Originally Posted By ssWEDguy >> Allow people to gain early access into the park in exchange for giving up their fastpass privileges. << Another interesting idea. I can see where you can argue that early arrivers don't need FastPass because they've engineered their own by their personal scheduling. Though I can hear the protests already. My only other question would be that some people already get early access to the parks for other reasons. Why would they be willing to give up FP for early access?
Originally Posted By ssWEDguy Maybe my approach is wrong here. Instead of limiting the usage to 2 per person, what's needed is a way for late arrivers to be able to get an FP. Since the early arrivers always have first and most access, FP's can run out before late arrivers even get to the park. And please people -- don't automatically equate "late arrivers" with "lazy" and "stayed out too late last night." I'm talking about my mom, who is 75, who'd like to go on Soarin', who isn't able to get to the park at 9am and run over there for a FP. I figure there are other moms out there with the same problem.
Originally Posted By vbdad55 ^^^ My Mom is 71 so we run their for her with her tocket and get her the FP with ours...... but what you are stating above is the main complaint of those who are arguing rationally as to one of 2 major faults with FP -- the lack of availablilty later in the day & people using them outside the time window. The FP is a very sophisticated DB, and surely could be programmed to do a lot of things. In answer to issue 1 - how about FP only issues tickets out 3 or 4 hours (i.e. so 8 PM tickets do not go out at 10:30 AM) - set the 'window' for whatever happens to work out best after some analysis is done. This would be very simple. For someone arrivinf at 1 PM - the FP's for 4 or 5 PM would just start being issued. ( So yes, if you go to get a FP at some times it may not be avaialble yet, if there was a run on them...again there are clocks there that could say when they would be available again...-all programming ) the answer to issue 2 is to potentially expand the window slightly on the return arrival time - then have the ticket EXPIRE......no excuses, no whining or anything else on why one didn't make it back in time... it is expired... sorry get in the standby line. If everyone followed the rules the original analysis on capacity would be useful if the FP's were fed back into the system for how many were actually used - not used -- and be able to adjust for how many more could be issued or not.
Originally Posted By trekkeruss <<how about FP only issues tickets out 3 or 4 hours (i.e. so 8 PM tickets do not go out at 10:30 AM) - set the 'window' for whatever happens to work out best after some analysis is done.>> I have suggested some sort of rationing in the past. But one of the problems with that, as you point out, is that sometimes it will be unavailable, making it potentailly unfair some of the time... so the unfairness is merely shifted, not eliminated. <<potentially expand the window slightly on the return arrival time - then have the ticket EXPIRE......no excuses, no whining or anything else on why one didn't make it back in time... it is expired... sorry get in the standby line.>> I guess late returns aren't nearly the problem I had imagined, although I still think it's not right for someone to come late. But I imagine as a matter of guests service and/or recovery, they'll continue to let latecomers through.
Originally Posted By vbdad55 < have suggested some sort of rationing in the past. But one of the problems with that, as you point out, is that sometimes it will be unavailable, making it potentailly unfair some of the time... so the unfairness is merely shifted, not eliminated. < True, but more equally distributed throughout the day.. there are a limited number of rides on any attraction in a day,
Originally Posted By vbdad55 <I guess late returns aren't nearly the problem I had imagined, although I still think it's not right for someone to come late. But I imagine as a matter of guests service and/or recovery, they'll continue to let latecomers through< then they should let guests use ticket media that has expired also - to be consistent....
Originally Posted By Labuda Ok, so this is from post #36, so has likely been addressed by now, but just in case... "One point though -- When I get my FastPass for some attraction, and it happens to be already on top of a dinner reservation I've already got -- I'm screwed. I can't change the FP time, and I can't even just cancel the FastPass so I can go get a different one." Bad, bad, bad example ssWed! You know darn well that return times for fastpasses being given out show is posted above (or near) the fastpass machines - so it's your own darn fault if you get one that you'd have to miss because you've got dinner scheduled for the same time frame!
Originally Posted By TDLFAN ^^^True. The bottom line is.. if I was a Disney exec, and after researching the situation and seeing that most guests are pro-FP, the only way to go is to charge for the service. Given how money hungry Disney is at the moment, it ludicrous of them not to pursue the same idea Universal had and just sell FP booklets. You wanna cut? you gotta pay for the perk! It's that simple. I can't wait for the day Disney realizes this and sticks it to us. Maybe that will be the day some people will yearn some for the good old days without the stupidity of FP in the Disney parks.
Originally Posted By schoolsinger Charging to cut the lines may not be the fairest thing, but it makes business sense. If Disney was to charge for line cutting, they should charge for the individual rides instead of making people buy a whole days worth of line cutting. They could also adjust the prices on the fly according to how long the line is.
Originally Posted By vbdad55 <Charging to cut the lines may not be the fairest thing, but it makes business sense. If Disney was to charge for line cutting, they should charge for the individual rides instead of making people buy a whole days worth of line cutting. They could also adjust the prices on the fly according to how long the line is.< you'll make a fine corporate CPA one day --- You want to drive the crowds out of WDW - then go ahead with this. Where does it stop on costs ? I think this is a very bad idea and I am fortunate enough tobe at a stage in my life where extra costs for something like this would not change my plans to visit at all. But there was a time in my life it certainly would have...and if you want to create a free for all in the parks- then go ahead with the who can pay the most goes first... as for changing costs based onthe line-- if this was not tongue in cheeck, it doesn;t deserve a response
Originally Posted By Goofyernmost I'm not saying your wrong but I am curious as to why it would drive people out of the parks. There wasn't that problem before FP ever existed why would it be a problem now if they charged for the perk. I know that I will feel better knowing that those that get ahead of me have paid for that privilege or that if I wanted to do it all I have to do is come up with more money.
Originally Posted By ssWEDguy >> Bad, bad, bad example ssWed! You know darn well that return times for fastpasses being given out show is posted above (or near) the fastpass machines << Mea culpa. Yes, the times are posted. But like I said, if it's on top of my restaurant reservation, you're saying I should come back later to get my reservation for a later time. I'm saying I'd rather ask FP to give me the later time now while I'm there at the machine. The later times are available now. If I come back in 2 hours they may be gone altogether. So the stop gap is to just get the FP now, and show up late -- and hope they'll let me in. If they don't, I'm no worse off than I would be otherwise. PS. THEY SHOULD NOT LET ME IN IF I SHOW UP LATE.
Originally Posted By ssWEDguy >> You wanna cut? you gotta pay for the perk! It's that simple. << That will be the day when I simply go with to my rope-drop strategy. Be there first thing in the morning and go directly to the big E-tickets. FP's aren't necessary if you do that. Except when I'd love to get one for my mom for a special event.
Originally Posted By TDLFAN >>If Disney was to charge for line cutting, they should charge for the individual rides instead of making people buy a whole days worth of line cutting.<< I personally do not see the difference between charging extra for "park hopping" so why not charg extra for "Line cutting" as well... After all, don't you all say Disney is a business and as such, the aim is to make money?? >>Be there first thing in the morning and go directly to the big E-tickets. FP's aren't necessary if you do that.<< But that's what guests did for decades before they screwed up the system and gave into FP. It worked then, and it will work now. One more thing... I feel the time has come for Disney to charge for FP. I mean, it's obvious most of you like the system lots. However, if they did that, I would like it to be restricted to XX number of guests per day, and only XX amount of FP per day as well... and NOT unlimited FP use. Just like Universal Japan does... where you buy the 4 or 6 Express ticket booklet and each express ticket is "attraction-specific". One "express" entry per ride per day and not doubling up!! I'd love it if Disney do that since I do not care to buy these anyways..
Originally Posted By TDLFAN >>they should charge for the individual rides instead of making people buy a whole days worth of line cutting.<< Oh the good old days of the ABCDE ticket booklets when we did just that^^. More proof that the old ways worked and FP is flawed.
Originally Posted By NikkiLOVESMickey When FP first came out, I liked it, but I wish things would just go back to the way they were - everyone waits in the same line for the same time. I rarely use FP, as I just don't see the need for it most of the time. I think I picked up a FP for Soarin' back in September, but that's the last time I used the system.
Originally Posted By vbdad55 <I know that I will feel better knowing that those that get ahead of me have paid for that privilege or that if I wanted to do it all I have to do is come up with more money.< And where do you think Disney will stop with the 'privilege' for $. At what point does WDW become a park for the wealthy only ? You may be Ok with it, but many aren't -- when we had access to the corporate lounges and would cut through lines ( like at Dinosaur) to get to the lounge and ahead of summer crowds -- many a nasty comment was hurled our way...and how many times have you heard either the FP line or the standby line - cussing that the other line was moving faster, the CM was letting too many of one in vs the other...I think by setting up a class system that is 'in your face' at the ride lines..you are asking for trouble. I acknowledge that the opportunity to be treated differently already exists at WDW. We almost always stayed concierge level before buying into DVC...but it was not as obvious to anyone around you...and splurges like renting the Breathless.spa treatments etc are not for everyone's budget, but again, in July, after 90 minutes in line I don;t think anyone is going to feel that someone else 'deserves' to go ahead because they have more money...IMHO
Originally Posted By TDLFAN >>And where do you think Disney will stop with the 'privilege' for $. At what point does WDW become a park for the wealthy only ?<< vbdad55, that argument about "for the wealthy" does not fly with me. You know why??? Because Disney already discounts a lot. Buy a five day or more passport and you are getting the parks for more days for peanuts. Book the Pop and All stars and you are sleeping on prime land for cheap. Aside from WDW... book a flight into Orlando and you are flying at prices that compare to those in 1985. WDW is already way too affordable for most. Paying extra for the priviledge to speed thru some lines, especially for those who are here for only 2-4 days is more than fair IMHO.
Originally Posted By vbdad55 The reason I disagree is that for most people, a trip to WDW IS still a once in a while or once or twice in a lifetime deal..Thousands of dollars for airfare and hotels and parks and food for a vacation is not a given for many people, and getting harder for many more who have had their jobs off shored / dowsized/ right sized etc. Not everyone has cashed in on the real estate inflation... As more and more companies try every conceivable effort to rid themselves of people 50+ - only those with unique skills will make the kind of money they do today ( your time will come also ) - and many will not have saved anywhere near enough to afford the lifestyles they have today, as pensions disappear also. So why I agree ( and have agreed for years) that making air travel = to air greyhound was wrong...and it has cost many quality carriers their corporate lives -- and more on the brink ( as I know you are aware) - anytime someone sells a commodity or service at a loss it is just wrong...and long term it doesn't work...
Originally Posted By schoolsinger Here is a way for Disney could use fastpass to get money without charging for it. Put the fastpass machines inside gift shops. This makes people walk by a bunch of tempting merchandise to get to the machines. Wasn’t the original intent of the fastpass to get people to spend their time shopping instead of waiting in line?
