Fast Pass return strategy as capacity increases?

[Jaydee51]

Combination of factors are leading to increase in park visitors and 60-90 wait times are becoming normal again. With short park hours and no fast pass, park days are spent in queues and stationary eating/drinking. Any thoughts on Disney strategy for bringing Fast Pass back?

 

[skeeter31]

Not for a long time. Wait times are long right now because of the holidays. They will drop of significantly after the new year until March or April. They won’t rush back FP as it will just make lines and wait times longer.

 

[Jaydee51]

Why does fast pass make lines longer?

 

[tin2003white]

Actually, I might even ask if FP queues might be better because it would keep the lines separated and move along more quickly. Being around people for 5-10 minutes would be better than 20 min, wouldn’t it?

 

[fancymouse]

Why does fast pass make lines longer?

It technically might make standby lines longer because they stop to load FP lines, but with a defined capacity I don’t think it’s as easy as just saying it makes “lines longer” as the same amount of people are in the park regardless. It’s really just more of a different crowd pattern.

 

[ngl]

Only my opinion so take it only for that but I do not see them bringing back Fast Pass until masks and social distancing are not required meaning the virus percentage is lower nationwide (and no clue what that is or when that may be!) For those of you that have been to WDW recently (we went over Tgiving) you know the lines now go every which way starting far back from the attraction entrance with the goal, as I understand it, to keep people outside buildings as long as possible with limited time inside structures. For many rides they achieve this but using spaces that were previously used for the lines for Fast Pass. Not saying they could not reconfigure but think it may be difficult to space people out. The lack of Fast Pass has us rethinking plans for our typical May trip. By the end of the week at Tgiving lines were long and we had warmer than usual weather (we live 1 hr from WDW). In May, the weather will make it much more difficult to handle the waits. We are DVC, AP, and always made the most of FP so very disappointed at that prospect but not sure how else they would make the lines work.

 

[Jroceagles]

Here now and see people in the fast pass line. Are they testing it?

 

[HokieRaven5]

Here now and see people in the fast pass line. Are they testing it?

No, there are still Rider Swap passes given out where those people can use the fastpass line. Also i'm not sure if rides shut down they give out return passes for any ride (i know when i was in line for SDD, MMRR shut down and a whole bunch of people came into the fastpass line for SDD).

I think there are other reasons people would get to use the fastpass line, but someone else may be able to better share how they are using it.

 

[fancymouse]

Here now and see people in the fast pass line. Are they testing it?

Rider Swap, VIP tours, passes given out when a ride breaks down, DAS (probably the majority of passes you are seeing), Club 33, and Golden Oak residents

 

[BennyBoyWrench]

I for one would rejoice if fast passes were resigned to the past, our experience there this week was so good. Fast passes create a two-tier system, and as FancyMouse says, slows up the line for those who weren't lucky enough to snag FOP 6 months ago (it might be 3, but I'm ranting so won't stop to check facts). I never visited WDW before past passes arrived, but Mrs Wrench tells me it was like old-times this week, where you just lined up for a ride because it was there, not because you saw a window of opportunity. I'd do away with the wait times in the app too - having people flock to an area because it's quiet goes against what the world will demand even post-covid.

 

[HokieRaven5]

I for one would rejoice if fast passes were resigned to the past, our experience there this week was so good. Fast passes create a two-tier system, and as FancyMouse says, slows up the line for those who weren't lucky enough to snag FOP 6 months ago (it might be 3, but I'm ranting so won't stop to check facts). I never visited WDW before past passes arrived, but Mrs Wrench tells me it was like old-times this week, where you just lined up for a ride because it was there, not because you saw a window of opportunity. I'd do away with the wait times in the app too - having people flock to an area because it's quiet goes against what the world will demand even post-covid.

I'm with you on this. I loved not having to plan out fast passes 60+ days out, not having to scour my phone for new FPs for my family group (8+) or trying to find multiples of smaller groups in close proximity in time to one another so we could stick together. The ability to have a truly spontaneous trip into a disney park and not actually having a plan in my head for a change made it so relaxing for me.

 

[kimmar067]

They've just announced that the park reservation system has been extended to January 2023.