State of Fast Pass Return (or replacement)

[cakebaker]

People are "losing their minds" because everyone is waiting for some kind of announcement on FP at WDW and DLP's announcement is the first official news from Disney about any kind of new system to skip the lines. And to respectfully disagree, a paid system that replaces a previously free one is kind of the definition of money grabbing.

Some of us are losing our minds because our trip is less than 3 weeks out and we'd darn well like to know what, if anything, they'll be doing to control those 2 hr lines that have become the norm. FOP is consistently hitting it, SDMT is getting to be well over an hour and even the secondary rides are 45 minutes or more. So yeah, if you're in that group that is anywhere from days to weeks away from your trip,I think we're entitled to be just a little off our rockers. I don't think it's too much to ask for what we're spending.

 

[tinkerhon]

Not over the use of a single word it isn’t. This is way too far into the weeds this early in the morning. But have fun with it. I’m moving on to obsess about FP+ coming back.

I will join you !!! FP+ please !!

 

[tinkerhon]

Some of us are losing our minds because our trip is less than 3 weeks out and we'd darn well like to know what, if anything, they'll be doing to control those 2 hr lines that have become the norm. FOP is consistently hitting it, SDMT is getting to be well over an hour and even the secondary rides are 45 minutes or more. So yeah, if you're in that group that is anywhere from days to weeks away from your trip,I think we're entitled to be just a little off our rockers. I don't think it's too much to ask for what we're spending.

We leave in 6 days---- thought of long lines for our faves, not a comforting thought--- and Im in @$10K + for the trip--- I dont regret it at all--- but FP+ would be nice

 

[Wandering Oaken]

It's a big reason why they do what they do. Cause so far no matter what they cut or make people continue to pay for it. Til people start voting with their wallets they will continue to do this.

As far as FP goes I welcome a paid system. I have gone to enough parks to know a well paid systems work. The less people that have FP the better it works.

I am sure it seems that way, to you.

 

[Wandering Oaken]

We leave in 6 days---- thought of long lines for our faves, not a comforting thought--- and Im in @$10K + for the trip--- I dont regret it at all--- but FP+ would be nice

I have 4 full grown adults with 6 TS dinners and we are well over $12k (with airfare). I too want to know what to expect.

 

[ChipnDale79]

Some of us are losing our minds because our trip is less than 3 weeks out and we'd darn well like to know what, if anything, they'll be doing to control those 2 hr lines that have become the norm. FOP is consistently hitting it, SDMT is getting to be well over an hour and even the secondary rides are 45 minutes or more. So yeah, if you're in that group that is anywhere from days to weeks away from your trip,I think we're entitled to be just a little off our rockers. I don't think it's too much to ask for what we're spending.

i havent looked at the wait times in a few days, but are you really seeing 2 hour wait times? From being there last month, the standby lines really did move. They looked unbearable, but before you know it, you were on the ride. A lot of times the lines werent as long as stated.

 

[Jrb1979]

I am sure it seems that way, to you.

For me they absolutely do work. I've gone to enough parks that have paid systems and being able to get on rides in 20 minutes versus 2 hours is worth it. The only thing people don't like is usually the price of it.

 

[Iowamomof4]

Some of us are losing our minds because our trip is less than 3 weeks out and we'd darn well like to know what, if anything, they'll be doing to control those 2 hr lines that have become the norm. FOP is consistently hitting it, SDMT is getting to be well over an hour and even the secondary rides are 45 minutes or more. So yeah, if you're in that group that is anywhere from days to weeks away from your trip,I think we're entitled to be just a little off our rockers. I don't think it's too much to ask for what we're spending.

Exactly. Hear! Hear!
We're 26 days away and I am just so bummed by the wait times I see every day. I love Disney's rides so much, but I have never really had to deal with lines. We either got a fast pass, went to a line that was short, or just didn't ride. If fp of some sort isn't available, I have a feeling there will be a lot more of "just didn't ride" vs. "line that was short" when all is said and done.

 

[ChipnDale79]

Exactly. Hear! Hear!
We're 26 days away and I am just so bummed by the wait times I see every day. I love Disney's rides so much, but I have never really had to deal with lines. We either got a fast pass, went to a line that was short, or just didn't ride. If fp of some sort isn't available, I have a feeling there will be a lot more of "just didn't ride" vs. "line that was short" when all is said and done.

be open minded about it....example, Everest line was out the queue and up the walk way, it said it was a 30 minute wait, i started a stop watch because i didnt believe it. I stopped my stopwatch when we got on at like 31 minutes.

 

[monstermash23]

In response to others voicing that they want Fastpass or want to know ASAP - I have a trip coming end of July and couldn’t agree more. I knew that things would be reduced when we planned the trip.

But two things we didn’t expect: Capacity to rise so fast without any of the normal people eater options available. And to learn that fastpass+ is currently tested, working and near ready to go but because upper brass (allegedly) is pushing for the paid option creating this fluid situation where there’s a potential for no fastpass at all in the near future, despite the capacity increases.

These things make me very upset with Disney, despite my lowered expectations going into this upcoming trip.

 

[Iowamomof4]

In response to others voicing that they want Fastpass or want to know ASAP - I have a trip coming end of July and couldn’t agree more. I knew that things would be reduced when we planned the trip.

But two things we didn’t expect: Capacity to rise so fast without any of the normal people eater options available. And to learn that fastpass+ is currently tested, working and near ready to go but because upper brass (allegedly) is pushing for the paid option creating this fluid situation where there’s a potential for no fastpass at all in the near future, despite the capacity increases.

These things make me very upset with Disney, despite my lowered expectations going into this upcoming trip.

Yes! I see them constantly adding more park pass availability to the calendar a couple weeks out (dates are all booked up and then suddenly everything is available again) and I hear rumors they are increasing park capacity in a big way here after the 4th and it all just throws me for a loop. Our very first trip was in September, 2015 (the first year people kind of freaked out over the increases in September crowds - "Geez, we've never seen it like this in September before" they said at the time). After that, I decided I could handle the heat or I could handle the crowds, but not both. Well, I think I'll have both this time. Yippee. I hope our after hours will at least bring the low crowds we're looking for.

 

[Iowamomof4]

be open minded about it....example, Everest line was out the queue and up the walk way, it said it was a 30 minute wait, i started a stop watch because i didnt believe it. I stopped my stopwatch when we got on at like 31 minutes.

At some point I'm sure I'll have to just give in a get in a darn line. Dh is all gung ho about it all, but for whatever reason I'm feeling extra grumpy. Sigh. Hopefully I can get an attitude adjustment before the trip.

 

[petrola]

At some point I'm sure I'll have to just give in a get in a darn line. Dh is all gung ho about it all, but for whatever reason I'm feeling extra grumpy. Sigh. Hopefully I can get an attitude adjustment before the trip.

Well my DH is not going to wait in line 30 minutes or more to get on a ride. If they don't have fp by the time our trip comes end of July, we are going to have to pull the plug. Wait times look too long for DH.

 

[Karin1984]

For those with a trip coming up shortly (as in this month) I think you should expect no FP or the old FP+ system. Introducing a new system, especially with so many guests involved as at WDW, it will take time and needs a proper marketing plan. Even more so if they expect a backlash from their returning visiting.
The first messages about FastPass + are from 2012 and the launch was not till early 2014?

 

[Br'er Rabbit is the Best]

I read on another forum in the new MDE update it removed almost all references to FP+. Any of the IT guys in here able to verify that?

 

[jade1]

Cause so far no matter what they cut or make people (YOU) continue to pay for it. Til people (EXCEPT YOU) start voting with their wallets they will continue to do this.

The only thing people (EXCEPT YOU) don't like is usually the price of it.

So if they "cut" free FP+ and "make" an express pass you pay for, don't vote with your wallet because in that case it's something you want.

What your missing is everybody prefers different things that they are willing to pay for (other things they won't), and yes even pay more for to obtain what they prefer-EXACTLY like you.

 

[Heather07438]

They changed that around two years ago or so. So that everyone who wanted to ride had to have a FP if using the FP lane for the initial ride. So unless mom or dad didn't want to ride every ride as well, they couldn't double up on the FPs. Some people on here seemed pretty mad about that, but I never felt sorry for them.

Ah thank you! That’s probably when I learned of it lol. When the boards blew up over the change.
There were some pretty gaping loopholes during FP+ era. I remember people bringing extra MBs to the park kiosks and getting a second set of FPs each day of.
And there was the other hack where people would make an extra reservation, the MBs would ship and then they’d cancel. Then they were able to make 2 sets of FP selections as well, 3 FPs from each reservation.
Eventually WDW closed all these loopholes. Remember throw away campsites debates That’s quieted down since the cost went from $28/day to ~$100.

 

[nospamcoupons]

If they bring back FP+ temporarily, I wonder how much notice (if any) notice they will give.

We arrive on Saturday and the one thing I worry about is FP+ going live for with no real warning.

 

[DisneySongbird]

I am sure it seems that way, to you.

No, it is an objective fact that FastPass (and any other line-skip paradigm) works better the less people have it. There is no "seeming" involved here. When lots of people have and use FastPass, the expected wait times in the FastPass queue go up, reducing the value proposition for everyone involved. When few people have FastPass, the wait times in the FastPass queue decrease, and the value proposition goes up accordingly.

Remember, everyone gets on the same ride in the end; Disney cannot simply add more mine trains to boost ride capacity and therefore there is an absolute limit of how many people can ride. If there are 100 people in the FastPass queue, then depending on what percentage of the train is reserved for FastPass, the 100th person in that queue is looking at a wait of 5 trains at minimum and possibly as many as 10. By contrast, if there are only 10 people in the FastPass queue, all ten can get on the next train, no problem.

I'm not a super huge fan of thrill rides, so I don't really have a horse in this race. But it's important to establish the fact that "FastPass is better when less people use FastPass and gets worse when more people do" is a fact.

 

[TinkerBelle_325]

I read on another forum in the new MDE update it removed almost all references to FP+. Any of the IT guys in here able to verify that?

Just installed the MDE update and it still has the dead link to “make FastPass+ selections” so it seems there is still some reference in there.

And just a thought, but the “new” code related to FastPass that we saw added several updates ago referenced bundles or different types of FastPasses, which is part of what led to the speculation about paid or upgraded options.

If they’ve stripped that out, but left reference to the old FastPass+, it could be exactly as Remy has posted previously: they’re looking to reactivate old FastPass+ while they continue a 90+ day assessment of the new system. Stripping it out of the app might confirm that it has failed live testing for the time being so it is not needed in MDE right now.