Not impressed with the current fastpass system

[LilyWDW]

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.

People posted actual CM training information that stated that guests could come back after the posted time. I don't have the time to hunt it down, but it's around here somewhere. So, it exists. I also trust the CMs who have posted here talking about it... more then I would trust a random guest (in this case).

Honestly, I could care less with which way they do it. I knew you could come back late, but never was in a position where I needed to do so. Without much work or trouble we were always back at the ride during the window. It really was not that difficult.

 

[WillAustin]

I do get a bit annoyed at the high and mighty tone of "We NEVER broke the 'rules' and used 'late' FPs!"

Not so much annoyed anymore here. I get a good laugh out of them, at least.

 

[Stitch123]

Spent the last weekend at Disney and while the FP lines seemed about the same (15 min at Peter Pan was the longest wait we experienced), the main difference to me was the fact that there were FP available later in the day when they normally would have run out already. Plus the return times were closer to the time you picked up the FP, which made planning quite easy because you didn't have to remember to come back to the ride hours later, and you were able to pick up another FP pretty soon. For me, the new system is definitely an improvement over the "come back any time" system.

 

[lugnut33]

If they don't let me use my fastpass after the stated time I'm going to ram the castmember with my stroller. Then I'll probably be thirsty and need to take a sip of soda out of my 1996 Pop Century free refill cup. Then I'll demand a towel animal or my trip will be ruined.

 

[maxiesmom]

If they don't let me use my fastpass after the stated time I'm going to ram the castmember with my stroller. Then I'll probably be thirsty and need to take a sip of soda out of my 1996 Pop Century free refill cup. Then I'll demand a towel animal or my trip will be ruined.

Why not go even further? Go get your free cup of water (remember, you deserve a large cup, not a small one!) and "accidentally" spill some on that nasty CM?

 

[Cafeen]

Why not go even further? Go get your free cup of water (remember, you deserve a large cup, not a small one!) and "accidentally" spill some on that nasty CM?

Don't forget to fill that free ice water cup with free soda from Club Cool, and then bring it to the BC/YC pool while you're staying at the Holiday Inn! And insert something here I can't think of that has to do with the original CM from 2 posts above... or something...

Where am I?

 

[cm8]

Seriously? That is a profoundly rude and ridiculously generalized statement. It is only stressful because you choose to make it that way. Those of us that have toured stress free for years, with plenty of ADR's and still manage to make it back during our assigned windows aren't affected by this whatsoever. I could make an equally generalized statement by saying to all of those people that are so up in arms about this that you are all clearly a bunch of entitled whiners who obviously try to bend the rules everyday of your lives and what a great role model you are for your child who will continue this downward spiral of self-absorbed behavior which is trully incapacitating society as we know it. But I won't, because that is an absurd and over the top statement to make....or is it?? kidding...maybe.

People, chill. It's just a fastpass. Figure it out and move on. I'm hungry...craving something black and white with a side of rigidity or obtuseness

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

If they don't let me use my fastpass after the stated time I'm going to ram the castmember with my stroller. Then I'll probably be thirsty and need to take a sip of soda out of my 1996 Pop Century free refill cup. Then I'll demand a towel animal or my trip will be ruined.

Don't forget to fill that free ice water cup with free soda from Club Cool, and then bring it to the BC/YC pool while you're staying at the Holiday Inn! And insert something here I can't think of that has to do with the original CM from 2 posts above... or something...

Where am I?

 

[goofyernmost]

People posted actual CM training information that stated that guests could come back after the posted time. I don't have the time to hunt it down, but it's around here somewhere. So, it exists. I also trust the CMs who have posted here talking about it... more then I would trust a random guest (in this case).

Honestly, I could care less with which way they do it. I knew you could come back late, but never was in a position where I needed to do so. Without much work or trouble we were always back at the ride during the window. It really was not that difficult.

No one is disagreeing that Disney, internally, said let them come back even after the window. That is not public knowledge, it is internal operations policy and was never supposed to be released to the public. Because it was leaked out by irresponsible CM's that didn't have a clue about magic production, doesn't mean that is what they wanted to happen. So, we still have a situation where they never PUBLICLY said that is the new policy. They said it to CM's to avoid hassles when they weren't necessary and in the process add to the magic.

 

[mesaboy2]

No one is disagreeing that Disney, internally, said let them come back even after the window. That is not public knowledge, it is internal operations policy and was never supposed to be released to the public. Because it was leaked out by irresponsible CM's that didn't have a clue about magic production, doesn't mean that is what they wanted to happen. So, we still have a situation where they never PUBLICLY said that is the new policy. They said it to CM's to avoid hassles when they weren't necessary and in the process add to the magic.

In writing, no. Orally, yes. Some heard and listened, others did not. Cue lively debate.

 

[North of Mouse]

Spent the last weekend at Disney and while the FP lines seemed about the same (15 min at Peter Pan was the longest wait we experienced), the main difference to me was the fact that there were FP available later in the day when they normally would have run out already. Plus the return times were closer to the time you picked up the FP, which made planning quite easy because you didn't have to remember to come back to the ride hours later, and you were able to pick up another FP pretty soon. For me, the new system is definitely an improvement over the "come back any time" system.

Agree 100%

 

[KellyNY]

In writing, no. Orally, yes. Some heard and listened, others did not. Cue lively debate.

What, because this is how we pass rules and regulations in this country, in this century...

 

[WillAustin]

In writing, no. Orally, yes. Some heard and listened, others did not. Cue lively debate.

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.

 

[mom2rtk]

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

But that would preclude the moality debate and the endless self-aggrandizement.

 

[Cafeen]

What, because this is how we pass rules and regulations in this country, in this century...

Except, they aren't passing rules and regulations. They are communicating policy. This DOES happen verbally in very many different places, even within WDW. Don't cut in line, move all the way down the theater, no flash photography, don't stand up in the middle of CoP. While there are some signs for the latter two (or, at least the No Flash Photography one, and that's only in some of the places where it's restricted), most of this is primarily communicated verbally from CM to guest. It's perfectly natural to expect the CM stating (especially the vast majority of CMs stating) that a policy is what it is without it being in writing. Much like the current one, I'm sure the FP media did not change immediately (if it even has yet), which means, the policy is/was still not explicitly stated on the tickets, but we accept that the majority of the CMs (if not all) state that it's a certain way.

At any rate, the whole point is moot, since the policy did, indeed, change. It was once one way, now it's another way. It's a new policy as the enforcement of the FP window did not exist directly prior to it existing. It's not really that complicated nor controversial. This thread is more about the effects, of said new/changed/old/supposedtooriginallybe policy, which are interesting to me.

But that would preclude the moality debate and the endless self-aggrandizement.

And much entertainment would be lost!

 

[mesaboy2]

Except, they aren't passing rules and regulations. They are communicating policy. This DOES happen verbally in very many different places, even within WDW. Don't cut in line, move all the way down the theater, no flash photography, don't stand up in the middle of CoP. While there are some signs for the latter two (or, at least the No Flash Photography one, and that's only in some of the places where it's restricted), most of this is primarily communicated verbally from CM to guest. It's perfectly natural to expect the CM stating (especially the vast majority of CMs stating) that a policy is what it is without it being in writing. Much like the current one, I'm sure the FP media did not change immediately (if it even has yet), which means, the policy is/was still not explicitly stated on the tickets, but we accept that the majority of the CMs (if not all) state that it's a certain way.

At any rate, the whole point is moot, since the policy did, indeed, change. It was once one way, now it's another way. It's a new policy as the enforcement of the FP window did not exist directly prior to it existing. It's not really that complicated nor controversial. This thread is more about the effects, of said new/changed/old/supposedtooriginallybe policy, which are interesting to me.



And much entertainment would be lost!

FPs now explicitly state "cannot accommodate late arrivals" and have since March 7. Previously it was "please return between...." Those may not be the exact wordings, but they're very close.

 

[Cafeen]

FPs now explicitly state "cannot accommodate late arrivals" and have since March 7. Previously it was "please return between...." Those may not be the exact wordings, but they're very close.

So I stand corrected on the "I'm sure" part, thanks . I take it that it have been coming down the pipe for awhile then (I kinda disappeared between Nov and Apr...)

 

[KellyNY]

Except, they aren't passing rules and regulations. They are communicating policy. This DOES happen verbally in very many different places, even within WDW. Don't cut in line, move all the way down the theater, no flash photography, don't stand up in the middle of CoP. While there are some signs for the latter two (or, at least the No Flash Photography one, and that's only in some of the places where it's restricted), most of this is primarily communicated verbally from CM to guest. It's perfectly natural to expect the CM stating (especially the vast majority of CMs stating) that a policy is what it is without it being in writing. Much like the current one, I'm sure the FP media did not change immediately (if it even has yet), which means, the policy is/was still not explicitly stated on the tickets, but we accept that the majority of the CMs (if not all) state that it's a certain way.

At any rate, the whole point is moot, since the policy did, indeed, change. It was once one way, now it's another way. It's a new policy as the enforcement of the FP window did not exist directly prior to it existing. It's not really that complicated nor controversial. This thread is more about the effects, of said new/changed/old/supposedtooriginallybe policy, which are interesting to me.

Communicating what exactly? Problem is all their written materials state return time, all their videos, site, state to return during the window. So why it is so? Why did not they put it open for everyone? Because it was not for everyone or anyone to see. Very simple.

 

[WillAustin]

But that would preclude the moality debate and the endless self-aggrandizement.

And we can wonder why they still allow FP returns outside the window at Disneyland if it was really a problem.

 

[UNCFanatik]

Except, they aren't passing rules and regulations. They are communicating policy. This DOES happen verbally in very many different places, even within WDW. Don't cut in line, move all the way down the theater, no flash photography, don't stand up in the middle of CoP. While there are some signs for the latter two (or, at least the No Flash Photography one, and that's only in some of the places where it's restricted), most of this is primarily communicated verbally from CM to guest. It's perfectly natural to expect the CM stating (especially the vast majority of CMs stating) that a policy is what it is without it being in writing. Much like the current one, I'm sure the FP media did not change immediately (if it even has yet), which means, the policy is/was still not explicitly stated on the tickets, but we accept that the majority of the CMs (if not all) state that it's a certain way.

At any rate, the whole point is moot, since the policy did, indeed, change. It was once one way, now it's another way. It's a new policy as the enforcement of the FP window did not exist directly prior to it existing. It's not really that complicated nor controversial. This thread is more about the effects, of said new/changed/old/supposedtooriginallybe policy, which are interesting to me.



And much entertainment would be lost!

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.

 

[mesaboy2]

So I stand corrected on the "I'm sure" part, thanks . I take it that it have been coming down the pipe for awhile then (I kinda disappeared between Nov and Apr...)

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.

While I won't go so far as to avow that the change was definitely related to FastPass+, I do think in light of the recent test run of FP+ it is a very solid assumption.

Lastly, while we have no out-and-out proof of it, I also think that as of March 7 the number of FPs distributed in each window was increased, and that perhaps even the FP/standby admittance ratio has changed slightly in favor of the FP queue. Based on a whole lot of reading on the subject, to me this is the most likely set of factors to explain the scores of anecdotal reports I've seen over the last couple of months.