Interesting FP info regarding BLAB

[Disney Dreams]

Disclaimer: I really don't use FP that often, so I may just be oblivious to this, but I have never heard/seen it before. I am fairly certain it's new information.

I was going through my bag that had my pins that I got through trading while at the Park for the 55th and pulled out a crumpled show schedule I had picked up on the 17th.

I have no idea why this caught my eye, but I noticed at the bottom it listed the attractions that have FPs in each Park. On the Disneyland side, after each attraction it says, "Daily," but after BLAB it says "Fri to Sun."

I thought it was worth sharing.

- Dreams

 

[sonnyjane]

Hmm. I just looked in my purse (that I clearly don't clean enough) and have a show schedule from my trip two weeks ago (Fri. July 2 - Thu. July 8) and on the bottom it just lists the rides that offer FP. There is no mention of specific days. I was there on a Wednesday and Buzz Lightyear did have FP's that day - I used one

I suppose the change could have occurred between two weeks ago and now? If so, I can kind of understand it, as I've never seen the line for Buzz be longer than 35-40 minutes, and that was during the height of Spring Break. It's typically more like 20 minutes in my experience.

 

[nunzia]

..I was just trying to figure out what BLAB was....

 

[DLR29]

..I was just trying to figure out what BLAB was....

Buzz Lightyear AstroBlasters. Perhaps the show schedule said that because BLAB is down for refurb this week.

 

[Sherry E]

There was one particular day that we were at DLR in late 2008, and the BLAB line was long. (There are some days we have gone on BLAB and there was no line at all, but this was not one of them.) In any case, on this specific day the CMs were 'analyzing' the line and the wait time to get on the ride. When we got in the line, a CM approached my friend and handed her a card to hang on to and instructed her to give it to the CM at the loading area when we were ready to board the vehicle. They were logging times to determine how long it took to move through the queue and get on BLAB. For some reason I took comfort in knowing that they were paying attention to wait times because I felt like it meant that DLR was interested in ways to load the ride more quickly and efficiently.

So when we went back to DLR in 2009 I had secretly hoped this analysis would result in very short lines or non-existent lines for BLAB. No such luck! The lines in 2009 were long, if not longer - but they always seem to move pretty quickly. Just like in the case of POTC, the line for BLAB may look hideous and ominous, but it actually doesn't take an unreasonable amount of time to get into the vehicle without a FP, which is good.

 

[almostmortimer]

Some Fastpasses at DLR are only available on the weekends. Since the parks are often much less crowded during the weekdays, the Fastpass is not necessary (in Disney's eyes).

 

[GrandBob]

Sherry, they do the timing thing with the red cards at all the major rides. We've been the holders of those cards several times, including at Splash and Indy. I believe that they're simply used to update the standby wait time estimates at the entrances to the lines.

-Bob

 

[radiatorsprings]

BLAB is closed Monday thru Friday this week for refurb so it could be for that. When I went in November 2008 they only had Fastpass available on weekends for that ride because it was off season and you wouldn't need fp on that ride at that time. But in July it should be available daily, it's just the whole ride is closed this week.

 

[3Minnies1Mickey]

Sherry, they do the timing thing with the red cards at all the major rides. We've been the holders of those cards several times, including at Splash and Indy. I believe that they're simply used to update the standby wait time estimates at the entrances to the lines.

-Bob

We've held those through the SMGG FP line last year. I was confused on why they wanted to time the FP line?!?!

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Sherry, they do the timing thing with the red cards at all the major rides. We've been the holders of those cards several times, including at Splash and Indy. I believe that they're simply used to update the standby wait time estimates at the entrances to the lines.

-Bob

DH says I have a knack for getting those cards! They do them on all the major attractions and as you say it updates the wait times.

 

[Disney Dreams]

BLAB is closed Monday thru Friday this week for refurb so it could be for that. When I went in November 2008 they only had Fastpass available on weekends for that ride because it was off season and you wouldn't need fp on that ride at that time. But in July it should be available daily, it's just the whole ride is closed this week.

Ooooh! Yes Yes! Good! That makes PERFECT sense! The schedule is for Friday, July 16 - Thursday, July 22, 2010. And THAT would mean that during this particular week, FPs available Friday through Sunday.

I think we have our answer!

- Dreams

 

[HydroGuy]

Some Fastpasses at DLR are only available on the weekends. Since the parks are often much less crowded during the weekdays, the Fastpass is not necessary (in Disney's eyes).

I am not aware of any rides at DLR that only distribute FPs on weekend. During off-season some rides do not use FP on weekdays because of lower demand. But it is a seasonal thing.