Disney extending 60 day FP to non disney resorts

[Ben E N]

Can't say I'm surprised. It sounds too cheap to me though -- only $200/day for a family of four? Compared to what you're already spending on a club level room and tickets it's not that bad. Especially for people who don't visit frequently and want to accomplish a lot in one trip.

I would say just cheap enough to make it tempting to families with money to burn. For DVC members, $17 per fastpass is pretty darn high, but you're right, $200 per day on top of a $800 room, $400 in meals, and a $3000 first class flight is a drop in the bucket. Good business sense by Disney. It's a small enough demographic to not hurt the rest of us too badly, not tacky like those tents last year, and gets them a bit more bonus money.

Also, if you read about 1/3 of the way down this review, afrer the room prices are listed, it mentions that extra fastpasses were already sort of built in under the table. At least the concierge service people can say "Yes, I can do that for you, for $50 per person."

https://www.easywdw.com/easy/blog/review-club-level-at-disneys-polynesian-village-resort/

 

[hakepb]

Being a DVC thread, will this be an available option in the new Copper Creek (pay to use) club lounge?

 

[Ben E N]

Being a DVC thread, will this be an available option in the new Copper Creek (pay to use) club lounge?

Based on this info:
http://wdwnt.com/blog/2017/12/reuni...vacation-club-members-paid-lounge-experience/
I sort of doubt it. Nothing is officially being called 'club level' other than at AKV. This whole story is brand new, though. What sort of FP+'s? The type that they give to DVC prospective buyers, that are limited from using them from the top of the top rides, or open to all rides? If it goes well, will they open it up to new people? Who knows. Just an interesting opening of Pandora's box.
I am glad to see that FP's are still free, and that they are just opening them up.
What this, plus the neighboring hotels getting 60 day booking, means, is that we can really only expect to get on 1-3 E-Ticket rides per day.

 

[catfan98]

It also says they have to purchase a minimum 3 days worth...wow.

“The additional Fastpasses will cost $50 per person, per day, according to Disney. So for one guest who wants to add the option for three days, the additional FastPass+ reservations would cost $150. In order to add the extra option, guests must get it for a minimum of three days, according to Disney.”

 

[aoconnor]

Also, if you read about 1/3 of the way down this review, afrer the room prices are listed, it mentions that extra fastpasses were already sort of built in under the table. At least the concierge service people can say "Yes, I can do that for you, for $50 per person."

https://www.easywdw.com/easy/blog/review-club-level-at-disneys-polynesian-village-resort/

Definitely. It’s not advertised as included in club level and not everyone gets them, but if you encounter any “issue” or complain to the concierge, no matter how minor, they will throw fast passes your way.

 

[Ben E N]

I also just read that they can get 90.day booking priority. That part irritates me a bit more. I get why Disney is doing it - lock them into thousands in extra upcharges 3 months in advance, but that comes at more of a cost to the rest of us than the extra 3 per day does.

 

[Strikan]

It would certainly make paying for the Copper Creek club lounge more attractive if you got access to the additional fastpass option during those crazy busy times of the year like Christmas etc. Otherwise, it is only the AKL club rooms that qualify right?

 

[erionm]

It would certainly make paying for the Copper Creek club lounge more attractive if you got access to the additional fastpass option during those crazy busy times of the year like Christmas etc. Otherwise, it is only the AKL club rooms that qualify right?

From WDWNT.com:

The Theme Park Extra is available for purchase for Guests staying in the following room types:

• Copper Creek Villas & Cabins at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge – Cabins
• Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge – Club Level
• Disney’s Beach Club Resort – Club Level
• Disney’s BoardWalk Inn – Club Level
• Disney’s Contemporary Resort – Club Level
• Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa – Club Level
• Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort – Club Level
• Disney’s Polynesian Village Villas & Bungalows – Bungalows
• Disney’s Wilderness Lodge – Club Level
• Disney’s Yacht Club Resort – Club Level
• Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Hotels – Presidential Suites, Governor Suites, Parlor Suites, Premium Alcove Rooms

http://wdwnt.com/blog/2018/01/confi...e-show-viewing-new-theme-park-extra-offering/

 

[Strikan]

From WDWNT.com:


http://wdwnt.com/blog/2018/01/confi...e-show-viewing-new-theme-park-extra-offering/

Interesting. The cabins are crazy expensive for points though, so it is not going to have much impact on me.

 

[Ben E N]

Interesting. The cabins are crazy expensive for points though, so it is not going to have much impact on me.

I think that's the whole idea here. If they find that this program is successful, they can really raise the price of these sorts of rooms. Having it be a $50 fixed cost means that they can play with the cost of the rooms (not the cabins or rooms for DVC members) around the holidays. A club level room that typically goes for $600 on a day in April can now be sold for $1400 per day in December, due to the value of fastpasses during that time of year.

Sneaky but smart move, Disney...

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

It's going to take more than a Fast Pass for me to pay Disney rates for hotels. Nor would I stay there for "bus service, EMH, early Fast Pass opportunities etc....

I only stay on property when I use my DVC. I have never played the FP game. If I get something I want great, if not I am fine. I don't do 180 ADR (I eat at Disney Springs places that use Open Table, Better Food, less hassle!)

Subpar service, subpar quality and sky high prices... No thanks!
(Yes, I judge Disney by industry standards not "oh look it's Disney so we are happy to pay more and receive less" )

 

[Ben E N]

It's going to take more than a Fast Pass for me to pay Disney rates for hotels.

Subpar service, subpar quality and sky high prices... No thanks!
(Yes, I judge Disney by industry standards not "oh look it's Disney so we are happy to pay more and receive less" )

Well that's probably true for 99% of people, but I think Disney is targeting the 1%ers with this move.

 

[SL6827]

I just don't see me adding on anymore points in the near future because of these developments. May go on more no park visits trips now. I can just sit back, relax and enjoy the resorts and such with my DVC points. But if I were to get to liking that extremely well, then..........

 

[SpaceMountain77]

WDWMagic has reported similar details, going into effect Friday:

http://www.wdwmagic.com/other/theme...in-guests-to-purchase-additional-fastpass.htm

 

[ScubaCat]

Well that's probably true for 99% of people, but I think Disney is targeting the 1%ers with this move.

Maybe for now. It feels more like a trial though. Future offerings will be expanded and priced according to the stats on how this round and others go. Obviously the long term objective is to monetize and maximize profit from the FP+ system.

 

[Wakey]

This is just the trial. Pretty sure it will soon be offered to everyone. Also pretty sure this is why FP was rolled out to partner hotels, just to increase the customer base for upcharging. Then when people start paying $17 per Fastpass, the whole thing will gradually switch to being charged for, or limited to certain groups for free.
Not good but Disney will make you bleed money, until a recession comes then they will be absolutely hammered.
Maybe Spacemountain77 wasn't so wrong after all and shouldn't have been shot down by some. What other predictions do you have for us SM77? What's this you say about the Epcot HWS names?

 

[Ben E N]

This is just the trial. Pretty sure it will soon be offered to everyone. Also pretty sure this is why FP was rolled out to partner hotels, just to increase the customer base for upcharging. Then when people start paying $17 per Fastpass, the whole thing will gradually switch to being charged for, or limited to certain groups for free.
Not good but Disney will make you bleed money, until a recession comes then they will be absolutely hammered.
Maybe Spacemountain77 wasn't so wrong after all and shouldn't have been shot down by some. What other predictions do you have for us SM77? What's this you say about the Epcot HWS names?

Disney gets so much benefit out of locking people into their vacations for free, though, that I wonder how much they will end up tinkering with this system. Instead of just driving up the price of a ticket for everyone, they are showing preferential treatment to just a few. If that preferred group grows too large, it will make all the others notice that they are considered less than worthy. Sort of like the 30 vs 60 day fastpass issue. At least with that, though, the money grab was not so obvious upfront.
I think that Disney will continue to monetize the extra fastpasses, but if they grow the 90 day booking window to include a ton of people, it will really turn many off to staying on site (what's the purpose if all the good fastpases are taken anyway?) or even from coming at all. If all the E-ticket fastpasses are taken by 59 days out, then those with flexible plans will most likely choose to not spend their money on riding It's a Small World all day long. They might as well just go to Universal, where the majority of people still do not have any sort of fastpass at all.

 

[CarolMN]

................(snip)………
I think that Disney will continue to monetize the extra fastpasses, but if they grow the 90 day booking window to include a ton of people, it will really turn many off to staying on site (what's the purpose if all the good fastpases are taken anyway?) or even from coming at all. If all the E-ticket fastpasses are taken by 59 days out, then those with flexible plans will most likely choose to not spend their money on riding It's a Small World all day long. They might as well just go to Universal, where the majority of people still do not have any sort of fastpass at all.

If that happens, I guess we'll know how the locals and off-site guests feel.

 

[Ben E N]

If that happens, I guess we'll know how the locals and off-site guests feel.

This thread has been fun because it is a lot of speculation about an area where there is absolutely no precedent. We know what will happen if airlines reduce their seat size, a soda company changes its formula, etc, but do not know the impact of changing the FP+ system.

With that said, I can see Disney expanding this to DVC guests, but not to others. The reason is if I am a cash guest staying at POR for $250 a night, plus the cost of meals and park tickets, I know that I have an expensive trip ahead of me. If my goal is to ride both of the new Star Wars rides, as well as Tron, FOP, and Soarin', then I know that I have to book at least a 5 day trip to get all of those rides in. That's $1250 in hotel rooms, plus about $200 a day in meals and snacks, and about $100 a day in tickets for a total of $4250 for a family of 4- all of it going to Disney. Instead, I can just pay to stay for 3 days, buy just a 3 day ticket, and instead spend $200 per day to get my family this extra incentive. Now I am spending 2 less days on hotel rooms and meals, and am probably not eating out a much on my other 3 days due to them being spent park hopping to get my rides in. My total cost is now $3150, assuming I am spending the same amount on meals. Great for the guest, bad for Disney. That's a loss of over $1000 in an easily believable scenario.

This is also why I think it will be tried with DVC members. We are a captive audience. If we wanted to do the same thing, we would either have to eat the extra points we aren't using (a win for Disney - extra cash inventory), or rent them out (a win for Disney - more people coming to the parks).

I will be interested to see how things develop. I still think that making it easier for people to plow through the parks over a short time is not in Disney's best interest. They are financially best off when they get people to stay for 8 days or more, taking in a few rides each day, going mini-golfing, eating dinner at the resorts, and racking up a huge bill along the way. They are not built the same as Universal, which is solely based on getting as many rides in as you can in a short period of time.

 

[WDW_Ding]

I agree, it's annoying, but I wonder if this is being done to cut down on the throwaway room reservations (and reduce last minute cancellations)?

I'm not familiar with this practice...can you explain?

Next year, Walt Disney World will implement a fee-based FastPass+ program, comparable to what has already gone into effect at the Disneyland Resort. The days of free FastPasses is coming to an end and this move is intended to familiarize Good Neighbor Hotel guests with the system, prior to the fee implementation.

You're probably right-ish. At DL, their program is just a rolling FP system...use one, get another, use one, get another, etc. for as long as you want. The WDW FP program works differently. But that *could* change, of course.

Also, DVC members will not be getting free FastPasses. Our offering will be comparable to that of Disneyland Resort Annual Passholders.

What does Disney offer them?