Fast Pass Future? Predictions...

[Grasshopper2016]

This has always been my major beef with the FP program. The rigid scheduling. They could absolutely make the FP anytime, with some restrictions.

1. Tier the rides into "big" and "small" or something that sounds better.
2. You can get a certain number of big rides / small rides (maybe 1 big / 2 small with your ticket. Stay on-site and get 2 big / 1 small. Stay Deluxe and get 3 big). That's it. You get 3 per day "included".
3. Sell more. In advance. Offer an incentive to on-site based on level of accommodations.
4. Allow Big FP to be used on smaller rides, but not vice versa
5. Post the FP wait times

The argument over this is "well then everyone will just jump into the FOP FP line". Not true. If I see on the app that the FP line is 45 min+, I'll either use it on something else or check back later.

As people use their Big FP throughout the day, the FP lines will come down, just like standby lines come down later in the day.

If the extras were sold at enough of a premium, most people wouldn't buy them. So, in theory, there would be less FP out there, which would make the SB lines go faster.

This would give guests more control of their day AND more control over which park they want to visit (applicable to whenever the park reservation system is gone). No more "well we can't go to MK today because our FP are scheduled at AK and there is nothing left at MK"

This is a really good idea. Get rid of the timed Fastpass return windows altogether. And get rid of the notion that Fastpasses are for particular rides. All Fastpasses are anytime Fastpasses. And all Fastpasses can be used on any ride in any park within a particular tier. I love it!

Building on this thought a bit:

All attractions in the four parks are divided into two tiers. Tier 1 contains the E-ticket rides that tend to have the longest waits in their respective parks, including the hot new rides. FOP, SDMT, SDD, MFSR, MMRR, etc. Tier 2 contains everything else. A Tier 1 fastpass can be used on any ride in either tier. A Tier 2 fastpass can only be used on a Tier 2 ride.

Everyone gets three free Fastpasses per day included with their ticket. For off-site guests, it's one Tier 1 and two Tier 2. For on-site guests, it's two Tier 1 and one Tier 2. Perhaps Deluxe or Club Level and/or DVC guests could get three Tier 1. There are no additional free Fastpasses available at any time.

You can use your Fastpasses in whatever park you want, including using some in one park, and some in another. (Provided that you have park hoppers, and that you have the appropriate park reservations -- if the reservations thing continues after the pandemic; I hope it doesn't.)

There is no need to choose in advance which park you will use them in, which rides you will use them on, and what time you will use them.

Additional Fastpasses can be purchased in advance. Perhaps they would be sold in threes. One Tier 1 and two Tier 2 for, say, $25 per person. Three Tier 1 for, say, $50 per person. You can buy as many as you like for each day. Supplies would probably be limited. Disney would have to make sure that the Fastpass lines don't get too long, so they would limit advance sales to a certain number. On-site guests would get first crack at buying them.

If supplies are still available, Disney could sell same-day Fastpasses as well --- also in packages of three. Maybe, if crowds are low, they would cost the same as advance purchase ones. If the parks were more crowded, they might cost twice as much. And when the parks get very crowded, they would either not be sold at all, or would be offered at extremely high prices that very few people would be willing to pay.

Post the wait times for both the Fastpass lines and the regular lines, so that people can make intelligent choices about whether to use a Fastpass or not, and which ride to choose. People won't necessarily use their Fastpasses to ride FOP three times at mid-day if the Fastpass line is pretty long. And people will naturally spread their Fastpasses across the parks and throughout the day based on wait times.

I think that this could really work!

 

[Sunnywho]

Because other parks charge for fast pass equivalents, new guests didn't understand that disney's version was free, resulting in dissatisfaction. I expect fast passes to return as a paid only option in Disney genie.

 

[LovingPooh]

I expect Fast Pass to return as a paid option. I would expect it to begin in 2022, or maybe around October 2021 in time for the 50th Anniversary.

 

[yorkieteacher]

Because other parks charge for fast pass equivalents, new guests didn't understand that disney's version was free, resulting in dissatisfaction. I expect fast passes to return as a paid only option in Disney genie.

Agree-do you foresee them charging more for the Tier 1 rides? And obviously limiting the number of Tier 1 rides sold, and possibly even basing the amount charged on the ride time? There are lots of logistics to work out, but corporate is needing to up its income and FP charges and special ticketed events are an easy way to do this-

 

[Lumpy1106]

Agree-do you foresee them charging more for the Tier 1 rides? And obviously limiting the number of Tier 1 rides sold, and possibly even basing the amount charged on the ride time? There are lots of logistics to work out, but corporate is needing to up its income and FP charges and special ticketed events are an easy way to do this-

If you start charging for FP's, there will be a de-facto tier set up. Nobody is going to buy a FP for say the Nemo show, but they will for Everest. That was really the problem with FP+ - you were forced to get and use FP's for things that didn't need them before you could get more FP's for things that did. Occasional travelers never figured out the game though - they'd look at their FP's 60 days out and plan them around the rest of their day - sure would be nice to ride a water ride in the PM when it gets hot, or hey, why not get that preferred seating for Fantasmic? well, except that strategy keeps you from getting more FPs. Meanwhile those who figured it out had broken their party into smaller groups and weren't waiting in regular standby lines at all.

 

[wdw&sonny]

Is the Genie replacing MDE?

 

[disneycat321]

Maybe I'm naive, but I just don't see them introducing something that asks guests to pay for the system of making FP first come, first served.

That fee will basically hit everyone because it will be seen as a "must do". Say it's $20 a day, like DL. For a family of 4, on a 5 day trip, that's an additional $400. That fee would hit families who prefer value or even off-site values much harder. Admission tickets will instantly go up by whatever fee ($20) they charge.

I think giving something "included" with your tickets (on-site should get more than off-site) will remain. They will add packages or add-ons for additional money. This way it's an opt-in and not an opt-out.

DL is a different environment than WDW.

I agree that there will be something available for no cost, included in the ticket. There is at DLR too - the paper fast passes. Obviously they're not going to reinstall all those kiosks at WDW, so that's out. I just think it's conceivable that there could be some kind of tiered system, and you pay for the higher tiers. The best thing about MP at DLR is that you get unlimited FPs all day - you just keep stacking them. Maybe at WDW, there's a free version with a limited number, and you pay for unlimited? Something like that seems possible to me.

I also don't think the pricing would be the same per day/per person type of structure that it is at DLR, because people go to WDW for far more days. I agree with you - that fee per day for so many days really adds up, and people will not want to pay that for a whole family.

Side note - MP isn't required to be on every day of the ticket at DLR. Many people only add it to one or two days of the trip. That doesn't seem as useful at WDW with 4 parks, but I just thought I'd note it anyway.

 

[fly girl]

There was a thread created about a month ago about the future of FP+ and I got a bit of backlash saying I like MaxPass over FP+ and that I think MaxPass would benefit WDW. To that threads credit, DLR and WDW are two different beasts and I can understand adding $20 per day per person would be too steep as WDW is a full vacation destination whereas DLR is typically not. That thread did make me rethink that MaxPass system at DLR would not be the perfect fit for WDW. (which for me is a bummer because I truly love MaxPass and I have never been a fan of FP+)

Could Disney reduce the price of MaxPass and eliminate the PhotoPass that comes with it to fit the WDW model? Does WDW still have the old paper ticket FP machines or enough of the current kiosks to allow for a MaxPass system in which you can still get a free version of FP's? If they did reduce the price for MaxPass at WDW would there be too many people on it causing the wait times for FP's to become too long? I don't know. I wish my Magic 8 Ball would tell me what Disney is going to do because I don't like not having any FP's right now.

I hope they introduce whatever they are going to do soon. Wanted to return this spring to WDW, but no way am I waiting in line for 50 minutes for IASW. (that was the current wait time last Thursday when my sister was there) Even when we went the first week of August 2020 when wait times were very low, we didn't ride SDMT because the wait was too long at 75 minutes. I am not waiting longer than 20 minutes for the vast majority of the rides.

 

[JakeAZ]

I wish my Magic 8 Ball would tell me what Disney is going to do because I don't like not having any FP's right now.

You'll let us know if it comes up with something, right?

 

[fly girl]

You'll let us know if it comes up with something, right?

This is what I keep getting...

 

[DLgal]

There was a thread created about a month ago about the future of FP+ and I got a bit of backlash saying I like MaxPass over FP+ and that I think MaxPass would benefit WDW. To that threads credit, DLR and WDW are two different beasts and I can understand adding $20 per day per person would be too steep as WDW is a full vacation destination whereas DLR is typically not. That thread did make me rethink that MaxPass system at DLR would not be the perfect fit for WDW. (which for me is a bummer because I truly love MaxPass and I have never been a fan of FP+)

Could Disney reduce the price of MaxPass and eliminate the PhotoPass that comes with it to fit the WDW model? Does WDW still have the old paper ticket FP machines or enough of the current kiosks to allow for a MaxPass system in which you can still get a free version of FP's? If they did reduce the price for MaxPass at WDW would there be too many people on it causing the wait times for FP's to become too long? I don't know. I wish my Magic 8 Ball would tell me what Disney is going to do because I don't like not having any FP's right now.

I hope they introduce whatever they are going to do soon. Wanted to return this spring to WDW, but no way am I waiting in line for 50 minutes for IASW. (that was the current wait time last Thursday when my sister was there) Even when we went the first week of August 2020 when wait times were very low, we didn't ride SDMT because the wait was too long at 75 minutes. I am not waiting longer than 20 minutes for the vast majority of the rides.

I absolutely think they could adapt the Maxpass to work at WDW. In fact, it seems they are already taking away the PhotoPass (or thinking about it) for when DL returns, and will offer the two separately (which makes a lot more sense, given that in a traveling party, only one person really needs to have PhotoPass whereas all would want Maxpass).

I don't think they would bring back the paper machines, but you bring up a good point about the presence of kiosks that could be used for people to get their "free" Fastpasses. It would be more convenient than going to each ride, but there could be lines which would make it less desirable than a version that you could use from your phone.

 

[JakeAZ]

I absolutely think they could adapt the Maxpass to work at WDW. In fact, it seems they are already taking away the PhotoPass (or thinking about it) for when DL returns, and will offer the two separately (which makes a lot more sense, given that in a traveling party, only one person really needs to have PhotoPass whereas all would want Maxpass).

I don't think they would bring back the paper machines, but you bring up a good point about the presence of kiosks that could be used for people to get their "free" Fastpasses. It would be more convenient than going to each ride, but there could be lines which would make it less desirable than a version that you could use from your phone.

I just don't see it.

You go to DL for one reason, the parks. It makes sense to get there early to start collecting FP in order to maximize your day.

There are so many more options at DW. What if you want to golf in the morning and then hit a park? Or waterpark first? Or sleep in? By the time you get to the parks, a system like Max Pass could leave you with nothing but lower tier rides or nothing until much later in the day.

By turning DW FP system into a first come, first served, program, they might end up cannibalizing some of their other (paid) activities. It will also turn rope drop into more of a nightmare as people will feel they need to get there to start collecting.

 

[DLgal]

I just don't see it.

You go to DL for one reason, the parks. It makes sense to get there early to start collecting FP in order to maximize your day.

There are so many more options at DW. What if you want to golf in the morning and then hit a park? Or waterpark first? Or sleep in? By the time you get to the parks, a system like Max Pass could leave you with nothing but lower tier rides or nothing until much later in the day.

By turning DW FP system into a first come, first served, program, they might end up cannibalizing some of their other (paid) activities. It will also turn rope drop into more of a nightmare as people will feel they need to get there to start collecting.

Lots of people visit Disneyland and arrive at all different times of the day, into the late afternoon and evening. Maxpass still worked well because people could cancel FP and then you could snag them.

 

[beachdreamr1229]

Lots of people visit Disneyland and arrive at all different times of the day, into the late afternoon and evening. Maxpass still worked well because people could cancel FP and then you could snag them.

I was going to say this, too. A lot of people don't get to DL until noon or later. They still have FP because a lot of people will cancel later FP to be able to go on a different ride earlier. I have several friends who are APs and would go after work. They still felt MP was worth it because it saved them time and you could wait in standby for one ride while holding MP for another.

I do see what people are saying about the price point being too high for a 7-10 day trip, but that price could be reduced since they offer their photo package separately. I am really curious to see what does end up being the replacement because I think with some tweaks, a system like this could actually make people really happy (unless of course you like planning your whole trip 60 days in advance).

 

[JakeAZ]

I have several friends who are APs and would go after work.

I hear you on this. My CA family does the same with their APs (or did the same)

DL is a very heavy locals / AP (until recently) park. If they miss out on some E ticket rides, they'll just hit them next time. No big deal.

Disneyland is not a "once in a lifetime" trip the way DW is.

Our next trip is booked, so we'll roll with whatever is in place at the time.

If they move to a system like Hawaii pool chairs, I'll think twice about my next trip. Dropping DW kind of money to be put into a FP race every day of my "vacation" sounds awful. To me. I know others feel differently.

 

[Edeyore]

They know every other park charges for it. Why would they give it away free, this is the opportunity to press the reset button on a lot of things.

Universal charges for their Express Pass, but it is like having a Fast Pass for every ride, that you can use at any time.
The benefit is not the same, why should make a charge be the same?

 

[JakeAZ]

Universal charges for their Express Pass, but it is like having a Fast Pass for every ride, that you can use at any time.
The benefit is not the same, why should make a charge be the same?

Disney's version of paid FP, IMO, will cost more and offer less than the Universal EP. Why? Because they can.

 

[Rusty2rules]

Universal charges for their Express Pass, but it is like having a Fast Pass for every ride, that you can use at any time.
The benefit is not the same, why should make a charge be the same?

Maybe I missed something, or I'm misunderstanding your reply, but who said anything about the charge for FP+ (or whatever it comes back as) being the same as Universal's Express Pass?

 

[DebbieB]

Universal charges for their Express Pass, but it is like having a Fast Pass for every ride, that you can use at any time.
The benefit is not the same, why should make a charge be the same?

I didn't say the charge would be the same, I don't expect it to be an anytime fastpass like Universal. Before closing, Disneyland had MaxPass, it was $20 per day per person. An electronic version of the paper fastpasses.

 

[xipotec]

Here is the real noodle scratcher.....

What's a FP worth to you.....and others?

We got them for free....so what next?

How much would you pay each?
5.99.
7.99
10.99

20.00 for all day? How about 50?


And if I am paying 2000.00 or more for an onsite hotel......it better be all the FP I want daily for free.....to me , paying those ridicules' prices for a WDW hotel would be a crime without it

They have just about taken all the benefits out of staying on site for me anyway. Years back the monorail was a great advantage, now its a crowded unpleasant mess that breaks all the time. Buses? Do not get me started on those....Magic Hours? Gone also....

So remind me again why we pay triple to ten times the rate at other hotels with the same amenities?