Just Announced on the ABC News

[brenda1966]

I like Hydroguy's examples. Disney operates differently than many amusement parks with their soft closing -- allowing people to get into a long line right before closing. Most normal parks do not allow that -- they want the ride shut down at 10pm, not the line shut down at 10 pm, so that means they may be shutting down the line at 9:10 pm.

Call these 'rules of thumb' or whatever, but it's the way DL is operating now and how I'll continue to use my FP's. When it changes I'll adapt, but until then I'll operate they way they allow.

 

[HydroGuy]

I think a better analogy than park closing would be AFTER park closing. If you attempt to get in line after Park closing and a CM lets you, they are making an exception to the rule. If they allow you to ride because you were in line, that's just following policy.

- Dreams

Dreams, I will go with this for awhile for fun. And you are being totally reasonable so I am cool. If this thread takes a turn towards being a debate about who is right, then I will move on. So I am just bringing this up in the spirit of fun dialog. Don't take it personally. If you feel it is going that way then I would prefer to drop this whole thread.

Another trend at WDW recently is the "soft opening" in the morning. Especially at DHS and Epcot, they have been opening the parks before the posted opening time - up to 30 minutes early. The idea reportedly is to reduce the "running of the bulls" for TSM and Soarin FPs. And Disney has not announced it. They just do it.

Anyways, the point made is that "official opening time" is not the same as actual opening time at WDW. Folks who want to pay attention to strict opening time and closing time should not be in the parks before or after those times. I think this is valid. The question is how much we should pay attention to a time printed by Disney vs. the "on the ground" policy for FP windows, closing time or opening time.

I think the "closing time" argument is a valid one and a strong one. You made the analogy about restaurants. Interestingly, Disney closes restaurants well before park closing. But as you know, when stores close they close. Any store. They no longer take incoming customers. But at Disney parks the stores continue to take new customers even after the parks close. So to apply your restaurant analogy, if you are inside a store before the park closes you should be able to finish shopping. But anyone who pays attention to park closing time and thinks it means actual closing, they should not enter a store after the park closes.

My point of course is that if Disney chooses to keep taking new customers after the park closes, then take advantage of that. Or don't. But for those who do and come to expect it based on past Disney behavior, that should be fine.

 

[cyclenut]

A couple of comments here.

First, when someone makes a post about news reported by the local TV network and there are links that refer to this report, it is not just a rumor any longer. Of course, it doesn't make it fact either. It makes it news that is reported. I think there is great value in posting that report here and allowing folks to comment on it. Being from the DLR area myself, I also heard the news reports and there was a light buzz at our "office". Since the news report was posted here and folks responded to it with their personal experiences, was actually quite helpful, which IS the purpose of these forums. We really shouldn't discourage people from posting such reports. It really is better that way.

As for the unwritten rules of Disney, there are MANY. Disney CMs are given a set of hard and fast rules. Most of those pertain to saftey. Most any other rule is subject to interpretation and can be made to be flexible by the CM, especially if it helps improve the experience of a particular guest. To that end, they will often look the other way as rules are "broken". That sort of flexibility has become the hallmark of Disney service. It provides guests the feeling of personalized service.

There are other places that are legendary for their service that take a similar approach. Nordstrom's is an example. They have a very flexible return policy for their customers. You pay for that flexibility when you purchase items there but a lot of folks feel it is worth it.

I've had this same debate a number of times about Disney Cruise Line in the cruise line boards. Why are Disney cruises more expensive? The CM aboard have a great degree of lattitude to help guests get the most from their experience.

That is what has been happening with the FP for a long time now. What started out restrictive has slowly grown into almost completely unrestrictive without there ever being an official policy about it. The "official" policy is printed right on the ticket, it just isn't enforced.

 

[pixiewings71]

I just came back from 5 days at DL.

Here's my experience:

We used late FPs at all of the major rides for most of the trip. There was one occasion when we went back to Splash Mountain an hour after our time. The guy made us wait outside of the rope for 4 minutes before letting us in the FP line. Someone going in after us commented about the time and the worker said "Not everyone checks the times, but I do." So I guess its really hit or miss on the enforcement of the times, but it does appear that they may be getting a little more strict.

During our CA visits, we had no problems getting in with the FPs past their time, but one of the workers did comment that she'd make us wait if it was more crowded. This was for the HTH ride.

Do you mean the CM at the end made you wait? or do you refer to the CM that checks your FP at the beginning of the line? There are 2 CM's that deal with FP on Splash.
Having a FP does not mean you automatically get to go ahead of everyone waiting, when boarding Splash we generally have to wait at the end of the FP line for the CM to direct us to the line s/he wants us to take. It's never an issue for us to wait the extra time, we wait when we get ready to ride Indy and Indy is always a longer wait than Splash.

The fact is that the FP has a window on it. The "exception" is not in writing anywhere. If you want to return after the window, you are risking being turned away. A CM can enforce the time on the FP. What are you (generic "you") going to do? Start a fight with a CM that message board told you that the rule does not apply?

From comments on the boards here, I sometimes wonder if many of you feel that front-on-the-line employees at any establishment do not need to be respected or listened to at all. The FP has a window printed on it. That's when it's meant to be used. If you choose to use it outside of the window, you are doing so at your own risk.




- Dreams

Absolutely, and we know that we may be turned away from the FP line. We will still try it tho. EVERY employee should be treated respect, until they disrespect the guest without reason. I've never been rude to a CM about using a FP and unless the CM was exceedingly rude to me I wouldn't be, if the CM was exceedingly rude (why is exceedingly so hard to type? LOL) I would report it.

 

[PlutoRocks]

Where do I get a reservation for that tram from AZ to Disneyland? Sounds like a great way to get across the desert with a bunch of Disney fans instead of in my own car.

 

[BNM]

Look at what they have done for WDW when they started enforcing the times. It was not a surprise. There were press releases. In the days before, cms warned people that, starting March 7, late FP would no longer be accepted. The printing changed on the FP. I don't think, if there were a change at DL, they would spring it on us with no warning. I think they are waiting to see how things go at WDW, and probably how the rollout of xpass goes.

I have never seen any news that xpass is being contemplated for DL anytime soon.

 

[heatherleigh]

I'm just glad to hear this was another rumor, since we are going next week during peak season!