xPass or Premium FASTPASS? Yes, I'm Starting ANOTHER FP Forum

[dvcdisney]

I agree with you, it definitely looks like that could be another thing Disney could do...but I am not trying to get anything for free, or get something else for staying at a WDW resort...I'd be willing to pay for it...it's just nice when it's not available for the whole population (I know that doesn't sound right) because then it defeats the purpose of getting a perk, when everyone is bogging down the FP lines (like now)...it's included with every ticket instead of the old days when it was only available for WDW resort guests.

I agree, fp system should be offered to everyone. Whether you stay onsite or not, you should be able to purchase fp. I do think that they should provide discounts and essentially no one should have to pay full price for it.

When we visit Universal, we only stay onsite because we appreciate the FOTL perk. But another version of this "fastpass" system is available for purchase by everyone. This is how it should be. I cannot see, with any logic, that anyone can get upset about this. It's a perk for onsite guests. The problem with Disney is that there is too many onsite guest, so it needs to be trimmed a little. Guests who stay moderate, may not find it important enough to purchase. I can't imagine all would purchase it. So, this way, it is a perk but not everyone will utilize this perk. This would possible bring down the number of guests having them which may alleviate the concern because of the sheer number of Disney resort guests.

 

[WilsonFlyer]

And as any business, Disney should reward customers/guests who put a lot of money into Disney.

As a DVC member and an AP member, we also spend quite a few vacation dollars at Disney. Each year, we spend 28 days in Disney and spending our money there. We have gone for 14 years (10 years of which has been as DVC members). Any business would reward their loyal customers. And for Disney, staying onsite is important to their bottom line.

Don't bet on us getting anything out of this unless it's tied directly to the deluxe and/or all resorts as a perk. If it's something tied directly to the deluxe resorts only, it will be interesting to see how they handle us since everything we get is absorbed in our dues. Remember that they don't give us anything. We pay for it albeit indirectly via our dues.

My personal feelings are that with the parks doing generally OK and very profitable in this economy, this will be an on-site resorts thing. We all know free dining has to go away. I'm surprised it's lasted this long. This is nothing but personal conjecture because I have no insider information on this but my bet would be that this will be spun so that it is seen as an even better alternative to free dining and that free dining will slowly fade into the sunset. Free dining has to go away and nobody knows that better than Disney. XPass is essentially a no-cost endeavor to them from the perspective of day-to-day operations. It will be spun as the greatest thing since free dining only better.

For me, it's even better because with the decline in restuarant and food quality over tha past ten years or so, the dining plan has zero appeal to me. I wouldn't give $100 for it for the entire week. Honestly. If this is what it turns out to be, I, for one, will be one happy camper.

 

[eliza61]

1400.00 dollar flight, WDW tickets for 5 days for family of 4 = 850.00 dollars, 600.00 dollars in food for 6 day trip, 800.00 dollars for 5 night stay at moderate resort, disney pins and other stuff 200.00 dollars, and now I have to pay so I'm not stuck in a 90 minute line PRICELESS

And? You still have the ability to get a fast pass? the same old way except there maybe a few less.

Sorry, you buy a first class plane ticket you get the perk of boarding first and not having to wait in line and you get wider seats, better food and your own special bathroom.

You buy a premium broadway ticket through american express, you don't wait in any lline and get a seat away from the masses. Those seats come out of a total package

If Le Cellier decides to coordine off 1/3 of their seating capacity for an expensive prix fix dinner which results in 1/3 less general adr's Good for them. that's 1/3 more revenue they bring in by offering and high end dining experience and yep unfortunately that means 30% less availability for the general population.

I find it interesting when Disney offers programs that cater to one economic group (free dining) it's all good but God forbid they roll out a package that caters to the wealthy, then whooa hold on. all of a sudden it's class warfare.

I think there are plenty of folks out there who would pay for the privilege and I think disney would be smart to pursue an avenue to bring in that revenue stream.

Disney does not have to make themselves affordable to everyone. They have a product, that product has a value, disneys job is to get as much cashola for that product. As much as I love some things, there are some things and some places I cannot afford to go and do. These business do not have to make them affordable to me.

 

[Mister Skellington]

And?

Sorry, you buy a first class plane ticket you get the perk of boarding first and not having to wait in line and you get wider seats, better food and your own special bathroom.

You buy a premium broadway ticket through american express, you don't wait in any lline and get a seat away from the masses. Those seats come out of a total package

I find it interesting when Disney offers programs that cater to one economic group (free dining) it's all good but God forbid they roll out a package that caters to the wealthy, then whooa hold on. all of a sudden it's class warfare.

I dont see anywhere where class warfare is mentioned. I see a poster who feels as though the vacation they are paying for already costs them an arm and a leg. Now they need to pay not to wait in lines....
Way to sound like jerk though

 

[eliza61]

I would be really sad if Disney chose to do this. Most people will never be able to afford to stay in Disney Deluxe hotel, and therefore, Fastpass would only be for the people who are affluent. I don't mind the EMH perk, or even giving onsite guests a headstart on making ADRs, but I think even Walt would be disappointed to see what boils down to class warfare at his theme parks.

.

I dont see anywhere where class warfare is mentioned. I see a poster who feels as though the vacation they are paying for already costs them an arm and a leg. Now they need to pay not to wait in lines....
Way to sound like jerk though

Then obviously you missed the above post.

I don't sound like a jerk. Disney cost every one an arm and a leg. That is not some hidden information. You go to disney, you know how much it's going to cost you up front. OP, offered up a scenerio where disney OFFERS to anyone willing to pay the premium an opportunity to get a perk. I totally don't have a problem with that. If you've got the dough and can afford the pass, go for it. I think it's an excellent idea and smart.

Now I'm jerk because I think a business has the right to offer a service to a group of their guest. Hey I'll take the jerk card then. Like I said, do you call people who buy first class plane tickets jerks because they can afford to get the luxury? Is some one a jerk because they get vip access to shows or vip parking that allows them to park right at the front door?

The old fp system from my understanding will still be in place. it's not disappearing. If disney said "only deluxe guest" get fast pass, then yep that's totally a problem but from my understanding they are not doing this. They are offering a service to ANYONE who chooses to PAY for that service. some people will decide it's worth the money, others will decide it is not.

Yes it would be lovely if every family in America could afford a trip to walt disney world. Does Disney have some type of morale obligation to make that happen, Heck no. In fact they have a bigger obligation to their stockholders to get a return on their investment.

 

[Mister Skellington]

Then obviously you missed the above post.

That was not the post you quoted....

 

[eliza61]

That was not the post you quoted....

Oy Vey. I was going with the overall theme of the thread. My apologies.

In a nutshell, I think the Premium fast pass would be a great idea AS LONG AS (and I've said this in every post I've posted) they still offer guest the opportunity to obtain a fast pass they old fashion way. As long as every one still can walk up to a ride, put their park ticket in the kiosk and get a fp for each ticket, I have no problem with them selling premiium fast passes.

In a way disney already does this. Fantasmic dinner package allows you special seating and when it first was offered you did not have to wait in the standby line 1hour before hand. For an extra charge you booked the package, got your meal and your ticket and you went around back to the special section. This is absolutely no different

As a general rule, I don't think about if some one paying for a perk takes some thing away from the general population. When some one buys a first class ticket, I never think "dang, those are 30 seats that could have been used for general population". When a new stadium puts in skyboxes for the high rollers, I don't think "that's 200 seats not going to regular ticket holders". I simply think those are things that I cannot afford and go ahead and get the seat I can afford.
I don't think a Premium pass or a deluxe guest pre scheduling their ride "takes" a fast pass away from me, I simply think that's a perk they were willing to pay for.

 

[doconeill]

DVC resorts are "Deluxe" resorts by definition. Just an FYI.

Sometimes they list it as such, but sometimes they list them in a different category ("deluxe villas"). And they can also differentiate between DVC members or guests staying on points, and those paying cash.

It's too early to tell if and how DVC might be included in such a system. We don't even know if it really will be limited to "deluxe" guests - that's just one of the rumors.

 

[mattsdragon]

Wait, they're changing FASTPASS?

How come nobody told me this?

 

[Buckeye Princess]

I just hop ethat whatever they do, locals are not forgotten in the equation. As annual passholders we spend a lot at Disney between our passes, meals, etc. If it was something only open to those staying in hotels, we would strongly consider dropping our annual passes. Perhaps an additional purchase available to people who are annual passholders and Florida residents who may be there once a week or every other week pumping money in, but not staying at a hotel?

 

[andyman8]

After doing extensive research over the weekend, I have come to believe "xPass" (or what may be "FASTPASS Plus") will be the road Disney travels on not the Premium FASTPASS. I found this "leaked" document on a small blog about Disney rumors. It was a PDF download so I converted it to a .jpg picture so it could be posted here.

After examining it, it appears to somewhat legitimate, but I've got my doubts. I don't think Disney would let something like this slip. Take a look and let me know what you think.

 

[WilsonFlyer]

I can't help but be a little suspect. I believe a genuine Disney document would say "Toy Story MIDWAY Mania." Disney is all about the branding.

Somebody went to a lot of trouble and they're probably not far from being right but this doesn't appear to be authentic, IMHO.

 

[WilsonFlyer]

I dunno... the more I look at it, the more I wonder if anybody would have gone to that much detail. There may be some legitimacy to this after all. I Guess only time will tell.

If it's not real, it was obviously done by someone that knows Disney. They've covered most of the things Disney would cover in an internal posting (I've seen a lot.). Could be. I do admit I haven't seen this one but I wouldn't have any reason to either.

 

[ppony]

I would be really sad if Disney chose to do this. Most people will never be able to afford to stay in Disney Deluxe hotel, and therefore, Fastpass would only be for the people who are affluent.

I jsut want dto pipe in and say that just becasue we stay at a Deluxe at last part of our trip, does NOT make us affluent. We only go every couple of years because that is our CHOICE and fits our vacationing style and likes. I'd rather go every other year and stay deluxe than every year and pay $1600 in airfare which I cannot enjoy and stay in a value. That's our choice, but it doesn't make us affluent.

 

[disneyfanjan]

After doing extensive research over the weekend, I have come to believe "xPass" (or what may be "FASTPASS Plus") will be the road Disney travels on not the Premium FASTPASS. I found this "leaked" document on a small blog about Disney rumors. It was a PDF download so I converted it to a .jpg picture so it could be posted here.

After examining it, it appears to somewhat legitimate, but I've got my doubts. I don't think Disney would let something like this slip. Take a look and let me know what you think.

I must have missed something. Does this say how long this would be valid? Is it for a day, a week, length of stay, or annual? Would you have to be staying on property to purchase?

 

[darthspud]

I can't help but be a little suspect. I believe a genuine Disney document would say "Toy Story MIDWAY Mania." Disney is all about the branding.

Somebody went to a lot of trouble and they're probably not far from being right but this doesn't appear to be authentic, IMHO.

At wdw it's toy story mania at California adventure its midway mania so my guess its pretty legit

 

[I loveStitchnippyjon]

If there have not been enough already, I am starting a forum about all the new FASTPASS News. The likelihood is Disney will begin to enforce FP return times (that's the sense I'm getting), but speculation is flowing on what WDW & DLR will do next regarding FASTPASSES. Here is what I see as the two possibilities based on my research:

1. "xPass" - Despite the name, the xPass would not be a slip of paper, but rather a device or smartphone app. Guests will either purchase the device (or app) for a siginficant fee or will recieve it free when staying at a Disney Deluxe Resort. The xPass would let users prebook ridetimes, arrange character greetings, book ADRs, reserve seats for shows like Fantasmic!, and collect photos from PhotoPass photographers and ride pictures. Although I really dislike the idea (defeats the purpose of a vacation), it appears this is the more likely of the two.
2. Premium FASTPASS - This is already in use at DLP. Deluxe hotel guests would also receive this for free or it could (or could not) be purchased for a large additional fee. The Premium FP would function the same way Universal Express does. Guests would be allowed to enter any FP line from 40 minutes after park opening to park close. I really love this idea considering we are fans of UE. Personally, I would be willing to pay the extra money for the service, but I could see how people would not want to.

So, which one do you like best? Which one do you think Disney will go with? Please share your thoughts and any additional information you might have. Oh, I know the enforcement should be happening in early March, but what about these changes (xPass or PFP)? I'm guess not by early June. Thanks!

UPDATE: Check out post #51 on the fourth page. I found some "leaked" pamphlet from Disney on a small Disney blog. Take a look and let me know what you think. I've got my doubts, though, about this "leaked" info.

Wait a minute! Just because Disney MIGHT start to enforce FastPass times (not a big deal, IMHO) does not automatically mean that your speculations are even being considered. Maybe just a figment of your imagination?

 

[doconeill]

After doing extensive research over the week, I have come to believe "xPass" (or what may be "FASTPASS Plus") will be the road Disney travels on not the Premium FASTPASS. I found this "leaked" document on a small blog about Disney rumors. It was a PDF download so I converted it to a .jpg picture so it could be posted here.

After examining it, it appears to somewhat legitimate, but I've got my doubts. I don't think Disney would let something like this slip. Take a look and let me know what you think.

At first glance it looks legit...they MIGHT still use the old logo.

But it keeps repeating doing things "in advanced". Also the "190 days" thing in an incorrect way to put the time frame you can do ADRs, unless they've changed it slightly (haven't paid much attention on the dining boards lately).

Some of the fine print doesn't make a lot of sense. "Discounted tickets available for..." when they say above it is $79?

 

[BradleyB]

The bad grammar where the passholder can book things in "advanced" instead of advance makes this look fishy to me.

5th grader-type mistake, IMO.

 

[WilsonFlyer]

The bad grammar where the passholder can book things in "advanced" instead of advance makes this look fishy to me.

5th grader-type mistake, IMO.

But it is posted as a working document. I've seen some pretty crappy internal documentation; much worse than this.