Here’s an inside look at Disney’s revolutionary Fastpass system that changed the way people enjoy theme parks. Guests can now book rides, shows, attractions and even character tributes before arriving at the park. With Fastpass, visitors can bypass regular lines at attractions and instead use designated lines that are often shorter.
Before Fastpass, a visit to a busy Disney theme park wouldn’t be complete without seeing long lines or queues of semi-fidgety parents and cranky kids to ride popular attractions. Not only is this very frustrating, but it’s also time-consuming.
To solve this problem, Disney executive Bruce LaVar, also an industrial engineer, designed Disney’s Fastpass system, which first rolled out in 1999. It helped address the high demand for popular attractions and improved the overall guest experience.
The first iteration of the program was manual and a logistical nightmare for the park’s performers (or staff) compared to today’s Fastpass system, but it significantly reduced wait times and improved the overall park flow of tourists.
In the ensuing years, advances in technology improved the FastPass system, allowing Disney to optimize the use of its attractions by allocating visitor numbers throughout the day. This helps reduce overcrowding and improves overall park operations. Instead of waiting in line, guests have time to visit other attractions, dine at one of the many restaurants, and shop at the gift shop.
However, it has also been criticized for its limited availability, imposed time limits and additional fees, especially when they are already paying big bucks to visit the theme parks. Additionally, some visitors do not fully understand how the system works and are unable to effectively plan their day at the park, leading to disappointment or frustration.
The Fastpass system is also affected by other factors beyond our control, including maintenance schedules, weather and park visitors, which may affect the availability and timing of Fastpass reservations.
To answer whether the Fastpass system provided a positive experience for regular guests, filmmaker Perjurer created a massive computer simulation whose animated presentation was necessary to achieve stunning results.
Overall, Disney’s Fastpass system is designed to make it easier for guests to experience the attractions they want to see during their theme park visit. Flaws as it may be, it’s still an invaluable tool for managing demand, improving the visitor experience, and growing retail revenue for Disney’s theme parks.
Directed by: Kevin Perjurer
