FastPass+ - When is the system supposed to roll out?

[DisneylandDarling]

Hi there!

I'm curious if anyone knows the time frame of when FastPass+ is supposed to roll out in Disneyland? I heard it was going to be different than Disney World with regards to the kiosks and same day FastPass reservations. I wasn't sure if it was set to roll out this year or not. If it is, do you know around what month it is?

Thank you!

 

[sheetz]

Nothing official has been announced. Everything up till now has been rumor and speculation.

 

[Jerryp49]

I have been wondering this myself. They have tested at Space Mountain some time ago.I was hoping that they would roll it out after Spring Break but no. My guess now is they will wait until after Summer. I asked when we made reservations and she said that they want to get thru the 60th celebration first. So that would put it beginning Sept

 

[DisneylandDarling]

I have been wondering this myself. They have tested at Space Mountain some time ago.I was hoping that they would roll it out after Spring Break but no. My guess now is they will wait until after Summer. I asked when we made reservations and she said that they want to get thru the 60th celebration first. So that would put it beginning Sept

That was my thinking as well.

We're planning a trip in October, so I'm wondering if it will roll out by then? Guess we'll have to wait and see.

 

[Kindermouse]

If they are going to roll this out in September /October I hope they announce it soon so those of us planning Halloween time visits can make plans. How would it work scheduling fast passes in advance for AP holders? We don't have MDE.

I hope that the idea isn't that we would have to wait until we are in the park and then get on our phones. I can't have my face in a phone while I'm in the park by myself with 3 kids.

 

[DisneylandDarling]

If they are going to roll this out in September /October I hope they announce it soon so those of us planning Halloween time visits can make plans. How would it work scheduling fast passes in advance for AP holders? We don't have MDE.

I hope that the idea isn't that we would have to wait until we are in the park and then get on our phones. I can't have my face in a phone while I'm in the park by myself with 3 kids.

The rumors are that there will be no advanced scheduling and that there will be kiosks in the park for Fast Pass reservations. Alternatively, once inside the park, a smart phone can be used to get FastPasses.

I'm hoping they'll announce when they will start doing this soon, as we will also be there for Halloween in October. I like to plan for these things and want to make sure we're all prepared for any surprise (like FP+).

 

[Laz]

If they are going to roll this out in September /October I hope they announce it soon so those of us planning Halloween time visits can make plans. How would it work scheduling fast passes in advance for AP holders? We don't have MDE.

I hope that the idea isn't that we would have to wait until we are in the park and then get on our phones. I can't have my face in a phone while I'm in the park by myself with 3 kids.

Think of park opening and all the people standing just inside the gates with their faces buried in their phones trying to get FPs while the system instantly overloads and shuts down..

 

[mom2rtk]

Think of park opening and all the people standing just inside the gates with their faces buried in their phones trying to get FPs while the system instantly overloads and shuts down..

Surely Disney's IT can handle it.

 

[Kindermouse]

Your laughing emoticon was further down than your claim that Disney IT could handle it so I thought you were serious at first.

I wonder if Disney acknowledges their recent IT fails and see's the Customer dissatisfaction that has come from those fails. I wonder if they see all that and know that they can't roll out FP+ so that people have toget on their phones in the park.

Ugh. I just don't feel like FP+ is a good match for the way the majority of DisneyLAND guests do the parks.

 

[mom2rtk]

Your laughing emoticon was further down than your claim that Disney IT could handle it so I thought you were serious at first.

I wonder if Disney acknowledges their recent IT fails and see's the Customer dissatisfaction that has come from those fails. I wonder if they see all that and know that they can't roll out FP+ so that people have toget on their phones in the park.

Ugh. I just don't feel like FP+ is a good match for the way the majority of DisneyLAND guests do the parks.

Gotcha.

But I don't hold out much hope that Disney will be realistic about their IT capabilities when rolling this out. Someone eventually takes the FP, even if it's not the person who tried hardest. They only seem to care that someone fills the slot. It really does have the potential to break a system that has been functioning pretty well.

 

[grnflash]

Surely Disney's IT can handle it

Love the delayed laugh - I knew it was coming

Edit to add - love the throwback avatar!

 

[Laz]

Surely Disney's IT can handle it.

This makes me think of Scotty's great line in Star Trek III, The Search for Spock: "The more they overthink the plumbing, the easier it is to stop up the drain." Go to the 4:50 mark or watch the whole clip.

 

[mom2rtk]

Love the delayed laugh - I knew it was coming

Edit to add - love the throwback avatar!

Thanks! That was 2008. Might be time to swap it out for something else though. It makes me too sad every time I look at Marie knowing she's no longer in the parks.

This makes me think of Scotty's great line in Star Trek III, The Search for Spock: "The more they overthink the plumbing, the easier it is to stop up the drain." Go to the 4:50 mark or watch the whole clip.

So fitting!

 

[GatorChris]

When? Hopefully NEVER!!! Isn't what WDW goers love is the pre-plan so they don't have to run all over to get FPs? So if you can't really pre-plan, why do it at all?

Vote No on FP+@DL 2016. Or any year, for that matter.

 

[DisneylandDarling]

When? Hopefully NEVER!!! Isn't what WDW goers love is the pre-plan so they don't have to run all over to get FPs? So if you can't really pre-plan, why do it at all?

Vote No on FP+@DL 2016. Or any year, for that matter.

I wish it were so, @GatorChris. I wish it wasn't coming to Disneyland, but I know that it probably will eventually. And probably sooner rather than later.
I'm trying not to worry too much about it because I can't control what Disney chooses to do. I'm trying to just roll with it.

I actually thought the preplanning part is what WDW goers hated. Having to plan out their days 170+ days in advanced seems a little crazy. At least with the rumored system coming to Disneyland, it will be in one central location where there will supposedly be no preplanning.

 

[Winnowill]

When we went to WDW in 2014, I planned the BEJEEZUS out of that thing. And, last August, when we went back to DLR, I planned the bejeezus out of it, too. And then I realized I didn't HAVE to. So we're going to be back in a week and a half, and I've only just started thinking about a plan. And it's a loose plan. I'm not going to be regimented into doing something I planned two months ago that no longer works with what we want to do that day but cannot be changed because I couldn't get FP+s for what I DID want to do.

 

[Kittyskyfish]

I'm with you @GatorChris in wishing this would never come to DLR! I don't want to plan out which rides I want months in advance and it takes away from the spontaneous feel that is unique to Disneyland.

If they were to roll out a FP+ system, here is what I would like to see (this is a basic gist of my idea, not some well-thought-out extensive policy). Basically, my idea is the Fast Pass distribution and rules would be the same as it is now. The only change would be the ability to scan one's phone at the kiosk and receive FPs on their phone. Paper fast passes would still be available.

1. Distribution would mirror the paper FP system. All fast passes are assigned and distributed *ONLY* at the ride's FP kiosk, with the option of paper or virtual tickets. For "runners", if opting for virtual FPs, the runner will scan their phone at the kiosk and choose members of their party that want the FP. It would be done through the Disneyland App, with guests pre-linking their accounts*.
2. Guests using FP+ must pass through one of the park's turnstiles on the day of distribution. Just like paper fast passes, No FP running for guests still in hotel rooms.
3. If guests want paper FPs, they can opt for that at the FP kiosk by using their paper/AP tickets. This allows fast passes for guests that do not have smart phones or carrier service in the states.
4. To incentivize the use of FP+, Disney can award random users barcodes for free fountain drinks, money off food or merchandise, additional fast passes within the restricted period. Basically, guests can win things by using the FP+ system. Not every person wins something, but it adds a moment of excitement each time the system is used.
5. Wristbands would work great with this system. Each wristband contains the updated FP data done through the phone. Parents who are doing virtual FPs at the kiosk won't have to pull out everyone's phones when going through the ride's FP line. Each wristband will automatically update for CMs to scan.
   1. CMs can scan phones for guests without wristbands.
   2. CMs can take paper FPs from guests without either of the above.

*Disneyland FP+ accounts can be linked at the time of purchase or by scanning the barcode on passes. Guests who buy tickets online will create accounts for each of the ticket holders before the first day of entry. Day trippers who purchase tickets at the gate will find paper FPs easiest to use.

Example:

Pre-trip: A family purchases (5) 3-day park hoppers online. At the time of purchase, a basic online profile is created for each ticket (name/age) in order for the sale to process. E-Tickets are distributed by email as usual. All tickets purchased together will be automatically linked. Once tickets are purchased, anyone who has the Disneyland App can link it to their profile.

First day at the parks: Each guest will scan their paper E-Ticket at the turnstile and receive a park ticket (everything here is the same as it is now). Once through the first turnstile, each ticket is activated and their online profile through the Disneyland App is activated and ready for FP+ at DCA and Disneyland.

Everyone decides that Hyperspace Mountain will be their first Fast Pass. Here they have a choice: Everyone go to the FP kiosk together, Or... hand over all their park tickets to a runner, Or... send a runner with the Disneyland App installed on their smartphone to the FP kiosk.

All FP kiosks have a scanner that reads paper tickets or scans smartphone barcodes. Those scanning their phone will get the virtual FP+. After receiving the virtual FP+ ticket, the App will offer an "Add more people? Yes / No?" prompt (for guests with linked accounts). No completes the process. If choosing Yes, a prompt will pop up to check off avatars of those in the party that want the FP+ ticket, with an additional box that automatically selects "All". Done.

The App keeps track of who has FPs in paper and in electronic form and will prevent multiple issues just like the current pass system. It will prevent everyone in a party of five from selecting "All" and getting five FPs each - it will catch multiple attempts and issue one FP per rider.

The App will keep track of return times and when the next FP is available.
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[tarheelalum]

Hopefully it will never come to Disneyland.

 

[GatorChris]

I'm with you @GatorChris in wishing this would never come to DLR! I don't want to plan out which rides I want months in advance and it takes away from the spontaneous feel that is unique to Disneyland.

If they were to roll out a FP+ system, here is what I would like to see (this is a basic gist of my idea, not some well-thought-out extensive policy). Basically, my idea is the Fast Pass distribution and rules would be the same as it is now.

This is as far as I'd want it to go. Basically, everything stays the same but the DL App can make life a little easier when you're there - but you STILL have to go the FP kiosk of the ride. Digital is the new frontier, so take advantage. Just don't make a mess of it. You know, like having 2 or 3 kiosks in the parks and having a 15 minute wait (like at WDW) just to get a FP. Dumb.

And I like the idea that paper FPs would still be available. My dad and mom went to DL a year ago for just a day trip. It was out of the blue. They have "kinda smart" phones, so a new FP+ system would've left them out in the cold if it were smart phone only tech. And I'm sure they don't want to dole out another $10 each for wrist bands after they dump $100 each to just get in.

 

[Kittyskyfish]

This is as far as I'd want it to go. Basically, everything stays the same but the DL App can make life a little easier when you're there - but you STILL have to go the FP kiosk of the ride. Digital is the new frontier, so take advantage. Just don't make a mess of it. You know, like having 2 or 3 kiosks in the parks and having a 15 minute wait (like at WDW) just to get a FP. Dumb.

And I like the idea that paper FPs would still be available. My dad and mom went to DL a year ago for just a day trip. It was out of the blue. They have "kinda smart" phones, so a new FP+ system would've left them out in the cold if it were smart phone only tech. And I'm sure they don't want to dole out another $10 each for wrist bands after they dump $100 each to just get in.

Yes, I'd like to see three types of FP "tickets" available for ride entry: Traditional paper, phone barcode, or wristband. Paper makes so much sense for those who don't have or want smartphones and it's perfect for one-day visitors and those in for a convention. Let the App and wristband system be one extra option for those interested in geeking out.