How strictly enforced is the FastPass return time?

[UNCFanatik]

Oh I am sure that those that think there is a Grace Period are the ones that were told by the CMs......

Of course, those CMs can be selective about what they tell and to whom they tell it to....

 

[LilyWDW]

Wonder if he was 5 minutes late past the 15 minute grace period, or 5 minutes late past the posted time? Maybe he had a right to yell! TDBIASWS.

Sorry, there is NO reason he should be yelling at the CM. None. It was not a situation where there was a danger or a safety issue. It was a situation where the guest was not getting what they wanted.

Disney does not promote that there is any grace period. The FP says to return during the one hour time. So be there during that one hour.

 

[skater]

Grace Period is not written on the Fast Pass anywhere. Nor does Disney advertise any type of grace period to the public. Therefore it cannot be bad business to not honor the not acknowledged grace period.

Okay okay . But if we've figured it out, haven't others? I see your point (and maybe I'm just playing a little devil's advocate now), I just think it might be better if they didn't even put it on there. Surely, any CM could add 15 minutes to the end time if they wanted to extend an optional grace period. Or maybe I still have a few sour grapes about the policy change on fp return times . I might even agree with you a little bit. Who knows? Its been a long day with a sick child.

 

[DavidNYC]

The grace period is really (unofficially) there to avoid the vast majority of the fights. If you're one minute late according to Disney's clock but your watch shows you have one minute to go, it'll cause all sorts of issues over the course of a day. People who just missed are much more likely to argue (or at least cause backups by pleading for a minute or two.

It's much easier to turn someone away when they're 16 minutes late. And the late person does not have much of a leg to stand on at that point. And as long as there's no official notification about a grace period (which there isn't), then someone showing up 16 minutes late is 16 minutes late, they're not 1 minute late.

 

[UNCFanatik]

Okay okay . But if we've figured it out, haven't others? I see your point (and maybe I'm just playing a little devil's advocate now), I just think it might be better if they didn't even put it on there. Surely, any CM could add 15 minutes to the end time if they wanted to extend an optional grace period. Or maybe I still have a few sour grapes about the policy change on fp return times . I might even agree with you a little bit. Who knows? Its been a long day with a sick child.

And by that same logic, people should have also followed the written return window on the FPs and followed the written, "Non-transferable" language on the FPs. But we all know they didnt and Disney allowed it to happen. Same thing with the GP. Its up to Disney's discretion to honor a 15 minute "grace period".

 

[Kona65]

Why would he have a right to yell?

WHY WOULD HE NOT HAVE THE RIGHT TO YELL IF DISNEY WAS DOING HIM WRONG!!!!!!!! I'm sorry, was I yelling. TDBIASWS.

 

[EMAW_KSU]

WHY WOULD HE NOT HAVE THE RIGHT TO YELL IF DISNEY WAS DOING HIM WRONG!!!!!!!! I'm sorry, was I yelling. TDBIASWS.

How was Disney doing him wrong? Just because you have the right to does not mean you should.

 

[Kona65]

How was Disney doing him wrong? Just because you have the right to does not mean you should.

Not everyone is perfect. TDBIASWS.

 

[WillAustin]

In my experience, the grace period is allowed on a case-by-case basis and not something to be counted on or demanded, but we've been lucky a few times.

 

[chimilady]

They let us in 10 minutes late, but only because we had 2 little girls who had to go to the bathroom and you know how that goes. When they gotta go, they gotta go. And they saw us RUN, so they know it wasn't us just losing track of time. We had an ADR and should have been able to make it if the girls didn't dilly dally and then had to wait in line at the bathroom.

 

[aubriee]

1) Correctomondo.
2) Last week, I saw a family refused at Mermaid.
3) And, they were only five minutes late. *

* How do I know "5-minutes late"? Because that is what the father
was yelling at the CM to try to get the family into the show line.

We saw the same thing happen at Space Mountain in late Oct. The dad was yelling that he couldn't believe they weren't going to honor their fast passes, as they "were only five minutes late". We were stuck right behind them, trying to get by and the CMs had to ask them to move aside, so we could get in. Once we squeezed past them, they were still standing there arguing with two CMs. Now I don't know if they were five minutes past the return time or five minutes past the 15 minute grace period, but the dad was furious and determined to get in. As far as I know they didn't though, as we never saw them behind us.

 

[cuchu2005]

This whole grace period thing reminds me of the 'soup episode' from Seinfeld: people acting super polite with CMs, showing their kids had to go to the bathroom, etc in order not to get a 'NO GRACE PERIOD FOR YOU!'

If there's a GP, it should be honored no matter what.

Mx

PS: For those who may mot know there was this man who made excelent soup but was so excentric and fanatic about his soup, that people had to follow a 'soup ordering etiquette' and had to behave while doing it or he would deny serving soup by yelling 'NO SOUP FOR YOU!' When that happened all the customer could was lower his head, turn around and exit the place, hopping for better luck next time...

 

[kaligal]

We got on Space after being five minutes late. I didn't have three words out of my mouth when the girl said, "You're fine."

 

[Tam1067]

Yesterday we were at AK.

When we tried to ride EE first thing in the am, it was down. CMs were encouraging people to grab FPs. So we did. Ours had a 10:10-11:10 return.

We had an ADR at Tusker House but I had been told by CMs in MK and Epcot that if you had a receipt from a restaurant, they would let you in late. I thought we might make it back, but figured if we didn't, we'd be close, and could show our receipt from TH.

We got back to ED at 11:35. They would not let us in. The CM was actually quite rude. She said she wished CMs in other parks should not volunteer the late arrival with a receipt thing. She also said "it's on you if you get a FP during a time you have a dining reservation." When I said the only reason we got a FP in the first place was because the ride was down, she said, "It was only down for 15 minutes today."

She then said we could wait and she would "call someone" about letting us in. Then a few moments later (before calling anyone), she decided because it was only 3 of us (my kids actually), she would give them a baby swap pass to use. So they did, and they rode.

 

[maxiesmom]

If there's a GP, it should be honored no matter what.

Nowhere does Disney advertise or state there is a grace period for Fast Passes. So technically they have nothing to honor.

We have all surmised that the gp on the bottom of the Fast Pass means Grace Period. What none of us knows if there are restrictions that go along with that Grace Period. If they only use it when the parks are slow, if there are a certain set of circumstances that must be met in order for there to be a Grace Period.

I have no problem with people being allowed on if they are a smidge late. I would hate it if so many people counted on being allowed on late that Disney decided to be totally inflexible. Once you are late you are late, no being nice about it at all. And if too many people start banking on that extra 15 minutes that is what will happen.

Sounds more and more as if you need to be there during your time slot. You shouldn't expect you will be let on if you are late, no matter what the reason. You can always ask, it never hurts! But don't be shocked if you are turned away.

 

[fishersman]

This whole thread and the others like it amazes me. In all the years we have been going and utilizing fast passes, I never knew they would actually let you on if you were late. From what I read here, folks depended on it. I have been let on a few minutes early occasionally, but never even tried getting on late. If you could get on at anytime after, what was the point of the fast pass? They were designed to spread out the traffic. Without the times being honored, what's the point.

 

[UNCFanatik]

This whole thread and the others like it amazes me. In all the years we have been going and utilizing fast passes, I never knew they would actually let you on if you were late. From what I read here, folks depended on it. I have been let on a few minutes early occasionally, but never even tried getting on late. If you could get on at anytime after, what was the point of the fast pass? They were designed to spread out the traffic. Without the times being honored, what's the point.

But too many people think they are the "exceptions" and they rely on an assumed 15 minute grace period. They think that Disney should cater to their poor planning.

 

[cuchu2005]

Nowhere does Disney advertise or state there is a grace period for Fast Passes. So technically they have nothing to honor.

We have all surmised that the gp on the bottom of the Fast Pass means Grace Period. What none of us knows if there are restrictions that go along with that Grace Period. If they only use it when the parks are slow, if there are a certain set of circumstances that must be met in order for there to be a Grace Period.

I have no problem with people being allowed on if they are a smidge late. I would hate it if so many people counted on being allowed on late that Disney decided to be totally inflexible. Once you are late you are late, no being nice about it at all. And if too many people start banking on that extra 15 minutes that is what will happen.

Sounds more and more as if you need to be there during your time slot. You shouldn't expect you will be let on if you are late, no matter what the reason. You can always ask, it never hurts! But don't be shocked if you are turned away.

I know, and I agree. What makes me uncomfortable is criteria inconsistency. I won't rely on the GP, but I do have a newly potty trained girl and would be nice to have a firm rule to follow.

Guests should be informed in which situations that period can be used, so the system is fair to everybody.

It seems that the biggest problems arise from situations where CMs have to judge by themselves. Not saying it is right or wrong, but the result varies from CM to CM.

Mx

 

[Jenny-momof3]

Just returned last night. They were VERY strict on the fastpass time the 10 days we were there!! The only exception I saw was on Dec. 30th at MK. Getting from point A to point B after the early parade was a challenge and they said they were allowing 5-10 minutes after the printed time on your FP to arrive. Our Little Mermaid FP's were from 11:55-12:55. We arrived at 12:59 and the CM's said they were making the exception for that day. Technically the grace period was until 1:10...but they definiteyl weren't honoring the grace period any other time. Which is different from our spring and summer trip where we showed up many times within the grace period.

 

[Tam1067]

I know, and I agree. What makes me uncomfortable is criteria inconsistency. I won't rely on the GP, but I do have a newly potty trained girl and would be nice to have a firm rule to follow.

Guests should be informed in which situations that period can be used, so the system is fair to everybody.

It seems that the biggest problems arise from situations where CMs have to judge by themselves. Not saying it is right or wrong, but the result varies from CM to CM.

Mx

This inconsistency is why I was irritated at EE. When a waiter in MK told us that a restaurant receipt will get us in late (I did not ask--she volunteered it) and when a CM at Test Track told the guy in front of me that a restaurant receipt would get him in late for a Test Track FP, I would just assume the same rule would apply everywhere. But apparently the "rules" vary.