The future of stand by lines, Fast Passes and your Disney resort level?

[JohnDaleswife]

If Disney does away with all standby lines at the most popular rides/attractions in the future, could this be the beginning of resort guest only being able to get the Fast Passes during the busiest of times or actually even during moderate crowd levels? And could it also be a way that Disney will start to tier your Fast Pass allotment or booking window by your resort?

I have always thought that eventually they will have some sort of class system with the Fast Passes tied to your resort level. Could this be the beginning? This could help them eliminate the discounts that they hate to give out on the hotels and help their bottom line.

Or am I off base on this one?

 

[flicx]

If they do away with standby lines at the headliners at Disney world I am done going, period. Hopefully they come to their senses quickly.

 

[Figmentforever24]

If the do away with standby lines at the headliners at Disney world I am done going, period. Hopefully they come to their senses quickly.

Well it doesn't sound like today went well at all as far as testing the Anna and Elsa thing. People are not going to like the idea of only being able to ride certain things. The Magic bands and FP+ thing I can handle and find somewhat relaxing....this is telling people they are paying to only ride what Disney basically says they can ride. It wont fly.

 

[ParrotBill]

So you are saying we might "pay" for fastpass quantity and/or timing based on what we paid for hotel rooms?

If Disney were to start a class system of entitlements in the parks based on hotel, and cannot even get access to some things because higher paying guests already booked them all up... I believe people will rebel.

I think they will get angry people and attendance will drop.

A lot of Disney's success is an equal guest experience in the parks. If you are on a budget, you stay at budget hotels and spring for the park tickets. Everyone pays to stay where they can afford, yet everyone pays about the same for the parks.

 

[ArwenMarie]

Well it doesn't sound like today went well at all as far as testing the Anna and Elsa thing. People are not going to like the idea of only being able to ride certain things. The Magic bands and FP+ thing I can handle and find somewhat relaxing....this is telling people they are paying to only ride what Disney basically says they can ride. It wont fly.

Where did you hear it didn't go well? Just curious.

 

[ArwenMarie]

So you are saying we might "pay" for fastpass quantity and/or timing based on what we paid for hotel rooms? If Disney were to start a class system of entitlements in the parks based on hotel, and cannot even get access to some things because higher paying guests already booked them all up... I believe people will rebel. I think they will get angry people and attendance will drop. A lot of Disney's success is an equal guest experience in the parks. If you are on a budget, you stay at budget hotels and spring for the park tickets. Everyone pays to stay where they can afford, yet everyone pays about the same for the parks.

I think the equal guest experience is gone unfortunately with the introduction of the booking window differences. At least in terms of onsite and off.

 

[IamJBo]

I think the equal guest experience is gone unfortunately with the introduction of the booking window differences. At least in terms of onsite and off.

I hope to never have to pay for fast pass.

The only reason I believe they removed the standby lines is because that line would get 180mins+ and that's because it is "THE" hot ticket right now.

The only thing I see that would cut it down would be to implement this system until they can work out the logistics of having A&E meet and greets at Epcot or even HS.

I think it'll work itself out over time. The standby line issue is just a bandaid until the newness wears out.

 

[chapie1968]

If the do away with standby lines at the headliners at Disney world I am done going, period. Hopefully they come to their senses quickly.

30+ visits here since 1980 and I agree. I will be done with Disney. I am already enjoying Universal more and more each year. With each bad decision Disney makes it is removing the magic bit by bit.

 

[swebb0310]

And, ultimately Disney wants people on and off rides or in and out of attractions. If they have people standing around in a 180-300 minute line, they get grumpy and aren't in the shoppes and restaurants spending money.

 

[kmb584]

If the do away with standby lines at the headliners at Disney world I am done going, period. Hopefully they come to their senses quickly.

Same here. If stand-by lines went extinct so would our Disney vacations.

 

[bryanb]

And, ultimately Disney wants people on and off rides or in and out of attractions. If they have people standing around in a 180-300 minute line, they get grumpy and aren't in the shoppes and restaurants spending money.

Bingo. That was the entire reason FastPass was invented. It was based on a study that showed people spent more money they weren't standing around in a line. It seems that -- at least among many well informed people on this board -- FastPass is perceived as something that limits your Disney experience, rather than liberating it. That's too bad.

Ultimately, I don't think Disney wants to make people unsatisfied so it all depends on the feedback of the guests and also our spending patterns. Make no mistake, if we're happy to have tiered resorts (with Deluxe resorts getting better FP privileges and value resorts having fewer), Disney will have a good reason to offer that. If that does not create greater profitability, Disney will not.

 

[dbramer]

The only rationing they might do based on resort level would be the number of FP+'s you get. SB will never go away. The test is to see whether there is a better way to manage the lines of an experience that they had no idea would be such a headache. They mention Soarin, TSMM and TT as other candidates because they are also notorious bottlenecks for the guest.

I think back to the doomsayers when FP+ first rolled out. The same folks are coming out of the woodwork now proclaiming the end of "the World" as we know it and unless you book a deluxe you might as well not even bother going.

Geez....give it a chance....Disney is not the evil empire out to screw over every person that even thinks about going there. They are a business and even the dimmest of the bunch would see how badly any decision to do away with SB lines would be.

 

[MOpGrad2013]

Where did you hear it didn't go well? Just curious.

Looking for that answer also.

 

[Aurora0427]

The only rationing they might do based on resort level would be the number of FP+'s you get. SB will never go away. The test is to see whether there is a better way to manage the lines of an experience that they had no idea would be such a headache. They mention Soarin, TSMM and TT as other candidates because they are also notorious bottlenecks for the guest.

I think back to the doomsayers when FP+ first rolled out. The same folks are coming out of the woodwork now proclaiming the end of "the World" as we know it and unless you book a deluxe you might as well not even bother going.

Geez....give it a chance....Disney is not the evil empire out to screw over every person that even thinks about going there. They are a business and even the dimmest of the bunch would see how badly any decision to do away with SB lines would be.

I agree. I don't think the line testing with Anna & Elsa is a bad thing- they have to do something. Plus, there's no guarantee it would be permanent. Eventually the Frozen hysteria will thaw and everything will go back to normal. Hopefully.

 

[Holeshot1982]

Looking for that answer also.

Same here since I was excited to hear about the test.... It's the one FP+ I couldn't get at my 60 day mark. And now hopefully we won't have to miss out.

 

[goofy4tink]

I really doubt Disney is ever going to go with a resort class system. I completely understand on and off-site differences, but not between AoA and the Polynesian. Once you get to a park, everyone is supposed to be equal.

 

[ariane37]

Same here. If stand-by lines went extinct so would our Disney vacations.

YES. And I would be very sad