A couple of years ago, I wrote up this explanation of how a Fastpass / virtual queue system could be a net benefit to guests:
Assume a World with only two rides - a high capacity 1-hour show (assume continuous operation for simplicity) and a headliner ride with a 1-hour SB wait, and each visitor only had one hour at the park (staggered arrival):
- In a World with no FPP, most visitors get in line for the headliner and forgo the show
- In a World with FPP, everyone watches the show and uses their FPP for the ride
In conclusion, FPP in this scenario spreads out the crowds to experience attractions they may not ordinarily experience, and manages the arrival time of the visitors to the headliner so that no one has to wait more than a few minutes.
In reality, it’s obviously more complicated than that. But this is the theory that would make FPP a net benefit to park goers. The high-capacity attraction becomes a more value-added queuing area.
In short: if you have something else for guests to do instead of wait in that line, and guests take you up on that alternative, there’s no reason for Fastpass to have a negative effect on standby lines.
The “alternative” could be a high-capacity theater show (Indiana Jones Stunt Spectacular), a fast-loading, high capacity ride (Haunted Mansion), or even dining, shopping, or simply an air conditioned place to sit and wait until your FP time returns.
This is why Tapu Tapu works at Volcano Bay. VB has a giant wave pool that essentially never reaches capacity. It also has two lazy rivers that anyone can hop into or out of at any time. People are fine waiting 180 minutes for their Tapu Tapu for Krakatau because they are having a grand time catching waves or floating leisurely in the lazy river.
So I would be totally supportive of Disney returning some sort of Fastpass or virtual queuing system, but they need to work out some kinks - make it more guest-focused, less cutthroat, and make sure guests who are waiting for their Fastpass return times have something they can do without resorting to hopping in another long line in direct sunlight.