LL Premier Pass

[Angel Ariel]

Anyone see the announcement re: Lightning Lane Premier Pass? Guaranteed 1 time entry to every LL attraction in a park with no need to choose specific return times. Sounds like you also have to be staying at specific hotels in order to be able to access it.

Rolling out a paid version of LL access that has no specific return window requirement tracks with the limitations on DAS. i doubt they could have offered that with the numbers who had DAS previously.

 

[jo-jo]

Anyone see the announcement re: Lightning Lane Premier Pass? Guaranteed 1 time entry to every LL attraction in a park with no need to choose specific return times. Sounds like you also have to be staying at specific hotels in order to be able to access it.

Rolling out a paid version of LL access that has no specific return window requirement tracks with the limitations on DAS. i doubt they could have offered that with the numbers who had DAS previously.

I googled it,

The prices posted on USA today , (just a hit I picked)

Lightning Lane Premier Passes per person, per day:

• Disney’s Animal Kingdom: $129-$199 plus tax
• EPCOT: $169-$249 plus tax
• Disney’s Hollywood Studios: $269-$349 plus tax
• Magic Kingdom: $329-$449 plus tax

YIKES!

 

[theMoreDisneytheBetter]

I googled it,

The prices posted on USA today , (just a hit I picked)

Lightning Lane Premier Passes per person, per day:

• Disney’s Animal Kingdom: $129-$199 plus tax
• EPCOT: $169-$249 plus tax
• Disney’s Hollywood Studios: $269-$349 plus tax
• Magic Kingdom: $329-$449 plus tax

YIKES!

That’s similar to what is offered in Paris. It was awesome.

I imagine it will cut into demand for VIP.

 

[jennab]

I googled it,

The prices posted on USA today , (just a hit I picked)

Lightning Lane Premier Passes per person, per day:

• Disney’s Animal Kingdom: $129-$199 plus tax
• EPCOT: $169-$249 plus tax
• Disney’s Hollywood Studios: $269-$349 plus tax
• Magic Kingdom: $329-$449 plus tax

YIKES!

It has to be priced high enough that not a lot of people will buy it, otherwise we’d be back in the situation we were in when everyone got DAS. And yes only people staying at deluxe resorts qualify.

 

[lanejudy]

I moved this to a new thread -- it really doesn't belong in the Approval/Denial thread and I figured it warranted it's own thread.

 

[jennab]

I moved this to a new thread -- it really doesn't belong in the Approval/Denial thread and I figured it warranted it's own thread.

Sorry! Sometimes I forget what thread we are in

 

[Disturbia]

Anyone see the announcement re: Lightning Lane Premier Pass? Guaranteed 1 time entry to every LL attraction in a park with no need to choose specific return times. Sounds like you also have to be staying at specific hotels in order to be able to access it.

Rolling out a paid version of LL access that has no specific return window requirement tracks with the limitations on DAS. i doubt they could have offered that with the numbers who had DAS previously.

No notifications. Wow

 

[PrincessDadx2]

So can we finally acknowledge that this wasn't about "capacity" or "cheating" but about clearing schlubs like my family, who had GAC and DAS for 15 years, out of the LL so it can be sold to deluxe guests who are willing to pay $1,000 per day for a family of 4 and don't have to wait the stand by time?

Yes, I am cynical, and I am heart broken to see what has happened over the last 10 years to my favorite place.

 

[Angel Ariel]

I moved this to a new thread -- it really doesn't belong in the Approval/Denial thread and I figured it warranted it's own thread.

Apologies - I thought it was the discussion thread, didn't realize it was the approval thread! Thanks for the new thread

 

[jennab]

So can we finally acknowledge that this wasn't about "capacity" or "cheating" but about clearing schlubs like my family, who had GAC and DAS for 15 years, out of the LL so it can be sold to deluxe guests who are willing to pay $1,000 per day for a family of 4 and don't have to wait the stand by time?

Yes, I am cynical, and I am heart broken to see what has happened over the last 10 years to my favorite place.

I highly doubt this new offering is going to make much of a difference at all bits very limited and not many people are going to shell out the $ to purchase it. Also, people who do buy it were most likely people were were already going to buy LLMP and LLSP. So again…. Not causing much of a change.

 

[Angel Ariel]

I highly doubt this new offering is going to make much of a difference at all bits very limited and not many people are going to shell out the $ to purchase it. Also, people who do buy it were most likely people were were already going to buy LLMP and LLSP. So again…. Not causing much of a change.

I don't think it'll cause much of a change *now,* - but I do think it's too coincidental to not be part of the reason for the changes to DAS. They couldn't sell this now with how many people were on DAS before.

 

[jlundeen]

I added it up as we are staying in YC next trip, (IF we go), and for us, 4 days (2 adults) of this and one additional day of MPLL+SPLL would set us back around an additional $2500... and we wouldn't really be able to PH except on the MPLL day, and in order to really get use out of it would need to hobble from ride to ride to ride.... That's not the way we do parks, so for us, this is a hard "no".

I do think that some folks will find value in it though, and it's nice that it includes the SPLL rides.

 

[jennab]

I don't think it'll cause much of a change *now,* - but I do think it's too coincidental to not be part of the reason for the changes to DAS. They couldn't sell this now with how many people were on DAS before.

But we’ve already said that for LLMP/LLSP and the certain people who are currently qualified for DAS. It’s hard to sell a paid system when it’s not fast…. It was also impacting DAS users who really couldn’t wait more than let’s say 20min. There were a few times we didn’t join the LL because it was too backed up with too many people…. Oh and also impacting standby along the way with so many LL users. This new premium change will not be making much of an impact to what it’s like currently. I still think they made the best call for the DAS changes as there are just too many people with legitimate disabilities to accommodate all of them plus their close friends and family with DAS

 

[Angel Ariel]

But we’ve already said that for LLMP/LLSP and the certain people who are currently qualified for DAS. It’s hard to sell a paid system when it’s not fast…. It was also impacting DAS users who really couldn’t wait more than let’s say 20min. There were a few times we didn’t join the LL because it was too backed up with too many people…. Oh and also impacting standby along the way with so many LL users. This new premium change will not be making much of an impact to what it’s like currently. I still think they made the best call for the DAS changes as there are just too many people with legitimate disabilities to accommodate all of them plus their close friends and family with DAS

As I said on another thread - I'm not interested in rehashing the ins and outs of the DAS changes. I've agreed many times that there were changes needed.

But it is also true that the changes to DAS opened LL capacity. This new product wouldn't have been sellable under the previous conditions. I don't expect this new product will impact the current LL situation much just because of how expensive it is, on top of having to stay at a deluxe in order to get it. But this product wouldn't have been able to be released without the changes to DAS, IMO.

 

[jennab]

As I said on another thread - I'm not interested in rehashing the ins and outs of the DAS changes. I've agreed many times that there were changes needed.

But it is also true that the changes to DAS opened LL capacity. This new product wouldn't have been sellable under the previous conditions. I don't expect this new product will impact the current LL situation much just because of how expensive it is, on top of having to stay at a deluxe in order to get it. But this product wouldn't have been able to be released without the changes to DAS, IMO.

Possibly, but they were getting so many complaints with the paid system prior to the DAS change as well. I don’t think this new option will have much of an impact on the lines though (standby or LL).

 

[Genie+]

So can we finally acknowledge that this wasn't about "capacity" or "cheating" but about clearing schlubs like my family, who had GAC and DAS for 15 years, out of the LL so it can be sold to deluxe guests who are willing to pay $1,000 per day for a family of 4 and don't have to wait the stand by time?

Yes, I am cynical, and I am heart broken to see what has happened over the last 10 years to my favorite place.

This Premier Pass is more on the level of VIP tours and Club 33, which have never made a significant impact on park operations.

Nowhere near the impact widespread DAS usage caused.

The other thing that should be acknowledged is how long WDW let DAS impact other customers. Let’s face it - the only difference between a large swath of guests was not in cost or level of encumbrance for their party to visit the parks, it was whether or not they requested DAS. There was a HUGE divide in experience and much of it wasn’t explained by level of difficulty for that party to explore the parks.

 

[Angel Ariel]

Possibly, but they were getting so many complaints with the paid system prior to the DAS change as well. I don’t think this new option will have much of an impact on the lines though (standby or LL).

I agree I don't think the new option will have much of an impact on the current reality.

 

[Grim Grinning Ghostie]

Doesn't seem very "premier" to me, especially considering this high-priced ticket is only available to those staying at Deluxe/DVC resorts. Universal offers Unlimited Express passes for free to folks staying in its luxury resorts - which are already more affordable than Disney's Deluxe offerings. They aren't helping themselves to look any more appealing in the Disney vs. Universal fight right now.

 

[jennab]

Doesn't seem very "premier" to me, especially considering this high-priced ticket is only available to those staying at Deluxe/DVC resorts. Universal offers Unlimited Express passes for free to folks staying in its luxury resorts - which are already more affordable than Disney's Deluxe offerings. They aren't helping themselves to look any more appealing in the Disney vs. Universal fight right now.

Universal only offers it to the 3 Loews resorts because it was an agreement with them. They will not be offering it to any new resorts, even their new Helios one that is also “deluxe”. Universal also says their express pass will only cut the wait by half, whereas Disney is selling theirs to be “fast”. I don’t think Disney could offer it to all their deluxe rooms; that’s probably 10,000 more rooms than universals deluxe resorts.

 

[ClaraOswald]

But we’ve already said that for LLMP/LLSP and the certain people who are currently qualified for DAS. It’s hard to sell a paid system when it’s not fast…. It was also impacting DAS users who really couldn’t wait more than let’s say 20min. There were a few times we didn’t join the LL because it was too backed up with too many people…. Oh and also impacting standby along the way with so many LL users. This new premium change will not be making much of an impact to what it’s like currently. I still think they made the best call for the DAS changes as there are just too many people with legitimate disabilities to accommodate all of them plus their close friends and family with DAS

This is my concern as well. At DLR, this has been the case at some rides, like RSR. And we once got into the LL for Star Tours and it was a nightmare for our son. I really hope this isn't going to be the norm for us. Ugh.