Paid FP options coming soon to WDW?

[Heather07438]

We rode Peter Pan standby a few years ago just because I wanted to see what the high waits were about. Never wanted to use a fast pass spot on it since we love the mountains. We left a bit disappointed I have no doubt there’s some nostalgia there for people, and it’s a classic ride...but we didn’t get it

I think that’s common. We see a long wait and think there must be a reason. It’s just like character lines were sometimes. There’d either be 3ppl or 30ppl waiting. As the line gets longer more people are attracted. If all those people are waiting it must be a really awesome thing!

 

[Remy is Up]

Interesting. And this a lot of makes sense. When did the platform update occur and when was the code tested that resulted in the crash? During covid?

I’m assuming the new platform you are reffering to was launched at the beginning of Covid. But I haven’t tapped into this wealth of knowledge of a Disney circle until recently, so I’m still playing catch up.

They established the new platform while the parks were closed knowing they would need park reservations capabilities. So the platform was built using basic tickets, only existing aps, dining and room reservations, etc. The goal was to add a fp system, dining plans, sale of new aps possibly with new tiers, and do it step by step. They tested the old fp+ platform in Live environment in January and it crashed the platform for 3 hours. Reservations, IHD, everything went down. So they took it back to test environment, fixed I s sues, tried it again and it worked. So they tried a new system in test with mixed results. Tried it in live and it flopped, crashed the platform etc. So they have been running it in test environment again. Only the fp+ code has been workable on the new platform up to now. Never know what tomorrow will bring. Technology can be a monster.

 

[Remy is Up]

How did the old system work with FP+ and the paid FP that club level guests could purchase? There was some sort of adaptation in the old system that allowed for a hybrid solution. I know it had to be handed via the club level concierge team, but somehow the old system accommodated both.

It did but it was limited and didn't overburden the system. A new system of hybrid would have a larger scope and touch more programs intermingled with it. And it was on the old platform without park reservations

 

[mom2elle]

I know opinions are mixed but I really would like to see FP come back. I’d love a hybrid solution - some free for onsite guests and the opportunity to pay for more. If there is only a pay-to-play option I would be ok with that but that’s just me, we don’t travel as a big family anymore so I would hope the cost would not be unbearable. I have to think there would be some option included for on site guests though.

Mostly I was hoping we would have clarity and have something implemented for my mid July trip but I feel like time is slipping by. I am getting nervous about July crowds & no fastpass. Could be interesting!

 

[monstermash23]

They established the new platform while the parks were closed knowing they would need park reservations capabilities. So the platform was built using basic tickets, only existing aps, dining and room reservations, etc. The goal was to add a fp system, dining plans, sale of new aps possibly with new tiers, and do it step by step. They tested the old fp+ platform in Live environment in January and it crashed the platform for 3 hours. Reservations, IHD, everything went down. So they took it back to test environment, fixed I s sues, tried it again and it worked. So they tried a new system in test with mixed results. Tried it in live and it flopped, crashed the platform etc. So they have been running it in test environment again. Only the fp+ code has been workable on the new platform up to now. Never know what tomorrow will bring. Technology can be a monster.

Very very interesting. Thank you for this. Then if that’s still the case and all of that is accurate what you said, without knowing what they are doing in their test environments with a new FP system, I would make the bet that FP+ is returning and that is the path of least resistance for them. I think this makes my theory more plausible but yea like you said, never know what tomorrow will bring.

 

[Remy is Up]

Very very interesting. Thank you for this. Then if that’s still the case and all of that is accurate what you said, without knowing what they are doing in their test environments with a new FP system, I would make the bet that FP+ is returning and that is the path of least resistance for them. I think this makes my theory more plausible but yea like you said, never know what tomorrow will bring.

That's based on what I know as of late last week. I'm not aware of anything changing since then but what I've learned from people there who are in the know on different aspects of decision making, is things change almost daily depending on who is driving the project. I do know the IT group loves the new platform, but no platform is perfect and integrating new code and programs can be frustrating.

 

[Wandering Oaken]

Well… except for FoP racking up hundreds of days near 300 minute waits and 7DMT mostly over 100. Some rides were nutty.

Peter Pan for instance, withoutFP it’s not a crazy wait anymore. I think when people used to see it 90+ mins it made them have to ride it Lol. Now it’s 25 minute wait and doesn’t look as interesting

FP+ did not significantly increase the waits. Multiple studies were done to prove this. People just tend to believe what they want and not what they see. But yeah, if you think it increased wait times then so be it. I hope they bring it back because I was able to use it effectively and have never waited more than 30 minutes in a line.

 

[Heather07438]

FP+ did not significantly increase the waits. Multiple studies were done to prove this. People just tend to believe what they want and not what they see. But yeah, if you think it increased wait times then so be it. I hope they bring it back because I was able to use it effectively and have never waited more than 30 minutes in a line.

What’s with the attitude?

 

[Heather07438]

Multiple studies were done to prove this

Where should I be looking for these studies

You don’t need to sell me on FP as I’d love it to return. And think it will in some capacity. What I have experienced from our visits with and without FP and watching wait times is there are definitely some ride waits that are not as long as previously with FP. Like the ones I pointed out, FoP and Peter Pan. We knew FP drop times and rode FoP many days twice. Doesn’t change that I used to see it in the 200-300 minute range all the time and now it doesn’t ever get near that.

 

[kc51570]

Well… except for FoP racking up hundreds of days near 300 minute waits and 7DMT mostly over 100. Some rides were nutty.

Peter Pan for instance, withoutFP it’s not a crazy wait anymore. I think when people used to see it 90+ mins it made them have to ride it Lol. Now it’s 25 minute wait and doesn’t look as interesting

Peter pan always had crazy long waits even before FP+. I remember waiting in a crazy long line in the early 2000s. They used to issue paper fast passes and those would also run out fairly early in the day. If it is a shorter wait now, it’s probably due to reduced capacity in the parks. And it sounds like capacity limits are increasing every single day leading up to one of their busiest weeks in the year without any type of FP.

 

[onelove8187]

Where should I be looking for these studies

You don’t need to sell me on FP as I’d love it to return. And think it will in some capacity. What I have experienced from our visits with and without FP and watching wait times is there are definitely some ride waits that are not as long as previously with FP. Like the ones I pointed out, FoP and Peter Pan. We knew FP drop times and rode FoP many days twice. Doesn’t change that I used to see it in the 200-300 minute range all the time and now it doesn’t ever get near that.

big problem with comparing to current situation with no FP wait times is the restricted capacity. Also, without shows and limited experiences the data is skewed but in the other direction. I would also like to see a study that shows this but i frankly do not believe that anyone other than disney has the data to model this. aApparantly there was a study comparing some limited data from traditional paper FP to FP+ which included some rides that werent included on FP but many of the other variables were not controlled.

 

[Nabas]

Peter pan always had crazy long waits even before FP+. I remember waiting in a crazy long line in the early 2000s.

The original FASTPASS system was introduced in 1999. By the early 2000s, FP was already a few years old.

I can remember Peter Pan being about 25 minutes for most of the year. It all depended on what time of year you went.

In the years leading up to the pandemic, Peter Pan rarely was less than 50 minutes for pretty much the enter year.

 

[Nabas]

big problem with comparing to current situation with no FP wait times is the restricted capacity. Also, without shows and limited experiences the data is skewed but in the other direction. I would also like to see a study that shows this but i frankly do not believe that anyone other than disney has the data to model this. aApparantly there was a study comparing some limited data from traditional paper FP to FP+ which included some rides that werent included on FP but many of the other variables were not controlled.

But also remember that attractions and shows are still not operating at full capacity either.

The reduced attendance is tied to the reduced ride capacity.

 

[Heather07438]

I’m interested to see how these FP/standby studies accounted for the variables, which definitely pose a challenge.

 

[Nabas]

You don’t need to sell me on FP as I’d love it to return. And think it will in some capacity. What I have experienced from our visits with and without FP and watching wait times is there are definitely some ride waits that are not as long as previously with FP. Like the ones I pointed out, FoP and Peter Pan. We knew FP drop times and rode FoP many days twice. Doesn’t change that I used to see it in the 200-300 minute range all the time and now it doesn’t ever get near that.

We've been to WDW six times since July 2020.

We've been in absolutely crazy (physically) long lines during our two most recent trips in March and May 2021. Wait times were 30 minutes or less for most of these attractions.

The one attraction that seemed to be consistently worse than pre-COVID was PotC, which was only seating 2 groups in a boat for most of our trips, and I believe 3 groups in a boat for our May trip.

 

[kc51570]

The original FASTPASS system was introduced in 1999. By the early 2000s, FP was already a few years old.

I can remember Peter Pan being about 25 minutes for most of the year. It all depended on what time of year you went.

In the years leading up to the pandemic, Peter Pan rarely was less than 50 minutes for pretty much the enter year.

FP+ started in 2013. The one time I waited in line for Peter Pan was during the summer in the early 2000s when paper fastpass was available but I didn‘t have one. After that, when I went back close to 10 years later I used a FP or did a PPO breakfast and hopped on it after a ride or two on Mine Train. I would not wait in line for it. I don’t think I’ve seen it less than an hour in standby and I typically go during a slower time of the year for the last 10 years.
Unless Disney is going to do some kind of study with all things equal, capacity, shows, parades, etc. there really is no way to compare FP+ vs waits now. Who knows maybe they are waiting to do just that this summer and that’s why they won’t just turn it on exactly as it was.

 

[Heather07438]

big problem with comparing to current situation with no FP wait times is the restricted capacity. Also, without shows and limited experiences the data is skewed but in the other direction. I would also like to see a study that shows this but i frankly do not believe that anyone other than disney has the data to model this. aApparantly there was a study comparing some limited data from traditional paper FP to FP+ which included some rides that werent included on FP but many of the other variables were not controlled.

Thank you.
Yeah it’s very hard for us outside of Disney to get a good grasp on these numbers. Especially with certainty. I do like seeing what people come up with though. It’s always fun to look at some WDW data

 

[Nabas]

FP+ started in 2013.

Yes, FP+ started in 2013.

The original FP started in 1999. See:

FastPass - Wikipedia

 

[Wandering Oaken]

Where should I be looking for these studies

You don’t need to sell me on FP as I’d love it to return. And think it will in some capacity. What I have experienced from our visits with and without FP and watching wait times is there are definitely some ride waits that are not as long as previously with FP. Like the ones I pointed out, FoP and Peter Pan. We knew FP drop times and rode FoP many days twice. Doesn’t change that I used to see it in the 200-300 minute range all the time and now it doesn’t ever get near that.

They have been posted by touringplans.com in several other Walt Disney World fan sites. Go to their sites and look them up.

 

[Wandering Oaken]

.