Walt Disney World, Florida, is retiring its line-skipping FastPass system. It will now charge $15 per person, creating a new revenue stream that could be colossal. The No. The Magic Kingdom was the No. 1 attraction at the resort and attracted 21,000,000 visitors annually.
FastPass was introduced by Disney World in 1999. It was decided to end the FastPass offering and to join other theme parks such as Universal Orlando or Seaworld Orlando that charge extra for faster access to rides. This is a reflection of the times: People have grown more accustomed to paying surcharges to get special access and perks. Many of these perks were previously included in the base price. This stratification has been led by airlines.
Disney vacations can be expensive. A family of four can pay $500 to enter one park for one-day. Disney World has been indicating for years that it would eventually charge for Lightning Lane access to rides. This may reduce grumbling. Disneyland California, California, eliminated FastPass and started charging $20 for MaxPass. After some initial disappointment MaxPass was popularized.
Disney World and Disneyland will now offer line-skipping options. The company announced this Wednesday as part of its broad new digital navigation tool. The Disney Genie service, which is free and available to all visitors, creates customized itineraries based on the visitor's preferences. You say you like princesses? You say you like princesses? The service will update your itinerary if you make changes to your plans or park conditions. This is similar to how GPS apps reroute people as they drive.
