Paid FP options coming soon to WDW?

[Grumpy6264]

Some people have been reporting that they were able to book FP 74 days before the start of their stay, so slightly different.

 

[saskdw]

I too wish they would just do day by day system. Length of stay bonus simply isnt very fair -- basically that bonus makes Fast Passes a PAID perk (As some may choose a LONGER resort vacation simply to help improve their chances to get those high demand FPs)


I could see this breakdown - even though I often wondered why they dont break it down by resort TYPE (Deluxe/Moderate/Value) as well (Deluxe guests can book sooner than Value.

Though ..with the addition of the Skyliner, the concept of Value and Moderates sort of go out the window. I am sure that AoA and Pop (which already were more expensive than All Stars) will continue to rise in price -- same with Carribbean beach.

It feels that the system will be crushed under its own weight between all the good neighbor hotels and all the new Disney hotels opening. Just too many people that can get fast passes at 60 days. (which basically helps sell PAID fast passes of some sort).
So Disney, by offering 60-day fast passes to MORE guests (and who knows if they increase supply or not), they increase the demand for fast passes.

Any intelligent vacation destination should reward their guests for length of stay. Universal has the very successful and popular Stay More Save More promo. We stay for 2 weeks and yes feel like we deserve a discount or perks for that.

 

[saskdw]

Some people have been reporting that they were able to book FP 74 days before the start of their stay, so slightly different.

That is interesting. Maybe they are testing something for an upcoming pkg. Could be a perk of buying a pkg like I suggested.

 

[Doug M]

$300 per day of FP's is for 6 people though. It's $50 per day per person, with a three day minimum. With 5 people it would be even less, $750. Unless you do more days than 3. You would have to do 10 days of CL FP's with 5 people to even come remotely close to a VIP tour.

The other poster was suggesting 300 per person per day though...

 

[rteetz]

Disunplugged team did a discussion on this today

 

[Bobb_o]

I would think the tier system would need reworking as well. If everyone still gets 1 or 2 FP+ then the top tier rides are still going to be out of inventory as soon as resort guests can book.

I also want them to price extra FP+ much higher than everyone expects so it will actually reduce standby waits. If an extra FP+ is $20 I think a lot of people would pass. For $10 I would probably consider it and just factor it in as a cost of my ticket to be back at "normal"

 

[Mrs. W]

Disunplugged team did a discussion on this today

Thank you for sharing! I enjoyed hearing their thoughts on this discussion. It’s interesting to hear that Disney has surveyed guests about paid fast passes before. I’d love to know what most of the respondents said, though I know Disney would never share that kind of information.

For those interested in just the paid fast pass discussion, go to about the 47:30 mark in the video.

 

[BuzzyBelle]

I don't think they are cheapening the product necessarily. This is more of a way to expand it. They want people to use the current free FP system. It helps spread crowds between attractions.

Like you said this also could open the door for other paid options like an earlier window.

Maybe devaluing would be a better word then. If an on-site room costs 3 times the equivalent off-site then you have to evaluate if you’re getting value for that extra money spent.

Taking away a lot of EMH, adding non-Disney hotels to the ones remaining making them more crowded, giving 60 day windows to non-Disney hotels, blocking split stays from booking FP for their entire stay. These things all take away from the value for us.

If it’s already difficult to book FOP on day 6 or 7 of a trip I fail to see how adding more people to the system will help things, but I don’t have any of the data that Disney does obviously so maybe I’m wrong.

It just feels like this is a grab for money. Free money from the neighbor hotels and all the cash that will roll in if they monetize FP. With this and the changes they keep making to (or trying to) DVC I feel like they’re forgetting their most loyal customers.

Oh well. The resorts are always close to capacity so I guess they’re not hurting for customers. It’s not like I can do anything about all of these changes except rent out our DVC and vacation somewhere else. Too bad we still love going so much

 

[cmwade77]

I would think the tier system would need reworking as well. If everyone still gets 1 or 2 FP+ then the top tier rides are still going to be out of inventory as soon as resort guests can book.

I also want them to price extra FP+ much higher than everyone expects so it will actually reduce standby waits. If an extra FP+ is $20 I think a lot of people would pass. For $10 I would probably consider it and just factor it in as a cost of my ticket to be back at "normal"

Ok, aside form the "people eater" attractions like Haunted Mansion, small world and well any Omnimover or boat system, FP really doesn't increase standby times and in fact often decreases them based on numerous tests that Disney has done over the years.

Now the people eater attractions actually end up with longer lines with FP due to how they load and FP should probably be removed from these attractions, but really for the most part FP does not increase stand by times.

 

[cmwade77]

Thank you for sharing! I enjoyed hearing their thoughts on this discussion. It’s interesting to hear that Disney has surveyed guests about paid fast passes before. I’d love to know what most of the respondents said, though I know Disney would never share that kind of information.

For those interested in just the paid fast pass discussion, go to about the 47:30 mark in the video.

They have surveyed guests since before fast pass was first introduced about paid versions, I don't know why everyone keeps thinking this is a new thing or that it is more likely now than before. Seriously, if I had $1 for every time the rumor of paid FPs was rumored from a "credible source", I could pay for several Disney World trips.

 

[UrsulaTime]

But that's just a guess based on 55 pages of other people's guesses.

This made me laugh out loud!

 

[Farro]

That is interesting. Maybe they are testing something for an upcoming pkg. Could be a perk of buying a pkg like I suggested.

No. No. No.....No.

I bought an AP for next year's trip and we need to buy one hopper, so we would need it to be a perk of just booking a stay (room only or package) at the on-site resort, not booking a package at the on-site resort. Otherwise my first AP I ever bought was a mistake.

So of course it will be tied into buying a package.

 

[tlmadden73]

Any intelligent vacation destination should reward their guests for length of stay. Universal has the very successful and popular Stay More Save More promo. We stay for 2 weeks and yes feel like we deserve a discount or perks for that.

True - Disney already does that by getting cheaper per day tickets.

And I agree, I just feel that this perk isn't really clear to most.

Imagine a second timer - a family that isn't "up to the know" like we are here.
They are planning on a typical 4-day/3-night vacation. Last summer their choices for Fast Passes were limited at 30 days - they couldn't get that brand new attraction Slinky Dog Dash and they didn't want to wait 90+ minutes in the dead of summer. So this summer, they decide to splurge and book a Disney hotel to get fast Passes at 60 days (rather than 30 days). They book that hotel. They wait until the 60 days and some helpful friends tell them to be ready to be online and make them right at 7:00 am on the 60th day to select their Fast Passes to get the best choices. They are excited to be able to skip the line for Slinky Dog Dash and enjoy an attraction they missed last year.

So they get up early and try and select their FPs.

And then find out there are no SDD FPs available for any of their FOUR days. How can this be? They logged in at the very first moment they could at 60 days out. Is they system broken? Did they log in on the wrong day? The whole reason they wanted to stay onsite is to get that 30 day bonus and they still couldn't get a FP for it? They weren't/aren't aware that the longer you stay you get to make fast passes even FARTHER out. They probably just assume they are on the same footing as everyone else and thought they were one of the first ones in line.
You now have a disgruntled guest that their "splurge" for the 60-day perk didn't get them the benefit they were expecting.

Then they find out that there isn't even an EMH day on any of those four days they are there.

They can't even afford the Toy Story Land Early morning Magic because they splurge on staying at a Disney hotel instead of staying off-site like they did last summer.


It just isn't advertised/explained well that the shorter your stay there are people with longer stays booking fast passes DAYS before you for the exact same calendar day.

 

[Traveling on cc points]

I really hope these rumors are just rumors. I have 2 more trips booked before the end of the year and absolutely will not pay for the standard fast passes. Disney has raised the prices of everything at an alarming rate recently. I am very grateful for Amazon now because I just flat out refuse to pay $4.50 for a Diet Coke. Sooner or later people are just going to say enough is enough. I will most likely not renew our annual passes and take next year off to see how things play out.
We go just the 2 of us and a 1 week trip is a minimum of $3,000. That is with free airfare (with SW points) renting dvc points and buying snacks, breakfast items, snacks alcohol from amazon. I realize I could get the price down if we stayed at a value resort and eat at quick service restaurants but that is not the way we like to travel.

 

[Bobb_o]

Ok, aside form the "people eater" attractions like Haunted Mansion, small world and well any Omnimover or boat system, FP really doesn't increase standby times and in fact often decreases them based on numerous tests that Disney has done over the years.

Now the people eater attractions actually end up with longer lines with FP due to how they load and FP should probably be removed from these attractions, but really for the most part FP does not increase stand by times.

It increases standby times mostly on secondary attractions. For top tier it won't really make that much a difference, but those current 3rd/4th selections if less people are doing FP+ I think standby times will decrease. It's also dependent on how many attractions there are at a given park.

 

[PolyRob]

No. No. No.....No.

I bought an AP for next year's trip and we need to buy one hopper, so we would need it to be a perk of just booking a stay (room only or package) at the on-site resort, not booking a package at the on-site resort. Otherwise my first AP I ever bought was a mistake.

So of course it will be tied into buying a package.

You can book a "basic package" which is essentially room only, but requires a smaller initial deposit and full payment at 30 days out. You get the luggage tags and free add-ons. You can also book a package of just a room and dining plan. Both require you to call in rather than book online unless you're an AP under the AP rate and you can do the room and dining online.

If there is something tied to packages and it requires 4-day minimum date-based theme park tickets with park hopper/hopper + option similar to "free dining," then thats another story.

 

[cmwade77]

It increases standby times mostly on secondary attractions. For top tier it won't really make that much a difference, but those current 3rd/4th selections if less people are doing FP+ I think standby times will decrease. It's also dependent on how many attractions there are at a given park.

No, it will have no effect on standby or would increase it at many attractions if fewer people use FPs.

 

[saskdw]

No. No. No.....No.

I bought an AP for next year's trip and we need to buy one hopper, so we would need it to be a perk of just booking a stay (room only or package) at the on-site resort, not booking a package at the on-site resort. Otherwise my first AP I ever bought was a mistake.

So of course it will be tied into buying a package.

We appreciate you taking one for the team!

 

[saskdw]

True - Disney already does that by getting cheaper per day tickets.

And I agree, I just feel that this perk isn't really clear to most.

Imagine a second timer - a family that isn't "up to the know" like we are here.
They are planning on a typical 4-day/3-night vacation. Last summer their choices for Fast Passes were limited at 30 days - they couldn't get that brand new attraction Slinky Dog Dash and they didn't want to wait 90+ minutes in the dead of summer. So this summer, they decide to splurge and book a Disney hotel to get fast Passes at 60 days (rather than 30 days). They book that hotel. They wait until the 60 days and some helpful friends tell them to be ready to be online and make them right at 7:00 am on the 60th day to select their Fast Passes to get the best choices. They are excited to be able to skip the line for Slinky Dog Dash and enjoy an attraction they missed last year.

So they get up early and try and select their FPs.

And then find out there are no SDD FPs available for any of their FOUR days. How can this be? They logged in at the very first moment they could at 60 days out. Is they system broken? Did they log in on the wrong day? The whole reason they wanted to stay onsite is to get that 30 day bonus and they still couldn't get a FP for it? They weren't/aren't aware that the longer you stay you get to make fast passes even FARTHER out. They probably just assume they are on the same footing as everyone else and thought they were one of the first ones in line.
You now have a disgruntled guest that their "splurge" for the 60-day perk didn't get them the benefit they were expecting.

Then they find out that there isn't even an EMH day on any of those four days they are there.

They can't even afford the Toy Story Land Early morning Magic because they splurge on staying at a Disney hotel instead of staying off-site like they did last summer.


It just isn't advertised/explained well that the shorter your stay there are people with longer stays booking fast passes DAYS before you for the exact same calendar day.

They probably could do a better job of explaining it, but nothing you said changes my opinion of the perk. A family that can only go for 4 days isn't going to all of sudden go for 14 days because they figured this out.

 

[saskdw]

You can book a "basic package" which is essentially room only, but requires a smaller initial deposit and full payment at 30 days out. You get the luggage tags and free add-ons. You can also book a package of just a room and dining plan. Both require you to call in rather than book online unless you're an AP under the AP rate and you can do the room and dining online.

If there is something tied to packages and it requires 4-day minimum date-based theme park tickets with park hopper/hopper + option similar to "free dining," then thats another story.

Great advice!