Fast Pass Question

[ChipNDale79]

on our last trip to WDW my wife and i grabbed fast passes for Toy Story Sunday morning to ride later that afternoon. For some reason we werent able to ride it that day, so when we went back to DHS on Monday, we attempted to use our fast pass from Sunday and low and behold it worked.

Was that just a fluke, or has anyone else tried that before as well?

[KylesMom]

Just a fluke - the FP should have expired on Sunday. The CM was obviously not looking at the pass very carefully, or they were in a generous mood. :mickey:

[Imagineer1981]

I know everyone says its a fluke or a rare thing, but I know tons of CMs who NEVER look at the date. Basically people show them the right number of tickets, the right time, and by the time the CM gets to the date, they are already in the line and gone! I am not saying its the right thing to do, just I know personally that a majority of CMs do not look at the dates.

[#1donaldfan]

I know for a fact that CM's do not make us adhere to the times, those times after your FP's have expired, however I do think it was a "fluke" that they allowed you to enter on a totally different day....you got lucky I do believe....:mickey:

[Dsnygirl]

I watched people get turned away a couple of times our last trip, with FP's that were for a different day. So, I do believe you got lucky!! :) :thumbsup:

[DisneyFanaticDargon]

Not to start a flame war here, but we as CMs were often told to ignore the date/time to go above and beyond expectations. Which is why sometimes you'll see a Fastpass line out the door and extending outside the FP queue...because you 4 that replied aren't the only people that know about this unspoken rule.

In fact, it seems most guests do. So instead of adhering to the time on the FP many people just show up whenever its convenient for them, knowing we'll let them in. This in turn creates many line flow problems due to the improper use of the system. The FP line gets much longer than its supposed to, and since we have to give them priority at all times, oftentimes the standby line will stand still (sometimes for as long as 15 minutes at a time) as we struggle to make the FP line dwindle down.

There were days at Big Thunder Mountain where I was stuck at the point where the two lines merged into one, trying to clear the FP line and it literally NEVER ENDED. Suffice it to say, even though I was doing what I knew was required of me per leadership, standby line folks had quite a few nasty things to say to me when I'd let by over 100 Fastpass people, and only 10 Standby at a time.

[Captain_Nemo]

I watched people get turned away a couple of times our last trip, with FP's that were for a different day. So, I do believe you got lucky!! :) :thumbsup:

same here, I've seen it even 5-10 minutes early get turned away.

[ChipNDale79]

ive seen people get turned away when they come early, but ive yet to see anyone get turned away after their time has expired.

[joanna71985]

I can tell you right now, it's fine using FPs after the time (we know things come up). However, attraction CMs are NOT supposed to take FPs from another date. The FPs are meant for that day only (unless something extreme comes up, and the CMs are told to take older FPs). So being able to use those FPs was a fluke.

[Seasonscraps]

Not to start a flame war here, but we as CMs were often told to ignore the date/time to go above and beyond expectations. Which is why sometimes you'll see a Fastpass line out the door and extending outside the FP queue...because you 4 that replied aren't the only people that know about this unspoken rule.

In fact, it seems most guests do. So instead of adhering to the time on the FP many people just show up whenever its convenient for them, knowing we'll let them in. This in turn creates many line flow problems due to the improper use of the system. The FP line gets much longer than its supposed to, and since we have to give them priority at all times, oftentimes the standby line will stand still (sometimes for as long as 15 minutes at a time) as we struggle to make the FP line dwindle down.

There were days at Big Thunder Mountain where I was stuck at the point where the two lines merged into one, trying to clear the FP line and it literally NEVER ENDED. Suffice it to say, even though I was doing what I knew was required of me per leadership, standby line folks had quite a few nasty things to say to me when I'd let by over 100 Fastpass people, and only 10 Standby at a time.


Do you know why management permits/encourages this? I just never understood this "unspoken rule". Like you said, it can mess up the line flow and they are appeasing one group of people that are not following the posted rules at the expense of other guests legitimately waiting their turn.

[DisneyFanaticDargon]

Do you know why management permits/encourages this? I just never understood this "unspoken rule". Like you said, it can mess up the line flow and they are appeasing one group of people that are not following the posted rules at the expense of other guests legitimately waiting their turn.

Because those same guests that do this would be the first to complain if turned away for doing something they technically shouldn't be allowed to do in the first place. Which in turn creates headaches for guest relations and in turn creates headaches for the leadership team of whatever attraction turned that guest away to begin with.

I can understand if something legitimately came up in your day to have you miss the time. That's expected during a vacation. But you'd be hard pressed to justify to me why it's ok for you to blatantly abuse the fastpass system by hoarding a bunch throughout the day and then going on a ride spree whenever you feel like it. That's not how the system was intended to be used. Why do you think places like Six Flags and Universal charge for their equivalent systems? Because the likelihood of someone breaking the rules in light of the fact that they paid extra to use it is much less. When you eliminate the cost factor of it, people think they have nothing to lose in not playing by the rules.

The only reason I was ever given was to go "above and beyond expectations". Well, IMO, if we hadn't facilitated the creation of an expectation that you can use an expired fast pass in the first place, we wouldn't have to go above and beyond it...

[Seasonscraps]

I figured it was a squeeky wheel gets the grease situation. I wonder how squeeky do people not taking advantage of the system need to be to have their displeasure of this situation heard.

Thank you for your reply! :mickey:

[DisneyFanaticDargon]

I figured it was a squeeky wheel gets the grease situation. I wonder how squeeky do people not taking advantage of the system need to be to have their displeasure of this situation heard.

Thank you for your reply! :mickey:

On the flip side, there are quite a few first timers who do very little research before going and believe the FP system to have some kind of cost. I've seen multiple instances where people in standby would make nasty comments to Fastpass people about "Must be nice being able to afford to skip the line". To which I would quickly point out that it was free and had very easy instructions on the inside of the park guide map.

That would usually quiet them down, but I can't downplay the guests who knew about FP but perhaps had one for a different ride and were legitimately waiting it out, stuck in the FP line at my attraction.

[Imagineer1981]

On the flip side, there are quite a few first timers who do very little research before going and believe the FP system to have some kind of cost. I've seen multiple instances where people in standby would make nasty comments to Fastpass people about "Must be nice being able to afford to skip the line". To which I would quickly point out that it was free and had very easy instructions on the inside of the park guide map.

That would usually quiet them down, but I can't downplay the guests who knew about FP but perhaps had one for a different ride and were legitimately waiting it out, stuck in the FP line at my attraction.

Very true, many guest have no idea what FP is or how it works, and because of Universal and Six Flags, they think you have to pay for it. I would bet 85% of guests come back during the time window because thats what they are supposed to do.

[Stu29573]

I have come back past my "window time," but I really felt guilty. I can't imagine trying it from another day! I guess I'm kind of a wimp...:blush:

[ChipNDale79]

I dont feel guilty for going back after my window, 1) because i didnt go during my window that means it was two less people riding during that window, and 2) a fast pass is something anyone can get during their stay at Disney. I was a little timid about trying the previous days pass but figured why not, whats the worst that can happen? The worst is the CM could have told us No. Its not like they were going to kick us out of the park and take our AP.

[Seasonscraps]

I dont feel guilty for going back after my window, 1) because i didnt go during my window that means it was two less people riding during that window, and 2) a fast pass is something anyone can get during their stay at Disney. I was a little timid about trying the previous days pass but figured why not, whats the worst that can happen? The worst is the CM could have told us No. Its not like they were going to kick us out of the park and take our AP.


But when you decide to go, there are 2 more people riding during that window. In the middle of the day there's probably no effect but the later you get in the day the more FP people returning late jam up the lines for everybody.

And while FP is available to everyone, there are reasons people don't take them all the time. They may have one for another ride and their access window hasn't opened yet. They may not have plans to be in the park during the return window. They could have an ADR for the post return time and know they won't be able to make it.


whats the worst that can happen? The worst is the CM could have told us No.

This is the part about the return window and Disney in general that bugs me is that nothing will happen. It would have to be some extreme situation where Disney/a CM would say no to a guest no matter how reasonable or unreasonable the guest is being. And it doesn't matter if it's at the expense of other guests that are just going about their vacation.

I am not saying guests using fast passes outside the return window are being unreasonable, I realize Disney permits it so why shouldn't people take advantage of the opportunity, but I have witnessed or read about people being ridiculous and making scenes to get what they want just because they felt they were entitled to it.

[BMan62]

Maybe they should color code the slips so that each day has a different color and they can only accept that particular days color. Post that in front of the FastPass lines so that they have something to back them up when they turn away passes from different days.

As far as the time thing goes...As long as their time window has opened, there is not much that could or should be done. I have no problem with someone using their FastPasses the same day, but well after their 'window,' sometimes that's just how things work out.

My pet peeve with FastPasses is that there are so many FastPass users let on a ride at the expense of those who have been waiting. For example: We we in line for Soarin' on our last trip...It was late in the evening and there were only a few in the FastPass lane...The CM running the line actually had us wait for people who had just entered the FastPass line to get the whole way up the queue and let them through...Now, come on, why not let a few who have been patiently waiting go through while the FastPassers make there way to the entrance? Both sides were open, so there should not have been a concern about overloading the ride. Personal belief: The ride should be loaded 50/50 not 80/20, and should be loaded with people who are there at the turnstile, not wait for FP'ers just getting to the main entrance.

OK, off my soapbox now!!

[DisneyFanaticDargon]

Maybe they should color code the slips so that each day has a different color and they can only accept that particular days color. Post that in front of the FastPass lines so that they have something to back them up when they turn away passes from different days.


That's actually a very good idea. I know that for the re-entry passes for Soarin they used to mark them with a different colored dot each day so people couldn't abuse those (since they were more valuable than Fastpasses).

Considering the Fastpass machines have to be filled every morning anyway, this wouldn't be something that would be too hard to implement. I know that in some cases now the date is much easier to read on the FP but when I worked there they still used the small square ones versus the larger ones they have now (although re-entry passes were similar in size to the current ones) and the date was in very small print at the bottom. When you have to check literally hundreds of them at a time it is very easy to miss a date that small.

[DisneyFanaticDargon]

My pet peeve with FastPasses is that there are so many FastPass users let on a ride at the expense of those who have been waiting. For example: We we in line for Soarin' on our last trip...It was late in the evening and there were only a few in the FastPass lane...The CM running the line actually had us wait for people who had just entered the FastPass line to get the whole way up the queue and let them through...Now, come on, why not let a few who have been patiently waiting go through while the FastPassers make there way to the entrance? Both sides were open, so there should not have been a concern about overloading the ride. Personal belief: The ride should be loaded 50/50 not 80/20, and should be loaded with people who are there at the turnstile, not wait for FP'ers just getting to the main entrance.

From my personal experience, I would never do this. The ratio I generally aimed for was 75/25, but that was ONLY when there was a line for Fastpass. If there was just standby and I saw a few people coming up Fastpass from outside, I wasn't going to hold up standby just to wait for them come around the entire outer edge of the queue building. I'd continually let standby through and as soon as the FP people were 3 feet away I'd make sure I'd let through an entire party in standby, stop the line, let the FP through and continue with Standby.

The only reason they do have to let more FP through when there's a backup is because the FP is essentially a guarantee you won't wait more than 15 minutes. If they end up waiting more than that, it can cause problems. But believe me, I understand the plight of the people in standby, especially for attractions like Soarin where you can be standing still for a good 10 minutes even if there is no FP people simply because of the nature of how the attraction cycles through and isn't continuous circuit like a roller coaster or omnimover.

[tys_mommy]

we tried this on Expedition Everest once and it didn't work.

[BigThunderFan]

What is a re-entry pass several have posted about here? Is that for those that were in line when a ride needed maintenance or something similar?:confused:

[DisneyBarb]

I'm a huge rule follower.. sometimes it can be a fault.. :blush:but I never thought of using a fp outside its window.. to me its like arriving late for a dinner reservation, okay if its an exception rather than the rule..

[DisneyFanaticDargon]

What is a re-entry pass several have posted about here? Is that for those that were in line when a ride needed maintenance or something similar?:confused:

Yes, that is generally the rule involved with receiving one.