Fastpass return or replacement?

[dez1978]

You assume that owners will sell at bargain prices and that Disney has any interest in tying up large amounts in capital for points/rooms that they have to pay maintenance fees on until sold.

There are currently 467 contracts for sale on just 1 resale site I looked at. Some of those are as low as 77/point. So there are plenty selling. And I've read several posts here and on FB groups where Disney has exercised their ROFR. So it's not out of the realm of possibility. Heck, I've seen posts where people have sold their contracts for double what they paid for it, and it's still a bargain compared to buying new. So what we consider "bargain" prices is still a pretty good profit lots of owners. OKW is selling at 116/pp compared to the 41 it was originally or the 165/pp Disney sells it for.

 

[Marionnette]

There are currently 467 contracts for sale on just 1 resale site I looked at. Some of those are as low as 77/point. So there are plenty selling. And I've read several posts here and on FB groups where Disney has exercised their ROFR. So it's not out of the realm of possibility. Heck, I've seen posts where people have sold their contracts for double what they paid for it, and it's still a bargain compared to buying new. So what we consider "bargain" prices is still a pretty good profit lots of owners. OKW is selling at 116/pp compared to the 41 it was originally or the 165/pp Disney sells it for.

But what resort is selling for $77/point? VRB? HHI? AUL? None of which are WDW resorts and have historically sold for a much lower because of that. Disney isn't interested in buying back the first two because they will get them back in 2042 anyway. And they're still trying to sell what they have at AUL. OKW being ROFR'd @$116 makes more sense because of the contract extension debacle. DVC can buy their way out by purchasing contracts that have not been extended and then selling them as extended contracts with blue card perks.

As for the other resorts, just because I can sell my house for 2X the amount that I paid for it, that doesn't mean I would let it go for that price. I would still sell for what the market will bear. The same is true for my DVC contracts.

 

[dez1978]

But what resort is selling for $77/point? VRB? HHI? AUL? None of which are WDW resorts and have historically sold for a much lower because of that. Disney isn't interested in buying back the first two because they will get them back in 2042 anyway. And they're still trying to sell what they have at AUL. OKW being ROFR'd @$116 makes more sense because of the contract extension debacle. DVC can buy their way out by purchasing contracts that have not been extended and then selling them as extended contracts with blue card perks.

As for the other resorts, just because I can sell my house for 2X the amount that I paid for it, that doesn't mean I would let it go for that price. I would still sell for what the market will bear. The same is true for my DVC contracts.

I mean, I'm going to assume that if people have went to the trouble of getting their contract listed then they are willing to let it go at that price.

 

[Marionnette]

I mean, I'm going to assume that if people have went to the trouble of getting their contract listed then they are willing to let it go at that price.

IF they list at bargain prices. You stated that Disney would just snap up resale contracts at bargain rates if owners begin selling. That assumes that owners would rather dump their contracts at fire sale prices than list them at market value. The only fire sale prices you see are people who need cash immediately.

 

[Stephy811]

Is anyone else thinking all this mask business is going to prolong any announcement on fp+ situation??? Cleatly that’s the most pressing issue for WDW PR team…much to my dismay…

 

[snowwhite84]

Is anyone else thinking all this mask business is going to prolong any announcement on fp+ situation??? Cleatly that’s the most pressing issue for WDW PR team…much to my dismay…

Ugh, I hadn’t thought of that. This no Fastpass news is slowly driving me nuts. I just want to make my plan, one way or the other.

 

[EddieValiant]

A fast pass return may keep me from canceling if masks return. Reduced time in line would help a lot.

 

[Marionnette]

Is anyone else thinking all this mask business is going to prolong any announcement on fp+ situation??? Cleatly that’s the most pressing issue for WDW PR team…much to my dismay…

I think it's going to impact a lot of things...the return of stage shows, opening more restaurants, fireworks and other nighttime spectaculars. While I don't think the O.C. mayor can go beyond making strong recommendations, I firmly believe that Disney will follow CDC guidelines if they are in an area that is considered to be in an area "with substantial and high transmission."

 

[Wandering Oaken]

Is anyone else thinking all this mask business is going to prolong any announcement on fp+ situation??? Cleatly that’s the most pressing issue for WDW PR team…much to my dismay…

This is what I was thinking as well.

 

[Mac30188]

Is anyone else thinking all this mask business is going to prolong any announcement on fp+ situation??? Cleatly that’s the most pressing issue for WDW PR team…much to my dismay…

Good question. What it probably does is highlight how fluid and dynamic the COVID situation is, and how difficult it is to predict. I would actually think Fastpass is not as impacted as the return of Character M&G, but who knows. I can't see how it helps. It only can hurt.

 

[ziravan]

You assume that owners will sell at bargain prices and that Disney has any interest in tying up large amounts in capital for points/rooms that they have to pay maintenance fees on until sold.

Disney doesn’t pay MFs on their points. They made a deal with DVC: they estimate dues costs and if they’re wrong, they pay the difference (they’re never wrong to the negative). In exchange, they don’t have to pay dues on points they hold.

Now. Points they hold equate to lost dues from owners who would be otherwise paying them. But Disney doesn’t pay dues on the points they hold.

 

[NelsonWaters]

We go at least every other year. We love the FP+ system. I like the idea of knowing you can knock out your 3 most desirable rides with no wait and and allowing you to book more if you choose is great. We always spend 10 days in the park and we've gotten accustomed to using them and not having to stand in any stand by lines more than 20 minutes.

I must say I agree. I understand a lot of people have mixed feelings about the FP+ system. But personally I really enjoyed it. This might sound strange, but having to book your dining at the 180 mark or book your fast passes at the 60/90 day mark was always exciting. It helped break up the wait for the trip. And if I didn't get something I wanted right away, having to check back every day and pressing the refresh button 27 times to see if I could score it was, in a way, a fun game lol. It was something I always looked forward to doing!!

 

[Karin1984]

Is anyone else thinking all this mask business is going to prolong any announcement on fp+ situation??? Cleatly that’s the most pressing issue for WDW PR team…much to my dismay…

I think it interrupts their "We are going to hire loads of people"-campaign first. That is something they can report positively about. Masks will definitely receive backlash and FP they have to work hard to avoid backlash.

 

[Spankymclovin]

I must say I agree. I understand a lot of people have mixed feelings about the FP+ system. But personally I really enjoyed it. This might sound strange, but having to book your dining at the 180 mark or book your fast passes at the 60/90 day mark was always exciting. It helped break up the wait for the trip. And if I didn't get something I wanted right away, having to check back every day and pressing the refresh button 27 times to see if I could score it was, in a way, a fun game lol. It was something I always looked forward to doing!!

I know right. My wife and I also made it a contest who could score the next big Fastpass while we stood in line.

 

[jujubiee4]

I just posted this in the general news thread as well, but people here might want to think about this as well.
Everyone who visits Disneyland Paris at the moment is considered 'healthy'. Everyone has either had their 2 shots, or has been tested in the last 48 hours.

This measure of the pass sanitaire, health pass, was introduced last week, and it caused a decline in visitors in all French themeparks, 20 - 50%, max 70%.
While the announcement did get a lot of French people make their vaccine appoints, it also makes that people decide to wait till they have had their shots, or decide to wait till the measures are over.

There are no exact numbers for Disney, but what I did notice today. It's the height of summer holidays and at midday the longest queues were for Space & Big Thunder Mountain 45 minutes (no FP available).
Because of everyone being tested / vaccinated, rides can work at full capacity. (side note, DLP still has a mask mandate, indoors and outdoors)

This will influence the introduction of the new Premier Access passes next week, because with these waiting times, FP are a nice to have, but definitely not a necessity.

I leave for DLP tomorrow, I'll have a look how the free standby pass works, if single rider lines are open and see what else is new

I look forward to reading your report. I forgot about France enacting the Health Pass. I am curious how
it is affecting crowds.

 

[malba2366]

I think MMRR has higher capacity and is less prone to breakdowns. But also, while it's a super fun ride, nobody would stand in line for 4-6 hours to see it.

People would absolutely do that for RotR. Right?

I think ROR is just a better ride plus the star wars theming. The reservation system is a bit odd though...I was talking to someone at the hotel this last trip who cancelled a VIP tour because they won't even let the VIP tour guests on that ride without a reservation.

 

[SkyGuy]

I think ROR is just a better ride plus the star wars theming. The reservation system is a bit odd though...I was talking to someone at the hotel this last trip who cancelled a VIP tour because they won't even let the VIP tour guests on that ride without a reservation.

VIP Tour groups are now allowed one ride on Rise per tour without having to procure a boarding group. This was just changed a week or two ago, so that guest must have just missed it!

 

[mshanson3121]

Good question. What it probably does is highlight how fluid and dynamic the COVID situation is, and how difficult it is to predict. I would actually think Fastpass is not as impacted as the return of Character M&G, but who knows. I can't see how it helps. It only can hurt.

This is the key. Unless vaccines pick up drastically in the US, this fall will not be any/much better than last fall; restrictions will be back in place etc... They have been warning us from the beginning that Covid will be with us for years, especially if people don't actually listen to/take the recommended precautions. They weren't kidding.

I think it would be very hard for Disney or any business to make any reasonable prediction about the future right now, and thus is a bad time to be trying to consider whether to make major changes or not. (Yet another reason why I feel like they're better off to just bring back FP+ as it was for now).

 

[mercuryvenus]

This is the key. Unless vaccines pick up drastically in the US, this fall will not be any/much better than last fall; restrictions will be back in place etc... They have been warning us from the beginning that Covid will be with us for years, especially if people don't actually listen to/take the recommended precautions. They weren't kidding.

I think it would be very hard for Disney or any business to make any reasonable prediction about the future right now, and thus is a bad time to be trying to consider whether to make major changes or not. (Yet another reason why I feel like they're better off to just bring back FP+ as it was for now).

I agree with that.

Although if they put a mask mandate in place at Disney, combined with current case trends, it could drive crowds down, making FP less necessary.

 

[Farro]

I don't think fast pass will be affected by masking indoors. Whatever the reason they don't have a form of fast pass yet is still the same reason as it was a week ago.

I don't know why everyone keeps bring up restrictions on capacity, distancing, etc. That isn't even on the table. Anywhere.

Everywhere that has brought back mandates has only instituted indoor masking. And that won't affect capacity. (unless people cancel)

I'm sure Disney will bring back for indoor. Maybe at most they will ask us to mask up during fireworks.