Fastpass return or replacement?

[JPinkc]

You’re going to cancel a trip over something that hasn’t happened yet?

Yes. Its just getting to ridiculous. Covid is a concern as well, but this is just getting to the point that I dont see the value of a Disney Vacation. Maybe we will go to UO. I know I wont enjoy it as much as WDW, my wife wont either, our kids are old enough that they understand about diminishing returns......

 

[cakebaker]

I'm wondering how all of this would affect DAS (I do not use DAS in any way) but since the premise of DAS is to get a return time... isn't that sorta the same thing? And where the heck would the DAS line be? So much speculation.

DAS uses the FP queue and always has as long as FP and DAS was in existence afaik. They are getting to enjoy very quick entry once in the FP queue now due to no FP+ system, but that isn't the norm and shouldn't be expected to continue. I don't see where a new system has any real affect on how DAS has always been used.

But yes, in effect the DAS is the same thing as the lightning pass.

 

[mercuryvenus]

Yes. Its just getting to ridiculous. Covid is a concern as well, but this is just getting to the point that I dont see the value of a Disney Vacation. Maybe we will go to UO. I know I wont enjoy it as much as WDW, my wife wont either, our kids are old enough that they understand about diminishing returns......

But nothing has even been announced yet regarding paid FP. No one knows if it’s actually even happening.

 

[malba2366]

I'm just saying that everyone on this thread says that Disney caters to their one time visitors because that's how they make money. A travel agent can book fastpasses and ADRs. A travel agent will have to explain all these different option to a first time visitor and then that visitor is going to have to choose which one is worth their money after never having been there or wing it without any help when they show up. That sounds a lot more complicated than booking adrs to me.

Number one goal for Disney is to monetize these parks at this point to funnel money into their streaming services. Pretty much everyone agrees that pay to play is coming. The question then becomes how to profit the most from these “fastpasses” while keeping the most guests happy. The most sensible choice is to sell them in park that way they are generally available and they can be dynamically priced. A lot of people would be annoyed if they paid $$ for a fastpass and there is a 10 minute standby line, similarly a lot of people will be annoyed if the fastpasses are gone 10 seconds after they go on sale, and then there is the messiness of people making a bunch of paid reservations then changing their plans and wanting a refund. Yes travel agents can make reservations for people if there is an advance window, but I don’t think Disney wants to make it so people need a travel agent to figure things out as that generates a commission for the agent vs a direct booking.

 

[cakebaker]

this is frankly a concern to me in terms of opening the system up for misuse. I am already seeing posts elsewhere about how their children can’t be expected to be in a line longer than 20 minutes and they need a DAS due to that.

The system will be no more open to abuse than it ever was. It is up to WDW to make sure they are issuing DAS as it's meant to be issued.

 

[malba2366]

But yes, in effect the DAS is the same thing as the lightning pass.

DAS is supposed to allow the guest to return after the same period of time as the standby line, and then enter fastpass. This is not the same as lightning pass.

 

[cakebaker]

DAS is supposed to allow the guest to return after the same period of time as the standby line, and then enter fastpass. This is not the same as lightning pass.

The rumor, as I understand it, is that lightening pass would likely get you a return time just as DAS does. Whether it will be based on what the standby time is, we don’t know. But if that’s true, then yes, it effectively would work like the DAS. Then again, it’s all rumor so who knows.

 

[AnnaKristoff2013]

DAS is supposed to allow the guest to return after the same period of time as the standby line, and then enter fastpass. This is not the same as lightning pass.

Yeah, DAS might actually be superior to the paid lightning pass for this reason. Lightning pass is being reported as essentially being able to buy a fastpass window for a ride, presumably that window would often be later then just the current standby wait. DAS lets you get a return time that starts at the end of the equivalent standby wait. DAS would therefore seem to occupy a space somewhere between Lightning and Lightning+.

 

[Marionnette]

Yeah, DAS might actually be superior to the paid lightning pass for this reason. Lightning pass is being reported as essentially being able to buy a fastpass window for a ride, presumably that window would often be later then just the current standby wait. DAS lets you get a return time that starts at the end of the equivalent standby wait. DAS would therefore seem to occupy a space somewhere between Lightning and Lightning+.

But if the standby line has been closed because it has reached a maximum allowable length, would that also mean that someone with a DAS would also be unable to join the wait?

 

[AnnaKristoff2013]

But if the standby line has been closed because it has reached a maximum allowable length, would that also mean that someone with a DAS would also be unable to join the wait?

Well if the standby line has closed then VQ should be open. However DAS can’t use VQ because it still results in a long line at the backend. So in that case I would guess that DAS would still get a lightning pass equivalent. Now if VQ fully shut down because that filled as well, then yeah I agree, DAS would be shut out just like a regular person would be shut out without having to pay more.

 

[Jd2020]

I haven't seen it mentioned anywhere but do people think if/when a new fastpass/genie is introduced the paid options would be by the day or length of ticket/stay. Coming from the UK we get a 14 day ticket which has meant the dinning plan was not an option as we would have to pay for 14 days of meals for our whole party when we would spend some time eating off Disney. As we would not require fastpass every day we visited the parks like the dinning plan it wouldn't make sense to purchase any fastpass if you had to purchase for your full length of park ticket

 

[cakebaker]

Presumably that window would often be later then just the current standby wait.

Why would you presume that? I don’t think we’ve seen anything in this rumor that even hints at what the return time would be based on.
My only point was that the LP sounds like it would work exactly as DAS does in that you get a return time to enter the FP line vs instantly entering it.

 

[Marionnette]

Well if the standby line has closed then VQ should be open. However DAS can’t use VQ because it still results in a long line at the backend. So in that case I would guess that DAS would still get a lightning pass equivalent. Now if VQ fully shut down because that filled as well, then yeah I agree, DAS would be shut out just like a regular person would be shut out without having to pay more.

I can see that inviting a lot of DAS abuse. Why pay for LP if you can finagle a DAS? And before someone jumps down my throat for that comment, I'm not referring to those who have a legitimate need. I'm talking about the con artists who lie and abuse the system.

 

[cakebaker]

I can see that inviting a lot of DAS abuse. Why pay for LP if you can finagle a DAS? And before someone jumps down my throat for that comment, I'm not referring to those who have a legitimate need. I'm talking about the con artists who lie and abuse the system.

You can only abuse DAS if Disney allows it. I’m sure there’s some abuse now, but it takes a special kind of horrid to lie about a medical condition in order to avoid standing in line at a theme park. While I don’t have a lot of faith in humanity in general, I don’t think there are enough people willing to stoop that low to make a real difference.

It is possible the LP will have advantages DAS does not, such as allowing you to hold more than 1 return reservation at a time. I just think the worry over DAS abuse isn’t warranted.

 

[PaladinButters]

That Disney doesn’t want to charge for FP because it goes against core values? I don’t believe that for a second. If I understand correctly, some sort of paid queue access has been available at all other resorts, including Disneyland in California.

That's where the rumor lost me. Core values that the company only holds in Florida? I don't remember free fast passes being one of the 'keys' but maybe a cast member can correct me?

 

[mshanson3121]

You can only abuse DAS if Disney allows it. I’m sure there’s some abuse now, but it takes a special kind of horrid to lie about a medical condition in order to avoid standing in line at a theme park. While I don’t have a lot of faith in humanity in general, I don’t think there are enough people willing to stoop that low to make a real difference.

This. I think the reason people assume there's lots of abuse is because they make assumptions based on the number of guests with hidden disabilities. Which out number visible disabilities.

 

[NickC]

Does anyone else think that this news sounds too specific to be just a rumor? A rumor is more general, like 'my friend said a CM told him that paid FP is coming.' This is awfully specific and awfully awful.

 

[ellbell]

Does anyone else think that this news sounds too specific to be just a rumor? A rumor is more general, like 'my friend said a CM told him that paid FP is coming.' This is awfully specific and awfully awful.

Not for Disney. People come out with very detailed rumours all the time. There have been very detailed rumours about FP for months. There were very detailed rumours about the DL FP being like a coffe punch card. Enter so many times and get a free day. It's ridiculous.

 

[cakebaker]

Does anyone else think that this news sounds too specific to be just a rumor. A rumor is more general, like 'my friend said a CM told him that paid FP is coming.' This is awfully specific and awfully awful.

Honestly, there’s nothing in this rumor that hasn’t been reported before. This just seems more authentic because it’s all combined together in a laundry list of possibilities with a few more details filled in. I’m sure some parts of it will happen, I don’t think all of it will.

 

[Marionnette]

This. I think the reason people assume there's lots of abuse is because they make assumptions based on the number of guests with hidden disabilities. Which out number visible disabilities.

I don't think that there is currently "lots of abuse", mainly because the DAS is not an advantage. I wait in line. You wait somewhere else. We both get to ride at the same time. It's just a function of who waits where. It's an accommodation that puts everyone on an even playing field.

But offering the equivalent of a free LP to DAS guests when a standby line closes will just entice more people to abuse it. I enter a VQ in order to just join a standby line. You get a DAS to return when the standby line reopens. I wait another 15-20 minutes once I get a call to return. You get to go up the FP queue. That creates an advantage for some to lie about their needs. It's essentially getting a free LP for that attraction. And if you think that won't incentivize some unscrupulous people, I have a bridge to sell...