Feedback From An Actual User of Birthday Fastpass Option, Please???

[3TinksAndAnEeyore]

I was pretty psyched when I heard about the free fastpasses you could use on your birthday if you already had an alternate DL entry (we'll have multi-day park hoppers and both myself and my eldest DD will be celebrating birthdays). Then, as I did more research on these awesome boards, I discovered that you essentially only get two fastpasses to use.

Now, has anyone here actually chosen this option? Because I just can't see the allure when you could get a $70 fun card instead. Now, if the fastpass option was like the cool all-you-want fastpass that you used to get with the AAA trip package or like the one you could win as part of the Year of a Million Dreams...I would be so all over it!

(By the way, for anyone looking for more information about the birthday options, here's the link to the awesome thread by perlster: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1957296)

Thanks for sharing your story if you've used this option or know someone who has!

 

[fairycat]

Almost no one here has chosen it because it does not seem so cool when you read the small print.

Basically from what I have heard you get two levels of FP's Donald and Daisy, one group for the more popular rides and some for the less popular or fast loading rides. I had heard that the amount of passes given was effected by crowd expecations for the day, the bad part you got less on a busy day then on a slow day.

Overall it seems like the Fun Card is the way to go, as the FP's aren't nearly as magical sounding, at least to me.

 

[3TinksAndAnEeyore]

So, out of curiosity, would any of you choose the fastpass option?

 

[MyMonkies]

I will be there on my b-day in December & unless I hear anything great about the fast pass, I'll choose the fun card

 

[DangerMouse]

So, out of curiosity, would any of you choose the fastpass option?

nope.

 

[bumbershoot]

So, out of curiosity, would any of you choose the fastpass option?

I can't imagine using it. Having a giftcard to spend is just too fun (or at least DS seemed to be having fun with it!).


Now...if I were going at New Years Eve and actually wanted to ride anything...if I were going on xmas day...one of those insane days, then, especially b/c they seem to raise the number of rides as it gets busier, it might possibly be worth it.

Your trip is earlyish December, and *probably* won't be too bad. We've been there the last two early Decembers, and it's been lovely, and I wish you the same luck as we've had. Get up early though, it always makes so much difference!

 

[3TinksAndAnEeyore]

Why do you suppose they made the fastpass option so unappealing? Giving the birthday guest and a few friends would costthem nothing, but the fun card costs them $60-70 in merchandise. Whereas, I am now thinking of the two fastpasses I would get as though they would cost $35 each. A little much just to get on a ride faster. An unlimited fastpass now... that would come under the category of almost priceless and would be well worth giving up the fun card's monetary value.

 

[pixiewings71]

So, out of curiosity, would any of you choose the fastpass option?

We've had 3 bday trips this year, 1 still to come. None of us have wanted the fastpasses, we've all gone for the fun card. DD9 is excited, when she turns 10 in Dec she will get one worth $72.

 

[3TinksAndAnEeyore]

DD9 is excited, when she turns 10 in Dec she will get one worth $72.

My DD and I will also be celebrating birthdays at DL this December! Maybe since it will be the end of the birthday celebrations, they'll be more generous with the fastpasses. I'll definitely ask, but the fastpass option is definitely sounding "eh"!

 

[Bunchkin]

When we there just a couple weeks ago celebrating DS's b-day, the person at the ticket booth even suggested taking the fun card and NOT getting the fastpass. Not worth it they said, and I agree.

 

[fairycat]

I doubt things will change by the end of the year. I also wonder why they didn't make the FP's more appealing, I guess they figured not many would want them or maybe they thought they would get more out of the Fun cards. Most people will probably spend more then the card is worth which is good for them, and when they first started, the card was only supposed to be good one day (that went out the window super fast thanks to California's Gift Card Laws).

But in the end it is not something I will use as I would rather collect my own Fp's and get my Fun Card for my B-day, which is the plan for my B-day, and for Dh and BIL's shared B-day's we are hoping to do free admission in WDW.

 

[usschmidt]

I think you're on to something, fairycat. I work in retail and our particular store sees an increase of 100% of the sale when a customer uses a giftcard. So if the card is worth $50, the customer spends $100...an extra $50 in sales that didn't have to be "worked" for kwim. I bet it's an even greater return for Disney.