Paid FP options coming soon to WDW?

[Amy11401]

No news is good news...

Yeah but I feel like they are slowly trickling all the bad news out so we don't get all the bad news all at once.

 

[SaintsManiac]

Yeah but I feel like they are slowly trickling all the bad news out so we don't get all the bad news all at once.

I don’t know which way is worse. I’m exhausted from all these changes. I don’t even care about my upcoming trip right now.

 

[BabybetterDisney]

I don't think anyone thinks they are inherently owed anything. We're just sad how quickly Disney is moving to monetize seemingly everything. We all know it's a business, but we do wonder if it will have a detrimental affect on their future earnings and--more importantly--our own ability to afford and enjoy the parks.

I don't think anyone wants to see it turned into something they won't enjoy or can't afford, even if we do all have somewhat different ideas about what that something is.

None of these discussions are new, at least in general. People have been talking about rising costs and their effects since I've been on this board and I'm sure well before that.

When Disney raise prices for whatever reason or excuse, fewer people will be able to afford it. On the other hand, if the economy goes up, then more people can afford Disney despite rising prices. So the bottom line is really what is Disney's ultimate income? Do they make more by charging more and have fewer people, or charging less and have more people? The balancing point is where Disney will or should be. It may or may not be paid fast passes or huge increase in park tickets or hotel stays or gondolas.

I believe Disney will have paid fastpasses and sharply increased ticket prices and everything else, and have more and more people coming to WDW. They don't need to make more money when they are already raking it in, but they can. And therefore they will.

I myself will avoid the paid fastpasses and just stick to the free ones. Let the whales hand over their money to Disney. Normally, I feel envious when I see rich people being able to afford stuff I can't. But when I go on a ride with a free fastpass while knowing that the other guy paid hundreds for the same thing, I won't feel envious at all. I will feel superior.

 

[Scoobie]

Yeah but I feel like they are slowly trickling all the bad news out so we don't get all the bad news all at once.

This is how I feel just about every day now. Trip planning this year has been way more stressful, just because I'm getting a ,"surprise mutha******!" moment every time I open my laptop. And they're all from Disney. Almost daily. Talk about slow trickle, you weren't kidding!

 

[tinkerhon]

4th FP! ?

 

[Cluelyss]

Because I stopped being able to keep up with this thread a while ago what are people saying about when/how this will roll out, if it comes to be? I keep hearing “before the end of the year.” I have a trip booked in early October, and have worked and reworked the budget, and will be... let’s say “less than happy” if suddenly I’m looking at less FPs, or several hundred dollars added to our trip.

No one knows. If I had to guess, I’d suspect that whatever the new FP “rules” are, they’ll be introduced with the release of 2020 packages this summer, keeping 2019 stays in tact as is. However, I would not be surprised if they “tested” some new things later this year (the ability to buy earlier booking windows or buy guaranteed FPs, etc). But I’d guess any 2019 packages will keep the current 3 free FPs. However, what may be available, for free, is another story....

 

[ecclescake]

We booked our trip for Jan 2020 (coming from UK) before we saw these new paid FP rumours, so it's concerning! We booked on site with a big factor being on site advantages of FP/60 day booking/magic hours, but who knows what we'll end up getting!

 

[evlaina]

No one knows. If I had to guess, I’d suspect that whatever the new FP “rules” are, they’ll be introduced with the release of 2020 packages this summer, keeping 2019 stays in tact as is. However, I would not be surprised if they “tested” some new things later this year (the ability to buy earlier booking windows or buy guaranteed FPs, etc). But I’d guess any 2019 packages will keep the current 3 free FPs. However, what may be available, for free, is another story....

That's what I'm hoping, too. Changing it to a paid system for guests already booked is not a great plan but if they make a huge announcement making it spinning it in a positive way they can release it this summer with 2020 packages.

 

[Mom2Stitch]

No one knows. If I had to guess, I’d suspect that whatever the new FP “rules” are, they’ll be introduced with the release of 2020 packages this summer, keeping 2019 stays in tact as is. However, I would not be surprised if they “tested” some new things later this year (the ability to buy earlier booking windows or buy guaranteed FPs, etc). But I’d guess any 2019 packages will keep the current 3 free FPs. However, what may be available, for free, is another story....

I really hope that you are right. We are part of the group that planned for Labor Day week low-ish crowds, then THE announcement came. Well, ok, we are fairly big SW's fans and Disney veterans, we decided to stick with it and make the best of it. It will be exciting to be there for the opening week.

When I told DH that paid FPs were coming and possibly this year, he just about lost it. IF it comes to be that we have to pay for FPs on this trip, we will likely cancel. Things are ever changing, we know that and while we may not always like it, that's the way it is. We also understand that life's not a fair game. But to throw that kind of a change onto guests who already booked is not good business IMO.

Anyone have ideas about price points? I mean if the CL pilot program is any indication, no thank you for sure! $17 per FP , plus park admission-why not just go back to ticket books?

 

[DGsAtBLT]

I really hope that you are right. We are part of the group that planned for Labor Day week low-ish crowds, then THE announcement came. Well, ok, we are fairly big SW's fans and Disney veterans, we decided to stick with it and make the best of it. It will be exciting to be there for the opening week.

When I told DH that paid FPs were coming and possibly this year, he just about lost it. IF it comes to be that we have to pay for FPs on this trip, we will likely cancel. Things are ever changing, we know that and while we may not always like it, that's the way it is. We also understand that life's not a fair game. But to throw that kind of a change onto guests who already booked is not good business IMO.

Anyone have ideas about price points? I mean if the CL pilot program is any indication, no thank you for sure! $17 per FP , plus park admission-why not just go back to ticket books?

I have no actual info from Disney, but my guess is the CL price point is too low as that is requiring the CL stay to be purchased on top of it.

I’m with you though, at $17 per person per FP, no thanks!

ETA: Maybe we would do it once for a new to us attraction that required it. One time only, and that’s just maybe. No way are we doing it for attractions we have been on before. That’s near $85 for my family of 5.

 

[Cinderumbrella]

This is still a rumor. No time frame has been given. No price point even hinted at. All we are doing is speculating right now. Please don’t panic yet.

 

[DisLiss]

One day Walt Disney had a vision. It was a vision of a place where children and parents could have fun together.

One day Bob Iger had a vision. It was a vision of a place where children and rich parents could have fun together.

LOL! I'll be sure to let DH know that we must be rich. He'll think I've lost my mind, but I'll tell him I read it on the internet so it must be true!

 

[Mom2Stitch]

This is still a rumor. No time frame has been given. No price point even hinted at. All we are doing is speculating right now. Please don’t panic yet.

You are right this is all speculation. I think though the fact that it's a pretty rampant rumor right now is an indicator that something big is coming. With the planning requirements that Disney themselves have put in place, it would just be nice to have the information sooner rather than later. When spending the amount of money on a vacation that is required with Disney the more you know ahead of time the better. For 4 adults at the YC we are spending close to $9,000-which is, honestly, already a foolish amount of money to spend. If my 60 day mark comes around and I have to shell out even more $$ so that I can ride without waiting in line all day, believe me- I'm going to take issue with it.

I'll be happy to take that 9G and see what the rest of Orlando has to offer. I happen to love Universal, would love to do HHN. We could stay at the Royal Pacific with express pass for ALL the rides. A darn nice vacation home with a private pool is not a bad way to go and a lot cheaper.

At some point, no matter how much you love Disney, it just all becomes exhausting.

 

[SaharanTea]

I myself will avoid the paid fastpasses and just stick to the free ones. Let the whales hand over their money to Disney. Normally, I feel envious when I see rich people being able to afford stuff I can't. But when I go on a ride with a free fastpass while knowing that the other guy paid hundreds for the same thing, I won't feel envious at all. I will feel superior.

That's, of course, if included fast passes are even still available.

 

[Sarah1024]

While I don't think anything will be coming soon, if WDW does make the change I'm sure they'll give it plenty of lead time. You can't have resort reservations in place and then change the FP system -- that would be lots of bad publicity. But I could see them offering an additional fee for additional FPs -- you get your promised three, and then after that they cost something. That way may be changing the rules, but it's not an inherent violation of the established guidelines (WDW never promises additional FPs, only the ability to try to get them).

I am not so confident about this. Someone will always have a vacation booked and will be upset. I think they will give a range of 3 to 6 months notice about it (and 6 seems generous, I would count on 3)

 

[Sarah1024]

One day Walt Disney had a vision. It was a vision of a place where children and parents could have fun together.

One day Bob Iger had a vision. It was a vision of a place where children and rich parents could have fun together.

Iger was not the first person to raise admission to DL and WDW. The price has been raising exponentially since the 80's to help cover costs elsewhere, like the studio, in addition to just upkeep at the parks. Going to WDW isn't a right, it's a privilege.

 

[whiporee]

I am not so confident about this. Someone will always have a vacation booked and will be upset. I think they will give a range of 3 to 6 months notice about it (and 6 seems generous, I would count on 3)

I'm as close to certain as I can be that they'll give at least six months. That's the ADR limit, and that's enough time for someone to rebook a vacation of they want to.

But I also don't think they're going to do it at all.

 

[DGsAtBLT]

I'm as close to certain as I can be that they'll give at least six months. That's the ADR limit, and that's enough time for someone to rebook a vacation of they want to.

But I also don't think they're going to do it at all.

If memory serves, there was barely any warning, if any, when changes happened during the FP+ roll out.

I can’t recall how much lead time we had when it was announced that FP+ was coming, but I remember things like tiers appearing out of nowhere, resorts losing the KTTW cards with not much warning during the testing phase, certainly not 6 months, and also not much clarity when guests would call (but what else is new), and the legacy FP machines being removed with not a ton of lead time. Offsite guests also played the wait and see game and it wasn’t known when they would finally get put on the system, some thought they never would. We knew the general direction and that some of these things were inevitable, but not who had trips that would be impacted and how.

I am traveling in the fall and will not be surprised if there are significant changes made anytime without warning from now until the minute we check out. It is what it is. We’ll still be in Disney.

 

[loutoo]

If memory serves, there was barely any warning, if any, when changes happened during the FP+ roll out.

This isn't accurate at all. Mymagic+ took 5 years to develop and an entire year of testing and implementation to roll out. For many months the legacy system and FP+ coexisted side by side.

 

[DGsAtBLT]

This isn't accurate at all. Mymagic+ took 5 years to develop and an entire year of testing and implementation to roll out. For many months the legacy system and FP+ coexisted side by side.

Yes, and there was hardly 6 months warning (or even 1 month, or a week for some) when tiers were implemented, when legacy FP was removed from each park, when certain resorts went KTTW free, when offsite guests were set to book FP in advance, when the rolling FP began, and I’m sure I’m forgetting various major occurrences in the roll out. As guests we could not reliably plan trips around when things would happen. As guests we had no idea about the finer details about how/if things would happen, often until they did.

My point is, Disney has shown previously they don’t give extensive warning when major changes happen, and they can certainly happen within their own booking windows.