Paid FP options coming soon to WDW?

[cakebaker]

I am at the 2 week mark now - Crossed fingers and praying for pixiedust. Very worried about being miserable standing in lines. I am on the docket as one that really hates long lines and will skip rather than wait in a 30 Minute + line. I'd much rather browse merch, snack, take photos etc. than wait in line - Add the stress of packed queues without masks, the new covid variant, and long periods of time bundled up with strangers from all over (whether I choose to mask or not - and yes, I am vaccinated), and I will be very uncomfortable waiting in long lines. Keep in mind, there have been continuous capacity increases since we reserved several months ago - at THAT time, capacity was lower and distancing was in place. The waits were generally much lower than they will be in July now, so that was our carrot when booking... even with no fastpass.

My grandson is not old enough to be vaccinated yet, and yes, being in long lines, indoors concerns me as well. We also won't be doing rope drop because if you're not in the mass of people at the front, there's no point in rope dropping. I also want the dessert buffets back for the same reasons, although I'm not as hopeful those will have returned. The fireworks starting is why we're going, but I'm not putting him in a sea of people to watch them. We'll just have to watch from afar if we need to.

 

[Acup313]

My grandson is not old enough to be vaccinated yet, and yes, being in long lines, indoors concerns me as well. We also won't be doing rope drop because if you're not in the mass of people at the front, there's no point in rope dropping. I also want the dessert buffets back for the same reasons, although I'm not as hopeful those will have returned. The fireworks starting is why we're going, but I'm not putting him in a sea of people to watch them. We'll just have to watch from afar if we need to.

I was just talking to my wife this morning about something similar. FP lines will help our kids avoid those big indoor crowds.

 

[0FF TO NEVERLAND]

I was just talking to my wife this morning about something similar. FP lines will help our kids avoid those big indoor crowds.

You make a good point about this. Yes, I'm vaccinated and I'm not worried about being in crowds of people indoors, but I am sure there are alot of people who don't feel super comfortable, and waiting for 90 mins inside is the last thing they would wanna do. Fast Pass does help with that. I have thought about that myself also

 

[finedice]

Certainly NOT trying to start a covid thread here - just being honest about my feelings about reasons why FP+ should be NOW (and yes, a little greedy about getting my ticket ROI).

 

[mercuryvenus]

If you’re concerned to this extent about your unvaxxed kid, you probably shouldn’t be going to an amusement park. That’s some pretty high anxiety about COVID, which is fine, but I don’t then understand why you’d go at all if you have that level of concern about it.

 

[ForWhomTheMouseTolls]

You make a good point about this. Yes, I'm vaccinated and I'm not worried about being in crowds of people indoors, but I am sure there are alot of people who don't feel super comfortable, and waiting for 90 mins inside is the last thing they would wanna do. Fast Pass does help with that. I have thought about that myself also

Then don’t go to a theme park or wear a mask. It’s not Disney’s responsibility to bring back an ancillary feature because of your comfort.

 

[ForWhomTheMouseTolls]

Not to mention that FP will increase stand by lines, making the stand by guests have longer exposures toe hat bothers you.

 

[cakebaker]

Then don’t go to a theme park or wear a mask. It’s not Disney’s responsibility to bring back an ancillary feature because of your comfort.

No one said it was their responsibility. Could we please not start garbage over covid? Don't tell people what they should or should not do. It's just rude.

 

[cakebaker]

Not to mention that FP will increase stand by lines, making the stand by guests have longer exposures toe hat bothers you.

It doesn't affect them to any great degree and anyone who wants a FP can do what it takes to get one. Eventually FP+ is coming back, the only question is when.

 

[ForWhomTheMouseTolls]

I’m not starting Covid, I’m responding to Covid related posts. If you don’t feel comfortable with Covid related issues, then you should stay home or wear a mask.

 

[finedice]

There appears to be some kind of fast pass test going on at Animal Kingdom today with select groups. We were talking to a CM about the single rider line for Expedition Everest (still not open) when a group walked up with a 12:15pm fast pass. He clarified fast pass, not DAS, verified on their phone, and directed them to a different CM. We asked and got told they were testing with “select groups” and that there was nothing further he could say.

AWESOME!

 

[ForWhomTheMouseTolls]

It doesn't affect them to any great degree and anyone who wants a FP can do what it takes to get one.

It increases line by upwards of 30 minutes. So it does impact them. I want FP+ back too, but let’s not make it about Covid precautions.

 

[Wandering Oaken]

COVID stuff again?!?

 

[Wandering Oaken]

It increases line by upwards of 30 minutes. So it does impact them. I want FP+ back too, but let’s not make it about Covid precautions.

No. FP does not increase the lines by 30 minutes.

 

[mster425]

Here now, having a great trip but not a fan of the no fastpass system. DD has DAS, but with storms hitting daily, we've had bad luck with the rides she has the DAS for not working by the time we can ride, and they aren't converting into recovery passes or use on another ride passes so it's been rough.. DD cannot wait in a 45 minute line, even if it is better than a 70 minute line from precovid, so we used FP all day long.

Just our take. I hear people saying they don't miss FP but that hasn't been our experience. It's fine, we are just using the pools and riding fewer rides, but definitely not better.

 

[cakebaker]

NM- already posted by someone.

 

[Nabas]

My longest wait was in July 1992. Family visiting from England, last day in MK, and all of a sudden we noticed a line forming outside the spanking new Splash Mountain ride, where they had decided to do a soft opening. How could we resist?

The first time I ever waited an hour was the month after Tower of Terror opened in 1994. By 1996, ToT waits were shorter. I distinctly remember ToT being a walk-on for the first hour after Disney-MGM Studios opened, and ending the evening as a near-walk-on.

I tended to go in early May or late August and rarely saw lines longer than 30 minutes. Even the most popular attractions would peak at 45 minutes in the middle of the afternoon. I also remember less than a 5-minute wait for a lot of attractions in the morning and evening, even Space Mountain and Peter Pan's Flight. I recall seeing PoTC dispatch with empty boats.

It wasn't until FP began to catch on in the early 2000s that I started noticing longer lines. Remember, FP did not increase ride capacity, it only redistributed wait time. You'd wait in one hour-long Standby line and then use your FP to jump in front of everyone else who were waiting in another hour-long line. Your average wait time was still around 30 minutes, with one 60-minute wait and one 5-minute wait, unlike before when you might have (say) two 30-minute waits.

In the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s, when you visited WDW was really important.

The parks would be nearly empty in (say) September. During a couple of early May trips, I remember Peter Pan's Flight peaking at 25 minutes. Those days are over. There is no offseason at WDW any more

Yes, overall attendance is up compared to the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s. But the big difference is that Guests now go year-round. These photos are from soon after reopening in July 2020 but this is what the parks looked like most Septembers to Februarys (excluding holidays) for decades.







The parks have gotten a bit more crowded during busy season.

But they have gotten a lot more crowded during "off" season.

Adding some sort of paid version of FP+ is not going to solve the problem.

 

[Chris Ehlers]

Bring back the E Ticket Books!!!!!!

 

[Heigh-Ho]

I've been reading the comments and some of the fiercest defenders of FP must come back there's a sense of heavy disappointment that their trips may end without it (if sticking with voting with the wallet occurs) or if it's so cost prohibitive the amount of trips decreases or days decrease. I 100% understand that but I also feel sometimes there's antagonism towards people who are okay with not having FP (and doesn't seem to be the opposite happening).

I hope we can all be kind enough to each other to see that touring styles vary. One of the best marketing campaigns and practicing Disney has done has made people reliant on a FP system (much more at WDW it seems) and to some that's the reason they make trips out there and for others it's a pester to deal with much like how ADRs can be. It doesn't mean that people are wrong for wanting/liking or not wanting/not liking those things (among other stuff).

 

[thanxfornoticin]

I find the conversations and opinions regarding FP are fascinating. Some folks remember the days when you went to the park, got in line, and waited your turn for an attraction! Others love the idea of only doing attractions where they have a fast pass, even if they might have to pay for it. I absolutely expect that FP will be back soon, there will be some form of a free FP option and some form where you can pay for additional FP (even if it means spending $s on a Disney Resort). And when it returns, we'll certainly use it. But we've already waited 40 minutes in the FP line for an attraction, and we really dread the standby lines for the attractions that have long FP lines - it certainly makes those waits much longer. But it is what it is. The concern I have is that they've been over-using the FP, which is why both lines are longer. Prior to Covid, you could get 3 per day to start, and more later sometimes. There were ways to buy them if you were a CL guest. And certain memberships get you FP (Club 33, for example). But if you have ever had any kind of an issue with your resort reservation or park tickets, then you know they give out FP like candy to people throughout their stay. I'd love to know how many 'pixie dust resolution' fps are given out during the day! It's a lot. One trip we had several issues with our reservation and had 6 extra for every day of our 5-day stay. They really clog the lines! I'm personally a fan of the MaxPass approach, and I hope they do something similar. Guess we'll see what the next wave of FP looks like!