New FastPass system?

[Bone Daddy]

A very controversial and heated topic in the domestic DIS Parks community is the ‘revamped and repurposed’ return of the FastPass system. Depending on what type of park guest you are, the opinions of how the FP system applies to you can vary between the absolute necessity to absolute indifference. In a nut shell, the typical DLR guest does not rely on FP as much as their WDW guest do. Recent news on the FP front cites the ‘intriguing’ decision by Disneyland Paris (DLP) to charge a per person, per ride fee ranging between roughly 8 to 15 euros. If you’re counting at home, that’s roughly 40-60 Euros for a family of 4 to ride Buzz. Not exactly an E-ticket ride. By comparison, I recently researched Hong Kong DLs website for a potential visit in a couple years and was surprised to see their “FP” program. First of all, and altogether irrelevant, was their marketing moniker: “Disney Priority Special+”…(DPS)
What wasn’t irrelevant, however, was the pricing of these seemingly similar experiences. As of today, 8/13/2021, the pricing for a DPS at HKDL ranges between $45 -$60 per person, but includes ‘priority access’ to eight of their selected attractions (most, if not all, E-ticket), plus preferred viewing area to their night time finale. If we try to apply an ‘apples to apples’ comparison, the average guest at DLP would end up paying $350 for the same experience.
Long story short, we as Global Disney Resort Fans should not tolerate this egregious attempt to allow the DIS corporation to exploit our love for the devotion to our nostalgia, and instead unite to raise our voices to positively influence change and reignite the spirit that created our beloved universe.

 

[TomorrowlandKD]

......oh boy.

 

[lukemorenus]

......oh boy.

...I second that motion

 

[Jadyreen1282]

So many popcorn threads. So little time. Y'all know this is coming. Just budget it, get a third job, or whine like I'm doing.

 

[Marionnette]

So many popcorn threads. So little time. Y'all know this is coming. Just budget it, get a third job, or whine like I'm doing.

And some don't need to budget for it, or get another job. Some of us have the means to pay for it but object to the low return on the "investment". It's not always about "I can't afford that." Sometimes it's about "That's a ridiculous price to pay for access to something that lasts 3-5 minutes."

 

[Jadyreen1282]

So what are we going to do about it....nothing...we can do nothing...

 

[mom2rtk]

And some don't need to budget for it, or get another job. Some of us have the means to pay for it but object to the low return on the "investment". It's not always about "I can't afford that." Sometimes it's about "That's a ridiculous price to pay for access to something that lasts 3-5 minutes."

.... that you already paid for.

 

[Marionnette]

So what are we going to do about it....nothing...we can do nothing...

Not go? It's a big world out there. And the irony is that the upper-income families have the means to explore it. Those same guests that Disney thinks they will woo with their carnival tactics are the very guests who will give their kids a one-and-done trip and move on to explore other vacation spots that give them more for the money. That doesn't sell DVC, annual passes or return trips in general.

 

[MarkS2112]

All conjecture at this point seeing that FPS+ has yet to return. If they do go to a pay model they will know if it works as they know the market well.

 

[Marionnette]

All conjecture at this point seeing that FPS+ has yet to return. If they do go to a pay model they will know if it works as they know the market well.

They've been wrong before. Anyone remember the MK cabanas?

And how about Aulani? How's that selling? Slowest moving DVC resort in the history of DVC.

 

[HopperFan]

.... that you already paid for.

THIS ^

You can not compare Disney World to any of the other parks cost to enter and enjoy. Disney is not only more expensive, with four parks there is a bigger investment to be able to enjoy and it is almost always crowded making the FP an important component for many to enjoy. Disney forced the higher price, the higher capacity making parks crowded ... to then try to capitalize on a situation they created is a bad look. If they want to start charging a large amount for something that was included in these prices .... then they should drop the price of tickets to be in line with other parks, some with some very sweet attractions.

Approximate price of TWO DAY TICKET - Oct 1st based on Disney website

Disney World $283

Disneyland $235

Disneyland Paris $211

Disneyland Hong Kong $106
and if you are over 65+ insanely cheap

Disneyland Tokyo $136

Disneyland Shanghai $178

They've been wrong before. Anyone remember the MK cabanas?

And how about Aulani? How's that selling? Slowest moving DVC resort in the history of DVC.

The one thing Disney has done quite a few times is be wrong. I mean the outlet store alone for the last decade has shown some pretty big failures they didn't learn from. We could all create a long list of things that didn't work out even though they had all the data & information to know how to do it right.

Cabanas - could have been a huge hit if they only had put air conditioners in them. One detail so obvious they missed. A failure they created.

Add that the new president's resume has him only qualified to run a big retail store .... there is nothing going forward that we can depend on them fulling vetting and crunching numbers and making sure IT works and finding out guest responses etc. I expect more misses than hits, sadly.

So what are we going to do about it....nothing...we can do nothing...

You are correct, I don't think there is anything we can do at this point to stop them if they are intent. What we can do is just not pay for it if it's like "rumored" or don't go at all. There is another big player in town and when Epic Park opens the landscape will totally change. I hope Disney isn't so full of themselves they aren't thinking forward to that day.

 

[JZCubed]

THIS ^

You can not compare Disney World to any of the other parks cost to enter and enjoy. Disney is not only more expensive, with four parks there is a bigger investment to be able to enjoy and it is almost always crowded making the FP an important component for many to enjoy. Disney forced the higher price, the higher capacity making parks crowded ... to then try to capitalize on a situation they created is a bad look. If they want to start charging a large amount for something that was included in these prices .... then they should drop the price of tickets to be in line with other parks, some with some very sweet attractions.

......

You are correct, I don't think there is anything we can do at this point to stop them if they are intent. What we can do is just not pay for it if it's like "rumored" or don't go at all. There is another big player in town and when Epic Park opens the landscape will totally change. I hope Disney isn't so full of themselves they aren't thinking forward to that day.

Each year, those of us who prowl these Boards gather the requisite information to 'maximize' our plans - no matter what Disney seemingly throws our way.

My family, thankfully, can also afford to extra add-ons like Dessert Parties & Toy Story Land breakfasts - which further assists maximizing Disney time.

However, my family just had our worst Disney vacation - because we spent more time in the Parks to enjoy fewer rides and attractions, and for more money (because annual passes were temporarily gone). No add-ons were available. Further, both ride capacity & ADR availability were negatively impacted by Disney's inability to hire staff. Only consolation, because we wasted so much time, we spent $0 in the shops (which was Disney's stated reason for FP+).

Heck, had they opened Ratatouille, or offered at least something, SOMETHING, that would have enhanced our experience after Disney removed nearly every advantage to capture what we had before - maybe we'd feel differently. Further, the nonsense of Rise of the Resistance virtual queue was just insulting.

But after shortening our Disney plan, my family also just had our first Universal experience and found the Express Pass and more modest crowds to be a breath of fresh air.

Our next trip to Florida will again include less time at Disney and some time at Universal.

And we anticipate that Epic will break new ground and be a game changer that further minimizes our time at Disney.

We love Disney, but Disney lost us this trip.

In a nutshell, my family can afford the add-ons, that now includes Universal.

 

[HopperFan]

However, my family just had our worst Disney vacation - because we spent more time in the Parks to enjoy fewer rides and attractions, and for more money (because annual passes were temporarily gone). No add-ons were available. Further, both ride capacity & ADR availability were negatively impacted by Disney's inability to hire staff. Only consolation, because we wasted so much time, we spent $0 in the shops (which was Disney's stated reason for FP+).

Sums it up. We were there July 4th weekend/week so while capacity was way up, it wasn't what it is now (I read basically full capacity now with what is open). Without FP+ the only way to make that ticket worth the price is to stand in line the entire day, moving ride to ride. The times we went in stores for AC or avoid rain, they were EMPTY, I mean legit empty with CMs all just standing around talking. Even the snack lines that were open were fairly empty or too long to bother because we didn't have time. Disney needs people to shop and snack and dine = spending money. Yes, FP+ was to give guests that free time to open their wallets. It surely wasn't happening the week we were there, and WE opted to bring in lunches on all but AK day, only buying 1 meal per day. No money spent shopping and I think we got Dole Whips twice. That was it .... our tickets were so expensive we had to spend our day in lines to feel like we got value for them.

 

[Bone Daddy]

And some don't need to budget for it, or get another job. Some of us have the means to pay for it but object to the low return on the "investment". It's not always about "I can't afford that." Sometimes it's about "That's a ridiculous price to pay for access to something that lasts 3-5 minutes."

Agreed, I’m by no stretch of the imagination “rich”, but I channel my financial resources to travel affluently, and recently spent $3500 for a DLR VIP Tour that I absolutely felt was worth the money. However, this program wreaks of how just how far the DIS Corp is willing to stretch the limits of how guests perceive and establish their vacation budgets. Sadly, some may not have the wherewithal to realize they’ve been taken to the cleaners.

 

[Bone Daddy]

So what are we going to do about it....nothing...we can do nothing...

I know it may feel like that, but we can ‘speak’ about it on platforms like these. At worst, it gives us a place to vent about our frustrations with others who share the same passion. At best, if the voices get loud enough, they can’t ignore the feedback from their paying customers. These DIS Boards have single-handedly been at least indirectly responsible for DIS Corp responses in the past. Just ask Pete!!

 

[Bone Daddy]

They've been wrong before. Anyone remember the MK cabanas?

And how about Aulani? How's that selling? Slowest moving DVC resort in the history of DVC.
Yeah, those cabanas in Tomorrowland were a debacle …and I believe Riviera might be a slower seller, though much newer, therefore not a fair comparison. But WOW, is Aulani the best Disney Resort ANYWHERE imho…!! And a great value if you’re in the DVC market (resale is the way to go)…

 

[Bone Daddy]

Each year, those of us who prowl these Boards gather the requisite information to 'maximize' our plans - no matter what Disney seemingly throws our way.

My family, thankfully, can also afford to extra add-ons like Dessert Parties & Toy Story Land breakfasts - which further assists maximizing Disney time.

However, my family just had our worst Disney vacation - because we spent more time in the Parks to enjoy fewer rides and attractions, and for more money (because annual passes were temporarily gone). No add-ons were available. Further, both ride capacity & ADR availability were negatively impacted by Disney's inability to hire staff. Only consolation, because we wasted so much time, we spent $0 in the shops (which was Disney's stated reason for FP+).

Heck, had they opened Ratatouille, or offered at least something, SOMETHING, that would have enhanced our experience after Disney removed nearly every advantage to capture what we had before - maybe we'd feel differently. Further, the nonsense of Rise of the Resistance virtual queue was just insulting.

But after shortening our Disney plan, my family also just had our first Universal experience and found the Express Pass and more modest crowds to be a breath of fresh air.

Our next trip to Florida will again include less time at Disney and some time at Universal.

And we anticipate that Epic will break new ground and be a game changer that further minimizes our time at Disney.

We love Disney, but Disney lost us this trip.

In a nutshell, my family can afford the add-ons, that now includes Universal.

I feel your pain and unfortunately agree with the regression of the magic we fell in love with , specifically with WDW. I wouldn’t advise giving up completely on WDW, I concur that Universal is an increasingly attractive alternative. My biggest tip would be to stay at a ‘luxury’ resort such as the Hard Rock, Royal Pacific, or Portofino, as it grants you and your in-room guests Uninersal’sExpress Pass for each night and check-out day.

 

[JZCubed]

Agreed, I’m by no stretch of the imagination “rich”, but I channel my financial resources to travel affluently, and recently spent $3500 for a DLR VIP Tour that I absolutely felt was worth the money. However, this program wreaks of how just how far the DIS Corp is willing to stretch the limits of how guests perceive and establish their vacation budgets. Sadly, some may not have the wherewithal to realize they’ve been taken to the cleaners.

If my family cuts our Disney stay in half and purchases the VIP experience (which is our present plan for our next trip), and spends the balance of our typical 8-10 night Florida vacation at Universal - the impact on our vacation budget is effectively unchanged.

It is difficult to imagine Disney profiting as much from this change in our relationship brought about by a diminished customer experience that breeds disloyalty to the brand. The Rise of Resistance virtual queue craziness is a punctuation of Disney showing contempt to their customers.

My family can afford the changes Disney makes that enhance customer experiences, but there comes a point, like right now, when the (non-financial) costs start to exceed the benefits. The result is a substitution to alternative brands.

The Carousel of Progress is a metaphor for this moment - Disney World is stuck in a time and place with little room to grow…..

Customers are being charged more & more to experience a taste of the past, while singing about a great big beautiful tomorrow that looks an awful lot like yesterday.

FWIW, like Spider-Man, I’m a kid from Queens, NY and have a ‘connection’ to Carousel of Progress, but the nostalgia, like too much of Disney, is lost on a growing portion of Park goers.

My family is willing to pay to maintain some of the past, but only if our future experiences offer more.

The future seems to include a costly immersive stay at a Star Wars hotel at double the current high costs. This experience will likely follow too much of the recent formula - over promise and under deliver - which breeds more disloyalty.

I’m questioning the new math being offered by Disney, and comments on this Thread show that I might not be alone.

 

[JZCubed]

I feel your pain and unfortunately agree with the regression of the magic we fell in love with , specifically with WDW. I wouldn’t advise giving up completely on WDW, I concur that Universal is an increasingly attractive alternative. My biggest tip would be to stay at a ‘luxury’ resort such as the Hard Rock, Royal Pacific, or Portofino, as it grants you and your in-room guests Uninersal’sExpress Pass for each night and check-out day.

My family is literally about to complete the vacation journey of our first Universal visit that ended at Hard Rock.

We had our daily 4-hour Park experiences that defined the previous decade at Disney. We 'ad libbed' the rest of our days with lower crowds, and with far less hassles & planning.

As I’ve repeatedly mentioned these past 2-weeks while on vacation - Disney did not price us out, they are simply offering a diminished customer experience while simultaneously charging more and more for what increasingly seems like less.

Our future vacations in Florida will likely include both Disney & Universal, but Universal showed us through Harry Potter what both Pandora & Stars Wars could have been.

Universal also has plans to grow beyond their current Parks, and my family is more excited by this than waiting to discover what abuse will be required to enjoy Tron, Guardians of the Galaxy, the purposefully idled Ratatouille, and seemingly over-priced Star Wars immersive experience.

Following the lockdowns of the pandemic, Disney completed a new members-only ‘club’ between Pandora & Africa, kept Ratatouille closed, announced pricing for the Star Wars hotel, eliminated add-ons, has kept entertainment to a minimum (at best), etc.. Universal opened a new roller coaster. It becomes easier to see which company has been more focused on the typical guest.

We were not enamored enough by Universal to yet diminish our ‘love’ for the nostalgia which Disney previously tried to deliver, but we certainly had a portion of our vacation at Universal that was far more accessible, less work, and more positive.

Said differently, Universal may not be Disney, however, we enjoyed ourselves.

I have little doubt that Disney will rebrand and remix whatever the next iteration of Fast Pass is going to be, and I have little doubt that customers will be asked to pay more for the privilege of what is likely to be FP by yet another name.

My family can afford the new costs. And my notion of economics tells me that Disney can & should charge as much as they can to maximize profits to their shareholders.

But I also expect Disney to be honest about how they maximize those profits. What's going on right now - no entertainment, no FP+, limited restaurants, etc. - is reminiscent of the circuses run by PT Barnum, "A sucker is born every minute."

The saying goes, "Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me."

My recent experience tells me that Disney is overplaying their hand.

 

[TomorrowlandKD]

or whine like I'm doing.

or WINE like I'm doing and enjoy it