WDW experimenting with centralized Fastpass distribution

I still don't get why a centralized FastPass distribution center -- which IS a great idea -- has to be the precursor to an upcharge?

After all, if Disney goes truly VIP -- like Universal's Express -- you just go right up to the attraction and they scan your Express ticket or record your hotel room key. There wouldn't be a need for central distribution system.

That said, having a centralized system COULD be used to distribute multiple FastPasses for a fee, but that's just not the way Disney operates. It may allow resort guests to have 2 or 3 FastPasses out at a set time, but it is highly unlikely to physically charge for it. Disney has strived for years to pitch equality among park guests, to the point where it schedules the ERT for resort guests either an hour before it opens or for three hours after the park closes.

So there are really just a few feasible outcomes here:

1. The FP machines stick around as a convenience, with the system as it is now.

2. Resort guests can be allowed double the active FPs as regular guests.

3. All guests -- on arrival -- will be able to choose multiple (2-3) FPs, but that's it for the entire day.

My money is that this is just the first option, because the education curve on the others may be too steep for a park that prides itself as a melting pot of foreign tourists.

Paris said:
I still don't get why a centralized FastPass distribution center -- which IS a great idea -- has to be the precursor to an upcharge?

Agreed, somehow the idea of charging and this move got mixed into one thought along the course of this thread.

That said, having a centralized system COULD be used to distribute multiple FastPasses for a fee, but that's just not the way Disney operates. It may allow resort guests to have 2 or 3 FastPasses out at a set time, but it is highly unlikely to physically charge for it.

They're charging for a premium FP in Paris and Hong Kong. If it's successful, you don't think it could make it's way to the states?

Paris said:
I still don't get why a centralized FastPass distribution center -- which IS a great idea -- has to be the precursor to an upcharge?

because if the discussion didn't go that way, less people would be clicking the thread. :)

...FastPasses for a fee, but that's just not the way Disney operates...Disney has strived for years to pitch equality among park guests, to the point where it schedules the ERT for resort guests either an hour before it opens or for three hours after the park closes.

If you ask me, that the way it should be everywhere. ERT as a perk at a time when it can't inconvenience other guests. I experienced this at kings island a few months ago. They let SPholders on DB an hour before the park opened. My cousin and I were nearly first in line when they let us regular ticketholders in the queue. We waited only about 5 or 10 minutes, which was reasonable.

Disney fastpass clogs the lines right now as it is. If resort guests were allowed unlimited fastpasses, or even just double, it would probably make the standby lines more unbearable than they already are, imho.

EDIT quotes

robotfactory said:
4.) Jeff says "One day you'll be able to schedule your whole day. Wake me up when that happens."

While it was just a cast member, I spent a 1/2 hour back in 2001 listening to the spiel about whole day scheduling being looked into, not as an upcharge, but as a way of flowing people thru the parks in a controlled orderly fashion, getting them out of attraction lines, and spending more time and money in the shops.

Eight years ago? Wake me up too. :)

Ok.. So today I had the chance to utilize the central FP at AK and its an interesting idea and worked fairly well.

Apparently they decommissioned 'Its tough to be a Bug' FP and now use it for the central FP location. There were two machines for Dinosaur, and two machines for Everest, and two for the Safari.

While the central management is great there was one thing I had a beef with. There were no posted times of when the FP system for each ride was currently being distributed at. So if you had to leave a park at 2 and the FP system happen to distribute after 2 you wouldnt know unless you:

1) Put your ticket/pass in and saw what time it spit out. Then get locked into that FP until 15 m before expiration of the time period. IE, cant do a ride that may have a sooner time.

-or-

2) Peeked at the persons FP ticket ahead of you in line as his/her's came out of the machine.

Otherwise it was nice not to have to walk all over the park to grab one, but would certainly be nice to know what times they are available for before you walk up next to the machine.

But for grabbing a Everest FP on the way to the Safari first thing in the morning would be a huge time saver.

^^It's Disney, Ken, just ask the people in front of you "what time did you get on your FP"... :)

...of course, you may need to learn how to say that in several languages... ;)

LOL RG.. That was kinda my option 2.

Btw before any of you wise guys beat me to it.. No this was NOT me.

"Man Accused of groping Minnie Mouse."

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/breakingnews/orl-bk-groping-minnie-mouse-081109,0,5727056.story

ridemcoaster said:
There were no posted times of when the FP system for each ride was currently being distributed at.

Yikes. That seems like an obvious (and pretty big) oversight.

Yep.. I inquired to CM about that and he said:

"Yeah, we are using Tough to be a bugs FP machines, which only contained 1 clock. Since we service 3 different rides now, we couldnt integrate the 1 clock to the three rides. Its still in testing though and they will integrate something later"

At which point I wanted to say, "uhh Imagineers couldnt come up with a system for this while testing?", but decided to let it go.

If you are there right at opening, its easy to know the times arent too far in future before you get ticket, but all bets are off after the first hour or so. Couldnt imagine testing this with Toy Story, without a clock to let you know where the FP queue sits before spitting out a ticket.

Seems like they could do something in the mean time, like buy a dry-erase board at Target and write down the time at each machine. (Although, granted, that wouldn't be very "magical.")

Hey they still use a chalkboard at HS still to show wait times.

I wouldnt call it less "magical". More like helpful.. :)