does disney do any free fast passes now?

[Perkins]

I felt the same as you earlier this year - I found it very confusing to unravel, but if it helps - we got up early to do the "virtual queue" for Guardians of the Galaxy and Tron.
Then we reluctantly booked Lightening Lane pass when we arrived at Hollywood Studios - but in future will do so before park entry - and realised we needed it. Although the crowds werent bad, we would have never got round Hollywood Studios without it, so would purchase again but not purchase for the other parks and grin and bear it.

[fiffio]

We loved the old free fast passes so you could plan it out and get a decent amount of rides in the morning.

Then Disney decided we were having too much free fun, it was better to nickle and dime us.

Now we go to universal.

[sha9]

Originally Posted by fiffio

We loved the old free fast passes so you could plan it out and get a decent amount of rides in the morning.

Then Disney decided we were having too much free fun, it was better to nickle and dime us.

Now we go to universal.

See more...

I never understand these comments. Firstly, Universal have had paid for front of line passes for far longer than Disney have. Secondly, for some of us we don’t want to just exchange one theme park for another. I love Disney and am pretty much done with Universal. While I’m not over the moon with paying for lightening lanes I’ve made my peace with it so that I can just get on with enjoying my holidays without constantly meaning about it.

[Blueste]

Originally Posted by Nimbus

I know. But they queued for that hour before the park opened. And they got that first popular ride out of the way in a short time after the park opened.

So that gives them more time to do the other rides and means they are ahead of the crowds for those other rides as well - so their queues for the rest of the morning will generally be shorter.

See more...

Sure and we all do that and it's a good strategy. I think Deano's point was specifically people that claim they got on without queuing, the reality is they just queued outside the park-usually in the blazing sun as well

[glenandem]

Originally Posted by fiffio

We loved the old free fast passes so you could plan it out and get a decent amount of rides in the morning.

Then Disney decided we were having too much free fun, it was better to nickle and dime us.

Now we go to universal.

See more...

Bang on, same for us and having read how it all works now since we last went it’s definitely made me think as to whether we want to go back or not.

[Nomis]

Originally Posted by sha9

I never understand these comments. Firstly, Universal have had paid for front of line passes for far longer than Disney have. Secondly, for some of us we don’t want to just exchange one theme park for another. I love Disney and am pretty much done with Universal. While I’m not over the moon with paying for lightening lanes I’ve made my peace with it so that I can just get on with enjoying my holidays without constantly meaning about it.

See more...

The difference is that this is jot something Universal ever offered, it’s very different to take something away than never offer it

[sha9]

Originally Posted by Nomis

The difference is that this is jot something Universal ever offered, it’s very different to take something away than never offer it

See more...

That’s not accurate. Universal used to offer free paper express passes per ride just as Disney did. I don’t remember the same rage when they removed it to offer paid for express passes.

[Nimbus]

Originally Posted by Nomis

The difference is that this is jot something Universal ever offered, it’s very different to take something away than never offer it

See more...

Universal used to offer free Express Passes (although back then they worked more like Disney's fastpasses):

So, Universal have taken away something (not the only thing).

Admittedly, this was about 20 years ago back when social media wasn't as big a thing and before people on social media criticised everything.

At least Disney continued this free service for over 15 years after Universal stopped providing it for free. Maybe it'll take another 15 years for people to get over Disney doing the same thing?

[Nimbus]

Originally Posted by Blueste

Sure and we all do that and it's a good strategy. I think Deano's point was specifically people that claim they got on without queuing, the reality is they just queued outside the park-usually in the blazing sun as well

See more...

Yes, true.

But we all know what they mean. They waited outside the park (where they were free to go to the loo whenever they wanted, or do anything else) but didn't have to queue in the ride's queue.

Oh and when I was queuing at Universal at 7:30am, I wasn't in the blazing sun.

[khonsu]

Over all the many years we've been going we have never, aside from one day in May this year, had a bad day in a park where it meant missing rides or queuing for hours. We've done fastpasses and Genie+ most occasions (except for Animal Kingdom now) - Genie+ originally was included in our 14 day pass for £8 a day.

The one bad occasion was EPCOT this May - foolishly we didn't check the Cheerleaders competition date and it was MOBBED by pompom wielding teenagers.

We've never rope dropped to get to main rides - and still done them. My DW refuses to queue more than 30 mins for any ride.

And yes, we'll do Lightning Lanes for HS and MK... maybe EPCOT when we go in December.

Your family unit comes into rope dropping as well:

• If you've teenagers chomping at the bit - definitely.
• If you're first time visitors who have must does - definitely.
• If you've spent enough on tickets and don't want the additional expense - definitely.
• If you're a family with smaller children and before the heat comes - definitely.
• If you're intending park hopping all day - definitely
• and if you've got the energy...! Definitely.

For us... now travelling sans kids and in our prime(ish) - we walk to the beat of our own drum and take the magic as it comes.