Fastpass return or replacement?

[Bibbobboo2u]

7) inside, there are BIG battles about paid FPs in any form. They know the money would be huge -- one analyst said it would be bigger than actual park admission revenue -- but the brand damage would be tremendous.

Then offer some FP+/new Genie wishes for all guests at no additional cost, and offer the ability to purchase more to those staying at Disney resorts as a "benefit". That is how it worked at Club Level.

 

[emilymad]

So I am not seeing how parking hopping would work with Genie? Or maybe it just doesn't and if you hop it is stand by only lines for you. It would seem funny for them to discourage something that makes them money.

It also seems like it is trying to have everyone stay in the park all day if you can only pick vague times of day for your wishes.

This is not how my family likes to tour WDW. I am not opposed to paying for FP+ in some fashion but it still has to be able to give us the vacations we want and I am not sure this does.

 

[mercuryvenus]

The predecessor to the DAS included people who couldn’t physically stand in lines because they got too tired. They did take that away, as Disney felt wheelchairs mitigated the problem. And yes people sued under ADA, and that didn’t change anything. So yes, the Disney took away something that was free for people who were disabled and asked people to pay for wheelchairs instead.

The ADA’s requirement is “reasonable accommodation.” So if Disney makes their attractions accessible to those in wheelchairs and then accommodates others with DAS, then they’re probably fine. Disney has really good lawyers. They’re not going to put themselves in a situation where they’re violating ADA.

 

[Jrb1979]

Then offer some FP+/new Genie wishes for all guests at no additional cost, and offer the ability to purchase more to those staying at Disney resorts as a "benefit". That is how it worked at Club Level.

That wouldn't work as most people wouldn't buy more. IMO if they really want to offer free FP give resort guests 1 per day.

 

[mgarbowski]

4) A good chance FP will just come back. But from what she understands, they don't love tons of park hopping, and the reservation system keeps that in check. FPs with park hopping has always been a mess.

I don't follow this point. The park reservation system ties you to a specific park to start, and then you can hop. FP+s also tie you to a park at a certain time, around which you can hop. The FP+ tether is more flexible than the reservation, because (1) you can simply decide not to use your booked FP+, and (2) you do not have to start your day in the park where you booked FP+. But both systems have the general effect of (mostly) locking people into a certain park for at least part of their day.
I also don't know why they don't like park hopping. People pay a fairly substantial extra price and all it does is let them move between different parks within WDW.

 

[Boopuff]

I like to believe there has to be some type of free FP going forward. Maybe they'll be doled out according to onsite resort level, DVC (throw those owners a little extra) - I don't believe this will be all pay all the way. Disney knows that would loose them a lot! I'm not sure if I'd pay for FP. And for the love of it - dump the "good neighbor" hotels and cut them off of the goodies.

 

[dez1978]

Certainly the room makes it a better deal, but currently per person
69.99 One time per ride
89.99 Unlimited

If it is 9.99 per Fast pass then it would take approximately 7 Fast passes to break even with Express Pass Limited and 9 for Unlimited.

Disney pricing is still just a guess, but I am guessing that Disney will not be noticeably less affordable than Universal (room deal excluded)

Yeah, its FROM 69.99 or 89.99. But once you click on that it it asks you to pick a day. Most days for just 1 park for the one time per ride its over 100. Some days its 199. And if it's slow enough that the price is really only $69 per person per park per day, you probably don't need it.

 

[mi*vida*loca]

4) A good chance FP will just come back. But from what she understands, they don't love tons of park hopping, and the reservation system keeps that in check. FPs with park hopping has always been a mess.

this isn’t the first time I’ve read this about park hopping. It makes me wonder if whatever new system they release will deter people from hopping. If genie grants you FP times will they spread them out through the day at one park? Say 9 am, noon and 4 pm. Add in park reservations and no hopping after 2 pm. But you’d think they like that “free” money of adding hopping to tickets.

 

[Bibbobboo2u]

.

this isn’t the first time I’ve read this about park hopping. It makes me wonder if whatever new system they release will deter people from hopping. If genie grants you FP times will they spread them out through the day at one park? Say 9 am, noon and 4 pm. Add in park reservations and no hopping after 2 pm. But you’d think they like that “free” money of adding hopping to tickets.

I believe one rumor said that they would be spread throughout the day.

 

[Cabius]

Sometimes I think that we know so little about Genie is that Disney isn't sure what Genie is.

Some Executive has been sold that a fancy app with lots of buzzwords (machine learning! engagement!) will solve all of their crowd control problems, but when they go to build the thing none of the proposals will actually solve those problems. Because the problems are deeper -- too much demand, unlimited access to rides, and the guest expectations that creates.

 

[ForWhomTheMouseTolls]

We've Riviera booked for 11 nights in July 22. If this comes to pass, I'll be staying offsite and I won't be returning. What blew me away as a kid in 92 has been diminished nearly every year since the start of the century. It's death by a thousand of cuts. The price goes up and the experience gets worse. I feel for those who never saw the place at its peak.

I've already cancelled my (twice postponed) DLP trip.

I really loved FP+ in 92. Worked great on my Compaq portable.

 

[ForWhomTheMouseTolls]

Also, those ADR’s that you made at a computer terminal the morning of would cause most people here to lose it. You can’t compare to 1992 and say that they’re making it worse by offering more flexibility then they had in 1992.

 

[luv2cheer92]

Certainly the room makes it a better deal, but currently per person
69.99 One time per ride
89.99 Unlimited

If it is 9.99 per Fast pass then it would take approximately 7 Fast passes to break even with Express Pass Limited and 9 for Unlimited.

Disney pricing is still just a guess, but I am guessing that Disney will not be noticeably less affordable than Universal (room deal excluded)

Where are you seeing those prices? Besides just the standard info page? The weekend I was going to go to Universal in July it was $350 per day, per person. Yes, you read that right.

 

[TinkerBelle_325]

Where are you seeing those prices? Besides just the standard info page? The weekend I was going to go to Universal in July it was $350 per day, per person. Yes, you read that right.

Exactly. What the other poster is failing to note is that 69.99 and 89.99 are STARTING prices. UO operates on a dynamic pricing model for express pass so they can charge astronomical prices when demand is high. Something that Disney doesn’t use at any park where forms of paid FP are an option (Paris, Shanghai).

 

[Mac30188]

Where are you seeing those prices? Besides just the standard info page? The weekend I was going to go to Universal in July it was $350 per day, per person. Yes, you read that right.

Just generic pricing starts at page. Point was unlikely Disney will be noticeably more than Universal Express

 

[snowwhite84]

Exactly. What the other poster is failing to note is that 69.99 and 89.99 are STARTING prices. UO operates on a dynamic pricing model for express pass so they can charge astronomical prices when demand is high. Something that Disney doesn’t use at any park where forms of paid FP are an option (Paris, Shanghai).

Yes, I have long considered the Universal express pass system to be pricy. But when I go to Universal I always make sure to stay at one of the resorts that offers it. I find what you get for the money to be incredible. That’s my hope with Disney. Ok, there’s going to be a charge. But are you going to be offering me something I love utilizing in exchange? That’s what I’m on the lookout for. I’m not opposed to disney including a charge per se, I’m used to Disney being an expensive vacation. But I want the product to be worth my dollar.

 

[maverikv]

Honestly I would prefer it if they moved to something like Paris is doing if they have to do something paid. Charging that much for fast pass will basically reduce its usage so significantly that it will likely make it a non-factor - I would rather not be planning out my days ride by ride months in advance and have my face stuck in my phone when I'm there instead of enjoying myself.

 

[luv2cheer92]

Just generic pricing starts at page. Point was unlikely Disney will be noticeably more than Universal Express

So maybe $350-400/day per person? Yea, that'll go over well.

 

[RamieGee]

Maybe this is just ME, but outside of these boards, how many times has someone's upcoming Disney World vacation come up in a casual conversation and you ask about what ADRs they have planned or FP booking and the person looks at you like "Huh?" And when you try to explain it, their eyes sort of glaze over? Or they say something like "I don't know about that really, I think my travel agent might be taking care of that, not sure..." I mean, I have frequently come across people who say "Disney World...is that the one in Florida or California?" I live in a major metropolitan area in the NE, where lots of families have traveled to Europe and frequent the Caribbean & Cruises, so this is not people who are inexperienced planning trips. They just aren't likely to accept a theme park trip with their little ones to be over complicated.

Or how many times have you been in the parks when people walk up to one of the hardest to get table service restaurants and seem surprised there are 0 openings for the day? Or, they walk up to BBB with their little one in tow hoping to walk in without a reservation for a make-over? Or, when there was FP+, how many times did you hear someone mumble something like "must be nice to be rich enough to be able to walk to the front of the line."

I guess my point is, the multi-tiered system that is rumored seems way to complicated for the vast majority of people I have come across IRL to be able to deal with.

 

[auralia]

Only 60 minutes!!!!! 60 minutes is not a short wait. I've never waited more than 20 minutes. The lines don't move faster and lines that had short waits like winnie the pooh and it's a small world also have long lines now. On average the waits are longer.

This is just not realistic. Small world is frequently at one hour during the middle of the day even when there still was fast pass. We went in November and it was the slowest I’d seen Disney in years and small world still had a wait of up to an hour during high times. Disney either needs to limit people or increase capacity by adding another gate or more to do. I have owned dvc for 10 years and the crowds just get worse every year. If it was 10 years ago what it is now I wouldn’t have bought dvc.