Fastpass return or replacement?

[Scroggins]

There is no way a project team at Disney is sitting around trying to plan how to roll that mess out.....that is way too complicated for thousands upon thousands of visitors, let alone the operational inefficiencies and training required of all CM to monitor 4+ different types of people/passes approaching their lines.

 

[snowwhite84]

I’m pretty much a sucker for any add on they throw out there but $50 per person for 1 ride? That’s a hard no for me. I’ll take my chances with the VQ for free. We got 2 out of 3 tries last week, both bg’s under 10.

My girlfriends and I had a trip planned in March 2020, specifically to do RotR. Obviously that trip got canceled. We have rebooked and canceled three times in the pandemic. We are going in October, a group of vaccinated adult women leaving kids and husbands at home. I will definitely pay $50 a person to ensure we have a spot on RotR! For future visits? Probably not, unless I had someone with me who hadn’t been on it yet. But I’m jazzed by this rumor!

 

[IceSkatingPrincess]

THIS IS ALL UNCONFIRMED!!!!

However, the following is out there from a couple of sources that the new version of FP for WDW will be announced soon (this month). Supposedly the implementation will be October 1st or soon after.

All of these options will be implemented at the same time as a replacement to fastpass:

Lightening Pass - Paid entry into the fastpass line (much like the Paris model)

Lightening Pass Plus - Costs more than LP but straight to the front of the line

Genie Basic - Free but only allows you to book a time to join the standby line. Once in the standby line you have to wait the same as everyone else.

Genie Favourite Attractions - Free and allows you to identify a specific number of favourite attractions. You then 'may' receive an alert informing you when the standby line is low. Only some folks will receive that message though so the attraction isn't overloaded.

Genie Plus - Paid customised touring plans, much like those already offered by the Touring Plans website.

Standby - (most but not all attractions) - traditional walk up and wait.

Boarding Groups - Will continue for ROTR and will be the only way to ride Ratatouille when it opens.

This seems too confusing to fly. 7 different ways to get in line (before even touching rider swap, DAS, and tours) is a guest relations nightmare. I could see some combination of this, but not all.

Not to mention the IT disaster this would surely become.

 

[Garyjames220]

THIS IS ALL UNCONFIRMED!!!!

However, the following is out there from a couple of sources that the new version of FP for WDW will be announced soon (this month). Supposedly the implementation will be October 1st or soon after.

All of these options will be implemented at the same time as a replacement to fastpass:

Lightening Pass - Paid entry into the fastpass line (much like the Paris model)

Lightening Pass Plus - Costs more than LP but straight to the front of the line

Genie Basic - Free but only allows you to book a time to join the standby line. Once in the standby line you have to wait the same as everyone else.

Genie Favourite Attractions - Free and allows you to identify a specific number of favourite attractions. You then 'may' receive an alert informing you when the standby line is low. Only some folks will receive that message though so the attraction isn't overloaded.

Genie Plus - Paid customised touring plans, much like those already offered by the Touring Plans website.

Standby - (most but not all attractions) - traditional walk up and wait.

Boarding Groups - Will continue for ROTR and will be the only way to ride Ratatouille when it opens.

what’s the difference between genie basic and standby

 

[Lashed34]

If they are going to charge then why not just copy Universal's Express Pass and have done with it.

It's the simplest, easiest system and works brilliantly. They can have the Express and Unlimited Express.

All these Lightening and Genie ideas look and sound insanely complicated.

 

[NJlauren]

Rumors like this always have me thinking Disney released this to monitor the chatter and make some decisions based on that with out having to pay for a survey to be done

 

[cakebaker]

what’s the difference between genie basic and standby

Sounds like genie basic is just to reserve a time to get in the standby line. There was talk weeks ago about them having the option to close traditional standby and make it reservation only. Once you got a notification to join, you’d still be in the traditional standby line- it wouldn’t shorten your wait time in line at all.

 

[cakebaker]

This seems too confusing to fly. 7 different ways to get in line (before even touching rider swap, DAS, and tours) is a guest relations nightmare. I could see some combination of this, but not all.

Not to mention the IT disaster this would surely become.

Honestly, this looks like a compilation of every system they’ve looked at so far. I seriously doubt the final product would include all of this.

 

[jujubiee4]

Sadly I would happily pay $50 for RotR to not do the stupid 7am thing when you still might not get to ride. Actually I think $50 would be kind of a steal for this.

This will hit a specific group of people. I guarantee there will be takers.

 

[Prince John Robin Hood]

Universal is hoping these rumours are true. Disney is forgetting this is a vacation for most visitors. Unless your lighting plus it's going to be complicated and stressful.

 

[dato63]

If they are going to charge then why not just copy Universal's Express Pass and have done with it.

It's the simplest, easiest system and works brilliantly. They can have the Express and Unlimited Express.

All these Lightening and Genie ideas look and sound insanely complicated.

I agree. I booked the higher cost resort at Universal specifically for the unlimited express pass. It will be our first time ever at Universal, but it was easy to understand.

With everything going on with WDW, I'm debating extending our Universal stay, and either blowing off our WL stay at Disney - or at least shortening the stay. There is just a point where over complicated takes the fun out of the vacation. . . if accurate, this may be that point for me.

 

[Garyjames220]

Sounds like genie basic is just to reserve a time to get in the standby line. There was talk weeks ago about them having the option to close traditional standby and make it reservation only. Once you got a notification to join, you’d still be in the traditional standby line- it wouldn’t shorten your wait time in line at all.

if only so many can enter the standby could that mean they may not have standby past an hour or so

 

[AnnaKristoff2013]

How many RotR boarding slots will wind up being sold and at what price.

Given the 80/20 split normal fast passes used I’d expect at least 80 percent of the ride capacity for headliners like Rise dedicated to paid fast pass. Getting on rise without paying extra is probably going to be effectively impossible unless you are extremely lucky.

 

[snowwhite84]

I agree. I booked the higher cost resort at Universal specifically for the unlimited express pass. It will be our first time ever at Universal, but it was easy to understand.

With everything going on with WDW, I'm debating extending our Universal stay, and either blowing off our WL stay at Disney - or at least shortening the stay. There is just a point where over complicated takes the fun out of the vacation. . . if accurate, this may be that point for me.

I’ve assumed Disney can’t do their FP system like Universal because they have so many more attractions. Just my assumption, could be wrong. I also love the Universal EP!

 

[Marionnette]

Disney Dish with Jim Hill & Len Testa broke it all down on today's podcast.

Just finished listening to that segment of the podcast. Interesting observation was that Disney is intentionally making it overly complicated in the hopes that guests will just throw money at it in order to "solve the problem" (of waiting in a long line).

My take is the opposite. This will add another layer to planning an already complicated Disney vacation. It will frustrate newcomers who will see that they already paid $$$ just to walk through the gates. Are they really going to have the time to navigate such a convoluted system and still enjoy the parks? The ones who will mostly benefit from this are the same people who learned to master the FP+ system. IMO, that long list of options should be pared down to 3 + boarding groups for the most recently opened attractions. They're just going to frustrate and anger people the more complicated they make it.

 

[Garyjames220]

So is it looking like there will be no “free” fast passes for on site guests

 

[AnnaKristoff2013]

How much stock do we put into the $50 RotR rumor?

I mean that sounds like the low end of what they’d be charging to me.

 

[AnnaKristoff2013]

I’m pretty much a sucker for any add on they throw out there but $50 per person for 1 ride? That’s a hard no for me. I’ll take my chances with the VQ for free. We got 2 out of 3 tries last week, both bg’s under 10.

You’re not going to get 2 of 3 tries when 80 percent of ride capacity is dedicated to the paid option

 

[Marionnette]

So is it looking like there will be no “free” fast passes for on site guests

If those rumors have legs, then nobody gets *free* fastpasses. One less reason to book an onsite stay.

 

[AnnaKristoff2013]

So is it looking like there will be no “free” fast passes for on site guests

Yeah. Would definitely sell my DVC if this was the case.