It’s been a long week of Disney updates, the highlight of which was the breaking news that a new top-tier Premier Pass version of Disney’s Lightning Lane MultiPass would soon be introduced at both Disneyland and Walt Disney World Resorts. The response was mixed; some felt ripped off by a money-grabbing move, others responded indifferently that the move had no effect on their vacation, and some were even excited at the prospect that Disney was about to offer a Universal Studios equivalent skip-the-queue service. We’ve discussed some of the feelings, and you can read about my perspective here. In summary, I see it as nothing more than a VIP Tour, an expensive menu item, or a pricey piece of merch. It’s an optional choice we can all make based on its value to our trip.
The topic of luxury add-ons got me thinking. What do Disney fans want, and what would you spend additional money on if the option were available? While I love the idea of a fast-tracked queuing experience, I’m not in the demographic of guests who will be indulging in this top-tier version of Lightning Lane. However, there are a few things that I would spend more on if the opportunity were there.
This first one isn’t so applicable to my family in its current, older state, though when my children were younger, I would have paid for a booked-in character meet & greet time. Not 100’s of dollars, or for some ridiculously long experience, just a very basic few minutes, at a specific time and place where you knew that your child’s favorite character was guaranteed to be. As Australians, we travel a long way to visit Disney Parks, and with young kids, much of the excitement can ride on meeting their favorite characters. Anyone who has been turned away from a sudden character line closure or crossed their fingers that their favorite Princess would appear, only to find out that she isn’t there, knows that the disappointment is real. A booking system with a small fee would have had me at hello every time.
Another thing I would have paid extra for was pre-paid priority parking. When traveling with my now-passed Grandparents, the option to pre-pay for a confirmed parking spot at the front of the parking lot would be an idea. Not only then but also when my children were little. You might be thinking, you’ve done 25,000 steps at Disney; what is the difference? Well, that difference can be huge once your toddler pulls the pin and taps out on cooperative behavior when exhaustion sets in. Again, it is not valuable for many, but in some circumstances, it could be the very thing that makes the journey feel manageable, especially for families who might need to make frequent trips to the car for family members with additional needs.
I can already hear some of you asking why I would give Disney ideas on charging more money. However, in the spirit of the subject, the point is that all additional services are optional and don’t affect anyone who isn’t convinced of their value, just like the new Premier Pass. For instance, I would pay for a purchasable Lightning Lane option for front-row parade seats or firework-standing areas. Anyone who wanted to line up for hours could still do so, with just a small area to the side reserved for those who had booked and paid for it. Similar to dining packages for shows like Fantasmic! The concept is the same, but it is viewed differently without the food component. It’s like a dessert party without the dessert. If anything, it would make the concept more accessible to the average person without the price tag of the dessert service attached as well.
Those are just three things that sprung to mind when I started to think more about additional services I would spend extra money on. Let me know your thoughts. Do you have a secret luxury service you wish Disney would offer to make your vacation a little easier? Try to think of something that isn’t currently on offer that wouldn’t have a negative effect on the average Disney guest if they chose not to partake in the service.
