A suggestion for Disney...an alternative to LLMP

Walt Disney World
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This past Sunday, I was having a conversation with my DS26, and the various ways different parks use their versions of a fastpass, including Disney. Anyhow, he had what I thought was a rather brilliant idea…and one that would, to us at least, not only be an enhancement over what Disney currently offers as LLMP, but also perhaps drives up more revenue for Disney, which Disney wants.

So, one of the on-going struggles of LLMP (and LLSP for that matter) is the constant need to be on the phone checking/booking and/or the need to pre-plan rides. Rather than being in the moment, it becomes a chore that SOME PEOPLE do well with, but others find burdensome. I, myself, despise the LL system (as you probably all know), but I’m not quite as opposed to the LLPP because it would limit LL access, as well as allow more “freedom” day of in the parks.

My son’s suggestion, however, seems downright brilliant to me. That is, to have dynamic/surge pricing for LL access that is IN THE MOMENT based on current wait times.

It would work like this. You approach a ride, and you are presented with three numbers. The Standby wait time, the LL wait time, and the current price for that ride’s LL. In that moment, you can decide if you are willing to wait in the standby line, or pay for the LL. If you choose the latter, you tap in, and the charge is made automatically. You then enter the LL. But that price at 9 am might only be $2, because there is almost no-one in standby. Or the price might be $10 for that ride because the standby wait is 100 minutes.

One further refinement is that the LL could be made unavailable if it reaches a certain capacity level. But this might be temporary. This would limit access to LL to prevent it becoming so long that now the LL is essentially oversold.

The actual nature as to the pricing structure and exact combination of standby versus LL wait times would need to be refined, of course. But I couldn’t help but think about how wonderful this would be in the parks in practice. I can make in-the-moment decisions about what I’m willing to pay for and not. Disney could, in theory, end up with HIGHER revenues doing this because more people might be willing to make in-the-moment decisions they wouldn’t otherwise do because they didn’t pre-purchase LLMP.

Disney COULD still do this in combination with a LLPP, but this system would replace existing LLSP and LLMP. And the technology is essentially already in place for Disney to do this, other than having a sign specifically around posting the LL price.

I know not EVERYONE would be happy with this. But, wondering about what others think of this. Honestly, we couldn’t come up with too many negatives.

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It goes back to the nickel and diming conversation in the “less magic” thread. Though I get the concept, I think I’d feel it more with this approach.

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Sure…but, honestly, I’d feel far more magic not having to pre-plan anything or try to book a next LL. You are paying extra either way (if you pay for LLSP or LLMP). This just opens up the day to making decisions in the moment. Just like I make an in-the-moment decision whether to pay $7 for a Mickey bar (or whatever), this would be no different. I can choose to wait in standby, come back later, or whatever.

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BTW, the one negative that I see really comes down to those who want the ability to “guarantee” a ride on a certain ride. People like the fact that they can buy a LLSP and not have to worry about. My DS did suggest still allowing that…but basically having a limited number of LLSP’s for each (and every LL ride) you can book ahead of time…knowing that the price for that pre-booking might end up being more than if you had waited until day off perhaps.

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Kind of what DLP uses.

I don’t know if they use dynamic pricing on the day though, or if it’s fixed.

But the return times are usually no more than 10 minutes, otherwise the system pauses purchases for that ride until the return time falls.

I think the maximum price we saw was €17.

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This was my first thought.

BUT, I would love this if I could gauge a max cost for a ride and have a plan to go to a park only purchasing 1 or 2 rides (Remy and Guardians for example). And not having to prepick a time does have an appeal. If it’s cheaper when I get there, then great! Although this could be an issue at MK- where there are a TON of rides or HS- where there are fewer rides but many being E- ticket attractions. Those days, I would theoretically spend a lot of money.
Maybe if they had LL for the day price- working similar to how it does now- for those that want to maximize their day. But also, an LLSP price for the “Tier 1 and a couple Tier 2” attractions. Savings to prepurchase but availability day of with a by demand pricing structure.

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The main negative is Disney’s apparent need for more bandwidth.

This plan that your son thought of is exactly the way computers and software need to be used. It should be easy peasy given our current technology to manage both the person that wants to be awake at six fifty something am and the person who feels plan is a 4 letter word and wants to be presented with a choice as they approach a ride - in or out.

A third option could be loading a daily bank of say $25 that auto pays your in real time choice of yes I want this ride. Allowing a daily budget that could be restocked if necessary.

This is inspired, Ryan. Kudos to your son. From this forum to Disney’s management.

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This ties closely to another layer my DS had suggested, but didn’t mention. He thought you could instead list the “cost” of entering the LL as “credits” rather than dollars. And you buy credits ahead of time. So, perhaps I buy 25 credits, loaded into my account…and I can go to each ride and see the current “credit” cost.

I’m not entirely sure this is better than just listing the cost in dollars, though. I’m six to one, half dozen to the other.

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they can’t even create a working app and you want them to get fancy with it :smirk: :zany_face:

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And while I was typing I was thinking A thru E ticket rides :grinning_face_with_smiling_eyes:

A tickets being a range of up to $X. Etc

With E maxing at maybe $20 and being what is currently LLSP.

A thru D being LLMP.

D being tier 1 LLMP

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I’ve been thinking about this and I honestly don’t think I’ve ever hated an idea more. Dynamic pricing is the work of the devil, and I don’t see how this would benefit either planners or the spontaneous. I can imagine a lot of wandering around the park because the next ride you were planning is more than you want to pay - and so is the next one. But you don’t want to wait an hour or more in line either.

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I also really agree with this. There’s not much magic in being asked to stump up even more cash every time you approach a ride - whether you have to pay it or not.

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Hmm. We don’t pay for LLMP, and I can’t even tell you the last time we waited in a line at WDW that was an hour or more. We HAVE paid for LLSP, which this plan would still allow for.

The point is that Disney needs to LIMIT the number of people who have LL access to make the Standby lines more manageable. But they also want revenue. So, this dynamic pricing model could drive more revenue for Disney, but people who are planners can know which times of day to plan which rides for EITHER the shorter standby times, OR the cheaper prices. But the spontaneous folks can so, in the moment, “Oh, it is a $10 LL to ride Frozen right now. I don’t want to come back later, so let’s go ahead.”

It also means you are in much more control as to what rides you ride versus not when, since it it isn’t tied to return times as it is currently.

The more I think about it, the more glorious it sounds to me.

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Better yet, these credits could be divided into attraction catagories - A, B, C, D, and E. :thinking::laughing:

I hear there is no new idea at Disney.

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I see me and @janamelia are :brain: today.

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Nah…I get your joke, but still…because the price is determined by actual demand, and not some artificial ranking of rides, the need for such tiering goes away entirely.

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I am not a fan of dynamic pricing!!

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If you worked on a credit system I don think.it combines well with a dynamic pricing system…

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Yeah. I tend to agree. I wasn’t sold on that part of the idea, which is why I didn’t mention it in the OP…but it was something my son suggested. Personally, I think it complicates matters and unnecessarily creates two layers of obfuscation.

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I’m thinking more about this…and ultimately it forces you as the consumer to really decide how important getting on any given ride is to you. If you aren’t willing to pay (whether it is LLMP, LLSP, this dynamic price, or some other scheme) and you aren’t willing to wait, it means that the ride experience isn’t terribly important to you. But if you REALLY want to ride, you will be willing to either pay the LL price, or pay the time price (standby).

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