Paid FP options coming soon to WDW?

[Cinderumbrella]

Help refresh my memory for how FP+ was implemented? I beta tested it but then it was 5 years until my next trip.

 

[mickeyway]

If they truly want me to pay for the rides after I paid for admission I would probably become one of "those people" You know the person who goes and people watches, hits the rides with no lines and watches the fireworks and parades. I would hit the headliners on freak days when there is a short wait time.

As for my family Disney will lose money as we choose to leave the bubble for food and begin to stay offsite. (we found a great place recently at a fraction of the price and only 5 minutes outside of Animal Kingdom.) But I am just a speck and it will not impact their bottom line at all. But if all us specks begin to step out of the bubble then..... maybe it will affect the park fiances.

 

[Sarah1024]

I would hope so. Provided it's not a massive change to how the system works. They won't support two systems, for example. But if it's tweaking with some add-on costs to do what we already get for free now, I also would hope/expect they will grandfather anyone already booked.

Given people can still get the CLFPs, they need at least to provide 90 days notice. Unless they are going to cancel already booked FPs -- not sure the SW:GE hype could overcome that bad press.

Yes but you can't modify the CL FP's yourself. It's kind of annoying. You have to call DSS and do it. So yes, they can do it. But they're still working in the system. I don't think Disney IT is so great that it would support two different kinds of FP plans, one paid and one not

 

[FSU Girl]

feels like makign it only for certain parks would be an added complexity that isn't really needed. But I could see it being included with Deluxe and then non-deluxe have to pay for it but still get the other perks included (so similar to Universal) and then offsite have to pay and don't get the other perks

BUT then I could see them marketing packages that it includes it ... even at the non-deluxe so that the cost gets buried a bit

I'd rather they bury the cost in the hotel than have me pay separate. I don't really notice if the price of the hotel goes up, but like with the parking fee that drives me nuts I hate the nickle and diming. If it was all rolled into one then I wouldn't really care.

 

[anomamatt]

Yes but you can't modify the CL FP's yourself. It's kind of annoying. You have to call DSS and do it. So yes, they can do it. But they're still working in the system.

Right. My point is that any new system will need at least 90 days of notice. Because people with CLFP will have FPs booked at 90 days.

 

[YesterDark]

I agree that it works well in MK where there are so many rides ... what if you still had that but then could pay $15 and ride FoP with no wait? One of the rumored thoughts is that the pay feature would only be for top tier attractions

Obviously there are a lot of ways this could be negative but trying to keep positive and think of some potential upsides

I'd pay $15 for my family for FOP, not $15 per for all 5 of us.

 

[Sarah1024]

Maybe they'll add the new Smuggler's Run to the Ultimate Day of Thrills VIP tour? No? Wishful thinking?

 

[rteetz]

Maybe they'll add the new Smuggler's Run to the Ultimate Day of Thrills VIP tour? No? Wishful thinking?

Not without a price increase.

 

[PrincessArlena'sDad]

If they implement pay for FP this year, I hope there is a class action attorney paying attention.

I know the MDE TOS covers them, but people do buy their non-refundable tickets, based at least in part on the advertising of the included FP system, prior to agreeing to the TOS! This includes, for example, anyone purchasing the military tickets on base or from SOG.

Plus, this would be such a fundamental change, I'm not so sure that agreeing to the TOS, as currently written, would get Disney off the hook for false advertising.

Imagine if a judge puts an injunction on Disney from implementing pay for FP.....
Nightmare for Disney PR
Dream come true for the class action attorney

 

[anomamatt]

Maybe they'll add the new Smuggler's Run to the Ultimate Day of Thrills VIP tour? No? Wishful thinking?

I do wonder how they are dealing with VIP tours in SW:GE. (And club 33ers with their 16 anytimes a day). Will the FP lines be accessible to them?

 

[rteetz]

If they implement pay for FP this year, I hope there is a class action attorney paying attention.

I know the MDE TOS covers them, but people do buy their non-refundable tickets, based at least in part on the advertising of the included FP system, prior to agreeing to the TOS! This includes, for example, anyone purchasing the military tickets on base or from SOG.

Plus, this would be such a fundamental change, I'm not so sure that agreeing to the TOS, as currently written, would get Disney off the hook for false advertising.

Imagine if a judge puts an injunction on Disney from implementing pay for FP.....
Nightmare for Disney PR
Dream come true for the class action attorney

Personally I don’t see Disney not winning that case. Disney puts these things in their terms and is a business that can make changes when it wants.

 

[foodiddiedoo]

Help refresh my memory for how FP+ was implemented? I beta tested it but then it was 5 years until my next trip.

Wasn't it linked to being provided Magic Bands as an early adopter? I Beta tested on a trip and remember being SUPER annoyed that after we used our 3 pre-booked fast passes (which we couldn't change ourselves and needed to have someone in the park with an ipad or go to a kiosk to change) we were not allowed to get any paper fast passes. So essentially we were capped at 3 each day and unable to do more. When surveyed I made sure to point that out as the biggest downfall. Next time we went, that cap was eliminated.

 

[DisLiss]

I am not sure this will be a nightmare. It ALL depends on how they implement it.
I paid money for that old Park Hopper Express bus .. a convenience that did nothing but save me time for hopping between DHS and MK. Worth EVERY penny. I saved probably 90+ minutes.

By the way, I so wish hopper bus would come back.

Oh how I wish they would bring that back!!! A

And that bus is the kind of thing that I think works better for Disney in terms of making more money, saving people time, while NOT coming across as seeming greedy. Because they were charging us for a new and optional time-saving device and we were happy to pay it. But because FPs are not new, and they have always been free, and they seem like a necessity for many people, it comes across in a much more negative way for many people if Disney monetizes the current FPs instead of adding anew option that we can buy if we want.

 

[PrincessV]

Are we seeing this paid FP idea right now partially because none of the supposed people eaters are actually... eating people?

I think that's a distinct possibility. I'm not a numbers person, but I've been a WDW regular since the early 90s, so I've seen high crowds, low crowds, no FP, OG FP, FP+, recessions, and economic booms. To me, the most noticeable change after FP+ was
instituted was how many more people there have been milling about in open spaces in the parks, regardless of total attendance in the park. Not in ride queues, not in shops or restaurants, just hanging around, waiting for he next FP, I assume. It's completely changed the flow of traffic, and in many spots, eliminated flow altogether. Anecdotally, I feel like FP/FP+ engineered a desire to only hit the rides that use FP, leaving some of the "people eaters" emptier than they used to be. I think this is an unintended psychological phenomenon that makes parks feel more "crowded" than they actually are. Can changes to FP+ change that? I'm not so sure, TBH.

I can't believe some people say a fp will cost between $25-50 per person. OMG, how many people would pay that amount for 1 ride for their family???

The suggestion people would be happy paying $25 a ride for a fastpass, is insane. Imagine a family paying $100 extra for every ride!

Y'all are not alone. There is absolutely no way I could afford to pay for FPs, ever, even if I wanted to. It's not even a question for me: it's a hard no.

 

[DisLiss]

If they truly want me to pay for the rides after I paid for admission I would probably become one of "those people" You know the person who goes and people watches, hits the rides with no lines and watches the fireworks and parades. I would hit the headliners on freak days when there is a short wait time.

As for my family Disney will lose money as we choose to leave the bubble for food and begin to stay offsite. (we found a great place recently at a fraction of the price and only 5 minutes outside of Animal Kingdom.) But I am just a speck and it will not impact their bottom line at all. But if all us specks begin to step out of the bubble then..... maybe it will affect the park fiances.

For every speck that leaves another one, two, or few arrive at WDW for the first time, and that's why they don't care if we leave.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

I'd rather they bury the cost in the hotel than have me pay separate. I don't really notice if the price of the hotel goes up, but like with the parking fee that drives me nuts I hate the nickle and diming. If it was all rolled into one then I wouldn't really care.

I think a lot of people would feel that way ... especially with what Disney charges for their hotel rooms, to have these extras as fees on top of that is tough to take. Just up the price by 5% and people wouldn't know/wouldn't complain

Now when it is more discount hotels then it is easier to justify the extra charges and people can decide to pay them or not (and some people do like that, getting to choose whup enhancements they want and only paying for those) but when paying a premium you shoudln't get nickel and dimed above that

 

[PrincessArlena'sDad]

Personally I don’t see Disney not winning that case. Disney puts these things in their terms and is a business that can make changes when it wants.

Where are the terms that say anything about FP prior to purchasing tickets? When I went to purchase my military tickets, before paying, I was given a brochure on FP+ that specifically said "included."

Even with packages, these are the T&C regarding FP:


Note: it says FP "selections" can be changed or cancelled. Nothing about the ability to make FP, or the fact that their inclusion is at no additional charge, can be changed. Therefore, they are bound to honor their advertising.

 

[YesterDark]

It's the same mentality as the Disney Dining Plan. People like a prepaid vacation package for the most part. If you're staying on site, you should get the perks of doing so. If you're constantly making $20-$100 decision all day long for rides, it's just going to stress people out and piss people off. No one likes to tell their cranky kids no because Disney is asking for another wad of cash.

 

[crvetter]

Help refresh my memory for how FP+ was implemented? I beta tested it but then it was 5 years until my next trip.

Wasn't it linked to being provided Magic Bands as an early adopter? I Beta tested on a trip and remember being SUPER annoyed that after we used our 3 pre-booked fast passes (which we couldn't change ourselves and needed to have someone in the park with an ipad or go to a kiosk to change) we were not allowed to get any paper fast passes. So essentially we were capped at 3 each day and unable to do more. When surveyed I made sure to point that out as the biggest downfall. Next time we went, that cap was eliminated.

December 18, 2013 for AK
January 14, 21 and 23, 2014 for MK, Epcot, HS

I'm pretty sure those are the official release dates

 

[foodiddiedoo]

December 18, 2013 for AK
January 14, 21 and 23, 2014 for MK, Epcot, HS

I'm pretty sure those are the official release dates

I was there Jan 14 for the Marathon weekend.