Paid FP options coming soon to WDW?

[Pdollar88]

If they are going to make tweaks, I personally think they should kill FP+ on 90% of the attractions (all the shows) and just go straight Standby. And only distribute 1 FP per day. Then you can roll with a MaxPass like system. Again resort guests get the benefit of booking the FP+ and making a VQ reservation for each day they hit the park.

I admit I’d be sad to see FP go completely as I got used to using it to my advantage. Curious to see what they do - I assumed it would be like Maxpass in DL.

From what you said, with MP it sounds like you can make one FP at a time on a rolling basis? I don’t know how that system works.

 

[The Pho]

I admit I’ll be sad to see FP go completely as I got used to using it to my advantage. Curious to see what they do - I assumed it would be like Maxpass in DL.

From what you said, with MP it sounds like you can make one FP at a time on a rolling basis? I don’t know how that system works.

MaxPass is simply the ability to book fastpasses with your phone.

Their fastpass system operates the same way that WDW’s old system worked. You can get a fastpass, then after a certain amount of time, you can get another. So you can have several at once, but you book them one at a time.

 

[Jrb1979]

A person on Instagram is saying that Shanghai Disneyland has eliminated complimentary FastPass, and is now only offering “Disney Premier Access” (paid FP) and “Standby Pass” (like the RotR Virtual Queue but with pre-determined return times).

 

[Jrb1979]

Just to add to that the fast pass page is gone from the Shanghai site.

 

[lovethesun12]

A person on Instagram is saying that Shanghai Disneyland has eliminated complimentary FastPass, and is now only offering “Disney Premier Access” (paid FP) and “Standby Pass” (like the RotR Virtual Queue but with pre-determined return times).

I love FP+ and don't like paying extra (lol) but interested in hearing more about how this "Standby Pass" works.

 

[Jrb1979]

I love FP+ and don't like paying extra (lol) but interested in hearing more about how this "Standby Pass" works.

From their website the Standby pass is only available on busy days. From the sounds of it, the way it works is they give a return time equal to how long the wait is.

 

[lovethesun12]

From their website the Standby pass is only available on busy days. From the sounds of it, the way it works is they give a return time equal to how long the wait is.

Interesting. I've been kind of expecting some changes and I'm interested in how this could go. I could see how that might be a lot more flexible; I've missed FP+ a ton of times because with kids + heat sometimes things don't go as planned and I have to admit I don't always love the strict schedule although sometimes it's useful. The fact it's only available on "busy" days isn't great though. What's their definition of busy?

I'm thinking a little selfishly here. It might be really fun to grab a return time when my kids/DH are leaving for an afternoon break, and I could hop back and maybe take advantage of it and some single rider lines (clearly I never need a break from a disney park ).

 

[lovethesun12]

From their website the Standby pass is only available on busy days. From the sounds of it, the way it works is they give a return time equal to how long the wait is.

The cost of premier access looks pretty yucky for a family of four.

 

[Jrb1979]

The cost of premier access looks pretty yucky for a family of four.

I almost always purchase fastpasses when I go to other parks. On busy days Cedar Point can cost as much as $120 per person. I will gladly pay it for my wife and I.

 

[lovethesun12]

I almost always purchase fastpasses when I go to other parks. On busy days Cedar Point can cost as much as $120 per person. I will gladly pay it for my wife and I.

It's not so much the cost of the premier access I would worry about, it's how the park will look for those who don't purchase it.

At $120 (this seems like a good estimate, the cost at Shanghai is about 130% of a 1 day ticket) this would cost my family $480 more for each park day I use it than it costs for a park day right now. That's pretty significant. While a place like Cedar Point is probably a day trip, WDW for most is an extended trip. We usually have 10 park days. If we purchased this for even just 4 of our park days, we are looking at over $2000 extra. And that's just for 8 rides, it's not unlimited like say universal. Also, parks like universal have wait times (without the pass) that aren't as long as Disney.

The thing is I wouldn't have to pay it which makes me fine with it. But the question is will my trip look better, worse, or the same under the new system without it? If they are offering the "Standby pass" I think it could be the same or better. But again, it depends on how often the standby pass is offered and what a "busy" day is to them. If the days I usually go offer the standby pass I think it will be fine.

If they bundle this up into a package that would be a whole different discussion...

 

[ToyStoryManiaMouse]

Given social distancing needs now, I can't imagine Disney wanting to encourage everyone to get to the parks right at opening.

I can't usually be at parks at opening and I like to re-ride things multiple times. I also cannot ride many of the attractions due to a disability.

 

[dominickolas]

Just remember a lot of this predication came before our new reality. Anything they do now does not mean it is permanent. But they can learn, especially if lots of virtual cues is a winner.

 

[Jrb1979]

Just remember a lot of this predication came before our new reality. Anything they do now does not mean it is permanent. But they can learn, especially if lots of virtual cues is a winner.

Rumors from WDWmagic board is that the system they are using in Paris and Shanghai will be coming to WDW in some form.

 

[Brianstl]

I almost always purchase fastpasses when I go to other parks. On busy days Cedar Point can cost as much as $120 per person. I will gladly pay it for my wife and I.

I think this at WDW will at least be four times as expensive than what they charge at Cedar Point. Disney will have to make up for the revenue FP+ generates for them from partner hotels, lost revenue from people buying VIP tours, lost revenue from people who book club rooms for additional FP’s, lost revenue from people who will no longer buy extra hour event tickets, lost revenue from people who reduce the number of days they buy tickets and lost revenue from people who stop staying on site because there is no advantage to staying on site.

 

[Fido Chuckwagon]

I think this at WDW will at least be four times as expensive than what they charge at Cedar Point. Disney will have to make up for the revenue FP+ generates for them from partner hotels, lost revenue from people buying VIP tours, lost revenue from people who book club rooms for additional FP’s, lost revenue from people who will no longer buy extra hour event tickets, lost revenue from people who reduce the number of days they buy tickets and lost revenue from people who stop staying on site because there is no advantage to staying on site.

There is still an advantage to staying at the monorail resorts or the epcot walkable resorts, but yeah, why would anyone stay at All Stars if there is no advantage over staying at any of the hundreds of other motels in the area.

 

[Isabelle12345]

There is still an advantage to staying at the monorail resorts or the epcot walkable resorts, but yeah, why would anyone stay at All Stars if there is no advantage over staying at any of the hundreds of other motels in the area.

Which is exactly why I would be surprised if they didn’t offer some sort of FP perk for resorts guests...
I guess we’ll have to wait and see!

 

[Tessaf]

Which is exactly why I would be surprised if they didn’t offer some sort of FP perk for resorts guests...
I guess we’ll have to wait and see!

I agree, I think they have to offer some FP perk for resort guests. I could even see and additional perk or different option for CL stays, especially if some of the current perks (food/drinks) are taken away due to the coronavirus.

 

[Brett Wyman]

There is still an advantage to staying at the monorail resorts or the epcot walkable resorts, but yeah, why would anyone stay at All Stars if there is no advantage over staying at any of the hundreds of other motels in the area.

People preferred Disney hotels for years before FP+ became a thing.

 

[lovethesun12]

I think this at WDW will at least be four times as expensive than what they charge at Cedar Point. Disney will have to make up for the revenue FP+ generates for them from partner hotels, lost revenue from people buying VIP tours, lost revenue from people who book club rooms for additional FP’s, lost revenue from people who will no longer buy extra hour event tickets, lost revenue from people who reduce the number of days they buy tickets and lost revenue from people who stop staying on site because there is no advantage to staying on site.

It's hard to know how this could roll out. I feel like WDW is a different animal than a lot of parks, even other disney parks, because a lot of people take extended vacations and already spend a lot more than they would in other places.

If they offered some sort of fixed cost into the ticket like they do for hopping it could work. If the standby works well (but not as convenient as the paid option) I think that could work well also and they could benefit. But if this leads to having to pay over $100 for a family of 4 to ride a fun ride without a huge wait in line, or adds on $500/day for a family of 4 it isn't going to work (for us at least). If the standby option wasn't running while we were there the only option I can see for us vacationing would be visiting parks 4 days instead of 10, probably taking a 6-7 day vacation instead of 10-14.

 

[Brianstl]

People preferred Disney hotels for years before FP+ became a thing.

That was without the cost inflation of rooms we have had over the last decade. The spread of price between on site and off site is much higher now than pre FP+.