Do they allow to be a little late or early for fastpass returns ?

[CFioren317]

I'm not disputing the experiences of others, but my personal experience last month is much different. During our last visit in mid-March, the CMs were NOT allowing people to enter the FP+ line early - not even by a few minutes. We witnessed this happen more than once. I cannot attest to a late arrival, as we did not witness/experience it personally. I think it's safe to say that "it depends" on several factors, not excluding the CM's mood at that moment.

How do the CM's know your fast pass time? I thought, probably incorrectly, that you simply wave your magic band on the mickey and it turns green if you can pass and doesn't if you can not. Would they not let you through if the mickey turns green??

 

[JillyBean1899]

How do the CM's know your fast pass time? I thought, probably incorrectly, that you simply wave your magic band on the mickey and it turns green if you can pass and doesn't if you can not. Would they not let you through if the mickey turns green??

The Mickey head will either turn green or blue. If it turns blue, the CM can look at the computer screen to see what your return time is. I suppose they could let you through if it turned blue, but then you'd run into it turning blue at the last check, and that CM might not be feeling so charitable.

 

[SweetMissy]

Before our trip last year, I remember reading that the FP is good all day and can be used AFTER the times on the tickets. So we were late for a ride and we were still able to get on. Actually we did this twice! First time the CM let us right on, 2nd time, the CM says technically they're not allowed to do that but let us on anyway. As far as FP+ goes...have no idea, haven't been there yet since this all started. I personally think it should be whatever time you signed up for to allow for those guests ahead of you to be able to get on ride during their time. Have fun!

 

[richmo]

Before our trip last year, I remember reading that the FP is good all day and can be used AFTER the times on the tickets. ...

That used to be the unofficial policy with the paper tickets. Actually, last year, even before FP+, they started enforcing the return time on the paper tickets too.

 

[Tink-n-Belle]

We were on line for SE and a family said they were 15 minutes late and the CM said...Sorry......your missed your FP time.. The queque was only 20 minute wait so she could have made an exception...

I was furious......come on they should give you a break for 15 minutes. The CM seemed like she Loved telling people SORRY.


Not very Disney like.......... Put a bad taste in my mouth......I don't think Walt would like that at all. I'm reading the Disneyland story and one of the reason disney is so successful is that they treated their guest great....and listen to them.......seems like they could care less at this point....

 

[maxiesmom]

We were on line for SE and a family said they were 15 minutes late and the CM said...Sorry......your missed your FP time.. The queque was only 20 minute wait so she could have made an exception...

I was furious......come on they should give you a break for 15 minutes. The CM seemed like she Loved telling people SORRY.


Not very Disney like.......... Put a bad taste in my mouth......I don't think Walt would like that at all. I'm reading the Disneyland story and one of the reason disney is so successful is that they treated their guest great....and listen to them.......seems like they could care less at this point....

From what I understand the new FP system is why they don't allow people to ride late. Even though the guests you overheard said they were only 15 minutes late, you don't know if that is exactly true or not.

If the stand by queue was only 20 minutes then the family should have just hopped into line. And wrote if off as a lesson learned.

 

[mesaboy2]

We were on line for SE and a family said they were 15 minutes late and the CM said...Sorry......your missed your FP time.. The queque was only 20 minute wait so she could have made an exception... I was furious......come on they should give you a break for 15 minutes. The CM seemed like she Loved telling people SORRY. Not very Disney like.......... Put a bad taste in my mouth......I don't think Walt would like that at all. I'm reading the Disneyland story and one of the reason disney is so successful is that they treated their guest great....and listen to them.......seems like they could care less at this point....

They pretty much do allow 15 minutes late, just not 16. With enforcement, the line must be drawn somewhere.

 

[tlh]

Five minutes early for arrival. I know 6 would not work because my mother and I's FP+s were off by 5 min and I had to wait for her to get through. So for her 11 pm FP+ she could get in at 10:55 but not 10:54 pm. We had a 10:55 pm FP+ and tried at 10:54 and got the green but mom got the blue for hers for 11 pm when she tried to go through at 10:54.

 

[BrittyRo]

Three experiences with this on my late March early April trip.

Mission space I showed up 8 minutes early cause I thought my FP time was 10 minutes earlier than it was. Flashed blue and told me to come back (they were rude CM's btw) and at exactly 5 minutes before it flashed green.

Had a fastpass for Splash Mountain ending around 3:10 the same time as the FFP and decided to stop and watch the parade. I think I Got to the FP at 3:20 10 minutes late and my mickey flashed green.

Second I had a FP to Safari but we had already ridden it so we wrote it off but then decided "eh we have a FP anyway" We were like 30 minutes late? Flashed blue but the cast member said "were you at the parade" "yeah" and she let us through. Granted it was a walk on anyway
Guess it's the luck of the CM.

Thinking about it I wish they did something cool with the magic bands like when they track your movements you get a map printed of where you went for the day first, second, third so on with a little dotted line path.Sorryyy been up all night and its 6am #nightshiftproblems.

 

[richmo]

The Mickey head will either turn green or blue. If it turns blue, the CM can look at the computer screen to see what your return time is. I suppose they could let you through if it turned blue, but then you'd run into it turning blue at the last check, and that CM might not be feeling so charitable.

I have no idea if I'm right about this, but I would think if you're approved at the entrance gate, whether by green light or manually by CM, the second check would automatically go green, regardless of time. Sometimes an FP line, once thru the initial gate, could easily push you over that 15 minute threshold.

 

[KelleyK75]

I'm not disputing the experiences of others, but my personal experience last month is much different. During our last visit in mid-March, the CMs were NOT allowing people to enter the FP+ line early - not even by a few minutes. We witnessed this happen more than once. I cannot attest to a late arrival, as we did not witness/experience it personally. I think it's safe to say that "it depends" on several factors, not excluding the CM's mood at that moment.

It probably does depend on ride and even wait times, etc. We were in Magic Kingdom 3/26/14 and It's a Small World was a 70 minute stand-by time this day. It had been the same the day before, so I switched a FP+ and used it for the ride on 3/26. We got there at 4:25 and the FP+ time was 4:30. I didn't know if it would let us in or not, but no one else was going through the line at the time so we tried it, and it let us in.