Disney's Fast Pass is not free anymore !

[pussnboots]

Originally Posted by KevinYee

You're forgetting something. The lines won't *BE* 90 minutes for Big Thunder in a world where there is no FP in the park. (or, as good as no FP, because the only ride reservation system is too expensive for most folks).

With all due respect, I have to wonder if that notion isn't just a little exaggerated. First, because I remember a world without FastPass, and Big Thunder Mountain in Paris certainly had hour-long lines then too. Second, because it's difficult to imagine wait times quadrupling the day FastPass was installed without some sort of public reaction.

[KevinYee]

FastPass introduction may be instantaneous, but adoption certainly wasn't. As a weekly visitor to Disney parks since 1987, I've seen the complete range of reactions since 1999 when FP was introduced, and it's only been recently that everyone truly understands that you MUST use FP to avoid being taken advantage of. (even then, it's not 100% of the visiting population). So the transition to the FP world has been gradual.

As for what lines were like before FP, agreed that the "big, new, summer" ride for the year has always had two hour lines. But if you were to transport to 1998 to Anaheim, one year before FP became available, you would find no two-hour lines. You'd see 30 minute waits on the big Mountain rides (sometimes forty, sometimes twenty), but a reasonably spread out wait time everywhere else across the park.

This isn't just conjecture. I've literally visited a Disney theme park twice a week since 1987 - some 1200 visits in all - and it's plain to see that FP has fundamentally altered the way things work. And not for the better, except for those who visit so often they are fine with obtaining a FP and only riding one ride that day. I'm fully aware that my own, weekly-visiting habits benefit most from a
FP-enabled world, but I still think FP should be abolished. I want the Disney park visitors to have a good time, not a bad time at my expense.

[pussnboots]

Originally Posted by fizzog

As much as I can see these arguments for FP, as pussnboots rightly says, personally, I'd rather have it around. In fact, I can't imagine a DLRP trip without it. To be honest, in my admittedly comparatively limited experience, the only line I've ever been unhappy with at the resort is Crush, and that's a capacity thing not a FP thing, [...]

Yes, Crush has the worst queue in the resort. Let's hope they'll replace the unavoidable outside part with something more interesting one day. The industrial-style, utilitarian maze queue is one thing on a ride like Phantom Manor, where you're actually moving the whole time, but with Crush's capacity...

[SCUBAbe]

Originally Posted by KevinYee

You're forgetting something. The lines won't *BE* 90 minutes for Big Thunder in a world where there is no FP in the park. (or, as good as no FP, because the only ride reservation system is too expensive for most folks).

I don't agree with this at all. I remember disneyland pre fast pass and the lines were always crazy long...much longer than they are now.

[simmer]

I'm confused here. If I go to the Paris Resort, do I have to pay to use the FastPass system period?

[DOOM BGI]

This thread title is misleading. According to the OP, nothing is changing about FP in DLRP except that an extra, unlimited FP will now be offered to resort guests willing to pay 100€/day.

Kevin Yee is right, there there is nothing wrong with this concept and it is in lock-step with everything Disney has offered in the past: pay more and you get more. It is a great option for those who don't visit DLRP that often and want a premium experience and are willing to pay for it. By making the price exceptional, they not only increase their profit margin... they keep the number of guests using this option low enough to not impact the experience of the "regular guest" who is only using one FP at a time. Makes perfect sense to me, sounds like a win-win situation. If they made it, let's say only 10.00€ instead of 100€, it might be a problem. But I don't think the number of guests paying for this option is going to make a noticeable difference. I mean it really is quite expensive; it's more than the actual park ticket!

I think they already have implemented this unique FP in the US parks: you can opt to get an special "unlimited" FP on your birthday, no? But you have to give up the free Birthday GC (or ticket), so it is going to cost you $69/$71. Also, I think some AAA vacation packages offer a similar FP perk (or did in the past).

I don't see what everyone is complaining about, it won't affect your experience at all from what it is now. The only question is whether they will implement this where they really need it: Tokyo!!

[SCUBAbe]

Originally Posted by simmer

I'm confused here. If I go to the Paris Resort, do I have to pay to use the FastPass system period?

it sounds like unlimited cost, but maybe the regular ones are still free.

[Goover]

I thought I just read a thread a few months ago saying how Disney should remove the FP or make it have cash value.

And now we are all upset. :confused:

[EpTxGuy]

Originally Posted by Stitchy

Disappointing. Lets hope it never catches on in the states.

In one way it already has. If you can afford to stay at the Disney Resort, you can get early admission and extra hours at the park. If you're at Motel 6 in the next town or driving in for a day visit, you don't. Money has it's privledges, and always will. But I don't mind, I'm just glad to be able to visit the park as often as I do. I sort of enjoy my time in line, discussing what we just rode on, or planning which attraction will be next. It's also great to meet new people in line....I guess I just like to make lemonaid out of lemons. It's part of the Disney experience. I don't have to "Gumball Rally it and try to ride everything in one day, that way I always have a reason to come back soon.

Oh, and I'm not an APer. I live in West Texas, typically visit for appox 4 days at a time every two years or so and stay at an discount hotel down the street. Life is short, enjoy the ride (and the wait in line for that ride )

[fizzog]

But I just can't see DLRP's lines (I know nothing of DLR) being radically shortened by fast pass, I just can't see it. I can see them lengthened, because every person that gets FP, however much quicker the queue may move, would then go in the stand-by line, and then it's back to square one. Also, BTM queues will always be big because it is the ultimate Disney ride, thrilling, suitable for kids, I mean in '92 (admittedly there were less attractions) the queues were insane! And for the record, the only very lengthy queue I've experienced a problem with is indeed BTM. SM is often very bearable at many points, IJ usually great, R'n'RC no problem, POTC fantastic. Maybe Dumbo or Peter Pan, but they're just popular attractions, always will be, just like BTM. Dumbo has no FP, and we're talking 90min queues. I just wouldn't want to queue like that for an attraction, and queue lengths would still be that long on some attractions.

[SpaceDad]

Originally Posted by Goover

I thought I just read a thread a few months ago saying how Disney should remove the FP or make it have cash value.

And now we are all upset. :confused:

There is a small percent of people who think the FP system should be removed. They either don't understand how to use it, or don't like putting in the effort to use it right, so they complain about it being there at all. I understand part of their complaint, but in general I know I go on more rides now with fastpass then before fastpass.

[Dustysage]

Originally Posted by SCUBAbe

I don't agree with this at all. I remember disneyland pre fast pass and the lines were always crazy long...much longer than they are now.

Actually, standby lines are much worse now on attractions with FastPass. There is no disputing that. And if the whole goal of this program is simply for Disney to further gouge customers and make lines even longer for those who can't afford to pay, then I hope they get rid of FastPass all together.

I'm preparing information about the horrors of this pay for play system for the media as we speak. I'm absolutely furious that Disney is moving forward with this program. And we should all make our voices clear so this program does not further spread.

I understand that Disney is a business and has a right to charge whatever they want for admission into the parks. However, there are some things that go beyond business into the realm of abuse of power and this is one of those things.

If they want to make Disney Parks a place for just the rich, then they deserve our scorn.

This is just sickening corporate greed in the worst possible way and WILL hurt the image of Disney's brand.

-Dusty

[fizzog]

I think that's a bit out of hand, there's no difference between pay-for FP options and early magic hours - this isn't a permenant system, and I'm not adding a 'yet' because we don't know. You got more money, you get to ride top attractions before anyone else. Same principle as a pay-for FP option. You buy shares? You get special priveleges. Same principle. Disney, in a way, is for the super rich already, I mean it's bloomin' expensive. Businesses are full of this, look at The Disney Vault (don't get me started) - everything is geared to getting richer people to spend more money, so why should FP cause such a fuss? Because it was free to begin with?

[fiyero]

Originally Posted by SpaceDad

There is a small percent of people who think the FP system should be removed. They either don't understand how to use it, or don't like putting in the effort to use it right, so they complain about it being there at all. I understand part of their complaint, but in general I know I go on more rides now with fastpass then before fastpass.

From the posts on this thread I haven't seen people complaining that they don't know how to use it but complaining about the side affects.
If a person is not stood in a queue for 1 hour because they have fast pass they are doing something else, which means they are theoritically in 2 queues at once so each queue is longer rather than just one queue being longer.

Let's say BTM has a capacity of 300 people per hour. At 9:00 100 people join the standby queue, 100 people get fastpass and 100 get fastpass then straightaway join the standby queue too. That last 100 are now in the queue twice so anyone joining the queue now has 400 riders ahead of them even though there are only 200 people in the queue and only actually 300 people! Confused yet?

If you are smart and use fastpass well you will have a better day than you would with no fastpass but the capacity of the rides is finite, the total attendance at the park will not get more rides than they would without fastpass.

Personally I quite like fastpass as when I go it is pretty quiet anyway and I can make a judgement at each ride whether or not to use it. I hate fastpass at Buzz Lightyear as you still have to queue through the whole indoor area!

[Disney_Dad]

The least attractive aspect of FP for me is having to deal with the seething mob at the FP machines. Being part of a huge number of people being funnelled through a narrow space is not a fun situation to be in. I speak here of the experience at DLRP. I don't know what things are like at the other parks.

Having said this I do appreciate the benefits of the system, particularly when faced with a 90 minute standby line at Big Thunder, which seemed to me to be just as long before FP was introduced.