Fastpass Enforcement coming?

[iluvwesties]

I think the FP should have a 3 hr window

This would accomodate ADR's (just see the attraction before or after the ADR)
(most wouldn't cancel their ADR's with a larger window of time available and Disney makes $)

The last FP's generated per day should have a return time that would not cause CM's to suddenly have to work extra time unexpectedly due to a rush in the last 30mins of park time (per Cheshire Figment's post) (No extra $ spent by Disney for staffing)

The 3 hr window wouldn't compromise spontineity, restroom breaks
(Keeps the guest's happy)

Instead of CM's having to defend the new policy and take the brunt of the unhappy guest's rants, have a sign posting the return FP policy clearly where guests can see it before entering the FP line or on the ticket itself.

Now, If only I could get Disney to agree with this
(I'd be happier for my upcoming trip that starts on......MARCH 7th)

 

[HydroGuy]

I agree with this, but I think the numbers are a bit excessive. Even among DIS members, only 40% admit to using them intentionally late consistently, and less than 25% do so late in the day. And that is from a self-admittedly small subset of overall guests, the great majority of which don't know a fraction of the stuff we do...

However, even 1% (and still likely too high a number) accumulated over the entire day could result in a long line at the end of the day.

Even so the real world intrudes and experience would suggest many MANY folks who got FPs with a return window during the last hour could not make it that late and just left the park. Meaning that whatever spot slow down from a late FP usage is negated by other FP holders who never showed. How often have all of us held a FP late into the evening just to find out you do not even need it later at night?

 

[Muslickz]

Maybe they'll make a button for that!!!

I can hear the greetings from the CMs already... "Congratulations, Danielle!"

yea they can make it like an easy button for staples... lol

-M

 

[sjbond]

I agree the larger window (3 hours) would be a good compromise. I could live with that. The one hour window is too short to allow for unexpected problems or delays.

 

[TLSnell1981]

Did we use FP outside the window, yep! Although, we didn't "collect" them to ride later. We took the available time slot, even if it conflicted with a dining reservation. The majority were used within the window, but we didn't drop everything and rush back...just in the nick of time.

 

[tiki23]

I agree the larger window (3 hours) would be a good compromise. I could live with that. The one hour window is too short to allow for unexpected problems or delays.

Absolutely!!!

 

[KellyNY]

Those numbers are completely wrong. I exclusively ride TSM by getting in line ten or so minutes before the park closes. Never fastpass it. The line is usually 20 minutes at most (even though it says 50 or 60) and almost nobody comes through the fastpass line.

Most of the line you do not see FP line to tell how many people enter it.

 

[Goofy4]

Since math is fun I offer this tidbit.

Space Mountain has a capacity of 2000-2500 people/hour with both sides open. So settling in at 2200/hour, if my family of three decides to use their FP's late then the standby lane will have to wait an additional 4.9 extra seconds to process us. Of course the people that were in line during our return time got to save that extra 4.9 seconds.

But if you post it on the Dis Boards, that's 4.9 times a half million

Also, Disney too often cuts corners and shuts down a lane or takes cars of tracks. The one beautiful exception is Splash Mountain.

 

[tiki23]

See, that's why some people can't get ahead....you're already planning to lie before you even get there ,

After awhile no excuses will be tolerated and some of us will only have ourselves to blame

Really?? This just made me SMH and laugh....

Judge not!

 

[wehavesix]

It is difficult to prove these points, because every action causes a guest reaction. What may occur could cost Disney as well. If those guests that don't get a fastpass or are only a few minutes late to use theirs become discouraged and the experience is unpleasant, it could be a negative.

Could enforcement discourage people from making sit down reservations in the parks? You don't know what time your fastpasses will be for and you don't know if you will have time for your meal. How many people might skip a dinner or show up late because they HAVE to use their fastpass in the window?

Any scenario that we throw out about what happens at park closing is mere guesses. Do guests really pile in at the end of the night with expired passes or is just all the people that have one that ends in the last hour.

While I use fastpasses late, it is out of convenience to not have to criss cross the park all day. Most of the time I will use them in the time frame or close. I personally believe that a one hour time frame is too small to enforce the return times. I believe it should be a two to four hour time frame at a minimum. There are too many factors at a theme park that come into play. When you are in line at one ride that suddenly slows down loading or breaks and you know you are pushing it for your fastpass, what do you do? I believe it is these reasons that Disney does not enforce the end times, because there are too many factors/excuses to come into play.

I agree completely with this^. We have always mostly used ours within the time frame but had peace of mind knowing we COULD use them late if we ran late. This was especially helpful in Epcot because of the sheer hugeness of the place.

As for the ADR factor, you better believe I'm going to check mine and if there is a cancellation charge, I may cancel them now to avoid the delimma of choosing to ride or being fined for missing the ADR. In all honesty, most park restaurants aren't worth missing a favorite ride so we would usually choose the ride and pick up QS. We are usually a party of 5 - 9 so this would be a pretty big restaurant bill cancelled. I also think this will impact the choice of whether to do the DDP or not for some people for the same reasons. We never buy the DDP so not an issue for us.

I really have no idea if this will turn out to be good, bad, or neutral as far as guest experience. Time will tell. But I do know it will change how we behave in the parks. I just don't know if the change will be good or bad. Might save my family some money with the restaurants.

 

[Senator Tressel]

Most of the line you do not see FP line to tell how many people enter it.

You do see the fastpass line for most of the line at the end of the day, so you're incorrect. You can also tell by how fast you are moving while out of view how few fastpasses are being returned.

 

[baileybrad]

This is an erroneous presumption - that late FP use affects the standby line - it doesn't.

Each attraction only distributes so many FP in a day.
Each attraction can only seat so many people in a day.
The difference between Seats and FP distributed are SB riders.
The same number of SB riders will ride in a day whether FP are accepted late or not.
The same number of FP riders will ride each day - whether they are accepted late or not.

This is really a bad idea for many reasons which were already mentioned and makes the park experience less enjoyable.

I am afraid that money from one's pocket could be behind "Next Gen FP". I hope that I am wrong but that is where most of Disney's changes lead.

I would rather Disney to just do away with FP and go back to the days of you snooze you lose. Just keep the maximum number of units or sides of the ride going during the busy times. (Don't you hate it when you see how they shut down one side of Space a couple of hours before park closing, nice.)

Having to plan a meal 6 months ahead of time is bad enough. Individual rides is beyond crazy. I still think that FP was designed to keep folks in the park longer. Have them go spend money when the lines are long and they are waiting for their "return time".

I will not be surprised that if this new system is just designed to remove more cash from our pockets in some form or fashion.

When they started charging more for letting unexpired ticket days be used, along, with being able to park hop on multi-day tickets, I figured that was as bad as it can get.

Wrong. Now they are going to hose up something that works fairly well. Coming back later in the day with a FP outside the late arrival time, as you said, does not impact the lines other than during the peak times of the day (11:00 - 3:00) it actually shortens the standby wait.

 

[carrie6466]

I agree completely with this^. We have always mostly used ours within the time frame but had peace of mind knowing we COULD use them late if we ran late. This was especially helpful in Epcot because of the sheer hugeness of the place.

As for the ADR factor, you better believe I'm going to check mine and if there is a cancellation charge, I may cancel them now to avoid the delimma of choosing to ride or being fined for missing the ADR. In all honesty, most park restaurants aren't worth missing a favorite ride so we would usually choose the ride and pick up QS. We are usually a party of 5 - 9 so this would be a pretty big restaurant bill cancelled. I also think this will impact the choice of whether to do the DDP or not for some people for the same reasons. We never buy the DDP so not an issue for us.

I really have no idea if this will turn out to be good, bad, or neutral as far as guest experience. Time will tell. But I do know it will change how we behave in the parks. I just don't know if the change will be good or bad. Might save my family some money with the restaurants.

That is how we feel about the dining plan, too. If it's a choice between riding something dd really wants or dining, I'd rather eat QS and not have to worry about riding the rides. Instead of the DxDDP, we'll just pay OOP and eat some QS meals and just pay for one or two character meals for dd. We've already decided we'll order some groceries and eat breakfast in our room most days, 2 character breakfasts will be it. We'll eat QS in the parks and make a few ADR's for non-deposit restaurants. It's going to be a different experience for us and certainly much cheaper

 

[KellyNY]

You do see the fastpass line for most of the line at the end of the day, so you're incorrect. You can also tell by how fast you are moving while out of view how few fastpasses are being returned.

Unless they changed layout you cannot see FP line for the most of the line and occasional stops are natural for this ride, does not really indicate merge with FP line. Point is you cannot claim anything about FP line, you do not have full picture.

 

[ChildAtHeart82]

If people want to waste their FastPass it will have a positive affect on those in line. Fewer people in the FP line mean the people in boththe standby line and the FP line will get on quicker.

If you take a FP and realize you can't make the window you are still free to give it to another park-goer who can.

Actually, if we're enforcing all of the rules that are printed on the fastpass, fastpasses are nontransferable. No more giving pixie dust to other people or you are cheating the system.


Plus, if you pull a fastpass you are making a commitment and are thus bound by honor to use it within the window. If not, you will be charged a $10 missed fastpass fee per fastpass.

 

[doconeill]

Unless they changed layout you cannot see FP line for the most of the line and occasional stops are natural for this ride, does not really indicate merge with FP line. Point is you cannot claim anything about FP line, you do not have full picture.

I could be wrong (we usually go standby first thing, so fly through quickly), but I don't recall being blocked from view for very long, at least when they aren't using the full queue capacity in the standby line. While along the back wall I'm pretty sure you can still see back to the entrance, and when you get to the front side you can see to the merge.

 

[Mister Skellington]

That is how we feel about the dining plan, too. If it's a choice between riding something dd really wants or dining, I'd rather eat QS and not have to worry about riding the rides.

Add us to the list as well. I dont know what I want to eat tomorrow let alone 6 months from now. I opt for QS so I can have the freedom. The one exception is Fantasmic Package during peak times. I would love to see more stuff than hamburgers and chicken strips at QS. It is better than it used to be but still has room to get better.

 

[Jennasis]

Actually, if we're enforcing all of the rules that are printed on the fastpass, fastpasses are nontransferable. No more giving pixie dust to other people or you are cheating the system.


Plus, if you pull a fastpass you are making a commitment and are thus bound by honor to use it within the window. If not, you will be charged a $10 missed fastpass fee per fastpass.

Maniacal laugh.

 

[Sammie]

Originally Posted by mjp12831
This is an erroneous presumption - that late FP use affects the standby line - it doesn't.

Each attraction only distributes so many FP in a day.
Each attraction can only seat so many people in a day.
The difference between Seats and FP distributed are SB riders.
The same number of SB riders will ride in a day whether FP are accepted late or not.
The same number of FP riders will ride each day - whether they are accepted late or not.

This is really a bad idea for many reasons which were already mentioned and makes the park experience less enjoyable.

True but it does affect those FP users that adhere to the time they were given, if others who are not, show up at the same time.

 

[mesaboy2]

True but it does affect those FP users that adhere to the time they were given, if others who are not, show up at the same time.

I still do not understand this argument. How does it affect the so-called rule-followers again?