Paid FP options coming soon to WDW?

[bernina]

I also think the staffing shortage is a big driver in fully reopening hotels and dining options as well as anything that would require extra crowd control or later hours. While they could certainly do fireworks safely, I believe the extra busses and longer hours for cast members are playing a role.

 

[robinb]

Maybe several months ago that excuse would fly. It's because it saves them a crap load of money not to do it and people are still coming.

But they are still trying to reduce the spread of the virus. For instance, I went to the Lion King show last week and they eliminated the part where the audience does the animal sounds and the end where the sections sing. Instead, we clapped or waved our hands. You cannot distance yourself when you're jammed cheek to jowl with your neighbors on Main Street. I do think that savings is also a part of the equation and because of that I don't think they will bring back fireworks until they increase the crowd level past the current limit. I don't think that will happen until later in the year when more people are vaccinated.

 

[ForceofWill]

But they are still trying to reduce the spread of the virus. For instance, I went to the Lion King show last week and they eliminated the part where the audience does the animal sounds and the end where the sections sing. Instead, we clapped or waved our hands. You cannot distance yourself when you're jammed cheek to jowl with your neighbors on Main Street. I do think that savings is also a part of the equation and because of that I don't think they will bring back fireworks until they increase the crowd level past the current limit. I don't think that will happen until later in the year when more people are at Universal.

Fixed it for ya

 

[robinb]

Fixed it for ya

Thanks, but I don't need you to put words in my mouth.

 

[Liquidice]

I wouldn't trust a comment from anyone who claims MNSSHP was limited to 20K guests.

I've never done a MNSSHP so I don't have any personal knowledge, but I found a few Disney news websites say it was limited to 20K (Disney Food Blog is one) - but maybe their estimates are old...

I've also seen people mention that CMs have said the limit is around 30,000.

UT estimates a sold our MNSSHP is a Crowd Level 7 out of 10 - so that is definitely crowded. I assume 10/10 would be max capacity, so I'm assuming 7/10 would be 70% full? That is definitely way more than 20,000 people (closer to 56,000-70,000 I'm guessing at a 7/10).

But, feel free to ignore me and not trust any of my posts, just joking

 

[yaya74]

park passes for June and July just got refilled, again.
Perhaps next week we will hear news about that FA$TPA$$+
How about June 8th?

 

[Evita_W]

Maybe several months ago that excuse would fly. It's because it saves them a crap load of money not to do it and people are still coming.

There may be more problems than we have considered, such as:

• A lot of people no longer wanting to work for various reasons. This can cause problems for them to have enough cast members for guest control, transportation, etc.
• Supply chain issues. This is a very real problem for many items, while most things are manufactured at the same rate as normal, delivery is an issue because a lot of shopping containers are coming into the country but not leaving. Additionally almost everything comes through the port of Los Angeles/Long Beach which has been seeing delays of 2 to 4 weeks.
• Other issues we aren't aware of.

 

[Evita_W]

park passes for June and July just got refilled, again.
Perhaps next week we will hear news about that FA$TPA$$+
How about June 8th?

I hope not, I want at least one more trip without FP in any shape or form, it makes the lines move so much better and shorter waits overall. So not until June 27th at the earliest please.

 

[DL1WDW2]

park passes for June and July just got refilled, again.
Perhaps next week we will hear news about that FA$TPA$$+
How about June 8th?

love the spelling
FA$TPA$$+

 

[Disturbia]

Maybe everyone cancelled and rebooked for July. June 6-8 still looks pretty booked.

 

[yaya74]

I hope not, I want at least one more trip without FP in any shape or form, it makes the lines move so much better and shorter waits overall. So not until June 27th at the earliest please.

Have a great trip!!

 

[cakebaker]

Maybe several months ago that excuse would fly. It's because it saves them a crap load of money not to do it and people are still coming.

I've been off the boards for a while , but this brings me back. You hit the nail on the head. Chapek has made it clear that what he sees from the pandemic is that Disney does not have to offer all the goodies to get people into the parks. They fight to get in when restaurants are closed, there's no FP, no shows, no character meets, no fireworks, no parades, limited hours and on and on and on. Why would they bring back the things that cost them the most when people tell them every day they don't need to. Boo Bash? Jack the price, cut back everything that made MNSHHP special and people will fight to get tickets. The faux FOL? It's good enough, people love it. It's not anything that it was, but why worry? I read a post the other day from someone who is thrilled that the pre-shows are gone- can get right on without having to watch them. Go figure...that's the part of the rides I love the most and what makes WDW rides unique. I miss WDW terribly but what's there now, is not the WDW I miss. We'll wait and hope, but for now, our plans are focusing on DLR. They'll have restrictions too, but I don't have the memories there I have at WDW- won't know what I'm missing. Avengers Campus is looking pretty amazing to me right now.

Would love to see a paid FP option. I've wanted it before the pandemic and still do. It would reduce the demand for FP so it's purely selfish reasons.

 

[bernina]

I've been off the boards for a while , but this brings me back. You hit the nail on the head. Chapek has made it clear that what he sees from the pandemic is that Disney does not have to offer all the goodies to get people into the parks. They fight to get in when restaurants are closed, there's no FP, no shows, no character meets, no fireworks, no parades, limited hours and on and on and on. Why would they bring back the things that cost them the most when people tell them every day they don't need to. Boo Bash? Jack the price, cut back everything that made MNSHHP special and people will fight to get tickets. The faux FOL? It's good enough, people love it. It's not anything that it was, but why worry? I read a post the other day from someone who is thrilled that the pre-shows are gone- can get right on without having to watch them. Go figure...that's the part of the rides I love the most and what makes WDW rides unique. I miss WDW terribly but what's there now, is not the WDW I miss. We'll wait and hope, but for now, our plans are focusing on DLR. They'll have restrictions too, but I don't have the memories there I have at WDW- won't know what I'm missing. Avengers Campus is looking pretty amazing to me right now.

Would love to see a paid FP option. I've wanted it before the pandemic and still do. It would reduce the demand for FP so it's purely selfish reasons.

My hope is that Disney knows they have a captive audience for a bit longer (many people still not comfortable with international travel, Europe just starting to slowly open to US travelers, cruises mostly on pause) and they're taking advantage. Once normal travel activities resume and folks no longer feel desperate for whatever vacation they can actually take, I hope the company is smart enough to realize that they need to get back to their A-game. Once more options are safely available, Disney will no longer be the default for many if the experience remains watered down. I think they can probably get away with a lot of these up charge items and events, but only if they bring back the full Disney experience.

 

[cdurham1]

I think we could be in for a very rude awakening on the potential Fastpass pricing.

Look at Universal for a minute. I just booked tickets there for July 31 and August 1. If I purchased the Unlimited Express Passes , that would be $249/person/day. And people buy those at that price. Admittedly, I think Universal is using that pricing to push people into staying at one of their Deluxe hotels (which we are doing bc of the pricing on the passes).

But people already are willing to stay at Disney's deluxe hotels. They don't need to include fastpasses as an incentive. Maybe a partial incentive.

If I were a bean counter at Disney, the idea of pricing these things like a "VIP Lite" experience could make a lot of sense.

I would not be shocked if they charge $300/day/person AND require a deluxe hotel stay.

 

[Grasshopper2016]

I would not be shocked if they charge $300/day/person AND require a deluxe hotel stay.

That would surprise even cynical me. But I would not be at all shocked if they charged $300 or even $400/day/person, but then offered a discount of $50/day/person for deluxe guests, and $100/day/person for club level guests.

 

[Lsdolphin]

That would surprise even cynical me. But I would not be at all shocked if they charged $300 or even $400/day/person, but then offered a discount of $50/day/person for deluxe guests, and $100/day/person for club level guests.

Stop giving them terrible ideas they have enough of those on their own!!!

 

[Disturbia]

The thing is the demand is based on the historical Disney experience (the smile and excitement on our kids faces). Now if you keep ruining the experience, eventually the Goodwill runs out.

My preteen always cried when she left Disney, except this past trip (exhausted from standing in the heat and that was when parks closed at 6-7; we still left early). Even now we seriously debated cancelling and the kids couldn’t care less and were like we don’t want to wait in hour long lines. It’s becoming something we can skip in the future.

We also didn’t buy DVC which we were seriously thinking about last year because the experience is not welcoming. For the first time I priced out Universal with their express pass (we haven’t been to Universal in Florida at all). That was sad for a Disney fan like me.

 

[Jonfw2]

Shoot…Cedar Fair figured out several years ago you could sell line jump passes for way more than the price of a ticket. Then Universal figured it out.

if you honestly think Disney is leaving that money on the table…

 

[Jrb1979]

@ForWhom

Shoot…Cedar Fair figured out several years ago you could sell line jump passes for way more than the price of a ticket. Then Universal figured it out.

if you honestly think Disney is leaving that money on the table…

I agree completely. I think what are concerned about is that it will price them out.

 

[luv2cheer92]

Shoot…Cedar Fair figured out several years ago you could sell line jump passes for way more than the price of a ticket. Then Universal figured it out.

if you honestly think Disney is leaving that money on the table…

I tend to buy those passes at Cedar Fair parks, or Six Flags, Hershey, did it yesterday at Kennywood. The key difference, which is very, very large, is that I only go to those places for one day. Also, those parks have significantly cheaper tickets (I know Universal is not the same). I'm not going to do that with Disney prices every day for a week straight, and I would find it ridiculous for anyone to do that.
Paying $50 for a one day ticket, then $60 for a front of line pass for a single day does not even remotely compare to a week-long vacation, and I hate when people try to make that comparison, its not the same.