Fast Pass Return Time Enforcement

[candy0730]

Won't fast passes still run out if people are not aware of the enforcement change (if and when there is one)? I think initially the fast passes will continue to run out early for the headliners since people will not be aware that the return time is being enforced and many people will continue to collect them early. The difference will be alot of wasted fast passes and much longer stand by queues. In the beginning it will be much harder for the fast passes to be used as intended if no notice is given that the return time is being enforced. Maybe I am over estimating the number of people that use fast pass late.

 

[HydroGuy]

I for one wish that if they did start enforcing the window that they would also expand it to 90-120 minutes. As has been stated elsewhere, FP return times in the 1 hour timeframe sometimes conflict with Dining Reservations or show schedules.A two-hour window, while not 100% eliminating the issue, would make this a lot less likely, and therefore hopefully would result in less "complaints". By changing the window size, it would also really deliniate for guest that the system has been "changed". I still think they will get a lot of angry customers if they do not give any "warning" that things are changing. I can't complain about not being able to use them late if I know ahead of time, but if I wasn't told of the change, I would be pretty upset if I held my FP expecting to use them late and then was told I can't only after they were expired. You can say that was my fault for "abusing the system" but again Disney has set up to allow that "abuse" with no reprocussions, so if it changes without my knowledge, why wouldn't I be upset?

I agree with the window expansion idea. A basic issue IMO with window enforcement is the guest can't choose the window. At WDW the situation is complicated with their strong emphasis on dining reservations and often shorter park hours. DLR has similar issues but they are not as strong.

At a theme park like DLR it can be hard making a window. Parades delay crossing Main Street. Fireworks crowd the hub. And dining reservations can mean one being seating late or being served late. And folks with kids know how delays occur. DLR and WDW have offer so many spontaneous opportunites with street shows and characters, etc. It adds tension to have to pull kids away from a street performer because of a FP window.

So expand the FP window to 2 hours or maybe 3 hours. Or if the one hour window must be maintained then allow guests to choose their own FP window rather than starting windows in the morning and then progressing throughout the day.

 

[BNM]

Well I for one hope they never stop accepting late fast passes. It just removes so much stress, not having to worry about being back in that area of the park at a certain time. And an hour is WAY too restrictive. You might get in a line with a posted 20 min wait that turns into 40 min. Then you've missed the window.

We just got back and 1/3 of the fast passes we used in the window, 1/3 way after, and the other third went unused. On these very boards I became aware of the strategy to take a break midday, and that was the main reason we had such a great time! But one some days the kids can make it until 2, on some they are ready for a break at 11. All these people who say you should plan better and only take the passes you will use, well, that's great for them but it won't work for us. At least not right now. I can just see myself dragging my wailing toddler through the parks because star tours is a must do for my older son, and we have a fastpass that doesn't become valid until noon. And it's a busy Saturday.

We went on purpose during a slow time, but it was still busy on Saturday and I was happy there was some flexibility with the passes. My kids took a 2.5 hr nap that day too. I would not have woken them up to meet a fastpass window, that's for sure.

I just don't think this policy change is coming to dlr anytime soon. Fast passes just aren't as big of a deal. It seems like fewer rides have them, and when we were there the machines were closed a lot, but maybe that's because it was slow. We had some instant fast passes, but didn't use all of those either. But it was nice to repeat a ride twice in a row with no wait (BTMRR)!


Late use of fast passes has no net effect on wait times. This has been explained multiple times over on the wdw thread. The folks who designed fastpass were aware of this. They are only changing it now because of bigger changes in the works regarding xpass.

 

[zoey9797]

@ HydroGuy

Agreed!
So, can you send that memo to Disney?

 

[Peace.love.mickey]

Maybe MW will have a "trade your FP section" bah ha ha ha!!!

 

[estherhead]

Won't fast passes still run out if people are not aware of the enforcement change (if and when there is one)? I think initially the fast passes will continue to run out early for the headliners since people will not be aware that the return time is being enforced and many people will continue to collect them early. The difference will be alot of wasted fast passes and much longer stand by queues. In the beginning it will be much harder for the fast passes to be used as intended if no notice is given that the return time is being enforced. Maybe I am over estimating the number of people that use fast pass late.

I have a feeling they will nip this in the bud with the CM at the FP distribution areas pointing out you have to come back within the range.

 

[starshine514]

I have a feeling they will nip this in the bud with the CM at the FP distribution areas pointing out you have to come back within the range.

This and have signs posted at the FP distribution machines saying that the FP return times will be strictly enforced.

 

[Armadillo4]

Maybe I am over estimating the number of people that use fast pass late.

I think this is a good point. No one knows exactly how many people use their FPs after the posted return time. I do think that it's over estimated in these threads. We've seen several posters in this thread who were unaware of the late return feature until it was brought up here. Personally, I use a FP after the printed return time about 50% of the time. If the change in enforcement comes to DL, I'll happily comply with the new policy. I'm sure that when FPs were first introduced, pretty much everyone used them during the printed return window--or the FPs went unused. We'll just go back to the way it was.

I have a feeling they will nip this in the bud with the CM at the FP distribution areas pointing out you have to come back within the range.

This is a great suggestion and I hope DL managers implement this!* They should station CMs at the FP machines and notify guests that they need to come back during the printed times. This should help educate those guests who haven't heard of the change in policy and were planning on returning late.

*Again, assuming this policy comes to DL. As it stands, it's confirmed for WDW, but only rumor for DL.

 

[skiingfast]

Not to totally beat a dead horse here, but we'll be there March 7-10...is this confirmed that it's starting then?

It has been confirmed that there is no planned start date for this.

 

[Leofoenget]

While I hate to argue with someone who is on my side in the Fastpass debate, your post might be the most hateful thing I have read all month!
Sorry, but locals have just as much right to a Disney Day as tourists. My California money is just as green as Utah, Colorado, Arizona, Japanese, Australian or otherwise.
In fact given the difference in park attendance during peak and non-peak season, I would have to say it is not all locals packing the parks and keeping the lines long. In fact during the summer when all the "cheapo" passes are blacked out and the line for Space Mountain is 90 minutes I wonder if you will be in favor of Disney "driving the tourists away."

Wow hateful, such a powerful word

 

[aan1701]

I would like to chime in on this topic. I am sorry if this my upset some. First off I would like to say I wish Fastpass would go away into Yesterland. I agree with WDI VP John Lasiter, not standing in line takes away from the story being told. Look at Indiana Jones before Fastpass. I looked forward to standing in line each and every time I rode that ride. That being said. I don't think that Disney needs to post a sign or anything. It clearly says what time you need to come back by. If you can't make it back in that time frame, don't get the Fastpass. I am sorry I know I am in a huge minority here, but this is just how I feel.

 

[Dolby1000]

So, bear with me here, I'm a bit of a historian, and I find all this debate about Fast Pass Time return enforcement pretty interesting, and actually representative of the American Mind. Also please keep in mind that this post is totally tongue-in-cheek meant to be more amusing than serious.

Go back to the late 1600s - 1770s. Britian had rules (laws) about how the Colonies (that's us) were to abide by British law and support the British government. For decades, nearly a hundred years, Britian didn't enforce many of the laws, including those on taxation. Then Britian had wars, several of them, with France, Spain and nearly all of Europe. Wars are expensive so at some time the King said, hey, it is time the Colonies paid up and supplied the kingdom with needed funds. Heck no, we said, we have RIGHTS, and you have no right to come to us support your kingdom! We protest! We quit on the British kingdom, fight us if you dare! And in 1776 we formally declared foul and in 1783 won our freedom. Really, you can look this up, it's in all the history books, even the ones where Japan claims to have bombed Pearl Harbor after Hiroshima (but that is off topic, isn't it).
Go forward about 240 years, Disney begins the Fastpass program. For whatever reason, they include return times on the pass. For years, Disney, again, for whatever reason, decides to let customers not be restrictied to those return times and many customers decide that if the rule (law) is not enforeced, then it really isn't a law (rule) at all.
My point is that it is just so American to get upset when the enforcer of the rules decides to enforce the rule, even long after the rule was enacted. Disney is tramping on our RIGHTS to use the Fast Pass return times as we see fit. Bad Disney!
Lesson: If you are the maker of the rules, and you create a rule, enforce it from the onset, otherwise, American's will consider it not a rule and will PROTEST.
Again, please take this in the humorous vein I intend. I do not expect that customer's will sieze and overtake Disney.

Dolby1000

 

[scion5220]

I would like to chime in on this topic. I am sorry if this my upset some. First off I would like to say I wish Fastpass would go away into Yesterland. I agree with WDI VP John Lasiter, not standing in line takes away from the story being told. Look at Indiana Jones before Fastpass. I looked forward to standing in line each and every time I rode that ride. That being said. I don't think that Disney needs to post a sign or anything. It clearly says what time you need to come back by. If you can't make it back in that time frame, don't get the Fastpass. I am sorry I know I am in a huge minority here, but this is just how I feel.

I agree...the last few times I rode Indy I went thru the single rider line and the entire experience was diminished. So much time and effort has been expended in the last decade to make most of the queues actually interesting that people are actually missing out when they completely bypass all lines. I understand people want to ride as many things as possible, but generations of people had fun at Disney parks before the advent of FastPass..it IS possible!

 

[HydroGuy]

I would like to chime in on this topic. I am sorry if this my upset some. First off I would like to say I wish Fastpass would go away into Yesterland. I agree with WDI VP John Lasiter, not standing in line takes away from the story being told. Look at Indiana Jones before Fastpass. I looked forward to standing in line each and every time I rode that ride. That being said. I don't think that Disney needs to post a sign or anything. It clearly says what time you need to come back by. If you can't make it back in that time frame, don't get the Fastpass. I am sorry I know I am in a huge minority here, but this is just how I feel.

I agree...the last few times I rode Indy I went thru the single rider line and the entire experience was diminished. So much time and effort has been expended in the last decade to make most of the queues actually interesting that people are actually missing out when they completely bypass all lines. I understand people want to ride as many things as possible, but generations of people had fun at Disney parks before the advent of FastPass..it IS possible!

There is nothing preventing you or others from going slowly through the Indy queue of they want.

 

[scion5220]

There is nothing preventing you or others from going slowly through the Indy queue of they want.

I will next time, going in through the exit for single rider was sort of a bummer.

I've ridden it many times though, so maybe alternating would be good.

 

[CrazyDuck]

Some queues are worth the wait... others not so much...

Back on topic... I read that enforcing these fastpass rules is being done to accomodate the new XPass users. If so, does this mean we may see XPass coming to the DLR?

 

[todzwife]

While I don't mind so much waiting in line while it's just me and my husband...adding children to the mix really negates any "magic" the queue line is supposed to have.

I appreciate the fastpasses for what they are. A time saver. A sanity saver when you have kids who don't understand WHY you are waiting, and waiting, and waiting... The fastpasses are helpful so that there is LESS of that waiting, and more riding, because let's face it. No 4 year old is going to see the magic while waiting in line to ride Pooh, or the Matterhorn, or Small World. They just know they are standing there, not moving very fast, staring at everyone's kneecaps (unless you are holding them, in which case your back will thank you for the shorter wait).

 

[rramstad]

Yeah, I'm not feeling very good about all of this. I have three kids, and my middle child, 8 year old son, loses his mind if he's in line more than about 20 minutes. We had a great trip in July 2011 and he's asked repeatedly about going back, but if we had restrictions on FastPass, it would be hard, especially as we used the "classic" structure of touring hard in the morning, taking some time in the afternoon off for nap or pool, and heading back in the evening. Being able to use FastPass made our evenings enjoyable, if we couldn't (i.e. if AM FastPasses had to be used in the AM) it would make it so we'd effectively have half the time every day, as the evenings would be difficult enough that I suspect we wouldn't be able to handle more than a couple of hours plus an activity or something like that. With FastPass, we can alternate using FP with waiting in line in the evening, and that makes the whole thing a LOT easier to deal with. Especially in (hot) July!

 

[3Minnies1Mickey]

Some queues are worth the wait... others not so much...

Back on topic... I read that enforcing these fastpass rules is being done to accomodate the new XPass users. If so, does this mean we may see XPass coming to the DLR?

Not necessarily. I heard they're pushing enforcement at both park to keep some unity in policies. However after awhile it's likely to relax again. Possibly after a year.

 

[SilentFeline]

There seems to be some confusion as to whether or not this will happen at DLR. It was really nice being able to save FPs until later in the day, but I do of course know that it was not official policy to allow guests to do so. So, although bummed about the possibility of the FP time being enforced, I will adapt and plan accordingly since they do have the right to enforce it at any time. However, I agree with HydroGuy, zoey9797, and skier_pete that the window should really be extended (or as HydroGuy said, we should be allowed to pick a window ourselves) so as to create less conflict with our schedules, which can and do change rapidly. I wouldn't mind the 1-hour window so much if I were able to go to DLR whenever I wanted, but I currently only get the chance to go to DLR once every 2 or 3 years, and I want to minimize the stress as much as possible. Running to and from FP attractions that may not be very close to each other would be a hassle and I wouldn't want to always have to be looking at my watch.

Also, I wonder what would happen if a ride that offers FPs was broken down during the stated return time? I would imagine this would create somewhat of a nightmare for the CMs, but I could be wrong. In any case, I'll continue to go to DLR with a smile on my face. I guess we'll just all have to wait and see what happens.