No more free Express Passes?

[keishashadow]

Early Entry, Extra Magic Hours, FOTL, Express Pass, Touring Plans....


they're all tools folks...you have the option of using them - or not.

If you blissfully wander in to "any" park around noon, w/o any sort of plan, you'll certainly be disappointed - duh?

If you visit "any" park during a holiday or high season, it will be busy - double dah?

Disappointing to see the free express pass discontinued (especially when we had hoped to utilize it this year staying off-site). Not sure if I'm in the minority but, the Mouse owns us; making it more difficult to access the rides @ Universal may be the one fact that sways us from renewing our PAP's. this year.

Although we enjoyed our 4 night stay @ HRH in Feb, our future plans were to visit the parks a couple days during each of our bi-annual visits to FL. (Although we'd probably stay on site during one trip @ least a day or two for FOTL).

Haven't bounced around the Universal Boards long enough to see it reported...but WDW earlier this year applied for a copyright on a "new & revised fastpass system". The plan is tied into on-site stays and rewards patrons w/extra FP's depending on what level of accom. they pick (of course, w deluxe resorts getting most of the gravy). No word on whether they actually plan on instituting this plan, just that a copyright was granted. Take this for what you will...might be in the future though.

 

[ksdave]

As the economy continues to improve from the "dark days" of post-9/11, the lines will just get worse and worse, and the prices will just keep going up. This is the case at themeparks, movie theaters, restaurants, NASCAR races, etc., etc. Just have patience, the next recession ('08 or '09) will cure all these "problems".

 

[ralfrick]

The reason I mentioned that Disneyland may eliminate them all together was because of an article on miceage.com They usually research their rumors pretty well on there. It was a few months back and the article stated that Disneyland was going to start phasing out fastpass and suggested that WDW would be following suit. The article mentioned that fastpass was no achieving what they expected which was for people to spend more time shopping.

I'm still looking for the article and when i find it. I'll edit my post to add the link. I did find this interesting tidbit:
http://www.miceage.com/kevinyee/ky080405a.htm
"I rejoiced at seeing FastPass-free lines at Haunted Mansion and Pirates, both of which sported 15-minute waits. Meanwhile, the other big E-Ticket rides had Standby lines over an hour. As a reference point in the eternal FastPass argument (long timers will remember that I'm anti-FastPass on the whole, but will use it as long as the company insists on having it in the parks), I noted that Space Mountain had sixty minute waits all week long before its official opening (and thus before its FastPass machines were ever turned on), whereas wait times in the Standby line shot up to 155 or 180 minutes (no joke) on the days after FastPass started."

That's definitely a "consider the source" situation, I emphazised the key phrase above. In fact, he's prbably the loudest voice in saying that FP clogs up the walkways. Kevin had some good stories about his days as a CM when mouseplanet started, but more often than not, when I read his stuff now my head starts filling with phrases like "crackpot theories" and "mindless psycobabble". Al Lutz clearly has some sources within the company, but I have yet to get that feeling about Kevin.

Cheers.

 

[Fellowship9798]

When I went in late September, I immediately went looking for Express Passes, but was told they weren't necessary and not available in off peak times, but I could purchase them if I wanted. I too at first thought it was just a case of another cash grab, but I really did find that the waits were reasonable and Express wasn't needed. The longest wait I think we had was about 20 minutes for BTTF. So in teh end, I had no problems with it.

Now Halloween Horror Nights on the other hand. Thank god for my purchased $25 Express passes for that!

Darren