FastPass Questions

[baldburke]

Ok, I looked at Info Central to make certain that I wasn't posting frivolously (sp?), but does anyone know the specifics of how FastPass works?

I realize you put your ticket in, get a ticket back and return at the appropriate time, but what is the logic they use? Is the allotment per time window or hour according to the hourly capacity of the ride? We usually going in off times, but even then it is just crazy that by 10am your return time could be after dinner or it could even be sold out for the day.

The idea of the FastPasses is great, but the reality is that they aren't typically practical.

I also read somewhere, the Unoffical Guide I believe, that Disney has patents on technology that would allow users to get fastpasses directly rom the in room TV. They didn't get very specific beyond that (does it print right in your room? do you pick them up on entry at the park?), but they did say they could forsee this being any offering at the Deluxes perhaps. Sounds great to me.

[LibertyTreeGal]

Hi, they have the patents, but they aren't doing it yet :)

Each ride has a specific number of fastpasses allotted to it per day, and once the number is filled for a certain time period, they move it a notch later in the day until they get to a time period at the end of the day and voila! there are no fast passes left. Hope that makes sense. The only "for sure" way to get a fast pass is to go and get one early, but before you get it make sure to look at the clock for your return time -- too many people don't do this and end up with a fastpass that overlaps their ADR times and not only can't they go on the ride, but they can't get another fastpass either, until the time has passed over their scheduled return.

And once you master the fastpass system, it really does work very well. At DL this past summer, I finally got it figured out, and my DH and kids were able to ride Splash Mountain twice in a row, even though the lines were super long. You just have to get the hang of it :)

[Polynesian Dweller]

And once you master the fastpass system, it really does work very well. At DL this past summer, I finally got it figured out, and my DH and kids were able to ride Splash Mountain twice in a row, even though the lines were super long. You just have to get the hang of it :)

We didn't like FastPass until we figured out the correct strategy, at least that works for us. A crucial part of that is checking the times for both FastPass return and standby at at least two attractions and then getting a FastPass for the longest standby and riding the one with the shortest standby.

Once we figured out what worked for us, we love FastPass and it makes our trip much more pleasureable.

[Mousefever]

Check out information on Fast Pass patents here. http://www.intercot.com/discussion/showthread.php?t=114913


:dory:

[mrs.jacksparrow]

Okay now I'm totally confused! Can you pick the time you want? Or do yo just get what spits out ? If I go directly to the rides with Fast Pass (example HM and POC) and it turns out during our character breakfast at CP I can't get another one for a later time?
I have many ADR's and this information just threw my planning/schedule hopes up in the air...any additional tips/information would really be appreciated....we leave in 9 days YIPPEEEE:mickey:

[JPelle76]

You can actually use the past ANYTIME after the scheduled return time. You are not just limeted to the 1 hour window printed on the ticket. For example if your return time is 12noon to 1PM you can return any time after 12:00. You can even still use it at 7PM that day. I have asked cast members about that and have done it many times myself.

Great Fast pass tip: For MGM when you get there when the park 1st opens, run to tower of terror and get the FP, ride Rockin roller coaster on stand by, (line shouldn't be that long yet). By the time you get out it should be very close to your TOT ride time, BUT BEFORE you ride it grab another FP for RRC, ride TOT and the go back to RRC. Great way utalize your time, the FP system and get to ride 2 of the best rides!

Enjoy your trip! I'm so jealous!:mickey:

[LibertyTreeGal]

I don't know about using it at anytime after the end of your hour -- I'd check with a CM before doing that.

When you go to the kiosk, say for Space Mountain at 10am or whatever, it says "Fastpast return 12:50 to 1:50." (Or whatever time it happens to be for) Make sure you pay attention to that time -- because you cannot get another fastpass ticket until 12:50! No matter whether or not you like the time listed or not, that's why it's important to pay attention to your return time, it's always clearly posted.

I've only once had it run into an ADR time. So don't sweat it too badly. If you don't like the return time listed, them come back a bit later and get one when the return time is more your liking -- but get your first pass early, because if it is 10 am and you get a fastpass with a return time of 6pm, you are stuck for the whole day -- OH, and never get a fastpass if the wait is less than 20 minutes for the ride, it just ain't worth it (unles you know it will be crowded later in the day). :mickey:

[irish1967]

I've only once had it run into an ADR time. So don't sweat it too badly. If you don't like the return time listed, them come back a bit later and get one when the return time is more your liking -- but get your first pass early, because if it is 10 am and you get a fastpass with a return time of 6pm, you are stuck for the whole day

In my experience, this isn't exactly the way it works.

I don't know what the "rules" are, but I think if a FP return time is several hours later, you have the opportunity to get another FP in something like two hours.

On our last trip, we arrived to EPCOT around 10:30 and immediately got FPs for Soarin' (return in the evening - I want to say around 7:00 pm) The bottom of the FPs said that we could obtain another FP at 12:30 pm and over the course of the afternoon were able to utilize the FP system for at least two rides before our FP time for Soarin!

[sainter]

Irish1967, you are right. The Fastpass you receive will have the time that you can get another fastpass printed right on it. Depending on the ride, the crowds, etc, you can occasionally end up with Fastpasses to 2 rides in hand at the same time.

[Mickie the Pooh]

Some of the things posted here are incorrect.
You can get a second fast pass as soon as your earliest time for the first fast pass has expired, OR 2 hours which ever COMES FIRST.

you can USUALLY use the Fast pass after the initial time period has expired but it is discretionary with the CM some rides like Sorin they are very strict about the times.

[KylesMom]

The idea of the FastPasses is great, but the reality is that they aren't typically practical.


I assure you, in the heat of the summer, FPs are incredibly practical. Although some of the queues are in the air conditioning, many of them are not - (Big Thunder, Splash Mountain, Peter Pan, Pooh, Kilamanjaro Safaris, Expedition Everest, RockNRollercoaster - just to name a few). We are avid users of FP and use to its fullest extent. We are never caught without a valid FP in our pockets!

When we arrive at a park, the first thing we do is grab a FP for our favorite attraction. We then either ride standby if the line is 20 minutes or less, or move on to another attraction. As soon as we are able to do so, we grab another FP . . . and so on and so on. It allows us to venture to other attractions instead of waiting in line. In fact, I've heard it described exactly as that - a "placeholder" in line, if you will.

If we were standing out in the heat & humidity in a line for an extended period of time for these attractions, it would make for a short day indeed, since we'd be so wiped out. In fact, that's just what happened during our first trip in 2000!

One other note - we have never had a problem utilizing a FP ticket after the assigned return time.:mickey: We LOVE FP! :beer:

[WDWdriver]

Some of the things posted here are incorrect.
You can get a second fast pass as soon as your earliest time for the first fast pass has expired, OR 2 hours which ever COMES FIRST.


Also incorrect. As others have said here, you can get a second Fast Pass at the time indicated in small print at the bottom of the Fast Pass you are currently holding. This is often just after your return window opens. But depending on expected park attendance and ride capacities for that day, you might be able to get a second Fast Pass in as little as 40 minutes after getting your first one. There is no two hour rule. You don't have to be a Disney park expert to use Fast Pass. Just look at the bottom of your first one to know when you can get another.

[DisneyDudet]

you can USUALLY use the Fast pass after the initial time period has expired but it is discretionary with the CM some rides like Sorin they are very strict about the times.

With the addition to barcodes and the possibility of using scanners for FP returns, this practice shouldn't be used very often. It should be used if it isn't possible to get back (ie, getting caught after a show or something).

We have pretty much mastered the FP system. We have it down to a science at ToT and RnRC, even at Christmas and the height of summer crowds!

Tips: One person from one party only needs to get the FPs. Always make sure you have FPs and didn't accidentally stick one ticket in twice. Always make sure that you have names on all tickets, so they won't get messed up! Use wisely. We usually don't use our FP unless we have gotten another one for later. Say, in the summer we have one for Space Mtn at 10:15. We would have done other things around the park, say HM or some FL rides. We want to ride Spash Mtn too, but the wait time is already 1 hr in the summer heat, so we decide to walk over there and get one at 10:10 (we've found that we can get it earlier than it says we can, but not always) and then walk back to Space Mtn. This has worked well for us, since you never know how many people will be getting FP's by the time you ride Space Mtn and walk all the way over to Splash, they could be hitting evening time if you are there on a really busy day. Plus, we were practically over there anyway! Saves a few steps!

But I just want to say, please use you FP within your return time. The system is set up that way, and if more and more people do use the system correctly, then it makes lines longer. I know at DLR they are very lenient on their use of FP after the window has expired, and their FP lines/ waits were a lot longer than ones I experienced at WDW. I don't know if that is a connection, but I'm sure it didn't help.

Note: if a FP ride was down at ANY part of the day, everyone w/ a FP can use it after expiration, usually.

Ok.. Off rant.

[mrs.jacksparrow]

Wow..thanks for all the clarification everyone!!!:thumbsup: I feel much better informed gotta love INTERCOT :party:

I have another question (sorry 8 days and counting last minute jitters)
We are NOT riding anything big my son is 5 so no TOT RNRRC or Space Mt. or Splash mountain for that matter. I realize Soarin is one we need FP for in Epcot but at rope drop at MK or MGM with the little guy in mind do I have to run to Pooh, Peter Pan,Pirates, HM for a Fast pass? OR anything at All at MGM...little one in mind please :blush::mickey::confused:
Thanks!!!!!

[DisneyDudet]

As far as Fantasyland rides for your little one, I suggest going to FL and getting in line for Peter Pan. Lines get LONG for this ride, so riding it first thing in the morning is a must. I wouldn't FP it. Then, if the line is over 30 min, I would get an FP for Pooh. If you get there early enough, they don't have FP holders coming it (times usually start around 940 or so), so the lines should move decently fast.

HM doesn't have FP, but loads pretty quickly, so I would do that next. Most of the other rides in FL don't have FP, so you should probably do dumbo (if you are) before FP rides, or head to get an FP before doing dumbo. What ever floats your boat. We don't have kids, so we don't really have a Fantasyland strategy.

[ktflisa]

We were there Sept 14-18 and used our FP's past their expiration, but only on rides that were down. Which were most of them at one time or another in Magic Kingdom. So, using bar codes/scanners and not allowing people to use their FP's past the expiration may not work out too well. If the ride was down during your return time - wouldn't they want to honor it?

Here's a photo of a fast pass for Big Thunder from Sept 17. It was down fairly often that day...

You can see the details about return time and when you can get another fp:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/lisas-lounge/1435546167/

[baldburke]

I assure you, in the heat of the summer, FPs are incredibly practical.out.

You are correct. I should have been more specific. It is frustrating when you get to a FP station at say 9am only to find the return time after dinner. It is rare that we spend a full day in one park so it is somewhat impractical for us.

Thanks for all the info everyone, I appreciate all the input. Can't wait 'til they get that book from the room technology going!