Expired Fastpasses Refused

[speedyf]

I'm no expert or rule-guru on all things Disney....but, this is how it was explained to me. I don't remember where I read this....so, this is just hearsay at best.

A limited amount of Fastpasses are distributed each day. You can (according to some) use the Fastpass after the allotted time on the ticket ON THAT SAME DAY.....but, not before the start time.

It works this way....let's say Space Mountain averages 10,000 riders per day. WDW decides to distribute 1,000 Fastpasses for that day. So....9,000 riders will go thru the stand-by line. If I miss my Fastpass window....then, some lucky person that happened to be in the stand-by line during my Fastpass window was able to get on the ride a few seconds earlier. Then, if I return a little later....some unlucky person in the stand-by line had to wait a few moments longer because I was late.

As long as Fastpasses are not accepted from a different date....there will definitely be 9,000 stand-by guests that ride and 1,000 Fastpass riders on that day. The only number that might change is that some of the Fastpass riders will not use their pass and open up more spots for stand-by riders.

Even if all 1,000 riders decided to wait until 1 hour before closing to all ride at once....there will only be 1,000 Fastpass riders. In this scenario, the stand-by line would move freely all day long until 1 hour before closing when all the Fastpass riders would show up.

That's why I can see how Disney would allow people to show up late for Fastpasses. You are not cheating anyone out of a ride. There will be the same number of riders on that day whether you show up on time or not.

Now....accepting passes from another day would throw the whole system off....

My fix? Well...it would require too much of an upgrade.....but, it would be awesome.....

When you put your park ticket into the Fastpass machine....you are given times from the earliest available all the way until the park closes. You pick your time. Each time slot has an alotted amount of Fastpasses and will sell out when all the passes are gone. That way....I can get a Fastpass at 1pm before leaving the park for my afternoon nap...pick 7pm as my time....and come back to ride Space Mountain at 7pm (which is what I do now anyway).

Yes...I realize this doesn't "make more money" for Disney because I am leaving the park and sleeping in my Disney hotel room....but, I'm looking at it from a customer's point of view. Disney probably has a different point of view

I'm in the same boat with the others that stated. I will not use a Fastpass on a different day....but, I will use a Fastpass later ON THE SAME DAY if they allow it. If they don't allow it, I won't fuss, fight, throw a tantrum, or try to sue Disney.....it will just mean a little extra walking to go all the way across the park and catch my Fastpass window.

Now...if they start charging for Fastpass....I won't visit Disney as often. I don't like the whole "I'm richer than you and can afford it....so, I should be in the front of the line while you are in the back waiting for 2 hours for a ride." That's why I stay away from Universal....

Speed

 

[bicker]

If CMs don't mind, why all the fuss?

FastPass isn't for the convenience of CMs. It is for the convenience of guests. See the other thread in this forum about long wait times on the FastPass queues.

 

[jultomzach]

ex·pire ( P ) Pronunciation Key (k-spr)
v. ex·pired, ex·pir·ing, ex·pires
v. intr.
To come to an end; terminate: My membership in the club has expired.

 

[TinyLolitaBunny]

well it does make sense. they wouldnt make them expire if this wasnt the case.

 

[simzac]

I wouldn't even have the guts to try to use an expired fastpass.

 

[buzz2400]

Last year I went to a cm at test track and asked about using the fast pass later that day. We had been crossing back and forth for soarin and test track (even was accused by a cm that I was a lying about getting a fp for soarin when the machine broke down). Because of being accused and going back and forth first thing in the morning I was getting into a pretty foul mood at this time. I did not want to run all the way over to soarin again to use the fast pass and cm told me it would be all right to use it later that day. I then tried it out at the other parks (all fp were for same day). Never had a problem. Usually we do use it within the alloted time but I want to test this out.

About Disney not making money on the fp system. That is so wrong. I get to go on one nice vacation a year and I keep going to Disney because it is pretty much stressfree. If and when they get rid of fp, I probably will start looking elsewhere to vacation. I am not going to spend all my money to stand in very long lines for a two minute ride (especially when the only time I can go is the summer). And also the notion that they will offer more fp's to the "rich and famous" who could afford the higher end hotels...I am a single parent trying to make ends meet and really can't afford the vacation I take.

Just wanted to put my 2 cents in.

 

[stevo712]

I love the fast pass you get to do so much more things when you get them.

 

[MommyPoppins]

That's true, but until people started trying to use old FPs in significant numbers, CMs haven't been too careful about denying them.

Hehe... wishful thinking. It was never a rule, written or otherwise. It was what a lot of opportunistic folks wanted to be true, and something many CMs let slide, and may continue to let slide, but the program description is very clear that you must use your FPs during the designated time.

On a recent visit while using a late FP on Kali, the CM taking FP's was calling out loudly for people with FP whose times were anything past the start time could come on in. We've never had a problem using late FP's, never had a CM give us a 'tude. We started using late FP's accidently. One time we couldn't get back to SpM in time and returned several hours later and they said it was no problem. The FP ticket has a return time, yes, but on the back of the ticket it clearly states that they cannot accept early arrivals, however, no where does it say,"we cannot accept late arrivals." Just as it's not a "written rule" to accept late FP it's also not a "written rule" to not accept them. It's just one of those things about disney that makes a trip that much better for those in the "know". Just as most people go without touring plans or the "best days charts" most people assume you HAVE To ALWAYS go in your FP return window. We know better.

Disclaimer: I know people are always gonna be pissed because they are the unofficial WDW police(mugs, pools, table sharing, FPs, dining plan, etc...), but get over it. If Disney allows it, don't get your panties in such a twist. However, I have never heard of using day old FP, can I use my old ones from March. J/K! We always ride all the rides we want first thing in the morning and get FP at ever availble time, that way we can ride again before we leave, or later when we come back. We are always prepared to take our late FP and crawl away with our tail between our legs if turned away, and we would never return late for Soarin'.

 

[speedyf]

ex·pire ( P ) Pronunciation Key (k-spr)
v. ex·pired, ex·pir·ing, ex·pires
v. intr.
To come to an end; terminate: My membership in the club has expired.

No where on the Fastpass does it say that the "2nd time" is the "expiration" time. No where on the Fastpass ticket does it say "expire".

It does however state....and I quote:

"Cannot accept early arrivals. Valid only on date printed."

Here ya go....a few images....

Speed

 

[MissK]

Does anyone have a picture of what a Fastpass actually LOOKS like? I keep hearing about there being two times on it but I've not actually seen.

 

[beattyfamily]

It seems so simple to me. The Fastpass states:

"Between 6:51p and 7:51p"

NOT

"From 6:51p to Park Closing"

and NOT

"Anytime after 6:51p"

It's up the the CMs working; it's an unwritten thing 'some' CMs do, so don't be upset or disappointed if they turn you away.

 

[SnackyStacky]

No where on the Fastpass does it say that the "2nd time" is the "expiration" time. No where on the Fastpass ticket does it say "expire".

It does however state....and I quote:

"Cannot accept early arrivals. Valid only on date printed."

Here ya go....a few images....

Speed

It also says "Please enter the FASTPASS entrance at the attraction between the times noted on the other side."

While it doesn't necessarily say "expire", it does ask you to be there between the times listed.

I don't care either way, really. I'm just sayin'!

 

[DaisyD]

We are always late for our fasspass times. If we find ourselves in the other end of the park we just get there when we get there. We've done this since fasspass has come out and have never had a problem. Every CM has told us that we can come back anytime after the start time. No biggie. We will continue to do so.

 

[speedyf]

It's up the the CMs working; it's an unwritten things 'some' CMs do, so don't be upset or disappointed if they turn you away.

I totally agree. We usually arrive early and hit the headliner attractions first thing in the morning...like SM, Splash, BTMRR etc.....then, I collect fastpasses throughout the day. We then return to our room after lunch for a nap....and return to the park in the early evening with several fastpasses in hand to hit the headliners again with no waiting.

If they turned me away....I would probably be a little disappointed...but, I've ridden the rides earlier in the day....so, it wouldn't be that big of a deal. I wouldn't cause a scene....I'd just say..."OK, thanks." and be on my way.

I guess everyone can argue until they are blue in the face about this....but, as long as they keep "allowing" this to happen....I will continue to tour using that knowledge. If I get denied enough, then I'll change my plans.....

Speed

 

[bicker]

About Disney not making money on the fp system. That is so wrong.

Well, they've got the data. And from what I could see, I haven't noticed any significant crowding in the souvenir shops. I haven't noticed a lot more people carrying a lot more bags from the stores around the parks. What have you seen?

 

[bicker]

Disclaimer: I know people are always gonna be pissed because they are the unofficial WDW police

I'm always amused at people who say things like this, as if they're proud of advocating dishonesty, deception, abuse, exploitation, rule-breaking, etc. If you have to defend your position with a statement like this, perhaps you should re-think your position. What is interesting is that for those who are advocating integrity, no matter how much they re-think their position, they cannot find the down-side.

It's up the the CMs working

Precisely. Any guest who thinks they have a right to do something because it is what they personally think is reasonable is really deluding themselves. If it says 10am - 11am then after 11am anything you can do with that little piece of paper is sheer pixie dust -- generosity to be thankful for. And if the answer turns out to be no, there would be no basis on which to be upset or annoyed with the CM or the park.

 

[kaytieeldr]

I wouldn't even have the guts to try to use an expired fastpass.

Oh, I would. I wouldn't try to sneak it past the Greeter - I'd explain why I'd missed the FastPass window and ASK if I could still use it. Once. Yes, great; no, well, I messed up, not Disney. BTW, at DisneyLand the practice IS to allow FastPass use any time after the window starts until the end of THAT day.

 

[Disney Doll]

What about in the case of ride breakdowns? Last summer, my mom and sister had FP's for Soarin', but it broke down and was not back up for the rest of the day they were at EPCOT. They went back to EPCOT a couple of days later and were informed that if they had still had the FP's from the other day they would have been able to use them that afternoon. Is this not true?

That might be true, but that is an extenuating circumstance, and one where Disney is trying to turn a negative guest experience(a broken down ride)into a positive one (fast-passing once the ride is up) even if it on a different day.

To try to use an expired, whether it is 5 minutes or 5 days, fast pass because you didn't go back to the ride is ridiculous.

If a CM let me do this, I would consider it a bit of pixie dust . I certainly wouldn't have the expectation that it would be acceptable or done all the time. Nor would I feel like I was entitled to use any FP I had any time I wanted.

I have some doubts about this post, since it's a new poster (40) and a controversial subject. I think we have a troll here folks.

 

[tinker&belle]

That might be true, but that is an extenuating circumstance, and one where Disney is trying to turn a negative guest experience(a broken down ride)into a positive one (fast-passing once the ride is up) even if it on a different day.

To try to use an expired, whether it is 5 minutes or 5 days, fast pass because you didn't go back to the ride is ridiculous.

If a CM let me do this, I would consider it a bit of pixie dust . I certainly wouldn't have the expectation that it would be acceptable or done all the time. Nor would I feel like I was entitled to use any FP I had any time I wanted.

I have some doubts about this post, since it's a new poster (40) and a controversial subject. I think we have a troll here folks.

Maybe the previous day thing is a troll-type thing, but if CMs are giving the information, I don't see why everyone has an issue. MANY people have stated CMs have said this is park policy. I don't understand why people want to argue about something that disney is endorseing. I am glad they are the ones doing customer service.

 

[bicker]

Re-read the first message in this thread again.