Our recent visit and FastPass+ frustration (or perhaps new strategy?)

[LynneDurham]

Hi everyone.

We've been members of the DIS for about 15 years, mostly lurking and rarely posting. We flip our time between WDW and DLR because we love both (although we live much closer to WDW). Our visit to WDW this week with our adult children and grandson was our first in (gasp!) 5 years. I'm lousy at doing trip reports, but wanted to share a few thoughts. Overall, we had a fabulous time! But then again, any day at a Disney park is a great day in my book.

• We booked this trip less than 180 days out so at first I had some trouble getting some of the dining reservations I wanted (Be Our Guest in particular). I lucked out when Be Our Guest began offering breakfast and I caught the announcement the same day, but still couldn't get in before the 9 AM MK open that I wanted. However, I found the Reservation Finder being tested at the Touring Plans web site was FABULOUS and was eventually able to get our reservation for 8:10 AM.
  
  
• That early reservation was important because we hate standing in lines but we really wanted to try the 7DMT AND BOG. Since MK wasn't dropping the rope until 9 AM that day, I thought we'd have to wait a few minutes after we ate. However, 7DMT opened early for the BOG customers and we walked right on! The breakfast was great and this added benefit was a great time saver.
  
  
• The same strategy did NOT work at DHS for Toy Story Midway Mania. Sci Fi Drive-In began offering breakfast, too, so I booked a pre-rope drop reservation thinking we could just run over to TSMM after breakfast. However, we were held back until the rope drop people had gotten in line...which put us at a 45 minute wait.

We always loved the FastPass system and I was interested to test the FastPass+ system. It worked fine for us in most cases but it appeared that people may have found strategies for getting around the system -- and unfortunately, we got frustrated by this. Here's the story.

One of the things that we did not use FastPass+ for was character meet and greets. Our grandson was still having an easy time getting all of the autographs and photos that he wanted. Then we decided to meet Mickey at Town Square Theater. The standby wait line said 25 minutes, so we queued.

With no announcements of any difficulties with the attraction, we had been in line about 40 minutes when my adult son ran into the lobby to get us some water. As he was coming back into the queuing area, he saw a group of 12 (about 3 adults and 9 kids) talking with the cast member at the FastPass+ scanner. The first people in the group walked up and scanned their Magic Bands as if they had FastPasses, but the light went blue. The mother then admitted to the cast member that they didn't have FastPasses, but really wanted to get all of the kids photographed together, and that they were never together and that they had dinner reservations so couldn't sit in the standby queue. After (surprisingly little) pleading, the cast member let the large group in through the FP+ line.

Our son returned to the line and told us the story. We groused a bit to ourselves, but stayed in line. After another 15-20 minutes of waiting, I went to the FP+ area cast members (who by then had changed) and discussed both the much longer than anticipated wait and the large group jumping ahead in the FP+ line. They apologized, said there was some trouble with the attraction and that the line should start moving quickly soon.

As we continued to wait, we noticed two teenage girls walk up to the FP+ line (by this time, we were watching that line like hawks). The first one scanned green; the second one scanned blue. The girls tried to talk them into letting them in, but appeared to give up as there were other people behind them. However, when the line behind them cleared, they came back and continued to plead. The CM could SEE we were watching (he looked right at us) and yet he still let them in!

By this time, we had been in the standby line for 65 minutes. My husband and adult daughter had had enough. They went to complain to the CM who let the girls in who insisted that both girls scanned green even though he knew we were watching (on a posted wait of 25 minutes). They decided they were not going to wait any longer and went to complain at City Hall. The rest of felt that we had put in so much time, that we had to stick it out a bit longer.

Our final wait was just under 80 minutes. The CM who had let the two teenage girls in came in while we were just getting up to Mickey. He admitted to us that one of the two girls hadn't scanned green, but that they didn't want to break the girls up.

Overall, the experience was terribly frustrating for those of us waiting in the never-ending line. However, seeing this happen in a couple of other parts of WDW made me think that people are actually doing this as a FP+ strategy, rather than this being an anomaly.

Think about it. If you and a friend each have 3 FP+ to start with, you should schedule them for 6 different attractions. The chances aren't too bad that you'll be able to talk a CM into letting both of you in the FP+ line.

Has anyone else seen this happening in the parks?

 

[Disneylover99]

I have seen this happen several times as well. Usually, I've noticed it when I've been behind someone in the fp line. I've never seen anyone turned away who scanned blue if their partner or rest of their group scanned green.

I have noticed couples or groups who all scan blue being turned away, but I've also on occasion seen couples both scanning blue and being let through. Sometimes I think the cm's must feel it's easier/better to let people through, then hold up the fp lines with people arguing.

 

[AJ1983]

I have seen this happen several times as well. Usually, I've noticed it when I've been behind someone in the fp line. I've never seen anyone turned away who scanned blue if their partner or rest of their group scanned green.

I have noticed couples or groups who all scan blue being turned away, but I've also on occasion seen couples both scanning blue and being let through. Sometimes I think the cm's must feel it's easier/better to let people through, then hold up the fp lines with people arguing.

DH and I were let through a couple of times with blue bands because we were about 6 minutes from our time and we offered to wait but they said go ahead

 

[BigAlsGal]

I think at some attractions they are more relaxed but there are some attractions where it does not fly. If you wanna little taste just stand close to the freak show we call the Peter Pan FP+ line. It is a CONSTANT stream of guests turning blue all over the place. I'm sure they have to use their most aggressive CM's there because people are always arguing with them. As far as I can see they don't let people on the ride who turn blue no matter how bad someone throws a fit with them (that's just what I've observed though).

I'm not going to pretend I know why CM's make the calls they do but I think they do their best to make good decisions. I would say the majority of your wait had less to do with FP acceptions and more to do with the talking Micky head going on the fritz. Im sorry you had a cruddy experience though.

 

[Disneylover99]

DH and I were let through a couple of times with blue bands because we were about 6 minutes from our time and we offered to wait but they said go ahead

You offered to wait. That was probably an unexpected treat for the CM's because I do tend to see a lot of arguing or questioning, which of course holds up the line. I'm glad they let you through.

And for the record, I've done my share of arguing. One trip, my MB turned blue every single time I used my fp's, even with multiple trips to guest services to fix it. I learned to have MDE open on my iPad to show the cm's that I truly did have a fp. I still held up the lines while they looked at MDE though.

 

[lilclerk]

I did see folks trying this a couple of times last week, though it seemed to be more from not understanding the Fastpass+ system rather than trying to game it. Either way, none of them were let through when we saw it happen, they were told everyone in the party needed the selection.

 

[scrapquitler]

I have seen this happen several times as well. Usually, I've noticed it when I've been behind someone in the fp line. I've never seen anyone turned away who scanned blue if their partner or rest of their group scanned green.

I have noticed couples or groups who all scan blue being turned away, but I've also on occasion seen couples both scanning blue and being let through. Sometimes I think the cm's must feel it's easier/better to let people through, then hold up the fp lines with people arguing.

If you have a 'bonus FP+" (we got one when EE was down during our FP+ return time, and we got an alert on MDE that we could use any one of a certain group of FP+ on a different attraction at any time during the day) the band will scan blue, and the CM will override it and let you thru. That MAY be what happened with some of the people you saw getting let thru even if their band scanned blue.

THere may also be other reasons why this happens.

 

[Disneylover99]

If you have a 'bonus FP+" (we got one when EE was down during our FP+ return time, and we got an alert on MDE that we could use any one of a certain group of FP+ on a different attraction at any time during the day) the band will scan blue, and the CM will override it and let you thru. That MAY be what happened with some of the people you saw getting let thru even if their band scanned blue.

THere may also be other reasons why this happens.

I know scanning blue happens for many reasons. Personally, we've always scanned green with those bonus fp's.

 

[lovethattink]

The disability accommodations are now done on the magic bands. When that's the case, you'll see the first person scan blue. The cm checks their ipad then everyone else in that party will scan green. While that doesn't meet the OP'S scenario, it could explain some of the blue scans getting in.

Since this discussion is most FP+, I'm going to move the thread to the Everything FP+ subforum.

 

[scrapquitler]

I know scanning blue happens for many reasons. Personally, we've always scanned green with those bonus fp's.

All 3 of scanned blue, the CM did something and said we were all set, then at the second scan, two of us scanned green and one scanned blue. Go figure.

There were also a couple times that one of scanned blue when we had regular FP+ for no apparent reason, and we just got waved thru when they asked, are you with them?

 

[JimmyV]

I'm not going to pretend I know why CM's make the calls they do but I think they do their best to make good decisions.

The answer is fairly obvious. The CMs are trained not to make "a stink" or be confrontational. CMs can never be sure whether the "blue Mickey" is a glitch or an attempt at fraud, and no amount of arguing with the guest is likely to sort it out. Cheaters often bark more loudly and more threateningly than the honest people. So the CMs let things slide. Odds are, 95% of the guests will not pick up on what the OP noticed, and Disney is calculating that it can handle the complaints that come from the other 5%. And people are now cashing in on Disney's benevolence as a strategy, just as the OP suggests. It remains a small number. But it does happen. (As does the issue of "mistaken blue Mickeys that should have turned green.") If only there was some way of issuing a hardcopy, tangible piece of paper that proved that you actually had a FP for the attraction.

 

[mom2rtk]

If only there was some way of issuing a hardcopy, tangible piece of paper that proved that you actually had a FP for the attraction.

Nah. Too complicated. It would never work.