Anyone there now that can comment on FP enforcement

[magicbob]

Maybe people need to remember that even when you could collect fastpasses all day long and use them later, you still couldn't see and do everything there is in the parks. It is just not possible. So if someone goes to WDW and judges how successful their trip is by how many rides they ride, they are bound to be disappointed. There is simply no way to do them all! And there really never was, unless you were running your family into the ground.

Maybe not possible to ride EVERYthing. But many families DO successfully see MOST of the attractions. Remember, although you may enjoy strolling around not doing much, others may prefer to experience the maximum number of attractions.

As I've said, we take a much more relaxed approach these days. But, even when we toured "commando style" years ago, we never felt like we were running ourselves into the ground. Some families ENJOY doing a lot. Don't assume that an over-bearing mom or dad with a spreadsheet is making their lives a living hell by FORCING them to see everything. Fun is in the "eye" of the beholder.



Please, God... give me strength!!!!!

 

[kaytieeldr]

Things didn't really get better for them at the parks. FP "abusers" will still pull FPs.

Where abusers? Taking advantage of the lack of enforcement if the return window isn't abuse.

So you can't do everything in one day? That's why there are multi-day passes. And depending on crowds, it may not be impossible to do everything in one day in most parks, even with reversion to enforcing the return window.

 

[Day-Day]

When we were in the MK on March 7 we would have taken FP's for Peter Pan late in the morning but since we knew we would be in EPCOT during the return time we "passed". We did get FP's late in the afternoon when we returned to the MK. Prior to March 7, we would have taken the FP's before heading to EPCOT.

We always end up with FP's that we end up not using and will probably continue to do so. This is not intentional but happens for any number of reasons. I know we aren't the only ones...

 

[magicbob]

Where abusers? Taking advantage of the lack of enforcement if the return window isn't abuse.

Forgive me for not being clear. I meant former FP "abusers" (i.e., those who used FPs late back when it was allowed).

So you can't do everything in one day? That's why there are multi-day passes. And depending on crowds, it may not be impossible to do everything in one day in most parks, even with reversion to enforcing the return window.

So people who can only afford to go one day should just not even attempt to see as much as possible? They should just see half of the attractions they'd like to and spend the rest of the time just "relaxing" because that's the way others like to tour? It's precisely BECAUSE you acn't see everything that people try to maximize use of their time in order to at least see as much as they can. Those of us who visit often take it for granted that "it will still be there next time" so it's no big deal if we miss this or that. But for some, it's a much bigger deal and I don't begrudge them trying to get the most for their money and make the best use of the limited time they have available.

 

[kaytieeldr]

So people who can only afford to go one day should just not even attempt to see as much as possible?

No. You see as much as possible. Period.

You know, people visited MK successfully for 28 years prior to the introduction of FastPass, and Epcot for 18 years. Yes, I realize there's more to do at Epcot now than there was ten years ago (located another guidebook, from 2002, that supports return windows ).

But the complaints and the worry dint seem to be coming from the people who can only afford to visit one park one day. The complaints seem to be coming from people who visit with some regularity and got used to doing things one way, and who will now have to adjust - in this case, the way they tour the WDW parks.

 

[magicbob]

...and who will now have to adjust - in this case, the way they tour the WDW parks.

Yes, we will have to adjust. And in some cases, that will make touring more stressful, requiring more stringent clock-watching where previously none was needed. It is less convenient than it used to be. Like I said, I appreciated being given the option of using FPs late in the past. Now that that's no longer possible. We'll still enjoy Disney. We'll adjust our touring method and make the best of the situation, but that doesn't mean we have to pretend that we LIKE the change.

 

[seashoreCM]

No, it never was. Yes, you have a line that gets you to a certain point faster than the people you pass in the standby line, because your FastPass is a reservation to wait in a virtual line. Never little or no additional wait.

No, I am not going to go crying to Guest Relations because my fastpass matured at 2 PM and I went there and found that the fastpass line comes all the way out of the building with a 40 minute wait. Yes, there are circumstances when Disney can't promise to serve me on time.

But if I go off and do something else and came back yet later to find almost no fastpass line, and my fastpass is dishonored as expired, now that dishonoring does not make sense.

 

[kaytieeldr]

In the remote situstion the FastPass line had a 40 minute wait, the reasonable action would be to talk to the Greeter, then Attraction Lead, Area Suoervisor, and on up. Such a delay would be most likely to a problem with the attraction and not the [number of people in] line. Going to Guest Services would be the unreasonable, or last resort, action.

With it being made clear here, in the media, and onsite, that the FastPass now has an expiration time, the other unreasonable action would be to walk away and come back later in the day.

 

[ftballfan7]

Things also just got better for the people who have always followed the return window and always thought that people who didn't were wrong.

The only upside for these people is that some of them can now dance around singing naa naa naa naa foo foo.

 

[mom2rtk]

The only upside for these people is that some of them can now dance around singing naa naa naa naa foo foo.

Wasn't that the point all along?

 

[mesaboy2]

Last update from me for this trip.

Did Epcot today and pulled FPs for Soarin' and TT only--neither had long FP lines like RnRC, Splash, and Pan had in previous days.

Stressed again though having to make TT. Started around WS from Canada about one hour before beginning of FP window with intention of hitting the countries pretty quick. Made it only as far as Japan when we had to boogie-oogie through the rest of the countries because only 30 minutes were left until expiry.

I know: plan better, yada yada yada, you may say. But a niece who doesn't frequent Disney saw Pooh and Tigger, then Marie, then Belle. Then DD reminded us we had talked about pick-a-pearl, so we did that and waited behind three others already in line--a number we didn't think to check before committing. And oh by the way there are topiaries along the way that everyone wants pictures of.

These kinds of details that you just can't plan to are where the little devil lies. We're simply not going to stop making spontaneous decisions to go see that or shop there or eat this or photograph that. That's not Disney to me. Having to plan to that degree frankly sucks out loud.

Again you may say: don't pull the FP if you can't rig your schedule so that you meet it or just lose an hour or two in the standby queue. Nope, sorry not buying. Not when there's only extremely shaky arguments that enforcement in and of itself benefits the greater public at large. Enforcement in its current form, with not even a vaguely-defined xPass currently in place to presumably make it make more sense, is not helping anyone in my estimation. That's my on-the-scene conclusion.

Tomorrow it's just MK for a couple hours with no FP attractions on the to-do list. I'll sit back and watch others' opinions form for the next couple months until early June.

 

[mom2rtk]

Last update from me for this trip.

Did Epcot today and pulled FPs for Soarin' and TT only--neither had long FP lines like RnRC, Splash, and Pan had in previous days.

Stressed again though having to make TT. Started around WS from Canada about one hour before beginning of FP window with intention of hitting the countries pretty quick. Made it only as far as Japan when we had to boogie-oogie through the rest of the countries because only 30 minutes were left until expiry.

I know: plan better, yada yada yada, you may say. But a niece who doesn't frequent Disney saw Pooh and Tigger, then Marie, then Belle. Then DD reminded us we had talked about pick-a-pearl, so we did that and waited behind three others already in line--a number we didn't think to check before committing. And oh by the way there are topiaries along the way that everyone wants pictures of.

These kinds of details that you just can't plan to are where the little devil lies. We're simply not going to stop making spontaneous decisions to go see that or shop there or eat this or photograph that. That's not Disney to me. Having to plan to that degree frankly sucks out loud.

Again you may say: don't pull the FP if you can't rig your schedule so that you meet it or just lose an hour or two in the standby queue. Nope, sorry not buying. Not when there's only extremely shaky arguments that enforcement in and of itself benefits the greater public at large. Enforcement in its current form, with not even a vaguely-defined xPass currently in place to presumably make it make more sense, is not helping anyone in my estimation. That's my on-the-scene conclusion.

Tomorrow it's just MK for a couple hours with no FP attractions on the to-do list. I'll sit back and watch others' opinions form for the next couple months until early June.

Your story was my fear when I heard the announcement.

Will we still enjoy Disney? Of course.

Will we enjoy it AS much? I fear we might not.

FWIW..... I did feel all along that probably Epcot would be the worst for the very thing you mentioned..... being out in the middle of the World Showcase and having to cut it short to have to hoof it all the way back to the front to hit a FP window.

I used to think I was FP and touring plan savvy enough to be able to one day manage Disney at peak times. NO WAY would I ever consider it now.

 

[Albytaps]

Not trying to start an argument here, just want to put my 2 cents out since I'm one of the people that always planned around getting back to the FP window on time. I would never even try to go around the WS if I had a FP pending. There is just no way to go around that thing like a race. I guess it's one reason I always saved WS for the night time. I'll do all of Future World first, including TT and Soarin' (Fp's or not) and then go onto WS in the evening. Of course I HAVE done WS during the day, but I don't usually pull FP's before venturing out there.

 

[Stormy888]

Was there last week and they did check. Usually we were there right before the FP window started, though, and sometimes had to wait a few minutes or so. I don't have a problem with the window, as I thought that was the point. We utilized FP a lot more this trip (our 2nd) than last time, and always made our window and had little or no wait.

But then we are very laid back Disney people. We figure if we don't do it this time, we'll do it next time. We have our must do's and make sure we do them early - even though we are laid back that doesn't mean we don't get there at rope drop.

 

[KellyNY]

We never enter WS with FP on hands. WS is one of those places we like to spend time at. In my experience it is better to finish with Future World first and then go for WS.

 

[maxiesmom]

Not trying to start an argument here, just want to put my 2 cents out since I'm one of the people that always planned around getting back to the FP window on time. I would never even try to go around the WS if I had a FP pending. There is just no way to go around that thing like a race. I guess it's one reason I always saved WS for the night time. I'll do all of Future World first, including TT and Soarin' (Fp's or not) and then go onto WS in the evening. Of course I HAVE done WS during the day, but I don't usually pull FP's before venturing out there.

Us too. It is poor planning to do that. We always end up spending more time in the World Showcase than we plan on. I have an 11yr old niece who loves to shop her way around WS, so I totally get it! However there is no way around it, if you want to use Fastpasses you need to put some thought into it--how much time do I have before the window, where do I think I will be when that window starts, and how mad will I be if I can't make it back--all of those thoughts need to be part of the process. If you will be upset if you miss your FP window then you may need to rethink your plans a bit. Not fun I know for those people used to using the FPs whenever they wanted to, but as an old boss used to tell me, it is what it is. Deal with what is, not what used to be. Otherwise you just make yourself crazy.

As I posted before, I do think the new way of handling Fastpasses is helping things. Last week when this all started I never ran into the long Fastpass lines some are reporting. The lines we were in were very short.

 

[reelmom]

I was a late FastPass"abuser". However, I don't think we abused it. There was never any wording on the FP ticket that said you couldn't use it after the posted time, just not before. With that said, I will make it work now adhering to the new rules. It will take time to get used to but we will make it work. The kids insisted on going to Universal this year. I was not happy about it until finding out that staying onsite gets unlimited front of the line passes. I am afraind that this is gonna spoil us and Universal may win out over Disney in the future. At least for the DH and kids.

 

[joybeth]

The only upside for these people is that some of them can now dance around singing naa naa naa naa foo foo.

I have really tried to see how the new policy benefits anyone, and your comment above is the only answer I can come up with.

Not happy with the new policy!

jb

 

[maxiesmom]

I have really tried to see how the new policy benefits anyone, and your comment above is the only answer I can come up with.

Not happy with the new policy!

jb

Last week we benefited by having shorter Fastpass lines.

 

[disneydeal]

funny thing is.... when I go it's called a VACATION we don't do (touring) we just go when and where we please at our speed. I get fast passes and show back up during the window on pass so it won't be changing for me.