Paid FP options coming soon to WDW?

[Disturbia]

Since fastpass plus was introduced it’s been harder to get dining reservations (although increased crowds might also be a factor, but Disney has added new dining locations). We actually do more sit downs with fastpass plus as we know when we will be out of the ride queue. Without fastpass plus we actually ended up doing more quick service dining.

Also, since we are not completely exhausted from the heat (while waiting in lines) at the end of the day, we do shop a bit more. Disney can clearly see that by tracking crowds with magic bands.

 

[Fido Chuckwagon]

Since fastpass plus was introduced it’s been harder to get dining reservations (although increased crowded might also be a factor, but Disney has added new dining locations). We actually do more sit downs with fastpass plus as we know when we will be out of the ride queue. Without fastpass plus we actually ended up doing more quick service dining.

Yeah a lot of people throw around "but people just waited in other lines" but I don't think that's true for a lot of parents with young kids. I sure as heck didn't wait in other lines with my 3 year old. We went into the shops, etc.

 

[lovethesun12]

The more I think about this, the more I think that we might even end up seeing a better system than the previous one, and not worse, unless you are a person who has really managed to work the system. I'm not saying that something paid won't be introduced, I just think it will be done carefully and still allow guests who do not pay extra to still have opportunity to ride top tier rides.

Why do I think that? I recall in a lawsuit Disney won they referenced many studies to wait times (completed prior to the lawsuit even being filed) which aimed at lowering wait times for all guests, with the focus being standby lines (studying how fastpass lines, etc affect those wait times). This was aimed at keeping return visitors happy, and also studying how satisfied/unsatisfied people were with specific wait times (obviously they would know overall people do not like waiting, but this one focused on specifics) and also on lowering wait times for newer rides.

I don't think you will ever see an unlimited pass at WDW like universal has unless it is offered to such a select few guests it has little to no impact on standby wait times (maybe like the extra FP+ being offered to CL only). I also don't think you will see a situation where people do not have some opportunity to access new and/or top tier rides with reasonable wait times (of course that excludes the current situation until they reopen) regardless of where they stay (similar to Disneylands maxpass where people still can obtain paper FP+). I don't think they would want a guest to have a miserable experience regardless of whether they stay offsite or not because they would like them to return.

I'm just going to keep an open mind on this. I have a feeling there will be a shift, and I may have to do things a little differently, but I really wouldn't be surprised if a new system was acceptable even if we are not in the group that pays extra for rides.

 

[yaya74]

Just a wishful thinking... with the introduction of MagicMobile app, I hope the news of some sort of FP+ program will be released soon.... I really hope...

 

[SusanDK]

I wish they'd go back to the old fastpass system, walk up to the kiosk, request a fast pass, come back later. Get another fp 1 hour after your window opens.

The problem with this is that there were rarely fast passes available for visitors who wanted to come to the parks later in the day and/or only spend a few hours in the park.

With FP+, we could schedule our three fast passes for late afternoon or evening and just spend a couple of hours in the park. We might have a FP from 4-5 pm, 5:10-6:10 pm and 7:20 to 8:20 pm. We could arrive to use the first fast pass near the end of its hour so we were only in the park from maybe 4:30 to 8:00 pm, and still have time to get a bite to eat or see some entertainment in between the fast pass times.

I hope any potential changes to FP will recognize that not every visitor wants to arrive early and stay for 10-12 hours. We are local now, but when we were not and came only on vacation, we still visited WDW this way as we had other things we wanted to do and we were never the type to tour commando nor spend more than half a day at a time in a park.

 

[AvidDisReader]

There is not going to be any Fast Pass system until the max attendance increasing back to 100% of capacity. It is going to be a little bit before we reach the point where Disney will feel comfortable increasing capacity.

 

[JakeAZ]

There is not going to be any Fast Pass system until the max attendance increasing back to 100% of capacity. It is going to be a little bit before we reach the point where Disney will feel comfortable increasing capacity.

Possibly.

But, if they introduce a program that ends up limiting FP (no longer making it 3 for everyone), they could introduce it earlier. If they start charging for it, it's pure profit. Easy way to jump start getting back all that lost Covid money...

 

[ford91exploder]

not even the restaurant, but the person. And it seems to be a bigger issue with covid and the new system.

in the past, I have been able to just go up to sci-fi and get on a waiting list. This last trip, they wouldn’t even talk to me. They said if you have a reservation you can check in on the app only when it enables. If it’s not enabled, you’re too early and they can’t help you.

If you don’t have a reservation, go away.

literally, that’s all they would say to anyone. It was.... different... from my usual experience.

welcome to post Covid Disney where a visit to the DMV is more welcoming

 

[mamaofsix]

There is not going to be any Fast Pass system until the max attendance increasing back to 100% of capacity. It is going to be a little bit before we reach the point where Disney will feel comfortable increasing capacity.

Well, 100% of capacity is usually only reached once or twice a year. Maybe Christmas Day, that's it. Most days pre-pandemic, the parks were more like 50%. So, we're not far off from that now.

 

[Fido Chuckwagon]

Well, 100% of capacity is usually only reached once or twice a year. Maybe Christmas Day, that's it. Most days pre-pandemic, the parks were more like 50%. So, we're not far off from that now.

Actually wasn't average attendance like 35 percent of max capacity? I thought I read that somewhere. So Disney has basically capped attendance at an average day. Except they are not running all their rides/attractions/restaurants, and those that are running are at much lower capacity then normal because of social distancing and less staff.

 

[CastAStone]

Actually wasn't average attendance like 35 percent of max capacity? I thought I read that somewhere. So Disney has basically capped attendance at an average day. Except they are not running all their rides/attractions/restaurants, and those that are running are at much lower capacity then normal because of social distancing and less staff.

Epcot runs a little under 35%, but DHS (my numbers are pre SWGE and MMRR mind you) and AK were about 50% and MK about 65%.

As you noted With all the shows and diversions closed (not to mention TTA and Railroad at MK) though the functional capacity of the parks is reduced greatly making the same number of people generate longer waits.

 

[AdamsMum]

It has to cost them major money to have all those CM checking on guest fastpass times. With out Disney getting any financial benefits from. FP.

I tend to disagree with you. I think fp+ was a great control tool that Disney created for themselves. With fastpasses booked 60 days out, they could forecast park attendance, transportation, staff hours needed, park hours adjustments etc. Don't underestimate the value of knowing where people are going to be and when. I don't think it was ever about a benefit for the guests, although lots of people really liked it.

 

[Missingmypooh]

I tend to disagree with you. I think fp+ was a great control tool that Disney created for themselves. With fastpasses booked 60 days out, they could forecast park attendance, transportation, staff hours needed, park hours adjustments etc. Don't underestimate the value of knowing where people are going to be and when. I don't think it was ever about a benefit for the guests, although lots of people really liked it.

With the new park reservation system, I know personally a lot of people that just don’t want to deal with having to preplan everything (ADRs park passes and maybe fastpasses soon).

I think that’s why fastpass will need to be a part of genie- pick your day- your “goals”- then let it preplan for you.

while I love preplanning, it really is overwhelming when I can just walk into Uni or LEGOLAND with only a few dinner reservations and actually being able to relax.

 

[JakeAZ]

Time to start the speculation on here again based on the Touring Plans article?

Credit CastAStone from their WDWMagic forum post earlier today.


https://forum.touringplans.com/t/saturday-april-10/77337

 

[jpeterson]

Time to start the speculation on here again based on the Touring Plans article?

Credit CastAStone from their WDWMagic forum post earlier today.


https://forum.touringplans.com/t/saturday-april-10/77337

Sounds a bit far-fetched. But we will see!

 

[CastAStone]

Time to start the speculation on here again based on the Touring Plans article?

Credit CastAStone from their WDWMagic forum post earlier today.


https://forum.touringplans.com/t/saturday-april-10/77337

That guys awesome.

 

[Runnsally]

That guys awesome.

Any predictions in regards to FP announcements at this weekend’s media event?

I’ll go with an all-paid version otherwise similar in structure and function to the most recent WDW iteration starting mid-June.

 

[JakeAZ]

Any predictions in regards to FP announcements at this weekend’s media event?

I’ll go with an all-paid version otherwise similar in structure and function to the most recent WDW iteration starting mid-June.

So, a fully paid version where you have to pick your rides 60/90 days out and within 1 hour windows? I sure hope it's not that....

If I'm going to pay, I want flexibility!

 

[Jmljasmine]

My DD feels the savings of staying offsite ,even using uber/lyft to go back and forth to the parks, will save $. They've been using this service for the last two trips, even staying onsite, just for convenience. But with more and more perks being taken away from onsite guests, staying at a much nicer, roomier hotel, is the way to go for future trips.

We started driving from onsite to parks last trip due to family size and age. (Uber and such isn't an option for us). We had found the previous trip on site busses were becoming very inefficient with long waits especially when kids were tired. Plus loading a stroller with littles, not having a seat on the bus when we got on and having to keep littles from falling while moving or wait even longer for another bus. It just got way too hard. If transportation is going to be the only onsite perk, it better get much better then we experienced.

 

[CastAStone]

Any predictions in regards to FP announcements at this weekend’s media event?

I have some guesses. I’m not sure there will even be a FP announcement! Just relaying what I saw elsewhere.

But I would imagine a free tier that is plussed for On-site guests, and the ability to add paid line skips.