Has removal of free Express pass affected lines?

[buzz2400]

Just my thoughts----
I went in beginning of december. Found that it was ok during the week without the free passes but the weekends had very long lines and we ended up leaving.

You MUST get to the park when it opens in order to avoid the long lines. There is no other way.

Remember, if you buy the pass it is only good once for each ride.

Finally, what we did before all these "fast passes". If I remember correctly there wasn't so much to do. Disney did not have all four parks, univeral did not have islands of adventure. you were able to do all the parks in a week's time so you were not stretched for time. Now I feel that if I want to do everything, four disney parks, two water parks, two days at universal, disneyquest, gatorland, arrival and departure date, I am getting up to two weeks.

 

[dandave]

On Monday, we waited about 20 minutes to ride Jaws with FOTL. The stand-by line had just been raised from 60 to 75 minutes.

On Thursday, we waited 20-25 to ride the River Adventure ride at IOA in the Express line.

Having that FOTL access with my room key card was very convenient, but it did make me feel like crap quite a few times. When I was in that Express line and the stand-by lines were so long, I found it very difficult to look at some of the stand-by people. I honestly felt really guilty. I know, if I had that much of a moral problem with FOTL I just should have taken my butt over to the stand-by line with them, but I didn't.
That's the one thing that bothered me about the trip.

 

[LOLA2]

This is not to the annaul pass holders but to everyone else that travels down to Orlando. If you are that upset about not having FOTL, stay at Universal for one night and go to the park for the two days and enjoy FOTL. What is the big deal about cutting your other hotel 1 day short? IMO if FOTL is what you want then do this, if you make excuses, and don't then it's your own fault and less time for me in lines If your complaining about paying for 5 express passes, weel hello you could have gotten a room for that amount with the benefits of FOTL. I guess I don't know where people are coming from, it sure beats Disney making you come back in a certain time window, and only getting one at a time ect.

 

[Sylvester McBean]

On Monday, we waited about 20 minutes to ride Jaws with FOTL. The stand-by line had just been raised from 60 to 75 minutes.

On Thursday, we waited 20-25 to ride the River Adventure ride at IOA in the Express line.
.

it continues to baffle me. Jaws can load close to 2500 people per hour, JPRA is close to 3000. they're two of the highest capacity attractions in the parks.

 

[Sylvester McBean]

I guess I don't know where people are coming from, it sure beats Disney making you come back in a certain time window, and only getting one at a time ect.

with Disney FP's you don't need to follow the end of the time window. if your FP expires at 4:00p, you can enter the FP return line at 7:00p. you just can't enter the return line before the entry time on your window.

 

[phamton]

with Disney FP's you don't need to follow the end of the time window. if your FP expires at 4:00p, you can enter the FP return line at 7:00p.

It depends on the castmember at WDW. Some allow it. Others don't.

 

[MsDisney]

with Disney FP's you don't need to follow the end of the time window. if your FP expires at 4:00p, you can enter the FP return line at 7:00p. you just can't enter the return line before the entry time on your window.

Heh, I never knew that...but then, for the most part, I tend to be a "rule follower" And why the heck do paople have to stand there blocking the queue 5 minutes before their time???

It depends on the castmember at WDW. Some allow it. Others don't.

I hadn't thought about it, but there have been times I've had a fastpass for something that broke down and they told us to just go back anytime, no problem, and I thought...hmm...but I guess I assumed the CM's would be aware of any breakdown's earlier in the day and would know to allow people on...but then, communication isn't really their strong point...!

Karen / MsDis

 

[Sylvester McBean]

Heh, I never knew that...but then, for the most part, I tend to be a "rule follower" And why the heck do paople have to stand there blocking the queue 5 minutes before their time???



I hadn't thought about it, but there have been times I've had a fastpass for something that broke down and they told us to just go back anytime, no problem, and I thought...hmm...but I guess I assumed the CM's would be aware of any breakdown's earlier in the day and would know to allow people on...but then, communication isn't really their strong point...!

Karen / MsDis

splash mountain is the worst attraction for FP return backups.

we've never been questioned by a CM on a FP return time. but that's our experience right or wrong. kids, don't try this at home....

 

[maps]

We went Pres Week and the crowds were massive. We went early and it was great for about an hour or so and then the lines got busy. We had the 5 day passes so we figured we wouldn't spend the extra money on the express passes.

But the lines really were ridiculous. You would have to double the posted wait times in order for them to be accurate. We would get in a line that said 30 minutes, only to wait an hour and have people in the express line just walk right in. It didn't seem like a fair system at all.

I think the wait times were inaccurate because they couldn't account for all the peolpe who would be in the express line.

This was our first visit and it did put a sour taste in our mouth with the whole experience. We spent one day at EPCOT and yes the lines were just as busy there but we used the FP well and got to see everything we wanted with minimal wait.

 

[goofy!]

Family of 5 (My family) - all over age 9

WDW = 3 day ticket with Park Hopper Option for 5 people = $1,105


Universal =
5 tickets @99.00 = $495.00
2 nights at Royal Pacific = 149.00 = 298.00 (4 days of FOTL for all 5 people)
Total = 793.00

For us, no matter how you cut it, Universal is still WAY cheaper than WDW.

 

[keriberri]

We just returned home last night from Orlando. (Don't even ask me about the 12 hour drive that was supposed to take only 9 hours......thank you I-95), but anyways....... We visited USO on Monday, 27th. The lines were not bad at all, in my opinion. We got there when the gates opened and rode The Mummy first. The line stopped at the first landing of the steps (where you board). Our wait was like 5 minutes. Then we headed on over to Jaws which was probably about a 20 min wait. Then we went over to MIB, and we didn't have to wait long for that one either. (Maybe 10 min.) We did not want to fork out the extra bucks for the express passes for 6 people. It really wasn't that bad. Sure there were plenty of people using the express passes....BTW, is there a certain number of those things that they sell before they "sell out"? Just curious. But for us, we didn't mind waiting instead of forking out the money. On the 29th, we went to IOA. It was more crowded there, but there were several high school bands performing there. The lines were longer. When we first arrived, it must have been an early day for the hotel guests because Hulk and Spiderman was already at 45 minutes, so we went on to Popeye.....(big mistake on my part by riding this WET ride....lol) but then we worked our way around from there, and by the time we got back to Hulk, we waited maybe 15 minutes. Then Spiderman was down to 30 min. but that was the best it had been all day. So in my opinion, if you want to save money, you don't really need to buy the express passes if you get to the park when the gates open, and devise a plan...know where you are going next. But, if you DO have the money to blow......I'd probably buy one just because I don't like waiting in line.......

 

[Jenny]

When we first arrived, it must have been an early day for the hotel guests because Hulk and Spiderman was already at 45 minutes, so we went on to Popeye)

do hotel guests have early entry days at IOA and US? if so, what are the details - which rides, what time, which days? i remember seeing something about it maybe last year online - i think just Shrek was open early - but i haven't seen anything since. Years ago, i was there & in the parks at 7 a.m. - it was great! no preshows, all walk-ons - it was really different then.

 

[Jason71]

Went to IOA on Saturday, admit we did not get there until noon. Streets were crowded, but certainly not as packed as I have seen them other times. That said, the lines did seem worse than usual; 45-60 minutes for the Marvel rides, and 90 minutes for Popeye! (Hot day, and no Dudley Do-Right to pick up the slack.) I think JPRA was posted around 25 minutes, but that seemed to move much more quickly.

 

[damo]

do hotel guests have early entry days at IOA and US? if so, what are the details - which rides, what time, which days? i remember seeing something about it maybe last year online - i think just Shrek was open early - but i haven't seen anything since. Years ago, i was there & in the parks at 7 a.m. - it was great! no preshows, all walk-ons - it was really different then.

No early entry.