According to internal sources, Disney plans to remove any FastPass reservations created with a then-canceled resort reservation starting on February 4th, 2019.
This fixes a loophole in the FastPass system where a guest could book a Walt Disney World Resort Hotel reservation to take advantage of the 60-day advance FastPass booking window and subsequently cancel the reservation. These guests would then have kept the harder-to-obtain FastPass reservations they had booked with their fraudulent extended booking window.
It’s worth noting that this was already done in most cases where guests canceled before the 30-day window entered validity. Guests who then cancelled their resort reservation after this point never had any FastPass reservations deleted. This will change on Monday.
The benefits here are two-fold, as it allows resorts to keep these rooms in their inventory and sell them to someone who might actually want or need them, while at the same time helping improve the availability of FastPass reservations at the 30-day booking window that Annual Passholders and regular ticket holders utilize.
Disney has yet to formally announce the policy change to Authorized Disney Vacation Planners or anyone else, but should on Monday when it goes into effect. Unsurprisingly, this new policy goes into effect just months before the opening of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, which will contain two of what will likely be the most sought after FastPass attractions of all-time.
They need to get rid of pre-day FP bookings and do it like Disneyland, day of only. The Disneyland system is so much better, I average about 8 FP per day. At DW all good rides are gone after you’re available to add more after the original 3 are used.
We visit both parks, California and Florida and I disagree. I have easily gotten 10 or more fast passes at WDW. Yes, the most prized fast passes are hard to get at WDW if you are not staying on site but WDW is a very different animal than DLR. I also have not found that “all good rides are gone” at WDW after the original 3. We go at the most crowded of times and have gotten everything other than Flight of Passage as a same day fast pass, it takes some knowledge and effort.
That’s the point at Disneyland, it takes no knowledge or effort to get 10 or more FPs in a single day, even on the busier days. Disney World takes a lot of work to do so and it would be made so much easier with day of only.
Day of only would also have the added benefit that Disney would have to keep capacity of each attraction at a higher level as they wouldn’t know in advance which attraction would have the crowds at what times, which means shorter wait times in general.
I disagree. Whilst you are generally correct in saying once you’ve used your 3 most big rides won’t have any others left, this system makes it as fair to most as it can. If they had the California system you’d still not get 8 unless they made more available, which then just makes the standby queues longer.
It also allows Disney to give onsite guests the perk of earlier booking, they are a business and therefore want more of your dollars
Exactly, Disneyland’s system is far superior in many, many ways and this is one of them. Disney World also needs to take advanced dining reservations down to no more than 60 days in advance, personally I would prefer day of only.
I agree totally!
Max pass is awesome! We used it all 5 days of our visit and had the most wonderful time. This was last year in the later part of May, during Grad Nights. We rode EVERYTHING! Wish WDW could do max pass.
True day! I’ve experienced the same.
I agree with this…. I prefer the old paper system.
Genius!
Being an HONEST person, I do not think like a scam artist, but I have to say that people are amazing… that they would actually book a Disney Hotel JUST TO GET THE FAST PASS at 60 days, and THEN CANCEL the Hotel, and stay somewhere else!!
I do not think the allowing of booking a Fast Pass with different time windows, or availability preferences is fair, but it is fraud to book a Hotel and have no intention of staying there.
I applaud the closing of this possibility, and this action might indicate that was happening quite allot… Even more amazing!
Funny because I just got Flight of Passage and I leave for my trip next week. Guess I’m just lucky.
You need to start thinking like a scam artist. That way you avoid being scammed yourself.
It amazes and angers me that there is so much scamming on so many levels for so many things. Such UGLY people out there.
Wonder if this also applies to the off-site Springs area hotels that have same 60day FP perk?
The Disney springs hotels like Hilton have their own policy.
This is my question also. Personally, I feel this perk should never have been extended in the first place.
Well, one “problem” is that longer stays allow you to book fastpasses for your entire trip. So it’s not 60-days, it’s 60+7 (or 10 or whatever, I forget). So you could be going for a long trip, planned 6 months or a year ahead of time, and not get the best fastpasses if it’s only a 5 day trip. Honestly, I think they should probably get rid of that exception and let people book them day by day, or at least leave some allotment for the 60 day or even 30 day mark.
I am in NO way promoting this practice because it is horribly unfair. But this change would only apply to people who booked a PACKAGE and cancelled. Room Only reservations (the kind most Annual Passholders book) are subject to entirely different booking rules and are 100% refundable until 5 days prior to arrival (when booked through Disney)…. You also will gain 60 days advanced fast pass booking for these reservations. You can cancel (anytime between 30 and 6 days before you arrive) it ends up costing you nothing, and at that time you are now inside the standard general 30 day advanced booking window… So as long as you have a valid admission (which you would have needed to make the fast passes anyway) you are good to go without any of your booked fast passes being cancelled….
And I am more than confident that ANYONE who would exploit the loop hole in the article, in the FIRST PLACE, would know this and wasn’t booking a package reservation to begin with. So I truly believe the # of people this effects will be negligible; and thus not create availability of any more fast passes.
What makes you think that the new policy only applies to packages and not room-only reservations?
I was going to ask the same. I believe it applies to any booking done to obtain fast passes and then cancelled after the 30 day mark. I guess it’s too soon to tell.
That is good news. Paying what I do to stay onsite as a resort and theme park guest, we should have earlier FP access. Glad to see Disney removed this loophole where people could game the system. If you want th 60 day window, stay on site.
If I keep my reservation and on line check in and pay for my room but don’t actually sleep there? I mean I’d pay $100 for 60day booking window and stay off site. Esp if I bought multi day tickets…is fp booking at 60days for length of stay or ticket?
I’m curious what will happen for those that cancel and rebook a room? I do this all of the time as the price of the room goes down or as a different room category becomes available. Since I’m usually booking room only reservations, I am making changes with the 60 day window.
This is what I thought of immediately as well…I do this all the time and rebook at a better price
I’d probably re-book, and then cancel. vs. cancel and re-book. Then you are in the system as on site stay and I doubt anything will be deleted.
I am wondering the same. We usually stay DVC, but when we do small trips, we will stay at different resorts and there have been many times we end up booking at one resort and by the time the trip comes, we may have booked at a different because of different reasons. Hopefully, as long as you have a reservation in the system, it doesn’t cancel.
GOOD! Now I might stand a chance of getting the FP I couldn’t for Flight of Passage, despite logging in immediately at 7am on day my 60 day window opened.
Does anyone have any shame seriously our society is becoming a bunch of scam artists. Is it any wonder when idiots become YouTube sensations, celebrities and politicians get away with murder, the us is going down the tubes
I’m stunned as to how shady some people are to do something like this!
Just there in november on a one day pass. Stayed with family so no hotel. As soon as we got in the park we tried to reserve fast passes but were unable to. They already reached capacity. Um, what? That was so disappointing. I prefer the old way, where you were given one fast pass to come back in the time window alloted then you could get another pass after that one was used or expired. Seems way more fair. Although i’m surprised they havent adopted the system universal studios uses: pay extra.
I just made reservations at The Contemporary Resort. Fast passes came with the package. I didn’t know till I made the reservation. I think that is very generous considering that they charge for parking when at the resort ! We live in Florida and I haven’t been since my mom bought annual passes for me through college! People, 22 years! I have a reason to go now. I have an 11yr old niece, she’s old enough to remember most or it ! I want to share my memories with her.
I have to wonder what Walt would think about his parks, movies, and the price. He wanted a place where middle-class families could vacation with their with loved ones. That is no longer happening. It sucks !
Back to my niece. If it becomes a tradition I’ll buy the passes. That’s what people do. I feel that it is too much to go now. I think Walt would probably feel the same.
😢😢😢
What do you mean FastPasses “came with the package?”
All tickets purchased allow for 30-days-in-advance FREE FastPass access, and on-site hotel stays allow access 60 days in advance for free. Did your package some with something different?
Or do you mean you’re staying Club level and therefore getting the 90 day window?
What about special needs people? They use to use the fast pass lane, now what????
What does this have to do with this story? I’m confused.
Bc that’s the lane that they use. Most special needs people can’t stand for long periods of time.
This change does not affect special needs people in any way, shape, or form.
wow some people are amazing the lengths they will do to just get ahead of a line all fast passes should be done on the day of not months before or the day before be in the park when you schedule your fast pass rides that’s the only fair to everybody at the park let’s not be unfair
Let’s be honest. Does it even matter? When I went at least a quarter of my family’s FPs were canceled due to broken rides amd we had to go elsewhere anyway.
Well let’s see how they figure out how to stop my new plan to hire a person with a disability access card to book a WDW resort room and then use their monkey to ram people with an ECV while I buy all the limited edition merch to resell on eBay.
So many people try to scam stuff at Disney and it really ruins the experience for the rest of us. Other people would like to enjoy their vacations too!! Wheelchairs, fastpass, dining plan scams, making reservations at 4 or 5 restaurants for the same day…. enough!!!
I would have never thought of this, but it’s sad and disappointing to know I share in a place dishonest people go to a place I love and enjoy so much.
The fastpasses should automatically cancel with the reservation cancellation. I’m glad they figured this out.
So, Disney recognized the problem they helped create and corrected it. Not a big deal for most of us but good for them that they were able to fix their mistake.
I always felt the fast pass system was an unethical idea. Entry fees are already exsorbinent, so the richer get to jump the lines ahead of others who’ve paid for these rides too? Wonder what Walt would think about that?
FastPasses are free in Disney World.
I’m not sure it has anything to do with having more money. As a previous cast member and a long time visitor, part of the perk of staying on property is that you get early access to FP. However there are a number of FP spots held until 30 days AND day of. Not all of them are booked 60 days in advance. But being quick on the trigger is key. You have to have a plan and know what you’re wanting when, A Flight of Passage will not just fall into your lap.
I’m going to guess by richer, they mean people that can afford on-park resorts and to a further extent, Club level.
Staying on property is often no more expensive than staying off property, renting a car (or paying an Uber), gas, paying for parking and value of time saved by using the parks transportation system and the added magic. However that’s an argument for another day. FP selections come with even the lowest cost of experiences (including camping, which I’ve done and HIGHLY recommend for $30/night) so in this case, finances have nothing to do with it.
I had a leading reservation booked before my real stay in order to open up my fp window to get FOP and it has worked. Cancelled my leading room only reservation, fast passes still in tack!
I hope Disney also accounts for DVC Members with wait lists. For example, I have Old Key West booked, but have a wait list for Boardwalk that if it comes through will automatically cancel Old Key West. I will still have a reservation, so I would hope my FP reservations wouldn’t get cancelled.
GUEST ABUSE?!? please stop this. I love Disney, and I never want it to stop.
I prefer Disneyland’s fast pass system.
With WDW fast pass system, I hate the fact you have to plan so far in advance. I could only book 30 days out and didn’t have a lot of choice as this was in low peak time. I didn’t completely understand the system and took what was left but didn’t realise I couldn’t get a new one at the park until all 3 were used first, Unfortunately the last one was at 9pm at night. Yes I probably should have done more research but coming from Australia, I had enough with organising the whole trip and this was simply and over site and lack of knowledge as none of my friends had visited the park. I wish I had known that if I had stayed at a Disney Park hotel I could have booked them 60 days out. Not that it ruined my trip, but I did hate that I had to plan my whole day around those fast passes. Bring back DL system.
Good!
We have been to Disney multiple times over the last 12 years. Every year it gets harder to ride any rides. FP are few and far between. You spend 8 hours at a park to ride 3 -4 rides. Its just not fun anymore! You pay a fortune for multi-day passes and only ride 1/2 the park. No tome is a good time to go anymore when people can purchase multiple FP months in advance.
No one, well no decent person, would argue your FP+ should not be cancelled if you cancel your hotel reservation. But to call it fraud and abuse when it is Disney’s fault or in their policy not to cancel is wrong. Just cause someone prints or posts does not make it so. From time to time I can’t stand it and I will point out the deceit, misinformation or intentional false info/statements in a news article(which is very easy to do). Disney took away my FP+ when I cancelled within 30 days my resort reservation this last, late Fall. So is this really a story/news/a problem? Disney or someone stirring the pot is more like it. Disney can get more interest and free publicity for people thinking about staying in one of their resorts. ” Yeah I can get what I paid for now.” Really. Anyone have any numbers on how many people were able to keep reservations in the last 30 days because I was not given the same and that’s not fair either. Unless Disney has changed there FP+ for resort guest it is not clear and deceptive that you make all your FP+ reservations on your 60th day up to seven days ahead of the 60th day. I could not get any big FP+ on my 60th day as people for up to 7 days behind me could and did take all the popular FP+. So I cancelled and did much better at the 30 day window while staying in a house. Tell me how the way the 60 day system is fair and not deceptive as you think you can get FP+ ahead of a lot of folks but you really cannot do much better or in my case not as good. Is that worth the money now?
If DLR had 30,000+ hotel rooms to fill every night, I am willing to bet that an advance FP+ perk for resort guests would exist. There’s a reason people pay $179 a night to stay in a 280 square foot All-Star room, when they could get a 1000 SF 2 bed 2 bath villa across the I-4 for less.
That is why WDW is different than any other Disney park.