Disney is set to begin tests on portions of their next generation FASTPASS system according to WDW Magic. From May 1 to May 15 random guests will be selected to participate upon their arrival to Walt Disney World. Guests participating will be able to choose their itinerary and FASTPASS windows for the Magic Kingdom prior to their arrival at the park. Their itinerary will then be e-mailed to them and they will be given an FASTPASS card embedded with a RFID chip that they will use to gain FASTPASS access to the attractions they have chosen.
What is important here is that guests can now plan their day BEFORE they even arrive at the park. This new system would eliminate the current system where guests can only get one FASTPASS at a time and then have to wait for their FASTPASS window to become available. It is expected that this new system will become an integral part of guests Disney vacation planning process. Potentially you could plan your entire vacation to the point where you know exactly when you will be riding certain attractions months before your actually leave for your Disney vacation.
What do you think about planning your Fastpasses before you even goto the park?
Related articles
- Disney World Fastpass 101 (chipandco.com)
- Coming Soon: Disney World to add Fast Pass option for Fast Pass machines (chipandco.com)
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Where is the “Magic” in this?
Where is the “Magic” it this?
Guess I’m in the minority – I love this! We are going in December 2012 and I already have an idea of what day we’ll visit each park. This would be so great to know that I would get to those attractions that always have long lines. I would only do it for 1 – 3 attractions but would be happy to know I didn’t have to run from the entrance to get in line for a fast pass.
No it is totally optional
But you wouldn’t have to use the new system if you didn’t want to, right? Couldn’t you just show up for a last-minute trip and your experience would be about the same as it would be now if you went and didn’t use fast-passes?
Oh and you know, many out there would overbook (like first-timers) and those of us who choose to actually enjoy the parks, will be subjected to longer wait times and no fastpass!!!! This is
just terrible.
And pre-ordering food!!!!!! Are you kidding me?!?
We are planning on going in August and I will be very upset if this is something you have to pay for…
Ugh!!!! Oh how I hope this fails!!! It’s already bad enough with planning meals. Now we’re going to stressd over rides!!!!!!!! I know it’s a joke that going to Disney isn’t a vacation, technically. This would truly make it so …. please Disney, don’t lose touch with the guests by promoting more technology driven visits to the World.
I don’t think that I am a big fan of this. I mean, where is the spontaneous excitement that a vacation has to offer. We live in a routine/schedule in our daily lives, I really don’t want to do that on a vacation either. I am not one to want to have every aspect of my vacation planned out like that. But, I fear that if we don’t utilize this new feature, we will never get a FP to anything and then be screwed our whole trip since we will have to wait in long lines for everything.
Plan the day before you get there! Where’s the fun in that? *laughs* Half the time I don’t even know where I am or where I’m headed. That’s the fun of it! Hopefully this “test” gets the same message.
My concern is where will this new FASTPASS system leave local annual passholders who do not have a need to book an all-inclusive Disney vacation in the future. An even more convoluted ADR-style situation could be brewing, even though I want to believe otherwise.
I do not like this idea at all! I am a planner and organizer, however, I can not imagine planning my ride itinerary months before I arrive. That is way too much structure. It’s bad enough that dining reservations were pushed to 180 days out. I wonder how adversely this will impact those of us who do not choose to plan our rides beforehand.
I’m interested in this idea but def think it is not for everyone. For the most part, my family knows where we will be each day. I think it would be good as long as the times are flexible enough and as long as you don’t schedule too much. Scheduling 3-5 rides each day (spaced far enough apart) would allow us to keep from having to run from one area of the part to the other to try and get fastpasses for the rides we want to see each day. IMHO- worst case scenario is you miss one and have to get a regular fastpass or wait in a regular line for it. I’m hoping this doesn’t mean the elimination of those. I wish we could try this for our trip at the end of May.
not cool disney not cool!
I love it that it would be possible to schedule some must-see rides in advance to guarantee that we get a chance to ride without too much running or waiting. And if we want to be spontaneous, we’ll still get the chance to since I’m sure only a small fraction of guests will take advantage of the system. No objections here.
It’s horrible. I hate the entire idea. I’m currently planning my first WDW vacation. It’s bad enough that I need to know what park we will visit each day (so we can book our meals…that we also have to know) 6 months in advance….I do NOT want to have to plan out my entire day step by step. Planning a VACATION should not be stressful!
I don’t mind the idea of reserving a fastpass for an attraction like SOARIN’ but I also don’t mind walking up to the fastpass machine and getting one in hand either.
I would like for certain rides but not sure about the whole day! But it could work. I would like to be pick to try it out.
Exactly!!
I don’t like this idea at all. We don’t participate in the dining plan that requires reservations because we cannot stand the idea of scheduling a specific park on a specific date and time. We get up in the morning without always being sure what park we are going to so I don’t like the idea that families like us will be kicked to the curb as unimportant because we don’t like detailed schedules. As a matter of fact when I recommend information to people who have never been to WDW I emphasize don’t schedule your day too tightly because you will be disappointed if something messes with your schedule. There may be no line at Buzz Lightyear and you don’t want to miss the opportunity to ride it 5 times in a row with your family. That happened to us. We spent almost an hour one day just riding it over and over, laughing and switching riders and having one of those rare family moments that we all always remember. Over scheduling would have meant we would have missed that.
I like the current Fastpass system, if it works out for us we use it and if it doesn’t we don’t. They almost always sell out so I’m not sure what the issue is. If my trip were built on having to plan around families who have their days completely scheduled then I might reconsider even going. Currently we have disappointment because we cannot always get into our favorite restaurants. So we don’t eat in sit down restaurants as much as we used to (which has the added benefit of saving us money!!).
The argument about having a schedule will save you time is ridiculous. Have you ever had a child meltdown and you have to leave to take them to the hotel for a nap? Has anyone ever had someone in their party get sick? Sunburned? Blisters? That’s why having some flexibility is always good.
I like the idea. there are certain rides that I know we will be riding that I will need a fastpass for, like Toy Story Mania. It would save me the hassle of having to hustle over there and get the pass. I dont think it would be a very good option if I wanted FP on more than a few rides though. It would lock you down into too rigid of a schedule
I like the idea. there are certain rides that I know we will be riding that I will need a fastpass for, like Toy Story Mania. It would save me the hassle of having to hustle over there and get the pass. I dont think it would be a very good option if I wanted FP on more than a few rides though. It would lock you down into too rigid of a schedule
Too much! Spontaneity is part of the fun of running around the park. If your ride schedule is preplanned then you won’t do certain rides. I love to preplan my disney vaca as much as possible but I feel this will be too much!
I’m not liking it. Willing to try it. We don’t like to plan ahead for Disney any more. We have been going year after year for 9 years now. We only do the QS Dining and make 2 sit down reservations. It was bad enough planning around all of the Dining ressies that QS is much better. I agree with Noelle!
I don’t think I like this idea. I have gotten to where I like planning a dinner reservation. I love planning but having to plan out where I will be at a certain time on each particular day ahead of time seems a little excessive planning. I kind of liked the fastpass system as it is.
As a parent of a child with special needs, I can see the potential appeal, but honestly, I don’t care for this system at all. There are too many what-ifs in any given day and i would hate to miss something important to our family, simply because something nexpected happened and we couldn’t make our scheduled time. This is one of the reasons that we get the Quick Service Meal plan over the finer dining options; less forced rigidity, more relaxation.
YUCK! This is a terrible idea. Making ADRs 180 days out is tough enough now I have to know what ride I want to ride on and the time! Disney is taking the fun out of a vacation. What happened to spontaneity! We have 3 young boys and our plans change on a dime. What happens if it rains or you are sick on your scheduled day, this would make you feel like your whole trip was ruined! Too much pressure, I am a planner and this would cause me to go crazy!! Definitely not for me. I am there to have FUN and leave the stress of schedules at home.
I don’t think this is going to go over well at all and I’m not just drawing that from the comments here. My family runs like Christie’s does in the park. We have our priorites and then sometimes we switch parks, go back to the hotels, etc. We don’t even lock ourselves into many ADRs for that reason. It’s a vacation. I want to get home and feel like I’ve had one. Appointments are for the office, not Disney World.
Not for me, I think…we plan our days by the weather sometimes and I don’t even like the meal plan because of the “have to be at a specific place at a specific time” mentality. Relax! You’re on vacation!
Not a fan. I’m afraid it will only be offered to on site guest. On the other hand it would allow Disney to adjust for crowds because they should have a estimate of the park attendance before they open.
We’re just not a family that likes to be that scheduled. I think this fast pass idea would drive us crazy. And make us very uptight.
I’m not big on planning even when I hit the parks – so having to plan in advance is not something I find appealing.
I still do not see the appeal. I’m a planner by nature, I already have a general itinerary together for our next trip, but planning each day down to the minute six months in advance? The idea is utterly ridiculous to me. I can’t imagine having to be entirely rigid and programmed with no room for daily changes just so I can ride Toy Story Mania or see a parade. Our Disney vacation is booked for next year already but if it is the X-pass system or nothing I’ll cancel and use that money to go somewhere else. Probably several somewhere-else’s with what it is costing me 🙂
Will this be for onsite guests only? If so, boo!
I’m not sure I like this. Yes, I know it would be nice to know you will get to ride certain attractions – but now it feels like there will be so spontaneity in the day and everyone will have to stick to a somewhat strict schedule. I already feel the pressure when I make dining reservations and which park we will be at, etc. I understand that fastpasses can be stressful to get esp for rides like Toy Story Mania – but it scares me a little that this will make disney trips TOO scheduled.