Fast Pass Improvement Idea

[summermac]

I think in theory it sounds great. In practice though, what a nightmare. People would be overwhelmed with the options for the all the FP rides. People would pick the wrong one and then want to change them. It's just a crazy nightmare waiting to happen if you ask me. I mean think of the people who can't even seem to understand they put their ticket in to get the fast pass out right now. Centralize that? Egads no.

 

[KSDisneyDad]

As for the (still theoretical) "you can get your FP before you even come to DW" -- I'll believe it when I see it, and highly doubt it would work, because it does not link to location, move people, or account for changes in plans. I suppose that'll free up the standby line some, since there will be less percentage FP return. But it could also drain out the FPs.

Although I don't like the "get your FP at home" idea, I have no doubt Disney can make it work with as much money as they are devoting to this project. They are devoting more than the cost of any new attraction, major update such as Fantasyland or as the article said, the cost of a new Cruise Ship. I'm sure there were many naysayers prior to Disney rolling out FP in the first place.

I visited US back in 2005 and they had something very similar to FP that was free to off-site guests. It seemed to work well from my perspective. Yet, from what I understand, they no longer offer it. With US, you now have to either stay on-site or pay for the service.

In other words, Disney has figured out how to make FP work for everyone right now, not just those on-site or those willing to pay a fee. Other theme parks can't seem to figure this out. Will there be some tweaking after a new FP system is rolled out? Sure. But for those who plan ahead, it may work great at saving time.

I was thinking one way it could work well for Disney is to encourage guests to get FP's for different parks on the same day. Then Disney will remind those guests that they have to buy an extra park-hopper add-on to their tickets. More $$ for Disney.

When Disney rolls this out, we'll have to change our FP strategies and planning to make it work for us. Yes, there will be those who are clueless and who miss out on the opportunity to get FP's ahead of time. My opinion on that is too bad for them for not planning ahead.

 

[rie'smom]

I agree that there seem to be lots of problems with the possible new FP system however, Disney will plan it I'm sure with many of these scenarios in mind. Then after implementation, they'll tweak it more.

 

[TheRustyScupper]

1) Alas, news of a new FP system for WDW is premature.
2) VERY premature.
3) The upgrade contemplated is ONLY for Disney California.
. . . the three Disney holtels and DVC's
. . . probably not the "Good Neighbor" associated hotels
4) It would be somewhat like Universal Studio hotel guests.
. . . there are few Disney hotels at California
. . . the number of FP's issued would be small
. . . FP's would not use too much of the ride capacity
5) They could not do this at WDW
. . . there are about 30,000 rooms are WDW
. . . that could be an average of 120,000 people
. . . advance FP's would use too much ride capacity
. . . they would be to few FP's for non-hotel guests

NOTE1: That is why Universal could try the hotel-guest-FP system
and WDW could not. Pure guest volume.


NOTE2: They are currently experiementing with giving 2-FP's to
each guest at the three Disney hotels at DL. This will aid in deciding
whether to go forward with the other FP plans at DL.

 

[KSDisneyDad]

1) Alas, news of a new FP system for WDW is premature.
2) VERY premature.
3) The upgrade contemplated is ONLY for Disney California.
. . . the three Disney holtels and DVC's
. . . probably not the "Good Neighbor" associated hotels
4) It would be somewhat like Universal Studio hotel guests.
. . . there are few Disney hotels at California
. . . the number of FP's issued would be small
. . . FP's would not use too much of the ride capacity
5) They could not do this at WDW
. . . there are about 30,000 rooms are WDW
. . . that could be an average of 120,000 people
. . . advance FP's would use too much ride capacity
. . . they would be to few FP's for non-hotel guests

NOTE1: That is why Universal could try the hotel-guest-FP system
and WDW could not. Pure guest volume.


NOTE2: They are currently experiementing with giving 2-FP's to
each guest at the three Disney hotels at DL. This will aid in deciding
whether to go forward with the other FP plans at DL.

Sorry for adding the discussion. I was just posting an article that described the new FP service for Disney parks. It never stated in the Orlando Sentinel article that this new FP idea is only for DLR. It made it sound like ALL Disney parks were to receive the new service. Granted, I believe that it is years away and a lot will change between concept and final implementation.

Orlando Sentinel

February 18, 2011
ANAHEIM (KTLA) -- Future visitors to Disney parks will be able to reserve ride times from their home computers and bypass hotel check-in desks once they arrive at the resort, the head of the Walt Disney Co.'s global theme-park division said during an investors conference Thursday.

Those advances are among of a series of technological initiatives Disney is developing in hopes of making visits to its increasingly crowded theme parks easier to plan and less intimidating to navigate, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Chairman Tom Staggs said at the conference in Anaheim, Calif.

"In the coming years, we'll introduce a broad set of systems and tools that will help us create a more seamless and personalized experience and help guests get more out of their visit with us," Staggs said. The ultimate goal, he added, is "to welcome more and more people, while making their experience more satisfying, more personal and more immersive."

Staggs' comments provided the first detailed glimpse at a secretive initiative dubbed "Next Generation Experience," or "NextGen," that Walt Disney Parks and Resorts has been working on for more than a year. The budget for the project is said to be around $1 billion — as much money as Disney spent to build its recently launched Disney Dream cruise ship.

In his remarks Thursday, Staggs described a "version of Fast Pass for an entire Disney vacation." Future guests, he said, will be able to reserve specific ride times for popular attractions, secure seating for shows, make restaurant reservations and pre-book other experiences before they leave their homes on vacation.

They will also be able to obtain their room keys in advance, eliminating the need to check into hotels and allowing them to proceed immediately to their rooms or a theme park once they arrive on Disney property.

Other advances, he said, will include personalizing rides and character greetings for individual guests, adding more interactive queues to entertain people while they wait in line for attractions, and designing behind-the-scenes systems for operations workers to better monitor and steer crowd flow to ease congestion.

 

[smitch425]

It never stated in the Orlando Sentinel article that this new FP idea is only for DLR. It made it sound like ALL Disney parks were to receive the new service. Granted, I believe that it is years away and a lot will change between concept and final implementation.

The first word in the article is "ANAHEIM" and then it's followed by tv/radio channel call letters. So while the article does not say Disneyland, it is safe to assume that they are talking about DL because the story is a reprint from someone in California.

 

[Reddog1134]

The first word in the article is "ANAHEIM" and then it's followed by tv/radio channel call letters. So while the article does not say Disneyland, it is safe to assume that they are talking about DL because the story is a reprint from someone in California.

That's just because the meeting where they announced it was in Anaheim.

 

[kidd_freeper]

As a park guest, I like the OP's idea. No more running around. Helps plan the day better.

From Disney's viewpoint, I'm not so sure that it would be a good idea to have EVERY FP machine a "universal" FP distribution center. Crowd distribution issues, getting guests to visit the gift shops and eateries, etc.

But perhaps there could be one or two FP distribution centers, located in key areas of a given park.

Perhaps, a "universal" FP dsitribution center could be installed in areas where Disney would like people to visit. Like Main Street/Hollywood Blvd (but don't open the U-FP distribution center until later in the day, like noon), or in the case of EPCOT - put Futureworld FPs on the far side of WorldShowcase.

 

[jade1]

In his remarks Thursday, Staggs described a "version of Fast Pass for an entire Disney vacation." Future guests, he said, will be able to reserve specific ride times for popular attractions, secure seating for shows, make restaurant reservations and pre-book other experiences before they leave their homes on vacation.

Great idea-hate trying to get everyone going in the am just to secure a FP. Its archaic and barbaric, and certainly not relaxing.

 

[eggstacey]

I think it's in Disney's best financial interests to have us running all over, cris-crossing the parks. The more we walk around, the hungrier we get, the more often we smell the delicious snack stands, and the more often our kids walk past the gift shops and candy stands.

I wouldn't be opposed to some kind of centralized fast pass system (or all machines giving out passes to all rides, or whatever), but it's also not something that would be a really exciting change for me. It just doesn't seem like that big a deal to send one member of our party FP running. Maybe I'd feel differently if that member was me.

 

[rie'smom]

Here's the link to his speech at the investor's conference in Anaheim. The speech is not park specific. The part pertaining to FPs is on page 6.
http://corporate.disney.go.com/news/parks_resorts/WDPR - Tom Staggs - Investor Conference.pdf

 

[KSDisneyDad]

Here's the link to his speech at the investor's conference in Anaheim. The speech is not park specific. The part pertaining to FPs is on page 6.
http://corporate.disney.go.com/news/parks_resorts/WDPR - Tom Staggs - Investor Conference.pdf

Thanks. I agree that he talked about Disney vacations in general with respect to FP and was not park specific. Thus, I interpreted this to mean that the FP discussion was for all Disney parks around the world including Florida.

In that same speech he delivered from Anaheim, he did talk a lot about park specific things such as the Art of Animation Resort, Aulani, the MK Fantasy Land expansion, Tokyo Disneyland, the Disney cruise ships, etc. But again, with respect to FPs, it was general to all Disney parks. Granted, he did say "in the coming years" and that "it will be some time before we roll out the bulk of these initiatives". That could mean 3 to 5+ years out and a lot can change in that time. It's still fun to speculate though.

 

[Florida Dreamin']

I'd much rather them leave it the way they have it. The idea would only be beneficial to a select group of people and not everyone like it does now. If you want fastpasses for a ride, you should have to go to said ride to get them.

Example; I want McDonald's fries and a Whopper, but I can't get them at one place can I?

 

[kmk1180]

I agree with those that say leave it.
As others have said, it's meant to hold a place in line allowing you to do
other nearby things while you wait.
The OP idea would just make it more likely people take up all the FP's to rides faster, but I think also increase the % of people who don't use them.
Thus taking away from those who make the effort to go to the ride.

Only thing I would say they need to do is have 1 machine at each location for "Groups" only. So if you have a party of 10 or more, you use that machine.
Everyone who buys a ticket is entitled to get a FP but it really sucks
to be behind the guy who had 30 tickets for an entire group.
Face it, usually everyone sends 1 person to get all the FP's. When it's 4 or 6 not a big deal. But get behind a big group rep?
This way people in line are less likely to be held up waiting for the 30 tickets to ring though even though they are 2nd in line.

 

[MHSweb79]

I think it's in Disney's best financial interests to have us running all over, cris-crossing the parks. The more we walk around, the hungrier we get, the more often we smell the delicious snack stands, and the more often our kids walk past the gift shops and candy stands.

I think this is a big part of it. That's why your local supermarket won't put the bread & milk displays right near the front door- they make you walk past all sorts of temptations in order to "run in for a gallon of milk."

Also, crowd control is a science at Disney. That's why EE is across the park from the Safari ride - it splits up the crowds.

And thirdly, I agree with all the PP's who say that this would be a disaster of logistics - how many times have we been behind someone who can't even figure out the pathetically simple FP machines now? Add CHOICES to the "put card in/ take ticket out" could cause major backups.

I do like the idea of a central FP dispenser - near the Times Boards, for instance, in addition to the machines at each attraction. But like I said before, it behooves Disney to keep the crowds split up and passing as many of the delectable popcorn stands and Dole-whippers they can.

 

[clanmcculloch]

I'm having a premonition. I foresee many threads with titles to the effect of "Vent - I got a FP at Splash but had to use it at Space" because people will not understand what they're getting. This board will be FILLED with these. Yes, the machines would be clearly marked, but it'll happen anyway. A lot.

 

[kmk1180]

I'm having a premonition. I foresee many threads with titles to the effect of "Vent - I got a FP at Splash but had to use it at Space" because people will not understand what they're getting. This board will be FILLED with these. Yes, the machines would be clearly marked, but it'll happen anyway. A lot.

 

[wdw&sonny]

I think this is a big part of it. That's why your local supermarket won't put the bread & milk displays right near the front door- they make you walk past all sorts of temptations in order to "run in for a gallon of milk."

Also, crowd control is a science at Disney. That's why EE is across the park from the Safari ride - it splits up the crowds.

And thirdly, I agree with all the PP's who say that this would be a disaster of logistics - how many times have we been behind someone who can't even figure out the pathetically simple FP machines now? Add CHOICES to the "put card in/ take ticket out" could cause major backups.

I do like the idea of a central FP dispenser - near the Times Boards, for instance, in addition to the machines at each attraction. But like I said before, it behooves Disney to keep the crowds split up and passing as many of the delectable popcorn stands and Dole-whippers they can.

Exactly Disney may market the FP system as "saving your place in line" but what they are really doing is getting you out of line to spend money someplace else. The more you walk around, the more you will shop, eat, spend. They do extensive research to increase the per capita spending.

 

[Wadecool]

Exactly Disney may market the FP system as "saving your place in line" but what they are really doing is getting you out of line to spend money someplace else. The more you walk around, the more you will shop, eat, spend. They do extensive research to increase the per capita spending.

The idea is really genius. I really wish the parks around here would adopt something similar.

 

[scrapquitler]

Exactly Disney may market the FP system as "saving your place in line" but what they are really doing is getting you out of line to spend money someplace else. The more you walk around, the more you will shop, eat, spend. They do extensive research to increase the per capita spending.

My husband spends all our time in WDW telling me exactly this. "they'd rather have you walking around spending money on merchandise, food, etc than standing in line with your wallet in your pocket, THATS why there are fast passes, not for our conveniences...just so we will spend more money" And he's right!