new blog: I Just Spent $20 on FastPasses! Would You?

[nat8199]

I think this could easily be done just like the Park Hopper option. The more I think about it, the more excited I am for this to some day be an option.

 

[asmit4]

I admit it- I'd PAY. I'd be willing to pay A LOT. I have a toddler- standing in lines is simply not doable. Perhaps if I had a 10yo I'd be willing to wait in line. Right now- if the line is more than 15 minutes- my 2yo won't be riding.

 

[sethschroeder]

I think this could easily be done just like the Park Hopper option. The more I think about it, the more excited I am for this to some day be an option.

If everyone starts paying though because now its just an option upon buying tickets two things will happen.

There won't be enough FP+ to go around
Disney will increase the amount of FP+ and standby will be a thing of the past

 

[Beer Me]

I would buy fastpasses! I would absolutely do so. Every other theme park I have ever been to, including Universal, has a pay system for bonuses or preferred ride waits. Its fairly basic. I would jump on it. Of course the price would matter, but if it was $25 for 5 FPs, I would do it in a second. I would rather just pay a set price, like $50 per day, and get unlimited FP for any ride.

Never gonna happen for $50. Kings island in Ohio is around $80.

And of course the supply has to be limited (or else they would be useless). So yet one more thing there would be competition to buy before it sells out.

FP is actually a pretty great idea and something Disney is doing better than anyone else in that it's available to all guests.

 

[PinkBudgie]

I guess I don't see the need to "pay for FPs" at DLR. Unlike our trip to WDW this June, we have been used to getting pretty much as many FPs as we want at DLR. The only ride that really runs out quickly is RSR, and you can do that as single rider in usually 15-20 min. (And our normal DLR visit is in July).

VIP seating for Aladdin would be nice, I hate standing in that long hot line.
And a pin is fun to get. However, a FP for WOC is not hard to get and can be held while you have other FPs. It's extra. At WDW, FPs for shows count as one of your FPs. And we much prefer to have a nice lunch at Carthay Circle for the WOC package and then get the preferred viewing.
And, finally I can't see needing help setting up dining at DLR. (Does it get you a last minute seating at BB?) Mostly we just walk up and eat.

Now, if they had that at WDW, say Epcot, where you could get FPs to ride Test Track two extra times for $20 along with a tour, I'd do that. There aren't many rides and not many FPs available for the ones that matter. Good FPs at WDW are hard to get and I might be inclined to pay for them there.

 

[snayak]

we're headed to Universal for one day during our trip, so we're considering the park-to-park unlimited express pass so we can see both parks before 3pm. The cost of each ticket, midweek in October is $228.97, including tax. Crowds are expected to be 5/10.

A 1 day hopper at Disney is $142.71, so Universal is charging $86/day to skip the lines. We are not staying on Universal Property, so assume this price goes down if you get a room and are a family of 4 or whatever as its included.

So, yes, I would consider purchasing FP+ as long as:

1. They are priced sufficiently high enough that many people will not consider purchasing them.
2. I was only going for a limited amount of time (say 2 days for all 4 parks, maybe just 1 day w/ the right mix of park hours) and really wanted to hit the headliners several times. The 5 days we're spending at WDW, the 3 FP+ per day allow us to lock in our must-do's and still have plenty of time for other stuff.

I dont mind the option to pay for more/better service, but do expect to get my moneys worth when I do.

 

[Altoqueenkelly]

I wouldn't pay for it, and quite frankly we would probably choose to vacation elsewhere. I've been wanting to cruise and do universal/discovery cove but have put it off for Disney. now that DD is getting older we may start to venture to new experiences, this would push a lot of families away IMO. One of the huge attractors for us to Disney was the "free for all" fast pass systems of the past.

 

[Beer Me]

we're headed to Universal for one day during our trip, so we're considering the park-to-park unlimited express pass so we can see both parks before 3pm. The cost of each ticket, midweek in October is $228.97, including tax. Crowds are expected to be 5/10. A 1 day hopper at Disney is $142.71, so Universal is charging $86/day to skip the lines. We are not staying on Universal Property, so assume this price goes down if you get a room and are a family of 4 or whatever as its included. So, yes, I would consider purchasing FP+ as long as: [*]They are priced sufficiently high enough that many people will not consider purchasing them. [*]I was only going for a limited amount of time (say 2 days for all 4 parks, maybe just 1 day w/ the right mix of park hours) and really wanted to hit the headliners several times. The 5 days we're spending at WDW, the 3 FP+ per day allow us to lock in our must-do's and still have plenty of time for other stuff. I dont mind the option to pay for more/better service, but do expect to get my moneys worth when I do.

What is it about the current VIP tours offered by Disney that don't meet your criteria?

 

[wellesleyprincess]

I feel the title of this blog and thread are really misleading. Yes, you got two bonus fastpasses, but you didn't just buy the fastpasses. You bought a tour that included fastpasses. You could have also called the post "I just spent $20 on a pin and landyard, would you?" Disney didn't just sell you fastpasses they included fastpasses with a tour. I think including fastpasses in tours is an awesome idea as you miss park time to do tours and this would enable you to recoup the lost time.

 

[Jennasis]

Not one. Thin. DIME.

 

[ArwenMarie]

We know the price of unlimited FP at WDW...it's the price of the VIP tour..$1800 bucks for six hours for ten people, or $180/6hrs pp if you can rustle up ten people. Sure you get lunch and a guide, but you can kind of figure out how much an unlimited FP would be from that (at least $100 pp for six hours)

 

[RllngRckBrw]

For that package, no. A good touring plan and strategic use of the 3 existing FP and you can do better than they offered. I think this is a perfect plan for those that have extra money to burn and may not be as educated/neurotic as many of us are.

 

[meeko987]

Just returned from a trip to Cedar Point in Ohio. A terrific park in almost every way. Except for one...

I paid $40 per ticket for my family, spending $300 or so over the day. At one point, we were in line for a slow-loading, low-capacity ride kid ride. We had been waiting 20 minutes in the heat, and it was finally our turn.....but wait...After my daughter entered through the turnstile, the employee stopped my six-year old son. Some "Fast Lane" kids had entered, and not having to wait a single minute, they were ushered onto the ride, while my son had to wait another 5 minutes for the next cycle.

Although it did not ruin our trip, we did feel like 2nd class citizens at that point. You see, people who could afford the $60 additional cost (per ticket) were more important, in that moment, than my son. They were also more important on many other rides, but it felt worse that time.

At Disney, I see Fastpass visitors go ahead of our family, but that feels fine. I know that there will be a time when I will use my Fastpasses to go before other families. Yeah, some people may have been able to choose their Fastpasses earlier, but we're pretty much treated the same way once we are in the park.

We're not naïve. First class passengers get advantages over coach. Baseball fans with more money can sit in real seats while others are relegated to the uncomfortable bleacher benches. But there was something very telling about that moment in Cedar Point. I hope Disney treads carefully.

 

[snayak]

What is it about the current VIP tours offered by Disney that don't meet your criteria?

Not sure exactly which tour you are referring to, I believe there is a new one that's $300/person + ticket (call it $450 w/ tax) which might fit the bill for the next go around. The money spent on those tickets is saved in food, lodging, and moreso in saved vacation days (1-2 days vs 1 week, heck you could even make it a long weekend).

Since we usually go to Disney with friends for several days (4-6), we'll have plenty of time in the parks. If time was a pressing factor those tours certainly look interesting, though I would rather have the freedom to go wherever/whenever vs a structured thing.