While most Disney Resorts worldwide have been eager to roll out some form of paid line-skipping service and resume Annual Pass sales in the wake of COVID-19, the fervor still has yet to officially descend on Tokyo Disney Resort, whose operator the Oriental Land Company has been reluctant to introduce either. But we got some form of an acknowledgment of both issues this week at the Oriental Land Company’s Q2 2021 shareholder meeting, where both issues were brought up by the company’s shareholders to newly-inducted COO Kenji Yoshida.
The two issues were brought up separately, with one shareholder asking first about paid FastPass, an issue that was floated during last year’s Q3 2020 earnings report by the Oriental Land Company as a potential new source of revenue. When asked if the introduction of a paid FastPass service was possible, Yoshida answered “We are considering new ways of making the guest experience a new source of revenue. And we are continuing to consider the timing and form of implementation for these revenue sources.”
While this of course isn’t an outright admission that some sort of Disney Genie or Disney Premier Access service is coming to the resort, it seems like we shouldn’t be surprised if one comes around in the future. The Oriental Land Company made it abundantly clear in their Q2 2021 filings that they aim to increase net spending per Guest by finding new ways to monetize the Guest experience at Tokyo Disney Resort.
Additionally, when asked about the return of Annual Passes, an issue hot on the minds of many fans and shareholders as Tokyo Disney Resort remains the only Disney park without an annual pass at present, Yoshida said “[The introduction of] Annual Passports and other discounted tickets will continue to be considered depending on external and internal operating conditions.” With the resort only just lifting from nearly 9 months of extremely strict 5000 Guest per day attendance limits, it may still be some time before they’re ready to reintroduce Annual Passes judging by external factors alone.
We will stay up-to-date on these important issues, so be sure to keep your eyes on WDWNT for the latest news as these stories develop.