Fast Pass Pet Peeve

[lovinmesomedisney]

The problem is, some people go to Disney maybe once, or twice in their lifetimes. It is not something people really educate themselves on. It's a vacation and they "Wing It." I will be the first to admit, that when I look back to our first trip, we were totally overwhelmed and had no idea of all the planning and strategy involved in "Knowing" the system. Now, after 18 trips, I totally get it, and I will help anyone I know going for their first time, so that they may not make the same mistakes we made on our first trip.

[Basket Mommy]

I totally agree with MOJoe.

My husband was doing business at the bank recently when he overheard one of the managers talking about how excited she was about an upcoming Disney trip. She'd never been before, but was talking about all the stuff she wanted to do with her daughter. At the top of her list was breakfast with Cinderella. My husband stopped to talk to her on the way out, politely explaining that he didn't mean to eavesdrop, but he wanted to make sure she knew about the 180-day ADR mark for breakfast with Cinderella. She had NO CLUE and was just going to walk up and ask for a table when she got there. She was so thankful for hubby's advice. I could just imagine the disappointment that the little girl would've felt if Mom had built up CRT and then they'd been turned away.

I don't care where we go, we ALWAYS read up on the destination. If I'm going to be spending money on anything, I want to know more about it. I can't believe some people spend thousands on Disney trips and don't pick up one travel guide because they think it's "just an amusement park" like Six Flags or Cedar Point.

Once I was at concierge at WL when a grandmother walked up and asked, "What is there to do here for children?" Concierge asked if she meant the hotel. She said, "No. At Disney World." HELLO?

[WDWdriver]

Many guests are just plain intimidated by FastPass. They think they have to pay for it, or don't know how to use it. We often see guests get a FP from the machine and bring it straight to the entrance for admission to the attraction. We patiently explain that they must wait until the time window, and even then they often don't "get" it.

On the positive side, I am seeing less hostility from those in the standby line as FP guests go ahead of them. Maybe the concept is sinking in after all.

Not everyone is an experienced WDW visitor. If you have questions about how to use FP, PLEASE ask the Cast Member at the FP distribution machines or attraction entrance. We want to help you use the system to your advantage.

[faline]

I don't care where we go, we ALWAYS read up on the destination. If I'm going to be spending money on anything, I want to know more about it.

I totally agree. Even with all the reading I do before I go somewhere new, I know I make mistakes a more seasoned traveler to that location would not make.

On the other hand, Disney has done EVERYTHING possible to educate folks on fast pass and its use. There are instructions in the park guidemap on hos to use Fast Fass. There's informationon the in-room Disney channel at the resorts on it as well. I'm not sure what else they can do to make people aware of it and the process.

[JPL]

I never understand how people can go on vacation without doing any research on the place they are visiting A vacation is an investment and very expensive most of the time so why would you want to go blindly? Do these same people buy a car without any research? A computer? A TV? I had a friend who wanted a new digital camera and spent weeks researching it online. He spent about $300 on his new camera that he was taking on his family vacation to WDW but refused to even read the most basic information about WDW. So he spent many hours researching a $300 camera but not a second researching a $4000 vacation Needless to say he was overwhelmed, confused, frustrated, and angry on his vacation.

[Becky2005]

It boggles my mind how FP can be so misundersood.

It's practically shoved down your throat on all their advertising. I know they cover it in the planning DVD. In 2005, it was on the maps - I'm assuming it still is.

It just seems no matter what I'm reading, looking at for Disney there is something about FP on it.

Of course, I'm a researcher but even if I wasn't I would at least grab a park map and see it talked about.

I'm one that researches just about everything though...doesn't mean I don't forget it all when I get there and definitely make mistakes but at least I try to have basic concept stuff down.

[KatrinaJ91]

I never understand how people can go on vacation without doing any research on the place they are visiting A vacation is an investment and very expensive most of the time so why would you want to go blindly? Do these same people buy a car without any research? A computer? A TV? I had a friend who wanted a new digital camera and spent weeks researching it online. He spent about $300 on his new camera that he was taking on his family vacation to WDW but refused to even read the most basic information about WDW. So he spent many hours researching a $300 camera but not a second researching a $4000 vacation Needless to say he was overwhelmed, confused, frustrated, and angry on his vacation.

I agree! I do tons of research when we go anywhere...even if we've been there before! I find it a very exciting build-up to the actual trip. I am always afraid I will miss something great if I don't do a little research first! We have been to WDW around 30 times and I STILL do my research before our next trip!! I need to know of any changes or new things. But I know there are so many people that just "wing it" and those are the people that hate going on vacation. Amazes me!

[phinzup]

I'm very much a research and plan ahead guy. No matter where I go, I plan ahead. I've even had a taxi driver in NYC ask when I left NY, because I gave him directions through Queens and across the Queensboro from LaGuardia as we headed to 54th/2nd. I told him, "I haven't been here in 25 years, and the last time I was here I was 3." He was stunned, and it made me feel good.

[Fastpasssteve]

I direct plays and musicals as one aspect of my career. People, I have found, appreciate and need clear instruction. Be clear, be direct, be brief...and then smile.

[Mousemates]

I never understand how people can go on vacation without doing any research on the place they are visiting A vacation is an investment and very expensive most of the time so why would you want to go blindly? Do these same people buy a car without any research? A computer? A TV? I had a friend who wanted a new digital camera and spent weeks researching it online. He spent about $300 on his new camera that he was taking on his family vacation to WDW but refused to even read the most basic information about WDW. So he spent many hours researching a $300 camera but not a second researching a $4000 vacation Needless to say he was overwhelmed, confused, frustrated, and angry on his vacation.

I agree to a point....but occasionally we still do a change of pace vacation where we have no agenda and no plan....but simply go. (and i don't just mean for the weekend, we live in TN and have wound up in places as far away as New Mexico, the Great Lakes and Maine without a true plan to go there) These have actually been some of the best and most relaxing trips we have taken. They have also allowed us to see some wonderful lesser known places that we would have missed if we would have stuck to the standard plan of "must sees" that vacation research tends to create.

I imagine there are also quite a few folks who wind up at disney without really planning on being there....we did several unplanned "one day trips" back when our kids were much younger during times we were vacationing in the clearwater beach area...and on those trips we were pretty clueless about how things worked...and probably got on a lot of disney veterans nerves...but we had a good time nevertheless.

Remember, if you don't know what your missing...you also don't know to be upset about missing it.

[UCJen]

If you've never been, I think WDW can be extremely overwhelming. You can read about it 'til the cows come home, but it's pretty much an abstraction until you get there. I can see how people can get bedazzled on their first trip and maybe get caught up in the small things like Fastpasses.

Some more grist for the mill, look at WDW wesbite or commercials...they don't accurately reflect the attendance or even the sheer scale of the WDW. Or what about those commericials where the little kids just bounds into Mickey's arms--not a line or CM in sight. It's spontaneous character interaction.

Also, my local Six Flags charges for a "Flash Pass" (as I'm sure they all do), so I could certainly see why people would think you have to pay for one at WDW.

Just a different POV.

[LVT]

I fear a mouse-hatted accountant will read these responses and decipher that FastPass does not need to be free.

[Mousemates]

It's spontaneous character interaction.

The probability of experiencing a SCI (spontaneous character interaction) is much less than seeing a UFO.