Fastpass return or replacement?

[notatallmagic]

I guess my reaction to this announcement surprised me...I'm just done?

We are repeat out of state Annual Passholders; who had a disabilty diagnosis for one family member since we purchased our passes. We used to LOVE planning our Disney vacations, and pre-Covid, would come at least four times a year.

Now, I just can't wait for our passes to expire. With the Genie addition and changes to DAS - it's too much to read, learn, and figure out. We have 7 months left on our passes, and normally would be looking at one long trip and a few weekends...now I'm thinking a week-ish trip next February/March to finish out our passes so I don't "lose" money...and I dread the though of it.

I'm usually a pretty upbeat person, especially when it somes to Disney, so I was surprised at my reaction. We are not Deluxe Resort folks; my kids LOVE Pop Century better than any other resort - Skyliner and great memories, plus it just feels like home. So, with no Disney Transport (which I loved), no evening Magic Hours, no FastPass, no DAS as we knew it...blech.

It just feels like work; losing things we loved...but paying higher prices to get less.

 

[ItsMEH]

My sources tell me that this will start in mid-October for the individual attraction selections (also called LL$ here). Specifically, Tuesday October 19th has been mentioned.

Genie and Genie+ are rumored to start after the IAS/LL$ rollout. In late October or early November.

All subject to change. This is a very fluid situation.

Smack dab in the middle of my trip

 

[Grumpy by Birth]

Has Disney said they are keeping the VQ for RotR at 7am? In theory, they could have IAS (is that really what we are calling it?) at 7am, VQ at 7:30, and then IAS again after 7:30 at a higher price for all of those people who didn't get a BG.

Wound, meet Salt.

 

[Karin1984]

One thing I do not get in the price-discussion are the people who say 'a ride is XX years old, therefore the price should be lower'. Can someone explain how that works? It's not a car. New doesn't equal good to me.

To me, Big Thunder Mountain is a good ride, because it's fun and entertaining with a little bit of thrill, or a lot of thrill depending on your thrill-tolerance.
Whether it is brand new, or thirty years old, I would love it still the same. Maybe if it was build now, the ride would be less noisy, but furthermore, I think I would love it all the same.

It can't be about maintenance, because newer rides usually have more technology (read: screens), which are just as prone to breakdowns as older rides.

I usually skip Ratatouille whenever I am at Disneyland Paris, because I do not like it. The swift movements and the 3D make me nauseous. That it's new doesn't change that.

 

[lukemorenus]

My sources tell me that this will start in mid-October for the individual attraction selections (also called LL$ here). Specifically, Tuesday October 19th has been mentioned.

Genie and Genie+ are rumored to start after the IAS/LL$ rollout. In late October or early November.

All subject to change. This is a very fluid situation.

That would be cool for us - just in time for Wine & Dine!

 

[snowwhite84]

https://blogmickey.com/2021/08/gues...y-genie-starting-at-midnight-on-day-of-visit/
I know a lot have been asking when you can buy G+. This article says midnight!

 

[Garyjames220]

https://blogmickey.com/2021/08/gues...y-genie-starting-at-midnight-on-day-of-visit/
I know a lot have been asking when you can buy G+. This article says midnight!

or well In advance when u book your tickets/package

 

[Aluminum Falcon]

My sources tell me that this will start in mid-October for the individual attraction selections (also called LL$ here). Specifically, Tuesday October 19th has been mentioned.

Genie and Genie+ are rumored to start after the IAS/LL$ rollout. In late October or early November.

All subject to change. This is a very fluid situation.

This account seems like the Tyler Change account who put in all the predictions on openings a few months back.....Hmmmm

 

[bookgirl2632]

Well, if it is true about it starting mid-October, I’m not sure how I feel. On the one hand, I wanted some sort of FP during my trip. However, I didn’t want to be a guinea pig and among the first to try this out.

 

[PaladinButters]

One thing I do not get in the price-discussion are the people who say 'a ride is XX years old, therefore the price should be lower'. Can someone explain how that works? It's not a car. New doesn't equal good to me.

To me, Big Thunder Mountain is a good ride, because it's fun and entertaining with a little bit of thrill, or a lot of thrill depending on your thrill-tolerance.
Whether it is brand new, or thirty years old, I would love it still the same. Maybe if it was build now, the ride would be less noisy, but furthermore, I think I would love it all the same.

It can't be about maintenance, because newer rides usually have more technology (read: screens), which are just as prone to breakdowns as older rides.

I usually skip Ratatouille whenever I am at Disneyland Paris, because I do not like it. The swift movements and the 3D make me nauseous. That it's new doesn't change that.

Perceived value - I'm not paying for the ride, I'm paying for my time saved and/or my park experience.
Some made-up numbers:

Big Thunder is best mountain of course (Splash fans can step to the side), but it's been there ages. I've already ridden it five times a trip for years and so have many other park guests. The line is 60 minutes long.
Now Rat is new, and new to a ton of people all at once. Everybody wants to try the new thing. Maybe it's a new favorite or maybe it's a ride skip for next time but you gotta ride to know.
The line is 200 minutes long.
If you tell me it's $30 to skip either line it seems really unbalanced in my mind for the same amount of money to buy such different amounts of my time. I'm looking right at the (alleged) wait times I'm paying to skip. Big Thunder is still best mountain, but as an add-on value she's lost a little luster. Maybe she's worth $10 to me, but not $30. Rat is totally worth $30 to me that day.

Flash forward to a trip in two or three years and lets say Rat has evened out to a 60 minute wait. I've ridden it once or twice before. I know it's a good ride but I'm not paying $30 anymore, I've already decided that 60 minutes is only worth $10. Or maybe just maybe, Rat is the new hit thing and the line never evens out and she's 'worth' $30 every time.

Maybe a ride that only ever has a boarding group / virtual queue is worth $50 because there is no option to trade your time for this ride. Maybe I don't do that every time but they get me every other trip. IDK where those "value lines" are drawn for people or even myself yet, but the mouse sure has an idea.

 

[NJlauren]

So interesting, a friend of mine is planing their first and possibly only trip to Disney in November. She has a TA and I’ve been giving her news updates and helping plan a bit.

I sent her the genie video and an article. She thinks it sounds amazing.

it’s because she doesn’t know or care what it used to be, for a first visit it seems great.

 

[Jrb1979]

it is 4:45 p.m. Eastern standard Time. Doesn't look like we're going to get any information on fast passes today.

How do you like the new FP system!? Is it everything you wanted it to be?

 

[Mac30188]

Honestly it is difficult for me to predict without seeing how the market reacts. What percentage of people will buy Genie+? What percentage will buy LL Instant Access? Most importantly, what will wait times look like. I very much expect to buy genie+, but what will it look like if 80% buy it? What percentage of riders will come from standby?

All of these are very difficult to predict for this complex new system. Ultimately the only way it really is value is if it allows me to spend less time inline. If it does that, it will be worth it. If not, this is just a fancy cost hike.

What makes me nervous is you have the same number of guests, same number of rides, and genie+ pricepoint is low enough I am guessing a similar distribution of LL to Stanby riders as FP+ to Standby riders. I am guessing the minority that choose not to buy genie+ will be offset by those that buy Instant Access. In the end it maybe very similar experience with more in park phone work and higher cost.

 

[luv2cheer92]

Honestly it is difficult for me to predict without seeing how the market reacts. What percentage of people will buy Genie+? What percentage will buy LL Instant Access? Most importantly, what will wait times look like. I very much expect to buy genie+, but what will it look like if 80% buy it? What percentage of riders will come from standby?

All of these are very difficult to predict for this complex new system. Ultimately the only way it really is value is if it allows me to spend less time inline. If it does that, it will be worth it. If not, this is just a fancy cost hike.

What makes me nervous is you have the same number of guests, same number of rides, and genie+ pricepoint is low enough I am guessing a similar distribution of LL to Stanby riders as FP+ to Standby riders. I am guessing the minority that choose not to buy genie+ will be offset by those that buy Instant Access. In the end it maybe very similar experience with more in park phone work and higher cost.

Maybe I'm not following your post correctly, so please correct me. But there is no such thing as instant access. And any ride that has the individual LL purchase, does not have Genie+. So I'm not quite sure how those would offset, since no ride will have both.

 

[snowwhite84]

Have we discussed LL$? I know for G+ you have to take next available time. Has anyone read whether you get to at least choose your time if booking LL$?

 

[Garyjames220]

Have we discussed LL$? I know for G+ you have to take next available time. Has anyone read whether you get to at least choose your time if booking LL$?

yes u can pick a time for that

 

[Mac30188]

Maybe I'm not following your post correctly, so please correct me. But there is no such thing as instant access. And any ride that has the individual LL purchase, does not have Genie+. So I'm not quite sure how those would offset, since no ride will have both.

Sorry. I get terminology confused. The Paid Lightning Lane Access to attractions.

Instead of everyone getting Fastpass line access, most will get it via buying genie+, and then some will get extra Lightning Lane Access by an additional purchase. Will the sum total of Lightning Lane riders in a given day equal the sum total of Fastpass+ riders in a given day? At $15 for Genie+, it sounds reasonable. Would this mean that wait times for LL and Standby lines would strongly mimic FP+ and Standby? I am totally guessing, since I don't really know.

Contrast this to Universal where, in my experience, the higher pricepoint leads to a much higher percentage of Standby Riders to Express Riders.

If this is true and wait times are not changing, I am not sure the extra work, hassle, and dollars will make this feel like I am getting a better experience than Fastpass+. I am just doing more to get something similar to before

 

[Karin1984]

Sorry. I get terminology confused. The Paid Lightning Lane Access to attractions.

Don't worry, it is not you. Disney chose the name IAS (Individual Attraction Selections) very poorly. I also assumed Instant Access.

While I do think these products can work, the names do not make it easier for people to understand.

 

[luv2cheer92]

Sorry. I get terminology confused. The Paid Lightning Lane Access to attractions.

Instead of everyone getting Fastpass line access, most will get it via buying genie+, and then some will get extra Lightning Lane Access by an additional purchase. Will the sum total of Lightning Lane riders in a given day equal the sum total of Fastpass+ riders in a given day? At $15 for Genie+, it sounds reasonable. Would this mean that wait times for LL and Standby lines would strongly mimic FP+ and Standby? I am totally guessing, since I don't really know.

Contrast this to Universal where, in my experience, the higher pricepoint leads to a much higher percentage of Standby Riders to Express Riders.

If this is true and wait times are not changing, I am not sure the extra work, hassle, and dollars will make this feel like I am getting a better experience than Fastpass+. I am just doing more to get something similar to before

Got it! Thank you so much for clarifying! I'm definitely interested to see how it all plays out.

 

[Tyler's Dad]

Sorry. I get terminology confused. The Paid Lightning Lane Access to attractions.

Instead of everyone getting Fastpass line access, most will get it via buying genie+, and then some will get extra Lightning Lane Access by an additional purchase. Will the sum total of Lightning Lane riders in a given day equal the sum total of Fastpass+ riders in a given day? At $15 for Genie+, it sounds reasonable. Would this mean that wait times for LL and Standby lines would strongly mimic FP+ and Standby? I am totally guessing, since I don't really know.

Contrast this to Universal where, in my experience, the higher pricepoint leads to a much higher percentage of Standby Riders to Express Riders.

If this is true and wait times are not changing, I am not sure the extra work, hassle, and dollars will make this feel like I am getting a better experience than Fastpass+. I am just doing more to get something similar to before

I don’t think it will be anywhere near as many as FP+. For starters, only allowing one at a time immediately makes it so boas many people should be holding access as before. Add in the fact that you have to purchase them and I think you will see more standby line riders than lightning Lane riders going on each hour. I think that’s exactly what Disney wants.

For the paid rides, I think this is the smartest thing they could have done. With the old paper fast pass and MaxPass in CA, those were the rides where fast passes ran out the fastest. I ty honk by limiting them to just pay or standby, you will see fewer people using the LL and way more standby guests being cycled through.

One other thing I thought of was that they will have to cap sales of RotR and Remy at some point. With boarding groups, there is no way they could assure to get through them if they sole non-stop. I think it will be a set number of overflow that they can sell each hour and then that will be that. How many that will be will have to wait and see. I’m sure the demand during this busy time at the end of 2021 will tell a lot.