State of Fast Pass Return (or replacement)

[ChipnDale79]

If they go with single-ride, instant fastpasses, I think their goal would be to limit the amount of people, but not keep the price low. Disney would have to severely limit the number sold, so as not to turn the standby lines into standstill lines, and infuriate everyone who can't or won't pay for a fastpass. But Disney would still be looking to maximize their profit. So the price would be set (perhaps dynamically as the lines increase) at the highest level at which Disney could sell out the limited supply.

limited supply? nah, i think disney will sell these at the highest price they can, and sell as many as they can. They're telling everyone right now that unless you pay extra, they dont care if you enjoy the experience or not.

We’re seeing a phased in change in philosophy at Disney Parks. It used to be marketed as an all inclusive resort sort of. Everyone was on the same playing field, and that was one of the things that made Disney stick out from other parks. I’ve never spent a dime on fast pass system at any theme park, and have always thought it looked tacky when its done. You’re now seeing a Disney where they are expecting people just to be grateful to be there, not the other way around, and for the most part, Disney is winning on that philosophy. There are people that will pay anything to get to vacation at Disney, you see it on this forum. Disney will win for the next year or two because of the pent up travel demand and extra cash people have, but after that, I hope they fall flat on their face and have to offer massive discounts to get people to vacation on their property again.

 

[jkh36619]

Just remember folks, Disney makes lots more money on dining and hotel stays when folks have longer trips. Any system they implement they will want to balance with not deincentivizing longer stays onsite and more dining. They wont set up a system where you can stay offsite at a holiday inn and drop hundreds on pay to play fastpasses with the savings you kept from staying offsite.

Exactly, Disney wants every hotel bed and every seat in the restaurants full at all times.

 

[samsonjs]

Exactly, Disney wants every hotel bed and every seat in the restaurants full at all times.

The restaurants would still be full though if they got people to reduce their stays. As it is, it's nearly impossible to get seats at many restaurants.

 

[jujubiee4]

I saw no where near the crowds in Disney Paris. So wondering about this Premier Pass. We didn't
walk on rides but waits were mild and crowds easy to navigate. I found it very pleasant. Then again this was
pre Covid October. Summertime may be real busy.

 

[Moliphino]

Color me skeptical that 12 FPs are possible during a busy day with FP+. I will study up on how to do it and try to master it but I still prefer the old system...

As possible as it was with the paper ones. You have more of a chance of lucking into a headliner with FP+, with the paper ones those were gone in minutes and then you were SOL for the rest of the day.

 

[Karin1984]

I saw no where near the crowds in Disney Paris. So wondering about this Premier Pass. We didn't
walk on rides but waits were mild and crowds easy to navigate. Then again this was pre covid October.
Summertime may be real busy.

Paris does still have a low, mid and high season. High season is mainly the 8 weeks of summer and 2 weeks at Christmas, plus some national holidays / long weekends. Most of the year is mid season, and roughly January, February, September, November are low season.

I am more curious when they will activate the new free standby pass / virtual queue. They say they will activate it when it gets busy, but I do hope that means both mid & high season, and that it's not necessary in low season.

 

[AnnabelleTheTalkingTree]

see that doesnt work for me. I dont do shorter disney trips anymore because they dont make sense for us. We like to take at least 1 week long vacation throughout the year, and we'll do some other stuff for shorter times that are much cheaper. But i'm not going to spend what i would for a week at disney for 3 or 4 days, i dont care if i get to ride the same amount of rides or not. I'll just find something else to do and not bother with Disney then.

This is my feeling as well. Where I would (and have and do) spend that kind of money for a week long vacation, I am not spending that kind of money (and paying for flights) for a 3-4 day mad dash through a theme park. I want a full out vacation, which would mean relaxing and enjoying my family. If Disney isn't the place for that anymore, that's fine, I'll just go somewhere else.

 

[mi*vida*loca]

Just remember folks, Disney makes lots more money on dining and hotel stays when folks have longer trips. Any system they implement they will want to balance with not deincentivizing longer stays onsite and more dining. They wont set up a system where you can stay offsite at a holiday inn and drop hundreds on pay to play fastpasses with the savings you kept from staying offsite.

I don't think they'd have a problem filling those resorts or restaurants even if people took shorter trips or stayed offsite.

 

[Garyjames220]

We go for 2/3 weeks from uk. This paid service could be stupid money over that period of time

 

[Iowamomof4]

Guys.... I think the Park Pass Reservation system is down!!!

Could it mean? Possibly? The live test didn't go so well?

 

[Remy is Up]

As possible as it was with the paper ones. You have more of a chance of lucking into a headliner with FP+, with the paper ones those were gone in minutes and then you were SOL for the rest of the day.

It was easily possible. Even on busy days. Just had to be flexible, understand refresh and drop windows

 

[ForWhomTheMouseTolls]

Guys.... I think the Park Pass Reservation system is down!!!

Could it mean? Possibly? The live test didn't go so well?

Working for me.

 

[Iowamomof4]

Working for me.

I've tried to go to the page a few times and get "this page isn't working".

Edit: Okay, it's working in incognito... so <shrug again>.

 

[ForWhomTheMouseTolls]

I would anticipate that resort guests will get free fast passes and that people from the UK will get some sort of bundle to alleviate cost. Just like always.

 

[Remy is Up]

I've noticed temporary glitches in a few systems since about 130. However unless I was misinformed, the test wasn't scheduled to start until 330. So it could be individual program adjustments in preparation for the test

 

[Iowamomof4]

I've noticed temporary glitches in a few systems since about 130. However unless I was misinformed, the test wasn't scheduled to start until 330. So it could be individual program adjustments in preparation for the test

Okay. Guess I'm just getting too anxious. lol

I so hope this fails and FP+ gets turned on before our August trip. I just don't know what we'll do if they break out a paid fp option before then.

 

[Remy is Up]

I would anticipate that resort guests will get free fast passes and that people from the UK will get some sort of bundle to alleviate cost. Just like always.

I agree. I think resort guests, aps, dvc, international will have some sort of benefit, either discounted or a free allotment

 

[TaraWasHere]

If Disney does an expensive per ride fastpass then it will just show that Disney doesn't want trips to last longer than 2-3 days. I'm surprised they still give discounts as you add days to your ticket.

My Room is CL, and I don't spend every day in the park. Trust me, they want me to stay more than a couple of days. Seriously though, people can read into it any way they like, but I think it's kind of like climbing Everest. Why climb it? Because it's there. Why charge for fastpass? Because they can. We can hope they won't, but what will anyone really do about it if they do?

 

[Wandering Oaken]

For what it's worth, when you go to the fastpass page on the MDE app it no longer gives you a covid-19 warning stating that fast passes have been suspended. It allows you to go straight through to choose your party just like it did before after you got rid of that warning. Although it's still times out.

 

[Grasshopper2016]

limited supply? nah, i think disney will sell these at the highest price they can, and sell as many as they can. They're telling everyone right now that unless you pay extra, they dont care if you enjoy the experience or not.

We’re seeing a phased in change in philosophy at Disney Parks. It used to be marketed as an all inclusive resort sort of. Everyone was on the same playing field, and that was one of the things that made Disney stick out from other parks. I’ve never spent a dime on fast pass system at any theme park, and have always thought it looked tacky when its done. You’re now seeing a Disney where they are expecting people just to be grateful to be there, not the other way around, and for the most part, Disney is winning on that philosophy. There are people that will pay anything to get to vacation at Disney, you see it on this forum. Disney will win for the next year or two because of the pent up travel demand and extra cash people have, but after that, I hope they fall flat on their face and have to offer massive discounts to get people to vacation on their property again.

I mostly agree (unfortunately) with your assessment of where Disney's company philosophy is headed. For instance, the slashing of outdoor entertainment at the World Showcase, even before Covid. Disney seemed to be thinking, "Is there a way that we can charge extra for this and get away with it? No? Then let's just fire the entertainers and get rid of it." Or running rides at half-capacity when the crowds aren't that big--thus creating artificially long lines--just to save a few bucks in labor and maintenance costs. Really disappointing.

But I don't think I'm quite as cynical on this particular front, in part because of how the economics would work. Let's say there's a 60 minute standby line for BTMRR. Disney could sell fastpasses for $5, and a whole lot of people would buy them. Say, just for the sake of illustration, 1200 people buy them each hour. That's $6,000 in extra profits. A quick Google search suggests that BTMRR has a capacity of 2,400 people per hour. So those who don't buy will end up facing a much longer line, maybe twice as long as before. Forcing so many guests to wait two hours for a ride like that is a sure-fire way to turn them off from Disney (and have them badmouth the experience to friends, family, and co-workers). Now, in general, Disney seems willing to do that these days, just to make more money. But let's say that Disney decided to charge $10 for a fastpass instead. Now, maybe only 600 people would be willing to spend the money. That would mean that the standby wait time is only increased by about 30 minutes, and Disney still makes $6,000 in extra profits --- without angering the standby crowd as much. Now imagine that Disney charges $20 for a fastpass. If 300 people would be willing to do it, Disney still makes $6,000, and the standby wait only increases by 15 minutes, which is much less irritating to the other guests. If Disney could get 150 people to pay $40, they would make the same amount of money, and the standby line would only be increased by a handful of minutes. Etc. I think Disney would try to find the sweet spot.

Disney is willing to anger guests to make more money. But why anger them (and thus cut into your future profits when they never come back) if you don't have to?