THEME PARK EXTRA (PILOT) - COMING TO DVC ?

[ParkHoppers]

Lets not forget they are adding some Non Disney hotels to the 60 days fast passes as well. If we want a fast-pass, we will have to make sure we are online booking as soon as it is available. Or start doing rope drop.

Yes. Adding more and more to the FP pool. Disney must figure that because some regular lines and 2-3hrs a 50 min FP line will still be great for people.

 

[ParkHoppers]

I am thinking since the price is so steep, it may not spread as much. $50.00 for 3 fast passes is not worth it for me.

That might be the case for you but with a lot of people already spending thousands on their Disney vacation another $50 or $100 for more FP won’t make most even blink at paying that rate IMO.

 

[Ben E N]

This means nothing to Disney. Disney already got their money for the points your own. They get their maint fees now and will continue to get their maint fees on your points from you or whoever owns your points. If you don't pay your fees then they will eventually get some extra points to sell and in the mean time they can freeze your points and have more rooms to rent for cash. If this causes the price or resale to fall, well then Disney can pick up some cheap points in rofr to sell at full price to some guest that does not know any better. Have you looked at what Disney is raises their direct prices to on some of the sold out DVC's?

I'm not sure where you got the impression that this would be done to somehow affect Disney. I understand how DVC contracts work.
I was stating that I would not be comfortable being part of a "pay to play" system where I either have to cough up extra money or watch as other people get to constantly hop in front of me in line for rides that I want.
The funny part is, it has nothing to do with money, it is a moral objection. If they just raised park tickets by $50 per day but kept things even between all people, I would be ok with that because it is equally applied to everyone. I just don't like the "pay up or get a lesser experience" vibe that other theme parks currently offer. It makes the friendliness of the staff seem that much less genuine and cheapens the whole experience.
When I go to WDW, I am fully aware that Disney want my money, but I want to be in a situation where it is so stress free that I am tempted to thank them for taking it, not where I have to be shook down for some extra cash, helping me butt others in line, just so that I don't get butt in line myself.

 

[Ben E N]

I am suspecting they are testing it at the club level and may roll it out to other guests at a later date. I think eventually everyone will have the chance to over pay for fast-passes if they chose to do so.

I still don't think this will work for Disney. I see three things happening as a result of this test.
1. The benefits will be scaled back to only 2 of the following - park hopping FPs, 90 day booking window, 3 extra FPs, and preferred fireworks seating. They are offering too much for too little money back.
2. They will continue to offer this to club level guests, and raise the price of club level rooms. The typical reviews of club level rooms are "they're nice, but not worth an extra $200 a night for a few Kona beers and some pre-cut vegetables." This sort of bonus will allow them to make club level something actually 'special'
3. They will not expand this elsewhere, or at least not for long. People can play this system to their advantage too much. It would allow them to greatly shorten their vacations. Given the choice, would you rather stay for 6 days, waiting in many long stand-by lines while others fastpass ahead of you (especially true with the 60 day FPs for good neighbor hotels), or stay for just three days and get on many rides? I think the second option sounds much more pleasant, and cheaper, myself. Disney has to realize all the potential to lose money by opening this system up to too many people.

 

[CMNJ]

But are they? Or will there be more detailed instrucitons on how to book a Club Level throwaway room? Inconceviable* to me that Disney hasn't figured out how to wipe out the FP+ on day 2 or 3 when the guest doesn't check-in and PAY for the room.

* Not unbelievable because their IT systems are horrible.

I would think that the “bonus” FP would get wiped when the club room gets cancelled. Not that I advocate for throwaway rooms but the only reason people are able to maintain the FP they book with them is by having tickets separate from the hotel reservation. Essentially the hotel reservation opens the FP window but the tickets are what hold it. Since the 3 FP are a result of a $50 charge on top of a CL stay I would assume if the CL stay is cancelled the FP would be too since Disney isn’t going to want to give those FP away for free. Of course the unknown is Disney’s IT as it often seems to have trouble working how it should.

 

[3 Hobbits 2 Disney]

Don’t forget it is per person with a 3 (?) day minimum.

 

[Debbie Jean]

I wonder about the timing of the offer and the potential to expand to other guests, as well.

Pandora opened and the feeding frenzy for fast passes to FOP continues. With Star Wars and Toy Story land set to open as well as new attractions at Epcot, I wonder if this is a way for Disney to capitalize on what will surely make FOP fast pass booking seem like child's play. Off site guests already can't get in at 30 days out. If on site guests can purchase extra, I am thinking that Disney feels there is a viable market they can target... imagine the revenue when all those new attractions open! I'm guessing they are floating a trial balloon with club level guests so they can kick the kinks out of the system... plenty of time to expand and get it in place for a year or two when those expansions in the parks are open.

 

[icc2515]

3. They will not expand this elsewhere, or at least not for long. People can play this system to their advantage too much. It would allow them to greatly shorten their vacations. Given the choice, would you rather stay for 6 days, waiting in many long stand-by lines while others fastpass ahead of you (especially true with the 60 day FPs for good neighbor hotels), or stay for just three days and get on many rides? I think the second option sounds much more pleasant, and cheaper, myself. Disney has to realize all the potential to lose money by opening this system up to too many people.

I think that this will be a very small percentage of people who use it. But you hit upon an interesting side effect that possibly Disney is looking for. Maybe not even a side effect, this could be the whole point. You take people with money that stay CL. You don't want those people standing in line waiting for rides, you want them out shopping, eating, renting watercraft, taking tours, etc. If these people are on a 7 day vacation and you can cut out 2 or 3 days at the parks standing in line then that gives them the opportunity to spend money. This is what fast pass was originally designed for and I think failed at. People on a limited budget don't have the money to shop with their extra time. They use their 3 fast passes and then stand in line or go to the pool. The people this is aimed at are not looking to cut their vacations short.

 

[Chuck S]

I don't care if they offer us the "benefit" or not. I doubt it would be of a lot of use for DVCers. If we miss an attraction, we can always catch it on our next visit. It isn't like we won't be back.

 

[Ben E N]

I think that this will be a very small percentage of people who use it. But you hit upon an interesting side effect that possibly Disney is looking for. Maybe not even a side effect, this could be the whole point. You take people with money that stay CL. You don't want those people standing in line waiting for rides, you want them out shopping, eating, renting watercraft, taking tours, etc. If these people are on a 7 day vacation and you can cut out 2 or 3 days at the parks standing in line then that gives them the opportunity to spend money. This is what fast pass was originally designed for and I think failed at. People on a limited budget don't have the money to shop with their extra time. They use their 3 fast passes and then stand in line or go to the pool. The people this is aimed at are not looking to cut their vacations short.

That is a pretty neat idea of a catch. Only once an hour leaves 45 minutes to do something else. I have spent that time getting snacks myself, but cannot afford to go check out the upscale merchandise at the shops. These people can. Could be a good lil' move for Disney.

 

[Debbie Jean]

I don't care if they offer us the "benefit" or not. I doubt it would be of a lot of use for DVCers. If we miss an attraction, we can always catch it on our next visit. It isn't like we won't be back.

I'm with you Chuck. If you go more frequently, it really isn't worth the extra money. And for a lot of long time DVCers, enjoying the resorts, etc. is really key.

But I can definitely see them cutting the number of "free fast passes" to accommodate for the added "paid fast passes". If people will pay, why give it away for free. Seems to me they are looking to generate income and seeing whether this is a way to do it. Disney is good at that LOL

 

[Chuck S]

I think if they cut the number of free FP+, it may hurt their cash onsite resort bookings. What I could see them doing is adding 1 FP+ to deluxe and DVC stays, or cutting one FP+ from Value resort stays. But it would be an addition IT thing, and we know how great Disney IT is.

 

[MrInfinity]

It would allow them to greatly shorten their vacations. Given the choice, would you rather stay for 6 days, waiting in many long stand-by lines while others fastpass ahead of you (especially true with the 60 day FPs for good neighbor hotels), or stay for just three days and get on many rides? I think the second option sounds much more pleasant, and cheaper, myself. Disney has to realize all the potential to lose money by opening this system up to too many people.

I would take the 6-day vacation with 18 FastPasses over the 3-day vacation with 9 FastPasses +9 more. I don't have to wait in any more standby lines because it's the same # of fast passes -- just more vacation time. Double the vacation, same number of rides, all the FastPasses are free. For the cost of your CL and 9 more FastPasses you're paying the cost of the 3 extra nights. Not buying the math that offering a massively expensive option for a few more rides will be bad. Otherwise you'd see people staying less by purchasing VIP tours. I (and pretty much everyone) do not measure my trip by "once I ride 18 rides I consider my vacation done therefore if I can do that in 3 days instead of 6 that's awesome I can get do Disney, do my 18 and be out of there in 3 days now". Who says that. ROFL.

The real tradeoff here is the opposite. When booking a typical week you get 21 FPs. Should I add this for $900 to get 9 extra FP's? By instead downgrading from CL to Deluxe and applying the $900 to our stay, I could add 3 nights. So... it becomes a 7-day trip with 21+9 FPs or a 10-day trip with 30 FPs. You are way overstating how many people will jump at this when for the cost of upping to CL and buying the FPs you could simply add several days to your trip and get just as many FPs free. It's a REALLY EXPENSIVE option still.

The 2nd tradeoff for someone who can't up their trip from 7 to 10 days... is... Stay in Delux for $400/nt or spend around $300/nt more for CL ($2100) plus $900 for the FP's... You're looking at around a $3000 bump. That's more than doubling the cost of your trip which was previously $2800 (7x$400). Again SO EXPENSIVE between the required upgrade and the cost that it will not become mainstream.

 

[Ben E N]

I would take the 6-day vacation with 18 FastPasses over the 3-day vacation with 9 FastPasses +9 more. I don't have to wait in any more standby lines because it's the same # of fast passes -- just more vacation time. Double the vacation, same number of rides, all the FastPasses are free. For the cost of your CL and 9 more FastPasses you're paying the cost of the 3 extra nights. Not buying the math that offering a massively expensive option for a few more rides will be bad. Otherwise you'd see people staying less by purchasing VIP tours. I (and pretty much everyone) do not measure my trip by "once I ride 18 rides I consider my vacation done therefore if I can do that in 3 days instead of 6 that's awesome I can get do Disney, do my 18 and be out of there in 3 days now". Who says that. ROFL.

The real tradeoff here is the opposite. When booking a typical week you get 21 FPs. Should I add this for $900 to get 9 extra FP's? By instead downgrading from Dx to Regular and applying the $900 to our stay, I could add 3 nights. So... it becomes a 7-day trip with 21+9 FPs or a 10-day trip with 30 FPs. You are way overstating how many people will jump at this when for the cost of upping to Dx and buying the FPs you could simply add several days to your trip and get just as many FPs free. It's a REALLY EXPENSIVE option still.

The 2nd tradeoff for someone who can't up their trip from 7 to 10 days... is... Stay in Delux for $400/nt or spend around $300/nt more ($2100) plus $900 for the FP's... You're looking at around a $3000 bump. That's more than doubling the cost of your trip which was previously $2800 (7x$400). Again SO EXPENSIVE between the required upgrade and the cost that it will not become mainstream.

I agree that moderate for 6 is cheaper than CL for 3 +$50 a day. My comparison was if they open up the $50 option to all. Then all chaos would ensue. I think the Club Level benefit is one that will stick. Like you are pointing out, people need a reason to cough up all that extra money to stay there. Maybe if they are only able to stay for 4 days and want to maximize their trip, they will make the most of it, or if money is of no issue to them.
For the rest of us, every dollar is important. If I had the option of stating at Caribbean Beach for an extra $200 a night, plus the cost of meals, or speeding the trip up for just $100 per day for a couple, and then spending a few days at the actual beach, I may be tempted to take it. Why would Disney want to tempt people to not spend as long as possible at their resort? This is why I do not see this test expanding outside of the CL level rooms, or at the very least not far outside them.

 

[Ben E N]

I think if they cut the number of free FP+, it may hurt their cash onsite resort bookings. What I could see them doing is adding 1 FP+ to deluxe and DVC stays, or cutting one FP+ from Value resort stays. But it would be an addition IT thing, and we know how great Disney IT is.

I hate to say it, but I see no reason why they would add FP+'s to DVC stays. They already have us locked in. It could be used as an incentive to buy direct points or something along those lines, I suppose.
Also, people really want the FP's to get the E-Ticket rides. If I can only get 2 FPs a day, but one is for GoG rollercoaster and the other is for Spaceship Earth, I really do not care too much whether I am able to ride Nemo again or not. It could even benefit me to not have that third, because that would then allow me to book an extra one that much sooner.
Anything is possible in terms of FP tinkering, but any little move has great potential to be exploited.

 

[Chuck S]

I hate to say it, but I see no reason why they would add FP+'s to DVC stays. They already have us locked in. It could be used as an incentive to buy direct points or something along those lines, I suppose.

DVC has always been marketed as a "deluxe" resort stay, and should have the same perks.

 

[Ben E N]

I completely agree with the 'should' piece. I am just thinking that if Disney is going to take the brutal route of taking FPs away from some places, why add them where they are not bound to? I personally do not think these sorts of changes would be made, anyway, though.

 

[get_us_to_WDW]

According to NBC Miami "Guests staying in a club level room, at the Wilderness Lodge Cabins or the Polynesian Bungalows will be eligible to purchase the extra fast passes, so long as they have purchased a 3-day or longer park pass or an annual pass, according to a Walt Disney World Resort spokesperson."

So if a DVC member is staying in a WL cabin or Poly Bungalow ON POINTS will they have access to this perk?