Fastpass Enforcement coming?

[goherdibg]

but in the overall line dynamic for the day, it isn't just about "you". For every person that you think jumps in front of you late, someone else got to ride earlier than they would have. Your perception doesn't change that.

Isn't most of this thread based on how any of these changes will affect "me" and "you", respectively? I rarely go back after my FP time as I consider it to have an affect on the others who waited for their time and it is not fair to them. I am one who waits in the right lane when a sign tells me the left lane is closed ahead instead of screaming past everyone in the left lane to merge in at the last moment.

Answering another poster's question, yes there are rides that persistently have gaps (no one in line) in the FP line prior to the merge area. However, during our August trip in 2009, I recall the FP line to the merge area for BTMRR being a really long wait - something like 20 minutes. This was late in the evening - when it is the most enjoyable to ride. I would bet a decent amount of those in line were using FP's from earlier in the day. If those people had used their FP's earlier in the day, the only people affected would be those in the standby line as I am sure a gap would have opened in the FP line.

 

[WilsonFlyer]

Comments like this and like pretty much all of those of Maxie's Mom (i.e. "Personal responsibility for the choices you make is a great thing. Not so much having fits becuase you want to do it all and you want it when you want it.") just always make me wonder - are you this disrespectful and downright nasty to people who think differently than you in your real life? Or is it only through the anonymity of a message board that your overwhlmingly snide and condescending side comes out?

So people have concerns that you don't have...that's normal. Everybody sees things differently and has different concerns in life. It's nice for you that the FP changes don't affect your vacation. But, you are not the only person who goes to WDW. Other people might have different priorities than you and that doesn't mean those people are just whiny losers and you can talk to them however you want. What is wrong with you? Who raised you to talk to people this way just because they view things differently than you do?

What's wrong with you?

I'm sorry. Who made you a moderator? I don't recall seeing it announced anywhere.

You called me out in another thread for very SOUND and accurate advice. Why? Because you didn't like it and it wasn't what you felt should be discussed in that thread (which wasn't yours, BTW).

I'm sorry. Does that make you the pot or the kettle? I get confused.

There are a LOT of people in this forum that wouldn't even be able to post anymore after some of the tone and name-calling going on in this forum if it were in a different area of the board (The DVC forums come immediately to mind.). It just seems to run rampant and almost unchecked over here. It's why I rarely come to the Theme Parks areas.

 

[WillAustin]

Isn't most of this thread based on how any of these changes will affect "me" and "you", respectively? I rarely go back after my FP time as I consider it to have an affect on the others who waited for their time and it is not fair to them.

The spot I might take later is 100% offset by the spot I give up earlier. The same number of people will ultimately make it through the line that day.

I am one who waits in the right lane when a sign tells me the left lane is closed ahead instead of screaming past everyone in the left lane to merge in at the last moment.

I'm the guy who pulls out and blocks the left lane so there won't be anyone screaming past to merge ahead of everyone. So I'd say I'm a rule follower. And I still see no problem with late FPs as long as the CMs allowed and encouraged it, which they certainly have in the past.

 

[doconeill]

What's the smart money, summary answer, to the following question(s):

If late FP use has no effect on anybody, why are they changing the policy to enforce the window? What is the reason?

My money is actually NOT on X-Pass providing the flexibility that FP had at a price. Quite the opposite - X-Pass NEEDS to be restricted to be sensible. Remember, with Fastpass you are deferring your ride time in exchange for not standing in the line. With X-Pass (as it seems to be - of course, it could be different when finally implemented, but I'm going on the "reserve your ride time" concept), you aren't doing that - you're just getting a FP for when you want it. And if they have to religiously enforce one, to have a consistent "experience" for all, they are going to enforce it for all. It also gets the guests used to it, whether they use X-Pass or Fastpass.

(and by the way, I don't say it has no effect on anybody - I say it has limited effects on a small number of people for a short time)

 

[MikeandReneePlus5]

I'm the guy who pulls out and blocks the left lane so there won't be anyone screaming past to merge ahead of everyone.

In NY they have signs that say "Use both lanes until the merge point". And then everyone takes their turn....you go, I go, you go, I go....

Seems so much more sensible the lunacy I encountered on I-78 in PA when they had 2 miles of open left lane to the merge point, while everyone sat in the right lane (and a big tractor trailer blocking things as you described.)

 

[WillAustin]

(and by the way, I don't say it has no effect on anybody - I say it has limited effects on a small number of people for a short time)

I can understand that. I still have a hard time believing that hundreds of late FP users have been showing up for a single attraction at approximately the same time near the end of the day. Not saying it doesn't happen, but not as much as some are leading us to believe.

And I'm betting on the reserve your ride time angle of the X-Pass. I think that has to be strictly enforced in order for it to work well.

In NY they have signs that say "Use both lanes until the merge point". And then everyone takes their turn....you go, I go, you go, I go

I wish they had that here. Usually we get a half mile long line of cars sitting in the right lane and a bunch zooming past everyone else. Without a sign, it never works.

 

[MikeandReneePlus5]

My money is actually NOT on X-Pass providing the flexibility that FP had at a price. Quite the opposite - X-Pass NEEDS to be restricted to be sensible. Remember, with Fastpass you are deferring your ride time in exchange for not standing in the line. With X-Pass (as it seems to be - of course, it could be different when finally implemented, but I'm going on the "reserve your ride time" concept), you aren't doing that - you're just getting a FP for when you want it. And if they have to religiously enforce one, to have a consistent "experience" for all, they are going to enforce it for all. It also gets the guests used to it, whether they use X-Pass or Fastpass.

(and by the way, I don't say it has no effect on anybody - I say it has limited effects on a small number of people for a short time)

ah, I see. I guess it could be that too. Any idea on an ETA for X-pass?

 

[White_Sox_Fan]

My money is actually NOT on X-Pass providing the flexibility that FP had at a price. Quite the opposite - X-Pass NEEDS to be restricted to be sensible. Remember, with Fastpass you are deferring your ride time in exchange for not standing in the line. With X-Pass (as it seems to be - of course, it could be different when finally implemented, but I'm going on the "reserve your ride time" concept), you aren't doing that - you're just getting a FP for when you want it. And if they have to religiously enforce one, to have a consistent "experience" for all, they are going to enforce it for all. It also gets the guests used to it, whether they use X-Pass or Fastpass.

(and by the way, I don't say it has no effect on anybody - I say it has limited effects on a small number of people for a short time)

 

[doconeill]

ah, I see. I guess it could be that too. Any idea on an ETA for X-pass?

They haven't really said much about it yet. There was apparently some testing, and one CM type reported that FP kiosks might be getting switched out soon to help accommodate the new system.

We really don't know much about it. It's all speculation based on rumors, some screen shots, some testing that apparently occurred recently, etc. That and the fact that they announced they will being in the ability to make ride reservations in advance.

We're just trying to make informed guesses with the information at hand.

 

[xipetotec]

We've always followed the return window, or at most been 5 minutes late. we WANT to get to our ride ASAP, plus it was always "official" policy that that that WAS the return window. They were just lax in enforcing it.

What scares ME is the WHY. I *hate* the idea of reserve fastpass at home. THE WORST idea. I also HATE the possibility that it would be accomodate a Universal style "on-site stay" pass. ( and we do stay on site, I just don't think it would be right for Disney to switch their system like this ).

 

[nytimez]

In NY they have signs that say "Use both lanes until the merge point". And then everyone takes their turn....you go, I go, you go, I go....

You must live in a different New York from me.

 

[MikeandReneePlus5]

You must live in a different New York from me.

assuming that because you have not seen these signs I must not live in NY is like positing that aliens have built the Empire State Building because you don't know who built it.

 

[nytimez]

assuming that because you have not seen these signs I must not live in NY is like positing that aliens have built the Empire State Building because you don't know who built it.

I wasn't referring to the signs. I was referring to the whole "I go, you go, I go, you go" fantasy at merge points.

 

[MikeandReneePlus5]

I wasn't referring to the signs. I was referring to the whole "I go, you go, I go, you go" fantasy at merge points.

oh.

well I find that - generally - NY-ers are pretty polite and good with etiquette.

but trying to get into CitiField off the GCP can certainly bring out the worst of em I agree....

 

[Mkebound]

I have a feeling that no matter what Disney does with the FP system over the next year will be a whole lot like New Coke.

FP (for me) is hands down the one thing that Disney does better than anyone else. If they make it a two tiered system where you have to pay extra, then they are no different than Six Flags or Universal, because guests at Disney are ALREADY paying a premium to be there vs. those other locations.

 

[brymolmom]

My two pennies:

I find it very amusing to see some of the reactions in this thread (and I haven't even come close to reading the entire thread). Enforcing FP time will make you stop going to WDW? Really? It is similar to reactions I've seen on the restaurant board if you sugggest the ADR window should be drastically reduced or (like Disney recently did) try to get people to show up for the ADRs they've made. This seems to be be because there are so many DISers/regular visitors who believe they have all these advantages (real and/or perceived - doesn't matter) over all the first-time visitors and the "uninformed" repeat visitors - such as knowing you didn't need to adhere to the time printed on your FP or that you need to make ADRs so far in advance. Introduce anything that even gives the appearance that it may chip away at these so-called advantages and put them on a bit more of a level playing field with the masses and these people throw hissy fits. It's quite comical actually. These people truly believe that the only things Disney should be doing are the things that benefit only their specific touring style and preferences and everyone else be damned. Self-absorbed much?

You have the wrong view of why some people might stop going to WDW. My own reason (and I'm guessing at least some others) has nothing whatsoever to do with advantages being taken away. It has to do simply with the fact that WDW has spoiled me to the point where I go for a week and rarely wait in ANY lines. We just went for a week in January and the longest waits we had were maybe one for 20 minutes and another for 30...and that was for the entire week...going all day long most days and riding everything we wanted (multiple times when we wanted). It is due in a large part to the fact that we get there at ropedrop and fully utilizes FP's to their current ability.

I'm not entirely sure how FP end time enforcement will impact us...but my guess is that we will end up having to wait in more standby lines and that the days of almost entirely 10-15 minute waits for your entire vacation are a thing of the past (at least until they offer it for more $$ in the future). And, if it means waiting 45, 60 minutes plus for multiple rides during my vacation, that would take a lot of the fun out of it for me. And I don't want to spend my vacation dollars on something less fun than it was a year ago. So I might decide not to return - or at least not as often, might still go during the slowest times. I would be interested in hearing from those who already do return before their FP end time whether or not they are able to see/do everything they want multiple times without waiting in any significant lines. Who knows - maybe it is possible. And obviously a lot of people in this thread already know that answer, since it's how they tour currently.

It's similar to Free Dining...Disney has spoiled me. I've never paid for the Dining Plan. If they took away free dining...while it likely wouldn't make me stay away completely...I certainly wouldn't pay for it. And if I did, it would make it less enjoyable for me, so I might not return as often.

That's what it comes down to for me. I don't do lines almost entirely. I am used to not having to wait in lines....If I have to do so it might make me think twice about paying the same amount of money for a vacation only to spend twice as much time in line.

 

[MikeandReneePlus5]

I have a feeling that no matter what Disney does with the FP system over the next year will be a whole lot like New Coke.

Yeah, except they probably won't abandon it like they did with New Coke, we'll just have to live with it.

 

[maxiesmom]

Comments like this and like pretty much all of those of Maxie's Mom (i.e. "Personal responsibility for the choices you make is a great thing. Not so much having fits becuase you want to do it all and you want it when you want it.") just always make me wonder - are you this disrespectful and downright nasty to people who think differently than you in your real life? Or is it only through the anonymity of a message board that your overwhlmingly snide and condescending side comes out?

I'm not being disrespectul. I just happen to think that Disney enforcing the FastPass return times will force people to be more responsible for the decisions they make as they tour the parks. Book an ADR, be responsible enough to get there or be charged. Grab a FastPass and you are not responsible for getting back to that ride during the time given. Some posters are making it seem sooo hard to do those things when in reality it is not.

You seem to be reading way more neagtive tone into other people's posts (mine included) then is meant. People will need to step up and accept responsibility for the decisions they make during a Disney vacation. I wonder why you think that is a bad thing? It is certainly not a slam on anyone.

I've also never pointed my finger at any other poster and called them names. If you are talking about people being disrepectful and nasty, that would be my definition of it.

 

[going/again]

Maybe a little hard to find, but not unwritten:

:

I read this and it does say if a guest missed their time let them in, this is not the same as deliberatly ignoring it for your own pleasure.

 

[Rip]

Well I didn't read the whole 86 pages, but I agree with a lot of the posters in that this is being done in order to make the FP system that much less attractive when compared with the new system that you will have to pay extra for. It's been explained numerous times that returning after your FP window has very negligible ramifications, so there really is no good reason for Disney to change their policy unless it is to help drive more demand towards something they can make money on.