Disneyland Paris: goodbye to the FastPass, a pay-per-ride service arrives
Disneyland Paris
Disneyland Paris announced the activation of a new service that replaces the old FastPass, which allowed people to skip the line by booking a slot in advance, with Disney Premier Access, a pay-per-ride service and a free virtual queue. selectively available. Disney Premier Access will be available on the Disneyland Paris app.Disney Premier Access: This is how it works
The new Disney Premier Access service will be launched this summer. For an amount ranging from € 8 to € 15 depending on the attraction and day of use, from anywhere within the parks, guests can use the Disneyland Paris app to reserve a seat in the "designated fast lane" , a service that was previously free with FastPass.Disney Premier Access will be available for Big Thunder Mountain, Peter Pan's Flight, Ratatouille: L'Aventure Totally Toquée de Rémy, Buzz Lightyear Laser Blast , Star Wars Hyperspace Mountain, Star Tours: Continuous Adventure, The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror and Autopia.
Guests wishing to use the service must book one of the "limited availability" seats ahead of time through their Disney accounts and then scan the QR code to enter the designated fast lane. Guests without smartphones can also purchase Disney Premier Access at certain park locations. However, paying for the service doesn't even ensure that it will work. In fact, the website reports that "the purchase of a Disney Premier Access gives you quick access to the chosen attraction, but does not guarantee immediate access".
However, in addition to this novelty, not so popular with fans of Disney parks, the free Standby Pass returns, which debuted on the Disneyland Paris app last October and which allows guests to spend part of their time waiting for certain attractions without queuing physically, but does not provide immediate access to the ride.
This service can be activated at certain times of the day, subject to availability and based on the daily needs of the parks. Once activated, guests can use the Disneyland Paris app to book a time slot to enter the physical queue for an attraction and return to line up at that time.
Juliette Bron, Vice President of Digital & Disneyland Paris Data said:
“We are always looking for ways to enhance the guest experience. The return of the Standby Pass, the introduction of Disney Premier Access and each new digital enhancement to our parks and hotels are part of our commitment to deliver innovative products and services that take into account continuous feedback and not only meet but exceed the expectations of our guests. Guests expect more and more seamless experiences and, with the evolution of technology, we have the opportunity, and the responsibility, to meet their expectations. "
In keeping with these words, new features have also been introduced on the Disneyland Paris app such as the "Food Hub", thanks to which guests can search and book restaurants managed by Disney based on criteria such as type of cuisine or meal plans accepted. They can also book and schedule their dining experience months in advance.
For Resort hotel guests, a new online check-in feature will allow them to bypass the check-in process with their phones and receive a text message when their room is ready. Disneyland Paris is not the first park to use Disney Premier Access, however. Shanghai Disneyland previously replaced its free FastPass program with the paid service last year and is likely to be introduced in US amusement parks as well, although Disney did not want to deny or confirm these rumors. However, according to what reported by Orlando Weekly, Disney parks have been working to monetize the queue jump since the mid-2000s so it's only a matter of time before Disney Premier Access is also introduced in other Disney amusement parks.
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Disneyland Paris Replaces FastPass With a Pay-Per-Ride Service
Guests visiting Disneyland Paris in June 2020.
Oh, so you want to go on the Ratatouille ride with your partner and two kids, but you don’t want to wait? That’ll be $40 please. Disneyland Paris has announced that the free FastPass service, a way for folks to skip the line by reserving a slot ahead of time, will instead be replaced by a pay-per-ride service and a selectively available free virtual queue. Disney won’t say whether U.S. parks may one day do the same.
Disneyland Paris has started advertising its new service “Disney Premier Access,” launching this summer (and yes, it has the same name as the Disney+ service for watching theatrical releases at home for a higher price). First reported by WDW News Today, Disney Premier Access charges guests between €8 (about $9.50) and €15 (about $18) to reserve a spot in the “designated fast lane”—in other words, to use the service that used to be free with FastPass. It’s the latest in a series of post-pandemic closure decisions that have been frustrating Disney Parks fans—most notably replacing annual passes with a new membership program, the details of which have not been unveiled yet.
Disney Premier Access will be available for Big Thunder Mountain, Peter Pan’s Flight, Ratatouille: L’Aventure Totalement Toquée de Rémy, Buzz Lightyear Laser Blast, Star Wars Hyperspace Mountain, Star Tours: l’Aventure continue, The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, and Autopia. Guests wanting to use the service have to reserve one of the “limited availability” spots ahead of time through their Disney accounts and then scan the QR code to get into the designated fast lane. However, paying for the service doesn’t even ensure that it’ll work. The website notes that “purchasing a Disney Premier Access gives you fast access to the attraction you choose, but does not guarantee immediate access.”
It’s not the first time we’re seeing paid FastPass programs at Disney Parks (no surprise, considering the FastPass system had its issues). Disneyland has the MaxPass program while Disney World has FastPass+. However, both of those options were in addition to the free FastPass programs (it’s also important to note that they’ve been suspended during the novel coronavirus pandemic, along with FastPass itself). In addition, Disneyland Paris isn’t the first park to implement Disney Premier Access. Shanghai Disneyland looks to have quietly replaced its FastPass program with the paid service last year—although that one is through packages, not per-ride payments. However, the increase in these pay-to-play programs is adding fuel to the rumors of replacing the free FastPass program in the U.S. parks, which have circulated for years. According to Orlando Weekly, Disney Parks have been working on monetizing queue jumping since the mid-2000s. Disney wouldn’t comment on whether the U.S. parks would be switching to Disney Premier Access, stating that it’s only a Disneyland Paris (and Shanghai Disneyland) program at this time.
However, just because FastPass is gone at Disneyland Paris doesn’t mean folks are doomed to wait four hours or more every time they want to go on Peter Pan’s Flight. The park has also been implementing Standby Pass, a virtual queue system that lets guests digitally hold their place in line for certain attractions. Unfortunately, Standby Passes aren’t available all the time, like FastPasses usually are. They’re only implemented on select rides to reduce crowding and help with social distancing. Because we’re still in the middle of a global pandemic.
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