Fastpass question

[jdtopgun71]

Does anyone know if you can use your fastpass after the stated hour window that they give you? I thought that you could and we actually did just that the other night at Space Mountain, but yesterday we had FP for Soarin between 4pm and 5pm. We returned at around 9pm and were told that since we didn't use them during the 1 hour window that they were no good. Was wondering if they had this in writing somewhere or if it just depends on the CM that you get? The guy was actually very rude which I found unusual for Disney CM's. Most of them are great.

 

[Letsbgoofy]

You are supposed to come back within that window. If the CM lets you in later than that, they are being nice. Why would they bother giving a time if they didn't care when you came back? I have been late and gotten in, and have seen late people turned away as well. For a ride as popular as Soarin, they are probably more stict, especially at the busiest time of the year!

 

[wdwgoofeeee]

I believe it's completely up to the Cast Member whether you can get in with an expired FastPass or not. As you said, most of them are really great, but on occasion you will get a grumpy one. Let's face it, we all have bad days at times when we are not at our best. Let's hope that was the case in this situation.

 

[tmoisan]

If there was a ride malfunction and you could not use your fastpass at the time indicated, you can use it any time during the day after the ride is working properly. We have had this happen to us before.

 

[Hieatt]

I have used FastPasses after the time window manytimes and have not ever even had a CM hesitate. I had heard that this was essentially an unwritten policy: Never before the window, but anytime after the window.

In fact, I have used old FastPasses from prior days and even prior trips - again, with no problem.

I have seen a few posts such as this one where someone wasn't let in after the window, but I think this is much more the exception than the rule. I agree with the other poster, also, about Soarin... seems more likely they will enforce the windows strictly on this attraction since it's so popular.

 

[tjmw2727]

We just returned from a long weekend trip, 4/7-4/11 and in our experience we found all the CM's to be enforcing the fast pass windows and dates.

I personally witnessed many people turned away from soarin for expired fastpasses, that day's and prior days!! There was a supervisor stationed at the desk on the left of the entrance to address this issue, in fact.

As far as ride malfunctions, it seems that they will take a fast pass late on the day of the malfunction only. RnRC went down for a while on 4/10 and I was able to use my FP later that day. TT had also been down for a while on 4/7 and people trying to use FP from 4/7 on 4/8 were turned away.

Its best to use your FP during the ride window if you really want to ride.

TJ

 

[estnh]

Think about it--if eveyone came back with expired fastpasses, the entire system would collapse. A computer is controlling the crowd flow based on the time the passes are valid.

That being said, if that particular ride is not busy, I think most CMs will let you ride. If it is extremely busy or crowded, they simply can't, or the fastpass system would be toast.

 

[Mme. Leota]

In Feb, we witnessed the total collapse of the system at Space Mountain. The ride had gone down sometime during the day, so people were told they could use their fast passes at any time. We walked by and the sign said the standby wait was 15 minutes, so we jumped in line. This was just about 30 minutes or so before Spectromagic was to begin. Well, apparently everyone decided to use their fast passes right then. The CMs were nice, but were just floored. . .The fast pass line was suddenly halfway out to the front door. It really did work out pretty quickly, the CMs kept it going. The only complaint I had was that they stopped the walk on line and let all those FP people go first. Usually they alternate the lines a little bit, but not that night. Either way, they got us all through, and I figured most of those FP people had been stuck in there for a while when the ride went down. Besides, it rained and Spectro was cancelled, so we didn't miss anything.

 

[Schmeck]

Does anyone know if you can use your fastpass after the stated hour window that they give you? I thought that you could and we actually did just that the other night at Space Mountain, but yesterday we had FP for Soarin between 4pm and 5pm. We returned at around 9pm and were told that since we didn't use them during the 1 hour window that they were no good. Was wondering if they had this in writing somewhere or if it just depends on the CM that you get? The guy was actually very rude which I found unusual for Disney CM's. Most of them are great.

It is in writing - right there on the FP, the beginning and ending time (or window) that the FP is good for. To honor the FP after the window has expired is at the discretion of the CM.

 

[mill4023]

We just returned from a long weekend trip, 4/7-4/11 and in our experience we found all the CM's to be enforcing the fast pass windows and dates.

I personally witnessed many people turned away from soarin for expired fastpasses, that day's and prior days!! There was a supervisor stationed at the desk on the left of the entrance to address this issue, in fact.

As far as ride malfunctions, it seems that they will take a fast pass late on the day of the malfunction only. RnRC went down for a while on 4/10 and I was able to use my FP later that day. TT had also been down for a while on 4/7 and people trying to use FP from 4/7 on 4/8 were turned away.

Its best to use your FP during the ride window if you really want to ride.

TJ

That's odd. We just spent 2 weeks at WDW (3/24 - 4/7) and used expired FP's many times with no issues. Even on Soarin, we had no problem. At RnR, the CM said (with a smile) "Hey, where have you been, we've been waiting for you all day"

The vast majority of people use their FP's within the time window and that's why the system works. The percentage of people who are intentionally or unintenionally late is so small that it doesn't cause a problem. I'm sure that if it becomes an issue, they'll start enforcing it.

 

[disney91]

I agree. We just got back from Disney and we used fast passes twice that were expired and there was no hesitation by the CM. Once on Soarin and once on Rockin Roller Coaster. Most CM's are more than accomodating with this.

 

[drogerstn]

...The vast majority of people use their FP's within the time window and that's why the system works. The percentage of people who are intentionally or unintenionally late is so small that it doesn't cause a problem. ...

Also, there has to be a certain number FP's which get distributed, but never used because the guests leave early or don't want to go back to the area the attraction is in. I would think that times slotted later in the day have a higher percentage of "nonuse", so the late users are just filling in the gaps.

There may be a few times (e.g. just after a parade) when there would be a slight increase in the FP line caused by these late folks, but for the most part, late FP users should have little effect on the size of the FP user line.

 

[mdoc]

I certainly wouldn't argue with them over it, since the FastPass very clearly states on its face that it's good only during that window. However, I've never had a problem using an expired Fast Pass (although I never tried on Soarin'). DD once asked a CM if she could keep her Fast Pass since we were at the end of the hour window and she wanted it as a souvenir for her scrapbook, and the CM said no, because they don't really expire.

 

[DISUNC]

I have used FastPasses after the time window manytimes and have not ever even had a CM hesitate. I had heard that this was essentially an unwritten policy: Never before the window, but anytime after the window.

In fact, I have used old FastPasses from prior days and even prior trips - again, with no problem.

I have seen a few posts such as this one where someone wasn't let in after the window, but I think this is much more the exception than the rule. I agree with the other poster, also, about Soarin... seems more likely they will enforce the windows strictly on this attraction since it's so popular.

Same goes for Me here!!! Yes I have used FP after the 'official' time. Not too often, since we are usually right on time for these events (losers). Only once I got a 'unorthodox look' from a CM on Peter Pan's flight, made up some story that the kid was sick earlier (it was me who was sick).....However I did get on the ride.

 

[Stacy_C]

If I remember correctly, on the back of the fastpass where the rules are stated it says that the Fastpass cannot be accepted prior to the time shown on the front. However, it does not say anything about accepting or not accepting the pass after the time shown. My son pointed this out to me during our trip last month.

That being said, we never had any problems using Fastpasses after the time shown. I can understand them enforcing it during really busy times, though.

 

[challada]

We were just there last week and used FP every day. Never did we have a problem using them after the time window. We have done this in both WDW and DL and never ever been questioned about it. We NEVER try to use FP from different days, though, as that seems to be an imaginary line I personally don't want to cross.

 

[SueM in MN]

If I remember correctly, on the back of the fastpass where the rules are stated it says that the Fastpass cannot be accepted prior to the time shown on the front. However, it does not say anything about accepting or not accepting the pass after the time shown. My son pointed this out to me during our trip last month.

That being said, we never had any problems using Fastpasses after the time shown. I can understand them enforcing it during really busy times, though.

It does say to come to the Fastpass time between the times listed on the front (although you are right, it doesn't say you can't come after that, it just says "Please come").
It does say on the back that it is only valid on the date stamped on the front, though, so using it on another date is something it does say is not allowed.

 

[CF'er]

by one of our bus drivers that you can use them anytime after the time stated. That it wasn't a widely known fact and Disney didn't advertise that (except for her that is ). I always thought that it was within the time window and use it or lose it.

Kalen

We have a couple left over for Pooh.... think they'll be good on our next trip... Oct 2007?

 

[raidermatt]

We returned at around 9pm...

I'm assuming Epcot closed at 9pm that day? Just a thought, but that might be part of the reason the CM was less than accomodating.

That doesn't excuse any rudeness of course, but like I said, just a thought.