at Disneyland is such a hit is that those parks never had a "book 180 days in advance" fastpass option. Prior to the Maxpass, Disneyland had free physical fast passes that involved going to a ride and pulling a ticket to return later in that day (this is still available, actually, the Maxpass is just an upgrade).

With Maxpass, you reserve a ride time on your phone app, and once you have ridden your reserved ride OR after 90 minutes have passed (whichever comes first) you can reserve another FP. We've used that system to ride Radiator Springs Racers (easily the biggest ticket ride at the California parks) multiple times in one day, as well as pretty much anything else we want to ride.

To be honest, it works so well that when we thought of going to WDW in the past, the idea of having to reserve FP 180 days in advance stressed us out. But, I realize that people who are used to the WDW system are stressed out by the sound of the Maxpass system.

Maybe now is actually a good time for WDW to put a system like Maxpass into play. Like you said, Disney can't charge big money for FP because it's bad optics, especially if they do that without starting up the free FP options again first. But $20/person per day is not huge money, and a lot of people would be willing to pay it. I mean, that's barely more than lunch at a QS. Disney would probably make quite a bit more on all those $20 upgrade fees than they would on a few super expensive all-day express passes.