Originally Posted By sjhym333 I was speaking to a friend in Guest Relations yesterday and they told me that they were all working 6 days this week. When I commented that it was unusual to do that during this time of the year, they explained that they told XPass will be testing this week and that there will be Guest Relations CM's posted throughout the park to handle any issues with guests. Disney seems to be expecting some questions from the guests with the XPass and also some push back from the day guests. When I asked what this was going to look like this week the response was...we haven't been told anything other than XPass is testing this week in the MK and they were stationing Guest Relations CM's at various attractions. I also asked them about the new FP policy of enforcing the return time and if they have had any complaints. They told me surprisingly few. Today Jim Hill is reporting the XPass testing this week. Here is the link <a href="http://jimhillmedia.com/editor_in_chief1/b/jim_hill/archive/2012/04/29/disney-to-begin-field-testing-xpass-fastpass-plus-at-the-magic-kingdom-this-week.aspx" target="_blank">http://jimhillmedia.com/editor...eek.aspx</a>
Originally Posted By fkurucz It's bad enough planning your meals months in advance, but planning you Fastpasses too? And for this we are supposed to pay thousands of dollars? To be honest, I've been losing my desire to take a Disney vacation more and more as time goes by. Oh well, I'm sure there's plenty of folks willing to take my place.
Originally Posted By WilliamK99 Wow, so if you are hoping for a last minute weekend getaway you are out of luck? Not a big fan of this change...
Originally Posted By HokieSkipper I'm waiting and seeing on this one. Could end up not being a big deal, could end up terribly. Just not enough info on it to make a decision.
Originally Posted By sjhym333 I have been thinking a lot about this. Of course as a local I am not a fan because I am concerned about how this will affect wait times. But my bigger question is this...What is the upside for this for Disney? Is the potential of collecting a lot of money from guests who like to have every minute planned out? Are there enough people who are willing to pay for the ability to ride Soarin or some other top attraction at the time they want without having to go to the park and get a FP? The expenditure seems huge for Disney. Wouldn't they have to sell LOTS of the XPass packages to make that money back? On the other hand hat are the potential downsides? Will day guests be more alienated? How will locals and AP holders react? I am very curious.
Originally Posted By Jim in Merced CA My dislike of this, is that it's a value-add that appeals to one kind of guest. The one who wants to plan the hell out of their vacation. So, if you're willing to pony up the extra money, you get this luxury. Seems like a cruise line, where every moment is schedulized. meh... It's my same gripe about FastPass. If you're an insider, and you 'get it' and know how to use it and beat the system by getting more than the allotted number of passes and all that -- it's great. If you're a once a year visitor who perhaps doesn't want to run the rat (mouse? race -- you're shidoudaluk. meh x 2
Originally Posted By HokieSkipper <<So, if you're willing to pony up the extra money, you get this luxury.>> We don't know if this will be a premium add on yet.
Originally Posted By KCCHIEF Hey....my phone is being a butt....i cannot open the link....am going in December.....what does this all mean?
Originally Posted By WilliamK99 <<So, if you're willing to pony up the extra money, you get this luxury.>> We don't know if this will be a premium add on yet.<< If you don't believe that this isn't the end state of this experiment, then you don't know Disney...
Originally Posted By HokieSkipper It's very possible/probable. But if it is a premium price, all the better. It means the program will be limited and FastPass won't be affected all that much.
Originally Posted By magic0214 My problem, with the current info given, is that it seems that the day guest/AP holder (myself) will be thrown to the sharks. Longer lines and angrier guests...but that is with the little info that has been released.
Originally Posted By fkurucz >>But my bigger question is this...What is the upside for this for Disney?<< Replacing a lower spending demographic with one that spends more?
Originally Posted By tashajilek I seriously think this stinks! I do like to plan, but not where every single day is planned to the exact hour. On my last trip to WDW i planned only 2 months in advance because i didnt know we were going. My husband and i are spontaneous travellers and usually only know a few months in advance of a trip. I guess for people who like booking trips a year in advance and restaurants 6 months in advance this will be great.
Originally Posted By Kennesaw Tom I found the article to be lacking at best, concerning its self with petty arguements. I think this line sums how I feel about all this nicely. "Even though this NextGen virtual queuing system project has actively been in development for over 5 years now, they still don't know quite what to do with the Company's own employees and/or its most loyal & dedicated customers." Sure, but WDW management is going to impose it on employees, DVC owners and their most loyal visitors anyway! Basically, WDW has now needlessly and intentionally created a multi tiered ticket system. With XPass behaving like a VIP ticket. Simply put, a same day WDW Parks pass is not equal to a WDW Parks pass purchased six weeks in advance. The determing factor being purchase date. Prior to this all WDW tickets were equal and Fast Pass was made available to every WDW quest. I probably wouldn't have a problem with XPass if I wasn't participating in XPass and my day pass was at a discounted price. But, since WDW is the most expensive theme park in the world with a single day pass now costing $90.53 for an adult, this sucks. Furthermore, if this was such a great idea then why isn't Disney doing this at every Disney park around the world. My other complaint is that the Magic Kingdom has been the most visited theme park in the world for eons now. Visitors anticipate crowds and plan and execute those plans accordingly. I really fail to see why now in 2012 the crowd issue requires this move. Is it me or does it seem that a trip to WDW is needlessly getting way to complicated!
Originally Posted By tashajilek "Is it me or does it seem that a trip to WDW is needlessly getting way to complicated!" Yes, im happy Disneyland is still pretty straight forward.
Originally Posted By Goofyernmost >>>My problem, with the current info given, is that it seems that the day guest/AP holder (myself) will be thrown to the sharks. Longer lines and ANGRIER guests...but that is with the little info that has been released.<<< Without even trying, you have identified why I have been against FP from the very beginning. THERE NEVER SHOULD BE ANY ANGRY GUESTS. Especially for a perk that, at best is minority of guests based. Never, never, never should a situation arise that upsets people no matter how "fair" others think it is. No matter how "misunderstood" the process is. No matter how much "they should have done their research" comes up. I don't believe that this should happen and I have stated so since its very beginning. Look at the turmoil that even changing it back to the way it was intended to begin with has brought. That tells me that there is something inherently wrong with it. Now it is going a step further...gosh, can anything possibly go wrong with that?
Originally Posted By Kennesaw Tom Though I have never met him, Jim Hill is a great guy. But, my question to him ( as well as WDW's management team ) would be, explain to me again why XPass is in my best intrest?
Originally Posted By standor Every day WDW management is doing all they can to chase away customers. They can call them guests, but they are still customers. If people don't come then they are out of business. With the economy is the way it is, most companies are doing all they can to make their customers happy. Disney raises there prices, cuts the incentive for customers to want to come to their parks, makes it difficult to get around. As I said many times, quit going to their facilities and they will finally understand that it's time to change their ways.
Originally Posted By sjhym333 For our friends on the west coast...XPass is coming your way too. WDW is the testing ground but plans are to include DL and DCA in the next year or so. I would be interested in knowing what Disney expects its max number of XPasses they can sell at one time is. There has to be a ceiling OR is the plan to sell XPasses and then cut back on the number of FP's distributed on any given day depending on XPass sales?
