At the park now, FP+ lines are snaking through the park

[nfceagles]

This is exactly what I don't get. If I'm standing in a 20 minute or so line to get inside to the "walk on" portion of the FP+ queue then I still stood in a 20 minute or so line. Just because the line is shorter inside, does not make the outside line magically disappear. Whether it's inside or outside I still have to wait in a long line for something called a "fast pass".

Yes, and don't forget anytime you spent in the FP kiosk line or even at home booking those FPs on the website or app.

 

[mesaboy2]

Original thread: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=3067288

This quote is made up of parts of a report from President's Day Weekend 2013....hmmmm looks like the legacy FP entrances were backed up well past the standby line as well....imagine that...WDW was busy on a holiday weekend in 2013 and they were busy again on a holiday weekend in 2014. And both resulted in larger and longer than average FastPass return lines!

Note my earlier post where I said lines didn't look like this before 2012. This is because that in March, when the infamous enforcement started (and the precursor to FP+), many--including me--suspected an increase in FPs distributed.

I will perk up and listen more to your point if you can find examples like this in early 2012 or prior.

 

[morethananyonex]

Fastpass line waits should have nothing to do with attendance levels. Capacity is constant. If it's busy, it should still be the same max number of people being able to enter the fastpass line that there is on any other day. Sure, some slots will not reach capacity on the slowest days, but there is still clearly a problem. If there has been no breakdown, fastpass lines should not be backed up no matter what.

Exactly.

It seems as though Disney has significantly increased FP capacity, which in turn causes FP waits all around to increase. Sure, people reported lots of flexibility with FP+ during busy times, but the cost seems to be longer waits across the board. I think personally I would rather FP actually be fast. Faster than stand by is a poor standard for FP to meet IMO.

 

[poeticdiabetic]

Our experience ( as off site guests w no access to FP+) at Thanksgiving was that standby lines were a slow painful walk to nowhere when the FP+ line was backed up--- so much so that we abandoned the park rather than enter them when FP- ran out. Any evidence that this has changed!? I can't imagine going back with only 3FP+ per day after that experience.

I don't think that's relevant because Disney should only give a certain amount of fastpasses period. After that, you will have to endure the lines as expected during peak times. The big issue that I am seeing is that the FP+ lines are waaayyy too long! That means Disney should cut down on the FP+ distribution. That will make it more like the original system.

Also, I think that they should create some sort of system where you can get only 3 FP+s, but be subjected to the onsite version after that. But the mathematics must be right and you should err on the side of caution and be conservative in the numbers.

 

[mom2rtk]

Ok, so I have a question:

Is there a regular, walk-up line? Or is it only FP and SR lines? The reason why is because if the FP line is too long, I would just jump into the regular line. Can you do that?

Bad idea since the fastpass line is prioritized over the standby line.

Would you still want to do that if they were pulling 80% from the FP line and 20% from standby?

 

[huhwhat]

It seems that WDW wants to come to terms with the fact that the attractions can not handle the capacity they keep crowding into the parks....They are being greedy and not concerned with the customer experience.... I think it is shameful

 

[mom2rtk]

Note my earlier post where I said lines didn't look like this before 2012. This is because that in March, when the infamous enforcement started (and the precursor to FP+), many--including me--suspected an increase in FPs distributed.

I will perk up and listen more to your point if you can find examples like this in early 2012 or prior.

 

[amzking]

I will admit up front that I have NOT read all 7+ pages of responses.

BUT I will say that what I observed on Saturday morning (before it got insane - I was home by then) was that there would be a wait at the first scanner location of about 10 minutes at BTMRR at 11 am, however, once we got through that, it was very quick to actually get on the ride. FP users used to be backed up all the way up the ramp to the load area, but not this time. I seem to remember the same with Peter Pan around 1020.

So I think the line has just shifted, we used to wait at the ride load, now we wait at the first scanner location.

I cannot figure out why they still need two scanners for FP+ though. Maybe to catch people that slip through?

 

[mollygirl13]

It seems that WDW wants to come to terms with the fact that the attractions can not handle the capacity they keep crowding into the parks....They are being greedy and not concerned with the customer experience.... I think it is shameful

Just got back on Sat. from a weeklong WDW trip and I can say with 100% certainty that I agree with this ^^^

 

[mesaboy2]

I will admit up front that I have NOT read all 7+ pages of responses.

BUT I will say that what I observed on Saturday morning (before it got insane - I was home by then) was that there would be a wait at the first scanner location of about 10 minutes at BTMRR at 11 am, however, once we got through that, it was very quick to actually get on the ride. FP users used to be backed up all the way up the ramp to the load area, but not this time. I seem to remember the same with Peter Pan around 1020.

So I think the line has just shifted, we used to wait at the ride load, now we wait at the first scanner location.

I cannot figure out why they still need two scanners for FP+ though. Maybe to catch people that slip through?

I think that's simply it. Plus so many standby and FP lines run side-by-side where it's easy to hop the rail in between the two points.

 

[ellie05]

It sounds like they still have a lot of work to do, hopefully it is done before summer. OP I am sorry that is horrible. I will admit I am not opposed to this FP+, but I would freak out a little if this happen during our vacation. I am so glad we decided to switch weeks.

 

[erddig]

I did not wait BECAUSE people were reporting 60 minute waits for FP longer or equal to standby in some cases. FP lines were not moving. CM were agreeing its out of control

 

[2Tiggies]

I think that's simply it. Plus so many standby and FP lines run side-by-side where it's easy to hop the rail in between the two points.

Yes, and people do! Seen it so many times and there's little you can do about it so I'm actually pleased to see the precautions being taken by Disney to try and keep some sort of control over it.

 

[amg35]

It sounds like they still have a lot of work to do, hopefully it is done before summer. OP I am sorry that is horrible. I will admit I am not opposed to this FP+, but I would fear out a little if this happen during our vacation. I am so glad we decided to switch weeks.

Yes! My boyfriend and I are cheering the decision to go in late October.

 

[sethschroeder]

This has less to do with FP+ and more to do with how many they are handing out. I would suspect they are putting more FP+ times out there than they shave FP- historically.

Also to those who say you never waited on FP-, we waited on Space Mountain and TSMM for about 20-25 mins last July. Nothing horrible in our eyes but none the less a wait.

In the end Disney needs to get the FP+ lines under control by cranking down the allotment of FP+ forcing people to have earlier or later times they reserve. For those who then complain about not getting that 2:30 TSMM timeslot they need to realize there was no way of guaranteeing anything like that really in the past either.

 

[bcrook]

Here are some I found.

https://twitter.com/mist3rm4tt/status/435501713311936513/photo/1
https://twitter.com/spchampion/status/435480451554480128/photo/1
https://twitter.com/kelbelle/status/434800115619217408/photo/1
https://twitter.com/Libsterdoodles/status/434803700113346560/photo/1

And one for the kiosk line

https://twitter.com/AutismAtThePark/status/435090271441661952/photo/1

Wild and crazy. Looks like we are getting close to appointment riding to me. Has Disney increased FP alottment to higher than 80%?

That kiosk line is NUTS!

 

[mesaboy2]

This has less to do with FP+ and more to do with how many they are handing out. I would suspect they are putting more FP+ times out there than they shave FP- historically.

Also to those who say you never waited on FP-, we waited on Space Mountain and TSMM for about 20-25 mins last July. Nothing horrible in our eyes but none the less a wait.

In the end Disney needs to get the FP+ lines under control by cranking down the allotment of FP+ forcing people to have earlier or later times they reserve. For those who then complain about not getting that 2:30 TSMM timeslot they need to realize there was no way of guaranteeing anything like that really in the past either.

Other than just showing up at rope drop and getting a FP? I never cared about a specific window, only about getting on with FP.

 

[TiggerBouncy]

Weird how much difference a week makes. I was there last week and my longest fp+ line was test track at... Wait for it... 7 minutes by my watch.

Only exception was mission space shut down for a few and the fp+ line went to test track, but cleared as soon as it opened back up.

All other rides my fp+ was under 5 minutes including toy story.

How is it that the experience changes so radically in just a week?

 

[bcrook]

Here's the thing. I don't remember discussing FP return wait times much before 2012. That says something to me all by itself.

I don't ever remember a single time waiting to get in a fastpass return line. An occasional cluster of people around Soarin maybe, but these people were usually waiting for their time slot.

It's Presidents Day, what do you expect? Everything will have long lines. Last night we were at MK and it was pretty crazy when we got there at 8pm.

I only go during peak times and have never experienced anything that looks like that. FP use to be truly a FP.

Yes great point waiting in line at WDW doesn't sound so bad. Just got in from snow blowing another 3inches of snow and we are now over 65 inches for the year, an average is about 32inches.

I agree if admission was free. But After paying $7000-10000 nobody should have to decide if shoveling snow would have been better than visiting a theme park. If I had to wait in that kiosk line, I would much rather keep my money, shovel the snow, and find some other relaxing place to blow my savings.

 

[amg35]

Other than just showing up at rope drop and getting a FP? I never cared about a specific window, only about getting on with FP.

I took it to mean that when people reserve early, there will be less fast passes available for each time slot, so if a zillion people wanted test track noon, now maybe WDW will make it where only half the zillion can have noon, and half the zillion will have to choose 4, or some other dreaded time.

That's actually how I think they will deal with this type of problem I guess?