DPA - Disney Premier Access

[Captain Quantum]

I was just looking at the new Shanghai Disneyland iOS app. In it one can buy DPA's (Disney Premier Access) to certain rides. They look to be like a better max pass. You can buy them in blocks too. Adventure Sets, Family Sets, They also have different ride groupings within each offering. It certainly sounds like coupons that Disneyland had back in 1955. Pricing is not cheap. A single DPA for POTC is 120 Chinese Yuan....that's about $18 USD. Adventure Set that includes 6 rides is 480 CNY or about $74 USD. This is on top of the gate pass and it's in China.

I guess if the wait time is extraordinarily long, this might be a viable option.

If the China market can support this type of pricing, something like this in California would be equal or more in my opinion.

[xPhoenix]

On the one hand, I would absolutely spend the money on this if my wife and I end up going to Shanghai in the next few years (we live in California). All of the travel time and costs make this splurge an obvious one for any tourist coming from out of the country. On the other hand, I would HATE to see this come to California. I'm not sure how the culture over there is responding to this, but I believe it would be a horrible PR nightmare over here. IMHO they should stick to the expensive tour option for the super-wealthy because it provides them additional revenue from those who want to pay it but it has a limited impact on daily guests. Also, a continuation and or expansion of perks for the expensive hotels would be another way to non-obviously boost profits from the upper class.

[mickdaddy]

I am not sure how 18 dollars for a fast pass to one ride is better than what Disney offers with Max pass. I really hope that never comes to any of the stateside parks.

[Eagleman]

I am not sure how 18 dollars for a fast pass to one ride is better than what Disney offers with Max pass. I really hope that never comes to any of the stateside parks.

((()))

[Captain Quantum]

I am not sure how 18 dollars for a fast pass to one ride is better than what Disney offers with Max pass. I really hope that never comes to any of the stateside parks.

It's unclear how the pass can actually be used. What if the $18 got you access to a ride through the exit? Basically, first in line. Would it be worth it then? As xPhoenix stated, traveling internationally, paying that makes sense so you are guaranteed to be able to go on all of the rides that you want to go on having already made a huge investment to make the trip.

I only bring it up because whatever this is, I'm pretty sure some flavor of it will make it's way to North America.

[Stormy]

Wouldn't this be sort of a similar concept as Universal's 'Express Pass'? IIRC the ExPass is kind of expensive per day, and I can't imagine Disney making theirs any 'cheaper'.

I could see buying a couple of 'one time' FoTL if there were new rides or rides I hadn't ridden before (assuming those aren't blocked out) but I don't think it'd be something I'd do routinely, unless they did away with MP or (at WDW) FP+ altogether.

[Captain Quantum]

Wouldn't this be sort of a similar concept as Universal's 'Express Pass'? IIRC the ExPass is kind of expensive per day, and I can't imagine Disney making theirs any 'cheaper'.

I could see buying a couple of 'one time' FoTL if there were new rides or rides I hadn't ridden before (assuming those aren't blocked out) but I don't think it'd be something I'd do routinely, unless they did away with MP or (at WDW) FP+ altogether.

Yes. This is definitely modeled on the Universal offering based on the Disney Shanghai description. (I haven't been to Universal in many years, had to read the website) The only difference in the language between the two is that the Disney access is tied to a time slot, it's not apparent that the Universal Express offering is. Universal also has a Universal Express Unlimited offering which is an unlimited number of rides through their express lane. That's kind of cool.

[WaltDisney'sAlec]

I'm sure many of you have seen this before, but the U.S. parks already have something like this. When you pay for VIP accompaniment, plaid shirts grant you priority access to rides and reserved seating for events. The minimum cost is somewhere around $3000 for 7 hours, but split between a group of 10 people is about $300/person.

Shanghai is selling $150 for instant access to 12 rides isn't that far off from this since you could easily go on 24 rides in a day at the DLR. But in the U.S. you'll get all the perks, including free photopass, lockers, equipment rental, etc.

[mickdaddy]

It's unclear how the pass can actually be used. What if the $18 got you access to a ride through the exit? Basically, first in line. Would it be worth it then? As xPhoenix stated, traveling internationally, paying that makes sense so you are guaranteed to be able to go on all of the rides that you want to go on having already made a huge investment to make the trip.

I only bring it up because whatever this is, I'm pretty sure some flavor of it will make it's way to North America.

I am sure that international travel would make the guarantee of getting on attractions more beneficial but 18 dollars per attraction is still really high for me. As Stormy mentioned I would rather see a version of the express pass that Universal Studios uses (although again way to expensive as the Orlando version during peak time literally doubles your cost) or the Gate A pass that Universal Studios Hollywood use to have (That was a true front of the line pass, I have used that one before and we would walk through a dedicated line just for the gate A pass, hence the name and when we hit the ride loading area the worker would ask what row we wanted and at the Revenge of the mummy ride they literally took people out of the front row to seat us, that was a little extreme for us we would have waited for the next car to arrive.) I would have to see full perks to see if it would be worth it but I am still voting I hope it never makes it to the stateside parks.

[Starcade]

Every rumor and speculation leads me to the same thought...We will all be missing the way things used to be as we are all about to get charged more for the same experience we once had for much less. ( well many of us as many will be done with DLR as soon as these new methods are announced.) Chapek isn't looking for a win win he's looking for a win with minimal negative press, his concern has never appeared to be genuinely for the guests.

[Mr Wiggins]

Every rumor and speculation leads me to the same thought...We will all be missing the way things used to be as we are all about to get charged more for the same experience we once had for much less. ( well many of us as many will be done with DLR as soon as these new methods are announced.) Chapek isn't looking for a win win he's looking for a win with minimal negative press, his concern has never appeared to be genuinely for the guests.

Spot on. Although I doubt that negative press is of much concern to management. No matter how much DLR prices have increased and offerings decreased, media criticism (mainstream and social) has had no impact on consumer demand. For every two customers who quit, three are ready to take their place.

[Eagleman]

IMO
Disney would take *minimal negative press* , as long the
$ MONEY $ comes in..........

I all ready reading about Price increased - with Disney+ on the News !
Not surprising me with Disney and there new CEO.......
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Added note......after more reading - Price increased start Friday
by a dollar !

* Point being Disney going rise price and negative press is Not much concern
to this management.

[JerrodDRagon]

I'll pay if I don't have to wait in lines..just not 18 bucks per ride

[Starcade]

For a family of 4 $18 per person ( $72 ) to jump the line is ridiculous. They would need to price it to under $3 per ride I feel for American tourist to use it in mass otherwise it will be a niche system and Disney makes more money when they do things in mass.

[linkeq2001]

From the pressers and the comments from management and other systems at play around the world it seems more and more so that we are headed toward a very "nickel and dime" form of the parks in the future. Gone will be the days of a flat fee entry and free experiences. Want fastpass? It will cost you. Want early magic morning? It will cost you. Want the true halloween or christmas experience? It will cost you. Want to come at a certain time of year? It will cost you.

One thing of note that is interesting. Since bumping to a new all time high earlier this year the stock has dropped with each announcement from Disney Management, in fact the recent expansion plans were even met with skepticism from shareholders. Maybe people are wondering if Disney is pivoting in the wrong direction, going for a ton of change when maybe customers want a return of something more familiar. Time will tell.