Rules For Fastpasses given out

[Saratoga]

Hello. When we added on points during a Disney Cruise last summer, we were told we would receive special fastpasses. Now we are ready to go to WDW in a couple of weeks.

Does anyone know the terms for using these? How long are they good for? How many rides are on a pass?, etc.

Thanks.

 

[AmyB2006]

I'm curious to know this as well, as my guide just told me that they're not allowed to give those out anymore. Which I'm thinking is just b.s. But who knows.

 

[jvalic33]

We had these special fastpasses just this past February.

If I recall correctly they are activated once you pick them up. We had them left with a DVC person at our hotel (Kidani). They only work for 3 days from when you activate them so in our case, we had 6, two kids were little so if I had it to do all over again, I would have only activated four or three and then picked up the rest a few days later.

With these fastpass cards they have three rides per card so if you need four fastpasses you can use one card up for that one ride and then use just one fastpass from the other card and throw the used up card away. They are immediate fastpasses so you get them as soon as you put the card in the machine and it has to be for a ride that has fastpass available.

The buzzlightyear ride was already sold out so we couldn't use it for that. Let me know if that helps and is clear.

 

[disneynutz]

Hello. When we added on points during a Disney Cruise last summer, we were told we would receive special fastpasses. Now we are ready to go to WDW in a couple of weeks.

Does anyone know the terms for using these? How long are they good for? How many rides are on a pass?, etc.

Thanks.

You need to contact your Guide to see if any are still available.

Bill

 

[ELMC]

As of two days ago, fast passes were not available. Makes sense, they were an incentive to get people in the door. VGF is doing that on its own, no incentive necessary.

 

[JWG]

Grand Floridian is doing that for current owners. I don't know that DVC is willing to sacrifice 3-4 weeks of sales for VGF in 2 weeks. They still want to be selling AKV and AHV now.

I have a friend taking the tour on Thursday.

 

[BestDadEver]

As of two days ago, fast passes were not available. Makes sense, they were an incentive to get people in the door. VGF is doing that on its own, no incentive necessary.

Well if you got 18 like me you will get 6 cards with 3 on them you just go to fast pass check in at any FP ride and put then in it will give you the pass for right now you have an hour window to get back to that ride . There should be a kiosk at the resort that's where I got mine . They only last for 3 days after activated you don't have to take them all at once .

I suggest using it on rides with a FP return of 1 1/2 or more

 

[disneynutz]

As of two days ago, fast passes were not available. Makes sense, they were an incentive to get people in the door. VGF is doing that on its own, no incentive necessary.

Our Guide also said that they are not being given out like they were before. DVD actually had to pay a fee to buy them from Disney Parks.

When sales are slow, the incentive pricing, fast passes, and gift cards help seal the deal. No need when sales are so brisk that they can't keep up with the paperwork.

Bill

 

[PrincessMer]

I took the took the tour on Saturday and received the fastpass cards. The guide knew we were interested in the Grand Floridian. We are not currently members, so maybe that is why we were given the passes.

 

[JWG]

We had friends do the tour yesterday and they all received FastPasses. 4 people, 3 per person = 12 total.

 

[dayvewc]

I certainly hope they still have these!! I was given 10 cards when I bought last summer, but only used 2 of them (I wound up buying on my last day). My guide told me that when I returned I could get the rest of them. I'm going to be a less-than enthusiastic person if I don't get to use them.

 

[havertown]

I bought today and no FastPass for me, just some ice cream

 

[myxdvz]

We were in the parks last week and was wanting to do a tour if we can get fast passes. We were told they do still give it, but not for existing members.

 

[twinklebug]

I bought today and no FastPass for me, just some ice cream

Welcome Home!

One of the best parts of DVC is soon you'll be able to have 1/2 gallon tubs of ice cream in your fridge waiting for you back at the room after the parks

I loved those FPs - got them a couple back before I bought in (once was a tour, the other time was a year later when I bought in.) Wasn't aware they cost DVD money, they handed them out fairly freely... second batch expired before we could use them though as we came down with the flu later that same day.

What I recall of the rules:

- One card was given out for each person in traveling party.
- Each card contained 3 instant fast passes.
- Fast passes had to be redeemed within 3 (or 2?) days of activation (activation was the moment they handed me those cards).
- Not good for obtaining FPs on rides where the fast passes were gone for the day.

It's possible they've temporarily stopped giving them out due to the new FP system, and will return... I wouldn't bet money on that though.

 

[dayvewc]

I should go to bed when I get cranky instead of searching out forums on the disboards.

I am going to be somewhat stressed if I do not get the rest of the passes I was promised. It was at the suggestion of my guide that I didn't take them all (granted, he suggested I only take a couple after I told him I wouldn't have time to use them all before I left).

I was told that they would mark in my file how many passes I had left, and if I did not use all of the passes on one of the cards to bring it back to the DVC office and they could credit back any unused passes for a future trip. That way, I could space using them over the next several trips and be guaranteed to get FP to the rides I wanted when I wanted (with the provisions that the rides HAVE FP and that they were not all issued).

It's going to be frustrating if my careful planning to strategically use those passes is invalidated because they no longer have them.

Ok. Whining session over. Chocolate ice-cream time instead.

 

[twinklebug]

I am going to be somewhat stressed if I do not get the rest of the passes I was promised. It was at the suggestion of my guide that I didn't take them all (granted, he suggested I only take a couple after I told him I wouldn't have time to use them all before I left).

I was told that they would mark in my file how many passes I had left, and if I did not use all of the passes on one of the cards to bring it back to the DVC office and they could credit back any unused passes for a future trip.

The folk in the offices are very nice and I'm sure if you get in touch with your guide he/she will do what they can to help you out. Particularly if it's documented that you didn't take them all.

... As for unused FPs on the cards, I don't know what the system looks like, but I was told by numerous CMs that the FPs on my cards could not be stored for future use (I asked when we had the flu and could not walk more than 100 feet at a time, so did not enter the parks and they went to waste.)

 

[AmyB2006]

I didn't even get ice cream! LOL

Specifically asked my guide about these the day I added my VGF points and he told me they are not allowed to give them out anymore. He told me due to the new Fastpass+ system that they won't work anymore anyway, eventually, and that they were "policing" the employees giving them out. I wonder if they had an issue with them being given out improperly?

Grand Floridian is doing that for current owners.

That's why this is surprising. Because they're not doing that for all current owners apparently. I guess it depends on who your guide is and if they're willing to "go out on that limb" to get them for you.

And anytime we've had them before, we were told we had to use them within 3 days, because they expire automatically.

 

[dayvewc]

The folk in the offices are very nice and I'm sure if you get in touch with your guide he/she will do what they can to help you out. Particularly if it's documented that you didn't take them all.

... As for unused FPs on the cards, I don't know what the system looks like, but I was told by numerous CMs that the FPs on my cards could not be stored for future use (I asked when we had the flu and could not walk more than 100 feet at a time, so did not enter the parks and they went to waste.)

Every CM I've ever talked to has always been extremely nice, and generally will go out of there way to find an answer for me, even if it is just giving me a phone number for someone else to call.

Speaking of, I tried calling my guide and he is on vacation til next week.
And here I always thought working for Disney WAS a vacation!!

Tried calling MS number, and the person there said that all the fast passes were handled by sales, and I would need to contact my guide or the sales office.

Called the SSR Preview Center, and the guy there said that he couldn't answer that specific question for me, as it was something my guide had set up I would need to talk to my guide about it. But he did say that they ARE still authorized to provide the FP cards, so for the people who didn't get them....

I also don't know what the system looks like, I just know that when I took the 2 cards (6 passes) my guide said if I didn't use them all to bring the card with unused passes back and he would make sure they were credited back to my file. He was the only one I talked to about it so....
I wound up using 5 of the 6 and it seemed a bigger hassle to try to get back for just the 1 than it was really worth, but I will definitely need to double-check about this before/when I pick up (if I CAN pick up) the rest.

I didn't even get ice cream! LOL

Specifically asked my guide about these the day I added my VGF points and he told me they are not allowed to give them out anymore. He told me due to the new Fastpass+ system that they won't work anymore anyway, eventually, and that they were "policing" the employees giving them out. I wonder if they had an issue with them being given out improperly?

That's why this is surprising. Because they're not doing that for all current owners apparently. I guess it depends on who your guide is and if they're willing to "go out on that limb" to get them for you.

And anytime we've had them before, we were told we had to use them within 3 days, because they expire automatically.

I'm hoping that the change is in going forward they don't issue new ones b/c of the FP+ system, but that current ones on file will still be good while the old FP is still in use.

 

[Disney 24/7]

I bought Aulani points on the MV Fantasy 2012 and part of the incentive was to receive a total of 18 fast passes. I hope I still have these on file.

 

[WilsonFlyer]

As of two days ago, fast passes were not available. Makes sense, they were an incentive to get people in the door. VGF is doing that on its own, no incentive necessary.

Interesting. I have always been told (by multiple sources) that they were to compensate new prospects for time taken away from their vacation while at the sales presentation at SSR.