Not impressed with the current fastpass system

[maxiesmom]

Guess we're some of those that you are calling "incredibly obtuse" It definitely DID improve the system for us, and a lot of other people that have just gotten back and reported. Where was the system of "freedom and relaxation" when you had to wait in long lines in the evening hours because of the hoarders that were all flocking in before you in your own time window?

I like the new system too. We could actually go into MK later on in the day and still get FPs for rides, instead of them all being gone.

We also never waited in a FP line that was over 10 minutes long. And we Fast Passed Splash, Space Mountain, and Tower of Terror. The first 2 multiple times.

I love the new system. It made for a much more relaxing trip not to have to be at the parks at rope drop in order to get Fast Passes before they were all gone.

 

[HM]

We liked the new system. It did keep us having to really think about whether we could use a Fastpass in the allotted time, but we found the best part was having them available much later in the day than on previous trips. Our Easter break trip went really well because of it.

 

[Twende]

I'll stay out of the debate on FP usage , but I think it would be GREATLY helpful for Disney to put up some LCD screens around the park now with FP return times. It would save on the running back and forth just to check the return time, and not be horribly expensive nor difficult to implement. They already have something similar in Epcot, so the baseline data stuff is there, now just to implement that same thing (with several more smaller screens) property-wide.

Perhaps this should be a written suggestion by someone who's recently been there and wore their feet out checking times .

OP, I just wanted to let you know that I do agree, the lines for FP seem longer. I'm at the parks at least once a week, on varying days, varying times of day, and varying crowd levels. Since the change, the FP line wait times have definitely been longer for us across the board than prior to the enforcement change. I would guess that they are perhaps distributing more fastpasses for a given window than before. Maybe they want to see if people are happier waiting a bit longer in the FP line if it means more FP are available and thus they can theoretically get more in a day and the wait time between collection and use is smaller?

Screens with FP return times would be fantastic. If they would place them in every FP distribution area, that would be a great help and a save on steps for tired feet. Great idea. I will include that suggestion along with the photo we took of the FP line at SM when I write to Disney when we get home.

We thought that they were giving out many more FP's than in the past. The wait between distirbution and collection times did seem closer together for us. Not short enough that you could wait there but too short to try to do something like eat a planned meal.

We never thought of getting a bad FP time and then trying to exchange it with someone later in the day. The problem with this for us would again have been the short time between the two windows. One of us would have missed a meal trying to exchange it.

I can not wait for the new real system to be implimented. I know that it will offer the flexibility that the current system lacks1

 

[palmettostatemom]

You're not getting it. They've changed it from a system of freedom and relaxation to a much less convenient and more stressful system. You'd have to be incredibly obtuse to not get that. The change does not improve the system for anyone. It only makes people who crave black and white in their lives feel comfort that everyone else has to experience the same rigidity that they have always imposed upon themselves voluntarily.

I go with the flow pretty much - just have a general which park is not too crowded today plan, not a "this park this second, this ADR this minute, this FP now, omg, that won't work, another FP!!" attitude and I'M RIGID?

 

[sjaakie]

I was at Disneyland Paris last month. Fastpasses there are only for a 30 minute window.

You may get additional fastpasses at the earlier of the opening time of your window or two hours after you have received you fastpass. There are no grace periods.

And this policy has been in effect since the start of fastpasses there. They do not have problems with fastpasses there.

That is how its bin always. No grace period but ......... they do have strong policy about guests on concierge level.
If you pay enough you get a VIP pas and we loved it. You can use every fast pass attraction as much as toy like. Money makes the world go around.
And yes because Disney Paris is checking those so called "disabled" persons those that really need it get FOTL aces also.

 

[WillAustin]

We never thought of getting a bad FP time and then trying to exchange it with someone later in the day. The problem with this for us would again have been the short time between the two windows. One of us would have missed a meal trying to exchange it.

I'm hoping this won't happen to us. I'm expecting the crowd levels in June to keep the return times moving at a good pace. Our touring style counts on getting as many FPs as we can. I'd much rather spend a bit of time trading FPs than spend 30+ minutes in any stand-by line, even if it means jumping through a few hoops to do it.

 

[Twigs]

I like the new system too. We could actually go into MK later on in the day and still get FPs for rides, instead of them all being gone.

We also never waited in a FP line that was over 10 minutes long. And we Fast Passed Splash, Splash, and Tower of Terror. The first 2 multiple times.

I love the new system. It made for a much more relaxing trip not to have to be at the parks at rope drop in order to get Fast Passes before they were all gone.

This was our experience last week too. I love the new system as the FP return lines are soo much shorter, and we did so much more in a day than we previously did.

 

[glocon]

I'm not looking forward to the new fp system either- to me it is less flexible and more stressful also. I know people don't want to hear that but it is true. Ever since we have been going to wdw it has been one way, and now it is another (yes- it has been allowed even if some people didn't use fp except for the actual alloted times, and people grew used to this) and we have to figure out how to make it work for us. I guess we will because we have to, but I don't like it.

I guess if wdw never allowed the use of fp except for the actual time window on the ticket, we would not be in this boat of people being used to touring one way and having to figure out a whole new system.

Are fp used during MNSSHP?

 

[bluejasmine]

Was afraid it would be like this hopefully they work out kinks fast before summer crowd or poor guest services will have lots of angry visitors..

 

[bluejasmine]

That is how its bin always. No grace period but ......... they do have strong policy about guests on concierge level.
If you pay enough you get a VIP pas and we loved it. You can use every fast pass attraction as much as toy like. Money makes the world go around.
And yes because Disney Paris is checking those so called "disabled" persons those that really need it get FOTL aces also.

Ok we always stay conceirge and have never received such perks and honestly that wouldn't be fair! Just b/c one family can spend more on their rooms than another? That's just wrong! IMHO

 

[glocon]

I have never heard of a VIP pass. What is this? Is it a pass that allows fp on all rides as many times as you want? Can only CL people get this?

It's probably out of my price range, but that sure would make a trip magical.

 

[LilyWDW]

I have never heard of a VIP pass. What is this? Is it a pass that allows fp on all rides as many times as you want? Can only CL people get this?

It's probably out of my price range, but that sure would make a trip magical.

They are talking about Disneyland Paris. There is no VIP pass for Disney World.

 

[Colleen27]

You're not getting it. They've changed it from a system of freedom and relaxation to a much less convenient and more stressful system. You'd have to be incredibly obtuse to not get that. The change does not improve the system for anyone. It only makes people who crave black and white in their lives feel comfort that everyone else has to experience the same rigidity that they have always imposed upon themselves voluntarily.

Exactly. As someone said earlier, it is a choice. We have never in all our trips had to choose between a FP and a meal, but now we do. We've never had to worry about how accurate a posted standby time really is, but now we do. We've never had to stress out about whether being seated 45min after our ADR time or having glacial service drags a meal out to 2+ hours will mean missing a must-do ride, but now we do. And we've always been able to tour in a roughly geographic pattern that is incompatible with the current FP rules.

I do believe this is a transitional period, and I think we're supposed to be adjusting to reduced FP utility. The old FP rules were flexible enough that many people wouldn't see Xpass as worth the price, but the more rigid the existing (free) system is the more attractive a user-friendly (paid) system will be. Not having to hoof it all the way back to Splash Mountain only to find that the FP return conflicts with your dinner plans is a pretty strong selling point.

 

[mesaboy2]

Are fp used during MNSSHP?

They are not, and they are not needed. Ride lines during the parties are mostly non-existent.

 

[mom2rtk]

I'm just in awe that somehow the same number (or more) people are using fastpass each day, yet the lines are ALL miraculously shorter!

Sorry folks, all that does is make me doubt the veracity of everything else you say.

 

[Sparkie]

For what its worth, I think the Fastpass return area for Splash Mountain specifically needs to be relocated.

Currently where it is, people like to park and rest in the shade, form a mob in front of the fastpass return enterance area, so much so that usually you cant tell where the line begins. People tend to wait in a pack for their turn and it makes it difficult for those turn it currently is to approach the front of the line.

So for this particular attraction, the fastpass return area needs to be relocated

 

[4Ds4Diz]

You're not getting it. They've changed it from a system of freedom and relaxation to a much less convenient and more stressful system. You'd have to be incredibly obtuse to not get that. The change does not improve the system for anyone. It only makes people who crave black and white in their lives feel comfort that everyone else has to experience the same rigidity that they have always imposed upon themselves voluntarily.

This is funny! I love the sarcasm! We were in MK last week. Only did a few FP and yes we "were restricted to the return times" I must say we walked past a few hundred people waiting in Stand By for SM, to take the FP route. Practically walked on the ride. Same with Soarin 2 days later. I think enforcing the rules is making the system work like it should. We got a FP in early afternoon for SM and only had a 45 min wait to return.

Now perhaps the OP had all the weekend crowd. I know when we were riding the monorail on Sat mid morning, there were group of teenage girls on there, who were coming to the park for the day. They were FL resident pass holders who had gotten the $99 tickets. According to their chaperone, they had til this past weekend to use the tickets. She said they had to use them before Memorial Day weekend. They even expressed concern over what the crowd level would be. Sorry it was so difficult for the OP. I guess it falls into the category of lessons learned, even though that doesnt help make you feel better. Hope your next trip is more magical!

 

[maxiesmom]

Was afraid it would be like this hopefully they work out kinks fast before summer crowd or poor guest services will have lots of angry visitors..

They started this during Spring Break, so all the kinks that have to do with crowds have already been worked out.

Btw, the lines can be shorter now. You don't have a large number of people saving their FPs to use at the end of the night, making those lines longer as they push thru a larger number of FPs than were intended. Though I did read over on a CM board where the lines are longer, if you wait until right before your FP expries to use it. So how long the lines are still depends a bit on how lucky or unlucky you are with your timing.

I know when we were there, we stupidly got in the standby line for Pooh. And as we waited for what seemed like forever, we could see how fast they were moving the FP line along. It seemed their goal was to never have anyone in that line, as the CM would only put thru 8 standby people, and then empty the FP line. Another guest told the CM off for how slowly the standby line was moving, due to his keeping the FP line totally empty. I have never before stood in one spot in a line so much, usually you are shuffling along a bit, but this time we stood in the same spot a lot.

They seem pretty dedicated to pushing people thru the FP line.

 

[maxiesmom]

For what its worth, I think the Fastpass return are for Splash Mountain specifically needs to be relocated.

Currently where it is, people like to park and rest in the shade, form a mob in front of the fastpass return enterance area, so much so that usually you cant tell where the line begins. People tend to wait in a pack for their turn and it makes it difficult for those turn it currently is to approach the front of the line.

So for this particular attraction, the fastpass return area needs to be relocated

Is it still up more by the bridge? Or did they shift it back down to below the gift shop? One day in the middle of our trip in March they moved it up, and it seemed like a odd spot for it.

 

[mesaboy2]

Btw, the lines can be shorter now. You don't have a large number of people saving their FPs to use at the end of the night, making those lines longer as they push thru a larger number of FPs than were intended. Though I did read over on a CM board where the lines are longer, if you wait until right before your FP expries to use it. So how long the lines are still depends a bit on how lucky or unlucky you are with your timing.

I realize you're passing on what you read from someone else, but this doesn't make much sense to me since FPs are issued in 5-minute increments. This statement implies the FP lines cycle through "long" and "short" every 5 minutes.