fast Passes

[rsvdaz]

do they operate the same as the WDW ones?
Ive been reading witgh regard to DLR planning to get your fast passes in the morning
at WDW you can only get one at a time (ok two if your fast pass time has commenced)..can you get multi fast passes at DLR?

 

[S. S. Columbia]

FPs at DLR work almost exactly like the FPs at WDW.

At MK, the first FP window usually starts about 1 hour after you get the FP, i.e., you get a FP for Space Mtn at 9:05am, and the Return Time will be 10:05 to 11:05am.

At DL, the first FP window will usually start approximately 45 minutes after, i.e., you get a FP for Space Mtn at 8:05am, and the Return Time will be 8:50 to 9:50am.

At DL (just like WDW), the FP does not have to be used during the Return Time "one hour window." For example, if the Return Time for Space Mtn is 8:50 to 9:50am, then you can return to the FastPass line anytime between 8:50am to DL's closing time, as long as it's the same day.

There are a couple of ways to get multi-FPs at the same time:

- DL's Roger Rabbit (RRCTS) is not connected to DL's FP "network" -- so even if you just got a FP, you can also get a FP for RRCTS.

- DL's and DCA's FP "networks" are not connected, so you could get a FP at DL, then walk across to DCA and right away get another FP in DCA.

- DCA's Grizzly River Run (GRRrrrrrrr) used to be another attraction that was not connected to the DCA FP "network," but lately we've been hearing that it is now connected. GRRrrrrrr may or may not be connected.

There are great FP threads in the HydroGuy Tips Compilation sticky at the top of this forum.

In the thread "Which Fast Pass First?" (post #4) HydroGuy explains how you could ideally get 6 FPs before 12:00 Noon:

DL
Assume DL opens at 8AM - this is the order you should get your FastPasses in an ideal world. Modify this is as necessary to fit your group, location in the parks, and available time.

1. Space Mtn (get FP @8:10AM - next FP time will be 8:55AM - you can use this FP anytime after 8:55AM)
2. Splash Mtn (get FP @8:55AM - next FP time will be 9:40AM - you can use this FP anytime after 9:40AM)
3. Indiana Jones (get FP @9:40AM - next FP time will be about 10:30AM - you can use this FP anytime after 10:30AM)
4. Buzz Lightyear (get FP @10:30AM - next FP time will be about 11:15AM - you can use this FP anytime after 11:15AM)
5. Big Thunder Mtn RR (get FP @11:15AM - next FP time will be about 12:00PM - you can use this FP anytime after 12:00PM)
6. Autopia (get FP @12:00PM - next FP time will be about 12:45PM - you can use this FP anytime after about 12:45PM)

There is one other FP opportunity at DL: Roger Rabbit. Roger Rabbit is not connected to the DL FP system and you can get one anytime you want without conflict with other DL FastPasses.

Further, I no longer get FPs for Autopia after realizing the FP return line can be a 25 minute wait. If I only had one day at DL, I would get an Autopia FP. But if I had multiple days, I would plan Autopia for an early morning thru the standby line.

DCA

Similar logic holds. Here is the ideal order to get FastPasses:

1. Soaring over Ca
2. California Screamin
3. Tower of Terror
4. Mulholland Madness

HTH

 

[rsvdaz]

great. thanks for the reply

 

[rsvdaz]

one other question...say at soarin at 10am the fast pass kiosk says its issuing fast passes for between 2pm-3pm....does that mean you have you fast past allocation tied up until 2pm...or can you still get another one 45/60mins later?

 

[bumbershoot]

one other question...say at soarin at 10am the fast pass kiosk says its issuing fast passes for between 2pm-3pm....does that mean you have you fast past allocation tied up until 2pm...or can you still get another one 45/60mins later?

The max time between FP allotment is going to be 2 hours, I believe. So even if you have a 4 or 5 hour timespan between getting it and being able to use it...after 2 hours you will be able to get another.

The biggest thing to know is that the time you can get another FP will be printed on the bottom of the FP you just got.



By the way S.S. Columbia, that was a most excellent answer you gave!

 

[DIS~n~JAN]

Sorry... I just want to double check on this.

My understanding is you can collect a few FP throughout the day, and not necessarily use them on the return time??? Anytime during that day??? What do the CM's say if it's not the right time when you return to ride???
Is this right?

so I should pick up a FP when I can, and try to get a few of them?

 

[avalon451]

Sorry... I just want to double check on this.

My understanding is you can collect a few FP throughout the day, and not necessarily use them on the return time??? Anytime during that day??? What do the CM's say if it's not the right time when you return to ride???
Is this right?

so I should pick up a FP when I can, and try to get a few of them?

Yes-- little known fact: CMs are instructed NOT to regard return time on the same day. So,for example, you could get FPs in the morning for Indy, Space and Splash, go over to California Adventure and pick up FPs for GRR, Soarin and Screamin', go take your midday break and have lunch, then come back and use them all right in a row. The CMs will not even blink at the return time, as long as it is today's date. They started this early on, when people started complaining that they couldn't always make it back in time for their return time for whatever reason. This is why Hydroguy's tips (Also Ridemax plans and the plans in the Unofficial Guide to DL) work so well: they all utilize this trick. You can collect FPs in the morning and ride all the non-FP rides while the lines are still low-- then come back later when the lines are 60 + minutes and ride with little or no wait.

For a more complete explanation, see Hydroguy's Tips compilation: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1520483 Especially the FastPass section. Hope that helps!

 

[Eeee-va]

I'm not trying to start an argument or anything, but I'm a little worried. Does anyone feel guilty about getting Fastpasses early in the morning and using them much later, well after the "window"?

I never felt at all bad about using Fastpasses the "traditional" way because I thought the park guides explained how they work very clearly. You get your Fastpass, you go enjoy something else for a while, and then you come back within the window listed on the Fastpass. I figure that the average visitor can rightfully be expected to read that guide or ask a CM what Fastpass is about.

But the official guides don't say anything about the "come back anytime after the start" trick. In fact, I read a LOT about the Disney parks, especially before a vacation, but did not know anything about that trick in 2005, nor even in 2008 when I visited WDW. (I did read about WDW on the DIS boards and read an older version of the Unofficial Guide to WDW, and I don't think I read the trick at either one of them.)

I'm guessing that if everyone utilized that trick, that Fastpass would not work nearly as well later in the day...you'd have several hours' worth of people or so all trying to ride Space Mountain at 7 PM, which would lengthen the Fastpass line.

I want to get the most of my limited time at Disneyland (which will probably be a lot busier than WDW was, even though I'm going at about the same time). And obviously if someone happens to get a Fastpass and then is delayed in a way they couldn't predict, or if someone has a reservation during the return time, coming a bit late is OK--I believe that's why the CMs don't consider the ending time.

But I'm worried that I'd feel bad doing something that, if everyone did it, it would make the average person's experience worse.

 

[DIS~n~JAN]

Thanks Avalon451!!!

I really don't feel bad about learning this tip or using it. When we were in WDW we tried to use the FP system and felt so rushed trying to get back during the time window. I actually thought it was not a good idea at all and we hardly used them. For the most part it worked out as we were at WDW during the off season and lucked out with very low wait times. Now DL I'm not sure of, I have heard from alot of people that there is always lineups?? So I will use this trick and hope for a great trip! Thanks!

Personally, I love the way Universal Orlando treats their guests of their onsite hotels with front of the line pass!!! I know for Disney that would be hard, but it would be a great perk!!!

 

[PinkBudgie]

I'm not trying to start an argument or anything, but I'm a little worried. Does anyone feel guilty about getting Fastpasses early in the morning and using them much later, well after the "window"?

I never felt at all bad about using Fastpasses the "traditional" way because I thought the park guides explained how they work very clearly. You get your Fastpass, you go enjoy something else for a while, and then you come back within the window listed on the Fastpass. I figure that the average visitor can rightfully be expected to read that guide or ask a CM what Fastpass is about.

But the official guides don't say anything about the "come back anytime after the start" trick. In fact, I read a LOT about the Disney parks, especially before a vacation, but did not know anything about that trick in 2005, nor even in 2008 when I visited WDW. (I did read about WDW on the DIS boards and read an older version of the Unofficial Guide to WDW, and I don't think I read the trick at either one of them.)

I'm guessing that if everyone utilized that trick, that Fastpass would not work nearly as well later in the day...you'd have several hours' worth of people or so all trying to ride Space Mountain at 7 PM, which would lengthen the Fastpass line.

I want to get the most of my limited time at Disneyland (which will probably be a lot busier than WDW was, even though I'm going at about the same time). And obviously if someone happens to get a Fastpass and then is delayed in a way they couldn't predict, or if someone has a reservation during the return time, coming a bit late is OK--I believe that's why the CMs don't consider the ending time.

But I'm worried that I'd feel bad doing something that, if everyone did it, it would make the average person's experience worse.

Yeah, I kind of feel the same way. I felt guilty using our Space Mountian FP from the morning in the evening even though an earthquake prevented us from returning during the window! Obviously, there was nothing wrong in that case, but I still felt that way. And yes, the FP return line was very long because many people had FPs that they couldn't use all day. In general we do try to return around the return time or soon thereafter.

 

[bumbershoot]

I'm not trying to start an argument or anything, but I'm a little worried. Does anyone feel guilty about getting Fastpasses early in the morning and using them much later, well after the "window"?

But I'm worried that I'd feel bad doing something that, if everyone did it, it would make the average person's experience worse.

There's actually someone on the WDW-centric Theme Park forum that has a whole write-up about it. Basically, no, it doesn't change the average person's experience. You've got a spot held in line in the future. If you're slated to be the 7999th person on the ride (not that there are any numbers like that...I'm just illustrating the idea by using made-up numbers), the 8000th person will always have to wait for you, as will the 20,000th. So if you skip being the 7999th person and become the 19,999th person, then the 8000th through 19,998th people will get on one person earlier than they would have gotten on, and everyone after will get on right when they were going to get on anyway, with you having that spot held for you in line.

If tons of people wait, the FP line gets longer, and the CMs will just let more standby people on before the FP people anyway; they don't just keep the FP line open entirely. The FP line will be stopped, standby people will get on, then FP, then standby, and so on.

A really interesting place to watch this in action is if you get a Single Rider pass for Soarin' on a typical day. You walk right in, you walk right past all the jealous standby people. They glare at you; who do you think you are???? And then, you're STOPPED. Entirely. And alllll the people you just walked by? They all start filing down the hall further...the looks you get are super-fun. They think you've gotten into trouble! Then the standby line will be stopped, and the Single Riders will get to move forward some more, and then they are stopped, to be called forward when needed. So when there's a spot left by standby people, the SR people are called in to fill the spaces. Everyone gets on, it's not a problem. But the SR people *look* like they are skipping the whole line inside the building (they ARE skipping it outside, on the days I've ridden), but really they have to wait a bit too.

I'm not exactly sure of the experience of FP on Soarin', b/c I'm not sure we've ever used it.


And that brings up another group of people...those of us who get the FPs but don't use them! I get 'em, I wait, we forget to go back in time...when we go back the FPs aren't needed. So those FPs come home with me (I haven't yet figured out a quick way of communicating, that works coming from me, to other people that I would like to give away this slip of paper and that it will get them on the ride...I tried for awhile but no one understood, so I just bring them home) to be put into scrapbooks. So I was slated to be the 7999th person, but now I'm not going at all, so everyone after that just bumped up a person and their ride was faster for it. And if someone else shows up late, well, the people behind me are still getting the ride they were always going to get, once I got my FP.

 

[PinkBudgie]

Ok, that makes sense. I like logical discussions like this rather than feelings. I feel guilty but I'd rather think logically about if I should I not.

But what about the fact that it makes the FP line longer than it should be for that time? I don't know how many FPs are given out to return during a certain time period, but if 100 people where supposed to come back between 3 and 4 but instead they come back between 7 and 8 along with the 100 already slotted for that time period, that would double the people who were supposed to be there, right?

I find line management facinating but I think it is a little beyond my poor brain!

 

[Eeee-va]

Bumbershoot, were you referring to Dawgdad's posts? Like the one at http://www.disboards.com/archive/index.php/t-1356295.html ?

Or there are some numbers in one of Robo's posts at
http://www.disboards.com/archive/index.php/t-1326481.html
(and enough argument to make my head spin!)

I personally find Robo's explanation (which comes down to "no harm no foul") more realistic. (I agree with Dawgdad that yes, if you use an expired FP it lets someone from the standby line get in quicker, but it means people behind you in the FP line will wait longer.)

But it looks like from the arguments...er...discussions over on the WDW side, that the reason it's OK is either "Disney policy" or "no harm no foul"?

I'm certainly not saying others shouldn't use it, just to be clear. If Disney doesn't like it they can enforce it. I'm personally still unsure as far as if I should/would be comfortable using it myself, though I think the odds are good that I'll end up slipping in at least once after a FP time expires next trip, now that I know it's possible. (I have 4 expired Disney admission passes in my wallet, but no Fastpass! So I can't confirm the verbiage for myself. )

And in fairness, from the stories I've heard about people trying to give Fastpasses that they weren't going to use away to others, and being ignored/turned away, I guess trying to explain the advantage of being able to go in after the window has expired to the average tourist would probably be a lost cause.

 

[avalon451]

I can totally understand not wanting to use this trick. In fact, it's an option when you use Ridemax-- they give you a box to check to "utilize late FP return" if you want to use this trick, because some people don't feel comfortable with it.

It's funny how it seems to work out, though. So many people don't know about FP at ALL... they never try to get or use FPs, or think that it costs extra, or whatever. Time and again I've picked up a FP for a ride, and the wait time is 60 minutes, but FP return is 55 minutes. So, I come back an hour or so later after doing some other stuff and walk right on... along with those people who have been standing there the entire time. Hound 109 illustrated this hilariously in his "one day trip report" with BTMRR-- they rode it multiple times without waiting, every time bypassing an hourlong wait time.

Anyway, it's my philosophy that there are few enough people who bother to learn about FP use, that those of us who do don't make that much of an impact. Although I've read some threads (mostly AP'ers and locals) from people who really hate FP and wish it were abolished.

 

[LavenderPeach]

Although I've read some threads (mostly AP'ers and locals) from people who really hate FP and wish it were abolished.

Why would Ap'ers and locals not like FP? I think FP is great but don't get to use it as often as I would like since when we go with DS he's not tall enough to go on most FP rides.

 

[Eeee-va]

In fact, it's an option when you use Ridemax-- they give you a box to check to "utilize late FP return" if you want to use this trick, because some people don't feel comfortable with it.

I did not know that! That makes me feel less unusual.

I also personally have really bad luck trying to get around rules...like my old boss would send me to go buy something with his credit card...yeah, that didn't generally work. (Hooray for the clerks for actually enforcing the rules, but it was still embarrassing!) The only time I managed was when I made him give me a signed note saying that yes, I had permission to use it. And then I was checking out through an automated grocery store line. If I'd had to actually hand the card to a real clerk, that birthday cake never would've made it out of the store.

So as I see it, I'd probably be the one person in my party who they stopped and barred from the ride.

 

[PinkBudgie]

So as I see it, I'd probably be the one person in my party who they stopped and barred from the ride.

That's exactly the way I feel!

Oh, queing theory was the term I was looking for earlier. I find it interesting but too mathmatical for me to understand.