I mailed this letter to Bob Iger about how the new FastPass Plus system has ruined the park experience for me.

October 12, 2014

To Bob Iger:

logoYesterday at Disney’s Hollywood Studios I walked up to a FastPass Plus location and asked if I could get a FastPass for “Toy Story Mania.”  The cast member looked me dead in the eye and said “Oh no, those are reserved months in advance and only online.”  This is when I knew the Disney park experience had been ruined for me.

I love Disney, I love the Disney Parks, and I should be your dream demographic.  I love the parks so much that I moved to Orlando so I could be near them and visit often.  It used to be at least once a week, but no more. 

The new “Fast Pass Plus Magic Band” debacle has ruined the parks for me.  When I complain to my Disney cast member friends, they are quick to point out that guest satisfaction is UP because of this new service.  And this surely is true for those rich families who spend years planning an extravagant vacation, can stay in a Disney Resort, and spend lots of money.  AND plan way in advance!  The best times and attractions are reserved for them!  I’m sure they have a fantastic vacation.

But you’ve ruined the experience for everyone else.  You’ve certainly ruined it for me.  I don’t think the optimum theme park experience is running from planned event to planned event trying to get it all done.  Where’s the joy of slowing down and just enjoy being there? 

And I wonder about the guest who just shows up at the front gate and wants to have a terrific day.  The game is now so rigged that if you don’t plan weeks (or months) in advance, you can’t just walk in and do all the great things that are offered.  Imagine a guest who drives to the park, pays $100 (ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS!) for a one day ticket, and then finds out inside that every major attraction has a two hour wait and no fast pass tickets available.  They’ve all been reserved way in advance, and this paying guest spends their day standing in long lines and seeing very little.

For an annual passholder like myself, the odds are even more sad.  I used to visit a Disney park at least once a week and spend lots of money on meals and souvenirs.  Now I rarely go at all.  My passholder discount has been cut to nothing, all fastpasses are gone, and anything available is usually HOURS later in the day.  I can’t just show up for a couple of hours and have a nice time, or at least expect to ride anything.  My trips now consist of enjoying the atmosphere and riding nothing.

When I complained to a friend who works at the park he did some research and admitted that, yes, all FastPasses for the new Seven Dwarfs Coaster are gone each morning by 9:15.   Only fifteen minutes after the park has opened.  And surely if I was able to grab one of these rare passes, they would likely be for very late in the day.  At this point I fully expect to never get to ride this new attraction.  How can I justify standing in the hot Florida sun for two hours (or more) just to ride a 3 minute kiddie coaster?  I’d love to experience this new bit of Disney magic, but apparently Disney magic is now reserved for rich families spending LOTS of money.   The day guest paying $100….too bad!  In the old Fast Pass system, each guest could only reserve one at a time, so even though wait times were longer, it still seemed somewhat fair.  Everyone was in the same boat.  But now the deck is stacked for the rich, and the rest of us are out of luck.

As for me, I now find myself spending my time and money at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, where I can walk up to Hogwarts castle and get on a ride with NO fastpass, or jump on a train and then relax in Diagon Alley where the location and atmosphere are the greatest attraction.  There is where I now spend my time and money.

I don’t think this situation is beyond saving, but it seems the cynics are right when they say that Disney is only about the rich and no longer cares about the average guest experience.  I’m hoping this could change, as I miss the wonderful Disney Park experience.  It’s a terrible loss.

Sincerely,

Tim Hinton