Originally Posted By vbdad55 Whether you like Fastpass or not is not the issue here. What is an issue, and I have already written the editor of Time, is yet another major publication article where the writer obviously either doesn't do their homework, or delegates it to someone else who doesn't do it - or whatever. The topic of the article is that you don't have to wait in line anywhere if you're rich. He goes on about being disgusted over young kids at Six Flags running around with $52 front of the line passes or something - while others wait. (maybe this would have been OK in his eyes if those people were say....30 something ? ) - Well also he states that Uni ( somewhat true) Disney and WDW use a similar system. So I guess he has never been there and doesn't understand that FP works of an entry ticket - there is no buying the front of the line.... All other issues with FP aside - I ask you drop a note to the editor and let them know they might want to actually check it out before they go to print next time - and not ignore facts that might get in the way of a juicy story line -- Time should not be the national enquirer. "At amusement parks, too, you can now buy your way out of line. This summer I haplessly watched kids use a $52 Gold Flash Pass to jump the lines at Six Flags New England, and similar systems are in use in most major American theme parks, from Universal Orlando to Walt Disney World, where the haves get to watch the have-mores breeze past on their way to their seats, as if Space Mountain were Spago." So I guess we all missed buying our way to the front of Space Mountain - what a hack writer. <a href="http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0" target="_blank">http://www.time.com/time/magaz ine/article/0</a>,9171,1657807,00.html
Originally Posted By vbdad55 you will likely have to cut and paste the link ( not sure why it does that) but it is hte current issue of Time. there is a link to send a note to the editor - but no link directly to the writer which I also would like to have had so I could ask him where he bought his ticket to the front of Space Mountain.
Originally Posted By fkurucz I wouldn't worry too much. I'm sure that WDW marketing will make sure that Time prints a correction to that article.
Originally Posted By Bob Paris You may want to hold off on those vitriolic letters/emails. Seems this might be true in the future, if Jim Hill's new article is correct. Seems you MAY have to pay, as in, fork out for those expensive on-site rooms in order to secure your fastpasses. I just wish Disney would go the whole hog and build their premium park already! As an overseas visitor who doesn't get to swan around the parks after work four afternoons a week, I would GLADLY pay $250 or MORE to go to a "boutique" park that ONLY had E tickets where I KNOW I'd get a premium experience and a completely immersive experience. Since Disney theme parks are NOT something I take for granted and get to visit when the whim takes me, the idea of a premium park with exclusive, E ticket calibre content really appeals to me. Since the last plane ticket to LA cost me $3500(let alone several internal flights), the notion of spending $250 or more, for me is NOTHING. People, including the APer's have had it too good for too long.
Originally Posted By vbdad55 but they do not today so the article is wrong - and it is Jim Hill so let's wait and see on that prediction. expensive on site -- all stars etc ?
Originally Posted By RoadTrip <<Seems this might be true in the future, if Jim Hill's new article is correct.>> Has Jim Hill EVER been correct? At least on something as major as this??
Originally Posted By vbdad55 that was my point also - the Disney Nostradamus has far more misses than hits
Originally Posted By Doobie It wouldn't surprise me if Disney does give FastPass benefits in the future to on site guests or via some other premium method. I would, however, be surprised if they did away with it completely for others, though. But my real reason for writing is just to point out there have been prediction that FastPass would go completely or partially for resort guests only for about as long as the system has been around. Doesn't mean JH is wrong, just means the fact there's a prediction doesn't mean something is imminent. Doobie.
Originally Posted By christiemarsh88 This article from Jim Hill sounds like another case of Disney trying to cover all possible scenarios so that they have options in the future. Just because they're locking up the patent for this technology doesn't mean that they're planning on using it any time soon -- maybe they only want to keep it from competitors or maybe they're interested in future possibilities. But I'd be shocked if this comes around soon. In regards to the TIME article, what's up with that? Just a few weeks ago, Jay Leno made mention of a FastPass that you paid $750 for in his monologue.
Originally Posted By BeautysBeast Jim Hill is about as accurate as many others posting about Disney business affairs and park services.
Originally Posted By BeautysBeast Do people really read TIME These days,seems as antiquated and below the news cycle as say the Bush administration.
Originally Posted By TDLFAN >>It wouldn't surprise me if Disney does give FastPass benefits in the future to on site guests or via some other premium method. I would, however, be surprised if they did away with it completely for others, though. But my real reason for writing is just to point out there have been prediction that FastPass would go completely or partially for resort guests only for about as long as the system has been around. Doesn't mean JH is wrong, just means the fact there's a prediction doesn't mean something is imminent.<< Interesting opinion from you Doobie. You and everyone else would know by now how I feel about FP which to me, is a virus. I personally would like Disney to take it away entirely and return the parks to their natural "1st come/1st served" queue system. No more dual class bull if you will. Or else, make FP a "PAY-for" add-on benefit like Universal has. Or else, pull the plug. However, I will tell you this much.. I would not mind it one bit if Disney offered FP exclusivity to their resort guests... after all, they are overpaying for their stay there. BUT, I would not object to that IF and only IF, Disney pulls the plug on Extra Magic Hours and kept the park opened to ALL GUEST until the late hours, like TDR does.
Originally Posted By GGGF This site is a lot more accurate than Jim Hill, for starters. Anyway, I don't know what the reporters problem is. I'm sure ultra-elitist Time magazine pays it's "reporters" well enough to buy front of the line tickets. And while the "rich" may be able to afford such tickets easier than others (well, depending on what they spend on other things) there's nothing stopping a family from saving money or spending less on something else so they can buy "front of the line" tickets if they want it so bad. Sounds like an attempt to stir up "class" envy. Which is always tricky, because I am sure there are even "have-even lessers" who envy those that are able to afford visiting an expensive theme park in the first place.
Originally Posted By GGGF TDLFAN, the resorts are only overpriced if people don't want to spend the money for them. Just a thought. Anyway, FP does not create a dual class anything, *everyone* if free to take the FP option if they want to. Those in the regular line have "natural" first-come first-served for their line and the FPr's have theirs.
Originally Posted By TDLFAN When FP distribution ends for the day, it does create a dual class. ..And if guests do not want to pay for the hotels... maybe not only are the hotels overpriced (which they are) but that also makes some guests smarter shoppers.
Originally Posted By a1stav ^^^ Yes and no on the hotel prices. The cost of POP and All Stars is above the price of similar off property hotels but the inclusion of ground transfers and other perks usually more than make up for the difference, especially when you can get discounted rates as low as $55 a night some times.
