Did Double Dipping FP Just End?

[AmyB2006]

FP/FP+ availability has nothing to do with the amount of people in the park.

Right. But it does have something to do with standby lines, which is what I was referring to.

I can make a FP reservation right now from work (just in case I want to go to the park this afternoon) I may never even set foot in the park, and if I don't cancel or can't cancel because of a blip in the system, those fp's are gone.Correct. But then the people from the standby line take that spot, thereby making it "faster".

Guests are forced to make 3 fp's. Many will not use all of them. Some guests make their fp+ selections for a different park later in the day with the intention of park hopping, but for various reasons they don't make it over to the next park. Sometimes it's impossible to cancel them or they don't bother to cancel them.

That's a main reason why I think fp's are running out earlier.

I understand, I just disagree.

I feel like I'm banging my head against a wall here. Do you? LOL

 

[delmar411]

as of.today current APs still.pull fps and as of some.point they now work as your MB. We forgot our bands today so I.checked to see if we.could use them and they are working.

 

[Q-man]

Seems like best bet to ride TSMM without using FP+ is to make sure you're one of the first people in line before rope drop and then sprint directly to the ride.

So, it is just more of TSMM is the only popular most ages ride at HS and the same thing with TT and Soarin' at EP getting depleted by being the most people's top FP+ choice? Even before FP+ it wasn't unusual for TSMM FPs to be gone for the day before 10:30am.

 

[CarolAnnB]

Disney is going to need a screen where you can see FP+ availability at all parks at once.

I agree with this! We are thinking of switching park days but since I have FP+ booked at DHS, I have no way of knowing if the FP+ I would want at MK are available without canceling the DHS ones first. I don't want to do that because then I could be left out in the cold with nothing I want.

 

[Disneylover99]

I feel like I'm banging my head against a wall here. Do you? LOL

Yes I do, because you are disagreeing with me on something that is a fact. If you don't use your FP during your allotted time, it doesn't make the standby line move faster. It makes the FP line move faster.

 

[MikeandReneePlus5]

Yes I do, because you are disagreeing with me on something that is a fact. If you don't use your FP during your allotted time, it doesn't make the standby line move faster. It makes the FP line move faster.

that's not true.

The FP/SB line mix at the merge point is adjusted depending on the FP line length.

Less FP line, more SB line waiters in the mix past the merge point, therefore, SB line moves faster.

 

[ktlm]

Were the FP lines shorter than usual when you were there? .

Yes and no. Sometimes the line to actually enter the FP line was long and took time because everybody was gummed up at the scanners. Unlike where you just flash your paper FPs and go, every person has to individually scan- you have to have Mickey on your MB facing in the right direction, in the right spot, somewhat flat for the scan to work, and then it takes about 5 seconds or maybe a little more to scan- it spins white for a few seconds then turns either green (go) or blue (problem). Also they had multiple scanners in place, but not enough CMs manning them to see if everyone was scanning green. We saw some extremely stressed out CMs trying to monitor who all was scanning green. They can't have one set of eyes on 4 scanners at once- and they looked totally stressed trying to figure out if the people who were walking in had actually scanned green and they had been looking at another scanner at the time, or if they just were walking through without scanning. They were doing a combination of trying to speed people up, but also slow people down so they could verify they scanned green. We felt sorry for them- FP line monitor is not a good job to have right now. I will say that once we got past the initial scanner backlog, the FP lines seemed much more empty than usual. We've waited 15 minutes in the FP line at Pooh and TSM- this time we could get on the ride as fast as we could walk there. It was the same with most of the other FP lines the week we were there. There is also a 2nd scan internally at the ride which might have been backed up a little- but not nearly as bad as the ones out front. It might take a longer time than usual because of the scanning issues, but once you got past the scanners, it was pretty much straight to the merge point or ride with no wait. I would say there were less people in the FP lines than usual- they were just more backed up at the scanner points because of scanning issues and delays. Because of the scanner back ups, I'm not sure we were getting on the rides any faster.

 

[granmanh603]

Yes and no. Sometimes the line to actually enter the FP line was long and took time because everybody was gummed up at the scanners. Unlike where you just flash your paper FPs and go, every person has to individually scan- you have to have Mickey on your MB facing in the right direction, in the right spot, somewhat flat for the scan to work, and then it takes about 5 seconds or maybe a little more to scan- it spins white for a few seconds then turns either green (go) or blue (problem). Also they had multiple scanners in place, but not enough CMs manning them to see if everyone was scanning green. We saw some extremely stressed out CMs trying to monitor who all was scanning green. They can't have one set of eyes on 4 scanners at once- and they looked totally stressed trying to figure out if the people who were walking in had actually scanned green and they had been looking at another scanner at the time, or if they just were walking through without scanning. They were doing a combination of trying to speed people up, but also slow people down so they could verify they scanned green. We felt sorry for them- FP line monitor is not a good job to have right now. I will say that once we got past the initial scanner backlog, the FP lines seemed much more empty than usual. We've waited 15 minutes in the FP line at Pooh and TSM- this time we could get on the ride as fast as we could walk there. It was the same with most of the other FP lines the week we were there. There is also a 2nd scan internally at the ride which might have been backed up a little- but not nearly as bad as the ones out front. It might take a longer time than usual because of the scanning issues, but once you got past the scanners, it was pretty much straight to the merge point or ride with no wait. I would say there were less people in the FP lines than usual- they were just more backed up at the scanner points because of scanning issues and delays. Because of the scanner back ups, I'm not sure we were getting on the rides any faster.

We have been here since Wed and did not experience as stated above. Our FP lines were longer than we ever experienced EVER. Don't know if we were on different lines or in different parks than you. I was also saying somewhere else we ran into a long line at lunch time at the TTA in MK? never ever seen that but might be caused by people waiting for their FP+ times and being stuck over in that area with nothing to too.... Did alot of that wait for or run to make it before it expired especially at MK.... so just left park and went back to resort for lunch. much less stressful. and last nightand this morning no fast passes for TSM for today or tomorrow. Finally just picked one for Soarin at 7:55 tonite...that is all we are doing all day. Went to outlet mall and ate lunch off property again. Unfortunately we are here for 2 more weeks.

 

[granmanh603]

that's not true.

The FP/SB line mix at the merge point is adjusted depending on the FP line length.

Less FP line, more SB line waiters in the mix past the merge point, therefore, SB line moves faster.

At SM yesterday the FP line was not merging with the SB line they were sending you to the normal FP line on right or on the left sending you to a line behind the wall, while SB line was snaked thru the que on the other side of wall before adding them in. so FP line was moving along but was backed up into the tunnel pretty far.

 

[practicallyperfect77]

We have been here since Wed and did not experience as stated above. Our FP lines were longer than we ever experienced EVER. Don't know if we were on different lines or in different parks than you. I was also saying somewhere else we ran into a long line at lunch time at the TTA in MK? never ever seen that but might be caused by people waiting for their FP+ times and being stuck over in that area with nothing to too.... Did alot of that wait for or run to make it before it expired especially at MK.... so just left park and went back to resort for lunch. much less stressful. and last nightand this morning no fast passes for TSM for today or tomorrow. Finally just picked one for Soarin at 7:55 tonite...that is all we are doing all day. Went to outlet mall and ate lunch off property again. Unfortunately we are here for 2 more weeks.

Bummer dealio about "unfortunately we are here for 2 more weeks". =( Hope it starts working better for you.

 

[granmanh603]

Bummer dealio about "unfortunately we are here for 2 more weeks". =( Hope it starts working better for you.

Yeah poor choice of word there, just meaning the stress of all this "planning" we do not like planning or waiting. It has been hot too, supposed to get a little cooler so that might help mood. LOL We will just figure a different attack I guess.

 

[Fivemuggles]

So I've just skimmed through the whole thread, and maybe I missed it - has anyone actually CONFIRMED that this is happening?

 

[Satchmo128]

<-- Staying offsite, no MB's or FP+, using CM tickets, sounds like we are going to have little luck getting FP- or short wait times for anything. Will arrive in 2 weeks. Sounds like this is going to be our best trip ever.

 

[Disneylover99]

that's not true.

The FP/SB line mix at the merge point is adjusted depending on the FP line length.

Less FP line, more SB line waiters in the mix past the merge point, therefore, SB line moves faster.

My understanding is that there is a ratio that each attraction uses of FP riders to stand by riders. Maybe 12:1 or 20:1 - depending on the attraction.

Obviously if nobody shows up in the FP line, they will let standby riders through. However, at the merge point, there always seems to be some kind of line that varies in length. That doesn't mean all FP riders have returned during their window though.

 

[practicallyperfect77]

Yeah poor choice of word there, just meaning the stress of all this "planning" we do not like planning or waiting. It has been hot too, supposed to get a little cooler so that might help mood. LOL We will just figure a different attack I guess.

I know I'll be frustrated too if the magic bands don't work right for my upcoming trip in Nov/Dec. Right now I have a plan of attack but if the bands don't work I can throw those plans out the window. Planning on hitting rope drop and then hopping in the afternoon and FP+ are scheduled for afternoon park. Trying to remind myself that even a stressful day at Disney beats an awesome day at work.

 

[MouseMomx2]

My understanding is that there is a ratio that each attraction uses of FP riders to stand by riders. Maybe 12:1 or 20:1 - depending on the attraction.

Obviously if nobody shows up in the FP line, they will let standby riders through. However, at the merge point, there always seems to be some kind of line that varies in length. That doesn't mean all FP riders have returned during their window though.

But there is a finite number of FP+ users. If some don't show up that means more Standby users will get on, thereby making the Standby line move faster.

 

[delmar411]

<-- Staying offsite, no MB's or FP+, using CM tickets, sounds like we are going to have little luck getting FP- or short wait times for anything. Will arrive in 2 weeks. Sounds like this is going to be our best trip ever.

I think this mess will get better over the next couple weeks. There is a perfect storm of massive amounts of new users to the system plus IT screwing up the amounts of FP/FP+ available plus lots of schools have implemented fall breaks plus there are even tours groups here which is very odd. It should shake out for a bit soon at least until Tgiving and then again for a couple weeks before Christmas.

 

[Disneylover99]

But there is a finite number of FP+ users. If some don't show up that means more Standby users will get on, thereby making the Standby line move faster.

There are also FP+ people being waved on because fp's aren't scanning correctly. Maybe those FP people will ride again if they are still in their window.

There are also FP+ people getting anytime rides for a number of attractions because a ride went down during a portion of their return time.

I'm just saying there are always FP lines for one reason or another. If some people don't show up it seems that there is someone else in the FP line to take their place.

The only time I've seen standby lines move quicker is when there is a problem at the first entrance point and there are not enough people in FP getting to the merge.

 

[AuroraRora]

* it posted my post halfway through? *

 

[AuroraRora]

In the interests of science and stuff, I thought I'd check this out - double dipping WAS still fine for me.

I checked into Pop today, AP holder with a MB. On the way out of Epcot just now, I went to Test Track and was able to pull FP with my AP, the KTTW card I got today when we checked in, and with old KTTW cards from May and June. I didn't have any problems with CM's and I didn't receive any "not a valid fastpass" tickets.

(I just wanted to try each option for the sake of reporting back - I'm headed to MNSSHP so I gave the 4 FP's to a family that was hanging out by the ride and they seemed happy )

Sidenote: I had 3 FP+ booked for this afternoon that I wound up not using at all. I really think they need a better system here. When I booked the FP+ I thought, we'll arrive at Epcot and do rides first! But everyone was hungry, we skipped the rides in favor of F&W booths, and I wasn't able to cancel them. With regular FP, we never would have got the passes in the first place.