State of Fast Pass Return (or replacement)

[finedice]

Regardless of capacity, we really don't know how many tickets they will sell. The summer is no longer as busy as it once was. Yes, there is some pent-up demand, and we don't really know what that is either. The lines today did not look overly bad compared to what I thought I would see, but still much longer than I hope to wait.

If they do eventually monetize the system, I'd guess it would be a pretty low-cost to use sort of thingamajig (like max pass cost).

 

[White_Rabbit18]

When people here are quoting 3 free passes, do they mean 3 free passes for your trip or for the day?
In Disneyland Paris they would offer 3 free passes for your trip if you stayed in their version of the castle club level. It would make more sense in Paris because most people would only stay 2-3 days because of the size of the theme park

 

[Kbrb]

YAY! paid for fast passes adds another nail to international guests. Most of the time they are on 14 night breaks. Adding 14 days worth of paid fast passes for a family of 4? Adding to the issues around getting from the airport to Disney and then paying $20 a day to park at your hotel?

Im booked for Late September next year. I can safely say if they do this i will cancel and rebook offsite. The savings will allow to pay for a few days of these things and probably do Sea world/Uni parks. What would have been 14 nights onsite will be 5 days driving in.

 

[mshanson3121]

The beauty of FP was ride and park management, which is why I believe it will return. You could only sign-up for one E-Ticket ride per day which allowed Disney some control over those rides. They could see which ones were being requested most often and by whom. The other 2 FPs you got per day were also spread out, again giving them some control over the process. The FPs can also only be in one park per day. If they want to shift folks to one park or another, then they could limit the availability for the top tier rides at that park. This is defeated by the park reservation system, because you are choosing the park before you would have a chance to pick FPs.

Some corrections:

At MK, you could have all e-ticket rides. And at the other parks, once you used your 3 FP+, you could book another e-ticket ride if it was available.

As far as spread out, they were only spread out an hour, so many people booked them consecutively, which allowed them to pick up as many as they wanted on the fly after that (one at a time of course).

Also, I believe in the last couple years, you could book FP+ in multiple parks if you park hopped. Your advance selection FP+ could only be in one park, but once you had used those up, you could hop to another park, and pick up additional FP+, one at a time.

The park pass system, while perhaps minimizing the necessity of FP+ for Disney, doesn't really change how it would work.

 

[Future_WorldPhonencian]

Whatever comes to fruition, here's what is WONT be:
1. An unlimited pass to use the FP (or whatever the new name is) Queues It would cannibalize VIP tours and overrun the FP lines rendering them ineffective

2. Available on an equal playing field for offsite and onsite guests. (For instance if any guest can buy a FP for $5, many guests will stay at the absolute cheapest offsite hotel and load up on Fastpasses with the money they saved)

3. A return to the old paper distribution system. They have the tech to do that digitally, and the paper ones were easily abused (sold on ebay/ hoarded for later in the trip/ etc.)

 

[Wandering Oaken]

Martin from WDWMagic and Len Testa from Touring Plans (and he posts on WDWMagic too) have both said when FP come back there will be a charge. Len has posted on WDWMagic and said in his podcast there will be a charge

They said a paid system is probable but even they don't know yet.

 

[Future_WorldPhonencian]

They said a paid system is probable but even they don't know yet.

Unless it was today's episode, I haven't heard Len say that, again he is guessing too, that tells me there is still ongoing dispute/ discussion in the company, take away too much, people revolt. Give too much, it defeats the whole purpose of FP and its useless.

 

[Jrb1979]

Unless it was today's episode, I haven't heard Len say that, again he is guessing too, that tells me there is still ongoing dispute/ discussion in the company, take away too much, people revolt. Give too much, it defeats the whole purpose of FP and its useless.

It's why I think it's going to be a hybrid system. Would people be accepting of a system where resort guests get 3 free ones per day and pay for more. Those not staying on property will have to pay for everyone.

 

[Craig Larson]

It's why I think it's going to be a hybrid system. Would people be accepting of a system where resort guests get 3 free ones per day and pay for more. Those not staying on property will have to pay for everyone.

If they move to pay system, this is what I am hoping for. I also hope level of resort doesn't play into how many are given.

 

[cakebaker]

When people here are quoting 3 free passes, do they mean 3 free passes for your trip or for the day?
In Disneyland Paris they would offer 3 free passes for your trip if you stayed in their version of the castle club level. It would make more sense in Paris because most people would only stay 2-3 days because of the size of the theme park

I would hope 3 per day. If you're staying a week or more, with 4 parks, 3 is not much.

Right now, I just want FP+ back. Sounds like if they're going to wait until their new system is up and running, it could be a while. Surely we'll hear something soon. While the 4th wasn't as bad as I expected, the waits are still long and way beyond my limits.

 

[Remy is Up]

Martin from WDWMagic and Len Testa from Touring Plans (and he posts on WDWMagic too) have both said when FP come back there will be a charge. Len has posted on WDWMagic and said in his podcast there will be a charge

And while that is the plan, paid in some fashion of hybrid, integration issues may delay that and due to increased capacity force fp+ to roll out prior to the new system. Delays with the new version is also delaying other programs such as aps. Lots of focus and continued testing happening over the next couple of days because they believe they are close to a solution.

 

[Illinois76]

If they move to pay system, this is what I am hoping for. I also hope level of resort doesn't play into how many are given.

The really fun part in all this is hearing everyone hope the way they vacation wins out.

Because I totally want them to tier FP based on resort level.

 

[cakebaker]

The really fun part in all this is hearing everyone hope the way they vacation wins out.

Because I totally want them to tier FP based on resort level.

It's absolutely true for me to a point- I just want something back by the time my trips gets here later this month. We're not staying at a deluxe level this time, only because there wasn't anything I could convince myself was worth it, so yeah, no tiers would be great. But I don't expect that system to be up and running by then. My only hope is the regular FP+ will come back and they're not going to change any elements of that. Should a miracle happen and they do drop the new system and it's tiered, then I'll be scrambling to get a reservation change because we'd definitely switch, regardless of the increase in price.

As for a permanent tiering system? We almost always stay deluxe/dvc, but I don't neccesarily wish for tiers. I think making it a paid system will reduce the demand and there's no reason why I'd want others locked out other than to reduce demand. Just don't make it available as a perk to anything but Disney resorts and I'll be happy.

 

[TLSnell1981]

I would be shocked if it’s all paid. I would also be shocked if resort guests are paying. I think this is gonna turn into the next big on property perk to alleviate the blow of magical express.

A lot of things have shocked me lately. I wouldn't be surprised at anything they do anymore.

 

[J-Dog]

Whatever comes to fruition, here's what is WONT be:
1. An unlimited pass to use the FP (or whatever the new name is) Queues It would cannibalize VIP tours and overrun the FP lines rendering them ineffective

2. Available on an equal playing field for offsite and onsite guests. (For instance if any guest can buy a FP for $5, many guests will stay at the absolute cheapest offsite hotel and load up on Fastpasses with the money they saved)

3. A return to the old paper distribution system. They have the tech to do that digitally, and the paper ones were easily abused (sold on ebay/ hoarded for later in the trip/ etc.)

Although logistically, I know it probably won't happen, I would love something similar to what UO does. Their Express Pass is so much less complicated than FP+. I am definitely not the kind of guy who enjoys staring at his phone to keep refreshing like the old system.

If it's paid, that's fine with me. I would rather pay and have a less complicated/more effective system. Of course, we go about once every 2-3 years and splurge. Not everyone does it the same way.

 

[zuzustargal]

Although logistically, I know it probably won't happen, I would love something similar to what UO does. Their Express Pass is so much less complicated than FP+. I am definitely not the kind of guy who enjoys staring at his phone to keep refreshing like the old system.

If it's paid, that's fine with me. I would rather pay and have a less complicated/more effective system. Of course, we go about once every 2-3 years and splurge. Not everyone does it the same way.

Paid is fine with me too for those "splurge trips". I now go 3ish times a year and, for some trips, the rides are just not that important. I just came back from my 3rd trip since Covid. This time I really missed the other stuff like Indiana Jones and BB shows, Tune in Lounge, Trader Sams, Yachtsman, parades, Nemo show, Jiko, etc. I'd love to plan some trips or days that focus on rides when I can purchase passes and other trips/days when I can wing it.

 

[mulanmommy]

Forgive me if this has been asked before but I am wondering if Fast Pass does back and it remains being booked at the 60 day mark and dining also being booked at 60 day mark, it will be rather difficult (not to mention stressful!) to book all this when your window opens. I can only imagine the site crashes!!

 

[ForWhomTheMouseTolls]

Forgive me if this has been asked before but I am wondering if Fast Pass does back and it remains being booked at the 60 day mark and dining also being booked at 60 day mark, it will be rather difficult (not to mention stressful!) to book all this when your window opens. I can only imagine the site crashes!!

Agree. Hope we aren’t doing both in one day.It’s already a two person operation at 6am.

 

[jade1]

My plan is to see if and what they offer to avoid lines, then decide if and what to participate in.

 

[Lewisc]

wdwmagic is reporting DLP is rolling out FP replacement
https://dlpreport.com/premier-access-standby-pass-what-how-much-and-why/
People who like the advance planning of FP+ won't like. People who learned how to maximize, exploit loopholes?, won't like it.
Nothing happens until you enter the park.