State of Fast Pass Return (or replacement)

[cakebaker]

We got to experience a short lived “paid fast pass” system during two trips pre-covid.

We stayed on Club Level and were able to spend $50 per person per day to add three extra fastpasses. We also gained access to special firework and parade viewing spots in every park, saved for you by a friendly cast member scanning bands to assure exclusivity. No need to stake out a spot.


Those fastpasses we got to book 90 days in advance and they could be cross-park and ignored tiers (could book both Frozen and Soarin for instance) so basically created a flawless vacation with Disney Signature Services months in advance.

It was only available on Club Level but they were intending to extend it to anyone staying at a 3-bedroom Grand Villa.

I know it is selfish but that is EXACTLY what I want back!!! Once they announced the Grand Villa extension we were planning to pull the trigger on DVC.

Of course then the world stopped.

Yup, we had a YC CL stay planned for March- would've started the day WDW closed so we missed out on all of that. If only it were available now.

 

[mercuryvenus]

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

That doesn’t exactly flow in if you stop providing your core product.

 

[Sargeant Tibbs]

PREACH!!

I have been getting 90-120 minute waits lately. That is nuts!!

I couldn't even get through to IT yesterday. 75 times of dialing and all I got was an apology message informing me they weren't accepting any more calls. I didn't even have the luxury of a 90 minute wait!

I decided to take the risk and call the regular number. Waited 60 minutes and luckily the person who took my call also worked in IT and could help me out.

 

[Jaydee51]

I couldn't even get through to IT yesterday. 75 times of dialing and all I got was an apology message informing me they weren't accepting any more calls. I didn't even have the luxury of a 90 minute wait!

I decided to take the risk and call the regular number. Waited 60 minutes and luckily the person who took my call also worked in IT and could help me out.

I've had similar experiences. Sometimes just hangs up too.

 

[cakebaker]

That doesn’t exactly flow in if you stop providing your core product.

Doesn't seem to be affecting them much does it?

 

[cakebaker]

I've had similar experiences. Sometimes just hangs up too.

The first 15 tries yesterday got us an all circuits are busy message, then it was a total of just over 4 hrs before the issue was solved, that includes 3 hrs and 55 minutes on hold. DIsney guest services at it's finest.

 

[mercuryvenus]

Doesn't seem to be affecting them much does it?

Just give it time. Eventually it will.

 

[Lewisc]

'Ok, one more thing. It's funny that people were complaining about paid fast pass but will pay $150 to stay 3 extra hours.' So true and I think paying $150 to stay 3 hours is insanity. Back in the day(10 years probably) I spent $77 on the Not so Scary party for 5 hours and it was truly limited as in 20 minutes for rides like Peter Pan and short lines for candy. Now they crowd in frightening amounts of people.

I really doubt it's a staff shortage for anything but money as said before. Remember when Chapek was cutting back on performers and he infamously said our cast members are our entertainment. He is one of these deranged psychopathic CEOs.

I'm not sure the same people who are complaining about paid fast pass are the people happy booking park parties.

I look at Boo as being 7-12 or 5 hours. The price is more tolerable if you don't use a theme park ticket that day. Pool, water park, DS before an afternoon nap

 

[CSLucas]

I'm not sure the same people who are complaining about paid fast pass are the people happy booking park parties.

I look at Boo as being 7-12 or 5 hours. The price is more tolerable if you don't use a theme park ticket that day. Pool, water park, DS before an afternoon nap

This is how we are approaching it - our first plan (before they announced Boo Bash) was to drive down and get to Disney around 2, then go to a park where we would have lunch (so really wouldn't start "park time" until closer to 3. We also always do dinner in the park, so that's another hour that isn't really "park time" but requires a ticket. With Boo Bash, we are driving down and having dinner at 6 on Disney property but not in MK, then going into MK at 7. For ~$10/person more we will still get 5 hours of park time, which honestly is only about an hour shorter than we were going to be netting under our original plan. I realize this math doesn't work for everyone, but it worked rather nicely for our situation. If lines are short I will be ecstatic, if they are normal then I'll be mostly neutral if a bit disappointed (but I will understand why others don't feel the same way). It will be interesting to see how the Christmas party sales compare to Boo Bash sales, especially if people start reporting huge crowds.

 

[cakebaker]

Just give it time. Eventually it will.

They’re only concerned with short term gains so works for them.

 

[mercuryvenus]

They’re only concerned with short term gains so works for them.

A company that has lasted 100 years has no long term perspective? Ok.

 

[cakebaker]

A company that has lasted 100 years has no long term perspective? Ok.

Not right now they don’t. It’s all about the next quarter. I’m not sure how long the company has been around but I’m thinking WDW is only about 50 years old.

Never think a company is immune to imploding just because they haven’t so far. I’m not saying they will, but I don’t think it’s impossible either. The parks have gone thru dark times before and I think we’re seeing a downturn now, but eventually they’ll come back.

 

[POOH&PIGLET]

Some updated August hours are out.
Epcot & MK close at 10pm (instead of 9pm) on a few nights

 

[ChipnDale79]

If he's so good at what he does why do people complain about staffing shortages, the lack of entertainment, a boo bash that lasts 3 hours and people complaining about how dirty the parks are. Believe me back in the day this was impossible to even conceive.
And you're ignoring what he said about the cast members being entertainers. That is pure nuts.
During the height of the pandemic he reinstated full obscene salaries for execs, gave the CFO an 11 million dollar BONUS bought a 10 million dollar home and then makes 10s of millions a year. This to me is a power mad CEO. Give quality for a buck and customers that don't complain about overflowing trash bins and bathrooms as if they were in NY's Pennsylvania station.

none of that matters to the the measurement of the job of the CEO, there is only metric that matters. Stock Price, as long as it keeps going up, Chapek isnt going anywhere.

 

[ChipnDale79]

A company that has lasted 100 years has no long term perspective? Ok.

most modern day companies dont value long term goals, those arent what move the stock price, it's all about the next quarter.

100 year old companies arent bullet proof, no matter how big they are.

 

[Br'er Rabbit is the Best]

Some updated August hours are out.
Epcot & MK close at 10pm (instead of 9pm) on a few nights

Gotta say I never really understood their hours method. Hours for the 50th are out. Still 9-9 at MK and 11-9 at Epcot. Does anyone really think those will be the actual operating hours that day? God help the guests if they are.

 

[mercuryvenus]

most modern day companies dont value long term goals, those arent what move the stock price, it's all about the next quarter.

100 year old companies arent bullet proof, no matter how big they are.

So that’s why Disney is building new rides, retheming hotels, expanding DVC to new towers, etc. Because they’re not thinking beyond the next quarter. Gotcha.

 

[Jaydee51]

The only thing that matters is the Balance Sheet. As long as WE keep spending $$ (no matter the cost or lack of benefits) and Disney stock continues to go up, the execs will squeeze out every last drop to ensure their bonuses.

 

[ChipnDale79]

So that’s why Disney is building new rides, retheming hotels, expanding DVC to new towers, etc. Because they’re not thinking beyond the next quarter. Gotcha.

Maybe i should have said it differently, most companies that are publicly trade nowadays value short term profits and stock prices over long term profits and goals. Board of Directors arent going to keep a CEO that doesnt grow the company (stock prices) from one quarter to the next. They arent going to keep a CEO on that has a flat performance or downturns over multiple quarters because "they're building something for the future."

 

[mercuryvenus]

Maybe i should have said it differently, most companies that are publicly trade nowadays value short term profits and stock prices over long term profits and goals. Board of Directors arent going to keep a CEO that doesnt grow the company (stock prices) from one quarter to the next. They arent going to keep a CEO on that has a flat performance or downturns over multiple quarters because "they're building something for the future."

You don’t grow a company without any thought for the long term. That’s not how business works. You have to balance the short and long term.