Wanna buy a Fastpass? It will cost ya $50

[bryanb]

Club level at hotels (Disney or otherwise) is usually not a rational decision (although I'd love to find a deal that @Hikergirl mentions). Meaning that few people will consume enough beer, wine, cheese, and spring rolls to break even on the upcharge. And in this case, it's not even included with Disney's most expensive rooms... you have to pay another $50 per day and per person.

I don't blame Disney at all for trying this though. Their most profitable guests have demanded new ways to spend money time and time again. They're insatiable in what they're willing to spend. If Disney didn't try new ways to upcharge the most spendy guests, I would really have concerns about their management prowess.

For those who are worried that this will become the new norm, I wouldn't worry that much. Smart businesses find ways to maximize the profit from every tier of consumer until they run out of capacity. This offer is for the top 1% of guests (possibly literally). If it works, then maybe it will expand, but I don't see it competing too much with the free FP+ system any time soon.

 

[bumbershoot]

Once again, Disney throwing something out there without thought or planning, because I'd bet good money they don't really know what their going to allow either.

The only thing that surprises me is that they've waited this long to test this.

I’m willing to throw Disney under the “5 minutes of thinking before implementing isn’t enough but is par for the course” bus, but Disneyland has had the paid maxpass since the summer.

They’ve been thinking about it and have tested it. Just not at World.

 

[Nancyg56]

If this stays as just a club level perk then fair enough, it won't really effect anyone as the number of people will be so small but I personally feel they are just using club level for the tests.

I'm not against them offering more fast passes for money as Disney are a business and I'm surprised this hasn't been done before.

It would be really handy for 2019 when Star Wars land opens and with a 90 day booking window, that guarntees you'll be on the ride but me personally, I don't know if there's enough benefit for me. Tying it to a minimum of 3 days stay sucks too

I agree. I bet that the more folks complain about the inequality of this, the more resorts that will be included in this.

Club level rooms are currently a very tiny block. This won’t crowd out 60-dayers unless they widen this beyond club level.

I think that it will unless the whole thing is a total bust at this point.

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

Ok, got it, thanks. Interesting thought. I don’t know much about DVC or how it works but I’d be tempted to think the opposite - if you’re there on points Disney has already made the money on your stay, here’s a chance to get in your pocket again! Sort of like the paid lounge thing at WL.

All of this is very interesting...

Good point... I like it!!

 

[MickeyWaffles]

I hate having a schedule at WDW (3 pre-booked FP and maybe an ADR is definitely enough scheduled stuff for me.) The extra 30 days is a nice perk for booking top attractions, though. I wouldn’t pay $50 per person per day for it though.

We are DVC owners and I am the most interested to see if people staying in the cabins or bungalows on points will get this offer or just people paying cash.

 

[AceVac]

I hate having a schedule at WDW (3 pre-booked FP and maybe an ADR is definitely enough scheduled stuff for me.) The extra 30 days is a nice perk for booking top attractions, though. I wouldn’t pay $50 per person per day for it though.

We are DVC owners and I am the most interested to see if people staying in the cabins or bungalows on points will get this offer or just people paying cash.

We are DVC as well, I called and the rep said based on his information the cabins and bungalows are elgible. Other DVC members are reporting other reps not knowing at all so I would expect in a few days or so they will provide more clarity.

 

[DisneyWishes14]

I think there are very few people who stay CL often/every trip. But there are a lot of people who splurge and stay CL for special occasions. We are “regular” people and we stayed CL last trip (at WL)...it was my son’s first trip (18 months old) and the ability to get breakfast and dinner in the lounge was valuable to us, as was having a nice place my DH and I could switch off relaxing after he went to bed. A discounted WL CL room can actually cost less than a rack rate room at the Poly or GF. My husband really liked staying CL. I can see us doing it again someday, especially if we can get a discount.

Yes, to this! WL standard CL (with a discount!) is the best bang for your CL buck on WDW property, IMHO. We stayed WL CL standard view in August at a very good discount and, yes, it was cheaper than staying in a standard room at Poly. As I've stated before, if we did this and it then replaced the dessert parties we tend to book, it could actually be a better plan for us. Not to mention, if those premium alcove rooms at the Swan/Dolphin are included, you can get those, sometimes, with a very good discount and the layout of those rooms works very well for us. Plus, we don't use DME, so it wouldn't cost us extra to add transportation. I am very intrigued by this, but, yes, I will be crunching the numbers and looking for the best CL or Swan/Dolphin deal I can find. I am more apt to do this if we are staying WL CL or Swan at a discount. I won't be booking GF RPC any time soon!

 

[mickeyluv'r]

Look at that list.................how many of us will ever stay at this level..........at these resorts? I'm sure there are some but I'd be surprised if 10% of the folks who commented here have or intend to stay at this level.

It depends how you look at CL, and what the current 'deal' is. I'll start by saying we've stayed at every level of WDW hotel, and almost always with a 'discount' of some kind. There have been times where CL made sense for us. Current CL Easter pricing at GF is $1212/night with tax. I won't pay anything close to THAT price!!!

Also, (not the person I quoted, but this general thread) DISers always seem to forget about BUSINESS/CONVENTION guests. On any given week, a SIGNIFNCANT portion of CL guests are folks who are at WDW for WORK. Mostly, they are too busy working into the evening to go to the parks. The cost of the room is a business write-off, so CL makes sense. (I've also always imagined that CL might be part of the package offered to CEO's who book conventions for 1,000 folks, but I don't know.)

For two people, CL rarely makes sense, IMO. But CL is often only $150/day over a non-CL room at the deluxe hotels. With 4 or 5 people per room...that's $34- $42 per day, per person.

In short, CL= about half your food for the day, plus beer/wine. The dining plan currently costs $75/day, so CL can be comparable to any onsite eating combination, if you are staying at a deluxe.

Right now, during value season a non-CL room at CR w/discount+ tax = $639/night, CL same view = $808/night. (that's MUCH higher than just a few years ago!) But still, adding CL is only $169 more per night incl tax. Divide that among 5 people, and the difference is $34/day.

At AKL, the difference between CL and non-CL is $547/$632, is only $85/day, including taxes. (though I don't really see availability left w/current discount promo). Still, divide $85 by 4 people, that's only $21 per person per day. It isn't hard to eat $21 worth of food from the CL every day.

A Mara/AoA contintental breakfast of: muffin ($3.29), juice ($4.29). latte ($3.79), fruit cup $3.99 (don't see fruit listed online Mara menu ), then breakfast alone is $16. Add a bottled beer/glass of wine at $7.50-10, and you've gone over $21.

The real bonus of CL though is that you don't have to deal with those nasty refillable mugs! CL guests get real coffee cups!

Now on the flip side.....

CL used to ALSO include an extra level of service every day, but paying staff costs WDW quite a bit extra every day. For example, CL guests used to be able to bypass the front desk lines, but now everyone can bypass the front desk.

So the folks who used to stay CL aren't quite as eager to pay the CL upcharge if they are no longer getting front door service.

And well, this isn't the first time WDW has experimented new perks with CL guests. Just for a start, CL is an easy place for a chef to try a new menu item. A chef can make up a try ro two, instead of making it for 100's of folks all at once.

And don't forget those business guests....If they DO go to park, they probably only have a few hours.

 

[Ronferr80]

So I am going in April and staying club level in the Poly. (first ever stay club level!!). I have three kids (ages 8,6,2). Last year we went during April Vacation and it was extremely crowded but we still had an amazing time but definitely didn't ride all the rides we wanted to.... Epcot for example I pre-booked FEA because i heard it was impossible to do that which my kids loved but there was no additional fastpasses for test track or soarin so we were unable to experience that.

As I'm planning this years trip I have already pre-booked tomorrowland desert party w/ plaza garden viewing, and another desert party for star wars galatic nights and am waiting to see if they open up the FEA desert party because obviously my kids want to go on that again as well as test track and soarin and its tough to figure out how to do everything with those fast pass tiers....

My point to all this is realistically if this new program is how they describe i'm already almost paying that amount so in turn can book the extra fastpasses, maybe get a good view of the shows, and i'm not spending that much more then I already was going to......

I know there are plans out there, rope dropping, shuffling fast passes, and I've done some research but its tough to really maximize your time with 3 young kids. I love it don't get me wrong but I do think this will simplify some things for SOME FAMILIES

Thank you for taking the time to read this and I guess my whole point to this is while there are a lot of unknowns, wish the price would be less, wish there wouldn't be a three day minimum, but I really don't believe this option is any different from any other Luxury add on, vip tour, desert party, that Disney already offers

Again I will talk to Disney Services on Friday and let everyone know all the details and as it stands I'm really considering trying it out (guess I'll be the guinea pig)

 

[ArwenMarie]

700 Club Level rooms now

Until they convert more and more rooms to Club Level

 

[Magic_Man]

Just a few musings. Take them for what they are worth.

• For those who say that the impact will be limited due to the total number of Club Level Rooms....according to my research there are 762 such rooms not including the Swan and Dolphin. Those hotels probably take it up close to 900+. Is that a small number? I'll bet it is more than you were thinking.
• FPs are a finite commodity. Every single FP that is purchased by a Club Level person is one less FP taken out of circulation to the masses. It seems impossible to believe that anyone would pay for extra FPs unless they intend to use them for the hardest to obtain attractions, and frankly those can be counted on one hand. I guess it will be two hands once Star Wars comes on line. So if FPs for the most sought-after attractions are finite, and the vast majority of purchased FPs are earmarked for the most sought-after attractions, it seems impossible that no impact will be detected.
• Hard to imagine that this is ever going to be limited to just Club Level guests if money is involved. Probably more of a pilot study. I can easily see guests at the new Star Wars hotel (Club Level or not) being offered more FPs at DHS (or whatever the name of the park is by then) so that they can load up on SW rides. People who pay $700 to stay in a Star Wars hotel are going to be easy pickings for added revenue for Star Wars-related stuff.

 

[KrazeeK120]

700 Club Level rooms now

Until they convert more and more rooms to Club Level

I don’t think they’ll do that. The lounges aren’t equipped to handle very large numbers of guests.

I think they are starting with a small pool to see how it goes, and they’ll adjust from there.

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

700 Club Level rooms now

Until they convert more and more rooms to Club Level

I guess anything is possible. I doubt it. Doubt the demand will go up enough with this to justify it.

 

[Magic_Man]

I don’t think they’ll do that. The lounges aren’t equipped to handle very large numbers of guests.

Way too small of a sample size to be meaningful, but the one time that we were in the Club Level (at the Contemporary) was because we got "pixie dust upgraded" upon arrival. We went to the lounge every evening for desserts and fireworks except for the one night when we dined at the California Grill. We were a party of four. Average number of people in the lounge each night to watch the fireworks? About 6.

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

For those who say that the impact will be limited due to the total number of Club Level Rooms....according to my research there are 762 such rooms not including the Swan and Dolphin. Those hotels probably take it up close to 900+. Is that a small number? I'll bet it is more than you were thinking.

Yes. That’s a very small number given how many total rooms, total guests on any given day. Completely negligible.

 

[Magic_Man]

Yes. That’s a very small number given how many total rooms, total guests on any given day. Completely negligible.

The only metric that matters is how the number of guests that occupy those rooms compares to the total number of available FPs for the hardest to get attractions. Right now, if you pay extra for FPs, there is an almost 100% chance that you are going to buy one for FoP. So is 2,000 FPs a day for FoP a material number? I don't know.

 

[ArwenMarie]

I don’t think they’ll do that. The lounges aren’t equipped to handle very large numbers of guests.

I think they are starting with a small pool to see how it goes, and they’ll adjust from there.

They can make new lounges. Take a hotel room, convert it, stick some potato chips and soda in it. Done.

 

[AceVac]

So I am going in April and staying club level in the Poly. (first ever stay club level!!). I have three kids (ages 8,6,2). Last year we went during April Vacation and it was extremely crowded but we still had an amazing time but definitely didn't ride all the rides we wanted to.... Epcot for example I pre-booked FEA because i heard it was impossible to do that which my kids loved but there was no additional fastpasses for test track or soarin so we were unable to experience that.

As I'm planning this years trip I have already pre-booked tomorrowland desert party w/ plaza garden viewing, and another desert party for star wars galatic nights and am waiting to see if they open up the FEA desert party because obviously my kids want to go on that again as well as test track and soarin and its tough to figure out how to do everything with those fast pass tiers....

My point to all this is realistically if this new program is how they describe i'm already almost paying that amount so in turn can book the extra fastpasses, maybe get a good view of the shows, and i'm not spending that much more then I already was going to......

I know there are plans out there, rope dropping, shuffling fast passes, and I've done some research but its tough to really maximize your time with 3 young kids. I love it don't get me wrong but I do think this will simplify some things for SOME FAMILIES

Thank you for taking the time to read this and I guess my whole point to this is while there are a lot of unknowns, wish the price would be less, wish there wouldn't be a three day minimum, but I really don't believe this option is any different from any other Luxury add on, vip tour, desert party, that Disney already offers

Again I will talk to Disney Services on Friday and let everyone know all the details and as it stands I'm really considering trying it out (guess I'll be the guinea pig)

Im with you, I think this is an excellent offering for SOME guests.

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

The only metric that matters is how the number of guests that occupy those rooms compares to the total number of available FPs for the hardest to get attractions. Right now, if you pay extra for FPs, there is an almost 100% chance that you are going to buy one for FoP. So is 2,000 FPs a day for FoP a material number? I don't know.

They appear to have blocks for FP — 60day, 30day, sameday (at minimum). This would add a 90day block. They can allocate those however they want, and adjust whenever they want, obviously.

Don’t know if someone has estimated number of FP for any given high-demand ride like FoP. If so, someone will post it here I’m sure...
—————
ETA: NOPE ON BLOCKS, but yes, they most likely have that capability in the system. Just as they recently were releasing sameday FoP FPs At seemingly set times each day (ended now, apparently).

 

[DGsAtBLT]

When we first found out about FP+ what seems like ages ago now, I remember people were adamant that Disney would never move to monetizing it at all, despite that being the fear of many of ours.

I think this isnt just a test but the first steps towards a larger plan to monetize anything above the initial 3. I can’t say I would be surprised to see this option to purchase and to book earlier move to all deluxe resorts, or even property wide, to create another onsite perk that costs Disney nothing.