So, let's assume FP+ doesn't come back in its old form

[JakeAZ]

At the risk of this going downhill fast, what would you like to see replace it?

I will share my, more than likely, unpopular opinion.

I do not want to see a version of Max Pass. Max Pass is first come, first served. It requires things I just don't want to do on vacation. DL is a different beast. It caters to locals and shorter trips. WDW, on the other hand, is a destination people plan for / save for years in advance. It shouldn't come down to the early bird gets the worm. NOW, if they allowed you to book Max Pass from your hotel room or home, I'd be more interested in it. I'd be happy to wake up and book something for when we plan on arriving to the park. Seems like if they keep the park reservation system, this is something they can do, since it's basically used for ROTR.

Here's where it gets unpopular:

I'd be OK with a paid version under certain circumstances.

It has to be tied to on-site only (NO good neighbor hotels).
It needs to be tiered based on accommodations. Universal already does this, so there's precedent.
If you are paying to stay at a Deluxe, there needs to be a lower cost or added features. Same goes for club level or Grand Villas (again, there was already precedent for this)
Top tier annual passes should have some type of "included" benefit. Maybe they can have access after 2pm, like Universal. Also, the option to pay for access to earlier.
It CANNOT be where a pop up comes up on your phone based on geo-tracking saying "we noticed you're near FOP. want to skip the line? click here to buy now". I don't want this system to be built on "impulse buys". That will just ultimately lead to a very negative experience. It needs to a conscious decision on whether or not you want to spend the extra money.

Here's where it gets REALLY unpopular:

It needs to be priced so that people just don't see it as a "required" add on. In addition to this, it needs to be limited based on anticipated crowd sizes. Again, Universal does this already.

I do not believe they can go to an express pass like product. The pricing would be insane for something like that. But they can offer ride packages like Paris did. Or something else?

Now, after saying all of the above, that doesn't mean I'd purchase it. Maybe it makes sense, maybe it doesn't. But I think if they make it so that not everyone has it, you can balance the 2 lines. Right now standby is moving faster without FP. But as park attendance starts to increase, there is going to be less and less of an appetite to go from 1-2 hour line to 1-2 hour line (rinse and repeat).

My guess is the Genie system will incorporate some type of paid system. I guess we'll all find out then. But it's fun to speculate! Why else are we all here?! haha

 

[pixiedust2u]

I don't know that they are going to do, but I hope they do SOMETHING as they increase park capacity.

Otherwise, I picture thousands of miserable guests having to wait absurd amounts of time in ques that previously never had a line more than 20 minutes. I think introducing some kind of virtual que or fast pass system can't wait much past increasing capacity limits. Why not just go back to old fast pass system pre fast pass+ at least for the time being? Then sort out a different more official system as things get back to normal. At least that's my hope as we are currently scheduled to be there in June.

As things return to normal, I'd be bothered that I have to pay for something that was previously free. But probably not bothered enough that I wouldn't do it. I would however feel weird about having the privilege of better experience because we can afford it, when others may not be able to. That wouldn't feel very magical or "Disney" to me.

 

[Ds4angels]

To be honest if I have to pay for fast passes, that will be the straw on the camel's back. We like to stay one site at values because we'd rather spend more time in the parks and don't need a lot for a room. If they make it a "class system" pay to play, I think that would really turn a lot of people off from WDW

 

[JakeAZ]

As things return to normal, I'd be bothered that I have to pay for something that was previously free. But probably not bothered enough that I wouldn't do it. I would however feel weird about having the privilege of better experience because we can afford it, when others may not be able to. That wouldn't feel very magical or "Disney" to me.

It would be a different route for Disney, but let's be honest, WDW, in general, isn't priced for everybody. It's expensive, any way you slice it. Also, they've already segmented experiences. Deluxe hotels have more than value hotels, as an example.

 

[JakeAZ]

To be honest if I have to pay for fast passes, that will be the straw on the camel's back. We like to stay one site at values because we'd rather spend more time in the parks and don't need a lot for a room. If they make it a "class system" pay to play, I think that would really turn a lot of people off from WDW

I completely see your point of view. But isn't it already set up as a "class system"? There are different hotel tiers and different tiers of restaurants, as an example.

Also, there is a high bar just to get to level one of the class (flights, hotel, tickets, food etc)

 

[pants]

They may do a tiered system where you can get one fast pass per day free, but not additional passes once you use it. A paid tier to be able to have more passes per day, then another paid tier to be able to reload. I think one thing they would keep in mind for pricing is not cannibalizing VIP tours.

 

[Ds4angels]

I completely see your point of view. But isn't it already set up as a "class system"? There are different hotel tiers and different tiers of restaurants, as an example.

Yes and no, you can eat quick service or you can eat "premium dining", but either way, you're still able to choose what works for your family/budget and enjoy your visit to the parks. (and to be honest by reading many of the reviews, premium dining isn't that great in the parks anyway). But having to wait over an hour for every headliner while those who can afford it hop from ride to ride, would adversely effect the enjoyment of the parks. Especially when FP were free to all before.

 

[Sarahslay]

I would pay for FP, and I have as part of the CL perk program they were offering, but it was nice how they did it where you could book across any park. That being said I wouldn't want to pay for it and have it be the same type of system they had prior to the closure, the same just paid for, there would need to be some other incentive to bring people in and make it more alluring. I stay at all levels of resort (usually skip moderates because I hate the size of resorts, but I've stayed at them), and I would expect if I stay at values to get value "perks", and if I fork over for deluxe or a dvc cash room I would expect higher perks if they were to go to that sort of system. Maybe even say, like universal does, "stay deluxe and receive free FP+" and then moderate pays a little, and value pays a little more. I wouldn't expect to stay value and get everything the higher levels get....and I know that's an unpopular opinion. I've paid more for a room, and I'm paying more for parking, why not free FP? If people run the numbers they might see it's not that much more to stay at a higher level and Disney fills some more higher level rooms leaving the values to fill up with large groups/teams who aren't going to pay for that anyway because that's not why they're there (and they could offer that as a group package to incentivize the groups to stay there). I don't have any other answers though, I just know I like how Universal does it.

 

[JakeAZ]

Yes and no, you can eat quick service or you can eat "premium dining", but either way, you're still able to choose what works for your family/budget and enjoy your visit to the parks. (and to be honest by reading many of the reviews, premium dining isn't that great in the parks anyway). But having to wait over an hour for every headliner while those who can afford it hop from ride to ride, would adversely effect the enjoyment of the parks. Especially when FP were free to all before.

Again, I see your point, but some can go from steakhouse to steakhouse and some can't. FP also wasn't "free". It was built into the cost. The cost that is still there, even though FP isn't. But that's for another thread and has been discussed at length there.

My point of this thread is that I 100% believe some type of paid FP is coming. I'm curious to hear what people would like to see it look like.

A paid system doesn't mean there can't also be a "free" system in tandem.

But a paid version is coming.

 

[JakeAZ]

I would expect if I stay at values to get value "perks", and if I fork over for deluxe or a dvc cash room I would expect higher perks if they were to go to that sort of system

Yep

 

[Sarahslay]

Yes and no, you can eat quick service or you can eat "premium dining", but either way, you're still able to choose what works for your family/budget and enjoy your visit to the parks. (and to be honest by reading many of the reviews, premium dining isn't that great in the parks anyway). But having to wait over an hour for every headliner while those who can afford it hop from ride to ride, would adversely effect the enjoyment of the parks. Especially when FP were free to all before.

Those who can afford it can already book a VIP tour and park hop all over to any park, and go through the FP line for every ride they go on. This time last year I was getting ready to go on a solo trip, staying CL at BWI, and I had paid for the extra FP for the first four days of my trip. I had 6 FP, 4 of which were always for headliners because three of them had no limits to what you could book. I spent my days skipping lines, having amazing dinner in the lounge because they have a chef there making stuff fresh (that I didn't have to pay for because that cost was already in my room fee), and it was all because I could afford it. The "class system" at Disney has already been there, just some people don't realize it yet.

 

[JakeAZ]

The "class system" at Disney has already been there, just some people don't realize it yet.

100% true

 

[Helaman]

Disneyland Paris offers Fastpass options for a fee. They can cost more than the park ticket.

 

[JakeAZ]

Disneyland Paris offers Fastpass options for a fee. They can cost more than the park ticket.

Yep. Just like Universal EP can cost more than your ticket since EP is priced per day and there is not a deal for adding more days. It's all individually priced.

 

[Grasshopper2016]

I think that Disney will need to come up with a system that simultaneously:

(1) Allows those who can afford it and are so inclined to be able to skip or at least greatly reduce many lines. This will be a big money maker for Disney, and will need to be priced high enough that the fastpass lines don't get overrun with angry people who paid extra and still have to wait forever.

(2) Makes sure that everyone can skip or reduced at least some lines. No one wants to pay for an expensive vacation and then stand in line for 9 hours in the hot Florida sun (and intermittent thunderstorms) in order to ride 5 rides total all day.

(3) Provides some meaningful advantage to those who are willing to pay extra to stay on site. Now that Magical Express and EMH are gone, this is especially important if Disney wants to continue to sell its hotel rooms, which are far from competitively priced.

I suspect that the Genie system will be designed to serve all of these goals. Everyone gets a few fastpasses. On site guests get more, and the ability to book them earlier. Perhaps increasingly more as you move up the resort class tiers. And then everyone gets the opportunity to purchase more still--probably in a package in advance, but also on a whim on the spot (for even more money). Perhaps there will also be something akin to the Express Pass offered--unlimited fastpasses on all rides--but it would have to cost on the order of $500 per person per day.

 

[JakeAZ]

I think that Disney will need to come up with a system that simultaneously:

(1) Allows those who can afford it and are so inclined to be able to skip or at least greatly reduce many lines. This will be a big money maker for Disney, and will need to be priced high enough that the fastpass lines don't get overrun with angry people who paid extra and still have to wait forever.

(2) Makes sure that everyone can skip or reduced at least some lines. No one wants to pay for an expensive vacation and then stand in line for 9 hours in the hot Florida sun (and intermittent thunderstorms) in order to ride 5 rides total all day.

(3) Provides some meaningful advantage to those who are willing to pay extra to stay on site. Now that Magical Express and EMH are gone, this is especially important if Disney wants to continue to sell its hotel rooms, which are far from competitively priced.

I suspect that the Genie system will be designed to serve all of these goals. Everyone gets a few fastpasses. On site guests get more, and the ability to book them earlier. Perhaps increasingly more as you move up the resort class tiers. And then everyone gets the opportunity to purchase more still--probably in a package in advance, but also on a whim on the spot (for even more money). Perhaps there will also be something akin to the Express Pass offered--unlimited fastpasses on all rides--but it would have to cost on the order of $500 per person per day.

All great points and great theories on what might happen!

I agree with all of this.

 

[CAPSLOCK]

1. They can do the same Fastpass+ system, but adjust it so you only get 3 per day (no more grabbing FPs constantly). The more FPs are out there, the longer standby lines will be.

2. No Fastpass+. Standby only. When ride capacity is back to normal, standby lines will be reasonable. With no FPs, standby lines will remain reasonable.

Either way, everyone is on an even playing field. Lines will be better than old or current standby lines.

 

[JakeAZ]

1. They can do the same Fastpass+ system, but adjust it so you only get 3 per day (no more grabbing FPs constantly). The more FPs are out there, the longer standby lines will be.

2. No Fastpass+. Standby only. When ride capacity is back to normal, standby lines will be reasonable. With no FPs, standby lines will remain reasonable.

Either way, everyone is on an even playing field. Lines will be better than old or current standby lines.

Those are definitely options.

But, paid FP is coming. It was already here (in some form) before Covid, with the club level offerings. Disney needs money. Paid FP is low hanging fruit.

 

[Pixie Dusted Snow]

Personally I would not mind seeing a FP+/Maxpass/CLFP+ hybrid.
And maybe sweeten the pot for resort guests.

Example... free but only if you're doing one at a time day of.
One price if you want to book 3 in advance and then one at a time.
Another price if you want to book 6 in advance and then one at a time.
If you stay onsite you can book in advance at more than one park.
I also think there should be a minimum like there was for CL FP+.

To me this gives everyone the opportunity to use FP.
But it also allows Disney to make money off of those willing to spend more to get more yet not overbooking FP slots because I feel like not everyone will rush to spend more especially when they have a higher number of guests in their party.

 

[JakeAZ]

And maybe sweeten the pot for resort guests.

This is non-negotiable for me. When, not if, it comes, there needs to be preferential treatment for those willing to pay on-site (Disney properties only) rates.

I don't mind if they offer something to good neighbor hotels, but it needs to be less attractive than what is offered to on-site.