Rumor of tiered FP and DVC - thoughts?

[Brett Wyman]

After the DLP announcement I am now officially nervous.

 

[kilik64]

After the DLP announcement I am now officially nervous.

I wouldnt be just yet. As already pointed out, completely different park and set of pricing (65 per day vs 110+ per day). Its another way for them to generate more revenue there. DLP has historically been the worst performing park profit wise.

 

[Taraleigsmom]

DLP is a whole different dynamic, WDW will have lots more pieces involved. I would think the timing may be sticky with everyone planning already for October, too soon to drop that $ bomb.

 

[TiggerBouncy]

I wouldnt be just yet. As already pointed out, completely different park and set of pricing (65 per day vs 110+ per day). Its another way for them to generate more revenue there. DLP has historically been the worst performing park profit wise.

All you say it true, and I am one of the first to point out that Disney itself has said WDW is a different animal and can not be treated the same as the other parks. They know this. Nonetheless, I fully expect SOME kind of Pay-per-drink plan for WDW. I just doubt that it will be the same as the one in place for DLP.

 

[Thegoatfeeder]

I don't mean to play Devils advocate or anything, and maybe this is slightly off topic, but I wouldn't be against paid FPs. I think FP lines would be far far shorter than they were in pre-covid times, meaning the standby line would move a lot quicker and therefore be shorter because cast members aren't having to insert as many people at the front of the line.

Here in the UK, all the major parks offer a paid fast pass, and so few people actually buy them, it means our standby lines aren't too horrendous (assuming its not an absolute peak day/brand new ride etc).

Having said that, to be somewhat on topic, I would assume if deluxe guests did get a number of 'free' fast passes, that would surely also extend to people booking on points as it would do with people booking with cash.

 

[TiggerBouncy]

I don't mean to play Devils advocate or anything, and maybe this is slightly off topic, but I wouldn't be against paid FPs. I think FP lines would be far far shorter than they were in pre-covid times, meaning the standby line would move a lot quicker and therefore be shorter because cast members aren't having to insert as many people at the front of the line.

Here in the UK, all the major parks offer a paid fast pass, and so few people actually buy them, it means our standby lines aren't too horrendous (assuming its not an absolute peak day/brand new ride etc).

Having said that, to be somewhat on topic, I would assume if deluxe guests did get a number of 'free' fast passes, that would surely also extend to people booking on points as it would do with people booking with cash.

Oh, I am 100% FOR some kind of paid FP+.. It is certain that FP+ is not coming back in it's previous iterations. We know that for sure. We just do not know what the new thing will look like. But I hated the FP+ system as it was. It totally killed the standby lines and made for a miserable guest experience for your average visitor and only really benefited those who knew how to game the system which is definitely NOT what Disney intended when they put it in place. Obviously no mater what system they come up with, SOMEONE will figure out a way to game it. But Disney will continue to re-invent until they can come up with something that is more fair for all.

In any event, I am looking forward to a paid / limited FP+. I may or may not get it.... I don't know until I see what it gives me and how much they want or what I have to do to qualify. But I expect whether or not I get it, my overall experience at the parks will be increased by a more limited FP because standby will be more reasonable.

 

[CarolMN]

Didn't they have paid FP+ options for Concierge guests? As I recall, it was quite expensive - certainly more than I would be willing to pay. Of course, I am not a club person, anyway, LOL.

 

[Matty B13]

Didn't they have paid FP+ options for Concierge guests? As I recall, it was quite expensive - certainly more than I would be willing to pay. Of course, I am not a club person, anyway, LOL.

Yes they did, you could buy 3 extra FPs with a club reservation, but it was really expensive.

 

[The Jackal]

Didn't they have paid FP+ options for Concierge guests? As I recall, it was quite expensive - certainly more than I would be willing to pay. Of course, I am not a club person, anyway, LOL.

DVC Grand Villas could also get them too. I can’t remember the exact amount but I think it was around $80-100 per day per person.

 

[Grumpy Mouse]

It's not the paid FP system that bothers me; it's the end of the standby line as we know it that does.

The idea signals the end of the 'in the moment' experience at WDW - replaced by an experience where I'm staring at my phone all day long to try to ride a ride, eat a meal, etc., etc. And if you don't buy a paid FP option and don't rope drop or close out the parks - the real possibility that you'll pay more than $100 a day to get in and end up doing nothing - well, other than things that cost even more money.

The idea is complete nutness.

Maybe Chapek will cut ticket prices in half if they implement this at WDW.


See... I can be funny.

 

[The Jackal]

Maybe Disney will do what Universal does, if you stay in a deluxe resort free fast passes. Or if your not you can buy them but cost big $$$.

 

[thptrek]

I would expect Disney to roll out a paid FP system and that it will not be cheap. They need to price it high enough so that too many people don't buy it. If they have too many people buying it then the value would not be there. Why spend money and you still have long waits? Therefore, the standby lines should move along nicely.

I could also see them making it an option to Deluxe hotels/DVC. Just like you could buy extra FP if you stayed on club level. My reasoning is what would you choose 1) a cheaper room at like POP and use your money to buy FP access or 2) expensive room and no FP. (Assuming that your budget doesn't allow both). Disney could see a number of people downgrading their resort hotel to save $ for FP.

This could give us a choice. I would not buy a FP for EPCOT but I would buy for HS if it means I can get on ROTR! Choice is fine.

Will be interesting to see how this evolves.

 

[corpcomp]

I fear that no matter what they do with FP, we are going to pay more for a currently free benefit, just like Magic Bands and Magical Express.

Disney stock hit $200 in March and has dropped ever since to about $173 today. They need more revenue to drive that price back up (and all the execs likely have stock.)

 

[Sandisw]

Didn't they have paid FP+ options for Concierge guests? As I recall, it was quite expensive - certainly more than I would be willing to pay. Of course, I am not a club person, anyway, LOL.

I think it’s was $50 per person for an extra 3. Not everyone had to get them either.

 

[Marionnette]

DVC Grand Villas could also get them too. I can’t remember the exact amount but I think it was around $80-100 per day per person.

It was $50 per day per person with a minimum purchase of 3 days but not everyone on the reservation had to buy it. You got an additional 3 FP per day which did not have to be used in the same parks and could be booked at 90 days. Itinerary Planning (or whatever they were calling it) would book the extra FPs plus your regular FPs BUT you could not modify the regular FPs before 60 days out and you couldn't modify the extra FPs at all unless you called Itinerary Planning.

 

[GAN]

The initial thought of potentially paying $10 to ride Peter Pan's flight does seem a little outrageous. But as a DVC owner -I'm working with a significantly reduced room cost, and a discounted AP. The fees come out of checking every month like any other bill I have and the AP is always paid out of my Disney VISA points. So my "cost" of actually going to Disney feels low ...to pay an extra $30-50/day to walk on rides with usually long wait times isn't much in terms of the overall vacation in my point of view. So I'm not totally against a pay-to-play FP. Heck -if they offered 3-hour Disney After Dark events nightly for $100, I'd forgo any normal tickets or AP and just pay for that every night.

 

[ParkHoppers]

We will be getting a DLP type of Fastpass system IMO. Wishful thinking will not stop this……

 

[corpcomp]

Following up on the above comments, I just read the article on WDW News Today that Disneyland Paris just instituted a per ride fast pass called Disney Premier Access ranging from about $9 to $17 per person per ride (converted from Euros). Knowing nothing about DLP, I may spend more time on the miniature golf courses and at the pool and less times on the rides. Early and late magic hours just became more attractive. Good job Disney. There is just no way the average American can afford this.

 

[GAN]

Following up on the above comments, I just read the article on WDW News Today that Disneyland Paris just instituted a per ride fast pass called Disney Premier Access ranging from about $9 to $17 per person per ride (converted from Euros). Knowing nothing about DLP, I may spend more time on the miniature golf courses and at the pool and less times on the rides. Early and late magic hours just became more attractive. Good job Disney. There is just no way the average American can afford this.

Disney never really was a "Value" destination that the average American family could afford more than maybe every 3-years or more. They introduced "Value" resorts simply as bait to hook some loyal customers into their boat ...and it worked! The folks that can afford an upgraded vacation is what they want -as most businesses. They realize some will let go of the hook, but they're fishing in some pretty fertile waters. They have exactly ZERO concern. Not saying you or anyone else doesn't have the right to be upset -sure you do. They would willingly allow, me, a guest of over 35 years to walk because they have families lined up behind me. I realized this a long time ago -fortunately my situation has improved over the years and I'm able to keep up(or at least accept) the changes.

 

[Marionnette]

Disney never really was a "Value" destination that the average American family could afford more than maybe every 3-years or more. They introduced "Value" resorts simply as bait to hook some loyal customers into their boat ...and it worked! The folks that can afford an upgraded vacation is what they want -as most businesses. They realize some will let go of the hook, but they're fishing in some pretty fertile waters. They have exactly ZERO concern. Not saying you or anyone else doesn't have the right to be upset -sure you do. They would willingly allow, me, a guest of over 35 years to walk because they have families lined up behind me. I realized this a long time ago -fortunately my situation has improved over the years and I'm able to keep up(or at least accept) the changes.

Except that no one is actually lined up behind you unless the resorts and parks are at 100% capacity every day. The theory that if you leave, there's someone else waiting to take your place doesn't hold water unless people are currently being turned away because you are occupying a spot. In actuality, those people would be going to Disney anyway. A customer lost is a customer lost. It isn't an opportunity to replace them with a more profitable guest.