Fastpass+ is cramping my style

[mom2rtk]

I don't know about anyone else, but I have never once run at Disney World for anything, and I have seen very few others doing it. As far as "around the park", no, I walked directly to TSMM, pulled FPs and then went and got an egg sandwich. It was pretty civilized. Come to think of it, the line to get the egg sandwich was infinitely worse!

I feel like this odd urban legend has grown up in the absence of legacy FP - where you had to be there at rope drop (maybe even the front of the pack at rope drop), and run and shove and wait in endless lines, all for the scrap of a chance at a FP for TSMM, and doing so put you in harm's way of an angry, unpredictable mob. That just wasn't the case in my experience.

Maybe some people perceived that to the be case, so they never tried FP-? If so, I can understand their point of view, but really, it's based on urban legend.

I agree that most of the people spreading this story must never have tried it themselves.

And the one saying they couldn't get a FP really meant they couldn't get one for the specific time they wanted.

 

[Angel Ariel]

We've been at the very front of RD once that I can remember. It was on one of our DLR trips between 2009-2011 (can't remember which one). We went to DCA at RD to hit up TSMM. TSMM opened in 2008, IIRC, so it was the "new" thing at DCA at the time (but it didn't have FP). I don't remember how early we got there, but we were held at the rope somewhere around Grizzly Peak, before the bridge on the left to the Pacific Wharf. We were at the very front of the pack. It was crowded, definitely...and would definitely have made people feel claustrophobic if they didn't like crowds, but there was no running or elbows being thrown or anything like that. The CMs walked us back, it was orderly..nothing unsafe about it.

 

[jennimed89]

i will be arriving early September staying off site in kissimee. Personally, I am hoping that Disney hold back on releasing all the fast passes to those who can book 60 days in advance, in order to give us lot with only 30 days a chance. Only seems fair

 

[ArwenMarie]

i will be arriving early September staying off site in kissimee. Personally, I am hoping that Disney hold back on releasing all the fast passes to those who can book 60 days in advance, in order to give us lot with only 30 days a chance. Only seems fair

Not to be the voice of doom but they don't hold any back for the 30 days.

 

[quagmire0]

Can't believe how many times I've gone at rope drop and headed straight for one of the big demand rides and there were a ton of people in the FP lines but not many in the actual line. To me, that's one of the biggest mistakes the average visitor makes. If you get in early, you go to the most popular rides. Knock them out, then while everyone is cashing in their FPs or standing in the long lines for the popular rides, then you get in to all the others with little wait. Haven't used FP+ yet, but I imagine that will possibly save having to run across the park first thing in the morning to get fastpasses at two separate rides.

 

[Robo]

Haven't used FP+ yet, but I imagine that will possibly save having to run across the park first thing in the morning to get fastpasses at two separate rides.

And, there you have it.

 

[jennimed89]

oh man

The expense and the fact im not confident driving in America (only just passed a couple years ago) means we have stayed in a resort which is cheaper and allows us to get a shuttle to all parks inc universal and sea world (not just Disney). Its feels a bit unfair that if u havent been able to fork out for on sight u get the scraps in terms of fast passes.

 

[socrateze]

I feel like this odd urban legend has grown up in the absence of legacy FP - where you had to be there at rope drop (maybe even the front of the pack at rope drop), and run and shove and wait in endless lines, all for the scrap of a chance at a FP for TSMM, and doing so put you in harm's way of an angry, unpredictable mob. That just wasn't the case in my experience.

Wholeheartedly agree with you. It seems that people have to defend FP+ by implying that Legacy was comparable to participating in a rugby scrum. We never raced around to get FP's. Yup, urban legend.

 

[grimley1968]

I don't know about anyone else, but I have never once run at Disney World for anything, and I have seen very few others doing it. As far as "around the park", no, I walked directly to TSMM, pulled FPs and then went and got an egg sandwich. It was pretty civilized. Come to think of it, the line to get the egg sandwich was infinitely worse!

I feel like this odd urban legend has grown up in the absence of legacy FP - where you had to be there at rope drop (maybe even the front of the pack at rope drop), and run and shove and wait in endless lines, all for the scrap of a chance at a FP for TSMM, and doing so put you in harm's way of an angry, unpredictable mob. That just wasn't the case in my experience.

Maybe some people perceived that to the be case, so they never tried FP-? If so, I can understand their point of view, but really, it's based on urban legend.

The reason you never saw it or heard of it at the time was because it was the Fight for Legacy FP Club, and we know the #1 rule of Fight for Legacy FP Club.

Seriously, I never once ran at WDW no matter what form of FP existed, or even before FP existed at all. It's just too hot for me to run there. Yes, I would walk ahead of my family to get Legacy FP's, and then find something to do while they caught up, walking. For us, it worked beautifully, and in no way resembled a post-apocalyptic non-rope drop scene.

 

[Robo]

Fun!

 

[JoshuaShaw]

I didn't have to run and punch people to get Fastpasses.

Running and punching people was just a fringe benefit. You didn't really earn that Fastpass if someone else's blood isn't on it.

 

[jtowntoflorida]

The only time I've had to run and punch people was in the FP+ era and it was for a Jedi training spot. And that wouldn't have been necessary but for that stupid Olaf welcome show they were doing at DHS last summer. Which is why I'm puzzled that someone has made the decision to start corralling people at AK and Epcot again. But that's a topic for another thread.

 

[DisneyFive]

Weird, we're going late Sept and I was able to snag 7DMT for all 3 of our MK days, with a party of 5. Plus, there were quite a few time windows to choose from each day. Also managed an A&E FP! for our last day.

I also logged in at 12:01am EST at 60 days out though.

Dan

 

[bbjunkie]

The data available contradicts your assertion here.
http://www.easywdw.com/reports13/mk72215.jpg

No, it doesn't AT ALL. It absolutely supports exactly what I was saying. Astro Orbiter before noon....no more than 20 minutes, after 8:30, again, no more than 20 minutes. Philharmagic...no more than 10 minutes all day. This chart exactly supports my experience. We did not wait for more than 20 minutes all day for anything. And again, the published/posted wait times for the rides, including headliners, at night were WAY HIGHER than actual wait times.

 

[ArwenMarie]

oh man

The expense and the fact im not confident driving in America (only just passed a couple years ago) means we have stayed in a resort which is cheaper and allows us to get a shuttle to all parks inc universal and sea world (not just Disney). Its feels a bit unfair that if u havent been able to fork out for on sight u get the scraps in terms of fast passes.

There will still be Fastpasses, don't worry! But they don't hold any back for the 30-day folks, so things like 7DMT, some of the parades, Anna and Elsa Meet and Greet, and other popular headliners can book up or at least have very limited times.

 

[jennimed89]

Positive mental attitude. Even if I don't have fast passes for everything I will be in DISNEYWOOORRRRLLLLDDDD!
Easy to get swept up in crowd calendars and fast passes. It's all about the magic.

 

[famy27]

We had visited WDW in March 2012, right after they started enforcing FP return times. I kept track of what FPs I got and when, so that I could report back here as to the effects of the new policy. This was during spring break, and was definitely a pretty crowded day (probably at least an 8).

Here was my HS day:
Tuesday, March 27th
Hollywood Studios
8:45 am--arrived and grabbed TSM FPs for 10:10 am
10:30--returned to ride TSM. Ride was down. I asked the CM what would happen to our FPs. She informed me that we could use them to ride at any time during the day.
10:30--grabbed second set of TSM FPs. Return time was 6:00.
12:30--got three RNRC FPs with 5:55 returns. Other two members of the group got Star Tours for 1:55.
12:45--went to check FP return line for TSM. It was really, really bad.
2:30--finally rode TSM with our 10:10 am FPs. CMs let us right through with no issues.

I was not there in any type of RD running of the bulls. This was prior to all the Frozen stuff, so they just had the turnstiles open and we waited in no line to get into the park or to get the FPs. As of 10:30 on a high crowd day, there were still FPs available for TSMM. I don't know for sure what time they ran out, but I'd guess it was close to 11:00.

 

[socrateze]

Positive mental attitude. Even if I don't have fast passes for everything I will be in DISNEYWOOORRRRLLLLDDDD!
Easy to get swept up in crowd calendars and fast passes. It's all about the magic.

With the amount of money I'm paying to visit WDW, being there is not enough. Also, I don't find long SB lines very magical.

 

[jtowntoflorida]

No, it doesn't AT ALL. It absolutely supports exactly what I was saying. Astro Orbiter before noon....no more than 20 minutes, after 8:30, again, no more than 20 minutes. Philharmagic...no more than 10 minutes all day. This chart exactly supports my experience. We did not wait for more than 20 minutes all day for anything. And again, the published/posted wait times for the rides, including headliners, at night were WAY HIGHER than actual wait times.

I guess I'm confused. You said you rode headliners during mornings and evenings. When did you ride the other rides with no waits? I'm not wasting prime touring time on Buzz Lightyear. LOL.

 

[3DisneyFanz]

Haven't used FP+ yet, but I imagine that will possibly save having to run across the park first thing in the morning to get fastpasses at two separate rides.

Yeah. You can get them for awesome things like Figment, Small World and Great Movie Ride. I'm sure you'll love it.