Expired Fastpasses Refused

[Lewisc]

There have been studies, some quoted in this thread, that indicate guests are using FP to spend less time in the parks. Disney had hoped guests would be using the time saved to shop. Alternatively MYW Dining seems to have done a good job persuading guests to patronize the restaurants.

Universal actually got rid of their version of express pass. Universal hotel guests continue to get preferential access but other guests have to pay if they want to access the express lines. Disney probably has too many hotel rooms to mimic Universal's policy but they could change the FP system to offer preferential treatment to resort guests or to guests who're willing to pay for some type of premium pass. One rumor even had some guests being able to obtain a special pass that would give you a FP with an immediate return time no matter what.

 

[AllAboutPluto]

Okay, understood. I'm just trying to keep it real, dawg.

Thank you, Bicker, for the laugh of the day.

 

[mjkaferle5]

.........One rumor even had some guests being able to obtain a special pass that would give you a FP with an immediate return time no matter what.........

That would be sweet!

 

[dwaters]

but they could change the FP system to offer preferential treatment to resort guests or to guests who're willing to pay for some type of premium pass.

It seems like many Disney guests believe this is already the case, judging from comments I've overheard and read about on these boards.

I don't know how they could be any clearer that Fastpass is free and open to anyone, short of walking up and down the stand-by lines with a bullhorn yelling "Fastpass is free! If you have a park ticket, you have access! Don't wait 70 minutes for a three minute ride like Peter Pan! Yes, I'm talking to you in the blue shirt and Goofy hat!"

 

[bicker]

The fact that so many people don't understand that -- don't even assume it -- indicates untapped revenue potential.

 

[JayS]

I remember seeing an article some time after FP was started and truly functioning that said there was an unexpected adverse affect that had been noticed. That is that the parks appeared to be more crowded with the same amount of people than before FP. They realized that FP gave people the ability to be in TWO places at one time. And that meant they were either in a second line, or just in the park heading to another line. Whereas without FP, you were just in the one line.

I'm surprised that they didn't see a revenue increase, especially with the ability to use FP after exp. time (not date!) For my family, we actually stayed in the park (Disneyland, we are in SoCal) well after we had intended because we still had FP's to use! OH MY, we CANT LEAVE AND NOT USE THEM!

 

[Robo]

There have been some wild tales about expired FP on these boards over the past few years.

Well, I have a whole BUNCH of expired FP from various arractions and trips... some well-over a year old.
We're going back in mid-May this year.

I'm gonna try 'em.
(I took them with me in Jan. but didn't have occasion to need them. Even picked up a few more.)



If the CMs let me in, fine.
If the CMs tear 'em up, fine.
If a CM passes out from laughing, GREAT!

I'll report back.

 

[HydroGuy]

As far as FP coinciding with ADR's, that shouldn't be a problem. If you know you have an ADR for 12:00 the FP return times are clearly marked at the booths before you get your FP. You shouldn't get a FP with a return time of 12:00-1:00.

Actually, the system is not as perfect as presented here. In order to get the FP you have to walk all the way to the attraction to find out what the return time is. If the return time conflicts, in your example a person would choose not to get the FP.

Here is another example. You have an ADR at 12:00 Noon. You want to get a FP for Space Mtn. You walk all the way over there only to find out the return window is 11:45AM-12:45PM. Oooops, too tight for your 12:00 ADR. So you decide you still want to get a FP for a major ride. So you walk all the way to Splash Mtn. Oooops again, return time is 11:40AM-12:40PM. Oh no, now you have wasted a bit of time walking around the park with no FP to show for it. I know you can get a FP for something else, but maybe you don't want to. You want Space or Splash. In principle you can come back later to get a FP. But as we all know how hard that can be, and they may run out or who knows if the next time you are there the return time conflicts with your dinner ADR or a show you want to see?

My point is this. The idea in your example would work much better if all FPs were distributed at the same location with return times for all rides listed. Maybe there could be 5-10 of these distribution points around the park where you could get a FP for any ride which supports FP. Then it is much easier to work the conflict between the ADR and the FP return times, because you can see all your FP options before you make the decision, and the time commitment required to fetch the FP is much lower.

 

[kaygela]

We had FPs for Stitch last week towards the end of the night. When we went to the ride, there was no line so the CM told us to go right in. He said we could save our FP for the next day! But we didn't return to MK so we never used them. I'm a scrapbooker so I'll scrap them.

 

[jpolak]

To be perfectly honest I never knew that fastpasses had an expiration time on them. I was under the impression that any time after the start time was ok. That being said I never had a problem getting onto a ride.

 

[Aisling]

It's an unwritten rule that FPs are OK to use after your window has expired. You'll never get in before it opens, but if your FP expired at 12:30PM you can come back later in the afternoon and they'll accept it at 4PM and let you on the ride.

Then what's the point of FP when you can basically get on the ride any time you want, after your window has expired? Isn't that what the standby line is?

If everyone started doing this, FP becomes obsolete. Not only would the standby lines be long, but so will the FP line, with today's and yesterday's guests on it!

Also, it's been 2 years since I've been in any of the parks, but doesn't the fast pass say something like "return between this time and that time"? Why would it be so specific if you come back any time you want?

I think if you miss your time, well, you missed your time.

Let's play fair, kids!

FP is beginning to sound like a joke.

 

[Robo]

f everyone started doing this, FP becomes obsolete. Not only would the standby lines be long, but so will the FP line, with today's and yesterday's guests on it!

Statistically, it would never work out that way.

With a larger universe of "return times", holders of FP for, say BTMRR, would not be "forced" to return at a "specific" time.

That means that any of them could choose to return at ANY time... a much larger window to fill (nearly "infinite" in WDW terms).

That would diffuse the the focus on the return at any PARTICULAR time.

Furthermore, the biggest factor holding down the number of FP riders in the queue is... when you DO finally USE the FP... its gone.
You'd have to get another one, and it starts over again.

The statistical chances that "all" or "most" of the holders of a FP for BTM would be coming into the park and back to the queue to ride BTM at the "same time" would be incredibly small.
Consider how most FP are USED... most riders come back quickly... they want to ride NOW! The small number who pocket the tix and don't return until a later time pales by comparison.

(Heck, as discussed, MANY WDW visitors don't even KNOW ABOUT the FP system. They don't use it at all.)

 

[ihearttink]

Per the UG Disney is tinkering with FP, with some actually being tried, i.e. getting a FP at TT and receiving one for Soarin at the same time. Disney is also considering linking FP with they type of resort the guest is staying in, value, moderate, deluxe. It will be interesting to see if any of this takes place in the future.

 

[lizanne]

Sorry, I didn't take the time to read this entire thread. But to the OP, you're not serious. Right. This is a joke. I think you just wanted to see the reponses. Am I right?

 

[DisneyfeverTN]

On all four of our trips to WDW we used the fast passes just the way it was stated on the tickets. We hurried around the park to make sure we always used them within the window printed on the ticket. Then I read that Disney didn't really care, as long as it is after the beginning return time. When we went to DL, we used some of our fast passes later in the day, after the return time. We had no problems doing so.

I have seen how strict the CMs are about the beginning return time. I have never seen them let someone on a ride early. However, if they don't have a problem letting people on after the return time, why should I? I think there are people that end up never using their last fast pass of the day. So, it must not be a huge concern for Disney. If they ever tell me I can't do it, then I won't do it. I'm sure that if they decide to be strict about it, they will be consistently strict, like they are on the beginning return time. Until they do, I will enjoy using my fast passes later in the day.

 

[k5thbeatle]

This is a joke post...isn't it?

 

[Aisling]

Statistically, it would never work out that way.

With a larger universe of "return times", holders of FP for, say BTMRR, would not be "forced" to return at a "specific" time.

That means that any of them could choose to return at ANY time... a much larger window to fill (nearly "infinite" in WDW terms).

That would diffuse the the focus on the return at any PARTICULAR time.

Furthermore, the biggest factor holding down the number of FP riders in the queue is... when you DO finally USE the FP... its gone.
You'd have to get another one, and it starts over again.

The statistical chances that "all" or "most" of the holders of a FP for BTM would be coming into the park and back to the queue to ride BTM at the "same time" would be incredibly small.
Consider how most FP are USED... most riders come back quickly... they want to ride NOW! The small number who pocket the tix and don't return until a later time pales by comparison.

(Heck, as discussed, MANY WDW visitors don't even KNOW ABOUT the FP system. They don't use it at all.)

Robo, forgive me, but this last statement is the only thing in your post that I understood! And I agree with it, since my family used to be those people...in my pre-dis days, of course.

 

[Robo]

Robo, forgive me, but this last statement is the only thing in your post that I understood!

That's me. I'm always feeling misunderstood.

 

[DrTomorrow]

Statistically, it would never work out that way.

With a larger universe of "return times", holders of FP for, say BTMRR, would not be "forced" to return at a "specific" time.

That means that any of them could choose to return at ANY time... a much larger window to fill (nearly "infinite" in WDW terms).

That would diffuse the the focus on the return at any PARTICULAR time.

Furthermore, the biggest factor holding down the number of FP riders in the queue is... when you DO finally USE the FP... its gone.
You'd have to get another one, and it starts over again.

The statistical chances that "all" or "most" of the holders of a FP for BTM would be coming into the park and back to the queue to ride BTM at the "same time" would be incredibly small.
Consider how most FP are USED... most riders come back quickly... they want to ride NOW! The small number who pocket the tix and don't return until a later time pales by comparison.

(Heck, as discussed, MANY WDW visitors don't even KNOW ABOUT the FP system. They don't use it at all.)

Robo, don't stats and prob. theory go out the window a bit when there are non-random factors? For example, it seems reasonable that the longer the stand-by line is, the more likely someone is to use a fastpass - this would tend to concentrate FP usage around the busiest times of the day. No one is going to come in at rope drop and use their FP when stand-by is 10 minutes; the same goes for the hour before closing. Plus, there are other factors that affect park attendance; let's say that there was no Spectro on T, W & Th, but there is one on Friday. This would certainly cause an increase in MK attendance, and if some folks from T, W & Th brought THEIR fastpasses, and there was a full allotment of Friday fastpasses, it could overwhelm a popular ride.

IMHO - YMMV - Be well!

 

[tinker&belle]

If CMs don't mind, why all the fuss? I'm sure that you can make you times if it makes you feel like you've done what you think is the right thing, but if Disney (who is the distributor so gets to decide the policy) why do you care what others do?