Fastpass Changes In March

[Melanie]

Now, what happens when a ride goes down? For instance when we were there in January, we got a Fast Pass for Splash Mountain, we came back right when our fast pass started and then the ride was down for four hours after that until they finally got it back up and running. The CM said that the fast pass was good till park close because the ride was down for so long. But now what happens? I would be LIVID if my fast pass was no good because THEIR ride broke down?

This type of thing is what I was alluding to in my earlier post. Seems like there is going to have to be some leeway given, and if not, lots of disclaimers on the back of the FP.

[ChipNDale79]

I'm not sure I like this, sometimes things happen and you cant make it back in time for your window, I understand some people say that's your lose. My problem with that is I've already "waited in line" for the ride and have not been able to get another fast pass during that time frame.

To me it seems that Disney is headed in the direction that everything has to be planned out before you hit the park, that doesn't sound like a lot of fun to me.

The system works great as it is now.

[TinkerbellT421]

This type of thing is what I was alluding to in my earlier post. Seems like there is going to have to be some leeway given, and if not, lots of disclaimers on the back of the FP.

Right. DBF and I have never made it back to a ride out side of our fast pass time. We always stick to the fast pass time. We literally stood outside Splash mountain at one point for 20 minutes waiting for the ride to start back up but it was literally down for four hours, to now fault of ours. Finally it was up and running and we were the first people on the first boat, but at that point it was two hours after our fast pass expired. I wouldn't argue with a CM if it was our fault because we had dining reservations or something. But if a ride goes down like Splash Mountain, what happens, they just tell you you wasted a fast pass even though it was their fault? I'm all about people not being able to get on a ride because they went to an ADR during their FP time. In fact on one occassion we went to Soarin' and the FP time was between 6:40 - 7:40, 6:50 was an ADR we had and knew we wouldn't be back in time for the 7:40 return time. So we didn't get it.

[wdwfansince75]

Ah, a whole new phenomenon...Ride Rage!

Anger, like other emotions, is contagious. Pity the poor CM's during the early days of the new practice. And consiously or unconsiously, some will vent in an effort to be rewarded with special fast passes, or free meals, or some other undeserved reward.

Many people already think that returning within the window is the rule. Enforcing a stated policy, as opposed to continuing to allow the current practice, has always been a perogative of Disney's. I, for one, will adjust, and figure out a new plan to minimize queue times...

[PopPhan]

Gotta rant about this one a bit....

I'm not sure what all the hub-bub is about....The Fastpass has a ONE HOUR window for use. If someone cannot plan to be at the attraction within that hour (plus 15 minutes?) why should they be allowed to use the FastPass line?

All the comments about waiting in other lines seems, to me, to be ridiculous. If you have a time to be somewhere, then you get out of the line you are in and go....If you are in a restaurant and the start time of your FastPass comes up, you still have an hour...If you are going to get a FastPass knowing that you are going to be in a restaurant at a time within the FastPass window, just don't....

I would never think of trying to use a FastPass outside the window on the ticket. If the window expired, I would, and have, just trashed the ticket and gotten in the regular line. My mistake, why should anyone else have to pay for it by waiting longer.

[WDW-fanatic]

They should have enforced this from the start. It will be interesting to see how people who have been told repeatedly by cast members over the past years that they could return after the return time, will react once they are told they can no longer return after the return time. I hope they make it clear to people when they get the fastpass and not just wait for them to find out while trying to use the fastpass after the return time. We had missed our return window due to an extremely inaccurate posted wait time. We’ve also missed our window for return when rides we were on broke down and we were stuck for 45 mins. while they came to escort us off the ride. I will have to remember to pay better attention to wait times for rides we plan to ride while we wait for our return time to come around and make sure we aim for using the fast pass earlier in the hour window instead of later.

[ChipNDale79]

So i guess everyone is ok with having to plan every detail of your trip out.

I don't like the direction disney is going with "windows" and ADRs. You already have to make ADRs 6 months in advance to make sure you get what you want.

I think the window option will work on things like BTMR, or SM. Its TSMM or Soarin that i can foresee a problem with. If you get there at park opening and get back to the FP machines the first option to get a FP may actually be 4 or 6pm in the afternoon.

To me that tells me something isnt right with the system, if I want to use my FP then I literally have to plan the rest of my day around that window.

Either way, I know i'll get flamed for my opinion on this, this is a very sensitive subject to some people.

[hokies4life]

I'm sure we might feel differently if we had a larger party to coordinate with or children, but I don't really mind. We've always looked at the fastpass time and decided whether we would be able to be at the attraction at the starting time. If not exactly at the starting time then would we definitely be able to make it by the ending time. If neither of those we didn't get it. I understand they've been making exceptions but to me we've always gone with the original idea that between those two times are when we're supposed to return. Usually we're so anxious to use it that we're waiting outside for 10 minutes just for our time to come.

[caryrae]

Gotta rant about this one a bit....

I'm not sure what all the hub-bub is about....The Fastpass has a ONE HOUR window for use. If someone cannot plan to be at the attraction within that hour (plus 15 minutes?) why should they be allowed to use the FastPass line?

All the comments about waiting in other lines seems, to me, to be ridiculous. If you have a time to be somewhere, then you get out of the line you are in and go....If you are in a restaurant and the start time of your FastPass comes up, you still have an hour...If you are going to get a FastPass knowing that you are going to be in a restaurant at a time within the FastPass window, just don't....

I would never think of trying to use a FastPass outside the window on the ticket. If the window expired, I would, and have, just trashed the ticket and gotten in the regular line. My mistake, why should anyone else have to pay for it by waiting longer.

I agree. In all the times we have been to WDW we have never had a problem using a FP with in the window and if we miss the window no big deal.

[BrerGnat]

What would make this change infinitely better would be if they would allow you to obtain more than one FP at a time.

[PirateLover]

Not sure how to feel. There was a time when we did not know that your fastpass was honored after the window had "expired." it is NOT that easy to always make sure you are back in time. Sometimes, for the most popular rides On crowded days (TSM in particular) you can't control what time your fastpass is. You can't say "oh this time is no good for me so I'll get one later" because there might not be any later. Our lives at WDW became a lot less stressful once we discovered (via Intercot!) that there was leeway in the return time. Before that, we sometimes had to rush through dinner, run from across the park, had to forego seeing certain shows or riding rides because otherwise we wouldn't make it back in time. If we missed the window, we didn't ride. That being said, once we learned of the leniency we never abused it. We usually did return within the window, and the longest we returned afterwards was probably an hour. I guess I can understand the need/want to enforce it, but as Mel said, they are going to have to make exceptions or else end up with a lot of angry guests.

[FriendsofMickey]

The way I look at is Fast pass is a perk, Disney can do with it what they like. If you don't like the policy of the fast pass, then don't use it. Just stand in line and wait. That is what you would do at a lot of other parks.

We never used FP for years, we saw no need for it. The need for us happened after we had children.

I do feel bad for the CMs, because they are going to be the ones that are yelled and screamed at.

We spend a lot of time in the parks (at least once a year - 10 days usually minimum), I have had things come up that made us miss the window. At first, we would just toss the tickets, but then was told by a CM to use them anyway. So, there have been a couple of times where we have got there late (not sure it was more than 15 minutes), but have used them.
I'm happy to know that it is changing, so I do not show up late and expect to get on. However, I do not feel that Disney is doing this to cause me hardship in anyway.

I also think that if your missing the window is a fault of Disney, they will make it right. Not sure how, but I am sure they will have that all thought out.

[sportsguy2315]

I agree. In all the times we have been to WDW we have never had a problem using a FP with in the window and if we miss the window no big deal.

Exactly. When I was on my CP I would often tell guests that if for some reason they missed the window to not panic and that the FP would be valid and waiting for them once they were done up until park closing time, especially if they would be cutting it close with a dining reservation.

Now, I hope Disney's ready for the backlash on this one, because to have a policy that favors the guest for 13 years and to suddenly put it in Disney's favor won't go over well with most.

[JabberJaws]

I think the biggest problem with this isn't the policy itself, it is that Disney allowed the leeway with the end times to begin with. If the program has been operated as was originally intended, strictly enforcing both the start AND the end times, then this wouldn't be a problem. Problem is now, people are used to there being effectively no end time, despite the fact that this was not how the system was intended. Once people get used to something, it is MUCH harder to take it away.

That being said, I have on problem with them enforcing the policy. I've used FPs after the end time mostly because I knew I could. Now that I know I can't, I won't. That simple.

I know some are complaining about having to plan out every portion of your trip, but it is a reality. Somewhere as highly visited as WDW, this is just par for the course. Disney is just doing its best to manage the large crowds and make the guest experience as seamless as possible. I applaud them for taking these extra steps.

I am sure this will cause for lots of unhappy guests, especially at first. However, if it improves the FP system, I am all for it.

[kakn7294]

So i guess everyone is ok with having to plan every detail of your trip out.

I don't like the direction disney is going with "windows" and ADRs. You already have to make ADRs 6 months in advance to make sure you get what you want.

I think the window option will work on things like BTMR, or SM. Its TSMM or Soarin that i can foresee a problem with. If you get there at park opening and get back to the FP machines the first option to get a FP may actually be 4 or 6pm in the afternoon.

To me that tells me something isnt right with the system, if I want to use my FP then I literally have to plan the rest of my day around that window.

Either way, I know i'll get flamed for my opinion on this, this is a very sensitive subject to some people.

I won't flame ya! I agree 100%. I hate making dining plans 6 months in advance and I hate being beholden to FP return times. We probably will actually use it less with the enforcement of return times. It's just not worth it to "reserve" my spot in line for most attractions if it means I have to run across the parks repeatedly.

[ChipNDale79]

The way I look at is Fast pass is a perk, Disney can do with it what they like. If you don't like the policy of the fast pass, then don't use it. Just stand in line and wait. That is what you would do at a lot of other parks.

It's one of the perks that makes Disney what they are, if I have to stand in line for 2 hours every time i want to ride something, then I wont go as often.

I've got a Theme Park less than 5 miles from my house, yet I drive 8 hours to go to Disney. Disney is heads and shoulders above other theme parks, and the FP system is one of the things that sets them aside from others.

[DisneyGirl85]

The way I look at is Fast pass is a perk, Disney can do with it what they like. If you don't like the policy of the fast pass, then don't use it. Just stand in line and wait. That is what you would do at a lot of other parks.

Exactly what I was thinking!!! I can't believe people are complaining about this. I have only used my fast passes in the time frame window that I was given. If I had dinner or had to leave the park before my fast pass time, then I would make someone else's day and give it to a stranger. The point of the Fast Pass is to be able to zip through the line. I have noticed over the past few times I have been there, that the fast pass lines have been longer than normal and now I know why. I think it's about time they do this. This will make the regular line go faster as well since it gets stopped every time someone with a fast pass comes along, which seems constant. We are lucky that they even offer fast passes.

[Ian]

I'm okay with implementing this, but I hope it will be discussed how to handle those who aren't.

I'm okay with it, too, but here's my thing ... Disney better be smart about this and publicize it well. Yes, I know it was always supposed to be the policy, but everyone and their Grandmother knows it wasn't so you can't just all of a sudden change the rules on people without telling them.

If there's clear signage and some type of official announcement made, then it should cut down on the jibber-jabber and arguing at the FP checkpoints. But if they just all of a sudden go from how it is now on 2/29 to this new setup on 3/1 with no official word or any kind of announcement then yes ... there will be problems and they'll all be Disney's fault.

They consistently stink with implementing these types of policy changes.

[BrerSchultzy]

I will be okay with this....IF they allow you to pick a later time when you get the FP. For example, if we're in Tomorrowland at 10 AM, and the FPs for Buzz are at 1 or 2 (during our son's nap time), I would like the option of picking a later time when I get my FPs.
I am starting to worry that the "privileged" FPs are coming. You can pay a certain amount for certain FP perks, or only resort guests can get them, what have you. And if they do go back to a type of Ticket Book (which is essentially what paying for FPs leads to), they better lower the gate price.

[NASCARVW]

Heck,
I'm totally happy with this change...I always assumed that the time window on my FASTPASS meant just that...
...not valid after the time expired. To me there will be no difference in the way I handled the FP's.

I AM interested in the what the nextgen will be though...hmmmmm