Don't Waste Your Money: Disney Changes Fast Pass, some fans unhappy

[Rumors Rocks]

Video news report: http://www.wcpo.com/money/consumer/dont-waste-your-money/disney-changes-fast-pass-some-fans-unhappy

Anyone who has visited Disney World in the past 15 years knows what a Fast Pass is.

It cuts your wait time for rides from an hour down to 10 minutes or less, and is essential on busy days for rides like Space Mountain, Splash Mountain, Rockin Roller Coaster at Disney Studios, or Soarin at Epcot.

But Disney has just made a big change to its Fast Passes, and some fans are not sure they like it.


What is Changing

It is changing to a high tech Fast Pass "Plus" program, a new digital version that does away with paper passes.

It rolled out the Fast Pass+ at the Magic Kingdom on January 14th, 2014, and plans to add it to other parks in the coming weeks.

But some tourists who stay at condos or hotels off-site say it unfairly favors visitors who stay on-site.


How it works

Fast Pass+ allows reservations on up to 3 rides a day at the Magic Kingdom.

And if you stay in a Disney property, you can reserve rides 2 months or even longer in advance.

But off-site visitors cannot reserve a spot until they arrive at Rope Drop, which off-site hotel owners say is unfair.


The concern is that when people staying off-site arrive at the Magic Kingdom, the fast passes for Space Mountain or Big Thunder MountaIn Railroad could be sold out.


In addition, some fans say they like to choose their rides when they get to the park, depending on the weather, not a month in advance when they don't know if it will be hot and sunny or cool and rainy.

Some fans are expressing their unhappiness at online forums like Theme Park Insider.


Disney Defends Changes

Disney, though, says this will end the mad race to Fast Pass machines when the park opens (the Space Mountain Fast Pass machine is a favorite at Rope Drop).

Disney also says this will save time, as you will not have to visit a ride just to grab a pass.

In addition, Disney says there's no worry longer any worry about losing a Fast Pass paper ticket, a technology that was cutting edge in 1994 but now needs to change for changing times.

As always, don't waste your money.

 

[DSE]

From the standpoint of someone who stays on-site, I think this is great. It's another benefit of staying at a Disney resort.

I also think from a business perspective, Disney can use this to their advantage. Push more people to thier hotels. Of course offsite hotels think it's unfair because they can't compete with it. Its a competitive advantage for the Disney Resorts.

 

[RicJ]

Honestly? Of course it's ''unfair'' but it's a Disney system being applied with priority to people that use Disney resorts...

Their park, their system, their rules...

Disney can't really compete with lower prices of off site hotels, but of course they want to book their own places and make money on that... they need to offer something extra, and priority on Fast Passes seems like the golden ticket really.

 

[Sunnywho]

But off-site visitors cannot reserve a spot until they arrive at Rope Drop, which off-site hotel owners say is unfair.

That's amusing.
I have sympathy for off-site guests, but for the hotel owners, not so much. It's a business.

 

[Canooknic]

It is unfortunate for guest staying off-site, but I like that we (on-site guests) get an extra benefit from spending the extra money.
Not all the FP are taken by FP+, so it's not that different to before, they had to get FP- on the day they were in the park before FP+ arrived and they still have to now!
.

 

[wiigirl]

That's amusing.
I have sympathy for off-site guests, but for the hotel owners, not so much. It's a business.

Same here....

 

[rteetz]

I don't get it why am I wasting my money....

 

[Batstang2000]

I am looking forward to using FP+ on our trip in May. If I thought I was wasting money, I guess I would have stopped going before my 18th trip...

 

[manning]

I solved the problem for me.

I'm on vacation and go into slow mode. Leisurely walk the park and if I see a short line go on the ride. No short line? Well there is next time.

At my age I'm not into the charge of the light brigade anymore.

At one time there weren't fast passes and gosh we survived.

 

[rteetz]

I solved the problem for me. I'm on vacation and go into slow mode. Leisurely walk the park and if I see a short line go on the ride. No short line? Well there is next time. At my age I'm not into the charge of the light brigade anymore. At one time there weren't fast passes and gosh we survived.

exactly

 

[disneydennis]

I solved the problem for me.

I'm on vacation and go into slow mode. Leisurely walk the park and if I see a short line go on the ride. No short line? Well there is next time.

At my age I'm not into the charge of the light brigade anymore.

At one time there weren't fast passes and gosh we survived.

Thank you! If only more people thought like you!

 

[jamarmiller]

It makes sense for disney. It gives more value to staying at a disney hotel. I usually stay off site at some hotel that cost me 30 bucks but now with this , I probably will at least consider paying the 200 dollar a night value hotels lol because I have kids , if I was single I don't think I would but with small kids being able to reserve in advance 3 rides is nice . Wish you could do more rides though 5 or 6 would be great

 

[manning]

It makes sense for disney. It gives more value to staying at a disney hotel. I usually stay off site at some hotel that cost me 30 bucks but now with this , I probably will at least consider paying the 200 dollar a night value hotels lol because I have kids , if I was single I don't think I would but with small kids being able to reserve in advance 3 rides is nice . Wish you could do more rides though 5 or 6 would be great

They'll have to give me more no entice than that for a $700 room

 

[china mom]

Off site guests have to pay for transportation to their hotel and can't use the free Magical Express - no fair!

Off site guests don't get to enter the park early or stay late for EMH - no fair!

Like I tell my kids... "sometimes, life ain't fair."

 

[jamarmiller]

I think EMH should be everyday and at all parks everyday . If so that would interest me but the current system is just too restricting for me

 

[rteetz]

I think EMH should be everyday and at all parks everyday . If so that would interest me but the current system is just too restricting for me

EMH is pretty much every day just not at every park disney wouldn't do it at every park. I don't think disney would want to.

 

[bcrook]

I solved the problem for me.

I'm on vacation and go into slow mode. Leisurely walk the park and if I see a short line go on the ride. No short line? Well there is next time.

At my age I'm not into the charge of the light brigade anymore.

At one time there weren't fast passes and gosh we survived.

Thank you! If only more people thought like you!

According to a different news story, 50% of the WDW patrons never used FP, so it sounds like there were quite a few people leisurely walking parks and surviving without FP.

 

[rteetz]

Off site guests have to pay for transportation to their hotel and can't use the free Magical Express - no fair! Off site guests don't get to enter the park early or stay late for EMH - no fair! Like I tell my kids... "sometimes, life ain't fair."

magical express is part of the disney transportation system. Disney is not going to run to every other hotel in the area that wouldn't make sense that is fair. EMH are a perk for on site guests if disney didn't do it they would lose guests disney is trying to run a business they do these things for that reason. transportation and EMH an are part of disney resorts they aren't going to do it for everyone then there is no perk. You the customer chose to stay offsite knowing these things.

 

[jamarmiller]

EMH is pretty much every day just not at every park disney wouldn't do it at every park. I don't think disney would want to.

Which is exactly why it doesn't interest me. I want to choose what park I go toon what day. I don't want to say , hey. Epcot has EMH today so let's go there

 

[Borishack]

In an extension of the issues covered in the article the OP posted, I offer the piece in the link below. It's based on some interesting observations of Disney park management during the recent Christmas-New Years period:

http://micechat.com/53144-crush-disney-crowds-masks-weaker-parks-flaws/