We’ve been wondering for a while about when FastPass could debut again in Disney World after it was suspended during the park closures.
Recently, Disneyland Paris announced that it would debut its version of a paid FastPass system using the Disney Premier Access. Guests can pay €8 to €15 ($9 to $18) per guest and attraction to enter the designated “FastPass” queue at select attractions. So, now that one Disney Park is moving forward with a paid FastPass option, what will happen in the others?
We asked our readers how they would feel about Disney World incorporating its own paid FastPass program. And, we had nearly 2,000 responses from all kinds of families and people who love heading to the parks!
The results overwhelmingly leaned towards guests saying they DON’T want Disney World to introduce a paid FastPass system like the one in Disneyland Paris. But, if Disney World did go down this avenue, our readers responded with a few ideas about other paid FastPass alternatives that could be introduced in the parks!
Annual Passholder Perk
Since Disney World isn’t issuing the sale of new Annual Passes like Disneyland Paris has started to once again, there has been the question of whether Annual Passes are worth the cost currently. Some guests said they think the Annual Passholder’s price would make more sense with the inclusion of paid FastPasses as a perk! And, now that there are quite a few suspended perks to the passes, the FastPass option would draw a lot of people to purchase new Annual Passes when sales start again as well.
Disney Resort Guest Perk
There have been a LOT of perks that have also been suspended recently with no more free MagicBands, no Extra Magic Hours (although a new Early Theme Park Entry will be coming soon), no Magical Express, limited Monorail availability, and hotel parking payments, among others. Disney World could make paid FastPasses a perk included in staying on-property.
Since guests pay for the proximity to the parks, transportation, and additional amenities, the paid FastPass park would help make up for the lack of resort stay perks that are available at the moment.
But, if Disney World was going to operate in a way similar to Universal Orlando, only specific resort tiers would receive the perk of FastPasses. It would make sense for Deluxe Resorts in Disney to have this perk, similar to how guests who stay at Universal’s Premier Resort tier resorts automatically receive Express Passes.
MaxPass
Prior to Disneyland’s closure, the MaxPass option was beloved by fans who visited the parks. The add-on option was $20 per day, per person in addition to tickets, which could be used in both Disneyland and Disney California Adventure. Guests would reserve a time on the Disneyland app for one attraction at a time. But, they were able to use MaxPass at as many attractions as they’d like, as long as time slots were available.
Guests who purchased MaxPass also received Disney PhotoPass included for free. So, all the ride photos they were taking during their visit to the parks were available on their account! If Disney World is looking for a paid system, the MaxPass option has already been featured in the other U.S. theme park. Of course, it could always receive modifications to fit with how the parks are operating nowadays.
Since Disney World also has more parks around its property, there may need to be differences from Disneyland’s version of the system to accommodate the new Park Hopping measures as well.
Express Passes
Many guests said they would be willing to pay for a ticket add-on instead of the “per ride, per person” FastPasses in Disneyland Paris. While Disneyland has featured MaxPass in the past, Universal Orlando still features the Express Passes that can be used across both Universal Studios Florida and Universal’s Islands of Adventure.
There are two options for guests, depending on what kind of Express Passes they need for their visit. The Universal Express Pass starts at $70, where guests are able to use the pass one time per participating ride at both parks. Plus, there is the higher tier Universal Express Unlimited starting at $90, where guests can use their passes an unlimited amount of times at participating attractions in the parks.
People staying at Premier Resorts receive the Universal Express Unlimited passes for free for each member of their party. If Disney made this a Deluxe Resort guest perk, those coming to the parks who aren’t staying at a Deluxe Resort or FastPasses to multiple rides at once.
Disney World hasn’t announced yet whether it will be following a paid FastPass model. But, we’ll be sure to keep you updated on everything you need to know before your next trip to the parks! And, you can stay tuned with AllEars for the latest Disney entertainment and news coming soon!
The BEST Hotels to Book if You’re Going to Magic Kingdom
What are your thoughts on paid FastPasses in Disney World? Let us know in the comments below!
Disney News
- CONFIRMED: Something NEW Is Coming to Disneyland Resort for Halloween This Year!
- ALERT: This Is the BEST Magic Kingdom Snack News We’ve Heard ALL YEAR
- Is It Safe To Go to Disneyland Right Now?
- AllEars TV: 24 Hours of ONLY Eating Disney World Food – Can I Survive?
- REVIEW: Two NEW Snacks Just Replaced a Beloved Baked Mac & Cheese Dish at Disney World – and We Have THOUGHTS
- BREAKING: The New ‘Coco’ Ride at Disneyland Resort Announces Its Location!
- NEWS: Disney CONFIRMS Permanent CLOSURE to Clear Room for NEW ‘Avatar’ Land
- Why Every Disney Adult Is Buying LEGOs From Amazon Today
- CONFIRMED: Magic Kingdom Will Be Pure Chaos on July 20th
- NEWS: This Disney+ Announcement Has Everyone Talking
No! No way! It is costing my family of 4 £12,500 dollars to stay at Animal Kingdom, and the reason we have upgraded from Pop Century is because Disney have decided only Delixe and Moderate customers can have after hours magic hours! Last time we went it cost us £8000 to stay in OKW and our dining plan meant we could make multi character dines, and ate in a different restaurant every day. Next year, we will have $950 dining credit which won’t really cover much in the way of a decent meal. Disney are making it completely ridiculous and I used to love that paid fast passes weren’t an option. I would rather queue than pay, it’s robbery!
In agreement with pretty much everyone else below. Disney is going to price themselves right out of the market. Only the Uber-wealthy will be able to visit, not even us DVC members. I would never pay for a FP option. The prices have already gotten so ridiculous and continue to climb. I’ve been going to WDW for 25 years and while it was never inexpensive by any means, it was never as costly as now. Just about EVERY perk has been discontinued or suspended, with Disney management using covid as the excuse. Also most of the things that spurred me to become a DVC member has been destroyed or are on the way to being eliminated: Mizner’s, The GF Orchestra, Magical Express, extra magic hours, Tables in Wonderland, etc…
Simply put, if you asked me if you should become a DVC member today, I would say no. I foresee a lot fewer trips to WDW in the future.
They’re pricing themselves right out of the market. Everytimes you go to WDW the prices are up. The quick service foods go up about a dollar a year. And that’s for a dried out burger that was cooked in the AM. I think I saw about #13.00 foir a hot dog at Casey’s. You go down with a fa,ily of 4 and expect to pay about $60. to %70. for lunch. Look at the bonuses the executive get each years. Forget the bonus, you already get paid to do your job. Those millions will help keep prices down.
Disney World will not be swayed by threats that guests will not return if a paid “skip the line” service replaces “free” FP+. The old FP+ system was not actually free since you had to stay on-site to get access to FP+ 60 days in advance. By the time off-site guests could make FP+ reservations, none of the attractions that actually need a FP were available. A “value” resort is still at least $159 for a very small room. There are four bedroom vacation rentals off-site with full kitchens, dining tables, living room areas and washer/dryers for the same price. I would gladly pay for FP instead of the old system.
At this point, is there any way they can get more out of a family? Paid fast passes are just another thing that can be upcharged. Went last week and it will most likely be the last time. Stayed on property, no refillable hotel mugs, no magic bands, charged for parking then have to pay for preferred at the parks since no trams and 80+ year old can’t walk so far in July heat, no “mousekeeping” so I had to make the beds (I can do that at home), no extended time for on site guests…..I can go on but why try. This is sadly the end of an era.
I’m busy canceling a WDW vacation I booked for Feb. 2022.
This is just one of many last straws. The corporate money grubbers have completely replaced the spirit of Walt. This would have been my 63 trip. Now 62 was my last…
A shame that Walt’s dream is nothing but money grubbing machine. I took my kids every year since the 80’s and was able to save and have a nice vacation, not anymore. Would like to be able to make memories with grandkids but greed as taken over Disney. Not kid or family friendly anymore. Even my 6 year old grandchild said it is not appropriate for kids anymore. They seem to want to make it about money and politics, they make plenty of money and politics should be left to the politicians not Disney. Done with Disney.
At this point it’s close to impossible to not go into the thousands for a Disney Vacation even if you stay off property. And btw no Disney did not lose money during the pandemic they are actually making more due to the less they are offering
Maybe Disney can start charging 100 dollars to park and 15 dollars for a hotdog… And then let good workers go so they can save on paying them. If they do go to paid fastpass and it is around 9 dollars a ride, fear not because in 2 years it will be 20 per ride and by 5 yrs it will cost as much as a park Tix per ride.
The prices of tickets as well as all passes keep climbing while incomes are stagnant! I’m an annual pass holder and Florida resident and absolutely abhor that I have to make park reservations ahead of time. Most of my previous visits were semi spur of the moment. Disney is getting WAY TOO expensive
It’s getting to where we can’t afford it anymore and we’re a 6 figure income family. Not to offer fast pass on top of the already higher park and hotel rooms is depressing.
I have never and will never pay an extra fee on top of the park admission itself to ride a ride. This is why I stopped going to Universal for almost 15 years. If Disney starts this as well it looks like I will stop going there as well. I prefer DCL anyway.
Not only would I not pay for a fasrpass, I wouldn’t pay for a Disney Resort Hotel, or admission to the parks I’d they tried to shake me down to ride rides.
Absolutely not. I’m a Florida resident pass holder I pay enough now for our passes. They get enough money from people now. Between the price of a ticket and the price of food and drinks it’s just not right.
I watched an online vlogger discuss what he thought would happen with all of this and it actually made sense at what Disney seems to be doing very systematically——The reason for keeping their ticket reservations will be to keep control of crowd size and with this will come some sort of price gouging—in this case it seems to be a heavy fee pay per ride. This will now become the stand by ride wait line. The stand-by line will become a virtual line (like the old fast pass)—think—with nothing to do but wait for the one or two rides that you will be able to schedule—you will either suck it up and pay or wait and have nothing else to do but buy food and merchandise.
Ah….good plan. I won’t be going anymore. I guess my yearly trip will be spent elsewhere now. Sad, but like others have stated—I am so very happy that I have the memories of trips from 1980–to 2019. We were supposed to go in August but with Typhoon Lagoon gone—eh, I’ll skip it now. The magic is gone.
As far as suggesting that Deluxe resort people should get the free perk of the FastPasses AND late nights in the parks—makes me not want to come back even more. Just think, just a few years ago, I could afford to stay at the Polynesian for 11 nights! Now….? Nope. Ah. It’s a sad day.
Absolutely agreed: WDW appears to be trying their best to suck all of the magic out of what was once the most magical place on Earth. Magical Express, resort parking fees, pay-to-fastpass… Just how fast CAN they kill their golden goose? No faster than I can cancel my reservation packages. My wife and I went to WDW 5 times in the year just before the COVID problem arrived. We always fly down, stay on property, and make the most of our time at WDW. Can we spend our expendable entertainment dollars in some other way? Oh, yes.
It’s a shame that the finance folks are running the show at Disney. In an effort to show higher and higher growth to Wall St they evaluate new revenue opportunities. A word of caution that if you price your product out of the reach of the masses you may have a backlash of reduced demand. They might think because of the pent up demand after covid restrictions have been relaxed they can continue pushing the cost higher and higher. My guess is if there isn’t an executive who understands that this could be a costly, damaging their long term reputation as family friendly entertainment, they will continue to raise guests costs. A damage to their image will not be easily fixed.
The Disneyland Paris paid FastPass system is beyond greedy. I understand they lost a lot of money during the pandemic closure but to charge per person per ride is outrageous and I will never get onboard with it. It’s bad enough the cost of a Disney World vacation is equivalent to 2-3 mortgage payments as it is.
I don’t understand why they can’t just restart the fast pass as it was? Included with your ticket? Bought my ticket last year with included fast pass, but never got to use it until now because of the shut down. Quit trying to suck more money out of people, don’t they didn’t enough by just going to wdw
Disney just increased the park ticket prices and now charge extra for fast passes.
Plus discontinued extra hours for hotel guest.
They’re making it almost impossible for a average family to come to the parks.
Greed is driving these changes. We all went through the pandemic and lost jobs
and so many are still unemployed.
I’ve been coming for over 35 years and I’m not sure if I’ll be able to visit in the next few years.
Primarily responses were people were going to greatly reduce or stop their visits to Disney World if Fast Pass was an additional fee. DVC members were saying they want to sell. People were writing they cancelled their upcoming trips. Yes, there are ways of upcharging other than the absurd per ride per person situation Paris is trying to implement, and getting passes as a (deluxe probably only)resort guest would make it moderately better, but you can be sure people who cannot stay in the highest tier or on property at all will start to question if they wouldn’t be better off going elsewhere. With some fast pass as a free (tiered) perk for years, this is too much with all the cutbacks on shows and services in the parks combined with increased prices on most everything.
Universal’s Hotels that include the passes are $200-300 less per night for equal quality. Hard Rock was lovely when I stayed there. Plus the pass is unlimited, no scheduling. Getting 3 passes like before at Deluxe hotel prices, or paying approximately $60 per ride for a family of 4 for a shortened (but possibly still a wait)?
No, people were 90% very negative about it in the comments on your last article. I love DW, but this is not a good idea if they want to keep loyal fans.
I love all things Disney and we go every year, but I will not be paying extra per ride to skip part of a line for only 3 rides. I get they are trying to make back money that was lost during the pandemic, so make it an optional ticket add on like many have suggested.
How is something now “FREE”, turned into a perk ?
Imagine that ! Thousands of responses ???
Rumor has it transpotation buses will be for a fee to the parks.
What’s next ? An upcharge fee for air ?
If enough lemmings pay for passes, the rest of us get forced into the same situation.
I was very sad and upset about Disney going to the paid fast pass system. I understand universal does it, but they shouldn’t either. All the little fees add up like paying to park at the resorts, no free magical express and now this! I feel lucky I went as a child and took my children a few years ago when they were younger and we could enjoy all of the magic! Soon only very wealthy or local annual pass holders will be able to enjoy WDW without a LOAN! Sad 😢
This may be the end of the golden goose. I understand the pandemic lost Disney a lot of income but pricing out a large number of middle-class Americans may cause the end of disney entertainment as we know it today. Have and have nots.
I like Universal’s Express pass option. We only have time to ride once so I’m fine with adding an extra amount to our tickets.
I agree with you. While I know the price to go to any of these theme parks are steep, I would still pay and do pay for the express pass at Universal and would at DW as well. Here’s the thing, I try to go every 2-4 years to DW/Uni and I save for it. I plan for it. I budget for it all. Yes, it’s outrageous but it’s a vacation that I plan for and want to do. If it costs a lot so be it. It’s the same if I spend it to go to Europe or anywhere else. I love the express pass at Uni and wished that Disney would go to this kind of option especially if time is limited because the single ride cost thing doesn’t seem to be working well for Disney Paris and doesn’t seem effective all around. But It’s totally worth the money in my opinion. But I factor this cost in to go when I do. And I’ll pay for whatever way they go as well because it beats standing in lines for hours.
Now with that being said, I think there is more draw to give it for free, the express pass like at Uni at DW. Why not? If it was, more people would stay at a resort at DW IMO because of that perk.
We can all gripe about this and the rising costs, but this is happening everywhere not just at DW and you have a choice, buy it or don’t or go there or not.
There are two important things revealed here. (1) The rich will always pay whatever is required for them to enjoy their wealth. (And it’s important to note that the threshold for wealth in this country varies vastly by geography; e.g., California and New York). (2) Not only will many people refuse to pay any more than they are already paying, they have reached a tipping point where they are ready to stop paying at all, taking their leisure budget elsewhere. It’s not about whether they will pay for fastpass. It’s about whether they will purchase tickets at all if others can buy their way ahead of them in line.
Depends on the price, I probably would.
I have been going to wdw since 1978 with all changes and removals we will not pay extra and will be looking at other venues.we are 2 hours from Toronto and 4 hours to Cleveland which offer many parks we are looking at.we can drive instead of fly and I am sure we won’t have pay5 or 6 thousand to enjoy ourselves so when ca is open we will go
Universal has done the pay for Express Pass for years. It could cost several hundred dollars more per person for basically skipping the lines. Cost is based on how busy the park is predicted to be for the day. Also oy the top 3 tier hotels in Universal property get it as a perk. Universal guests don’t complain. Disney is a want not a need and is a business like all other theme parks. People will pay it and Disney will charge it. Of people stop buying it then Disney will change. I like the reservation for the park.