Question About Fast Pass Return Window

[DisneyBound2007]

I have been reading up on the FP in many different postings and was just wondering...I know that when you get a FP it has a 1 hr timeframe for you to return, as well as a time when you can get another FP. So, for example, if you run into the park at rope drop and grab a FP for Buzz (lets say) and it says return between 10-11 and also that you can get another FP at 10:05 (which I'm hearing is the typical time, 5 min after the window opens).....you are technically supposed to return between 10 and 11. You can't come earlier than 10 but I hear alot of people say you can come later than 11. They say you can pretty much use it anytime that day before the park closes, even if your window time has passed. Has anyone ever had an instance where a CM would not allow you to use it after the window closed. Most people advise you to wait till 10:05 rolls around and grab another fastpass....then use the first one..so u can enjoy an attraction while waiting for another window to open. How many FP's can you have at one time if you keep "collecting" new ones once the time says you are allowed to have another one?

 

[eeyoreiscool]

We have never been turned away because the window has expired. If the ride it really busy or the park has alot of people, they may be a little more strict on the rule but I haven't encountered that yet.

 

[bleeps]

We have used "expired" fast passes (same day, but past the "window" of time on the pass) many, many, many times and have never been turned away or even questioned by CMs. I have, however, regularly seen people turned away who are trying to use a pass even 5 minutes early.

You are eligible to get a new fast pass each time you reach the earliest time on the window of the pass you are holding. So, first pass has 10 to 11 window, get your next one at 10:05 (even though you haven't used the first one yet). Now, by 10:05, in all likelihood, the fast pass return time windows will have moved up in the day -- that is, at 10:05 your return time may now be 11:30 or later (it's only in the morning that you are likely to see return times within an hour or so) -- the return time may even be many hours later (at 10:05, your return time *could* be 3 or 4 in the afternoon, for example). So, as the day goes on, the system becomes self-limiting. Does that make sense?

 

[DisneyBound2007]

Yea, definately. So hypothetically if I got the first one for a ride and then it said i could get another one at 10:05 and I did for a different ride (so now I would have 2 of them unused)...will the second fastpass i get also have a time on it for me to come back, lets say 3-4 or something like that....if I wait til 3:05 will I also be able to get a 3rd one..and actually have 3 unused FP's? I'm not saying this is the most efficient way to use them but I was just wondering if it was possible.

 

[I'mNoPrince]

We roll around the park collecting fastpasses then later that day on our second time around we Fastpass all the rides we collected . We have had up to 5 unused FPs at one time during a slow Oct day.

We alweays grap a fastpass at the next ride we come to as soon as our window opens to do so.

 

[Lucky82061]

Every FP you pick up will tell you exactly when yo uare eligible to get another FP. I have never had a CM turn me away for being past the window, they will however turn you away if you are early... oh and they go by the big clock that is above their heads in the FP line usually... not by what your watch may say sorry I saw a family trying to tell a CM that their watch said it was time and that Disney's clocks were wrong

 

[skier_pete]

Here's the recent scenario we did...Sunday at MK in October, in the morning/early afternoon with DW, DD3, and DMIL. We were planning on coming back in the evening, just DW and I. I took every window I could, and got 2 FP for Buzz, Space Mountain, Splash Mountain, and BTMRR. All of them had late morning windows. We came back at 7 PM and used ALL of them. I did this again for RnRC and ToT at MGM, except when I went back to ToT there was no line, so I didn't use them.

The only thing I did find out, is that for the most part, the FP lines close once the EMH start, so you can no longer use them during EMH. But otherwise, you can use them anytime. I have heard of people being turned away, but we did this for six days and never once were told no. Just don't tell any non-DISers. If too many people find out and start taking advantage of this loophole, Disney may stop it.

SkierPete

 

[disnut8]

Every FP you pick up will tell you exactly when yo uare eligible to get another FP. I have never had a CM turn me away for being past the window, they will however turn you away if you are early... oh and they go by the big clock that is above their heads in the FP line usually... not by what your watch may say sorry I saw a family trying to tell a CM that their watch said it was time and that Disney's clocks were wrong

Very true on being early. That's why there usually is a mob right at the Fast Pass Return entrance. One of my pet peeves about the Fast Pass system. There should be a pen to the side for those people waiting. They act like the attraction is going to run away to Universal in the next three minutes.

Also true on the clock to use. We call it the Mickey clock. And everyone knows Mickey rules at Disney World.

 

[runwad]

I found on my last trip that I could get another fastpass 10 to 15 minutes (cant remember which?) earlier than was posted on my fastpass, if anyone cares.

 

[Mickiethepooh]

I have seen people turned away if late. I am in a wheelchair and once returned with my fast pass on time, to be told VERY RUDELY by the CM to go to the back of the regular line, No special deals for wheelchair users, of which I was fully aware. It took another CM standing by who clearly saw the fast pass in my hand to stand up for me. This CM was not even listening as I tried to show her the pass. No appology from her either.
I guess it depends on the particular ride and how busy they are if they honor Late arrivals though.

 

[a*lil*bit*goofy]

Don't count on using an expired fast pass, not always. We had a window of 1245-145 to return to Space Mountain. According to the clock they have at the fast pass window, it was 143pm. the lady looked at the time on the ticket, looked up at the clock and said "these expired" and i said "well according to that we got here with 2 min to spare." she looked again, looked at her own watch, and then said "fine, go".
This was on Friday December 8th. so i am sure many CM's are lenient, but some are also not as much.