Paid FP options coming soon to WDW?

[JakeAZ]

So like $500/hr? I agree for that price they could probably sell unlimited fast passes and not have the guide. Just scan into any fp line as many times as you want for the number of hours you pay for.

I wouldn’t be able to afford it but give wealthy people the option and leave the free FP system for everyone else.

Yes, but if that was for up to 10 people (like the VIP tours) and you could pick how many hours you wanted, it would be useful for large parties where DW is a nightmare to plan for.

If I could turn on unlimited FP for 3/4 hours for 10 of us, we could knock out the "must do" rides at the park and then use the included FP to hit the other rides. We'd also be able to enjoy more sit down meals and shows if we didn't have to always worry about the next scheduled FP.

If I was just with one other person, I wouldn't even consider it. But with a large group that includes small kids...I'd definitely try to "budget" something like that in. I mean right now I basically have to dedicate an entire park day to RotR. I scheduled all my ADRs back in October before it opened, so based on our itinerary, there isn't a really great way to carve out an entire day to be in HS (especially now that they've gone to 1 hour return times for some BGs). If there was a paid option where I could buy a FP for one ride on RotR for our entire 7 day trip, I'd jump on it. That, right there, would alleviate so much planning stress. I'm hopeful they add something like after hours, EMM or dessert party with a ride after park closing, but it looks doubtful.

Again, I don't like all these extra upsells and it's why we won't be back. But the trip is planned and money has already been spent. So anything, within reason, to help it run smoother will be considered.

 

[jkh36619]

I think the problem is a really good economy right now. Disney is making their money while its there. Nothing lasts for ever and it will eventually have to reset itself. If so, it will be the good ole days again.
Hotel discounts, lower ticket prices, more free dining and........free extra FPs

 

[JakeAZ]

I think the problem is a really good economy right now. Disney is making their money while its there

I agree with this, to an extent. However, if ever Disney was going to charge for FP, it's now. Now is the time to upsell SWGE.

When the economy slows down, nobody is going to want to pay for extras. And why should they? The parks will be less crowded.

 

[DGsAtBLT]

All this talk about unlimited FP+, I think if it ever came to be people would be quite upset with how much it actually ends up costing. Look at the VIP tour as getting a "discount" per hour because it requires a minimum number of hours. The cost of being able to use it just for the uber popular attractions (you know, the ones the majority of people willing to pay would want to use it at) for the length of time you want to use it for at the time you want to use it would have to be insanely expensive. Or insanely limited in quantity.

 

[Brianstl]

Yes, but if that was for up to 10 people (like the VIP tours) and you could pick how many hours you wanted, it would be useful for large parties where DW is a nightmare to plan for.

If I could turn on unlimited FP for 3/4 hours for 10 of us, we could knock out the "must do" rides at the park and then use the included FP to hit the other rides. We'd also be able to enjoy more sit down meals and shows if we didn't have to always worry about the next scheduled FP.

If I was just with one other person, I wouldn't even consider it. But with a large group that includes small kids...I'd definitely try to "budget" something like that in. I mean right now I basically have to dedicate an entire park day to RotR. I scheduled all my ADRs back in October before it opened, so based on our itinerary, there isn't a really great way to carve out an entire day to be in HS (especially now that they've gone to 1 hour return times for some BGs). If there was a paid option where I could buy a FP for one ride on RotR for our entire 7 day trip, I'd jump on it. That, right there, would alleviate so much planning stress. I'm hopeful they add something like after hours, EMM or dessert party with a ride after park closing, but it looks doubtful.

Again, I don't like all these extra upsells and it's why we won't be back. But the trip is planned and money has already been spent. So anything, within reason, to help it run smoother will be considered.

You're not going to get up to 10 people for $500 an hour. That cost is probably not $500 an hour per person, but probably in the $300 plus an hour range per person. If they do this it is going to be extremely expensive so they don't damage their on site bookings, the money they make from Disney Springs hotels for 60 day FP, club level business and VIP tour business. If Disney does this it will be to generate new revenue and not replace existing revenue.

 

[JakeAZ]

All this talk about unlimited FP+, I think if it ever came to be people would be quite upset with how much it actually ends up costing. Look at the VIP tour as getting a "discount" per hour because it requires a minimum number of hours. The cost of being able to use it just for the uber popular attractions (you know, the ones the majority of people willing to pay would want to use it at) for the length of time you want to use it for at the time you want to use it would have to be insanely expensive. Or insanely limited in quantity.

You're right. Something like unlimited would need to be sold at a huge premium, but the price will dictate the demand. We won't know until / if it's ever offered.

However, something where they package rides together as a group (like Paris) seems likely at some point.

 

[JakeAZ]

You're not going to get up to 10 people for $500 an hour. That cost is probably not $500 an hour per person, but probably in the $300 plus an hour range per person. If they do this it is going to be extremely expensive so they don't damage their on site bookings, the money they make from Disney Springs hotels for 60 day FP, club level business and VIP tour business. If Disney does this it will be to generate new revenue and not replace existing revenue.

Nobody would buy that. And Disney would never offer at that price, due to the horrible press it would bring.

How many rides do you think you can get on in an hour, using the FP lanes, on a busy day (days where it would be needed)? 3, maybe 4 tops? A family of 4 (even a wealthy family of 4) paying $1000 - $2000 for 3/4 rides. On top of admission, hotel, flights, etc.

 

[JakeAZ]

Rest assured, the monetization of FP is coming. Selfishly, I'd prefer to have the option before my trip. But in the end, it will just be another reason to vacation elsewhere next time.

 

[Brianstl]

Nobody would buy that. And Disney would never offer at that price, due to the horrible press it would bring.

How many rides do you think you can get on in an hour, using the FP lanes, on a busy day (days where it would be needed)? 3, maybe 4 tops? A family of 4 (even a wealthy family of 4) paying $1000 - $2000 for 3/4 rides. On top of admission, hotel, flights, etc.

People will pay for it and they won't get bad press for it. They will bill it as an extension of the VIP tour packages. And if you don't want to pay that price book a night in club level and you can book extra fast passes at 90 days at $50.

People are crazy if they think they are somehow going to get a better deal on paid FP than what exist right now by booking club level. Disney will use it as a way to increase revenue into addition to what they already make off club level and VIP tours. They aren't going to create something that looks like a cheaper option to the people already spending money on those two things.

 

[DGsAtBLT]

Nobody would buy that. And Disney would never offer at that price, due to the horrible press it would bring.

How many rides do you think you can get on in an hour, using the FP lanes, on a busy day (days where it would be needed)? 3, maybe 4 tops? A family of 4 (even a wealthy family of 4) paying $1000 - $2000 for 3/4 rides. On top of admission, hotel, flights, etc.

The numbers we do know are approximately $17 a FP, for a pre-scheduled one, with a club level stay needing to be purchased, and $425-750 an hour for 7 hours for all you can ride (among other things) for a group of up to 10. I think those two numbers are probably more relevant in trying to predict what Disney might do than looking to the overseas parks. Even ignoring the VIP tours, the club level FP leads me to believe an unlimited, no strings attached FP+ would have to be at least $100 per person per hour (that 3-4 attraction mark), likely more, if they allowed you to purchase it for short amounts of time/few attractions. And a family of 4 would be looking at at least $100 (but probably more) for a single prescheduled FP.

I have to believe a lower priced option and a complete overhaul of the FP+ system as we know it to allow it to work would be an optics nightmare, even with all the upcharges that exist as of late. It's going to be very expensive to keep demand at bay, or the system is completely overhauled and none of us are better off except those who are willing to spend likely way more than almost everybody advocating for paid FP+ wants to admit it will be.

 

[JakeAZ]

People will pay for it and they won't get bad press for it. They will bill it as an extension of the VIP tour packages. And if you don't want to pay that price book a night in club level and you can book extra fast passes at 90 days at $50.

People are crazy if they think they are somehow going to get a better deal on paid FP than what exist right now by booking club level. Disney will use it as a way to increase revenue into addition to what they already make off club level and VIP tours. They aren't going to create something that looks like a cheaper option to the people already spending money on those two things.

Sure, people will pay the prices of today, that's been proven.

I was responding to your suggestion of $300+ per hour per person.

Family of 4
7 hours of "unlimited FP" @ $300 per hour per person
$8,400

That's not going to happen and the reason it hasn't is the bad press it would bring.

CL isn't that great of a solution either. The extra FP are still pre scheduled and can only be modified by guest services.

 

[Brianstl]

Sure, people will pay the prices of today, that's been proven.

I was responding to your suggestion of $300+ per hour per person.

Family of 4
7 hours of "unlimited FP" @ $300 per hour per person
$8,400

That's not going to happen and the reason it hasn't is the bad press it would bring.

CL isn't that great of a solution either. The extra FP are still pre scheduled and can only be modified by guest services.

If Disney decides to do it at the prices that you are suggesting it would result in me purchasing it and Disney losing money in the process. I am staying off site for 6 nights instead of staying 7 nights at Yacht Club. That is $3,500 out of Disney’s pocket. I am not going to spend $1,300 on the dining plan. I am only going to buy a two day park hopper for the family instead of a 7 day park hopper for the family that means I am spending $800 less. With unlimited fast passes for 7 hours each day, 2 days of park hopping is all that is needed. Now Disney is going to get $2,000 of that back when we pay for unlimited fast passes for those two days at the park, but they still have lost $3,600 that I was going to give them.

Here’s the kicker...... That $3600 I am not spending at Disney is paying for my stay at Universal’s Portofino Bay and getting me 2 days of tickets with unlimited express pass/early entry.

Disney knows that my family and many others will do exactly what I described above if they do anything close to a price set up you described. That is encouraging people to spend less at Disney and to spend that savings at Universal.

 

[JakeAZ]

If Disney decides to do it at the prices that you are suggesting it would result in me purchasing it and in the process Disney losing money in the process. I am staying off site for 6 nights instead of staying 7 nights at Yacht Club. That is $3,500 out of Disney’s pocket. I am not going to spend $1,300 on the dining plan. I am only going to buy a two day park hopper for the family instead of a 7 day park hopper for the family that means I am spending $800 less. With unlimited fast passes for 7 hours each day, 2 days of park hopping is all that is needed. Now Disney is going to get $2,000 of that back when we pay for unlimited fast passes for those two days at the park, but they still have lost $3,600 that I was going to give them.

Here’s the kicker...... That $3600 I am not spending at Disney is paying for my stay at Universal’s Portofino Bay and getting me 2 days of tickets with unlimited express pass/early entry.

Disney knows that my family and many others will do exactly what I described above if they do anything close to a price set up you described. That is encouraging people to spend less at Disney and to spend that savings at Universal.

I didn’t suggest any pricing.

I said $300 an hour per person, per hour isn’t going to happen. And it’s not.

Someone suggested instead of a $500 per hour VIP guide, they would just prefer anytime fast passes for that price.

That pricing structure exists today.

I will agree with you that people might shorten their trips if they can get on the rides faster. But I’ll offer a counter point. Many people have given up on Disney, due to their constraints. So those people might come back. Also, people like me will not return under the current conditions. I’d rather give all my money to Universal, going forward, if it comes down to a theme park vacation.

 

[Remy is Up]

There is a balance between thinning the herd( increasing ticket prices and pricing many out of annual passes, in particular platinums) and filling the resorts and special events. Disney is always massaging those things to find the right balance.

 

[Traveling on cc points]

If Disney decides to do it at the prices that you are suggesting it would result in me purchasing it and in the process Disney losing money in the process. I am staying off site for 6 nights instead of staying 7 nights at Yacht Club. That is $3,500 out of Disney’s pocket. I am not going to spend $1,300 on the dining plan. I am only going to buy a two day park hopper for the family instead of a 7 day park hopper for the family that means I am spending $800 less. With unlimited fast passes for 7 hours each day, 2 days of park hopping is all that is needed. Now Disney is going to get $2,000 of that back when we pay for unlimited fast passes for those two days at the park, but they still have lost $3,600 that I was going to give them.

Here’s the kicker...... That $3600 I am not spending at Disney is paying for my stay at Universal’s Portofino Bay and getting me 2 days of tickets with unlimited express pass/early entry.

Disney knows that my family and many others will do exactly what I described above if they do anything close to a price set up you described. That is encouraging people to spend less at Disney and to spend that savings at Universal.

I agree with you 100%. When this thread first started, I was 100% totally against paid fast passes out of principle but you & some others here have made some really good points.

We have always stayed on property, usually at the beach club or boardwalk mostly out of habit, Convenience and the 60 day fast pass window. On our last trip in December, we came to the conclusion that staying in this area is no longer worth the cost to us due to the skyliner. I realize that many people here love it but to us, part of the premium we were paying to stay at these hotels was the quiet, “secret” IG and underpopulated hotel area. Now that the skyliner dumps thousands of people over there, more & more people are venturing over.

We love Disney and will always go in 1 form or another but if this does happen, I could definitely see stealing your scenario staying off property, buying the up sell fast passes for 2 days and enjoying what else orlando has to offer.

I think Disney will count on the “Disney bubble” people. I’ve seen it in post after post that they flat out refuse to eat at an offsite restaurant or stay anywhere but a Disney property. We already leave at least once a day to eat off property so I don’t think it would be that much of a stretch to sleep off property too.

 

[tink2424]

The other option is that there are other great theme parks in the world to visit for about the same amount of money or just a little more. As I mentioned I have a trip planned to Europe in September/October of this year to go to Europa Park & Efteling which are supposed to be AMAZING parks that have a similar level of detail as Disney does. For now I won't be back to Disney for a few years as I just am not feeling the vibe with all the planning and the fact that there aren't any times of the year that the parks aren't crowded anymore.

Just a thought that maybe we all need to take our dollars elsewhere for a while...

 

[PaladinButters]

If there was a paid option where I could buy a FP for one ride on RotR for our entire 7 day trip, I'd jump on it.

At what price? SO MANY people would jump on this that it would be the next impossible to book thing just like some dining/fp+ spots now and you would have no chance outside of a 60+10 resort stay.

 

[jade1]

Just a thought that maybe we all need to take our dollars elsewhere for a while...

Was Paid FP+ implemented?

If not, I'm not sure I would go somewhere else because of something that hasn't been implemented.

That said, I would pay for some-esp new/er additions.

 

[Beer Me]

Yes, but if that was for up to 10 people (like the VIP tours) and you could pick how many hours you wanted, it would be useful for large parties where DW is a nightmare to plan for.

If I could turn on unlimited FP for 3/4 hours for 10 of us, we could knock out the "must do" rides at the park and then use the included FP to hit the other rides. We'd also be able to enjoy more sit down meals and shows if we didn't have to always worry about the next scheduled FP.

If I was just with one other person, I wouldn't even consider it. But with a large group that includes small kids...I'd definitely try to "budget" something like that in. I mean right now I basically have to dedicate an entire park day to RotR. I scheduled all my ADRs back in October before it opened, so based on our itinerary, there isn't a really great way to carve out an entire day to be in HS (especially now that they've gone to 1 hour return times for some BGs). If there was a paid option where I could buy a FP for one ride on RotR for our entire 7 day trip, I'd jump on it. That, right there, would alleviate so much planning stress. I'm hopeful they add something like after hours, EMM or dessert party with a ride after park closing, but it looks doubtful.

Again, I don't like all these extra upsells and it's why we won't be back. But the trip is planned and money has already been spent. So anything, within reason, to help it run smoother will be considered.

First of all, in general I support the idea of optional add-ons for fp+ but at the same time keeping the current system free for those who don’t want/need more flexibility.

But based on the specific situation you outlined, if I were in your shoes (and apologies, I know you didn’t ask for advice so just ignore if it’s not welcome) I’d simply drop or change your ADR for the day in HS. Rope drop for your RotR BP and spend the day. I’ve found there is no specific restaurant special enough to make or break a vacation and some of the best meals were spur of the moment decisions.

 

[JakeAZ]

At what price? SO MANY people would jump on this that it would be the next impossible to book thing just like some dining/fp+ spots now and you would have no chance outside of a 60+10 resort stay.

I don't know?! I'll wait for Disney to price it and then I'll decide if it's worth it.

I'd prefer some type of After Hours / Star Wars focused event though.