Walt Disney (NYSE:DIS) has been welcoming more and more guests back to its theme parks after the coronavirus pandemic forced the company to temporarily shut the doors to visitors at various points over the past 18 months. These closures cost the company billions in lost revenue.
As it tries to get its financial footing back, Disney is testing a new feature at its theme park in Paris. The company is allowing guests to purchase premier access passes that would allow them to skip lines entirely. Folks can purchase premier access to a ride they wish to go on at a specific time slot without waiting in the long line. The move has the potential to solve two problems simultaneously.
At a price of between 8 euros and 15 euros per ride per guest, the line-cutting pass could raise revenue at the park substantially. It’s similar to the free Fast Pass feature that was available at Disney parks prior to the pandemic, but it is more convenient in that the paid version allows the user to pick the time slot they wish. Folks using it regularly could easily spend more on premier passes than on the price of admission. And excluding the cost of technology to develop the capability, the revenue from these passes will almost completely fall to the bottom line.
