Paid FP options coming soon to WDW?

[mi*vida*loca]

Someone on another thread said they were testing FP+ at AK today.

 

[Wandering Oaken]

Someone on another thread said they were testing FP+ at AK today.

Limited testing with control groups.

 

[mshanson3121]

It increases line by upwards of 30 minutes. So it does impact them. I want FP+ back too, but let’s not make it about Covid precautions.

No, it doesn't. Touring Plans has talked about it more than once - the impact was negligible.

 

[cakebaker]

Limited testing with control groups.

My question is, what do they have to test? It's not a new system......or is it?

 

[ForWhomTheMouseTolls]

My question is, what do they have to test? It's not a new system......or is it?

It’s a new subsystem because they used the existing system to make park reservations. Even copying the exact system would require testing before turning it back on.

 

[Loro]

My question is, what do they have to test? It's not a new system......or is it?

It’s a new subsystem because they used the existing system to make park reservations. Even copying the exact system would require testing before turning it back on.

Not to mention that with Disney IT's track record a little extra testing could go a long way.

 

[DavidHobart]

No. FP does not increase the lines by 30 minutes.

Concur. https://touringplans.com/blog/how-fastpass-plus-affects-your-wait-update/

 

[cakebaker]

It’s a new subsystem because they used the existing system to make park reservations. Even copying the exact system would require testing before turning it back on.

Then it gives even more credibility to the idea that they're getting ready to roll it out.

 

[Heigh-Ho]

Concur. https://touringplans.com/blog/how-fastpass-plus-affects-your-wait-update/

That's from 2014. I know not everyone agrees here but if we want to back it up the best would be information over time and from something done probably in 2018-2019 into the early parts of 2020. Really 2019-early parts of 2020. Something from before that may include very outdated information as the way crowds have increased (which were definitely higher in later years than in 2014), how Disney released FPs throughout the day (wasn't that called something like dropping FPs? I can't remember), operational means of like staffing at rides and times of year, and more.

Just a snippet this is from the article you posted 'For this analysis we’re comparing standby wait times from February 1 through March 31, 2014, with data from the same months in 2012 and 2013.' That means they used data from 8 and 9 years ago if looking at today. I do think someone mentioned they did analysis up to 2017 although ideally we would want more recent information. Also from an experience standpoint if you never or rarely used standby pre-covid your actual experience may be completely different than someone who did (at least at times) when we are talking about the effect FP has on standby times (if you didn't use standby you won't have much personal experience with the impact) and no that does not mean they didn't tour efficiently as I believe I need to state that clearly.

 

[Moliphino]

Concur. https://touringplans.com/blog/how-fastpass-plus-affects-your-wait-update/

That's comparing fastpass+ to paper fastpass, not fastpass+ to no fastpass at all.

 

[ST1TCH]

Then it gives even more credibility to the idea that they're getting ready to roll it out.

I would agree. This confirmation of some controlled testing at AK (and possibly other parks as well, we just haven't heard about it), plus the kiosks being uncovered and turned on is certainly showing signs that this thing is coming back to life. Prior to the 4th? Probably not, but not out of the realm of possibility to just drop it on the masses and say for the first 30 days or so it's first-come-first-serve the day of and then allow those with later bookings to start booking them.

What I find humorous is that there are now "clear" signs that something is happening with FP and those that seem to really want it back are quick to squash any possible news and say it's not a real sign.

 

[Meglen]

Disney has hit a goldmine with folks willing to pay for quality of life improvements. Folks who don't need or want fast pass they can just not spend extra money. The folks who want them can pay for it. Until the folks who don't want fast pass is greater than the folks who need it they will milk every penny. Meaning untill they have a lack of guests... And it's only due to there being payed fast pass options I don't see free fp coming back. Maybe if you stay on property you get 1 free per day.

 

[Acup313]

That's from 2014. I know not everyone agrees here but if we want to back it up the best would be information over time and from something done probably in 2018-2019 into the early parts of 2020. Really 2019-early parts of 2020. Something from before that may include very outdated information as the way crowds have increased (which were definitely higher in later years than in 2014), how Disney released FPs throughout the day (wasn't that called something like dropping FPs? I can't remember), operational means of like staffing at rides and times of year, and more.

Just a snippet this is from the article you posted 'For this analysis we’re comparing standby wait times from February 1 through March 31, 2014, with data from the same months in 2012 and 2013.' That means they used data from 8 and 9 years ago if looking at today. I do think someone mentioned they did analysis up to 2017 although ideally we would want more recent information. Also from an experience standpoint if you never or rarely used standby pre-covid your actual experience may be completely different than someone who did (at least at times) when we are talking about the effect FP has on standby times (if you didn't use standby you won't have much personal experience with the impact) and no that does not mean they didn't tour efficiently as I believe I need to state that clearly.

You can’t really use more recent information though since attendance has gone up in that time. So any changes since wouldn’t be due to FP it would be due to attendance changes. For this kind of analysis it’s best to look at a time frame close to the event date. We could get some good data soon if FP comes back but that will be affected by capacity changes.

 

[Wandering Oaken]

My question is, what do they have to test? It's not a new system......or is it?

The old system was "gutted" to make way for Park Pass. Trying to get the backups of the old FP+ system back in place, have it work well with Park Pass, etc is going to cause issues that need to be tested.

 

[Meglen]

The old system was "gutted" to make way for Park Pass. Trying to get the backups of the old FP+ system back in place, have it work well with Park Pass, etc is going to cause issues that need to be tested.

Yea I can see the issue being folks making fast passes first before they have a pp. Than having wasted them and everything fills up. I foresee not being able to book fast passes untill you have a pp. And if you change your pp you lose your fp so you have to start over. Alot can happen with just this simple situation to cause a delay and more testing needed.

 

[Heigh-Ho]

You can’t really use more recent information though since attendance has gone up in that time. So any changes since wouldn’t be due to FP it would be due to attendance changes. For this kind of analysis it’s best to look at a time frame close to the event date. We could get some good data soon if FP comes back but that will be affected by capacity changes.

The article said they accounted for the increase in crowds for their analysis back then year over year but I was just saying crowds back in 2012 and 2013 weren't at the level they were in later years especially when comparing what used to be low crowded times.

I hear what you're saying with getting good data but I look at it differently. I don't think it will be affected just by capacity changes but also how Disney does FP and how they do lines with staffing and more. It's probably not going to be a good time to compare anyways because we won't know if in the background Disney was changing how they distribute FPs electronically, how they do staffing for rides and everything during the time they didn't have FP. Not to mention this reservation system which is operating like FPs in a sense that it's giving Disney the opportunity to get a feel for who will be in the parks on what days and it locks in people into a specific park. Unfortunately all of this talk I feel will only be relevant for how it was in the past according to people's experiences (valid on both sides to have those experiences). Will it be proof for either side or will it just be something affected by outside factors than just having FP attached to rides I think might be the question.

 

[cakebaker]

The old system was "gutted" to make way for Park Pass. Trying to get the backups of the old FP+ system back in place, have it work well with Park Pass, etc is going to cause issues that need to be tested.

I'm also curious as to how they'll handle the park reservations. Seems they'd have to make some changes to prevent people from reserving FP's for parks they don't have a reservation for. Before, you just had to have a valid ticket. I suppose that could've been done when they set up the reservation system.

 

[Wandering Oaken]

I'm also curious as to how they'll handle the park reservations. Seems they'd have to make some changes to prevent people from reserving FP's for parks they don't have a reservation for. Before, you just had to have a valid ticket. I suppose that could've been done when they set up the reservation system.

The new system will have to have the ability to erase the scheduled FP's when the park is changes in the PP system. The problem I see is what if they park hop? How will the system know they are going to hop and how does it know what park? It would have to limit their FP's to other parks to a time after 2pm.

 

[AnnabelleTheTalkingTree]

The new system will have to have the ability to erase the scheduled FP's when the park is changes in the PP system. The problem I see is what if they park hop? How will the system know they are going to hop and how does it know what park? It would have to limit their FP's to other parks to a time after 2pm.

I wonder if an end to the 2pm hopping rule could come along with an announcement regarding the return of fastpass.

 

[Wandering Oaken]

I wonder if an end to the 2pm hopping rule could come along with an announcement regarding the return of fastpass.

I don't know about that one. Disney has pretty well built that into their park model at this point. There would be endless flipping out if they took that away now.