FastPass Enforcement

[PeterPanic]

That's easy to assess.

The E-Ticket attractions always had long lines.

I have experience spending 3 hours standing in line for Splash Mtn. and 2.5 hours standing in line for Indiana Jones (DLR) before FP was introduced.

Well, that explains my lack of experience because I wouldn't stand in line for 2.5 hours for a chance at immortality. I will yield to you sir!

Before Fastpass, I remember waiting in line for 2.5 hours in the hot sun for Splash Mountain in mid July, with everything operating normally.

I've been several times since FP in the same time frame, and never seen the wait time go that high unless there was an issue.

Not exactly scientific proof, but it's my experience. Yours can vary.

Keep in mind - it depends on what you mean by "slow". With the introduction of Fastpass, in theory the standby lines would move slower - but also be shorter. So it is possible for them to be slower yet the wait time could be less.

I think the "stress" comes from those that are trying to manage their Fastpasses to maximize them - and forget to just enjoy the experience.

I have never gone in the summer for that reason. Yes, I was lucky and did manage to be able to go in the off-season most of the time.

Highlighted: That is exactly what I have been saying. Going to WDW now is like working. You have to plan everything out to within an inch of ones life. How can that be fun and how can it not be stressful.

 

[cmhguy]

I like it!

I have found this to create shorter lines later in the evening... I found attractions like TT and many of the MK attractions would get slammed with FP returns late in the day and the standby line would not move at all. I would watch people pour into the FP line.... I felt it eliminated that, and the lines at the end of the day were actually shorter. It was a great time to ride!

 

[Mkrop]

I did not vote either because end of the world seems a bit over the top.

I will say we disliked the enforcement greatly. We adapted but it was a pain in the neck. We dont linger in areas to shop, we can only stop for a snack so much, so the window was too short sometimes. If we got one for later, it never failed we were no where near that area. Also when we did return, we found the FP lines to be extremely longer than we have ever seen before. Space Mtn extened outside, and you could barely figure out where the end of the line was.

We use to grab FPs and wander around and then use them in the afternoon on our way out for a break, or after lunch. We would sometime use them after dinner too but we were rarely using them at park closing.

We would also use them around shows...for example one of our strategies would be to ride EE first thing, grab a FP for later, than on the way or after the 3pm Nemo show we would ride again, since we were nearby. We could not do that this time since the return window was so short.

We found we did not ride our favorites as often as we like to.

 

[mattsdragon]

We never got to do Soarin because of this- frustrating since for the last 7 years we never had to go back within the certain time- and all of a sudden it came out of nowhere!

This is ironic because yesterday, when you posted this, was the 1 year anniversary of the enforcement policy change.

 

[mattsdragon]

You are partially correct, but, it wasn't enforcement of Fastpass times that made a vacation more stressful, it was FASTPASS itself. There was no stress before Fastpass, there was no stress before 180 day ADR's. The only stress was not really a stress at all, and it was being in line, first come, first served previous to all that "time saving garbage". It didn't matter when you were in line, you either ate before getting in the line or after, no watching a clock. No cris-crossing the parks, you just went to one at a time, saw it and then moved on.

Even when they started Fastpass, they enforced the windows and at the time people that, for some reason which I have never understood, thought that they were saving time by using them, were nearly wetting there pants with joy. All day usage started out really as an abuse of the system. People came back with absolutely amazing excuses why they couldn't make the window, it tied up lines and, because that was how they did business in those days, Disney wanted everyone happy so they allowed them to ride. Over time people got savvy to that system and it generally got worse and worse until, at some point, Disney threw it's collective hands in the air and gave up. Just let them in was the battle cry that went out to CM's.

Now they have a new system that requires a more complete control of the Fastpass times, so they are back to staying within the window.

Everyone has an hour to fit into that window. If you picked one up knowing that it was in the middle of your ADR, frankly no one cares whether you missed it or not. We are not supposed to have to babysit everyone. Forget you have a Fastpass and get on another ride instead? Wow, what more needs to be said about that. Must have been pretty important to you that you don't even remember you have it.

No, my friends, the decline in enjoyment at Disney can be traced directly to the day that Fastpass was introduced. It seemed, and apparently still does, that it was a wonderful thing. No one thought out the other side of the story. What was that theory? ..."For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction". Disney never did find a way to alter basic physics.

Not really a FP anything myself. We use them as we get them. No biggie.

But you, my friend are absolutely 100% correct.

 

[chloelovesdisney]

I did not vote either because end of the world seems a bit over the top.

I will say we disliked the enforcement greatly. We adapted but it was a pain in the neck. We dont linger in areas to shop, we can only stop for a snack so much, so the window was too short sometimes. If we got one for later, it never failed we were no where near that area. Also when we did return, we found the FP lines to be extremely longer than we have ever seen before. Space Mtn extened outside, and you could barely figure out where the end of the line was.

We use to grab FPs and wander around and then use them in the afternoon on our way out for a break, or after lunch. We would sometime use them after dinner too but we were rarely using them at park closing.

We would also use them around shows...for example one of our strategies would be to ride EE first thing, grab a FP for later, than on the way or after the 3pm Nemo show we would ride again, since we were nearby. We could not do that this time since the return window was so short.

We found we did not ride our favorites as often as we like to.

Same here, we didn't get them several times because we wouldn't be there at the return time. It was not nearly as user friendly as it used to be, and definitely adversely affected our park touring.

 

[pskorf]

I routinely used FPs "late" before, so I am not a fan. I feel like I either have to stay near the ride now waiting for the window to open or rush back to it before it closes. But, it is what it is and I have adapted.

Of course, others who didn't do this will not be impacted. I expect I'll be chastised by some (not all) of these. Let them come.

We also got used to always being able to use them "late" so our next trip in a couple weeks could be more difficult to fit in everything that we want to do. But it is better to be there and miss a few things rather than not go at all.

My biggest gripe with this is that I have a strict schedule to keep when at work. I don't want to be a clock watcher while on vacation!