Upcharge Fastpasses Coming to Disney World

[shiekra38]

It's no different than Universal, in theory- pay to play. Albiet WAY more expensive.

That said, if they roll it out to all on-site rooms, holy hell. Get ready for worst wait times in history.

For some reason I feel I am getting a whole lot more when I splurge at Universal....At Disney I feel like I am getting schmoozed

 

[Andysol]

For some reason I feel I am getting a whole lot more when I splurge at Universal....At Disney I feel like I am getting schmoozed

Me too. When Royal Pacific starts at $220/nt w/ Express and the Poly starts at $480- how can you not feel schmoozed.

It’s the “pay for Express” that is similar to this.

This wouldn't have felt nearly as money grabby if they just would’ve added $120/nt to the club level rooms and made this part of it. “6 fast passes Able to book at 90 days and reserved nighttime seating if staying over 3 nights”.

 

[GadgetGuru]

Neither Disney nor Universal give a great reason to get club service. It’s poorly advertised, very expensive, and basically just offers lounge food.

I could see a world where club service at the parks is more like concierge level on a cruise.

Personally, I think we’re going to see three kinds of vacation packages emerge in a couple years. Luxury on-site, regular on-site, and off-site. Universal already gives severe preferential treatment depending on where you fall.

 

[UniversalRBLX]

The whole “you must get a fast pass 60 days in advance or wait for 2 hours” idea is just sad. Disney should just remove regular Fastpass and sell Fastpass at limited numbers (but pricey) that way you have much shortest lines while still gaining more profit.

 

[rhino4evr]

Sorry for the ignorance, but what is Club level? Disney Vacation Club guests only?

 

[Parkscope Joe]

Sorry for the ignorance, but what is Club level? Disney Vacation Club guests only?

No it’s a standard in the hotel industry. It varies by company but it usually features a lounge area, free snacks, free non alcoholic drinks, and sometimes an employee who can help with various requests.

 

[rhino4evr]

No it’s a standard in the hotel industry. It varies by company but it usually features a lounge area, free snacks, free non alcoholic drinks, and sometimes an employee who can help with various requests.

oh, so basically the super rich, that just want stuff they don't really need, but want to pay for because they can?

 

[Ultranel]

IDK, I'd hate to see Disney with everyone at a high end hotel having unlimited FP's. I think the wait times for some rides would be astronomical.

You do have a point there. Although look a some line out there after 5+ or even 10+ yrs from opening... perhaps they have more rooms than the attractions available are able to hold. So it might be a bigger problem and this is obviously not helping.

 

[fryoj]

I can see special Star Wars fastpass packages/extra pricey rooms for 2019 WDW GESW opening. This is just the soft opening experiment for that....I'm betting no one gets a fastpass for Star wars attractions unless they purchase special fastpass/extra pricey room packages. Those packages will suck up all the available advance fastpasses before any of the 60 day or 30 day ones are available.

Which just sucks. We really are considering a family trip after SW opens. Something like an 8 night Disney trip. To do Club level would double the price of that trip. I don't want to say its a deal breaker, but the thought of having no chance at FP's because we didn't pay an extra $4500 for the rooms just sours it. An thats without the extra $1200 upcharge for the extra FP's if I wanted them. I have no desire for a club level room. I've stayed in concierge level rooms before at other hotels and I never use any of the services. So to have to pay for something I don't want or need just to not have to wait two hours for a ride is frustrating. I'm at the point that I wish they'd just monetize the entire FP system and be done with it.

 

[Mad Dog]

In many non resort hotels, the Club level is generally a Business floor which caters to the needs of business travelers. The Club lounge, with food & business amenities will usually have a special concierge to attend to requests for info, reservations etc.

 

[Bulldog45]

A couple years ago I booked a club level room at Disney's Beach Club Resort for Epcot Food and Wine Festival. Since it was short notice I took one of the few options they had available. At the time I had no idea I booked a club level room; I thought I just booked a standard room. Upon arrival somebody greeted us at the valet and took us directly up to the club level where they checked us in (I'm guessing the guard gate alerted them that we were pulling in). They gave us champagne during the check in process before they showed us to our room. They had a lounge area where they served a continental breakfast in the morning, snacks in the afternoon and then appetizers around dinner time followed by some desserts before they closed up around 10 pm. The food is definitely a nice plus and they also serve alcoholic beverages after a certain time. They also have a concierge person there to help with reservations and transportation. We actually missed our first fast pass of the day, and the concierge was able to reactivate it for us. It's definitely a nice bonus, but it just depends if you can justify the price.

 

[rhino4evr]

Buying extra fastpasses is one thing.

Being able to book 90! days in advance, and without a Tier system is a whole other thing.

 

[Mad Dog]

Which just sucks. We really are considering a family trip after SW opens. Something like an 8 night Disney trip. To do Club level would double the price of that trip. I don't want to say its a deal breaker, but the thought of having no chance at FP's because we didn't pay an extra $4500 for the rooms just sours it. An thats without the extra $1200 upcharge for the extra FP's if I wanted them. I have no desire for a club level room. I've stayed in concierge level rooms before at other hotels and I never use any of the services. So to have to pay for something I don't want or need just to not have to wait two hours for a ride is frustrating. I'm at the point that I wish they'd just monetize the entire FP system and be done with it.

I could be wrong, but I think the demand for GESW fastpasses are going to be multiple times what the Pandora situation is. And we can see how tough it is to get those fastpasses at the 60 day mark. FOP & Navii River still have extraordinary long stand by lines and unless you want to stand there constantly refreshing your Disney app on your smartphone, good luck on getting a FP. We all know how WDW has been taking every opportunity to do upcharges. I think it would be naive to think they won't take this opportunity to make a lot of money. If someone wants a GESW fastpass in late 2019 or 2020, chances are they will pay dearly for the opportunity. Myself, I'm looking forward to GESW, but I'm not even thinking I'll try to visit until 2021 or 2022. I'll be in Orlando in May. I'd really like to see Pandora, but I doubt I'll even try to visit since I'm not one to stand in three or four hour lines to see any attraction. With over 26,000 onsite hotel rooms, plus all the other non Disney onsite rooms that now have 60 day windows for FP, there's just way too many people on site to accommodate FP demand for new attraction starved WDW tourists. The system is broke when it comes to new attractions FP....Star Wars land demand will be a new Galaxy far far away from many fans reach....Better to wait a few years and not get the hopes up, and dashed, by scheduling a vacation during the first couple of years.

 

[Bulldog45]

It'd be wise to do what Universal did with Harry Potter and not offer FP at all for any of the Star Wars rides until the ride systems are broken in are operating at a high level. However, with the way things are going I could definitely see Disney making FP for all Star Wars rides an up-charge.

 

[Andysol]

A couple years ago I booked a club level room at Disney's Beach Club Resort for Epcot Food and Wine Festival. Since it was short notice I took one of the few options they had available. At the time I had no idea I booked a club level room; I thought I just booked a standard room. Upon arrival somebody greeted us at the valet and took us directly up to the club level where they checked us in (I'm guessing the guard gate alerted them that we were pulling in). They gave us champagne during the check in process before they showed us to our room. They had a lounge area where they served a continental breakfast in the morning, snacks in the afternoon and then appetizers around dinner time followed by some desserts before they closed up around 10 pm. The food is definitely a nice plus and they also serve alcoholic beverages after a certain time. They also have a concierge person there to help with reservations and transportation. We actually missed our first fast pass of the day, and the concierge was able to reactivate it for us. It's definitely a nice bonus, but it just depends if you can justify the price.

I had a similar experience at Boardwalk. It's not worth the cost for me, personally, but it's nice. In the morning, we'd grab breakfast, they'd ask if we wanted anything to take to the parks and usually load up our kids with large bags of goldfish, pretzels, etc for the day. A concierge was also there to help with reservations or plans if you needed them.

I actually got insanely lucky on that trip- I had booked a standard view Boardwalk room via DVC- but the room was going to be painted, so they called the day before and moved me to club level as a courtesy. Quite the upgrade. Then, by accident or who knows- the DVC system ended up refunding me the points for the entire trip. So I got club level for a week for free. Can't beat that.

That said - I travel quite a bit, and club level at Disney vs other club levels i've been to, they are above baseline for sure. Some Sheratons are terrible, some are great. Where Disney loses it is if it's crowded in there- then it's simply not enjoyable going in for the last muffin when there is a line behind you waiting. But that goes for all lounges- Domestic airport lounges are my bane. I still go, because well, free booze- but the crowds suck. MCO's lounge is one of the better ones, honestly.

 

[Parkscope Joe]

oh, so basically the super rich, that just want stuff they don't really need, but want to pay for because they can?

Well there is a higher quality of service and amenities. I have friends who go every year or two and do a shorter trip at club level Beach Club. They justify it through the breakfast items, snacks, and drinks cost they don’t have to buy in the park.

 

[Disneyhead]

Well there is a higher quality of service and amenities. I have friends who go every year or two and do a shorter trip at club level Beach Club. They justify it through the breakfast items, snacks, and drinks cost they don’t have to buy in the park.

If you take advantage of all the club level amenities, you can make it work $$$ wise. Our problem is we aren't breakfast people, and are in the parks for happy hour. So we can't seem to make it work for us at destination theme park resorts. But when on a beach vacation where lounging around the resort is what you do, I can make it work.

 

[Mad Dog]

If you take advantage of all the club level amenities, you can make it work $$$ wise. Our problem is we aren't breakfast people, and are in the parks for happy hour. So we can't seem to make it work for us at destination theme park resorts. But when on a beach vacation where lounging around the resort is what you do, I can make it work.

Yes. I thought about the Club Level for Portofino one year. But looking at the cost differential, it didn't make monetary sense for us. You need to just about spend a large part of the day, and be a heavy drinker & eater, for it to make financial sense. And with our Loews You First membership we've sometimes received free upgrades to the Club level rooms, just not the key code to get into the lounge itself.

 

[UNIrd]

If you take advantage of all the club level amenities, you can make it work $$$ wise. Our problem is we aren't breakfast people, and are in the parks for happy hour. So we can't seem to make it work for us at destination theme park resorts. But when on a beach vacation where lounging around the resort is what you do, I can make it work.

Agreed. It would work for a different type of vacation but for my theme park trips, I have not gotten the value out of it for these same reasons. I think I made it to one breakfast and none of the nightly appetizers/happy hours.

 

[Disneyhead]

Agreed. It would work for a different type of vacation but for my theme park trips, I have not gotten the value out of it for these same reasons. I think I made it to one breakfast and none of the nightly appetizers/happy hours.

If they had an after park close happy hour from 10:30p-midnight with apps/flatbreads, beer, and wine, I would be all over that.