Interesting-re FP new rules

[DisneyFive]

I never understood the complaining about Fastpass enforcement times. The times are there on the ticket for a reason.

If you had a 9AM doctor's appointment but just bopped in around 12PM you can't expect to just be taken right away.

Yes, seems logical, unless you knew that there was no enforcement of the time window (besides the start of the window). At risk of sounding like a broken record, here are two videos of cast members promoting the use of late fastpasses. We took advantage of it, certainly and loved the flexibility. Sad to see that gone.

http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=43968736&postcount=562

...and I think people understand the concept of being to an appointment on time. Sheesh

Dan

 

[miami305]

I never understood the complaining about Fastpass enforcement times. The times are there on the ticket for a reason.

If you had a 9AM doctor's appointment but just bopped in around 12PM you can't expect to just be taken right away.

Three cheers for common sense!

 

[mesaboy2]

The far more likely cause is that there are more FPs being distributed as mentioned by a JC CM a couple of weeks ago. If everyone's into common sense, that is.

Now I return you back to the unending irrational jubilation.

 

[doconeill]

I never understood the complaining about Fastpass enforcement times. The times are there on the ticket for a reason.

If you had a 9AM doctor's appointment but just bopped in around 12PM you can't expect to just be taken right away.

Ah, but if the doctor said, "Come here 30 minutes early and go to the lab first...", and you go to the lab and for a variety of reasons it takes 90 minutes to get your lab work done, should the doctor then refuse to see you?

About 9:30-9:45. Then I popped in line for a 15 minute wait (advertised as 50 minutes). Got out and the wait was 20 minutes.
And mjallemand, I'll endure those flames with you. What you said makes perfect sense.

Some napkin calculations, by no means accurate - DHS opened at 9, let's say FP return times started at 10...FP return times advanced 2.75 hours in 0.5-0.75 hours, or anywhere at a ratio of 3.67 (kinda normal for TSM I believe) to 5.5 (yikes!). Assuming it remains even at 3.67 rate, FPs should have been exhausted just before noon. This could mean that they increased the number of FPs.

However, the pull rate at TSM is not constant. The initial rush at the beginning throws a big wrench in...FPs are taken at a far higher rate in the first 15-30 minutes or so. I've not tried to measure it exactly, but I've estimated as high as 8-to-1 based on FPs we've gotten within the rush, prior to the recent changes where the load rate slowed a bit so they reduced the FPs issued to compensate.

Let's say the 8-1 ratio was within the first 15 minutes, so the return time advanced 2 hours, to noon. Then it slowed to about 2.5-to-1, which means at 9:30 the return time would be around 12:40 as observed.

FPs should exhaust in that case around 2pm.

Of course, no one has said how busy it is this week with the standby times, it doesn't sound like it was busy.

Does anyone remember when FPs actually lasted until 2pm? I do

The thoughts behind the enforcement not mattering at TSM for having them available later in the day is that the demand for them is so high - for everyone who wouldn't now take one because of the enforcement, there is someone else waiting to take it anyways. I don't expect enforcement is going to have a ton of effect on how late they are available.

I don't recall any reports during the height of Spring Break saying they were lasting any longer in to the day...

 

[WillAustin]

The far more likely cause is that there are more FPs being distributed as mentioned by a JC CM a couple of weeks ago. If everyone's into common sense, that is.

Now I return you back to the unending irrational jubilation.

Agreed. And agreed.

 

[buffettgirl]

The far more likely cause is that there are more FPs being distributed as mentioned by a JC CM a couple of weeks ago. If everyone's into common sense, that is.

Now I return you back to the unending irrational jubilation.

I do wonder if it could be both. My initial thought when I heard of the enforcement was that maybe FP would last later into the day. But it also makes sense if they are loading up more FP for each time slot.

Both seem like common sense actually.

 

[Guzzi]

copuld be lower post easter crowds, could be that the D is giving out more FPs as there will be more fast passes given out that people cant or wont use, like the poster who said he wouldnt use afternoon FPs cause he goes back to the resort, or someone who had ADRs during the FP return window, I would imagine that there would be some reduction in usage which might result in more passes being given

 

[MyMagicKingdom]

I really hope things might be getting a bit better with fastpasses. When we went to DHS two years ago, TSM was down for the day because there was a maintenance issue, DS2, at the time, was super bummed. He's a huge Toy Story fan! When we were in line waiting to meet Buzz and Woody, which took an hour as it was, they opened TSM. DH and I debated one of us getting out of line to grab a fastpass but A.neither of us wanted to have to bully around people to get back into line because neither of us particularly care for the people that do that to us and B.neither of us wanted to miss DS's first time meeting Buzz and Woody (something we still wouldn't trade for 10 TSM rides in a row). By the time we got done with the meet and greet and ran across the street for a FP, which was only maybe 15 minutes after TSM opened, the wait time was 90 minutes and they weren't doing any FPs since the ride didn't open until like 3 in the afternoon. Needless to say, we were mega bummed but luckily DS was so young and didn't really know at the time. This year he's psyched for it so we're hoping to get FPs quickly for TSM this time around!

 

[js]

wow that is interesting! i suppose thats good news right? im still bummed out about the new rule thou. lol. I liked the flexibility.

Me too!
I was a FP Hoarder and used them at night or the end of our day.
It was wonderful. You are already on a schedule at Disney and it was nice at least to use the FP when we wanted instead of always watching a clock.

Oh well.

 

[mom2rtk]

Yes, seems logical, unless you knew that there was no enforcement of the time window (besides the start of the window). At risk of sounding like a broken record, here are two videos of cast members promoting the use of late fastpasses. We took advantage of it, certainly and loved the flexibility. Sad to see that gone.

http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=43968736&postcount=562

...and I think people understand the concept of being to an appointment on time. Sheesh

Dan

Or unless the nurse in said doctor's office told everyone on the phone making an appointment that it was indeed the doctor's policy to let people come any time during the day of said appointment. And the doctor had always on previous appointments cheerfully said "sure, come on in, no problem" when people followed the nurse's adivce and came late.

 

[FigNewton]

Or unless the nurse in said doctor's office told everyone on the phone making an appointment that it was indeed the doctor's policy to let people come any time during the day of said appointment. And the doctor had always on previous appointments cheerfully said "sure, come on in, no problem" when people followed the nurse's adivce and came late.

That's part of the problem tho, to me.

In this case, the nurse WASN'T telling everyone.

While the evidence is clear that they accepted late fast passes by policy, and cast members have been on the record telling people it was ok, I personally never heard a cast member utter those words. There were no signs indicating it was ok. The fast passes themselves certainly didn't make it sound like it was accepted.

Most people thought they had to be used within the window. Not everyone got the memo that they would be accepted.

 

[White_Sox_Fan]

The far more likely cause is that there are more FPs being distributed as mentioned by a JC CM a couple of weeks ago. If everyone's into common sense, that is.

Now I return you back to the unending irrational jubilation.

I do wonder if it could be both. My initial thought when I heard of the enforcement was that maybe FP would last later into the day. But it also makes sense if they are loading up more FP for each time slot.

Both seem like common sense actually.

I believe both is probably correct. With a few exceptions, grabbing a FP early in the morning is pointless. The lines are short anyway so why waste time crossing the park to use them. For that reason it may push things out a little in the morning. Otherwise I see no reason why enforcement would extend the availability significantly since it appears most people were unaware or did not take advantage of the previous enforcement rules.

 

[mom2rtk]

That's part of the problem tho, to me.

In this case, the nurse WASN'T telling everyone.

While the evidence is clear that they accepted late fast passes by policy, and cast members have been on the record telling people it was ok, I personally never heard a cast member utter those words. There were no signs indicating it was ok. The fast passes themselves certainly didn't make it sound like it was accepted.

Most people thought they had to be used within the window. Not everyone got the memo that they would be accepted.

Depends on when you were there I guess. Many times we were there the CM's were telling everyone they could use their FP's any time that day.

I'm still shocked that people didn't know about this. I remember doing it in 2007, possibly earlier, and I didn't join the DIS until 2008. I don't remember how I found out, probably in a guide book fo some sort. Maybe it's because we weren't Disney experts at that time and I felt the need to pick up a guide book.

 

[DisneyFive]

Or unless the nurse in said doctor's office told everyone on the phone making an appointment that it was indeed the doctor's policy to let people come any time during the day of said appointment. And the doctor had always on previous appointments cheerfully said "sure, come on in, no problem" when people followed the nurse's adivce and came late.

Bingo. EXACTLY. A much better comparison to the previous FP system IMO.

And let me say this: Folks that previously used late FP's aren't less intelligent, weren't scheming the system, weren't trying to pull one over on Disney, aren't unable to tell time, and actually made use of the FP system to its fullest(IMO) Disney promoted late FP use in some cases; see my link above to videos of CM's promoting late FP use.

Dan

 

[mom2rtk]

I believe both is probably correct. With a few exceptions, grabbing a FP early in the morning is pointless. The lines are short anyway so why waste time crossing the park to use them. For that reason it may push things out a little in the morning. Otherwise I see no reason why enforcement would extend the availability significantly since it appears most people were unaware or did not take advantage of the previous enforcement rules.

I agree. The biggest difference is that FP early in the morning is now pointless. Better to just hustle from one ride to the next until the lines build, then start collecting FP's. If you couple slower distribution with possibly more FP's in the mix, it might stretch them out a little.

Mostly though, the biggest factor right now is probably the dropoff from peak Easter crowds.

 

[LaurenT]

That's part of the problem tho, to me.

In this case, the nurse WASN'T telling everyone.

While the evidence is clear that they accepted late fast passes by policy, and cast members have been on the record telling people it was ok, I personally never heard a cast member utter those words. There were no signs indicating it was ok. The fast passes themselves certainly didn't make it sound like it was accepted.

Most people thought they had to be used within the window. Not everyone got the memo that they would be accepted.

Well, I got the memo. Several times. It was offered unprompted.
I was also told in October that FPs would be restricted to the 1 hour window in the near future.
So, if the nurse says come back whenever you like, is the patient supposed to
say...well, are you telling everyone that? Because if you aren't, then that's not
fair and I can't accept your advice.
But what really amazes me is that, even now, the bashers of late FP use still have to post their holier than thou rhetoric....throwing threads off topic and contributing nothing to the discourse. It's not constructive...and after enough people post, I wind up losing my ability to keep my mouth shut and then I, too, become part of the problem (as evidenced with this post).

 

[doconeill]

Most people thought they had to be used within the window. Not everyone got the memo that they would be accepted.

Note every CM got the memo that they were supposed to take late FPs, no questions asked - but it doesn't mean it didn't exist (which it does, or at least did).

 

[UNCFanatik]

Well, I got the memo. Several times. It was offered unprompted.
I was also told in October that FPs would be restricted to the 1 hour window in the near future.
So, if the nurse says come back whenever you like, is the patient supposed to
say...well, are you telling everyone that? Because if you aren't, then that's not
fair and I can't accept your advice.
But what really amazes me is that, even now, the bashers of late FP use still have to post their holier than thou rhetoric....throwing threads off topic and contributing nothing to the discourse. It's not constructive...and after enough people post, I wind up losing my ability to keep my mouth shut and then I, too, become part of the problem (as evidenced with this post).

And while the supporters of non enforcement, are out there still calling people sheep, jealous, uninformed,bashers, holier than thou, etc,,,,

Did I miss the constructive part of your post? All i heard was your holier than thou rhetoric criticizing those "bashers of late FP use"

 

[mjp12831]

so...dare I say it....is it possible the new rule has started redistributing crowds and made waits shorter? That would rock!

We go alot, and mostly Christmas week, which is nuts, so we always use FP, but generally used the one hour window listed on the pass. We don't feel the need to see it all (cause we've seen it before) so we did AM EMH, had a FP plan, and got our headliners done in the am and headed out for lunch, rest, etc, when it got nuts. My fear was that the new rules would result in longer FP lines....but it seems not so much??

The increase in number of FP issued simply results in a decrease in the number of SB riders in a particular day - I don't believe it would necessarily make waits shorter, and don't understand how it would need to be a byproduct of the window enforcement even if it has been simultaneous with that change.

 

[4minutesflorida]

It should be expected that usage would drop. Fast Pass became more inconvenient. Naturally, when a product becomes less than it was, demand drops.