insight into how fastpasses will change

[DizneyFreak2002]

Like now, I just purchased annual passes for my husband and myself. In June, when we turn in our vouchers we will get the RFID cards (I think). My children will have Magic Your Way tickets. I am already confused as to if we will be able to enter through the same turnstyles, or will they have to go one direction and we go another? Since everything is not converted to fast pass +, I think the fast pass situation will be ok, but I am not sure. Will the tickets I get for the kids have the RFID chip in them or can their tickets be put on their room card?

I do not believe there will be separate entrances... There are right now because not everyone has RFID tickets yet, there are still paper tickets out there... Soon, the paper tickets will be all gone and everyone will have an RFID chip card (and when live, a Magic Band)... The turnstyles as we know them are gone... Instead, you'll tap your RFID chip card to a stand and do the biometric thing with your finger... As for putting the room key on your tickets, I'd ask Guest Services... I cannot see why that would be an issue...

But truly I agree that Universal is looking better and better and I have never even been! It is a real draw to know that major attractions are being announced and coming online within a year. It seems that Disney needs to work on their turn around or releasing information in a way that is more timely.

Universal Decade... That is all that needs to be said... They are going for it.. They will be a player... I can see IOA and Uni overtaking DHS and DAK, and challenging Epcot in 2 to 3 years...

[MizMissy]

It is a name used by many in the community spread out over several fan sites... Disney is calling them Magic Bands... As bad as Disney marketing is at times, I don't think they would be that bad...

I've even seen some fans refer to these bands as Tragic Bands... I prefer Mouse Arrest...

LOL. It is a marketing disaster already ... just wasn't sure if they had nailed their own coffin shut with the name (although they seem pretty close anyway).

[Ian]

Like now, I just purchased annual passes for my husband and myself. In June, when we turn in our vouchers we will get the RFID cards (I think). My children will have Magic Your Way tickets. I am already confused as to if we will be able to enter through the same turnstyles, or will they have to go one direction and we go another?

All new tickets will have the RFID embedded, so you'll all be able to use the RFID enabled entrances.

[cer]

All new tickets will have the RFID embedded, so you'll all be able to use the RFID enabled entrances.

So, in our circumstance, would you all recommend that I purchase the kiddos tix at the park when we arrive? I know we could save by going through a ticket place, but would it be more of a headache to pre-purchase them ? Basically, are they even converting pre-purchased paper tix to rfid tix?

(We have always done the vacation pkgs, so this is kind of new for us.)

[MOJoe]

Here's my take on all this, for what it's worth.

If the old FP system was designed to keep people from standing in line so they would be free to buy more, drink more and eat more, then from my experience it has been an overwhelming success. I love the current system, because it works. I rarely stand in line, giving me extra time to go back to my resort and have a drink, or park hop or eat, or play mini golf, or do any number of things that add to Disney's bottom line. So why the change?

I do not believe the new system is fixing an old system that wasn't working. Instead, the new system is being designed to enhance revenue even further. The boardroom conversation probably went like this..."We have these pieces of paper we dispense in the parks that are literally worth their weight in gold! How can we use them to make more money? Charge extra for them? Well maybe not right away. But we should definitely control them, limiting access, and use them as resort guest perks. We have to get away from the current system where anyone can get one, because only by controlling access can we continue to add to the bottom line."

In my opinion, all that stuff about people staying in the parks because they have pre-planned their vacation, is smoke. Disney is not going to come right out and say this is all about controlling access to Fastpasses in order to make more money. But clearly that is the direction the Next Gen stuff is taking.

[Butters]

i've read this thread, and tried to follow every other thread out there on this. And I'm completely lost on how this will affect my Sept trip.

My wife and I both have AP's we will be using, we are going with other family members who will be buying 9 day Park Hopper passes. If we convert our AP's to the new passes with the chip, or a magic band would we be forced onto Fastpass+ and not be able to use the old Fastpass and get passes to ride with our family that will be staying in the same villa as us?

[Ian]

So, in our circumstance, would you all recommend that I purchase the kiddos tix at the park when we arrive? I know we could save by going through a ticket place, but would it be more of a headache to pre-purchase them ? Basically, are they even converting pre-purchased paper tix to rfid tix?

(We have always done the vacation pkgs, so this is kind of new for us.)

I think (although I'm not 100% certain) that if you buy from a vendor like INTERCOT sponsor The Official Ticket Center you just get a voucher that you exchange for a regular theme park ticket when you arrive. I don't think that will affect you RFID/not RFID.

My wife and I both have AP's we will be using, we are going with other family members who will be buying 9 day Park Hopper passes. If we convert our AP's to the new passes with the chip, or a magic band would we be forced onto Fastpass+ and not be able to use the old Fastpass and get passes to ride with our family that will be staying in the same villa as us?

Honestly, due to the complete and total lack of information from Disney, I really have no idea how to answer this. I truly don't know.

[DizneyFreak2002]

My wife and I both have AP's we will be using, we are going with other family members who will be buying 9 day Park Hopper passes. If we convert our AP's to the new passes with the chip, or a magic band would we be forced onto Fastpass+ and not be able to use the old Fastpass and get passes to ride with our family that will be staying in the same villa as us?

Like Ian said, Disney has been so noncommittal with any information, a lot of things are still unknown.. However, if you go to the My Disney Experience app/website, I think things are stated in the ToS...

For some reason I cannot copy/paste... But, here is what is says, word for word:

You can make and modify FastPass+ selections for yourself, your Managed Friends, and your Connected Friends

Did you join My Disney Experience yet? Once you do, you can add friends to your reservation... You can then, if I understand this correctly, book FastPass+ for those friends... The downside is, those friends can also log in and cancel and change reservations because, I believe, you have to invite them to be part of your itinerary... Which you may have to do in order to book FP+ for them...

They also state this:

You are required to convert your paper tickets and passes in order to make and use FastPass + selections. Once you convert a ticket or pass you will no longer be able to participate in the standard FASTPASS service upon arrival at the parks.

So, once you convert to the RFID card, you can not use Fastpass anymore...

[PirateLover]

I think (although I'm not 100% certain) that if you buy from a vendor like INTERCOT sponsor The Official Ticket Center you just get a voucher that you exchange for a regular theme park ticket when you arrive. I don't think that will affect you RFID/not RFID.

If you order through Official Ticket Center, you get a regular paper ticket that you can go right into the parks with. This may change in the future, but we just ordered tickets last month and received traditional tickets.

[FLKatie912]

They can run the numbers any way they want to -- that's my point. The only way to know for sure is to have all the data about how people use FP now and how people will use it in the future based on Disney's restrictions, which aren't even written in stone yet and haven't been tested. Simply multiplying numbers of guests x FPs held (even if you're assuming 3 per person) is not going to tell you anything. There are just too many assumptions.

For example, take Splash Mountain. If the same number of FPs are given out as now and they're all taken, the only way the standby lines would increase is if there are more TOTAL people wanting to ride the attraction, and that's a function of guest attendance, not FP.

Standby lines could also increase if more FPs are allocated for any given attraction (but I haven't read or seen anything that would imply this) OR if all the FPs for an attraction that currently exhausts its allotment are NOT used up for the day (because people can only have 3, for example, and don't pick this one, moving their waiting spot to standby instead).

All I'm saying is that there are a lot of "ifs" about how it's implemented and guest behavior, not just how many FPs will be given per guest. We really have to wait and see.

I am totally in agreement about the "wait and see". I understand the confusion and the frustration, and I don't agree with all of the Disney Company's decisions, but I believe that this will work itself out and we may offer us a different way to enjoy the parks.

[FLKatie912]

Maybe I missed this, but if you can book 60 days out, what happens if all the FP's are gone when I go to book? I can see that happening when it's super busy.

I love going to WDW but it's becoming work to go, I have to make dining reservations 6 months out, and now I have to know what rides I want to do 2 months out. Take me back to the days when I could go eat at a restaurant without a reservation a million days before, and yes even the waits. It just put everyone on a level playing field.

I don't think the FP's are going to be gone like people think they will be. You have to think about the amount of people that get FP during a given day currently. Those aren't all resorts guests, they also include day guests, school groups, passholders and CMs also. Day Guests will not have the opportunity to book ahead of time. In addition, with booking earlier, allows you to pick your time, which means there will be less FP's that go unused like with the current system.

[FLKatie912]

This whole thing is making me weary.

This part is not about the fast passes, but still confusing to me.

Like now, I just purchased annual passes for my husband and myself. In June, when we turn in our vouchers we will get the RFID cards (I think). My children will have Magic Your Way tickets. I am already confused as to if we will be able to enter through the same turnstyles, or will they have to go one direction and we go another? Since everything is not converted to fast pass +, I think the fast pass situation will be ok, but I am not sure. Will the tickets I get for the kids have the RFID chip in them or can their tickets be put on their room card?

Such a mess.

But truly I agree that Universal is looking better and better and I have never even been! It is a real draw to know that major attractions are being announced and coming online within a year. It seems that Disney needs to work on their turn around or releasing information in a way that is more timely.

I am certainly not the authority on any of this, but it is exhausting. There is so little information and so much speculation.

Are your children's tickets pre-purchased with your travel package or did you buy them from a third party? If they are from the WDW Travel Co, they will automatically be on your children's room keys and those will have the RFID in them and you will proceed through the same turnstyles.

[FLKatie912]

Like Ian said, Disney has been so noncommittal with any information, a lot of things are still unknown.. However, if you go to the My Disney Experience app/website, I think things are stated in the ToS...

For some reason I cannot copy/paste... But, here is what is says, word for word:

Did you join My Disney Experience yet? Once you do, you can add friends to your reservation... You can then, if I understand this correctly, book FastPass+ for those friends... The downside is, those friends can also log in and cancel and change reservations because, I believe, you have to invite them to be part of your itinerary... Which you may have to do in order to book FP+ for them...

They also state this:

So, once you convert to the RFID card, you can not use Fastpass anymore...

Right now the current KTTW cards are RFID and they regular FP system still works, including for those AP holders that have converted to their new tickets as well.

[Ian]

So, once you convert to the RFID card, you can not use Fastpass anymore...

This is definitely not right. We have RFID annual passes and they worked fine in the existing FP machines.

[cer]

Are your children's tickets pre-purchased with your travel package or did you buy them from a third party? If they are from the WDW Travel Co, they will automatically be on your children's room keys and those will have the RFID in them and you will proceed through the same turnstyles.

We are purchasing everything separately this time. (No vacation package.)

[KylesMom]

Am I the only one whose head hurts just trying to understand the basics of this new system?!!! Whatever happened to the premise of KISS?!

[DizneyFreak2002]

Right now the current KTTW cards are RFID and they regular FP system still works, including for those AP holders that have converted to their new tickets as well.

This is definitely not right. We have RFID annual passes and they worked fine in the existing FP machines.

Disney's own words:

You are required to convert your paper tickets and passes in order to make and use FastPass + selections. Once you convert a ticket or pass you will no longer be able to participate in the standard FASTPASS service upon arrival at the parks.

I think it is obvious this goes into effect once FP+ comes online... Since FP+ is not active yet, obviously the current FP will be used with RFID...

[Butters]

Thanks everyone for the tips ... At least I don't feel alone in not having a clue in how to plan a trip now... Amazing how Disney managed to confuse the heck out of all of their most knowledgable and frequent customers so they can't even plan a trip anymore... Let alone for newbies...

[Gregandmel]

Dear Lord....I am still confused even after trying to understand it all. Had it down to a SCIENCE with the old way our past 2 trips. Nervous to even book another one in the next 12 months due to not understanding all of this. So...what is with the 3 FP's you get (or can "reserve" on line?) Is that ALL you can get for the day? Or just "pre-reserve?"

When we have gone in the past, we probably made use of 6-8 FP's the whole day (always tried to have one in hand) but with the FAst Pass +... you can only get 3? For the whole day? Is the "old way" completely obsolete (or will be?). I'm sure this has been answered somewhere in all these threads, but I find myself starting to glaze over stuff. Thanks for any insight on what is "right" right now.

[FLKatie912]

Dear Lord....I am still confused even after trying to understand it all. Had it down to a SCIENCE with the old way our past 2 trips. Nervous to even book another one in the next 12 months due to not understanding all of this. So...what is with the 3 FP's you get (or can "reserve" on line?) Is that ALL you can get for the day? Or just "pre-reserve?"

When we have gone in the past, we probably made use of 6-8 FP's the whole day (always tried to have one in hand) but with the FAst Pass +... you can only get 3? For the whole day? Is the "old way" completely obsolete (or will be?). I'm sure this has been answered somewhere in all these threads, but I find myself starting to glaze over stuff. Thanks for any insight on what is "right" right now.

Right now, everything is exactly the same. FastPass+ hasn't rolled out yet and who knows when it will.