Paid FP options coming soon to WDW?

[Farro]

Disney has mastered the art of making folks believe they are getting something for free or getting a deal. The free fast pass was never really free, instead of charging an extra fee like universal does, Disney just figures how much they would charge and add it in the cost of the ticket. Disney could literally keep the free fast pass and just raise ticket prices again and most people would be happy their still getting free fast pass. Just know whatever they do, were paying for it one way or another.

I mean, so?

I never understood the point of these types of arguments. People use it for Magical Express too.

Okay, so the price is built in. Does that mean everyone should be okay if they start to charge for fast pass? Or magical express for that matter?
If they charge for it, do they lower the overall ticket or resort price?

 

[5th gate dreamers]

The thing is, plenty of people are just fine with FastPass+ as it was before the closures. It’s not like every single guest is calling for it to be changed. Not sure why you say “no one is happy with it.”

yeah, we agree with you on that. i guess were just in the "yes group" of "would you pay extra for extra fast passes". dont really care either way...we just would pay for more if they allowed us to.

 

[igrsod]

Disney has mastered the art of making folks believe they are getting something for free or getting a deal. The free fast pass was never really free, instead of charging an extra fee like universal does, Disney just figures how much they would charge and add it in the cost of the ticket. Disney could literally keep the free fast pass and just raise ticket prices again and most people would be happy their still getting free fast pass. Just know whatever they do, were paying for it one way or another.

Here comes a strange admission.... in all my trips to Orlando, I've never gone to Universal. Can someone tell me if the price of admission to Universal base ticket is significantly lower than a base ticket at Magic Kingdom. If the cost of the FP is built in, then it should be cheaper for Universal by that argument.
I hope Disney doesn't go the way of Universal. It will just mean fewer park days for us. We do 10 day tickets now, we will probably just do 5 if the price gets too crazy adding on special events, FP's etc. Maybe.... I will go to Universal for once...lol

 

[Eric Smith]

If they charge for it, do they lower the overall ticket or resort price?

I think we all know the answer to that question

 

[Eric Smith]

Here comes a strange admission.... in all my trips to Orlando, I've never gone to Universal. Can someone tell me if the price of admission to Universal base ticket is significantly lower than a base ticket at Magic Kingdom. If the cost of the FP is built in, then it should be cheaper for Universal by that argument.
I hope Disney doesn't go the way of Universal. It will just mean fewer park days for us. We do 10 day tickets now, we will probably just do 5 if the price gets too crazy adding on special events, FP's etc. Maybe.... I will go to Universal for once...lol

I can't look right now to check since Universal has slashed their ticket prices due to COVID, but Universal tickets were at least equivalent to Disney if not higher for short trips pre-COVID. There's also not as much to do there as there is at Disney. The first time we went to Universal, we got everything done in one and a half days and last time we got everything done by 2pm on the first day.

 

[Moliphino]

Here comes a strange admission.... in all my trips to Orlando, I've never gone to Universal. Can someone tell me if the price of admission to Universal base ticket is significantly lower than a base ticket at Magic Kingdom. If the cost of the FP is built in, then it should be cheaper for Universal by that argument.
I hope Disney doesn't go the way of Universal. It will just mean fewer park days for us. We do 10 day tickets now, we will probably just do 5 if the price gets too crazy adding on special events, FP's etc. Maybe.... I will go to Universal for once...lol

The 1 day 1 park tickets are exactly the same price for WDW and UO. Looking at the ticket calendars it looks like Universal straight up copied Disney's pricing when they went to dated tickets.

 

[5th gate dreamers]

I don't want to get too philosophical or have us all in a scrum, but saying that there should be no paid fast pass cause not everyone can afford it is like saying there should be only economy cars, store brand ice cream, etc. Disney is a business period. Going to Disney world is not a right to anyone, even if you think you or your children deserve it. It is a venue with a capacity of 50000 (or whatever) people. If 51000 want in, you raise the price so those that want in the most get in. If 60000 want in, raise it some more, etc. Just like you would do if you had a business with a product or service in demand. We choose to drive mid tier cars, and are happy for those that have luxury cars. We don't hate that football tickets are sky high...demand pushed them there...that's life. Disney is a popular place to vacation that has more people wanting in than spots available. Walt died 50 years ago...who cares what he would want and its very high and mighty to put words in a dead person's mouth you never met.

 

[Disney Bobby]

I would be fine doing away with all fastpass scheduling. It's a pain to manage anyway. Just make the fast pass $5 a pop and charge your credit card when you scan your band. I would love that.

 

[Eric Smith]

I would be fine doing away with all fastpass scheduling. It's a pain to manage anyway. Just make the fast pass $5 a pop and charge your credit card when you scan your band. I would love that.

I’d rather not see Disney turn fast passes in to micro transactions.

 

[CastAStone]

“There should be paid ride access at exactly the level I find affordable but someone who makes $10 a week less than me won’t because that’s how winners and losers work but if it’s more than I can afford that would be outrageous and I’ll just stop going” - this thread, mostly

 

[FCDub]

Disney has never been egalitarian. Hello, ticket books for rides?

 

[GoingSince1990]

I find it very hard indeed to imagine Disney voluntarily subjecting itself to the onslaught of “GREEDY DISNEY IS NOW GOING TO CHARGE FOR FASTPASS” headlines at the same time that they are going to be trying to woo visitors back to their parks. Much more likely that they are eager to be able to say “FASTPASS IS BACK! AND YOU SHOULD BE TOO!”. Convincing people that FP is “free” while merrily raking money in, effectively charging for FPs via tours and special events, is pure marketing genius that they will not want to jeopardize.

 

[Krandor]

I don't want to get too philosophical or have us all in a scrum, but saying that there should be no paid fast pass cause not everyone can afford it is like saying there should be only economy cars, store brand ice cream, etc. Disney is a business period. Going to Disney world is not a right to anyone, even if you think you or your children deserve it. It is a venue with a capacity of 50000 (or whatever) people. If 51000 want in, you raise the price so those that want in the most get in. If 60000 want in, raise it some more, etc. Just like you would do if you had a business with a product or service in demand. We choose to drive mid tier cars, and are happy for those that have luxury cars. We don't hate that football tickets are sky high...demand pushed them there...that's life. Disney is a popular place to vacation that has more people wanting in than spots available. Walt died 50 years ago...who cares what he would want and its very high and mighty to put words in a dead person's mouth you never met.

I do agree in general. I hear the argument often that NFL/collegre fooball/disney/etc has priced out the average family but at the same time if you made NFL tickets $10 they'd sell out quicker then BGs and guess what - most of thsoe average families still can't get to go.

Now with FPs it gets a litttle more complicatted because if people are not in line the may be somewhere else spending money which can be more valuable then charging for the FP. I know for me especially when I gett to a 4th or 5th FP in a day that may be an hour or so from now I'll often find a place to sit down and order a very expensive beer and wait for my FP time.

 

[mattpeto]

I do agree in general. I hear the argument often that NFL/collegre fooball/disney/etc has priced out the average family but at the same time if you made NFL tickets $10 they'd sell out quicker then BGs and guess what - most of thsoe average families still can't get to go.

Now with FPs it gets a litttle more complicatted because if people are not in line the may be somewhere else spending money which can be more valuable then charging for the FP. I know for me especially when I gett to a 4th or 5th FP in a day that may be an hour or so from now I'll often find a place to sit down and order a very expensive beer and wait for my FP time.

On the whole, they need to distribute LESS FP+ to improve the system. Distributing less will speed up the FP+ queue and overall will help the Standby lines.

Just from I've been gathering elsewhere, I think the new FP+/Genie system will tie into your resort classification stay. Something along these lines:

1 FP/Genie Wish- Budget/Moderate
3 FP/Genie Wish -Deluxe

Then Disney can you charge higher rack rate at Deluxes without charging you specifically for FP+.

 

[evlaina]

On the whole, they need to distribute LESS FP+ to improve the system. Distributing less will speed up the FP+ queue and overall will help the Standby lines.

Just from I've been gathering elsewhere, I think the new FP+/Genie system will tie into your resort classification stay. Something along these lines:

1 FP/Genie Wish- Budget/Moderate
3 FP/Genie Wish -Deluxe

Then Disney can you charge higher rack rate at Deluxes without charging you specifically for FP+.

Just this morning i was thinking about the Genie app...anyone have any new info on that? This may not be the place to ask but I thought I would!

 

[igrsod]

I don't want to get too philosophical or have us all in a scrum, but saying that there should be no paid fast pass cause not everyone can afford it is like saying there should be only economy cars, store brand ice cream, etc. Disney is a business period. Going to Disney world is not a right to anyone, even if you think you or your children deserve it. It is a venue with a capacity of 50000 (or whatever) people. If 51000 want in, you raise the price so those that want in the most get in. If 60000 want in, raise it some more, etc. Just like you would do if you had a business with a product or service in demand. We choose to drive mid tier cars, and are happy for those that have luxury cars. We don't hate that football tickets are sky high...demand pushed them there...that's life. Disney is a popular place to vacation that has more people wanting in than spots available. Walt died 50 years ago...who cares what he would want and its very high and mighty to put words in a dead person's mouth you never met.

I don't think I was trying to be high and mighty...I'm pretty sure I have heard Walt himself say he wanted his park to be a place for all to enjoy.

 

[Farro]

I don't think I was trying to be high and mighty...I'm pretty sure I have heard Walt himself say he wanted his park to be a place for all to enjoy.

WDW has NEVER been affordable to all. Even in the 70s/80s. I knew as a kid how lucky we were to visit 3 times!

 

[cgattis]

I don't think I was trying to be high and mighty...I'm pretty sure I have heard Walt himself say he wanted his park to be a place for all to enjoy.

Of course I never met Walt, but the only quotes I’ve read in that vein were along the lines of he wanted a place clean enough (not like a carnival) for folks to feel good about bringing their families and have things they could do together, rather than parents just sitting on a bench watching the kids ride. I’ve personally never read any quotes regarding a philosophy of affordability for all.

 

[Krandor]

Of course I never met Walt, but the only quotes I’ve read in that vein were along the lines of he wanted a place clean enough (not like a carnival) for folks to feel good about bringing their families and have things they could do together, rather than parents just sitting on a bench watching the kids ride. I’ve personally never read any quotes regarding a philosophy of affordability for all.

I did a quick search and this was the closest I could find.

“We believed in our idea- a family park where parents and children could have fun together.” – Walt Disney

http://www.mywaltdisneyquotes.com/family-quotes/

 

[Eric Smith]

I don't think I was trying to be high and mighty...I'm pretty sure I have heard Walt himself say he wanted his park to be a place for all to enjoy.

That quote was about having a park where the parents could enjoy things along with their children. Parks up to that point didn’t really allow for that. He got the idea while sitting on a bench watching his daughters ride a merry go round.