Ultimate fast pass

[TLSnell1981]

Is there such a thing where you pay big $$$$ and you get front of the line passes????

Thanks
Tracey

Hang on, it coming...X-Pass is on the way!

It always amazes me how short sighted people can be with statements like that.. A business like Disney runs on the concept of thousands of people being there. That is what fuels the shows (that people are already saying are declining), maintains the beauty of the parks, keeps the rides and attractions from becoming carnival grade and pays for all those CM's that we do so love to abuse.

Keep wishing those folks away and see what happens to your park solitude. Walt Disney has been dead for around 45 years he is the only one that seemed to be a miracle worker with the insight to know what the public wanted, everyone since then has been quite fallible.

When the rate for one day ends up being $3K or better to ride a theme park ride we will see who's happy then. Yes, that hopefully is an exaggeration because it will never get that high...the place will close first.

I have been going to WDW regularly since 1983 so I'd have to say that I am a fan of the place, but I do not enter it with blinders on. I am always aware of my wallet and what the "fun" is costing. When I am singled out as a second class "guest" because I either couldn't afford or didn't afford to stay in a, in my opinion, already overpriced motel accommodation I will also stop going. There is just so much extortion I am willing to pay.

Great post!

 

[skilesare]

IMO, I believe the long-term solution will be for all current FP rides to have a reservation. Some will have the ability to reserve earlier than others (like those who commit to their vacation early with a small, but meaningful non-refundable deposit, regardless of onsite accommodation, annual pass or DVC status), and maybe there will be a capacity control where once the reservation limit is hit, one would get a "guaranteed standby time", which would smooth out the ridership. Since it is a business, what is Disney's incentive to keep you in a standby line? Their goal is to keep you moving throughout the park; enjoying both shows, rides and marketing (HINT: spend more $$). I agree with previous posters that the Disney "way" is to provide equal access to all. This is one possible view into the very near future.

Why would they do this? Disney isn't going to implement something that makes people's lives harder while at the park(or before). xPass or what ever it is going to be called will be easier.

It is probably going to be something like a mobile device that allows you to 'pull' a fastpass from any where in the park. In addition to 'pulling' they'll be able to 'push' to you based on your location and crowd patterns. Too many people in Fanatasy Land? Push out some FP for Buzz to just those people. Oh by the way, those people have indicated in the app that Buzz is a high priority for them. You see some of this with the 'bonus' FP for Philiharmagic, etc.

Imagine the pixie dust feeling of getting a space mountain fastpass buzz you just as the fireworks are winding down. Imagine everyone in the park getting one that just happens to be near or at the top of their 'want to' list.

People criticized Jobs for calling these pocket computer things magical, but they kind of are.

Will they charge for it? Probably. But it probably won't be much more expensive then a park hopper option and will mostly be for insurance on the device you get. If you have an iphone or Android phone you may even get to waive the fee.

I know they do advanced ADRs in a pre-planning way, but I think that that is due to the limited capacity of those venues.

 

[verlee]

It is probably going to be something like a mobile device that allows you to 'pull' a fastpass from any where in the park. In addition to 'pulling' they'll be able to 'push' to you based on your location and crowd patterns. Too many people in Fanatasy Land? Push out some FP for Buzz to just those people. Oh by the way, those people have indicated in the app that Buzz is a high priority for them. You see some of this with the 'bonus' FP for Philiharmagic, etc.

Imagine the pixie dust feeling of getting a space mountain fastpass buzz you just as the fireworks are winding down. Imagine everyone in the park getting one that just happens to be near or at the top of their 'want to' list.

People criticized Jobs for calling these pocket computer things magical, but they kind of are.

Will they charge for it? Probably. But it probably won't be much more expensive then a park hopper option and will mostly be for insurance on the device you get. If you have an iphone or Android phone you may even get to waive the fee.

I know they do advanced ADRs in a pre-planning way, but I think that that is due to the limited capacity of those venues.[/QUOTE]

This I could see and like.

 

[TLSnell1981]

I do not like a paid for front of the line pass.

In the past,a big part of why we like WDW is because they have done a good job of making us feel special just because we are there, not because we gave them extra $$. I'm realistic, I know in my head that they want our $ but I do not feel in my heart that it is their main purpose. They are sneaky that way.

If I start to feel shut out or that they view me as just a wallet, then I feel less special.
Feeling less special =less magic= less trips to WDW. Pretty simple.

:

Many guests love "free dining" , although..it's not "free". Disney doesn't "giveaway" .."free" transportation via Magical Express. But, perception is one's own reality...marketing knows how to make you "feel". Trust me, there will be many guests, jumping at the chance to buy "the ultimate FP". Or, better yet buy a package, that will "give" you the pass for "free".

 

[verlee]

Oh, I know I am being manipulated. Those mouska-marketers are pretty good at putting a chocolate coating on an increased fee. I know it is all about money. But perception and feeling are much more of an issue for Disney then Universal or any other amusement park for that matter. I believe a quote from a recent promotional video is " Disney is held to a higher standard because Disney holds itself to a higher standard". In short, Disney has a "rep" to live up to. They are known for over the top service. They start charging for those services and I would be willing to bet that they lose buisness.

They would lose mine. I don't travel across the country to go to Universal. I may drop in once I am here but I came for Disney.

 

[goofyernmost]

That's an interesting take on the issue. Conversely, when the previous poster mentioned that he refuses to go to Universaly because they have FoL passes, the first thing that popped into my head was that his is just another useless boycott. After , Universal likely earned many more visitors by offering the pass than the mere fact of it's existence drove away.

What Universal gained was significant but only because it helped to make it the actual destination instead of Disney. Once they started to offer it along with staying at a Uni Hotel, their guest count rose. It went up because people said to themselves, heck if I stay there I will get the front of the line pass. Now they have a reason to go directly to Universal. Then go later to Disney and get Free Dining.

It was mentioned in some post that there was a significant difference between the total count of rooms and people that can stay at Disney instead of Universal. Something like 7000 to almost 90000. Imagine 90000 Front of line passes given out on any given day. Lot's of luck! For one thing the standby line would be significantly smaller then the Fastpass line. Good for those of us that hate Fastpass, but imagine how upset the FP people will be. It just isn't feasible for Disney...that's why they put in Free Dining. As someone said, nothing is free. Somehow or the other you pay for it, but at least because of reservations they can control the crowd better than people randomly wanting to ride an attraction along with others that want to do it at the same time.