Not impressed with the current fastpass system

[Twende]

DD and I were in MK yesterday. We came in near opening and left a bit after midnight which is actually about an hour less than we normally do on an XHMPM day in MK.

We struggled with using fastpasses. We went to SM late morning and it was busy so we got FP with a return time about an hour away. We were meeting at the restuarant over looking Small World for lunch so we headed across the park. It was busy with lots of people everywhere. Ordering our food was quick but picking it was about a 30 minute wait. Also they would not let you sit down unless you already had your food. Really rather a pain when you are tired but oh well. We finally got our food and found a table. We are not gobble down your food eaters but we did hurry because we were aware of the blocked hour return time.

We walked very fast back to Splash Mountain and encountered a line of people at least 100 deep and stretching to the bridge way before the steps to the fast pass return entry. It was a line of people with fast passes! Yikes what a mess! Once we cleared the turnstyle for the fastpasses the wait was under 15 mins.

The standby wait said 60 minutes and I believe we may have done better to use that line.

After that we headed over to see if we could get a FP for Space Mt. The return time was now within the hour that included our Kona Cafe dinner and travel time. We had been to SM twice earlier in the day but the return times were an hour after we were there and it would have meant booking it to anther ride in another part of the park and then booking it back to SM.

I guess in the past we would have taken the meal time fast pass and then just used it right after dinner. Also the restriction on when you can get another fastpass seemed like a much longer wait. In the past I know we had more than one valid fast pass at one time. It meant way too much walking for me. For the first time in over a decade I left the park with blisters and that was with Power Glide and Crocs! Maybe I am just getting old but it just did not work well for us this trip!

In total all day and night we were only able to use and get two fast passes. Just not a good system for us!

 

[AlixaLock]

I feel really dumb asking this, but what is XHMPM?

I'm reading these reports about FastPass with interest, thank you for sharing your experience! June 9 will be our first trip under the new FastPass system and at a peak time as well, so I feel like a newbie in terms of park strategy. Admittedly, we were big FP hoarders and that's left us spoiled. I'm think DH is going to have to be the designated FP runner and we'll make use of the park apps to help determine the best place to head for short waits or appropriate FP times. We'll see ...

 

[eelkmj01]

I'm truly not trying to flame, but that sounds like poor planning. If you were in MK for somewhere between 14-15 hours and only utilized 2 FP, I think your strategy was flawed. If the wait time was 60 minutes for SM and there were 100 people at FP return, I would have gone through Stand By as well. That seems unusually busy for mid May. But the time between available FP is not any longer than before. Either 2 hours from the time of your current FP or when your FP time is up, which ever comes first. At the bottom of your ticket you are given the time your next FP is available. Hope you find better luck on your next trip

 

[eelkmj01]

I feel really dumb asking this, but what is XHMPM?

It's for Evening Extra Magic Hours

 

[swedie]

Not sure if it is still the same (almost 2 years since I've been) but the time on the fast passes = you cannot return before the time on the pass, however, you do not need to be within the hours window. Some cm's may give you a hard time if you return much later than the stated window (especially during the busier times of year), but will generally allow entry.

 

[t_catt11]

Not sure if it is still the same (almost 2 years since I've been) but the time on the fast passes = you cannot return before the time on the pass, however, you do not need to be within the hours window. Some cm's may give you a hard time if you return much later than the stated window (especially during the busier times of year), but will generally allow entry.

This has changed, and has been hotly debated. IMO, this has reduced the usefulness of fastpass a bit, especially in situations like the OP had - but that's the way it is. Return during your window, or plan to keep that FP for your scrapbook... you won't be using it to ride.

 

[Thumper_Man]

Not sure if it is still the same (almost 2 years since I've been) but the time on the fast passes = you cannot return before the time on the pass, however, you do not need to be within the hours window. Some cm's may give you a hard time if you return much later than the stated window (especially during the busier times of year), but will generally allow entry.

You're a little late to the party. Not trying to flame you, but CM's are now enforcing the return times. You can no longer return later than the return time on your FP. If you do, you will be turned away. This is not a new FP system, merely a stricter enforcement of the one that's been in place for years.

 

[mesaboy2]

Not sure if it is still the same (almost 2 years since I've been) but the time on the fast passes = you cannot return before the time on the pass, however, you do not need to be within the hours window. Some cm's may give you a hard time if you return much later than the stated window (especially during the busier times of year), but will generally allow entry.

That policy regarding return-window enforcement changed on March 7. That is however, the only thing that has changed with regard to FP usage.

 

[AlixaLock]

It's for Evening Extra Magic Hours

Thanks, that's what I assumed, but I've never seen it abbreviated this way before.

I think that the new enforcement of the old system is going to most greatly effect those at WDW for shorter stays. We'll be there for 10 days and I can't imagine that in those days my only FastPass opportunities to ride certain rides will always coincide with my dining reservations...

I liked the old system, but it is what is and it clearly isn't going back. There is always a way to make things work, it just requires creativity and planning...

 

[Twende]

I agree that we planned poorly and part of that was because we had a planned lunch time and place and and ADR for dinner. Those two things made it much more difficult for us. It would have been easlier to try to coordinate FP return times and next distribution times if we had not eaten.

If they continue to use this system they need lines outside of the Firturnstyle to help contain all the people waiting to use their passes. Even finding the end of the FP line was difficult.

We were assured that the current system is just a stepping stone to a better system. I hope they hurry with the next system because what they have right now is broken!

And yes XHMPM is my way of saying extra hours magic PM (evening).

 

[kkandaj]

We had no issues using FP's last week in MK. We actually used Peter Pan, Splash Mountain, Space Mountain and Buzz Lightyear (x2) FP's all in one day...and rode many other rides, saw the celebrate show, night parade and had appointments at the Pirate's League for my kiddos pirate makeover (which took about an hour). We met Peter Pan and stood in line for Pirate Goofy also. We ate lunch and even left for 3-4 hours in the mid-afternoon. We never had in issue with our fastpass return times.

BUT--I will say that I don't frequent Disney often (though I wish I did). The last time I went (2009) I barely knew how to use fastpasses and didn't know about the "late" acceptance, so followed the "rules". This time, I knew how to plan my day (thanks the the DIS and easywdw) and what to use fastpasses on, what order to ride, when to see shows. I agree that part of this has to do with planning. I know in 2009 we did way less in a day than we did last Wednesday, because I had our day planned.

 

[seashoreCM]

...If you were in MK for somewhere between 14-15 hours and only utilized 2 FP, I think your strategy was flawed. If the wait time was 60 minutes for SM and there were 100 people at FP return, I would have gone through Stand By as well. That seems unusually busy for mid May. But the time between available FP is not any longer than before. Either 2 hours from the time of your current FP or when your FP time is up, which ever comes first.

I was assuming that the problem was not not knowing the 2 hour rule but instead upon getting to the fastpass machines the return time posted above was not to their liking so they chose not to get fastpasses then.

Meanwhile an acceptable and suggested procedure is, upon finding a long line of guests with fastpasses, to seek out a nearby CM to have your fastpass revalidated for later usage rather than wait in any line.

 

[heyitsmejosh]

the fast pass line coulda have been that long because the ride went down at least once yesterday if not twice

 

[Twende]

I was assuming that the problem was not not knowing the 2 hour rule but instead upon getting to the fastpass machines the return time posted above was not to their liking so they chose not to get fastpasses then.

Meanwhile an acceptable and suggested procedure is, upon finding a long line of guests with fastpasses, to seek out a nearby CM to have your fastpass revalidated for later usage rather than wait in any line.

I did not know this was possible. I did speak to the CM about how very difficult this "run" had been but that we made it only to find a long line outside the turnstyle.

the fast pass line coulda have been that long because the ride went down at least once yesterday if not twice

We spent a lot of time in that area and had not noticed the ride down but that would certainly not helped. Also the park seemed packed I guess in part due to the Sar Wars weekend. We should not have even tried to go to MK on a weekend!

 

[UNCFanatik]

I agree that we planned poorly and part of that was because we had a planned lunch time and place and and ADR for dinner. Those two things made it much more difficult for us. It would have been easlier to try to coordinate FP return times and next distribution times if we had not eaten.

If they continue to use this system they need lines outside of the Firturnstyle to help contain all the people waiting to use their passes. Even finding the end of the FP line was difficult.

We were assured that the current system is just a stepping stone to a better system. I hope they hurry with the next system because what they have right now is broken!

And yes XHMPM is my way of saying extra hours magic PM (evening).

What they have right now has worked for the majority of park guests since FastPass was first rolled out so I wouldnt call it "broken".

Other guests have reported back with favorable experiences since the FP change.

 

[elleherself]

I know this has been discussed to death, but this experience is exactly what I'm afraid of on my upcoming trip. I have a very basic cell phone that has no apps, so without crossing the park there's no way to know what the current FP return time is? So I could end up crossing the park and finding out that Splash Mountain's window falls smack into an ADR.

Yes, yes, first world problems, but for the compulsive Disney planner in me I feel like it's a whole new world.

I've actually been contemplating getting an iPhone just so I can use the fastpass ap! How insane is that. I've also made way less ADRs than I did last time and I'm thinking that I'm going to reduce them even farther. Hoarding fastpasses for use after a sit down meal allowed me to feel better about the park time being wasted, but now it feels like every minute must be accounted for! I wish they would at least let you choose a return time you want until that one fills up, so you can work the rides around your schedule instead of the other way around.

 

[Hannathy]

We have always used FP's the way they are doing them now and never had an issue. We always came back in the window on the ticket.

We have been there at some very crowded Times, Spring Break, Easter, and have always used more than 2 fast passes in a day. And before phone apps!

I really don't get all the problems.

 

[palmettostatemom]

We have always used FP's the way they are doing them now and never had an issue. We always came back in the window on the ticket.

We have been there at some very crowded Times, Spring Break, Easter, and have always used more than 2 fast passes in a day. And before phone apps!

I really don't get all the problems.

Same here, I just don't get it. But, we aren't down to the second, dining reservations for every meal planners either, so maybe that's it...we prefer to pretty much go with the flow on vacation....

 

[LilyWDW]

We have always used FP's the way they are doing them now and never had an issue. We always came back in the window on the ticket.

We have been there at some very crowded Times, Spring Break, Easter, and have always used more than 2 fast passes in a day. And before phone apps!

I really don't get all the problems.

I agree. We knew about the old rules and allowance, but never took advantage of them. We always returned on time, never had a problem fitting in all of our touring plans, and never had an ADR issue. So... I don't get the problems either.

 

[tosha27]

I've actually been contemplating getting an iPhone just so I can use the fastpass ap! How insane is that.

We recently got smartphones, and while we had been debating it for quite a while, having access to the apps and gps for our trip was the deciding factor. So, I don't think it's too insane. We got lost quite a few times on our last trip, because our road map had so many roads listed under different names. grrr.