Fast Pass Inquiry

[nkkilala]

OK I just returned from a wonderful week at the world!! I had only 2 icky CM encounters.....One bugged me that I thought I would ask about the dispute here.
I know that on a Fast Pass it gives you a one hour window to return. How many of you return within that hour?? I normally get going with other attractions and return about an hour or 2 after the window.....It has never been a problem until now..
The CM saw my fast pass was late and wansn't going to let me in the FP lane... I very nicely commented that I have been to the world several times since fast pass started and never had a problem going to an attraction late. My FP had always been honored.
He huffed and said he would let it slide...He did however have to initial our FP....(which to CM at the attraction didn't even look at).

Has anyone ever had this problem? I know it says to go in that hour but I never have before.

What has your experiance been?

 

[hulagirl87]

I think that the fast pass is basically a "reservation" for a time to come back to the ride. They give out a certain number of them per time slot. Maybe they are getting stricter about letting people through after their fast pass time because then too many people will "bunch up" I've always just gone at my time because I've thought that was the time for me. I wouldn't get a fast pass otherwise.

 

[lizanne]

We always use the fastpass during the time specified........except once......
We arrived about 15 minutes early and were made to wait until the time indicated on the fp.

There was a time we arrived at the FP time on our ticket for RnR in MGM. The FP line was as long as the regular line. Apparently the ride had been shut down for a while for some reason, so everyone with a FP to be used during the shut down time could get in the FP lane.

 

[MdmMim]

If I don't make it back to the ride within the hour shown on the FP, then I figure I'm just out of luck. I don't try to use an expired FP.

 

[Mister Incredible]

I typically never make it back within the hour and have never had a problem going after the time. Even up to 3 or 4 hours late.

I was told by a CM that you can not go early, but late is not a problem.

 

[drew2wdw]

OK I just returned from a wonderful week at the world!! I had only 2 icky CM encounters.....One bugged me that I thought I would ask about the dispute here.
I know that on a Fast Pass it gives you a one hour window to return. How many of you return within that hour?? I normally get going with other attractions and return about an hour or 2 after the window.....It has never been a problem until now..
The CM saw my fast pass was late and wansn't going to let me in the FP lane... I very nicely commented that I have been to the world several times since fast pass started and never had a problem going to an attraction late. My FP had always been honored.
He huffed and said he would let it slide...He did however have to initial our FP....(which to CM at the attraction didn't even look at).

Has anyone ever had this problem? I know it says to go in that hour but I never have before.

What has your experiance been?

At which attraction did you have this problem? I ask this because the only attraction I've read that people have had problems using fastpasses AFTER their time window was at Soarin'. For some reason they seem more strict there.

 

[CarolA]

I don't think you have a valid complaint here.

The FP gives a beginning and ending time.... yes, normally Disney has let you "ignore" that section apparently, but there is nothing that says they will "ignore" the ending time.

I really wish they would just ENFORCE that rule. I find it amazing that folks show up two hours late assuming that there expired fast pass will be good. Kind of defeats the entire scheduling system.

 

[drogerstn]

We were told to come back later with our FP when Test Track was broken down during our return time. Other than that, I don't remember ever returning to an attraction after our return time window.

I'm interested as well to hear more on this...

 

[tink too]

We've only ever used our FP's during the specified window - I didn't know that some CM's would honour them no matter what time you returned!

 

[Babs50]

I always use my FP at the time specified on the ticket. I agree with the above post that late FP arrivals may cause delays for people who are there at the correct time. It's not too hard to be in the general area when you have an hour leeway.

 

[Can'twaittogo]

My only experience is at DL. There we would get fastpasses with no intention of returning within the 1 hour window. In two trips we never ever had anyone question this practice. It may also surprise you that it never created line ups at the fastpass entrance. It is a little known fact (coming back later) which I originally learned about from reading internet boards. I'm really hoping when we go in December we will be able to do this because it cuts down on back-tracking tremendously.

 

[PantherFanStan]

tick....tick...tick...tick.....

Just waiting for the righteous indignation bomb to go off.

 

[SunshineOR]

I have to ditto can'twaittogo. My only experience is at DL, where actually a CM saw us dragging our kids from a play area to make a fastpass time and encouraged us to relax. He told us that we could go use a fastpass anytime after our return window begins. We use our fastpasses anytime of the day after the window when it's convenient for us and we've never seen a pile-up or had a CM even raise an eyebrow. Sorry if that offends anyone! Maybe DL is different, or maybe the practice is being changed...

 

[daisyduck123]

We've never tried to use our Fastpasses after the allotted time. I figure..they are giving us an hour to return, so that's when we return.

 

[tawasdave]

Just back from the World...actually..we never went back at our assigned time...always at least an hour or more late...was never a problem...

 

[MidgeD79]

Our family has always made it back for our fastpass window. We also try to bend the rules on other things. It can't hurt to try or ask for anything but i try not to get upset if someone tells me no, even if another someone has let me do it.

 

[Schmeck]

We had FPs to Test Track, and I ended up feeling sick and in need of a restroom break right at our FP time. We were not able to get to Test Track on time, and approached the CM at the FP return about 2 hours late. I explained that we knew our FPs had expired, but that I had been feeling ill and hadn't been able to use them at the right time. I asked if we could use them now, he thanked me for the explanation, said he hoped I felt better (definitely, or I wouldn't be going on Test Track, that's for sure!) and to enjoy the ride. When I had first handed him the expired passes, he gave me a questioning look, so I know he noticed the time on them.

 

[pixiedust23]

We always manage to get there on time. In Feb I was there with my mother and we got FP for Soarin and then finished up everythting we wanted to do in Epcot, took the monorail to MK did a bunch of stuff over there and were still able to get back within our FP time frame...we were actually a couple min early and waited to get on the line.

I agree def not hard to be there in your hour and just b/c someone else let you break the rules doesnt mean you should expect it to happen all the time. Perhaps the FP time was already unusually long when you tried to use your expired FP or maybe he'd just gotten yelled at by his boss for lettin gpeople in.

 

[taximomfor4]

we tried it twice, and were ALMOST turned away once, plus turned away at the other.

Jungle Cruise, I was told no, we missed our window and was about to walk away (we knew we had taken a chance) when the other cm (think they were in the middle of taking over for the first cm) approached and told me to take my family and go on in.

The Voyage of the Little Mermaid show, I think, apparently is assigning you to a particular show ... so if you are there for a different one, they won't let you in. At least that is what they explained to us.

Oh, and Soarin'. I completely understand why they would prefer not to honor late fp returners, their fp line is long enough!

 

[Hannathy]

We have always gone at the right time. I wish they would get stricter with this. Think about it if everyone just starts coming back when they feel like it what is the point in trying to schedule and space out the people.