Fast Passes no longer free?

[Susan A]

A Disney fan neighbor told me that Fast Passes are no longer free. Is that true? I have not seen or heard that anywhere (although I do admit that I haven't visited Intercot in a while:secret: I'm super busy with my two little ones).

[dizneydeb22]

I have not heard anything like that. I have been doing a lot of research for our upcoming trip and have not seen that they are now charging.

[Susan A]

I tried to explain to her that you just insert the resort pass into the machine, but she said you have to pay more to be able to do that. :confused:

[SBETigg]

She's mistaken. There is no charge for Fastpass, beyond regular park admission.

[Basket Mommy]

She's probably thinking about Universal. They do charge for passes like that.

[DVC2004]

Yes they are still free- I think the above poster is correct. Probably confusing it with Universal who does charge for that.

[micky95]

just back from 4th of july trip and fast passes are still free.like poster stated probably thinking of universal.:mickey:

[BugeyedMuggy]

Just got one today (the 7th) for EE and still free.

[Maleficent_vf]

It's interesting how easily people become misinformed. I was talking with someone last week who said it was now necessary to make reservations online prior to arrival in order to ride the attractions at EPCOT!

[LisaP]

I tried to explain to her that you just insert the resort pass into the machine, but she said you have to pay more to be able to do that. :confused:

She's probably referring to Universal Studios VIP option :funny:

[Sylvia]

It's interesting how easily people become misinformed. I was talking with someone last week who said it was now necessary to make reservations online prior to arrival in order to ride the attractions at EPCOT!
:funny::funny:

[Ian]

It's interesting how easily people become misinformed. I was talking with someone last week who said it was now necessary to make reservations online prior to arrival in order to ride the attractions at EPCOT!Maybe not misinformed ... perhaps just ahead of the curve?

Disney did announce that this is coming soon ... 2012 or 2013 I think? ... as part of Project Next-Gen.

[wdwfansince75]

Spread the rumor...will cut down FP times for me when I get there tomorrow! I've posted this as gospel truth on at least 8 other sites!

[SBETigg]

Maybe not misinformed ... perhaps just ahead of the curve?

Disney did announce that this is coming soon ... 2012 or 2013 I think? ... as part of Project Next-Gen.

Well, yes, but I don't think it will rule out the possibility of standing in line for a ride, either. It may cut down on lines, like Fasspass, but I don't think it will replace it for people who choose to wait instead. Time will tell.

[brivers222]

Your neighbor is sadly correct.....


you have to actually pay an insane amount for tickets in order to get the opportunity to get a fast pass...

nothing in life is free ;)

[Susan A]

That is true..... :thumbsup:

[Imagineer1981]

for now its still a free service, and I hope it never changes. I do think perhaps that the nextgen system could be that resort guest have no FP limit? Perhaps they can get more then 1 at a time?

[BigRedDad]

The entire FP system at Disney is horrible after experiencing Universal's Express Pass. Disney does need to revamp the entire FP system.

There is no way WDW could implement a system like Universal's unless they limit to Deluxe resort guests only. My suggestion for a system would work far better:

1. FP are only for resort guests
2. Total FP's for a day is based on resort level. (Values can get say 5 per person, Moderates 8 per person, and Deluxe 15 per person)
3. FP needs to be changed to Front of the Line access. In other words, you walk right onto the ride and not have to wait 15 minutes still for Soarin, TSMM, etc.
4. Change the FP from being at the rides to kiosks throughout the park. You can choose which rides to get FPs for in one location.

[renecat]

Disney does okay with the way the fast pass works. Should they restrict them to people on property only I don't know. Universal charges for fast passes and you can only use them for certain attractions. We do use fast pass for certain thing but you have to wait several hours before you can get another fast pass for another attraction. I think Disney does a good job.

[Stickey]

WDW has too many resorts to allow it to match Universal's system. However, there should be FP perks for staying at a Disney resort.

[Dulcee]

2. Total FP's for a day is based on resort level. (Values can get say 5 per person, Moderates 8 per person, and Deluxe 15 per person)
3. FP needs to be changed to Front of the Line access. In other words, you walk right onto the ride and not have to wait 15 minutes still for Soarin, TSMM, etc.


Oof, I'm not fond of those ideas at all...only for resort guests and a central location sound good to me but what resort you choose shouldn't have influence on park perks.

[ThanxForNoticin]

I can agree with the central location idea for the fast passes, but I really don't think the other ideas are in the best interest of all the Disney guests. The intent of the fast pass was never to allow certain guests to bump right to the front of all the lines and bypass all the stand-by traffic. It was designed to offer a planning tool you can choose to use or not use at certain points during your day at the parks.

I have stayed at Universal and used their Express Pass system, and I still don't think Disney should use it. If you are a guest of the park, you should have equal access to something like FP. If you decide to stay on Disney property, you can enjoy the other perks that come with that - like transportation, EMHs, free parking, etc.

[princessgirls]

Just my two cents....

I really think the Disney Fastpass System is fair for EVERYONE who walks through the gates. I don't want to pay more for front of the line service.

Equal playing field. I like that!

Julie:mickey:

[Cara121078]

Your neighbor is sadly correct.....


you have to actually pay an insane amount for tickets in order to get the opportunity to get a fast pass...

nothing in life is free ;)

Too funny!:laughing:

[TinksPixieDust]

having fastpass at one central location would make fastpasses disappear even faster then they do now. having them at the attraction forces people to go to the attraction and get them... this helps disney control the crowds a little bit more... its can be time consuming but it helps with the flow of people

i also do not think fastpass should allow you immediate access to front of the line.. i think its irritating especially on something like rnr or tsm that they let 200 fastpasses through to like 10 standby ( and exageration but sometimes i think the line would flow better with a better fp to sb ratio) . obviously i dont mind waiting in standby because i know that i have fast passes for a ride that the current fp people will have to wait in standby so its fair game ( i.e. no need for the smug looks).... but i think people need to realize it was designed to minimize your wait not eliminate your wait.

the only time i found fastpass to be bad was this past trip we were at animal kingdom and there had to have been about 5 different tour groups with 100+ kids in each group and they allllll got into the fastpass at once on kali river there had to have been literally almost 250-300 people in the fastpass lane in july which meant the regular line was pretty long as well.... and then cast member collecting the fp tickets at the front was getting accosted by these teens and they were yelling at him to speak spanish to them.... luckily he yelled english english english and then said mucho loco! then they almost stampeded him because they wanted to get with their group....god bless the cast member iw ould have lost it

[frozman]

Although they are still free, and I also think she was talking about Universal or possibly Sea World (I know sister park Busch Gardens charges for that sort of thing), I know there have been many discussions on here about that changing. I haven't heard anything firm, but I've heard anything from charging for it outright, making it a benefit only for WDW resort guests, offering "enhanced" fastpasses for Deluxe resort guests (like Universal), and charging extra for "enhanced" fastpasses. These were all rumors mind you, but I've said it before and I'll say it again...
Universal Charges for this
Busch Gardens/Sea World Charges for this
Six Flags Charges for this
I can't believe disney does not.

[wdwfansince75]

If my count is right, this was our 10th trip since FP's were introduced. I believe that there have been some tweaks over the year, since, IMHO, the process has been actually improving. Even though the last two trips have been in July, with the large BTG's, we have been able to get fast passes, and once our window starts, usually ride within the "5 to 10" minute timeframe that Disney targets...there have been occasional longer periods, such as when Soaring CM's have to search for lost items from the group ahead of us....
Note that while the practice is to allow FP's to be used after the time window, the calculations used to determine the numbers and timing on the window appear to be based on equal numbers for each window...so if large numbers of users delay return until after their window, they increase the numbers of FP's used later in the day. My observations is that this particularly true in evening EMH parks...
So by using FP's early in the window, you are more likely to ride within 5 to 10 minutes...

[iceicebritney]

I thought in did see this on one of the recent wdw press releases. If memory serves me correctly it's something they'll add in the years to come.

Personally I am not looking forward to this at all. This is the reason I don't go to universal anymore. It is impossible to get on the adult rides at islands of adventure with their horrific line lengths and resort guest only fast passes.

We already pay a high price for our Disney tickets. If this is implemented as an extra costs for guests I will be extremely disappointed.

[RBrooksC]

I can't see Disney charging for it since it would be something that separates them from their competition, but I do see them implementing a tiered system where those in a DVC or Deluxe resort get a higher priority than a Moderate and then Value. Off-site guests would get the lowest priority.

And if Disney does do that, it would be to give that little extra to those who spend more to stay on a Disney resort. And, in a way, I would see that as a good thing. If you pay more to stay on property, there is nothing wrong with getting a perk like that.

[johnO]

The FP system seems to work fine the way it is... IMHO

[texas211]

I can't see Disney charging for it since it would be something that separates them from their competition, but I do see them implementing a tiered system where those in a DVC or Deluxe resort get a higher priority than a Moderate and then Value. Off-site guests would get the lowest priority.

And if Disney does do that, it would be to give that little extra to those who spend more to stay on a Disney resort. And, in a way, I would see that as a good thing. If you pay more to stay on property, there is nothing wrong with getting a perk like that.

I agree there should be perks, but i don't more lines of folks. Maybe something like you get a fastpass x number of rides, rather than the 1/time approach they have now.

[UCJen]

Oof, I'm not fond of those ideas at all...only for resort guests and a central location sound good to me but what resort you choose shouldn't have influence on park perks.

Agreed. We are a Deluxe or nothing family, and yet I am uncomfortable with tiered FP based on resort level.

I feel like the extra money you spend for a Deluxe gets you a nicer pool, convenient access to the parks, a bigger room and better all-around amenities. Your "status" should not impact your perks at the parks.

They already have front of the line access, it's called the VIP Tour. :mickey:

[DisneyaHolic]

I like that once a family shells out their money for entrance to the parks, everyone is treated the same. Families that have saved for years to go on a once-in-a-lifetime trip should have the same access to fastpass as those that can visit more often and pay for the deluxe resorts.

I would be OK with folks that stay at deluxe resorts getting a certain number of "free" universal fastpasses that can be used at any rides whenever the deluxe guests choose, and then moderate resort guests getting fewer, and so on.... That would give the families that stay at the better resorts an extra bonus, but it wouldn't affect the ride entrance extraordinarily...

[Ms. Mode]

WDW has too many resorts to allow it to match Universal's system. However, there should be FP perks for staying at a Disney resort.

I agree, why not limit to those on property? Of course, we only stay on property...:blush:

[DisneyFr33k]

Moderators - please delete this thread! Don't give Disney any ideas! ;)

[RBrooksC]

I agree there should be perks, but i don't more lines of folks. Maybe something like you get a fastpass x number of rides, rather than the 1/time approach they have now.

It wouldn't be more lines. What I could see them doing is the Fast Pass return time for DVC/Deluxe guests would be sooner than Moderates, which would be sooner than Value, which would be sooner than off-site.

So while being in a higher priced resort wouldn't mean "head of the line" access, it would mean one could use more Fast Passes during a day than those with a lesser priority.

[CaptainSad]

The entire FP system at Disney is horrible after experiencing Universal's Express Pass. Disney does need to revamp the entire FP system.

There is no way WDW could implement a system like Universal's unless they limit to Deluxe resort guests only. My suggestion for a system would work far better:

1. FP are only for resort guests
2. Total FP's for a day is based on resort level. (Values can get say 5 per person, Moderates 8 per person, and Deluxe 15 per person)
3. FP needs to be changed to Front of the Line access. In other words, you walk right onto the ride and not have to wait 15 minutes still for Soarin, TSMM, etc.
4. Change the FP from being at the rides to kiosks throughout the park. You can choose which rides to get FPs for in one location.

I doubt Disney would ever do any of this. I don't think they would just allow resort guests to be the only ones to be able to get them. That would be business suicide... We who choose not to stay on property pay just as much as resort guests for the admission tickets. They already have the extra magic hours which I think is fine. They depend on people who come down just for a day or two just as much. With some of the lines, both stand-by and FP it works just fine with the alternating between the two. If you made it where a person that had a FP and he went right to the front without even a little wait you would have trouble on your hands. I mean some of the FP lines during peak times are long enough. And can you imagine if you were in the stand-by line just about to get on a ride and 50 people with FP's showed up under Universals system and they stopped you from getting on. You would be ticked.

[texas211]

It wouldn't be more lines. What I could see them doing is the Fast Pass return time for DVC/Deluxe guests would be sooner than Moderates, which would be sooner than Value, which would be sooner than off-site.

So while being in a higher priced resort wouldn't mean "head of the line" access, it would mean one could use more Fast Passes during a day than those with a lesser priority.

Ah, thanks for the clarification. In that case, i like it. I might like it less on times when Disney isn't my focus of my trip (alternate Disney based, then other park based trips to Orlando with may 1 or 2 days at Disney).