Subsonic Radio

Listening to the DisneyBrit podcast this morning brought some news that I never wanted to hear. Apparently guests at Disneyland Hotel (Paris) can buy unlimited Fast Passes for €80 per day!!

I have seen Alton Towers and Universal selling similar things and I hate it. Businesses should be free to sell whatever (legal) service they wish but it doesn't stop me disliking the whole idea of a tiered theme park. I guess other people feel the same?

That's . . . not fair. That's about $115. Why would people want to spend that much money just to avoid lines? And that's giving priveleges to people just because they can spend more money. What's that all about, Disney?

Great America has done this for a while, they charge you for their version of the Fast Pass. I think that's a rip off! You've already paid for your entry to the park, this should be included. I hope WDW never tries this!

Universal Orlando does the same thing. I have found that the wait times for stand-by are actually better at Universal. Of course Universal's attendance numbers are greatly reduced, but I think it has to do with the charging for the fast pass. People do not want to shell out another $115 just to wait a little less.

I heard that rumor as well. It's too bad, I always felt good about Disney because their version is free. Guess that's why I always try to go in off-season anyhow...

I'm curious; maybe someone who's a semi-regular at DLP can answer this as I've never been. Are the crowds large enough to warrant buying fastpasses? I'm not familiar with crowd levels at the Paris parks enough to know, but I can see how it'd be attractive at WDW (and, from what I've read, TDL). I guess I never imagined DLP being packed enough that people would want to pay extra.

We thought about doing this at Universal one year (perhaps the 2006 trip?) but didn't. The wait times were very long until we decided to go single rider which helped greatly. We only spent one day of our trip there which is why we considered it.
If this is initiated at WDW I don't know if we would do it or not, with multi day passses providing the ability to skip major long waits and try again another day if necessary it would be hard to justify the cost.

Having to buy a fastpass would bring my annual trips to a screeching halt! It would be so letting the rich move to the front of the line while the average Joe that is barely affording to go in the first place stand in the long line and have less of a disney experience. I really think the free fastpass is one thing that makes the experience so fun for our family. I hope this idea falls flat and never makes it's way to Anaheim!

At Universal, I think the for-pay plan kind of came in through the back door. If you stay at a Universal hotel, your hotel key works as a go-to-the-head-of-the-line pass as a perk.

That's pretty cool, but then they allow you to buy that superpower as an add-on to a regular ticket if you're staying off-site, and that does seem tacky.

All that said, the Universal plan is a lot more appealing to me than picking up a ticket and having to return at a specified time later. I don't like to schedule, and losing the ability to wander where the day takes me is a real buzzkill.

Of course, the real solution is just to visit when crowds are light...

Is this really true about the front of the line FP in Paris for sale?

Listening to the DisUnplugged they did mention it on August 13th show(?). They had the idea that people would pay for this service. That would make a one day ticket $180 ish dollars! I don't know about you, but I sure wouldn't pay that. I don't think it is worth it, of course I do not go during the peak times of the year.

I have heard (rumor) that Disney could incoperate a tiered fast pass, if you stayed at a Value Resort you would get 5, Moderate Resort 10, Deluxe Resort 15, for example. I'm not to sure about this one. Making more perks for staying at a higher price resort.

I wonder if this is what they are trying at AK? With a centeralized fastpass? You know they are thinking something when they are testing the system. This may not work, but they are learning. Somehting is brewing....

Yep, it's true. I have heard it from different sources including http://twitter.com/ParisDisneyland. €80 which at the current exchange rate works out at about $3000

Thats a typo right? Last I looked 1 euro did not equal 37.5 US dollars.

Thi swould be the natural progression... I wonder if we should start a post of what we think disney could charge for next!

It may or may not have been a joke

I think they'll be charging for admission next

With Universal Studios in Orlando, the fast-pass price increases as they sell-out for a particular day. It makes USO more expensive than WDW when you pay for a one-day ticket and a fast-pass deal. I really hope they do NOT start this practice at WDW. I think it would just make all the Orlando themeparks too expensive during a time when the economy is so bad.

That is incredibly tacky. I saw this offered at Universal when we went there the last week of August. Disney was busy but Universal was EMPTY!!! It was a Saturday and I was very worried before we arrived.

The wait for the Hulk was 10 min, Shrek 4- D and Simpsons were under 5 min, dragons roller coaster was 10 min, it was creepy empty.

That might be the nail in the coffin for our WDW trips if they start that.