Next step after FASTPASS

Lord Fantasius

Mouseketeer
Joined
Jan 26, 2005
Messages
387
O.k., any prognosticators out there? Now that Disney has relatively successfully launched FastPass as a common practice, here's what I see happening in the coming years -

1) Within the next couple of years, the parks will get so many complaints from individuals who have physical difficulties getting to an E-ticket ride's FastPass first thing that, in adddition to having FastPass at the ride, they will place banks of Fast Pass machines each linked to an attraction in a few major areas of the parks, including right at the entrance of the park.

2) After this goes on for a few years, people will start complaining that other people are hogging the popular machines and that standing in line for one machine shouldn't preclude you from getting to another FastPass machine, so...FastPass machines will become generic and let you choose which ride you would like a FP for and allow an individual to get up to 6 FP's at any one time (limit one FP per ride per machine "visit").

3) After another couple years, people will start complaining that they shouldn't have to take the next available time slot for an attraction but should be able to "schedule" FP's for rides if a particular time slot has not filled up. So, the machines are updated and linked to a central reservation system which allow guests to make reservations for a ride at any open time frame.

4) Within a year of #3, in addition to banks of FP machines in the parks, guests staying at the Deluxe resort will be able to schedule rides for any day onsite the same way they make PS reservations. Then, the morning of the day at the park, the guests will receive a printout of rides and the times for which they have FP priority.

5) Within a year of #4, for an additional fee, FP will be available online to book 1 month in advance based on an expected date of attendance.

6) FP priority tickets will become listed on the NASDAQ as well as bulletin boards across the world and be traded/rented/sold similar to DVC points.

O.k., except for #6, I see this all coming about in the next 10 years...any takers?
 
Yeah, that's exactly what I was thinking.... except you left out the part about them being scalped (as long as it's 100 feet away from the park entrance, of course).
 
Naah. Never happen. The only reason FastPass ever got the green light in the first place is because the Disney suits started adding up all of the additional revenue they predicted it would generate. The original concept was that folks would use the time they avoided waiting in lines to shop or dine, putting extra dollars in the Disney coffers. That never happened. I doubt they'll ever spend any more money on FastPass than they need to. They are already recycling FastPass machines from attractions that never should have gotten them in the first place.
 
Hey OP, do you think now, you could work on a plan for upgrading the Priority Seating system?
 

The original concept was that folks would use the time they avoided waiting in lines to shop or dine, putting extra dollars in the Disney coffers.
It wouldn't be too difficult to have people pay for this service, something along the lines of 50 cents an FP...I think alot of people would pay to get an advanced FP for the most popular rides if they knew they could do it from their guest room or over the internet. Who would have thought just ten years ago that you could make an airline reservation, print your ticket, check-in, and print your boarding passes all while sitting at home or work?

Hey OP, do you think now, you could work on a plan for upgrading the Priority Seating system?
Anything done over the phone should be able to be done over the internet; there should be absolutely no reason that someone shouldn't be able to make a PS online using a credit card to reserve the space.

I realize one of the biggest images of Disney is its human/personal touch, and Disney Corporate will see that it stays that way as long as the public responds to it (the airlines should really take note here). However, they've already started reducing that interaction in little ways; such as...reducing the no. of CM's at the monorail stops by making the doors on the trains close with a push of a bottom (o.k., it's more like the touch on a screen, but the concept is there), instead of having a CM close the doors by hand. With the reduction of CM's on the platform, you have a reduction of CM's interacting with people standing there. Also, even though it might have been only my impression last month when I was there, but there appeared to be a reduction in the cleaning crews throughout the parks. With a reduction in these crews, they have less time to stand around and talk with the people in the parks. I'm not sure Disney Corporate understands these people are the initial "front line" interaction with alot of the public.

Anyways, yeah, I think in a technological-savvy world, Disney should be able to accomodate the new breed of individuals who enjoy the web as much as the telephone.

-R
 












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