FastPass Policy Change

[JT4Ever4Ever4Ever]

Rumors that Disney is going to change how fastpasses are distributed so that guests who are spending more money at WDW receive more fastpasses. Anyone heard anything about this?

 

[PrincessTiffany]

Rumors that Disney is going to change how fastpasses are distributed so that guests who are spending more money at WDW receive more fastpasses. Anyone heard anything about this?

No, I have never heard that. Why would Disney fix something that's not broken? Seems to be working well, just the way it is. That's just my opinion, though.

 

[bradk]

there are many rumors. however it would fundamentally be impossible to gauge who's spending what.

this should be on the rumors board however. least of all, the title is extremely misleading.

 

[Blood on the saddle]

Yes, there have been rumors.

Here's an article from last September that talks about it:

http://allears.net/aa/aa091007.htm#ques1

 

[WilsonFlyer]

Rumors that Disney is going to change how fastpasses are distributed so that guests who are spending more money at WDW receive more fastpasses. Anyone heard anything about this?

Source for these "rumors"?

It has been stated many times before that Disney has hundreds of options available on FP that have never been implemented, and may never be.

Let's be careful that we judge FP for what it is and not what we want it to be. FP is a gift and not a right. Disney giveth and Disney can certainly take away.

People get free dining in Sept.. Those of us that go the rest of the year have to pay to eat.

I'd be very surprised to see any changes to the FP system that deprive anyone of what they are getting now. What wouldn't surprise me would be the turn-up of additional features and options for selected guests based on some pre-determined criteria determinable from their park pass. Remember that the capability has always been there. It's just never been used before.

To incent the people that spend the most money to be happy and spend even more money (AP holders, DVC owners, premium hotel guests, for example) is called Marketing 101. In this market economy, it wouldn't surprise me if Disney didn't do everything they could to get more and more out of the people they can. As a matter of fact, it would surprise me more if they didn't.

 

[asmit4]

I might get flamed- but I like the concept that Anita described. I stay onsite though! I think more perks for those that pay the onsite costs are awesome. (which the costs are much higher for what you get)

 

[Zippa D Doodah]

It makes sense to me that Disney will need to come up with some more perks for guests staying on site. EMH, for example, is OK but IMO it's not the amazing gift that many believe it to be. As times get hard it will take more to keep guests on site; FP incentives just might work.

 

[WilsonFlyer]

It makes sense to me that Disney will need to come up with some more perks for guests staying on site. EMH, for example, is OK but IMO it's not the amazing gift that many believe it to be. As times get hard it will take more to keep guests on site; FP incentives just might work.

Exactly.

 

[Stacy's a freak]

It makes sense to me that Disney will need to come up with some more perks for guests staying on site. EMH, for example, is OK but IMO it's not the amazing gift that many believe it to be. As times get hard it will take more to keep guests on site; FP incentives just might work.

Absolutely! Staying onsite for me has nothing to do with the EMH. I actually avoid EMH parks. I stay onsite because I like to be immersed in the experience, use only WDW transport, etc. If the cost keeps going up, they will need to find extra incentives to keep people on property ... ambiance is only worth so much, ya know?

 

[Zippa D Doodah]

Absolutely! Staying onsite for me has nothing to do with the EMH. I actually avoid EMH parks. I stay onsite because I like to be immersed in the experience, use only WDW transport, etc. If the cost keeps going up, they will need to find extra incentives to keep people on property ... ambiance is only worth so much, ya know?

I knew I wasn't the only one. EMH used to be a great perk for my family (and I'm sure it is now for many folks), but lately we tend to schedule ourselves to avoid EMHs and the crowds that go with them.

 

[sdzman]

The best thing about Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure is their onsite fastpass (FOTL) policy IMO. I wouldnt micd seeing something like that for onsite WDW guests and FL residents.

 

[Zippa D Doodah]

The best thing about Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure is their onsite fastpass (FOTL) policy IMO. I wouldnt micd seeing something like that for onsite WDW guests and FL residents.

Knock out the FL residents and you've got yourself the makings of a good policy.

 

[asmit4]

The best thing about Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure is their onsite fastpass (FOTL) policy IMO. I wouldnt micd seeing something like that for onsite WDW guests and FL residents.

I was wondering though- since people get that for staying onsite and they can pay for it (at US, IOA), doesn't EVERYONE do it, thereby negating the value? I heard on a review recently that someone who HAD the pass, STILL waited 2 hours for a ride b/c EVERYONE had the FOTL pass.

I think something like allowing onsite guests 1-2 extra FP at their resort per day for 1 park would be cool- like you could pick it before you left for the day.

 

[Sleeping Becca]

Disney holds many FP patents, that they may or may not ever use.

We always stay onsite, so a tiered system would work in our favor.

Disney also could offer a tiered system for resort guests, with perks allocated according to accomodations, ie GF guest get more perks than POP guests. Although, I don't see them doing this, but they have the capability.

 

[JT4Ever4Ever4Ever]

Disney holds many FP patents, that they may or may not ever use.

We always stay onsite, so a tiered system would work in our favor.

Disney also could offer a tiered system for resort guests, with perks allocated according to accomodations, ie GF guest get more perks than POP guests. Although, I don't see them doing this, but they have the capability.

Yup that was also something I heard. Guests at a deluxe would get a certain amount of fastpasses, then mods, then values!

 

[selina4disney]

Disney also could offer a tiered system for resort guests, with perks allocated according to accomodations, ie GF guest get more perks than POP guests. Although, I don't see them doing this, but they have the capability.

Which I find so unfair. I think if you pay the park entry fee, you should have access to FP the same as any other paying guest. So many people on this board, myself included, go to Disney a lot, and we always stay on site, so I guess that would work in our favor also...BUT not everyone can do that...and going to Disney for some is a once-in-a-lifetime trip that they saved for eons to be able to go at all. They should not be penalized because they can't afford to stay at the GF, or even onsite at all...I think the FP system works great as it is and I would hate to see it change. I say leave it be and share the magic of fast pass with everyone! I mentioned this to one of the Imagineers who worked on implementing the FP system in the first place when we did Dining with an Imagineer last fall...the rumors of this were already circulating then.

 

[tink fan]

They have used this option at Disneyland Resort.

Disneyland and AAA had a program where if you purchased a Disneyland AAA package your ticket had an enhanced fastpass feature. This allowed you to hold as many fastpasses as you wanted at a time. The only limitation was that you could only have one fastpass for each ride. (meaning you couldn't get 3 fastpasses for Space Mountain at the same time, but you could get a fastpass for Space Mountain, Buzzlightyear, BTMR, etc at the same time.)

Our strategy was to go to all the fastpass machines when we arrived and then use them at our leisure throughout the day.

I don't think it is offered anymore. We were there in June 2006.

 

[asmit4]

Which I find so unfair. I think if you pay the park entry fee, you should have access to FP the same as any other paying guest. So many people on this board, myself included, go to Disney a lot, and we always stay on site, so I guess that would work in our favor also...BUT not everyone can do that...and going to Disney for some is a once-in-a-lifetime trip that they saved for eons to be able to go at all. They should not be penalized because they can't afford to stay at the GF, or even onsite at all...I think the FP system works great as it is and I would hate to see it change. I say leave it be and share the magic of fast pass with everyone! I mentioned this to one of the Imagineers who worked on implementing the FP system in the first place when we did Dining with an Imagineer last fall...the rumors of this were already circulating then.

I see your point, but IMO- there is a lot about DW and in life that isn't 'fair'. For instance. MNSSHP costs extra even if you have a park hopper and have been to the park all day, the DDP which saves $$ is only available to onsite guests, the EMH hours (which we love) are only available to onsite guests.

DW is a business, they are in the business of making $$, not in the business of being fair. IMO- those that pay more, should get more benefits. We did a deluxe and weren't thrilled, so now we are sticking to values. If they offered something great for deluxe pkgs, we would consider it just to get the perks. (hence DW would make more $$ off us than they would otherwise) I think that the FOTL pass for onsite guests is great at US and IOA, but it's not practical for onsite guests at DW due to the # of hotels. I do think that something like the dream fast passes that they give away would be cool for deluxe guests, onsite guests, or whoever they choose to give them to based on their financial data. Maybe they could offer you 1 dream fast pass per ressie an onsite hotel for 5 nights or longer? Something like that would be awesome.

I also really like the idea of having an FP machine or 2 at each resort which would allow you to grab 1 FP before you leave your resort for the day- or however many they deem appropriate based on the level of accommodations you choose.

 

[drcandon]

The only possible change to FP policy that might work is the stay on site priority one..like Universal does...still even that might not be so good as Disney opens up more resorts and VC's....yes, it would work for us, as we always stay onsite, but what about the family that has saved for years and the best they can do is a nice hotel offsite...do they not get to ride anything or wait for 70 min to 2 hours, because they are not part of the Disney elite..putting it that way makes it seem snobbish doesn't it..

To use a poorly put euphanistic phrase..poor ole' Walt would turn over in his grave if he knew this is happening"..

I may have the quote worded incorrectly, but wasn't it Walt that stated emphatically that he wanted ALL his guests to feel like Prince and Princesses???

 

[Sleeping Becca]

I like FP as it is, it is a great system, and what I like about it most is that it is an equal opportunity system.

I like that Disney doesn't go the "Titanic" route, with a caste, oh I mean class system.

They do however hold patents should they ever decide to go that route.