FP enforcement really sucks

[roliepolieoliefan]

We always returned during our time designated. I really don't see the big deal.

 

[dnamertz]

I know I can wait in line and to be honest I normally do cause when I go FP return times are longer wait than actually waiting in the Stand By lines.

I never found the FP line to be longer than the Stand By line. If this was normally the case, FP would have never worked.

 

[aussietravellers]

I didn't know that you could return outside your FP time, until they stopped it and I was kicking myself after all those years of travelling to DLR or WDW and had so many FP's we didn't use So sadly I never got to try it so really don't know what I'm missing.

 

[momrek06]

I didn't know that you could return outside your FP time, until they stopped it and I was kicking myself after all those years of travelling to DLR or WDW and had so many FP's we didn't use So sadly I never got to try it so really don't know what I'm missing.

Me too.

I did not know for the longest time until really earlier this year.

One day I just happened to ask a CM and he said "you can come back ANYTIME after the time stamped on the FP".

I thought, wow, I always went back within the hour that was on the FP. After I asked that CM, I did love knowing I did not have to get back to the ride once my hour had arrived.

I think this NEW plan will indeed result in allot of extra FP's not getting used.
JMHO.

 

[DarthMole]

I think this NEW plan will indeed result in allot of extra FP's not getting used.
JMHO.

I disagree. When we went a few years back we did not know about the open ended return window. We were very mindful of the return times and didn't pull a FP unless we knew we would be around to use it. We had zero extra at the end of each day. On our most recent trip, thanks to the DIS, we were aware of the ability to return after the printed expiration time. We turned into collectors and ended the trip with a bunch of unused passes. Not on purpose. We intended to use every one but after tiring out, each night we just never made it back to some rides.

I think people have reported rides like Space have FP available later in the day than normal, meaning people are mindful of the return times and only pull them if they will use them. It would be ineresting to know if more or less are actually being used.

 

[momrek06]

I disagree. When we went a few years back we did not know about the open ended return window. We were very mindful of the return times and didn't pull a FP unless we knew we would be around to use it. We had zero extra at the end of each day. On our most recent trip, thanks to the DIS, we were aware of the ability to return after the printed expiration time. We turned into collectors and ended the trip with a bunch of unused passes. Not on purpose. We intended to use every one but after tiring out, each night we just never made it back to some rides.

I think people have reported rides like Space have FP available later in the day than normal, meaning people are mindful of the return times and only pull them if they will use them. It would be ineresting to know if more or less are actually being used.

Oh DM, what I have highlighted, I so hope happens!!!

 

[k3chantal]

I like FPs, therefore do not wish for them to go away.
So stop saying that, because you might give the right people the wrong ideas.




No.... really.

Disneyland is not going to do away with the fast pass program.

There are two reasons:
1. They just spent millions updating and upgrading the Fast pass system at WDW with Fastpass +. If anything, DL is next.

2. Disney's competitors (Universal, etc) have Disney 'beat' on the 'fast pass' system and that is not going anywhere so Disney will have to improve their system to remain viable. We were shocked the first time we went to Universal because of how much better not only their 'fast pass' system worked but their parent rider exchange was better too. The waiting parent and child had changing tables, tv's, and fans or air conditioning while waiting for the other parent to get off the ride.

 

[awdsmama]

DS7 and I went during Spring Break 2012 and we used 1 fp outside it's window - for Star Tours. I admit I was nervous doing it, thinking they'd say no and send us to the huge line ;-)

I am glad to hear that enforced times are generally leading to shorter fp lines, and now I won't be nervous next trip trying to get around the system (even if it WAS allowed at that time) haha!

 

[momrek06]

Disneyland is not going to do away with the fast pass program.

There are two reasons:
1. They just spent millions updating and upgrading the Fast pass system at WDW with Fastpass +. If anything, DL is next.

2. Disney's competitors (Universal, etc) have Disney 'beat' on the 'fast pass' system and that is not going anywhere so Disney will have to improve their system to remain viable. We were shocked the first time we went to Universal because of how much better not only their 'fast pass' system worked but their parent rider exchange was better too. The waiting parent and child had changing tables, tv's, and fans or air conditioning while waiting for the other parent to get off the ride.

Are you talking about US/Hollywood? FP's?

I have been there many many times and I am unsure of this FP program at US that you speak of?

I know they have that FRONT OF THE LINE deal but that is $$$ costly $$$.

 

[aan1701]

I never found the FP line to be longer than the Stand By line. If this was normally the case, FP would have never worked.

No you misunderstood me. What I meant was I would go to let's say Space Mountain at let's say 4:00. It says Stand By is 40 min but FP return time is now 8:00-9:00. I just wait the 40 instead of the 4 hours. Also I know FP is not going away. It's just a wish. I was asked to do a FP+ test at WDW. We did it. We all hated it. It was so stressful trying to figure it out with dining reservations and such. Heck we even joked that next Disney is going to want us to pre reserve bathroom breaks. Like I said, I wish it would go away, I know it's not going anywhere.

Sent from my iPhone 5 using DISBoards

 

[wolfpack1]

My understanding was that as long as you had a fast pass you could use it anytime after the time it was suppose to be used but not before. Again to me the policy didn't make any sense because otherwise why put a return time up there if you could use them anytime after a certain time?

 

[k3chantal]

Are you talking about US/Hollywood? FP's?

I have been there many many times and I am unsure of this FP program at US that you speak of?

I know they have that FRONT OF THE LINE deal but that is $$$ costly $$$.

Universal Orlando has a program that if you stay on site at one of their hotels, the feature is free; for us, we only stay on site, at WDW, so we do the same when we are at Universal, and the free Front of the Line deal is 'free' and well worth staying on site.

I have only been to Universal Hollywood as a child (a long time ago ) so I can't speak to their incentives. But since Disney is a large corporation I am sure they communicate what is working on each coast and what the nearby parks to each location are doing. Universal Orlando's system has Disney's fast past system beat. And believe me, we were blindly in love with Disney before this experience. We are even DVC members. But yes, it is costly if you are not staying on site......I think you get more though. At Disney, you may still have a wait, yes shorter but still a wait. And on the days we went to Universal Orlando there was no wait on any of the lines that we used their express pass for and the parks were busy. The only wait was for the Harry Potter ride and it does not participate in their express pass system but does open for early morning entry so that wait was not bad either.

My overall point is that the fast pass system is not going anywhere. People want to 'feel' special and that they are 'getting' something and fast passes helps in that regard.

Personally, I am happy that they are enforcing the 'rules'. I am not passionate about the subject but I see no reason to put a time on something if they don't abide by it. We never took advantage of their leniency; never occurred to us that it could or should be done.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

My understanding was that as long as you had a fast pass you could use it anytime after the time it was suppose to be used but not before. Again to me the policy didn't make any sense because otherwise why put a return time up there if you could use them anytime after a certain time?

It used to be that way. Now they are enforcing the 1 hour window specified on the FP.

 

[Blue32]

No you misunderstood me. What I meant was I would go to let's say Space Mountain at let's say 4:00. It says Stand By is 40 min but FP return time is now 8:00-9:00. I just wait the 40 instead of the 4 hours. Also I know FP is not going away. It's just a wish. I was asked to do a FP+ test at WDW. We did it. We all hated it. It was so stressful trying to figure it out with dining reservations and such. Heck we even joked that next Disney is going to want us to pre reserve bathroom breaks. Like I said, I wish it would go away, I know it's not going anywhere.

Sent from my iPhone 5 using DISBoards

This makes no sense. You are not waiting in a line for 4 hours. You get to come back in 4 hours and wait in a short line instead of a 40 minute line. You are able to do a lot of other things in that 4 hours.

 

[Disney Dreams]

This makes no sense. You are not waiting in a line for 4 hours. You get to come back in 4 hours and wait in a short line instead of a 40 minute line. You are able to do a lot of other things in that 4 hours.

Actually, it makes a lot of sense. What if you don't want to wait four hours until you get to ride something? A 40 minute wait is not that long and it means you get to ride now as opposed to four hours from now. I completely understand.

- Dreams

 

[butterflymouse]

I haven't been to the park since the change was made, but for me, it's the same anyway. We didn't know you could use the fastpass anytime you want for ages, so we always went within the time window we were given. It was never a big deal. We just made sure not to get in line for a ride that would take up too much time and run into our fastpass times.

 

[aan1701]

Actually, it makes a lot of sense. What if you don't want to wait four hours until you get to ride something? A 40 minute wait is not that long and it means you get to ride now as opposed to four hours from now. I completely understand.

- Dreams

Exactly my point. Thank you. I'd just rather wait in line that short amount of time than wait to come back hours later. Also what if something happens in that ok g time span. I may not get to go in the ride.

Sent from my iPhone 5 using DISBoards

 

[momrek06]

Universal Orlando has a program that if you stay on site at one of their hotels, the feature is free; for us, we only stay on site, at WDW, so we do the same when we are at Universal, and the free Front of the Line deal is 'free' and well worth staying on site.

Oh you are talking about US/Orlando!

I assumed you were talking about Hollywood as we are talking about DL/DCA!

Yes I have stayed many times at both Portofino Bay and Hard Rock. We especially love HRH and the ease of just walking right over to US/IOA!

Anyway, yes, the way US/Orlando does those FOL passes is great BUT a few things ...... #1) California residents (such as me) who are in driving distance to DL would have to stay 'on campus' in order to take advantage of that option but seeing as I live close by that would never happen for me when I can easily drive home after a full day at the Parks. And #2) In case you have never been to US/Hollywood, they have no hotels 'on campus'. We always stay at the Hilton but with that stay comes no perks.

 

[AC7179]

I completely understand that this is the way fp was intended and I understand Disney's right to run its (awesome) fp program any way they would like.

But.

We were ones that would visit at opening, ride a ride, collect a fp for that ride, and repeat until about 1. We would then head to the hotel, rest, swim, and go back to the park and "spend" our fp's. It was incredibly wonderful. We were advised by a cm to do this one trip, so we never felt we were doing anything wrong, and it was a wonderful way to tour.

Last time we visited, in 2009, I paid $140 a night for pph. This trip, I'm paying $315. Not to mention the increase in ticket prices! Our touring with the fp enforcement will not be as good, there's no doubt, so there's the feeling of a diminished experience for triple the price.

I do understand the need to crack down with next gen coming. I'm not angry, I'm just hoping we can find a plan that will work as well! I wish they would have cracked down from day 1. It's hard to go back!

 

[KiwiMouseGirl]

I do not understand what the fuss is about the fastpass enforcement. All it takes a little pre planning and thought. Fastpass enforecement makes the whole system run smoother and also makes the fastpass lines shorter as people aren't jumping in lines with fastpasses obtained at 10am just before the park closes. Wait times are also more easily predicted. Really, its a win win for everyone.