More FastPass+ Testing Coming This Month

[Robo]

I think the new system will be better for first time guests.

The first time guests are less likely to know that they have to go to a park hours before they want to ride something, go to the ride and get a ticket to ride it later. It seems more likely they will be able to be informed of the new system on making their reservations and prepare better, run around less, and see more.

I hope they love their FP reservations for it's a small world, Pirates, and the Mad Tea Party!

 

[Colleen27]

I gave what I figured would be the case.

Take (at least) MOST of the current FP positions and make them "X-Pass Reserved" for a given day.

Any that are left...

Well, look at how quickly FP's for Soarin' , TSM, Space Mtn. are gone NOW...

What will happen if that number is cut down by, say, 80%?

Alternatively, the total FP pool could increase to accommodate the new system, leaving the existing system more or less as-is but greatly increasing standby lines. That would also account for the sudden need for strict FP enforcement, if they're anticipating the majority of each headliner ride's capacity to be reserved in advance.

I think the system as a whole sounds very promising but I'm reserving judgment based on three factors -

1) Cost. If the $80pp rumor that Jim Hill (I think... maybe it was a different fan/rumor site) posted is accurate we'll be priced out.
2) Reliability. Functional technology doesn't seem to be Disney's strongest suit of late, not online and not in the parks. This could be great, or it could be a buggy interface for pre-reserving rides that may or may not be operational for enough of the park day to accommodate everyone who made those reservations.
3) Timeframe. I'd be happy to book my ride FPs when I do online check-in, but there's no way I'm booking them months in advance the way we do ADRs. Being shut-out of favorite restaurants on short-notice trips is bad enough, I don't want to be shut-out of favorite rides too!

 

[gwmort]

I hope they love their FP reservations for it's a small world, Pirates, and the Mad Tea Party!

I'm sure they'll like them better than the parents standing with cranky kids in those standby lines.

Saving even 20-30 minutes here and there will still make for a better more relaxed day of touring. Or balance out hitting a 1 hr e-ticket line.

 

[theblondebee]

I just needed an example.

I know, just couldn't resist. My DD who is a CM always drags me on!

 

[havoc315]

First

time

guests.



Just the tip of the iceberg.

First time guests struggle with regular fastpasses.

Arguably.... Possibly.. This could be *easier* for First time guests. Because unlike traditional FPs, they will actually get the information in ADVANCE.
First time guests have no trouble figuring out Magic Express -- Because they get a nice packet in the mail a month before their trip, with tags and an explanation of what to do with them.

Current system: First time guest wanders into the park... "Hey, why are people skipping ahead of me on that Fastpass line?? How do I get one? Do I have to pay extra?? How many can I get?? I'm sooooooooooooo confused."

New system: "Hmmm, got our Disney welcoming packet in the mail, it says I can skip some of the lines if I log into the website and reserve ride times now... Wow, so easy, so convenient.... "

(Obviously, being a bit dramatic for effect)

 

[havoc315]

Alternatively, the total FP pool could increase to accommodate the new system, leaving the existing system more or less as-is but greatly increasing standby lines. That would also account for the sudden need for strict FP enforcement, if they're anticipating the majority of each headliner ride's capacity to be reserved in advance.

I think the system as a whole sounds very promising but I'm reserving judgment based on three factors -

1) Cost. If the $80pp rumor that Jim Hill (I think... maybe it was a different fan/rumor site) posted is accurate we'll be priced out.
2) Reliability. Functional technology doesn't seem to be Disney's strongest suit of late, not online and not in the parks. This could be great, or it could be a buggy interface for pre-reserving rides that may or may not be operational for enough of the park day to accommodate everyone who made those reservations.
3) Timeframe. I'd be happy to book my ride FPs when I do online check-in, but there's no way I'm booking them months in advance the way we do ADRs. Being shut-out of favorite restaurants on short-notice trips is bad enough, I don't want to be shut-out of favorite rides too!

Pretty sure that Jim Hill's more recent information is that there will NOT be an extra charge for FP+.

 

[GAN]

We'll be arriving 8/17, so looks like I'll have a chance to experience FP+ for three days or so. The only question I would have is where are they getting the guests to test the system -assuming this a pre-planned FP system. Are they choosing guests as they check-in and offer the opportunity? Or is it totally random as you enter the parks?

 

[havoc315]

We'll be arriving 8/17, so looks like I'll have a chance to experience FP+ for three days or so. The only question I would have is where are they getting the guests to test the system -assuming this a pre-planned FP system. Are they choosing guests as they check-in and offer the opportunity? Or is it totally random as you enter the parks?

For the prior test, they recruited guests at Orlando Airport, at Magical Express check-in. Unknown whether they will do the same thing this time.

 

[Rip]

Pretty sure that Jim Hill's more recent information is that there will NOT be an extra charge for FP+.

I guarantee you it will either be something only for hotel guests within a certain category or there will be an additional charge for it. The only other possible scenario is that they will pay for it by completely eliminating EMH and offering it only to resort guests. They are not spending this amount of money to implement a new system without getting something in return, given that no one had an issue with the current "free" FP system.

 

[Sam81]

I for one am all for XPass, Next Gen, whatever you want to call it. From what I have read (on the internet so it must be true) is that they are focusing on driving revenue through a targeted demographic. And to be honest this really makes sense. Why try to cater to the masses when you can focus on a core group to drive revenues. They are essentially taking away the distractions (rides) so that you can focus on experiences (spa, golf, shopping, dining, etc…) Remember this has nothing to do with ride capacity, it is a strategy to grab the aux.

From the financials capital spending is up over 80% from prior years, they have multiple expansions and a brand new park being built in China. They have to shift focus.

 

[havoc315]

I guarantee you it will either be something only for hotel guests within a certain category or there will be an additional charge for it. The only other possible scenario is that they will pay for it by completely eliminating EMH and offering it only to resort guests. They are not spending this amount of money to implement a new system without getting something in return, given that no one had an issue with the current "free" FP system.

The same could be said when they implemented the original FP system. Why didn't they charge extra for it? Or limit it to onsite guests?

I do suspect that it will be reserved for onsite guests OR onsite guests will get some sort of advantage. (more FP+s per day if you are onsite).

But Disney would get something in return, even if it is totally free:
They would get better traffic management in the park. Which makes things run more efficiently, which gives people more time to spend more money.
Disney also benefits if guests are happier in general: More likely to return, more likely to spend more time in the parks spending more money.

So while I agree that I suspect they will limit it to onsite guests in some way, we shouldn't jump to the conclusion that offsite guests will be totally left in the cold.
And if offsite guests are left in the cold.... I'm not going to cry about it. Disney has every right to offer onsite guests advantages in exchange for paying a premium price. A customer who pays a premium price may have a right to expect certain advantages.
The capitalism that Walt Disney loved.

 

[jamnich314]

What happens if you have a FP+ reservation for Spalsh Mtn @ 11 a.m. and the ride is closed for maintenance at that time? Would they give you replacement passes for a later time? Would it be a set later time or just "later"? Wouldn't this push all of the rest of the times back, or at least make them more crowded than they were going to be?

I like the idea of being able to essentially reserve to hot ticket rides per day at a certain time but there are things that can go wrong. At least now, if a ride is closed during your FP time they will just give you one for a later time which they can then take out of the number of FPs they WOULD have given out. With this system, I imagine they would have a set number of FP+ for each time. What happens when all of the pepole who were supposed to go on it at 11 a.m. are now wanting to go on it at 1 p.m. with everybody that already reserved a 1 p.m. spot? Would they just take that out of the regular FP bucket (assuming they keep regular FP)?

 

[MouseEarsForAll]

I know, just couldn't resist. My DD who is a CM always drags me on!

You know how much you love it.

 

[Rip]

The same could be said when they implemented the original FP system. Why didn't they charge extra for it? Or limit it to onsite guests?

I do suspect that it will be reserved for onsite guests OR onsite guests will get some sort of advantage. (more FP+s per day if you are onsite).

But Disney would get something in return, even if it is totally free:
They would get better traffic management in the park. Which makes things run more efficiently, which gives people more time to spend more money.
Disney also benefits if guests are happier in general: More likely to return, more likely to spend more time in the parks spending more money.

So while I agree that I suspect they will limit it to onsite guests in some way, we shouldn't jump to the conclusion that offsite guests will be totally left in the cold.
And if offsite guests are left in the cold.... I'm not going to cry about it. Disney has every right to offer onsite guests advantages in exchange for paying a premium price. A customer who pays a premium price may have a right to expect certain advantages.
The capitalism that Walt Disney loved.

The biggest difference is that at that time they had no sort of system in place and the primary reason for implementing it was to keep guests from standing in line where they aren't spending $$ and get more of them into shops and restaurants where they are. They already have that system now so there is no immediate need for something new to accomplish the same thing. So, they are going to have to pay for the new system in some way. It will either be by directly charging for the service, or by eliminating certain perks and replacing them with this.

I'm not saying that they don't have a right to do it any way they see fit, I'm just pointing out that it will be something that has to be paid for in some way. Either directly or by spending more and staying onsite, or a combination of both.

 

[Rip]

And then, of course, there are those who, like me, hate the idea of being forced to micromanage every second of my vacation months in advance. I think some of the people on here lose sight of the fact that, just because a large portion of people self-selected to post on a Disney planning website actually like doing that, there is a HUGE portion of the general population that does not.

 

[juliebug1997]

There will definitely still be standby lines. But I think it is unknown whether the traditional FPs will still be around, or whether the only option for FP that you will have is the FP+, booked in advance option.

Also, will there be yet a third line for the FP+ people?

PP who said that most people didn't get four FPs in a day,
Do you mean for one ride or all day? Because DH and I routinely get four+ FPs in one day in MK or DHS. As soon as we can get a new one, we do.

 

[Colleen27]

Pretty sure that Jim Hill's more recent information is that there will NOT be an extra charge for FP+.

I guarantee you it will either be something only for hotel guests within a certain category or there will be an additional charge for it. The only other possible scenario is that they will pay for it by completely eliminating EMH and offering it only to resort guests. They are not spending this amount of money to implement a new system without getting something in return, given that no one had an issue with the current "free" FP system.

I'm not sure it is that cut and dried. They put a lot of development into the free system too, and I don't think "no one has an issue" with it - it is confusing and frustrating to first-timers, requires a lot of extra criss-crossing of the parks, and discourages park-hopping because of the need to be in the park in the AM to get a FP that potentially has a PM return time. And an expansion of the system comes with its own benefits for Disney, in more consistent, predictable guest traffic patterns and in further freeing of guests to shop/snack/indulge in extras rather than wait in lines.

I'm sure Disney is also aware that one of the few areas where guests speak more highly of Universal than of Disney is on FOTL vs FP, and while they can't mimic that system exactly because of the differences in scale they do likely see the benefit in improving their offering.

 

[mjp12831]

A potential huge problem are "no shows"

People will book and not show up. Disney will try to compensate for this by allowing "overbooking", then on the days when you have fewer than normal "no shows" it will cause havoc.

I'm basing my thoughts on the ADR system which has this exact problem.

 

[mjp12831]

And then, of course, there are those who, like me, hate the idea of being forced to micromanage every second of my vacation months in advance. I think some of the people on here lose sight of the fact that, just because a large portion of people self-selected to post on a Disney planning website actually like doing that, there is a HUGE portion of the general population that does not.

This

 

[ghtx]

And then, of course, there are those who, like me, hate the idea of being forced to micromanage every second of my vacation months in advance. I think some of the people on here lose sight of the fact that, just because a large portion of people self-selected to post on a Disney planning website actually like doing that, there is a HUGE portion of the general population that does not.

OK, fine. That HUGE portion is perfectly free to not use FP+ (or FP for that matter, or do any planning whatsoever). What is the complaint?