So it finally happened; you can now purchase FP’s at WDW...kinda...

It was only a matter of time, but I actually welcome the time when hopefully regular resort guests can purchase FP’s. Personally, it’s an upcharge that I’d happily pay for.

http://www.wftv.com/news/local/walt-disney-world-to-allow-some-reso.../680857608

Oh, I don’t. I just walked down to the concierge, politely made my request, and magic happened at no charge. Unless that kind of help is about to disappear, I don’t get this.
Maybe they know folks that are staying at that resort level are either easy to part with money, or too lazy to help themselves.

Aww. I was just coming here to share the same story. Been a while since we had a good FOL thread.

The thing is, if you go back and dig through the discussions a bit, this is another case of the crowd here (or maybe just some of us) knowing our stuff. I believe the "hierarchy" approach to access at WDW was suggested quite a while back. And the idea works so well at a place like Disney because it can literally happen right out in the open and not be noticeable.

I mean, it's one thing to have a segment of guests getting FOL access and another not - like you might see with regional parks and available upgrades. But Disney operates (or has the potential to operate) really nicely with shades of grey. You don't know if someone has one FastPass or three or ten. You have no idea when they were allowed to enter the park or how late they'll be able to stay. The perks are so varied and so plentiful that it's never clear that someone is getting markedly preferrential treatment because they dropped big bucks or stayed at a higher level resort...or both.

It's a Line Cutting World After All

That article says:

"But extra Fastpasses are also currently issued to people who purchase certain “vacation packages,” and also to people who attend a hard-sell Disney time-share sales presentation. I saw Fastpasses given out as prizes to audience participants in shows."

I'd be surprised it it were just those avenues. There is just so many places, so many opportunites, so much variety in ways to 'plus' the Disney vacation for those spending more that no one outside of it will ever really have a handle on what they can and do offer and how much it varies from one person to the next walking down the midway beside each other.

FastPass has been a currency since long before they went electronic. They're the go-to mechanism for cast members to correct for even a minor anomaly in a guest's day.

Exactly. You can still get the paper Fast Passes for the attractions that except them. You just have to know who has them and how to get them.

You mean.... these people don’t get solid gold magic bands?!? Outrage!

Apparently, Disney's hatred of poor people knows no bounds.

Disney now hates the semi-poor people, too.

When I take over Disney I’ll going to require a family of four to make at least $80k a year to step on property. Then raise the amount every two years to weed out the riff raff.

You should pitch that idea to Six Flags, they need help with the riff raff too.

$80k!? Your Disney Wold must just love the bourgeois.

This is Disney World, man. Have some standards.

Wait. Sorry. That was one of my infamous typos. I meant $800,000.

Whew. We want middle class and up at Disney (for now). Not poor people.

I think that its wrong to allow line cutting for profit. I have typically held the Disney Fast Pass up as an example of innovation and great design that adds significant value to the park experience, but is egalitarian to all paying guests, and doesn't take away from other's experiences.

I'm alright with parks charging as much as they can for an experience, I'm not an Occupy Wall Street guy. I figure that if they charge more, they can plow more money into making the park better, or give better returns to the shareholders... whatever. As long as its agreed upon, and the guests agree to it.

I personally see charging for line-cutting and gouging for food as hidden costs (although I'm alright with gouging for parking, as it encouraging travelers and commuters to carpool and consider alternative forms of transportation to reduce carbon emissions and congestion on highways). The average guest probably doesn't have the data available to them to understand that in order to have a guest experience that is commensurate with what is advertised will cost more than the sticker price. Reasonable upcharges can be made for food and necessities to provide profit for the park, pay employees, pay for ingredients, etc. but if the upcharges are unreasonable, I think that should be disallowed, and put into the same category as charging for line-cutting.

Charging for line-cutting basically passes the cost off of the families and guests who choose to stick to the original sticker price that they paid at the gate. The line cutters get to wait in line for a shorter period of time, but they are incentivized to ride more, and as the capacity does not expand, those who forgo the option to pay extra wait in longer lines due to the artificially larger demand.

On the other hand, if the Fast Pass is rolled into the price of admission, and the system is engineered so that everyone has equal treatment while using it, it actually does become a virtual queuing system. Where you can in effect make reservations and wait more productively, but it doesn't dilute the number of rides that you can enjoy in a day. The increased demand compared to the capacity may dilute your ridership, but you'd be free to enjoy other activities, and you would be informed of your wait times.

Personally, I usually plan to go to parks when the crowds are very light. But I usually pay for sanctioned line jumping pass when its available, and the crowds are intense. I also usually pay for overpriced food without thinking of it. I just think that these are matters that the federal and state government should look into to ensure that consumers are protected, and that everybody is adequately informed of what I deem to be hidden costs, and that they can make informed decisions as to what they are getting in return for their dollars.

Trackmaster said:

On the other hand, if the Fast Pass is rolled into the price of admission, and the system is engineered so that everyone has equal treatment while using it, it actually does become a virtual queuing system. Where you can in effect make reservations and wait more productively, but it doesn't dilute the number of rides that you can enjoy in a day. The increased demand compared to the capacity may dilute your ridership, but you'd be free to enjoy other activities, and you would be informed of your wait times.

Careful, you are getting dangerously close to Gonch's (now decade old idea of a) fully scheduled ride/show day.

Of course, then you'll have the fight over whether or not you pay more to ride Kilimanjaro Safaris in the morning when all the animals are out or cheap out and take a high noon ride when they are all sleeping. :)

Everyone's losing their minds, but you have to remember those club level rooms are a tiny fraction of overall resort occupancy. I don't think this will have near the impact that all the doom and bloomers would have you believe.

Honestly, I'm all for giving the higher level rooms access to more for their money. I mean, As if walking to EPCOT or hopping a monorail to MK wasn't enough of an incentive. I've not stayed deluxe in Florida yet, but I always stay at moderate because of the lack of in-your-face colors and fiberglass cartoons, plus they're quieter and seem to have better service all around. In general, I think the moderates are pretty similar to the deluxe resorts, aside form location, but I could be wrong. I'm about to do a week at the Yacht Club, so I will find out. I'm sure I'll become spoiled and never want to go back, and there's nothing wrong with that. There's also nothing wrong with someone who likes to budget and stay at a value, if that's their thing, but it's not for me.

Trackmaster said:

I think that its wrong to allow line cutting for profit.

You immediately lose me when you label a system like Fast Pass as "line cutting". It's not line cutting. You're still waiting in line. You're just doing somewhere other than in that ride's queue. And everything a theme park charges is with the idea of earning a profit. Why is it wrong to do it with Fast Pass versus merchandise or food or hotel rooms?

I personally see charging for line-cutting and gouging for food as hidden costs

I just think that these are matters that the federal and state government should look into to ensure that consumers are protected, and that everybody is adequately informed of what I deem to be hidden costs, and that they can make informed decisions as to what they are getting in return for their dollars.

Charging a premium price for food at a luxury experience like a theme park is not price gouging, especially if the market is willing to pay for it. Price gouging is charging 400% above market for toilet paper or gas during a natural disaster. No one is being taken advantage of when they've already plunked down admission to get into a theme park.

Premium experiences are a part of so many things we do: air travel, hotels, sporting events, concerts. I don't understand why people completely lose their mind when it comes to Disney offering premium experiences. Been to the parks lately or keep an eye on the wait times on the app when you're not? They're not hurting for business and there's not really such a thing as a light crowd anymore. Premium experiences are going to become more the norm unless something changes drastically.

2Hostyl said:

Careful, you are getting dangerously close to Gonch's (now decade old idea of a) fully scheduled ride/show day.

Hey, I can't help it if the good folks at the Walt Disney corporation don't posses the same visionary qualities that I do.

Besides, by the 6th or 7th Fastpass, you're most of the way there anyway.

(And my Advance Itinerary™ WDW wouldn't likely be "fair" either. Trust me, you pay more, you're getting on more - or at least more coveted - rides.)

Lord Gonchar said:

(And my Advance Itinerary™ WDW wouldn't likely be "fair" either. Trust me, you pay more, you're getting on more - or at least more coveted - rides.)

That is where you are doing it wrong. The correct business model is simply "you pay more". Getting people to pay more without giving them anything in return is where the real money is.

Well, the goal is to always hate poor people...always. So yeah, paying more is always part of the plan. This is Disney World after all.

It's a perfect plan. They can move Robo-Trump to the gate where he can proudly pronounce to all the poor people that we don't want anyone from those S@#$-hole neighborhoods in the park.