How strictly enforced is the FastPass return time?

[SpaceTraveler]

My wife and I will be at Disney World soon for the second time. Two years ago (our first trip), FastPass return times were not enforced (and being DLR vets, we are used to this). Now that they are being enforced, what is the grace time for returning? 5 minutes? 15 minutes? 1 hour?

Can't wait to come back to the World!!!

 

[mesaboy2]

my wife and i will be at disney world soon for the second time. Two years ago (our first trip), fastpass return times were not enforced (and being dlr vets, we are used to this). Now that they are being enforced, what is the grace time for returning? 5 minutes? 15 minutes? 1 hour?

Can't wait to come back to the world!!!

I wouldn't wait one minute past the end of the window. Do so and risk being denied entry.

That said, each FP has a GP of 15 minutes printed right on it. Still, I wouldn't rely on it.

 

[DavidNYC]

Supposedly 15 minutes. I actually asked a cast member monitoring the Safari fast pass line in AK if we would have the 15 minute grace as we were on our way to Nemo and was worried about missing our window by a few minutes. He told me we'd have no problem within 15 minutes. (We ended up getting there with a couple minutes to spare so we never got to test it . . .)

We were also there at a very low crowd time so I don't know if they're a bit more strict when crowds are really high.

 

[SpaceTraveler]

Very cool. Thank you DavidNYC and mesaboy2!

 

[yitbos96bb]

Very cool. Thank you DavidNYC and mesaboy2!

They used to give a lot more of an unofficial grace period (not strictly enforcing times)... For example several hours later... But have cracked down on it recently. I'm not sure if this is as strict during slow times... On the few I've been late for, I've only been turned away once since they started heavily enforcing the times but I was expecting it.

 

[mesaboy2]

They used to give a lot more of an unofficial grace period (not strictly enforcing times)... For example several hours later... But have cracked down on it recently. I'm not sure if this is as strict during slow times... On the few I've been late for, I've only been turned away once since they started heavily enforcing the times but I was expecting it.

Still very strict, since March of last year--slow times and fast. The days of returning hours later are gone for the foreseeable future.

 

[DavidNYC]

They used to give a lot more of an unofficial grace period (not strictly enforcing times)... For example several hours later... But have cracked down on it recently. I'm not sure if this is as strict during slow times... On the few I've been late for, I've only been turned away once since they started heavily enforcing the times but I was expecting it.

We were there early December and definitely saw some angry people turned away from fast pass lines who were about an hour late (based on what I heard). So even at slow times I wouldn't count on being beyond the grace period. (And you never know when someone won't give you a grace period at all . . .)

 

[TheRustyScupper]

Still very strict, since March of last year--slow times and fast. The days of returning hours later are gone for the foreseeable future.

1) Correctomondo.
2) Last week, I saw a family refused at Mermaid.
3) And, they were only five minutes late. *

* How do I know "5-minutes late"? Because that is what the father
was yelling at the CM to try to get the family into the show line.

 

[skater]

If there's something printed on the fp about a 15 min. grace period, I don't understand how they don't allow that gp without a whole lot of guest unhappiness. They should just leave off the gp blurb. Without the DIS to explain what's going on, I would feel angry and "tricked" by Disney if the gp was not allowed.

 

[CanadianGuy]

If there's something printed on the fp about a 15 min. grace period, I don't understand how they don't allow that gp without a whole lot of guest unhappiness. They should just leave off the gp blurb. Without the DIS to explain what's going on, I would feel angry and "tricked" by Disney if the gp was not allowed.

I imagine in the post above.. they were "five minutes late" on the 15 minute grace window.. in other words, 20 minutes late..

If I was a lawyer on vacation, I'd try to argue that was five minutes not and not the 20 it actually was.

 

[mom2rtk]

If there's something printed on the fp about a 15 min. grace period, I don't understand how they don't allow that gp without a whole lot of guest unhappiness. They should just leave off the gp blurb. Without the DIS to explain what's going on, I would feel angry and "tricked" by Disney if the gp was not allowed.

It doesn't actually say "grace period". In small print in one corner it says gp followed by a time 15 minutes later than the closing time on the FP.

I really think it's best just to assume it's not there. If someone wants a grace period, they should assume that the window is 45 minutes long.

That said, my daughter and her friend were able to use Space FPs within that 15 minute grace period on a very busy Saturday afternoon in mid-December. Of course, I did warn them to ask very nicely and not question it if they were turned down.

 

[mesaboy2]

It doesn't actually say "grace period". In small print in one corner it says gp followed by a time 15 minutes later than the closing time on the FP.

I really think it's best just to assume it's not there. If someone wants a grace period, they should assume that the window is 45 minutes long.

That said, my daughter and her friend were able to use Space FPs within that 15 minute grace period on a very busy Saturday afternoon in mid-December. Of course, I did warn them to ask very nicely and not question it if they were turned down.

 

[TheRustyScupper]

I imagine in the post above.. they were "five minutes late" on the 15 minute grace window.. in other words, 20 minutes late..

If I was a lawyer on vacation, I'd try to argue that was five minutes not and not the 20 it actually was.

1) I cannot say.
. . . don't know if there was a 15-minute Grace Period on the ticket
. . . don't know if the man was 5-min late, or 5-min late for Grace Period
2) All I know is the yelling he was doing at the CM.
3) And, the yelling did not get his family into the show!
4) Lawyer or no lawyer, late beyond printed times ON TICKET is late.

 

[kmb584]

I wouldn't chance a late entry. I'd be there at least 1-2 minutes prior to the end of the FP allowance time!

 

[PeterPanic]

It doesn't actually say "grace period". In small print in one corner it says gp followed by a time 15 minutes later than the closing time on the FP.

I really think it's best just to assume it's not there. If someone wants a grace period, they should assume that the window is 45 minutes long.

That said, my daughter and her friend were able to use Space FPs within that 15 minute grace period on a very busy Saturday afternoon in mid-December. Of course, I did warn them to ask very nicely and not question it if they were turned down.

They have never publicly acknowledged any Grace Period. It appears on the bottom corner of the Fastpass and I have always assumed that was printed there to help speed up the process and not cause CM's to have to do the math during busy times. If your FP window ends at 1:15 PM that little small print message on the bottom will read...GP 13:30. If they are honoring Grace Periods that day for that ride the CM will know that they can let you on, but it might not make a difference and no one should ever assume they have that time available. If they wanted you to have a 1 hour and 15 minute window they would have put that on up front.

 

[Kona65]

1) Correctomondo.
2) Last week, I saw a family refused at Mermaid.
3) And, they were only five minutes late. *

* How do I know "5-minutes late"? Because that is what the father
was yelling at the CM to try to get the family into the show line.

Wonder if he was 5 minutes late past the 15 minute grace period, or 5 minutes late past the posted time? Maybe he had a right to yell! TDBIASWS.

 

[skater]

They have never publicly acknowledged any Grace Period. It appears on the bottom corner of the Fastpass and I have always assumed that was printed there to help speed up the process and not cause CM's to have to do the math during busy times. If your FP window ends at 1:15 PM that little small print message on the bottom will read...GP 13:30. If they are honoring Grace Periods that day for that ride the CM will know that they can let you on, but it might not make a difference and no one should ever assume they have that time available. If they wanted you to have a 1 hour and 15 minute window they would have put that on up front.

If a grace period is printed on the fp, they should honor it. Not honoring something that is in writing is bad business IMO. I believe that the average guest would assume that a printed grace period would be honored.

 

[ghtx]

If a grace period is printed on the fp, they should honor it. Not honoring something that is in writing is bad business IMO. I believe that the average guest would assume that a printed grace period would be honored.

To reiterate, the FP ticket does not state "you are entitled to a 15-minute grace period after the posted end time." Rather, there is a little code on the bottom right of the ticket that reads "GP" followed by the end-time of your ticket window plus 15 minutes. See the image in this post: http://www.easywdw.com/reports6/uythgjsadasd9.jpg

 

[maxiesmom]

If a grace period is printed on the fp, they should honor it. Not honoring something that is in writing is bad business IMO. I believe that the average guest would assume that a printed grace period would be honored.

Grace Period is not written on the Fast Pass anywhere. Nor does Disney advertise any type of grace period to the public. Therefore it cannot be bad business to not honor the not acknowledged grace period.

 

[EMAW_KSU]

Wonder if he was 5 minutes late past the 15 minute grace period, or 5 minutes late past the posted time? Maybe he had a right to yell! TDBIASWS.

Why would he have a right to yell?