The grand opening of Disneyland’s Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge is happening this summer, and some guests are worried the amusement park may offer an unfair advantage to guests with extra cash to spend: the ability to skip the wait.
January 2019 brought an unpleasant surprise for many Disney guests. The park in Florida allowed specific high-end guests to purchase three Fastpasses, passes that would allow them to skip lines, for $50. The same thing happened in Paris, guests had the option to buy a Star Wars packages, at 59 euros or $67, that would allow them to avoid the wait at Hyperspace Mountain and Star Tours.
These incidents have many asking if visitors will be expected to spend even more for Fastpasses to Galaxy’s Edge.
Should Disney Continue Its Practice of Equality for All?
So far, Disney hasn’t offered the opportunity to buy priority access to its attractions, but the company does have habit of offering more to those who can afford more. Visitors who stay at Disney hotels have the opportunity to access special bonuses, like: multi-use, electronic wristbands that act as key cards and admission tickets; and creating ride and show reservations for 60 days ahead of time.
Fastpasses aren’t available for everyone yet, but Disney has begun selling access to special events, like After Dark.
Disney sold out tickets to an After Dark even dedicated to Valentine’s Day, and a Marvel-themed event is expected to be much more popular. It’s the first After Dark event to last two nights, and tickets are $109.
Tickets to the After Dark events aren’t the only things Disney expects guests to pay more for. When Pixar Pier opened at Disneyland, the park sold preview passes that gave visitors the opportunity to explore the area before the grand opening. The cost: $299 per person. Guests can expect Disney to do the same for Galaxy’s Edge.
The new attraction spans 14 acres, and the demand is so high that 100,000 visitors are expected to show up for the opening. Fastpasses wouldn’t only increase Disney’s profits, but it could work as crowd control, as well.
Many Disney fans are wondering how Disney will handle the predicted crowds. So far, the company has only blacked out summer dates for those who have the lowest tier of season passes. It’s still a question if Disney will introduce the idea of Fastpasses to the general public.
