Paid FP options coming soon to WDW?

[Wandering Oaken]

Do parks ban line-skippers if they catch them red-handed? THey really should.

No. They don't.

 

[Wandering Oaken]

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

I can't stand when people do that then reply back with "Fixed that for ya!"

 

[Nabas]

well those of us going early June now feel like suckers. 90 degree weather, routine downpours, no fast passes, no fireworks and to top it off no Boma/Ohana/Tusker.

Even worse...

Disney is still limiting attraction capacity yet keeps adding Park Passes.

We were at WDW in March and May. Those trips felt like the theme parks were reaching their limits without all rides and attractions open at 100%.

Crowding even more people in during the heat of summer could be terrible!

 

[Jonfw2]

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.

Cedar Fair’s are over $100 a day for weekends now.

 

[cdurham1]

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.

Proportionately, it would be the same, right? In fact, you could view it as cheaper because you probably wouldn't pay for a line skipping pass at Disney for every day you are there. Maybe not for your Epcot day, for example. I don't see how the comparison is a bad one if you look at the total costs of each trip and then calculated the % extra buying extra passes would be.

If there's a demand at a certain price point for it, Disney is surely working on a way to hit that optimum point. They are pretty good at it. Honestly, they have probably been looking at it for a long time and the pandemic is a great opportunity for them to implement it.

 

[luv2cheer92]

Cedar Fair’s are over $100 a day for weekends now.

The example was for what I paid at Kennywood yesterday, smaller park, so I expect smaller prices, which is fine. The value is there though. But still Cedar Fair has decently priced tickets, and $100 for fast lane isn't bad. (I have a platinum pass for Cedar Fair, but their single day tickets are very reasonably priced for the excellent quality product they provide). Way better than the $325ish/day I saw for Universal for 2 weeks now. Was planning on going, but that changed my mind real fast. Which is where I fear Disney could be headed. That price is absurd and downright laughable.

 

[New Mouse]

The example was for what I paid at Kennywood yesterday, smaller park, so I expect smaller prices, which is fine. The value is there though. But still Cedar Fair has decently priced tickets, and $100 for fast lane isn't bad. (I have a platinum pass for Cedar Fair, but their single day tickets are very reasonably priced for the excellent quality product they provide). Way better than the $325ish/day I saw for Universal for 2 weeks now. Was planning on going, but that changed my mind real fast. Which is where I fear Disney could be headed. That price is absurd and downright laughable.

The perk with Universal (and hopefully Disney follows suit) is that it incentivizes you to stay at a Deluxe resort. Its the old Disney model...give them a reason to stay on property... well...we can use these express pass which have a "value" of $200 plus and have a much more convenient time...or we can venture over to Disney and spend $150 fpr a day of waiting in line.

Im honestly ok with the general public not having a good incentive to clog up the fast pass line if I have paid to stay on property.

 

[luv2cheer92]

The perk with Universal (and hopefully Disney follows suit) is that it incentivizes you to stay at a Deluxe resort. Its the old Disney model...give them a reason to stay on property... well...we can use these express pass which have a "value" of $200 plus and have a much more convenient time...or we can venture over to Disney and spend $150 fpr a day of waiting in line.

Im honestly ok with the general public not having a good incentive to clog up the fast pass line if I have paid to stay on property.

Of course that only works when there are rooms available at those resorts. That was my full intention, but both weekends that I had looked at were fully booked at all deluxe resorts. Was going to go for Cabana Bay and add on the express pass, but that was a big fat nope.

 

[ellbell]

The perk with Universal (and hopefully Disney follows suit) is that it incentivizes you to stay at a Deluxe resort. Its the old Disney model...give them a reason to stay on property... well...we can use these express pass which have a "value" of $200 plus and have a much more convenient time...or we can venture over to Disney and spend $150 fpr a day of waiting in line.

Im honestly ok with the general public not having a good incentive to clog up the fast pass line if I have paid to stay on property.

If this is happens I would still go and yep I'd upgrade to a deluxe room, but now my 2 week trip is reduced to one week and the 2 other trips I normally would take that year aren't happening. The problem with this model is that their regular customers who come from out of state or out of country no longer feel like they are valued. I know in any given year I'm spending between 10 and 15 grand at Disney. EVERY YEAR. So now I'm going once to have a decent experience and spending half that and maybe because I'm feeling bitter I'm now only going every 2 or 3 years. That adds up to money lost. I wouldn't be the only one who would end up doing it and since hotels don't sell out and parks are never at full capacity that isn't money they are getting back.

 

[Phatscott25]

The example was for what I paid at Kennywood yesterday, smaller park, so I expect smaller prices, which is fine. The value is there though. But still Cedar Fair has decently priced tickets, and $100 for fast lane isn't bad. (I have a platinum pass for Cedar Fair, but their single day tickets are very reasonably priced for the excellent quality product they provide). Way better than the $325ish/day I saw for Universal for 2 weeks now. Was planning on going, but that changed my mind real fast. Which is where I fear Disney could be headed. That price is absurd and downright laughable.

I can't speak for other Cedar Fair parks yet because I won't be visiting them until later this month. My home park is Cedar Point though and they should follow the Universal pricing model. They sell Fastlane+ for $120 which for that park is ridiculously under priced and the result is that it is grossly oversold.

Today for example waits for most headliners were 45 minutes to one hour with Fastlane. In most cases the standby waits were no more than 90 minutes. The only way to fix that problem is to raise the price.

 

[robinb]

I can't speak for other Cedar Fair parks yet because I won't be visiting them until later this month. My home park is Cedar Point though and they should follow the Universal pricing model. They sell Fastlane+ for $120 which for that park is ridiculously under priced and the result is that it is grossly oversold.

Today for example waits for most headliners were 45 minutes to one hour with Fastlane. In most cases the standby waits were no more than 90 minutes. The only way to fix that problem is to raise the price.

Wow. I would be honked off to spend $120 extra to have a “fastlane” pass and still have to wait 45 minutes.

 

[Phatscott25]

Wow. I would be honked off to spend $120 extra to have a “fastlane” pass and still have to wait 45 minutes.

Yeah definitely. Cedar Point is notorious for under pricing/over selling their Fastlane passes. I have the "all season Fastlane+" add-on to my Platinum Pass and I go very often so while I do get frustrated, I don't get as mad as I would had I shelled out $120 for the day and still had those waits. But if this trend continues all season it will likely be the first time in over 20 years I don't renew.

 

[sparky68]

Wow. I would be honked off to spend $120 extra to have a “fastlane” pass and still have to wait 45 minutes.

Waiting an hour and a half to get on a 5 minute ride is robbery. How many rides us a person going to get out of their daily admission with those kinds of waits?

 

[AnnaKristoff2013]

Waiting an hour and a half to get on a 5 minute ride is robbery. How many rides us a person going to get out of their daily admission with those kinds of waits?

You are likely describing the future of Disney if lightning pass comes to be. The wealthy will ride all the rides over and over again while the general admission park goers face 90 minute waits for everything.

 

[sparky68]

You are likely describing the future of Disney if lightning pass comes to be. The wealthy will ride all the rides over and over again while the general admission park goers face 90 minute waits for everything.

Well, that is not sustainable. If I was looking at that situation I would just put my vacation dollars somewhere else.
I think Disney may be reading their customer base wrong. The very rich have little internet in Disney. The numbers are just not there to turn the parks into a rich family playground.

 

[Jrb1979]

Waiting an hour and a half to get on a 5 minute ride is robbery. How many rides us a person going to get out of their daily admission with those kinds of waits?

I'm not shocked at all in regards to the wait times at Cedar Point. Most weekends are like that. It's why I only really go there in May.

 

[yaya74]

Happy Monday!
Fingers crossed that we will hear some news regarding the FA$TPA$$+.
Free or paid, I just need closure so I can plan my upcoming trip accordingly.

 

[AnnabelleTheTalkingTree]

Happy Monday!
Fingers crossed that we will hear some news regarding the FA$TPA$$+.
Free or paid, I just need closure so I can plan my upcoming trip accordingly.

I really hope so! The not knowing is getting me anxious. I’d just like to know what we’re dealing with here.

 

[PlutoTheDog89]

Very on the fence about this. I guess I’ll save my judgement for once actual details are released.

If it mirrors MaxPass and is at a somewhat affordable price, then I think it’s worth it. Was a HUGE fan of MaxPass and loved that I could go back to the hotel in DL and still reserve a FP. If it’s MaxPass and it’s something like $100/day, that’s gonna be a little too much.

I think Disney needs to do something for resort guests. The pandemic has led a lot of guests to see that they can stay off-property and still have a pretty great vacation. Bonnet Creek got a lot of love from influencers and all, Swan and Dolphin is opening that new hotel... and most of all: people like my family who got to travel to other destinations now are gonna be saying “well I can go to Bermuda for $2000 or Disney for the tenth time for $4000... I’m gonna do Bermuda.” I think Club Level’s FP promotion was a testing for what’s to come. Or maybe they mirror Universal’s system.

My bet? Paid FP with free FP for resort guests that models the tiered Free Dining promo. Value guests get 1 free FP/Day, Mods get 2 free FP/day. Deluxe gets 3 free FP/day

 

[AnnabelleTheTalkingTree]

I think Disney needs to do something for resort guests. The pandemic has led a lot of guests to see that they can stay off-property and still have a pretty great vacation. Bonnet Creek got a lot of love from influencers and all, Swan and Dolphin is opening that new hotel... and most of all: people like my family who got to travel to other destinations now are gonna be saying “well I can go to Bermuda for $2000 or Disney for the tenth time for $4000... I’m gonna do Bermuda.”

I’m absolutely with you. As someone who has always been very loyal to the brand and also VERY firmly in the camp of on-site or bust, I would definitely be rethinking how we do Disney if fastpass were to be an upcharge for resort guests. I do understand that this is a somewhat controversial topic, but my family is not local and we spend thousands of dollars to vacation in Disney. Fastpass has been our guarantee that that money is not being squandered on long lines and a marathon mentality. Because we like to take things at a relaxed pace, we typically stay longer than a week and splurge on resorts that have easy park access. I am absolutely not tacking on an extra $400-ish a day for my family to have fastpass. I love Disney but it’s too much. Over the course of a 10 day vacation that amounts to $4000. Yeah, no. Not happening. That’s my breaking point I think. At that point Disney just stops being the right vacation for my family. It’s not about being resentful or nit-picky, but our vacation time is valuable and I’m not going to spend it somewhere that doesn’t really fit with what we’re looking for, especially when it comes at we we would consider an exorbitant price.

If that is the route Disney opts to take, we’re likely to skip Disney all together from here on out aside for maybe a quick off-site trip in a few years so that our youngest doesn’t feel like he missed out. We can spend our vacation dollars elsewhere. And granted, Disney doesn’t care where I spend my vacation dollars as an individual, but I’m sure I wouldn’t be alone in my thinking. From what I’ve read, the largest demographic of Disney World patrons are *not* the ultra rich, so you’d think that they’d have some incentive to not alienate the rest of us who are among the upper-middle, middle, and working class.