MaxPass Paid Digital FastPass Coming to Disneyland
Sometime in 2017, Disneyland will finally roll-out a digital FastPass service. It’s not what we were expecting, though, which was a modified rollout of FastPass+ (we’ve been detailing the progress of this, which has been testing for over a year now, in our Disneyland Trip Planning Guide). Instead, Disneyland is introducing MaxPass: a paid digital service allowing guests digital downloads of their PhotoPass images, and the ability to book FastPass return times via the Disneyland App.
Disney MaxPass will be available for purchase at the introductory price of $10 per day. Disneyland Annual Passholders will also be able to purchase MaxPass on a daily or yearly basis. Alternatively, guests will continue to have the option of using paper FastPasses at no cost by obtaining them at attraction FastPass kiosks, just as they do today.
Beyond that, FastPass will be added to Toy Story Mania in Disney California Adventure and Matterhorn Bobsleds in Disneyland. This has all been confirmed by Disneyland, and is an interesting development that contradicts a lot of the rumors based on leaks and observations from the past year or so. Here are some of our thoughts on this news…
First of all, it’s a pretty big deal that MaxPass is a paid service. We know: it’s “only” $10/day and paper FastPasses are still available for free, so why care? Well, our concern lies both in the precedent and allocation of paid MaxPass v. unpaid FastPasses.
If MaxPass proves to be a hit with guests (and at $10/day with unlimited PhotoPass, it won’t be too tough of a sell, we predict), the allocation of MaxPass v. paper FastPass will undoubtedly tip in favor of MaxPass. Only so many combined Max/FastPasses can be distributed per day based upon attraction capacity, and it’s easy to envision a day when Radiator Springs Racers paper FastPasses are (again) gone within 30 minutes of park opening, as a result. Heck, it’s easy to envision a day when Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters FastPasses are gone first thing in the morning.
Second, Disney explicitly calls $10/day the introductory price. I don’t think it requires a vivid imagination to see this climbing much higher (perhaps $40/day?) if it proves popular. Based on recent pricing trends, I’m actually a bit shocked to see the price not starting higher. My guess as to why it isn’t is because this is a very important growth revenue stream to Disney, and they don’t want to doom it to failure by pricing it too high to start. As we’ve seen with several one-and-done upcharge offerings, an exorbitant price can lead to a quick downfall.
Finally, there’s the financial angle of MyMagic+. It’s pretty well known that Disney spent a lot of money on this NextGen initiative at Walt Disney World (to the tune of billions of dollars), the cost of which has not yet been recouped. Beyond updating an extremely dated backend technology infrastructure, the idea was that it would increase guest spending and more efficiently allocate resources (staffing, etc.). To what extent any of this has occurred is unknown, but it has ceased being a positive topic of discussion on investor calls. My guess would be that it has not–and will not–recoup its costs at Walt Disney World.
The other way some of those costs were expected to be offset was using the system in other parks. Early in Shanghai Disneyland’s development, MyMagic+ was supposed to be integrated into that park. Ultimately, Shanghai Disneyland opened with paper FastPass, which should speak volumes about the internal view of MyMagic+’s viability. (Likewise, there is little doubt Disney pushed MyMagic+ for Tokyo Disney Resort, where it could have licensed the technology to Oriental Land Company, but it is not present in any of OLC’s near-term or long-term plans, meaning they most likely passed.)
You can draw your own conclusions about why MaxPass is going to be a paid system instead of a free one at Disneyland, but my guess is because the return on investment has fallen short of expectations in the free system at Walt Disney World. I’d go one further and hypothesize that financial performance has been so poor that it was not practical to commit the resources to something comparable at Disneyland without converting the system into a paid one.
Please note: none of my conclusions are corroborated in any way whatsoever. I’m just making (marginally) educated guesses. However, if MyMagic+ had led to increased spending and decreased costs at Walt Disney World, why not roll it out in much of the same manner at Walt Disney World? The research and development is done, and other sunk costs would not be incurred the second time around. To be sure, there would be infrastructure costs, but those would all be minimal as compared to the outlay of cash at Walt Disney World.
The reasonable conclusion, I think, is that MyMagic+’s efficiencies and being a supposed driver of spending are not enough to offset even infrastructure costs at Disneyland. With that said, another conclusion is certainly possible: MyMagic+ is delivering in the promised ways at Walt Disney World and will save Disneyland money, but Disney is willing to bet that guests would also be willing to pay for it. This is another reasonable conclusion, and certainly in line with Disney’s current trajectory with regard to upcharges. In either case, don’t be surprised to see a modification of FastPass+ at Walt Disney World in the near future to incorporate a paid element if Disneyland’s system proves “successful” for the company.
It will be interesting to see how MaxPass is received by Disneyland guests. At the current price, I do not predict failure. There will be a lot of complaints by online commentators like me, but ultimately, enough guests will pay to justify MaxPass’s existence. People pay a lot more for Universal’s system, so I’d be shocked if this is not a financial success for Disney. I worry that this will quickly increase in cost, spread to Florida, and continue the trend of further stratifying Disney guests. What do you think?
Also as a premier passholder I Am beyond angry that they are going to try to make annual pass holders pay for this service. When you are spending almost $1500 for a pass so you can go frequently to the parks fast passes should be included like they are at Disney world. I hate the paper fast pass system at Disneyland and was so excited that mobile fast pass was coming. And then I read you have to pay per day. That is ridiculous.
The new digital system is exactly the same as the paper system. It’s basically paying $10 to walk a little less. Just like the paper system, you’ll only be able to hold one Fastpass at a time, but now you can claim that Fastpass on your phone instead of walking to a kiosk.
(‘y’ days in the park) times (cost) = ‘z’. When cost goes up, days in the park goes down. For us, the Disney experience is about constant, so follows ‘z’ is too.
As part of the roll-out of FastPass+ at WDW, there was a period when legacy FP and FP+ coexisted. Guests could use one, the other, or at one point both, kind of like FP and Maxpass at DLR. Eventually, legacy FP was phased out and guests’ only option was FP+.
Tom and others, do you think there is a chance this will happen with Maxpass, where The two will coexist to roll the program out, then legacy FP will be phased out with only Maxpass remaining? I’ve never been to DLR so don’t understand the logistics there, but I worry that such a thing could follow at WDW (similar pay to skip the line programs exist already at other Orlando parks). I’ve appreciated the somewhat egalitarian nature of FP and FP+ (not totally equal because on-site guests get 30 days’ priority booking, but at least it’s included with admission), and worry this signals the end of that.
My concerns are about the precedent it sets to charge for something that we used to get for free and also the fact that the wireless service at Disneyland is horrific. One reason we do not like going to Universal is the fact that you have to pay extra for their express pass system. As Canadians we do not have access to data unless we pay expensive add-ons. When we are at WDW we love the app and access it provides but we rely on the free wi-fi there. When we were at DL even the hotels that say they have wi-fi are not reliable.
Wow. I understand that Walt Disney Company is just that, a “company”. And, as such, they need to maximise profits for their shareholders. But, this seems like a step too far for me.
An “introductory” price of $10 per person is theoretically affordable for me. And the time and energy saved not having to be the designated Fast Pass runner would be appreciated given it could otherwise be spent enjoying the parks. But, as an international visitor, I would also need to pay for wi-fi since free wi-fi is not provided throughout the parks. And I can easily foresee the “introductory” price increasing, potentially substantially, over time.
I’ve always loved that guests at the Disney parks were on a level playing field. Sure, some experiences like the various tours and obviously the Plaids, were an additional expense. But, for the most part, everyone was able to enjoy the parks in an equal manner.
This seems to be part of a broader plan to separate guests into two separate categories – haves and have nots, with the “elite” having preferred access to facilities and benefits which should be freely available to all. Given the current societal divisions experienced in the US, Europe, Australia, etc it seems foolish to exacerbate those divisions, especially when it comes to leisure and entertainment activities which used to be all-inclusive (both in terms of cost and in terms of the benefits shared by all guests).
I agree completely with what you say about the level playing field. This was what I always loved about Disney. Whether you’re staying at a value resort or a deluxe resort, you largely receive the same privileges. For many of us, Disney is a pricey proposition and the recent slate of upcharges reflect a growing desire by the Company to separate between the have and have-nots, and as a result, making the have-nots feel inferior in the Park! This is a cultural shift from within the Company that I do not support at all.
Like Tom says, this will likely be turned into having any/all Fastpasses be paid for. I hope Disney turns its back on this one, but it doesn’t seem at all likely. But I disagree with this on principle, and it may be enough to turn me away from at least the American parks. I’m heading to the international parks for the first time this year (largely because of you, Tom! Thank you so much!) The upcharge itself does not bother me as much as what it reflects about the values and the way in which Disney plans to manage its parks in the future.
Thank you! I was really hoping someone would comment on this topic. There are always extra things to spend money one (food and merchandise for example), but one of the great things at disney was always that so much was included at the base level. All the rides are open to everyone and are first come first served. Each guest has equal opportunity for the same experience. This does feel a bit like starting to price people into different experiences and I for one don’t feel good about it. I’m imagining that it’s $10 per day per person, is that right? That too will add up fast for a family. I think the greater value to me would be the photopass downloads. As long as there are still apps available to see the fastpass return times without walking to the ride, I could probably manage the walk once I know it’s worth it. Most families that save for several years to go to Disney won’t be able to afford extra services to save a little extra walking. I’m a bit disappointed in this decision and agree with Tom’s worry about what precedent will be set.
Hard to imagine the impact of this overall. I like the current system, seems equitable, requires some strategy to maximize it. While much more efficient, this feels like it’s going to make fast passes run out too quick and lead to increased waits on other attractions
I really don’t like the slippery slope this can set off. I’ve mostly come around to FP+. While I miss the old paper FP and the ways you could work the system, and I dislike having to start choosing things 60 days out, I do enjoy not having to worry about rushing to get a fast pass, or if all of them will run out that day if I do an early start. I like that I feel like I can do a later start if I want to sleep in a bit but still get at least one ride on my favorites with a bit of pre-planning (and I love the Magic Band as the tickets and room key and such- I actually missed having it when we went to DL!) But paying for the same service? It would be a real disappointment.
Nooo!! I hate the idea that one’s enjoyment of the park will be based on whether or not you coughed up the extra cash to get the digital Fastpass experience. The original Fastpass system was, although perhaps convoluted to some, accessible to all equally. Lame, Disney.
This makes me sad. I actually like the current system because everyone gets the same deal. For those of us who can’t afford all the extras it doesn’t mean we get a lesser experience. Disneyland is already so expensive, Esp when you consider food, lodging, etc for us out-of-towners. On our last trip our group all pitched in for the one week photopass and loved it, but it wasn’t necessary to enjoy our trip. The idea of possibly spending a day at Disneyland but being unable to obtain free fast passes because they’ve been sold out by those with bigger budgets is discouraging.
Hi Tom, I think you got one thing wrong.
Reading the blog post, I found this sentence: “..by enabling the convenience of mobile booking and redemption of Disney FASTPASS return times”
So the Maxpass allows to book and redeem FASTPASS (the same service as the paper passes), not something different. What the upcharge does is allowing the guests to book a new FastPass without having to run to the kiosk near the attraction. If this is the case, the offer is paying 10$ for a bit of convenience.
It could simply be that the board was not comfortable with the Shanghai outlay following on the WDW New Tech outlay and just said no. And Michael Colglazier being essentially a puppet president not really caring to go to bat for DLR or its guests.
My bet would be that Disney wanted to use MyMagic+ in Shanghai, but could not produce anything to Shendi to get the green-light from them.
Having a foreign partner pay for some R&D costs would have been very attractive to Disney, even if they didn’t have complete faith in MyMagic+ by the time it would’ve had to have been decided on for Shanghai.
I completely agree with you, Tom. While I was not at all shocked to see that there were new additions to the FastPass attraction list, or even that they were using mobile technology to book them, I was quite surprised at the $10 PER DAY! In addition, AP’s have the option to purchase these on a daily or yearly basis?!? As a Premier Passholder, I feel as though we pay a pretty penny to get benefits, such as MaxPass. I don’t know……maybe I am overreacting, but it really bothers me that they are charging even AP’s for this service. And, will it take away from our already “free” unlimited PhotoPass downloads?? That is a huge deal for me as an AP, and was a huge selling point. With that said, I will probably just end up paying for the service because I love Disney so much and want to support them in any way that I can.
“And, will it take away from our already “free” unlimited PhotoPass downloads??”
No. PhotoPass sells poorly at Disneyland. From Disney’s (financial) perspective, it’s not an actual perk in either situation–it’s something added both to Annual Passes and to MaxPass to create the illusion of value.
To some guests, the “free” PhotoPass will no doubt be a benefit, but that is not what is actually being sold here.
I agree with your concerns Tom. At $10 per day, it will likely be successful. But if it is per person, then the value, even at $10 goes down. Only one person in the group needs the downloads of the photos, so then for everyone else in my family/group, I’m paying just for the digital fast passes. And I do see the price increasing – when I read the blog post that word “introductory” jumped out at me as a major red flag. This is a very worrying development, I think.
Yup, Erin Glover confirmed:
Disney MaxPass will be $10 per ticket (per person) and one person in the party may manage Disney FASTPASS reservations for the party via one device, if desired.
Erin Glover on January 11, 2017 at 2:26 pm.
This is so discouraging to me. Because if they do end up bringing this to Disney World, I don’t think we can continue going. That would be $70 per day for us for a weeklong trip, just so we don’t have to show up at the parks at opening and run to the different attractions to get fast passes. When You’re dragging five kids behind you, that’s just not practical. Supposed to be a vacation, that doesn’t even remotely sound fun and relaxing to me
For some reason, this feels like a big departure from the upcharges of a Dessert Party or an Express Bus to me. I always kinda appreciated that, while onsite guests get first dibs at FP+, the FP+ seemed fairly egalitarian, and the DLR FP seemed even more egalitarian. Once you were inside the park, the experiences were (unlike Universal) potentially the same for the family staying at Grand Californian or at a Tom Bricker Certified Scary motel (save for those springing for VIP, I assume). I know this is a small change in a sea of ongoing changes, but this one feels a bit more like a punch in the gut. It feels a bit like the mouse is grabbing for dollars wherever they can be had, to the extent where I have to wonder if Star Wars Land might not be a separately ticketed land.
I’m curious if it’ll be $10 per person, or per group/family. Would a family really need EVERYONE to download their PhotoPass pics? Not very likely. Unless they allow for ticket linking like they do at WDW so you can get FastPasses for everyone that way.
There’s no way it’ll be $10/party.
My guess is that it will allow one group member to input how many party members they have, and make the MaxPass purchase for all.
Of course everyone in the party doesn’t need the PhotoPass pics, but that’s not the core product being offered here. Disney is included that as a bonus (because PhotoPass+ One Day/Week is selling very poorly) to give the illusion of this being a better value.
The official post only mentions $10/ day and I am left to assume that is $10/person/day. I can’t imagine it would be that price for a group of people. I wonder, though, if one person will be able to book FastPasses for multiple people and the system will validate enrollment for each guest upon redemption. Many people in the parks don’t have a unique smartphone and I can’t imagine they would be precluded because of that if they were willing to pay for the service.
We’re going on a five-day trip in September and I’ll be eagerly watching for developments. It may not even be live by then.
Well, when we went in May be we had to pay upwards of $50 per day for unlimited photopass photos (they weren’t offering a trip-long package that we could find) so for me the price is worth the savings on the photopass plus alone. If they jack it up though that will go right out the window.
It’s like $79 to download an entire weeks worth of pictures, not sure what you missed there. And you can combine everyone in the trips photos.
Looks like that option to download a week came out in June of 2016 so before your trip. I was there in 2015 and purchased all the photos on a CD for about the same price however.
I went in May 2016. The option to download a week’s worth of photos came a month after we left. I can tell you for certain that I had to pick a day or two of photos because they wanted $70 each day.
I think it’s a foregone conclusion that it will stratify guests. However, I don’t necessarily think it’ll increase spending. As EDL annual reports indicate, changes to the gate price are typically inversely related to in park spend.
At the moment I am not sure there is sufficient information from Disney concerning the details to be able to say how things will work. There’s quite a lot of speculation but a lot will depend on the extent to which these two types of ‘Fastpass’ are drawn from the same pool.
First off, when comparing the FastPass+ during our Disney World Jan 2-5 and the paper fastpass at Disneyland during our Disneyland visit from July 28-Aug 1 (two similar busy periods), I have to say that I got WAY more out of the paper Fast Passes at Disneyland. The Fastpass+ plus does have the advantage of pre-booking but.. I found that after we had used our 3 fastpasses in the Morning, there was really never much left at all, for anything worthwhile anyway. Things seemed totally different in California.
And as far as charging for the service, that is a very scary precedent.. I work as a travel agent part-time, and the free fastpass system is a great selling point for Disney. Hopefully that does not go away completely.
And when they inevitably decide to go all digital fasttpasses, there’s no way they are going to give a service for free that people already have been willing to pay for. So this is step 1 to an all pay fastpass system. Not surprising I guess.
My big question is how are they going to turn this back to WDW. If it shows that it makes money, they’ll want to do it, but getting guests to pay for something they’ve gotten for years is going to be an interesting challenge.
They’ve shown a past willingness to try to spin negatives as positives by prefacing them with “By popular guest demand…” I could see similar spin at WDW.
Alternatively, I could see it being more nuanced. Charge for off-site guests but include it for “free” to on-site guests with a tiered system based on Value, Moderate, Deluxe. Offer a sliding scale with Deluxe guests starting with 5 FP+ per day. That way, on the day of the announcement, they can lead with the upside that “some guests will now receive more FREE FastPass+ than ever before!”
I could see this as well at WDW, and it kinda sickens me. A couple years ago we went to Cedar Point in Ohio and experienced their Fast Lane system. aka the “if you pay twice as much for your ticket, you get to walk past the ordinary peons in the line” pass. It made me never want to go back to Cedar Point.
I realize that there have always been VIP tours and the like, but those are limited. In my head, I like the theme park as the last bastion of egalitarianism – if you are an executive or a janitor, you all wait in the same line for the ride.
Kevin’s post is exactly the same experience we’ve had at Six Flags Great America outside of Chicago.
Charging for FP access is a slippery slope. Disney simply cannot allow itself to wind up where Six Flags has.
Great America tickets run about $70. But if you pay for a “Flash Pass Platinum” for an extra $125, you can skip to the front of any line AND ride twice without leaving your seat.
It doesn’t even take many of these Platinum Passes to destroy the entire park experience. The first time you see people skipping EVERY line, and knowing that you don’t get to skip ANY lines, you feel like a sucker.
And it can blow up the entire day. We were waiting in line for the “Goliath” roller coaster, with a posted 45 min wait. Long, but we could handle it – it was the brand new attraction and our boys really wanted to try it.
However, there were SO many Flash Pass types riding over and over, that the line completely stopped. The Platinum riders would go twice, get out, run back to the front of the line, and repeat.
We were physically unable to get out of the queue due to how it was designed, and wound up waiting over three hours.
At Disneyland, there’s an element of “playing the FP game” by picking up your next FP during the first one’s window – but you never see anyone buying that kind of access.
It would immediately destroy guest satisfaction for anyone who isn’t participating.