Having To Pay For Disney Fast Passes

[ratmanscoop]

The Paper system seemed like a good idea at the time but it did mean no FP option at all for people who weren't willing to arrive early. At least with FP+ there's a fair chance you can book them solely in the afternoon and turn up at lunchtime if you wish. Likewise the paid express pass system works the same way, though of course you get less utility out of it by arriving late.

[D15ney72]

Originally Posted by SquishTheWhale

I might be alone here but I thought the paper FP system sucked. However I only experienced it at DLP. Racing across the park to get one FP (that you can't choose the time of) and then after that they are all gone for all rides all day!
Not sure how that's better than selecting 3 in advance!

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No, you’re not alone, I completely agree!

[cornishfrogboy]

Originally Posted by SquishTheWhale

I might be alone here but I thought the paper FP system sucked. However I only experienced it at DLP. Racing across the park to get one FP (that you can't choose the time of) and then after that they are all gone for all rides all day!
Not sure how that's better than selecting 3 in advance!

See more...

That would depend on whether you are in a position to select 3 in advance. This is where planning beats playing it loose. For me, I was on vacation and would decide ‘on the day’, where I would go. I would be there at rope drop and, with decent knowledge could get on everything I wanted to by mid afternoon. Probably I had hit all the big rides before many had even finished their breakfast. The new system is one, but not the only reason why I prefer Universal and DC Ultimates to Disney tickets.

The reason that tipped the balance when I visited Disney California last Easter was because they still operated the old system. If they had the new system, we would have gone to Univeral and Knotts instead.

We all do things differently and the new system is incompatible with our own approach to an Orlando vacation. I will be there for 14 days in August and the only theme park appointments that I have made are my DC day and the fact that it’s Universal either side of our night in the Royal Pacific. We will decide which Universal Park to do first as we walk there from the Hotel.

[Gill H]

Originally Posted by SquishTheWhale

I might be alone here but I thought the paper FP system sucked. However I only experienced it at DLP. Racing across the park to get one FP (that you can't choose the time of) and then after that they are all gone for all rides all day!
Not sure how that's better than selecting 3 in advance!

See more...

I prefer using MDE for WDW too, but we never have any trouble at DLP. We get there for the start of EMT and ride Peter Pan, Buzz and Space Mountain which are practically a walk-on then. PP is literally 5 minutes if you go there first. So the only FP you really need is BTMR. Get there for 10am, get your FP - sorted. Then go to Indy which rarely has a queue and just ride it. Star Tours FP is often still available in the afternoon.

This assumes you have obeyed Rule 1: Avoid All Weekends and Holidays!

[cornishfrogboy]

Originally Posted by Nimbus

The only difference now compared to 2005 is that the fastpasses are electronic rather than paper. It's still first come first gets now, with onsite guests being allowed to get in first before offsite guests. No different to 2005 when onsite guests could get into the park before offsite guests during EMH and bag the all-important fastpass first.



Of course, Disney of 2005 beared little resemblance to Disney of 1997 when I first visited and when there weren't fastpasses at all. People just had to wait in the standby line back then and there wasn't any affordable option to skip the queues.

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The difference for me in 2005 Is that 1.. I was invariably there at rope drop and 2.. not necessarily at the park that opened early. Another difference is that in 2005 I was there in Disney whilst in 2019 I will be elsewhere.

[SquishTheWhale]

Originally Posted by Gill H

I prefer using MDE for WDW too, but we never have any trouble at DLP. We get there for the start of EMT and ride Peter Pan, Buzz and Space Mountain which are practically a walk-on then. PP is literally 5 minutes if you go there first. So the only FP you really need is BTMR. Get there for 10am, get your FP - sorted. Then go to Indy which rarely has a queue and just ride it. Star Tours FP is often still available in the afternoon.

This assumes you have obeyed Rule 1: Avoid All Weekends and Holidays!

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Definitley broken rule 1 as have been to DLP 3 times... over new years eve each and every time! Could explain why we thought the FP system is so bad and could never get more than 1 all day.

[Nimbus]

Originally Posted by SquishTheWhale

I might be alone here but I thought the paper FP system sucked. However I only experienced it at DLP. Racing across the park to get one FP (that you can't choose the time of) and then after that they are all gone for all rides all day!
Not sure how that's better than selecting 3 in advance!

See more...

I wouldn't say the paper FP system sucked, as such. It was something of a blessing to be able to take a ticket to take your place in a virtual queue rather than physically standing in that queue like you used to have to. And the fact that it was free was a bonus. But it still had it's issues.

The new electronic FP+ system isn't perfect by any means. But in some ways I find it better than the old system. Knowing that you've booked a slot on a ride - or not - a month before you visit helps plan things. Plus being able to book a 4th fastpass from your phone whilst stood in a queue, having a drink, watching a show (or whatever) is a big improvement than having to walk across the park to a ride to see if there are any paper fastpasses left.

I certainly won't miss walking across Epcot from the Land to Mission Space in the boiling August heat to get some fastpasses for my family only to discover the fastpass machines weren't working for that ride.

[Nimbus]

Originally Posted by cornishfrogboy

I will be there for 14 days in August and the only theme park appointments that I have made are my DC day and the fact that it’s Universal either side of our night in the Royal Pacific. We will decide which Universal Park to do first as we walk there from the Hotel.

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So, I assume by this that you are in favour of a paid fastpass system?

Universal operates a paid fastpass system. Their fastpass system also prioritises onsite guests - especially those staying at the deluxe hotels - above offsite guests far more than Disney's fastpass system does. At least at Disney everyone gets to book 3 fastpasses per day.

It's just that from your earlier post it sounded like you were against paid unlimited fastpass systems that "push those that will not, or possibly cannot, [pay] even further back in the queues and diluting their experience yet further".

So, if Disney did decide to charge for their fastpass system then this would be a good thing, yes?

[cornishfrogboy]

Originally Posted by Nimbus

So, I assume by this that you are in favour of a paid fastpass system?

Universal operates a paid fastpass system. Their fastpass system also prioritises onsite guests - especially those staying at the deluxe hotels - above offsite guests far more than Disney's fastpass system does. At least at Disney everyone gets to book 3 fastpasses per day.

It's just that from your earlier post it sounded like you were against paid unlimited fastpass systems that "push those that will not, or possibly cannot, [pay] even further back in the queues and diluting their experience yet further".

So, if Disney did decide to charge for their fastpass system then this would be a good thing, yes?

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Whilst I have never directly paid for fastpass.. I say directly. I do however have a night in a Universal Hotel and thus, for 4 of us, It works well.. more further down.

I said that I do not stay on site Disney (or visit anymore). As I said, I like to decide on the day what I want to do.. when I get up. This works well with Universal as I can enter the park and ad lib it during the day. The FP/express pass cannot be booked in advance and therefore I can make it up as I go... albeit I do know that I will be in one or other of their parks.
This I could also do in Disney under the old system even better as I selected my fastpasses on the day as I moved around and had my choice of 14 days in which to do it. It cannot be done under the new as you have to say 60!or 90 days in advance that you will be in HS at the Rocknroller at 1145. I do not want to plan in such detail and therefore We do not partake. I appreciate that this may suit many others down to the ground, but not us.

In a perfect world, I would like to see an end to paid fastpass/express in its entirety. This will clearly never happen as the parks are businesses and therefore, I must 'roll with it' as I would never cut of my nose to spite my face (hence staying in a Universal deluxe). As I never double book accommodation (DIYer), I go cheap the night I arrive, Deluxe Universal the 2nd night and then Villa from then onwards. I pick up car as I finish my 2nd day at Universal, thus having saved 3 days carhire plus parking for 2. In this way, I have minimised cost of my unlimited Express pass.

Hope that clarifies my (and only my) position. Planning where I will be and when many weeks in advance in such detail is not something that I like doing and this is why I prefer the old Disney system. If they had a new, paid system then I very much suspect that it would be the same as the current one, but with greater numbers of fast passes available .

[Gill H]

It is not necesssarily the case that your holiday is set in stone 180or 90 days out, though. We changed FPs on the day often, and whole days too while we were there. Apart from one or two headliners in each park, there’s nothing you can’t rearrange if you wake up and decide to go elsewhere.