Not impressed with the current fastpass system

[goofyernmost]

Yes, because when CMs told me FPs were good until park closing, I should have said, "oh no, we'd never do that!"

Any changes they've made to the return policy are obviously in preparation for X-Pass, period.

Part I...Please don't twist around what I said to imply that I was morally against the extended window. I used it myself whenever I could. I said, many times, that Disney allowed it. What I said also, is that Disney never officially said anything to the public about a change in the rules. In fact, they continued to publish it on the FP that the window was an hour. If they had officially changed the policy, for public consumption, it would have reflected that. Everyone is trying to defend an action that was not in any way wrong. Disney told their CM's to allow it, they did and no one was doing anything wrong. However, that said, they never "officially" in writing to the public, ever changed the wording of the FP or said in advertisements or planning videos that there was a open ended window. They just let it happen if people tried it. BIG DIFFERENCE. Therefore...no change in public policy, they just changed the enforcement and directed CM's to follow the original plan. Why is that so hard to understand?

Part II...It is quite possible that you are correct and the only reason why they decided to enforce the window was in preparation for X-pass, but to say it with such force, like you somehow know that to be a fact, is curious. Your opinion is no more a "period" than anyone elses.

 

[BobbidieBoo]

Here now...and it's crowded!
More FP available throughout the day!
FP return times have been similar and several times LESS than standby!
Return waits have been short!
Watch you next pass times, not always set at the return time, we actually held three sets of passes to Everett late afternoon all valid in a two hour window!

Sucks crossing the park to get next FP, need to be able to get a pass from any FP machine for the ride you want next (I'm sure that will be part of next gen), otherwise I've got no complaints, and I used to hold them.

Peter Pan has longest time for return, but still passes available late afternoon.

Get a pass for peter, ride small, fantasmic, snow white, return for peter. You get a pass for splash, wait for bears, mansion, pirates, ride splash. Walk to jungle get a pass, ride carpets, tiki etc, return to jungle. No big deal, takes a little planning, Disney app helps a lot, and has been accurate.

I still don't understand all the people waiting over an hour for splash when I can get a pass, ride/do something else, return and STILL get on before them!

 

[WillAustin]

Part II...It is quite possible that you are correct and the only reason why they decided to enforce the window was in preparation for X-pass, but to say it with such force, like you somehow know that to be a fact, is curious. Your opinion is no more a "period" than anyone elses.

There have been endless debates about it. And I wasn't being any more forceful than those saying they can't imagine why anyone would return outside the window when it's clearly printed on the FP.

To me, it makes very little to no sense that they just let it go on for years and years, but it got out of hand, so they changed it to be more fair, but only at WDW and not at DLR, and X-Pass just happened to begin testing just a matter of weeks after enforcement started with increased numbers of FPs being distributed.

I'm as sure as I can be without specific insider knowledge based on the available information.

 

[KellyNY]

There have been endless debates about it. And I wasn't being any more forceful than those saying they can't imagine why anyone would return outside the window when it's clearly printed on the FP.

To me, it makes very little to no sense that they just let it go on for years and years, but it got out of hand, so they changed it to be more fair, but only at WDW and not at DLR, and X-Pass just happened to begin testing just a matter of weeks after enforcement started with increased numbers of FPs being distributed.

I'm as sure as I can be without specific insider knowledge based on the available information.

Great, but since you have no real info on how late FP affected the whole picture, how much number of late FP increased in years and why they even came out with Xpass and not something else(there are plenty of way to get extra money from us), your opinion is just an opinion, no less but no more.

 

[Rip]

Where and when has it been announced that this is a system that guests will have to pay for?? Speculation. And as long as the old system still works for those of us that never have had an issue with returning during the 1 hr window, it's not any less attractive. I'm not convinced it will limit the old fast pass system. Just look at how many people think that you have to pay for fastpass because they don't look at the park guide. The percentage of hardcore WDW planners are far less than those who just show up and try to wing it. I think that the only people who will bother to pre-plan their fastpasses are the same group that will book ADRs at 180 days. Most people won't even know about it or will care to do it because they don't want to plan a trip to that detail. JMO

Yes, it's speculation based on common sense, and any additions to the current system by necessity have to affect the current system because they can't increase ride capacity.

 

[Rip]

It was stated by many here that it was policy but I never once saw proof that it was policy.

Show proof where it was policy.

Well, given that Disney announced multiple times prior to changing their policy that they were, um, changing their policy, I'd say that was proof enough.

I know there are those of you that like to think otherwise, but years of action on Disney's part pretty much proves you wrong. And yes, someone once posted an image of a page from a handbook given to CMs at the time that showed that they were officially instructed to allow people to use their FPs any time after the initial time on the same date. You can do an advanced search for it if it will make you feel better.

 

[WillAustin]

Great, but since you have no real info on how late FP affected the whole picture, how much number of late FP increased in years and why they even came out with Xpass and not something else(there are plenty of way to get extra money from us), your opinion is just an opinion, no less but no more.

As are they all. Please don't pretend I'm the only one claiming to be right, present company included.

 

[Rip]

Pure speculation on your part.

One wonders why it is often referred to as "common" sense.

 

[Rip]

The policy was always the same. The enforcement of it is what changed. Disney made a business decision not to enforce returning past an FP window. It is clear that Disney still wanted guests to follow the FP return window or else they could have done away with the end time of the FP window on their signage and FPs. Disney would have also promoted it heavily as a benefit of their FastPass program thru promo material and signage at the rides.

As it has been pointed out to you, Disney did immediately change the FP verbiage and signage when they returned to enforcing FP return times.

It is interesting to see the effects of the enforcement but it really is too early to tell what the effect long term will be. It will be interesting after 6 months of enforcement to see what the effect turns out to be.

Incorrect, the policy changed. I really can't believe we are still having this discussion.

 

[Rip]

Great, but since you have no real info on how late FP affected the whole picture, how much number of late FP increased in years and why they even came out with Xpass and not something else(there are plenty of way to get extra money from us), your opinion is just an opinion, no less but no more.

"Late" FP returns didn't much affect anything under the old system. That was explained many times. It wasn't until they decided to add another system (you won't have all that long to wait to see if they charge for it) that they needed to change their policy.

 

[KellyNY]

As are they all. Please don't pretend I'm the only one claiming to be right, present company included.

Is this what we discussing here? Or you just refuse to admit that you have zero information?

 

[UNCFanatik]

Incorrect, the policy changed. I really can't believe we are still having this discussion.

No, it is correct. Enforcement changed. Policy remained the same. If Disney wanted EVERY guest that got an FP to use it late, then they would have promoted it and not put a return time on the FP.

 

[UNCFanatik]

"Late" FP returns didn't much affect anything under the old system. That was explained many times. It wasn't until they decided to add another system (you won't have all that long to wait to see if they charge for it) that they needed to change their policy.

Again, your opinion. Late FP usage did have an effect. Some have argued that it was a positive effect while others maintain it was negative.

It is conjecture on your part as to why Disney started enforcing return times. Though i would agree that it seems to point to the new system but who knows for sure.

 

[KellyNY]

"Late" FP returns didn't much affect anything under the old system. That was explained many times. It wasn't until they decided to add another system (you won't have all that long to wait to see if they charge for it) that they needed to change their policy.

Do you know, I mean actually know what affect we are talking about? Do you have any data, or anyone who tried to explain anything has any data? We can dance again, trust me, my explanation will not look any less valid then anyone else, but do any of us has any real idea of what is going on? All this discussion, all 300 threads and well worded points is just an illusion, speculation and nothing else. Lots of fun, but that is about it.

 

[Cafeen]

Sorry about that, I honestly didn't mean to make it sound quite that way. Not only did that change on March 7, but CMs started announcing the change at FP kiosks, additional signage was displayed, and IIRC the park maps were updated as well.

Didn't take it anyway at all, other than informative, no worries here

One wonders why it is often referred to as "common" sense.

It refers to the class of sense, not the distribution

--(this breaks up my response)--
It's kinda funny, how one little line stating "new" policy stirred the pot. The disclaimer at the bottom was designed specifically to deter that... and offer a slight barb to those who would harp on it, which they (some) very well did. The question is, would they have if I hadn't written that part? Who knows (though, with recent posting trends, the outlook would be favorable...)

I've said a few times, it's semantics, which it 100% is. I don't care if you call it a changed policy, so long as you don't care if I call it a new one (which, some people did take a point to). The effect is the same, what once was, is no longer, and what now is, is something else.

As far as the reasoning behind the change? Unless you're part of the inner circle, speculation is all we have. Now, speculation is not a bad word, nor a bad thing, so long as it's lead by logic, reasoning, and the knowledge that it IS a hypothesis. Speculation is what drives the more interesting discussions. Otherwise, it's all "What shoes to wear?" and "What bag do you take?" Which have a few simple answers and are done.

Since I've refrained, for the most part, about injecting my own speculation as to the change, it's my turn . I tend to take things as a much larger whole than others, since, most of the time, the force behind a cause is much more varied than it seems on the surface. I don't believe that it's solely for FP+, but I do believe that's a large part of it. I also assign a large portion of the blame on the two polar extremes: the extreme FP hoarders, and the extreme FP hall monitors. Without those extremes, the issues (perceived or empirical) would not have been large at all.

So, with that said, it is what it is. While the new, changed, refurbished, redrafted, re-enforced, altered, modified, re-instituted, reinstated, copied, whatever policy is not ideal, and there were better ways to tone it down while providing much of the flexibility that we all (well, some of us at least) enjoyed previously, I simply have to accept what is. Either use FP under the current policy, or don't use FP at all. TBH, it doesn't matter all that much to me personally, since I barely need to use them anyway (I think I used ~6 of them on the last trip, over 10 days, 5 of those with 2 people...) It is going to suck for some, but what other choice is there?

Of course, I write a book here, it's how I roll. (Also, as an engineering type of mind, I'm constantly looking for ways to improve on things, which is what drives a lot of my comments too ).

 

[smidgy]

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.

in all seriousness. we did not consider ourselves "hoarders". we just used the system as it was available, and it helped us a lot.

hubby has macular degeneration. if we go into a dark ride during the day, he will see nothing. ( even rides like splash mountain, where the line goes from light to dark to light to dark again. ..well, might not seem dark to you, but it is to him)

we would .. yes.. "collect" fast passes in the morning (I work nights, but got up in the morning on vacation to do so) for the darker rides. so we could ride them at night with little wait, and he can see in the rides.

yes, we can ride them in the morning with little wait, but then he won't see inside.

yes, we checked out GAC.. people always think GAC means front of the line.. it doesn't. all it would do would be to let him sit in a room until his eyes adjust to the dark. which is a long, long wait. so we might as well just wait in standby at night. but then the parks are harder for him to manuever.

anyway.. we HATE this NEW rule.. yes, it IS new. they had a rule. a time enforcement. they negated it , CM said it did NOT apply,.. there was a new rule.. no time enforcement that day.. and now there is an even newer rule. we hate it.

if they ever come out with what these rumours are about, we could choose our return time (like.. after dark!!!) but I sure wouldn't want to have to reserve ride times 3 months in advance!!! sheesh.
IHO, they broke a good system... hope they come with something better!!!

anyway

 

[aubriee]

in all seriousness. we did not consider ourselves "hoarders". we just used the system as it was available, and it helped us a lot.

we would .. yes.. "collect" fast passes in the morning
anyway.. we HATE this NEW rule.. yes, it IS new. they had a rule. a time enforcement. they negated it , CM said it did NOT apply,.. there was a new rule.. no time enforcement that day.. and now there is an even newer rule. we hate it.

if they ever come out with what these rumours are about, we could choose our return time (like.. after dark!!!) but I sure wouldn't want to have to reserve ride times 3 months in advance!!! sheesh.
IHO, they broke a good system... hope they come with something better!!!

anyway

I was also a hoarder and have no problem admitting it. I too work night shift and always got to the parks at rope drop. I rode the rides while the lines were short and then gathered fast passes to ride my favorites later. Because I work nights, I'm used to sleeping in the afternoons and my body knows that it's supposed to go to sleep around 2:00pm every day. It doesn't change just because I'm on vacation. Therefore after spending the morning in the parks, I normally go back to the resort right after lunch time and take a nap, then go back out at night and use the fast passes I collected earlier in the day. If I thought I might be going to a different park in the evening then I'd simply give the fast passes away on the way out of the park at lunch time, thereby making someone else's day. The fast passes never just went to waste. Under this new system I can't do that. If a fast pass return time is for the afternoon, I just won't be able to get one.

We were down there May 5th-12th and what we found is that we didn't bother to get near the number of fast passes that we normally do and that we also did not ride alot of the rides we normally would because the stand by lines were too long, but the fast pass return time didn't work for us. I go several times a year, so it didn't hurt me to skip alot of the rides this trip, but under the old system of accepting late fast passes, I would have been able to ride them. I agree, I hate the new system.

 

[disneyfanlincoln]

I'm sorry that everyone is struggling with the enforcement of rules, for some. Very good reasons so it appears. I'm one of the ones who didnt know that the return time used to be optional so unwittingly I always played by the rules and therefore won't notice any real difference on my next trip. On the plus side at least FP are free and available to everyone but I can understand people's frustration when the now the return time is the return time and people are used to planning their day in a different way. We got around the waiting times by hitting the parks early or very very late.......

 

[Wadecool]

your opinion is just an opinion, no less but no more.

Whew! That's a relief. I was afraid they had distributed "Official Dis Expert" badges and I didn't get mine.

 

[hulagirl87]

I'm sorry that everyone is struggling with the enforcement of rules, for some. Very good reasons so it appears. I'm one of the ones who didnt know that the return time used to be optional so unwittingly I always played by the rules and therefore won't notice any real difference on my next trip. On the plus side at least FP are free and available to everyone but I can understand people's frustration when the now the return time is the return time and people are used to planning their day in a different way. We got around the waiting times by hitting the parks early or very very late.......

I agree with this I always thought of the fastpass time as my "reservation" for the ride. If I didn't get there in that time frame, too bad for me. I never would have thought to use it either before or after that time. I'm glad that they are enforcing it now though. While it is upsetting some, I think it is fair in the long run.