FP - allowed returns later than 1, 2 or more hours??

[magicbob]

I just checked my lanyard from this past Nov. and our FP return time was between 10 and 11 AM. I could get another one at 11 AM.

I could be mistaken. Maybe it IS at the END of your window when a new FP is available. If someone else knows for sure, please correct me if I'm wrong. But if that time is more than two hours away, you can get another one long before your window even starts. Bottom line: getting another FP is tied to the clock and not to whether or not you've used your current one.

 

[DisneyDadof3]

I could be mistaken. Maybe it IS at the END of your window when a new FP is available. If someone else knows for sure, please correct me if I'm wrong.

No - has nothing to do with the end of your window.

But if that time is more than two hours away, you can get another one long before your window even starts.

Correct

Bottom line: getting another FP is tied to the clock and not to whether or not you've used your current one.

Correct

 

[Wadecool]

Again, the rules havent changed. The enforcement of them has. The FPs always had a return window on them that you chose to ignore and then gamed the system.

Wow, I gotta give you credit. Besides liking a team almost as good as mine you're really charging hard right out of the gate here. I spent my first 20 posts on the Dis asking about BBB, CRT, whether I had to fold my stroller on the Monorail, and where to buy BodyGlide. Here you are fighting a valiant fight in the battle of FP enforcement.

It's almost as if you've been here before...

 

[fan1080]

Again, the rules havent changed. The enforcement of them has. The FPs always had a return window on them that you chose to ignore and then gamed the system.

Giggles.

I'll give you the benefit of the doubt (for now), and suggest you do a little more research before making such an erroneous statement.

And, since the information is so abundant, and clear, about the old policy, it's not even necessary for me to provide any links to such.

The truth is out there, all we need to do is open our eyes.

 

[fan1080]

I just checked my lanyard from this past Nov. and our FP return time was between 10 and 11 AM. I could get another one at 11 AM. This was for the Pooh ride.

If you could post a picture of that FP, it would be appreciated.

It's always been my understanding that you could get another FP at the opening time of your current FP, not the end time.

 

[FlightlessDuck]

It's always been my understanding that you could get another FP at the opening time of your current FP, not the end time.

Or earlier, if the opening time was more than 2 hours away.

 

[fan1080]

Or earlier, if the opening time was more than 2 hours away.

Absolutely, I guess I should have made that a little more clear.

I'm more interested in the time window rule I quoted, that seems to go against known policy.

 

[goofyernmost]

No doubt... better not make any ADR's now... or try to get to a good spot to watch the parade... or wait in line for a ride for any length of time ... or wait in line for a character. Oh wait, just don't grab a fastpass is the simple answer. I love driving 17 hours... staying for a week... and now only being able to do maybe half or a little more than that of what we were used to being able to do... and for a higher price.

Although, I cannot statistically argue that point, what I can do is say that, I hardly, if ever, use a fastpass, yet I get to see and ride everything I want. I would get a FP for TSM or Soarin or Test Track (unless I'm traveling solo because TT has single rider lines).

That is not true. Every guidebook out there for the last decade, and any CM you asked, stated clearly that you could return after the window. Call it a rule or enforcement, but it was absolutely and officially permitted. Riding after the window was not "gaming" anything.

Yes, it has been universally accepted that they honor FP after the window but I feel pretty confident that it was not intended to be that way. They were making exceptions in the beginning because it was the easiest thing to do rather than set up a complex system of verifying the reason for the lateness. Over time that word got out and more and more people just starting doing it. Why? Because they could and no one was arguing with them, so why not! More and more the tail began wagging the dog until the original system was no longer what was planned. To say that it wasn't causing some kind of problems is apparently not correct either. It must have been or they wouldn't have made this controversial a change or they needed to get it in line for the next incarnation.

But they never officially changed the original rule. From the beginning they wanted people to use it within the window, that was the intent. Although those that have used it in recent years probably cannot be accused of gaming the system...all they knew was that Disney was allowing it. Make no mistake about it...it came to be this way because sometime, in the beginning, it was indeed being gamed.

Originally Posted by Albytaps
I had a FP for Space Mountain that had a window of 12pm-1pm. I showed up at 2:00pm and was denied. I started asking about exceptions when all of a sudden 3 men in black suits showed up out of nowhere and grabbed me and put a bag over my head. They took me into an office where there stripped me down and searched me. They gave me a full body search and probed me in places I don't want to talk about. The last thing I remember is a large man wearing Mickey ears punching me in the face.

When I woke up, I was on Small World. I was handcuffed to the boat and they made me ride it for the rest of the day. Whatever you do... SHOW UP TO RIDES DURING THE FASTPASS WINDOW THEY PROVIDE!

Ah, yes...the good old Mousefia! Don't even try and make them an offer!

 

[electricsoup]

No doubt... better not make any ADR's now... or try to get to a good spot to watch the parade... or wait in line for a ride for any length of time ... or wait in line for a character. Oh wait, just don't grab a fastpass is the simple answer. I love driving 17 hours... staying for a week... and now only being able to do maybe half or a little more than that of what we were used to being able to do... and for a higher price.

This is overdramatic whining at its finest to be honest. I've gone for YEARS (at all different times of the year) and some days had 3 ADRs in a day at two separate parks/resorts and didn't even KNOW you could blow your FP time, and had NO PROBLEMS AT ALL. We did EVERYTHING we wanted to, most times two-three times.

Good gravy. Take a deep breath and relax.

 

[disgrits]

Didn't read this whole thread, but I was at Space Mountain last night with a fastpass and they were definitely enfocing the time window. As I walked up, a lady was being turned away and was not happy. She tore her ticket and calmly said, "I don't like this." The CM took a very close look at the times on our fastpasses. The line was like the old fastpass lines used to be---short. Less than five minutes and we were riding.

 

[WDSearcher]

Wow, I am amazed by these replies! Meltdowns are not the point, and I really don't care for the insinuation that I want to push everything to the limit and break all the rules. This whole conversation boils down to a simple fact: the old "rule" was better for guests than the new enforcement regime. The old way provided more flexibility, the new way provides less. Why pointing out this simple fact and the resulting natural displeasure with something that has gotten worse has invited so much criticism I don't understand...

I don't think that anyone, really, disagrees with the fact that the old "rule" was better and easier and less-planning-required than the current enforcement of the original "rule". I think even the people who staunchly used their FPs ONLY during the stated window can see that Disney allowing use beyond the window was a nice little perk.

But the point is that it really doesn't MATTER if the old way was better. The old way is no longer THE way. That's a decision Disney made in the way that it chooses to run its business. The argument here could, literally, run forever, because people who don't consider it a big deal will never understand why the people who do consider it a big deal are so upset. And the people who do consider it a deal-breaker when looking at vacation destinations will never get why other people just don't care.

• If you don't agree with the current, enforced FP, tell Disney. No one here can bring back the old policy. Only Disney can do that.
• If the change in policy is enough to keep you from returning to Disney, then Disney loses your business and Universal (or SeaWorld or wherever) gains.

Simple.

 

[WDSearcher]

Again, the rules havent changed. The enforcement of them has. The FPs always had a return window on them that you chose to ignore and then gamed the system.

Not quite. A more accurate statement would be:

"Again, the rules haven't changed. The enforcement of them has. The FPs always had a return window on them that many Guests -- and Disney -- chose to ignore. This allowed Guests to take advantage of the system in a way that is no longer available."

No one was "gaming the system". That would imply that Disney had forbidden late FP use and people were finding a way around it. That's not the case. If Disney had enforced return times from the beginning, there would be no issue now.

 

[TDC Nala]

Sure the old rule was more convenient, but it's gone now. Unless I have a situation caused by Disney and I want to go to Guest Services and try to get the fastpass return time waived, I now have to abide by the new rule. Whether it was better before or not isn't really relevant, because they've made the decision to enforce the time window and they have shown that they are serious about said enforcement. If you don't like the way it is now, write a letter or email to Disney and tell them how it is going to disrupt your vacation. I am pretty sure I can abide by the new rule and still do things I want to do, so I'm not inclined to complain about it to Disney.

But to say that because of the enforcement guests will find themselves no longer able to make an ADR, watch a parade or wait for a character is going somewhat far. One might have to make a choice that one didn't have to make a couple of weeks ago, but is the requirement to stick to a one hour fastpass return really going to destroy the ability to do anything else in the parks at all?

 

[minnie mum]

This is overdramatic whining at its finest to be honest. I've gone for YEARS (at all different times of the year) and some days had 3 ADRs in a day at two separate parks/resorts and didn't even KNOW you could blow your FP time, and had NO PROBLEMS AT ALL. We did EVERYTHING we wanted to, most times two-three times.

Good gravy. Take a deep breath and relax.

+1. It's not the end of the earth that you actually need to use a little judgement when deciding whether or not to take a fastpass in relation to other commitments such as ADRs. Talk about over-reaction. sheesh.

 

[kaytieeldr]

You don't get it. I'm not complaining about ADR seating or 20 minute FP lines. The fact that things happen outside of their control is understandable. The fact that they aren't as forgiving of their guests is the problem. Disney isn't responsible for meltdowns (although sometimes they certainly contribute to them), but traveling with kids is not easy - things are not as easily planned or predictable. Disney should know that better than anybody, and should know this new rule just made it that much harder on families to enjoy a day at the parks...

It would seem more likely that parents pushing to get the absolute most out of this vacation (for which they [and apparently only they] paid thousands of dollars ) are the most likely cause of meltdowns.
Again, though, it's not a new rule. It's simple reversion to enforcement of the return window.

P.S. IMHO, 20 minutes or more is too long for a FP line... it should be the exception, not the rule. Similarly, you should be seated within 10 minutes of your ADR if you arrive on time as a rule. I don't think that Disney should give themselves as much leeway as they want to cram more people in at the expense of wait times of their guests. That generally has been my experience too, so I am concerned to read posts reporting longer FP wait times under the new enforcement regime.

It's a FastPass, not an InstantPass. When the standby line is two hours, and you've been able to do other things - minor attractions, a show or two, snack.... for those two hours Instead of standing in lines, what's twenty minutes?
If you really want a no-wait visit, look into a VIP Tour Guide.

We have been to WDW many times since about 2002 or so, but our last trip before this one was 2007 at Christmas. I really hadn't been on these boards much before this trip, and was VERY surprised to see the new signs on the FP machines.

Memory plays funny tricks on us. It appears the practice changed sometime during your many-visit period; so while you're remembering every trip experience one way (end times not enforced, ultra-short return lines), that likely wasn't true the early years.

 

[kaytieeldr]

 

[maxiesmom]

Didn't read this whole thread, but I was at Space Mountain last night with a fastpass and they were definitely enfocing the time window. As I walked up, a lady was being turned away and was not happy. She tore her ticket and calmly said, "I don't like this." The CM took a very close look at the times on our fastpasses. The line was like the old fastpass lines used to be---short. Less than five minutes and we were riding.

I just got back yesterday, and I had noticed that most fastpass lines were very short, compared to other recent vacations. It didn't dawn on me why, though. I just greatly appreciated not having to wait in a FP line that was as long as the stand-by line.

I don't get all the complaining about having to use the fastpass in the time window listed. If that time window doesn't work for you, don't grab the fastpass. That is what we did. Being on the dining plan we just stayed aware of our meal times. If the fastpass time was during a meal or soon after one, we didn't take the pass. We just went on to ride another ride. It wasn't difficult at all!

 

[ocalla]

I really don't understand how FP time enforcement can cause ANYONE to only do 1/2 the rides/attractions??

We have always returned to the attraction during the return window......and that includes times when our kids were younger, or we had ADR's, or we were clear across the park from said attraction. It wasn't at all hard, inconvenient, annoying.............we didn't have to exhaust ourselves getting there. It was so EASY. Even during our July visit. Saw and did everything numerous times.

Just give it a try and you may like this change more than you thought

 

[magicbob]

I just checked my lanyard from this past Nov. and our FP return time was between 10 and 11 AM. I could get another one at 11 AM. This was for the Pooh ride.

From what others are posting, apparently I was correct in stating that you can get another FP at the START of your window or 2-hours (whichever comes first).

I thought I was wrong once, but I was mistaken.

Here's a curious thought. I wonder what happens if FP distribution is very light (i.e., not many being taken). You said it was 9:15 am when you got the FP for 10-11 am. Normally, you could get another at 10 am. I can recall many times when my next FP was available 45 minutes later because the return time was that soon after I pulled a FP. But what if it's already 10 am and the FP machine is still giving away 10-11 am FPs. You could then use the FP immediately, but they might make you wait an hour before getting another. Theoretically, that could happen if very few people were taking FPs for that attraction. That is, unless the computer automatically prints FPs for further in the future at some point, whether or not they gave away all of the FPs for that window. Obviously, there has to be a mechanism to advance the clock automatically at SOME point. Otherwise, if no FPs were being taken (of course, that would NEVER hapen, right?), they would end up with FPs bine distributed for a time in the PAST. The shortest time I've ever seen between pulling FP and return time is 45 minutes. Does anyone know if the computer always prints FPs for a minimum of 45 minutes in the future?

 

[okeydokey]

Didn't read this whole thread, but I was at Space Mountain last night with a fastpass and they were definitely enfocing the time window. As I walked up, a lady was being turned away and was not happy. She tore her ticket and calmly said, "I don't like this." The CM took a very close look at the times on our fastpasses. The line was like the old fastpass lines used to be---short. Less than five minutes and we were riding.

Great news. Thank you!