After the park closures in 2020, Disney World reopened with a brand new capacity management system — Disney Park Pass theme park reservations.
A visit to Disney World for the past few years has meant getting valid theme park admission and making a Park Pass reservation to enter the parks on a given day. There’s a lot you might know about the Park Pass system, but there are some things Disney World isn’t telling you about it.
It might be around for a while.
The Disney Park Pass system was first introduced prior to the park reopenings in 2020. Disney didn’t put a time limit on the system, but many guests assumed it would be temporary as the language indicated it was a measure to help manage capacity.
Now, two years later, the parks are nearing full capacity (although they have not yet returned to full capacity) and Park Passes are still very much a staple with no sign of disappearing.
Disney has not explicitly called the system permanent, but executives have spoken to the benefits of the system (more on that in a sec!). It’s entirely possible that the Disney Park Pass system could stick around.
Crowd management is important even as full capacity returns.
Disney Park Passes also won’t lose their value as full capacity returns. Though it might seem like the system is a tool to help manage limited capacity, it can manage full capacity as well.
Recently, Disney CFO Christine McCarthy noted the system’s benefits for management. “We know how many people are going to the parks on a given day,” she said. She went on to note that it’s allowed Disney to better balance the crowds each month, throughout the week, and throughout the year.
Before Park Passes, Disney only had the information that tickets provide, which was limited. They’d know the range of dates you’d be in Disney World, but not park specifics. Now, they know how many people are planning to be in each park each day, which comes with a lot of benefits for park management.
It can help inform staffing.
This information can help them inform staffing, supply, and other management needs in the parks. If Magic Kingdom is bursting at the seams on a day that Disney’s Animal Kingdom has a lighter load, Disney could (in theory) pull some Cast Members from one park to the other in advance.
We’ve even seen this information change things in a guest-facing way! Recently, Disney extended park hours for all four theme parks as crowd levels increased. It’s a lot easier to know when park hours need to be longer when you can see the exact number of people that plan to be in the parks on a given day.
The system improves Disney’s forward-looking data.
And it’s not just the tangible uses that make the Disney Park Pass system valuable to the Walt Disney Company. It also improves forward-looking data overall.
Disney World has a vast data system (evidenced by your My Disney Experience profile) but this is one of the best methods they’ve ever had for looking at demand in the future.
It might be a sometimes annoying extra step for guests, but the company doesn’t have much incentive to ditch Disney Park Passes. As always, follow along with AllEars for more Disney insights!
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Got questions about this system? Ask them in the comments!
I don’t mind making a reservation, but when I pay for a parkhopper ticket I want to be able to hop when I want to, not just at 2PM.
It would be nice if Disney would increase Cast Member staffing as well to cover the huge crowds. Like many employers, they seem to feel like, if the job is still getting done with less Cast Members, why go to the expense of hiring more of them? The remaining CMs are stretched thin and already underpaid, and the service naturally suffers as well. But, hey, the muckity-mucks are still getting bonuses, so….
Leah the problem is not to many peole around here want to work for Disney anymore. They went to universal or sea world where they are treated better. Which I don’t blame them. They are over worked and don’t get paid enough to have to put up with what they do. And yes they get there comp tickets but they have way to many. Lack out days anymore to use them. So it’s not really a benefit
If it’s such a game changer for Disney why aren’t they dropping ticket prices to reflect that? Of course, it’s all a smoke screen for their insatiable greed these days. To think I used to love WDW!
This system also forces folks to buy their park tickets maybe earlier than they would have otherwise.
My thoughts as well.
1000 people a day move to Florida guess where they’re going. Orlando for entertainment. gonna be the system for a while
Would you rather not be able to get a park pass or would you rather show up at the park and be denied entrance because the park is full?
Yep. It’s like airline change fees. $15 each change an also for a no show.
People were making in park dining reservations 180 days in advance and fast pass reservations in parks up to 60 days in advance. They had some sort of clue on attendance on a day by day basis. The reservations just capture those who weren’t doing either. And most days you can change a reservation at will.
Besides, why ditch it when you can wait for a little while as guest finally accept it as second nature, and then you can monetize it by charging a fee for park reservations, with a higher fee being applied on more popular days. Mark my words. It’s another way Disney can grab your money. It will happen.
It’s not chapeck.. its paycheck..
How long before Disney starts offering guaranteed park dates for a fee? They already charge for Genie+ to get access to what used to be the free Fastpass system, plus extra for Lightning Lane access to the “premium” rides.
I’ve heard once you have a reservation, Disney chargers if later you decide to change your park choice. If so, please explain.
Hi! I’ve never run into this issue and have changed my park reservation at the last minute when my preferred park popped up on the availability list.
I don’t mind the park reservation system.
But I hate Genie+
Getting up at 7 am for only one LL, then having to stare at your Disney phone APP all day (missing out on enjoying your family and the park).
Disney has always had data to project crowd levels.
The old Fastpass system worked as a method to estimate crowds.
In addition, they have piles of historical data.
The elimination of choosing Fastpasses in advance is probably the main reason they are keeping the reservation system.
I don’t really care about having to book a park for the day. What I really wish they would do is stop making us wait till 2pm to park hop. I think it should be noontime instead.