How to give away FP successfully?

[loafskier]

On our last trip we gave away fastpasses twice but I am not sure it really shared the magic as I had hoped. I don't think either group even knew what they were...it was so disappointing. I hope they actually used them.

The first give away was in AK. We had two EE fastpasses because DH and DS decided not to ride (for the third time that day - for figure). I saw a middle-aged couple strolling along who looked in a bit of wonderment over the whole WDW experience. I thought they would be a good target. They didn't know what a fastpass was but caught on after our quick explanation and were very appreciative. They said they were on their honeymoon and were very thankful. I am sure they must have used them.

The second give-away happened in DHS. I got fastpasses to TSM without checking the return time and it was way out. I think 4pm when I got them at 10am. We had enough heat and crowds by 2pm and were heading out. I was scanning the crowd for a group of four. We saw a family of four and headed over. Well, they did not seem to know what a fastpass was and did not speak English very well (and I made the mistake of taking French in high school – Spanish would have been much more useful for my job and in general – but I digress). So, I think we got an explanation across, but I am not sure. I am not sure if those valuable fastpasses ever got used.

So, my question, how do you successfully give away a fastpass to someone who knows what it is and would really appreciate the offer?

 

[grimley1968]

When I've given them away, my best experience is usually to go near the FP machines for that ride, rather than on my way out of the park. That way I know I have an audience of a) knowledgeable FP users and b) people who want to ride the attraction, and that the FP's I'm giving away have a 90% or greater chance of being used.

 

[StitchandPooh'sMom]

We gave away four FPs to Test Track in July to a family of four standing at the entrance trying to decide if it was worth it to get in line - the wait was 80 minutes, I think, and all the FPs were gone for the day. These were Give A Day FPs, so they were valid immediately. They were speechless.

 

[MissRoseRed]

Good question - people tend to look at me like I'm trying to mug them when I give away FPs... And I am not at all scary looking. People ask me to take their kids on the bigger rides all the time because I look like a nice auntie (which I am)

Last April I had FPs to Soarin' that I wasn't going to use (our waitress at Le Cellier gave us comp FPS just to be nice!!). I went out by the big board that gives wait times and watched for a pair of people to say something like "90 minutes for Soarin'?! Bummer!" It didn't happen as quickly as you'd expect, but the I did see 2 ladies who seemed to be there by themselves and were looking at the board. I said excuse me, would you like these fast passes? And they actually tried to run away from me. Then realized what I had said and came back for the passes...

Sometimes I just take unused FPs home, because giving them away can be more uncomfortable than it's probably worth... There should be a universal sign for "I have fast passes - want 'em?"

 

[dzneelvr]

I agree--try to do your give-away at any FP machine...those people know what's whatI'm always astonished at the number of visitors to WDW who don't know/understand the FP concept We usually do at least one FP giveaway on our final day and so enjoy the "magic"...we also have been on the receiving end multiple times and love love love that

 

[Tinkerbellie16]

When I've given them away, my best experience is usually to go near the FP machines for that ride, rather than on my way out of the park. That way I know I have an audience of a) knowledgeable FP users and b) people who want to ride the attraction, and that the FP's I'm giving away have a 90% or greater chance of being used.

Ditto

 

[fallen_angel727]

We gave away some FP's for Soarin' last time we were there. A huge group was in front of us so the return time jumped up by a few hours and we didn't realize it until after they were in our hands. Well a mom and her son were about to get in the 130+ minute line so I asked if they we're planning on spending the day at Epcot. She said something about "well judging by this like I suppose so" so I offered the FP's since we ADR's that night. She looked pretty suspicious, but took them and walked away, no thank you or anything It was actually kind of depressing to tell the the truth

 

[Cindyrellablue]

My sister and I had 5 instant FP for TSM on our last trip and only sis and nephew wanted to go. We scoped out the entrance to the attraction for a party of three and finally found a mother and two tween children who stood in awe at the sign announcing an 80 min wait. The mother was about to walk away when my sis pounced and told her that she had enough extra passes to take her and her children on the ride. They were thrilled and my sister said she had a great time waiting in the FP line with them (still 20 min)!

On our second day at DHS, we went to TSM again to get FP and found that the time was way too close to Fantasmic for us to go. We tried again to give them away but this time, we must have seemed like sales persons or something...people absolutely avoided us. Oh well...we came home with FP for TSM and a few families that ran away from us waited for 75 min!

 

[kdfogliano]

We always give FP"s away, but the problem is most people dont know that u can us them after the time frame ends, so i spend 10 minutes explaining that u can use them and they still look at me like i am crazy...

standing by the machine sounds like a good idea

 

[PRINCESS VIJA]

We've given a few away where we too scoped out some people, but they seemed less than pleased, or unsure of their use. Didn't feel "magical" to give them away that way, just not sure they were used.

But my most fun time was at BTMRR. My DD and I had 2 to give away, we went to the end of the line and loudly asked who wanted 2 fast passes. the couple that raised their hands first got it and they were QUITE happy! That was fun, because their was no guessing if they would use them or not.

 

[Coach81]

Make sure you speak the same language????

 

[WeLoveLilo05]

I've had people give me FP tickets standing outside the ride. It worked out perfectly one night, we were going to do Splash Mt and it was DD's first time on it, she kept saying she wanted to do it, but she has backed down from rides in the past. It was a 30 minute wait, it was late at night and me and fiance were trying to decide if we should or shouldn't, we were afraid we'd wait 30 minutes and DD would back out, a man came up and gave us 3 and said "Have a Good time!" We were so thankful, we didn't have to wait, DD really couldn't rethink her decision lol, and we did it.

From that experience though we have found that DD does not like Splash....which is hard for me b/c that my favorite ride lol.

So give the tickets to someone who is about to walk on the stand by line

 

[loafskier]

Okay, I feel better now that I see others have had similar issues giving away fastpasses. I didn't know it could be so hard to share some magic

Standing by the fastpass machine seems like a great solution.

Thanks everyone for the stories and suggestions.

Kate

 

[JDUCKY]

I like to find some people that are just coming into the park as we're leaving.

Either that or find someone at the tail end of the line (like Peter Pan's Flight for example) and ask for a party of 2 (or 4 or however many I have). Love seeing their faces when I hand over some FastPasses.


But, I've had the experience that the people don't understand English so well or understand what a FP is or, worse yet, they look at the FP and see the time has passed (ugh, like that matters?!?) and then they toss them on the ground thinking they're "expired".

*shrug*

 

[BonnieA]

I had 2 fastpasses for R&R coaster at DHS. Since I wasn't in a hurry to leave, I just sat and watched the people getting in line which was really long and out of the regular snaking line. I was looking for 2 special people who I thought might appreciate it. I finally found a couple, it was a father and his daughter. I gave him the passes and he wanted to hug me. I made the right choice.

 

[tndisneyfan]

We usually give them away as we are exiting. We give them to a family just arriving. There's three of us (me, DH, and DS) so we usually try to look for a couple with a kid or a single parent with two kids. I like to pass a little magic to the kiddies.

 

[Suellen]

I had 20 instant FP's still on the card. 5 of them with 4 INSTANT FP's on them. We were leaving and were just at the IG so my mom could upgrade to AP with our DVC discount. So there was a group of people over by the boat launch and I offered them the FP cards and they looked at me like I had 100 heads. After I explained the whole thing they thought I was trying to SELL it to them. It was really awkward and uncomfortable.

I do still try again every time though!

 

[SnackyStacky]

I've had an experience where I tried to give them away and people DID refuse.

So I went to a CM stationed outside the FP machines and gave them to the CM. I asked them to give them to someone. Even the CM kind of gave me a look as if to say "Are you nuts?".

Ever since then, if I can't find takers, I give them to a CM and ask them to make some magic for someone.

 

[dmccarty]

We have gotten the "What do you want?!" look once or twice. But usually not.

Our first FP sharing event happened when our oldest was able to ride EE for the first time. We were walking over to EE and a father and son walked up to us and asked if we wanted FP for EE?! My face may have been in the "What do you want?!" mode but I quickly changed to Woo Hoo Mode!

It made my kids first EE trip that much better.

If we have left over FP's we start looking for someone to Pixie dust on the way out of the park. I do like the idea of giving the FP's to a CM or standing by the FP machines for a/the ride. We usually our at the front of the park so going to the ride's FP machines is usually not really easy to do. But it is a great idea.

We let the kids pick the people to get the FPs and let the kids give the people the FPs. People are more apt to listen to the kids. Sometimes the kids do not want to give out the FPs so I do it.

Most of the time people are very happy to get the FPs. Sometimes I think they are in shock and/or don't know what they have been given. I surely hope that people would not throw away good FPs.

Later,
Dan

 

[NJGirl]

I did this for the first time on my last trip to the World in May. We had GAD fast passes and after a few spins on TSM (we were there at Rope Drop) we had enough. We gave away an extra set around lunch time to a father and son who we overheard say "if the lines too long, we can't ride it this trip". The look on their face was priceless when we handed over the instant fast passes. Turns out they had given away a pair of Space Mtn fast passes the day before. The father told the son, see this is what you get for doing something nice..it comes back to you.

We had another pair to give away and found a young honey mooning couple with their bride/groom ears on hunched over a map near TSM deciding where to go. We asked if they had ridden TSM yet. They said no, the lines too long and there's no fast passes left. They couldn't thank us enough.

We gave away another set of GADs at the MK on the Jungle Cruise and took a pair of Bristish honeymooners with us in line.


Sadly, I couldn't give away the Soarin ones. People looked at us like we were nutso!