FP enforcement, does anyone know why?

[igomezkailua]

I don't mind having the Fast

 

[momtotwolittleones]

I still haven't heard anyone answer why they should enforce FP return times other than "because it's the rules." I think what the OP is asking is "Is there some big problem with not enforcing return times?" I have been there at the height of summer, off season, and crowded xmas evenings, and have never seen a problem with the FP lines as they are now.

 

[Patrick in Oregon]

I still haven't heard anyone answer why they should enforce FP return times other than "because it's the rules." I think what the OP is asking is "Is there some big problem with not enforcing return times?" I have been there at the height of summer, off season, and crowded xmas evenings, and have never seen a problem with the FP lines as they are now.

I answered. See:

The NextGen FP system is kind of like making a reservation at a restaurant. I pay a little more and get to make an appointment/reservation to ride Space Mountain. Not enforcing the first-come-first-serve FPs kind of defeats the purpose of a person paying to have priority via reservation.

It isn't a problem with the current system, because there isn't a problem. They are starting a new system, like they did in WDW and without enforcing FP times, the new system doesn't work (as well). Disney aims to make money on this NextGen system and if they promise people that the NextGen gives them priority, and yet there are still people coming and going whenever they please, the person who bought the NextGen FP will never buy it again since they clearly don't have to. If they want people to pay for convenience, they have to take it away first.

I'm sure they figured there is some benefit to crowd management but I highly doubt it.

 

[DaveNinja]

currently FP lines for rides are longer in the evening than in the morning due to the return end time not being enforced. With return times enforced, then the FP lines should be constant during the day (assuming for a constant stand by line).

 

[longhorns2]

I'd guess it is not that there was "abuse" of the FP system. If it was sincerely causing problems with the FP queue than this issue would have been addressed LONG ago. Didn't they first start using them in 1999?

I prefer the flexibility of using a FP whenever I want to, but also don't mind that they are changing it. Just means I have to plan a little better than I did before is all. No worries.

I think the new FP program that requires the advanced reservations is why they are enforcing the times. If guests get used to this way of thinking and using the FP on time, then moving to the next level shouldn't be as painful or shocking.

Most guest ARE using the FP within the time window. Those of us that habitually don't (guilty) will just have to get on board.

I really hope this isn't tied to tiers of Disney resorts at WDW. I could see it being tied to staying on property vs off- gives you a bit more incentive to stay on property if you get more FP a day or something. But I hope they don't distinguish based on how much you can pay for a hotel room.

And if they do start charging for FP like Universal or Sea World, I sure hope they start it reasonable! Tickets are already pricey for most families. Adding the FP to your tickets could mean shortening a stay in some cases.

But... Disney knows "us" and knows that most of "us" will moan and groan and be mad about the change... but still shell out the $$$ to get the FP upgrade. At least we would (4 young kids- I do not want to spend extra time in line if I don't have to!) At Disney, time = money and money = time. At least for me.

Just my .02 on the subject.

 

[sweethannah]

Oh look, it's THIS thread again.

Actually the OP's post is better than most as it deals with the "why" rather than the "this sucks".

The NextGen FP system is kind of like making a reservation at a restaurant. I pay a little more and get to make an appointment/reservation to ride Space Mountain. Not enforcing the first-come-first-serve FPs kind of defeats the purpose of a person paying to have priority via reservation.


That's the point. With the NextGen system, some people are paying more. So.....by your logic, some people will have more rights


I'll reserve comment on my feelings about enformcement

I don't understand the analogy - it doesn't cost money to make a reservation nor does it cost to make an appointment. The idea is that you all pay the same price to get into a restaurant, you don't pay for the convenience of getting in at a set time.

 

[momtotwolittleones]

Ugh. I know they're a money making machine, but I grew up going to DL (my grandparents lived in Anaheim, and my grandfather was one of the welders that worked on the Matterhorn), and the magic that used to be there just isn't there anymore. And it's slipping away more quickly every year. Tiers of FP? Purchasing ride reservations? Yuck. I still enjoy it as a theme park, but it's quickly becoming just another theme park, IMO.

 

[momtotwolittleones]

I don't understand the analogy - it doesn't cost money to make a reservation nor does it cost to make an appointment. The idea is that you all pay the same price to get into a restaurant, you don't pay for the convenience of getting in at a set time.

Exactly. I don't get the analogy either.

 

[Patrick in Oregon]

I don't understand the analogy - it doesn't cost money to make a reservation nor does it cost to make an appointment. The idea is that you all pay the same price to get into a restaurant, you don't pay for the convenience of getting in at a set time.

Exactly. I don't get the analogy either.

I didn't mean for it to be a LITERAL analogy of making a reservation at a restaurant or making an appointment. Yes, clearly those are of no charge. But I don't know how else I can say it.

As plainly as I can put it, you pay Disney money to save a place for you at Space Mountain for 10am, at Splash Mountain at noon and at Indy at 3pm.

Everyone pays the same to enter the park and have plain FP, which works GREAT if you come at the assigned time or not. You can pay extra money to have special treatment and a special FP (NextGen).

I don't see why it is hard to understand that it is a system where you pay to get more. It's like Club 33, or the WOC/F! meal packages, or the Halloween and Christmas parties. Pay extra money, get special treatment and extra things. You might as well say the same thing about annual passes too. I mean, it isn't like they are taking away ALL FPs. I don't see how adding an extra value package "takes away" from any magic.

I can see the problem if they were taking away convenience entirely for the people not willing to pay, but your normal, everyday FP will still work.

 

[Brian Noble]

Can anyone shed some light other than to say, "Well, its about time!"?

My understanding from reading between the lines (i.e.: I'm guessing) is that with NextGen, Park Operations can much more finely control the Standby/Fastpass mix of guests to help regulate flow at the attractions park-wide. But, that needs an accurate way of measuring FP returns (the RFID tickets/readers), and making sure that there will never be more returns than "expected".

It's really not the end of the world. I've visited WDW a couple times now since they started enforcement. It changes your thinking a little, but with a slightly different approach we still saw everything we wanted with minimal waits.

 

[dmband]

Poor suffering? Really? They can afford to enter the park, would hardly state that they are poor. And how exactly are they suffering? Right now they are only talking about people being held to the return times. And that goes for everyone.

If you read what I was replying to it is about Disney giving more perks to the people who pay more by staying at the delux resort over value
IMO what resort you can afford to stay at shouldn't have any impact on the service and/Or experience inside the park because at the actual park you are paying the same price
So in other words a "rich" person who can afford to stay at a deluxe resort shouldn't get extra fp because of it

 

[Patrick in Oregon]

If you read what I was replying to it is about Disney giving more perks to the people who pay more by staying at the delux resort over value
IMO what resort you can afford to stay at shouldn't have any impact on the service and/Or experience inside the park because at the actual park you are paying the same price
So in other words a "rich" person who can afford to stay at a deluxe resort shouldn't get extra fp because of it

The FP system is available to all people. The NextGen system is available to people who pay more. The experience at the park is not based on regular vs Nextgen which is what you are equating this to. It isn't like normal people get 1 FP per day and rich people get unlimited FPs.

What you are saying is enforcing FP times is disenfranchising the little people.

Enforcing FPs =\= Taking away FPs

 

[focusondisney]

As plainly as I can put it, you pay Disney money to save a place for you at Space Mountain for 10am, at Splash Mountain at noon and at Indy at 3pm.

Everyone pays the same to enter the park and have plain FP, which works GREAT if you come at the assigned time or not. You can pay extra money to have special treatment and a special FP (NextGen).

I don't see why it is hard to understand that it is a system where you pay to get more. It's like Club 33, or the WOC/F! meal packages, or the Halloween and Christmas parties. Pay extra money, get special treatment and extra things. You might as well say the same thing about annual passes too. I mean, it isn't like they are taking away ALL FPs. I don't see how adding an extra value package "takes away" from any magic.

I can see the problem if they were taking away convenience entirely for the people not willing to pay, but your normal, everyday FP will still work.

I agree! How is this different than the other things Disney already does that you pay extra for? Everyone gets the basics, guests who pay more get extras. It already happens with special parties, tours, VIP guides, even Extra Magic Hours....guests who pay to stay on property get extra park access. Want to pay more for tickets? Then you can get parkhopping or nonexpiring tickets. Want to save money? Buy basic 1 park per day tickets.


I never went when there were "tickets" for the rides. But I bet if you wanted to pay more, you could have gotten extra tickets & therefore extra rides, right? And that was during Walt's management, so I don't see this as something he would have disagreed with. I see this as very similar.


Pay extra, get more. Disney's done it for a long time.

 

[bumbershoot]

I still haven't seen any substantiation of the rumor.

currently FP lines for rides are longer in the evening than in the morning due to the return end time not being enforced. With return times enforced, then the FP lines should be constant during the day (assuming for a constant stand by line).

Now how do you know WHY a line appears to be longer? There are SO few people who know that the FP return time isn't enforced, and even among those of us who know people don't always go back. I know I end up with stacks of FPs that I just never use, because I lose interest in going back (inside or outside the time) or my feet get tired or DS's feet get tired or whatever.

Maybe lines *appear* shorter during the day because people just don't go back at all to the ride they got the FP for, and lines at night ARE the correct lines? Or maybe the FP return lines are longer because the CMs are taking far more standby riders than FP riders at a time?

We don't get to just assign a reason to a line being longer unless the CMs are standing there, asking each person why they are there and if their FP return time already passed, LOL. Oh and if they are asking everyone else in the park if they got a FP for rides and IF they used it. I don't think they are doing that, so no one gets to assign a reason for lines appearing to be longer at one time vs another.

 

[HMANSION LOVER]

Whether or not its anti-Disney is a matter of opinion, pro or con.

But OP asks a legitimate question...why now? Can anyone shed some light other than to say, "Well, its about time!"?

I googled Disney Nextgen fastpass. What I read about was families being picked at random prior to their trip to test this new fast pass system. They were given the opportunity to reserve times for four attractions for each day they would be in the park (in the case I read about they were testing at MK). Now what I am curious about is

1. Will both regular fastpass and fastpass nextgen operate at the same time
2. Will people who stay at Deluxe resorts get the opportunity for more attraction reservations than people who stay at value resorts. And
3. That how showing up at the fastpass entrance twenty minutes after your window, because you went on another attraction (which is what is supposed to happen when holding a fastpass) that had an extra long line is going to screw up the entire fastpass system. By being less flexible about the times they add stress to what is supposed to be a very enjoyable day.

Furthermore, no offense to all who posted that everyone has to and should adhere to the time window. CAST MEMBERS IN THE PAST HAVE NEVER ENFORCED IT AND IT MADE FOR A VERY ENJOYABLE STRESS FREE WAY OF ENJOYING THE ATTRACTIONS YOU WANT TO RIDE. And I find it hard to believe everyone of you NEVER showed up past the time window printed on the fastpass.

Enough said, Disney is making change in the name of the almighty dollar. We will have to change or go somewhere else.

Idolatry of money!!!!!!! Long live capitalism

 

[coaches24]

That stinks, especially if you like to ride certain rides in the evening. For example, I like to ride RSR in the evening. How can I time it, so that my Fastpass is valid at night, when it runs out so quickly?

Only way you would is if they offer you the ability to pick your return time. If they did that I would have no issues at all with FP return time enforcement. Not that I would complain about it anyway. Ive only used FP late once (meaning just one of my trips). But it was VERY convenient to be able to do that.

 

[Patrick in Oregon]

Only way you would is if they offer you the ability to pick your return time. If they did that I would have no issues at all with FP return time enforcement. Not that I would complain about it anyway. Ive only used FP late once (meaning just one of my trips). But it was VERY convenient to be able to do that.

I believe that is what they are going for - picking your own time.

 

[Rhonna]

Ugh. I know they're a money making machine, but I grew up going to DL (my grandparents lived in Anaheim, and my grandfather was one of the welders that worked on the Matterhorn), and the magic that used to be there just isn't there anymore. And it's slipping away more quickly every year. Tiers of FP? Purchasing ride reservations?

Remember the ticket books? When Disneyland originally opened there was one charge to get in and then you paid for each ride separately. Then they introduced the ticket books and you had limited rides available to you. I remember as a kid our family having to decide how to use our tickets. Our parents usually wouldn't buy extra for us so we had to decide what we wanted to ride the most. You couldn't go over and over on a ride you wanted unless you paid more for some extra tickets.

Yes, it was less stressful back then but also way less people that have to be crowd controlled, way less offered in the way of entertainment and way less of what we are now accustomed to as top rides. Can you believe at one point the railroad, Tom Sawyer island, the two ships and the pack mules were E-ticket rides???

 

[Rhonna]

I never went when there were "tickets" for the rides. But I bet if you wanted to pay more, you could have gotten extra tickets & therefore extra rides, right? And that was during Walt's management, so I don't see this as something he would have disagreed with.

Yes, that's how it worked at one point. See my above post.

 

[dizneekrazee]

What if you have a FP, for say Splash Mtn from 12-1, and the ride stops operating during that time?