Rumor: FP (or virtual queue) return

[Ariel620]

According to this article, Disney's website indicates FP may return in Jan 2021, but I can't find it on Disney's website. Can anyone else?

https://chipandco.com/fastpass-returning-to-walt-disney-world-in-january-403076/

 

[rteetz]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1307786156797554689

 

[JETSDAD]

Here's the page but it just seems to be an outdated page from last year.

https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/en_CA/events-tours/new-year-new-experiences/

 

[mercuryvenus]

I was coming here to see if anyone had any info about FP returning. We’re going in late January. I heard they’re adding 2,000 guests a week to the capacity, so it seems like they’re quickly getting to the point where they’ll have to bring FP back. The lines are starting to get long again (nothing like they usually are, but a good 60-80 min for the popular rides). Seems like bringing back FP would be a decent idea.

 

[rteetz]

I was coming here to see if anyone had any info about FP returning. We’re going in late January. I heard they’re adding 2,000 guests a week to the capacity, so it seems like they’re quickly getting to the point where they’ll have to bring FP back. The lines are starting to get long again (nothing like they usually are, but a good 60-80 min for the popular rides). Seems like bringing back FP would be a decent idea.

Disney removed this old info from their website. I wouldn’t anticipate it coming back.

 

[Stacybaeasm]

I understand they are using some of the fast pass lines to aid in social distancing for the stand by lines. If that is true, it will be awhile before they convert to fast pass lines again.

 

[Rusty2rules]

Disney removed this old info from their website. I wouldn’t anticipate it coming back.

Do you see FP coming back as a paid option possibly? That's my prediction. If you don't see FP coming back, do you foresee any kind of replacement? Do you think they implement virtual boarding groups similar to RotR for most if not all the rides? Something else?

 

[rteetz]

Do you see FP coming back as a paid option possibly? That's my prediction. If you don't see FP coming back, do you foresee any kind of replacement? Do you think they implement virtual boarding groups similar to RotR for most if not all the rides? Something else?

I definitely think anything is on the table. I see more virtual queue usage coming too.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

I definitely think anything is on the table. I see more virtual queue usage coming too.

I feel like for FP and especially VQ to work they need more things for people to do when they are not in line. Wiht most of the shows closed and character meets and no parades to wait around for, etc., the standby queues are needed jusst for a place for the people to be and free up the walking paths

Maybe some super limited FP as a perk for staying on site - or maybe even offering paid FP and you have to be staying on property to be able to buy it - could come to help motivate people to stay on property but it woudl have to be scaled way back compared to "normal" times - at least until they can open more things

 

[tlmadden73]

I don't think FP+ will be coming back in its old form until it is needed from increased capacity/demand. Right now they only reason queues are "long" is because of the social distancing rules --- FP+ doesn't really help that as it would just make the standby lines even longer and thus you'd be stacking more people milling about, inside, in queues (which is the unsafe part - not riding on a ride for a few minutes).
Besides .. having FP+ again means that every ride would have to have additional cast members manning the touch points, additional guest services to help with questions/technical problems and they probably want to be operating at a bare minimum staff levels for a while.

That being said .. I could see Disney using the "artificially" long queues (due to the social distancing measures) .. which makes the queue times really long relative to the actual crowd size ... which increases demand for a "skip the line" pass .. which means some people would be willing to pay a price for one ... despite the lower than normal crowds. Making lemonade out of lemons I guess?

If Disney is desperate to get people into their resorts and just discounts aren't cutting it, I could see them bringing it back for on-site guests only to drive people to stay on-site.

 

[mattpeto]

I don't think FP+ will be coming back in its old form until it is needed from increased capacity/demand. Right now they only reason queues are "long" is because of the social distancing rules --- FP+ doesn't really help that as it would just make the standby lines even longer and thus you'd be stacking more people milling about, inside, in queues (which is the unsafe part - not riding on a ride for a few minutes).
Besides .. having FP+ again means that every ride would have to have additional cast members manning the touch points, additional guest services to help with questions/technical problems and they probably want to be operating at a bare minimum staff levels for a while.

That being said .. I could see Disney using the "artificially" long queues (due to the social distancing measures) .. which makes the queue times really long relative to the actual crowd size ... which increases demand for a "skip the line" pass .. which means some people would be willing to pay a price for one ... despite the lower than normal crowds. Making lemonade out of lemons I guess?

If Disney is desperate to get people into their resorts and just discounts aren't cutting it, I could see them bringing it back for on-site guests only to drive people to stay on-site.

It's definitely going to get interesting...I kind of thought nothing was going to get added until Florida gave DW free reign to increase capacity. Now all bets are off, for what could happen next.

Disney will have to make an adjustment at some point. They have to add additional experiences (shows, safe meet and greets, etc.) if capacity rises and there is equal demand.

Adding additional park hours and the Frozen Sing Along were the first major concessions (where expenses rise to meet guest satisfaction). They need audience eaters or they are going to get some angry guests who expected shorter lines to compensate for lesser Disney experience.

I almost think FP+ overall is dead for the rest of the year. And when it comes back it will be different...

They were utilizing the FP+ queue to spread and maintain social distancing IRRC. So nothing would be imminent without redoing it all.

 

[Rush]

I feel like many of the comments here are made out of speculation and not from actually experiencing the park and ride lines during this crazy time.

Having just returned from an 8 night stay at the Poly, I can say how it was last week, but I feel like it is constantly a fluid situation and changes are coming often. Each day we seemed to notice changes from the previous day, from line location to cleaning protocol.

For the most part the FP lines are not being used to further socially distance the standby lines. I can’t say that none are, but most are still being used for entry to the rides by DAS and rider switch.

Also, it’s not just physical lines that are long, you only need to stalk MDE to see wait times are getting longer. We ditched MK on Saturday because the wait times were just too much and the Lava Pool was calling. That said, we did notice that wait times were consistently over inflated. MMRR was advertising 105 and 95 min the two times we rode it. We waited 75 and 55 min. That’s just one example.

I don’t know what the answer is, but they are noticeably increasing capacity, people will grow tired of no FP or at least a VQ, I’d say a lot of people find that to be a major reason to stay on property. But I also agree less waiting in lines floods the park with more people with no where to go. It’s a tough situation to solve, no doubt.

 

[Jrb1979]

I feel like many of the comments here are made out of speculation and not from actually experiencing the park and ride lines during this crazy time.

Having just returned from an 8 night stay at the Poly, I can say how it was last week, but I feel like it is constantly a fluid situation and changes are coming often. Each day we seemed to notice changes from the previous day, from line location to cleaning protocol.

For the most part the FP lines are not being used to further socially distance the standby lines. I can’t say that none are, but most are still being used for entry to the rides by DAS and rider switch.

Also, it’s not just physical lines that are long, you only need to stalk MDE to see wait times are getting longer. We ditched MK on Saturday because the wait times were just too much and the Lava Pool was calling.

I don’t know what the answer is, but they are noticeably increasing capacity, people will grow tired of no FP or at least a VQ, I’d say a lot of people find that to be a major reason to stay on property. But I also agree less waiting in lines floods the park with more people with no where to go. It’s a tough situation to solve, no doubt.

The answer is a paid FP system. Its been rumoured to be changing to a paid FP now.

 

[Rush]

The answer is a paid FP system. Its been rumoured to be changing to a paid FP now.

Yes, but I don’t think it’s as simple as that. People paying $500+ a night to stay on property might argue they have paid enough to get that FP+ benefit, and they’d be right. I know there is a possibility they could keep FP+ for on property guests, especially for the deluxe resorts, similar to Universal, but that would come at a cost to the more local AP holders. I guess what I really meant, no matter how they solve it they are going to upset a certain group of people, or many groups of people.

 

[mattpeto]

I feel like many of the comments here are made out of speculation and not from actually experiencing the park and ride lines during this crazy time.

Having just returned from an 8 night stay at the Poly, I can say how it was last week, but I feel like it is constantly a fluid situation and changes are coming often. Each day we seemed to notice changes from the previous day, from line location to cleaning protocol.

For the most part the FP lines are not being used to further socially distance the standby lines. I can’t say that none are, but most are still being used for entry to the rides by DAS and rider switch.

Also, it’s not just physical lines that are long, you only need to stalk MDE to see wait times are getting longer. We ditched MK on Saturday because the wait times were just too much and the Lava Pool was calling. That said, we did notice that wait times were consistently over inflated. MMRR was advertising 105 and 95 min the two times we rode it. We waited 75 and 55 min. That’s just one example.

I don’t know what the answer is, but they are noticeably increasing capacity, people will grow tired of no FP or at least a VQ, I’d say a lot of people find that to be a major reason to stay on property. But I also agree less waiting in lines floods the park with more people with no where to go. It’s a tough situation to solve, no doubt.

Thanks and appreciate the perspective.

It does doing like its picking up and that’s where some of my own speculation is originating.

 

[SarahD112]

Definitely agree that people staying onsite are already paying for it. We have a reservation onsite for late April, but I’m watching closely. With no FP, no extra magic hours, no park hopping and no dining plan...I’d be hard pressed to pay onsite hotel prices. I wonder if the potential upcoming changes might be why the Jan-Apr discounts have not been announced yet.

 

[maryj11]

I have been looking at wait times and they are pretty long!
We usually don’t wait any longer then 30 minutes to get on rides. If it’s longer we skip it . At this time it looks like that won’t be very many rides.
Has anyone heard anything about FP?

 

[dagored]

Maybe after 1-1-21.

 

[fla4fun]

I have been looking at wait times and they are pretty long!
We usually don’t wait any longer then 30 minutes to get on rides. If it’s longer we skip it . At this time it looks like that won’t be very many rides.
Has anyone heard anything about FP?

I wish it would come back, as I won’t wait longer than 30 minutes either. In fact, anything longer than 20 and I start getting antsy. I usually book my three FP, go on those three rides, and if there aren’t any immediate FP, I go back to the resort. But as long as there is a need for social distancing queues, I don’t think they will come back.

 

[Meriweather]

I hope it comes back.
I am not a good waiter and won't usually for over 20 minutes, if that. So we may not be riding anything