Good Neighbor hotels to get 60-day FP booking! Update: AND EMH!

[TheMaxRebo]

I was thinking the other day that with all their extra land, Disney ought to build a couple small communities on-site. They could rent the houses out to larger groups and you would still get the proximity and perks, while having the advantages of a house. Heck, they could even sell them. I would certainly buy one if I had the money (I don't).

Well, they have that to some extent with Golden Oak ... homes start at $2 million
https://www.disneygoldenoak.com/

 

[Roxyfire]

I have mixed feelings about this. I always stay at value resorts so I can do multiple trips each year. Value resorts keep my costs down tremendously! When the values are all booked up I will stay offsite at a good neighbor hotel. The two new ones at Flamingo Crossings are really nice! I hope that these will be included. Of course, I also realize that this means fast passes will get eaten up much faster.

People here tend to assume everyone buys their tickets in advance of the 60 day FP window. I wouldn't at all be surprised if the average family (and especially extended family) waited until closer to their trip to buy tickets just because it's such a huge sunk cost.

 

[Lee Matthews]

Only just come across this news article. Thrilled if this ends up happening.

I want to start staying at the Wyndham in Lake Buena Vista. Husband and I love Disney springs which is walking distance and if I can get my fast passes earlier than those staying at Universal. I'm happy with that

 

[sachilles]

Maybe that is the angle....Disney area lodging versus universal area lodging. If nothing else the incidental revenue tips in your favor.

 

[Planogirl]

Eh, split stays between Universal and the WDW area is the solution. That's what we often do.

 

[jerry557]

My hunch is that Disney doesn't think this is as nearly as big of a deal as we think here.
I'd wager they have some metrics to demonstrate just how little the 60 day window is used, despite selling the perk to the good neighbors.

I do wonder just how well utilized this perk is to first time visitors.

Have you tried getting a fastpass for things like FOP? People say it's only about a 20% chance you will get it even at 60 days out. Now with more people, that chance will go further down. When some of these other things open in the next couple years in Hollywood Studios, you might as well plan on waiting in standby because getting a FP will be impossible.

Eventually FP is going to become a perk that you will get only based on luck for the major attractions. I think this change is going to make Universal's express pass superior to Disney.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

Have you tried getting a fastpass for things like FOP? People say it's only about a 20% chance you will get it even at 60 days out. Now with more people, that chance will go further down. When some of these other things open in the next couple years in Hollywood Studios, you might as well plan on waiting in standby because getting a FP will be impossible.

Eventually FP is going to become a perk that you will get only based on luck for the major attractions. I think this change is going to make Universal's express pass superior to Disney.

While I agree, to be fair it is really on for the super hot / new item. So FoP for now and to some extent still 7DMT

So this will make it that much harder to get - and drive up the value of the VIP tours

 

[Metz172]

Has this actually been confirmed by Disney?

 

[rteetz]

Has this actually been confirmed by Disney?

No.

 

[Princess_Lisa]

Have you tried getting a fastpass for things like FOP? People say it's only about a 20% chance you will get it even at 60 days out. Now with more people, that chance will go further down. When some of these other things open in the next couple years in Hollywood Studios, you might as well plan on waiting in standby because getting a FP will be impossible.

Eventually FP is going to become a perk that you will get only based on luck for the major attractions. I think this change is going to make Universal's express pass superior to Disney.

It has always been luck for those taking short trips. I wonder if Disney will extend the full 60 plus length of stay window to these hotels or only a 60 day rolling window. The latter would make very little difference in FoP availability as there is virtually none at 60 days anyways. I only found 2 spots at 50-something days that were likely the result of someone rescheduling/cancelling. There was nothing at 60 days when I made my FastPasses for Early December and from what I've heard this is pretty standard.

 

[KNovacovschi]

People here tend to assume everyone buys their tickets in advance of the 60 day FP window. I wouldn't at all be surprised if the average family (and especially extended family) waited until closer to their trip to buy tickets just because it's such a huge sunk cost.

Not necessarily because when you book a package tickets are included and can be payed gradually, unless you get a room only discount.

 

[mom2rtk]

Not necessarily because when you book a package tickets are included and can be payed gradually, unless you get a room only discount.

A huge portion of Disney's guests don't even stay onsite.

 

[KNovacovschi]

It has always been luck for those taking short trips. I wonder if Disney will extend the full 60 plus length of stay window to these hotels or only a 60 day rolling window. The latter would make very little difference in FoP availability as there is virtually none at 60 days anyways. I only found 2 spots at 50-something days that were likely the result of someone rescheduling/cancelling. There was nothing at 60 days when I made my FastPasses for Early December and from what I've heard this is pretty standard.

So the same way they do ADRs, anyone can book at 180 days but unless you are onsite you have to do them 1 day at a time. Yeah this may be better. I'm still waiting to see if Disney announces this as it is just rumor right now.

 

[j2thomason]

I am assuming that the good neighbor hotels will be added to MDE so Disney can see the reservation.

 

[sachilles]

In thinking about it, the next perk for disney resort guests would be a guaranteed fast pass to 2 of the 7 new marquee rides throughout WDW or something along that vein.

In essence creating a new inventory pool. The system seems like it could support such a thing.

60 day thing really isn't the advantage guests are after......but some sort of guarantee do get on the new rides without spending 2 hours of your life in a line would have huge appeal.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

In thinking about it, the next perk for disney resort guests would be a guaranteed fast pass to 2 of the 7 new marquee rides throughout WDW or something along that vein.

In essence creating a new inventory pool. The system seems like it could support such a thing.

60 day thing really isn't the advantage guests are after......but some sort of guarantee do get on the new rides without spending 2 hours of your life in a line would have huge appeal.

I keep coming back to the extra EMH's they had for Pandora the first bit after it opened that only resort guests could do and what a big value that provides - that would only be like 10x more worth it when SWGE edge opens.

those extra couple of hours that only resort guests could get into the land basically guaranteed you could get on both rides during that time

 

[LSLS]

The more I think about this, the more I think it's all about data. By doing this, I'm assuming the guests would have to go into their system. Now you have a database of people staying off site. You can look and see if they used to be on site, what has changed, where they used to stay, where they stay now, how many guests are in the rooms, etc. I think they are banking on the idea that nobody is going to find this a deal breaker for staying on site, and it's going to give them an insane amount of data to analyzed patterns. It could also give them a window into people staying off site that are staying a lot longer than number of days they are going to parks (maybe they are trying to see how many people are potentially going to Universal from their pool).

 

[amberpi]

Eh, split stays between Universal and the WDW area is the solution. That's what we often do.

The FP perk at Universal makes it a must do.

 

[SL6827]

I believe this is some how the very first steps in Disney charging for fast passes.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

I believe this is some how the very first steps in Disney charging for fast passes.

I still don't think they will ever get to the "Universal" model of a paid express pass type thing - meaning I don't think they would ever get to the point of having to pay for even your first FP ... but I could see something where you could pay for extra FP or you get more FP if you stay at higher priced hotels (so Deluxes get 5 and maybe get 75 day access to book them - something like that).

Obviously they are also getting to the same end point with the VIP tours like the one at Animal Kingdom which is essentially paying for a FP for Flight of Passage ... at a minimum I expect similar things for Star Wars Galaxy's Edge