???'s about time frames on fast passes?

[Daydreamer64]

In March of 2004 ( the crowds were terrible ) we had a fast pass to PP. We were headed for the Haunted house and didn't think we had time to get to the house stand in line, ride and get back to PP before our time frame was over on the pass.

An employee heard us talking about weither to find a place to sit and rest for a while until our time frame to ride PP opened or to just go on to the HH and forget the FP. He said the return windows are really only for the earliest that you can return and that they were not enforcing the last time on the ticket- otherwise........ we could not ride before our window opened up but could ride any time after during that day using our current FP. Now I understand why the pooh FP line was so crazy-

Is this normal operating procedures? If we get a pass can we return any time that day and have it honored even if our ride time frame has expired? I'm just curious as to why they put return times on the tickets if they aren't going to enforce the times????

Please share any experiences that you have had about this question- TKS

 

[Soupermom]

I was our experience this past June that we could use FP's anytime after the first return time. I've read that you can even use them days, month, weeks later, but have no firsthand experience with that. They were a HUGE timesaver for us in June though!

 

[lentesta]

I got stopped trying to use an expired FP at Buzz this past weekend, but that's unusual.

In general I think your chances are fairly good. That's the only time I've been stopped in the past year, and some of the FASTPASSes I've used are more than 2 years old. (They're looking at the times, not the dates, I think.)

Len

 

[marciemi]

At Disneyland at least this was the case. We several times used one with a window of say 9:30-10:30 at 4 in the afternoon and were never questioned. We were also told as long as it's after the first time, it didn't matter. I'd say though, that if the lines got long, or whatever, they could not accept them if they wanted.

 

[Tigger&Belle]

The only ride that they seem a little pickier with is Test Track. I asked about it when getting a fast pass and the CM told me that it was ok if it was a little past the fastpass window, but not too long.

T&B

 

[TheRustyScupper]

1) On several occassions I have seen people stopped for expired FP's.
2) It is fully within WDW's right.
3) You take your chance if you miss your "window".
4) Sometimes you get in and sometimes you don't.

 

[got2travel]

I've only been to WDW 2 times, but DL over 20. Many times in each resort I have returned after the ending time. I was only stopped once on Soarin' in Calif Adventure, and really I wasn't stopped, but just told to try to return within the timeframe next time.

 

[tjmw2727]

I have been stopped from using an expired Fast Pass.

At MGM due to a seating snaffu at Sci Fi my girls and I ran late from lunch. We had the FP for Star Tours that expired 15 minutes prior and the CM would not allow us to use it.

If you want to ride the ride then I think it fair to return during the designated window otherwise you do risk not riding or having to wait standby. I think if you genuinely miss your window then why not see if you can use it but I would not recommend using expired FP's as a "touring plan".

TJ

 

[lentesta]

A good point, TJ. We've debated using the "expired FASTPASS" strategy in the Unofficial Guide's touring plans for the past couple of years. We even checked with Disney after reading another website that said Disney's official policy was to accept expired FASTPASSes (not true, according to Disney).

As TheRustyScupper notes, the CMs are well within their boundaries to enforce the rules. Unless it was qualified with a big "hey, this might not work," I'm not sure I'd base a touring plan strategy on using expired FASTPASSes.

Len

 

[rascalmom]

They do make a cute addition to your WDW scrapbook though!

 

[Karibeth19]

It may also depend on crowd levels. The past two years we have gone at slower times (Jan. and Feb.). The first year was our first trip in over 10 years, so FP was new to us. Several times we returned well past the expiration time and never had a problem. Last year, we tried to be good and return during the window, but those few times we didn't, we still didn't have a problem. I guess you just take your chances!

P.S. Rascalmom, love the second line of your tag!!!!

 

[tazz23]

Having read on these boards that the times were a guide- we used expired fastpasses throughout our trip over christmas and noone stopped us! it made the day so much better not waiting for times....wasnt aware that we weren't actually allowed to do this!

 

[eeyore0062]

Depends completely on the Castmember at the FP line. We have never been turned away. If it works with one, it may not with another. You could always try again, but if you are told no, please don't argue with the poor castmember, they are only going by the "law of the land"!

 

[Buttercup26]

Haven't been at WDW since FP, but have used expired FP many times at DL.

 

[lentesta]

The ethics of it aside, has anyone tried making their own FASTPASSes at home? I'd imagine a good scanner, Photoshop, and a decent printer would get something close.

Len

 

[alicenwonder99]

I overheard a CM tell a family standing in front of us at the Fastpass machine that you can use the passes anytime after the beginning time listed on the pass. I can't remember which ride it was, but it was one of them in Fantasyland...probably the Pooh ride.

We used expired Peter Pan fastpasses later in the evening when we returned for MK's EMH night. The passes were about 2-3 hours expired. That was my "strategy", to pick up fastpasses for Peter Pan on the way out of the parks. We left MK around 4pm for dinner back at the cabin and we were planning on returning that evening for the MK's EMH. We then walked right up to Peter Pan and got right on.

Mary

 

[mochabean]

Len,
that's a very devious idea! It may work but you'd have to print the back of them too just to be on the safe side. And, they're on thermal paper so I am sure homemade ones would feel different. Now whether the CM would notice, I don't know.
One other caveat: They are copyrighted, so you could end up in the slammer!

 

[Geno1129]

Phony Fast Passes !!!! Someone's always trying to beat the system!! Play by the rules or you'll ruin it for everyone else. I've read that they're ending FP at DL because the locals have figured out how to bypass the system.

 

[eeyore0062]

The ethics of it aside, has anyone tried making their own FASTPASSes at home? I'd imagine a good scanner, Photoshop, and a decent printer would get something close.

Len

One problem... the color of the fastpass tickets may change.

 

[mochabean]

Phony Fast Passes !!!! Someone's always trying to beat the system!! Play by the rules or you'll ruin it for everyone else. I've read that they're ending FP at DL because the locals have figured out how to bypass the system.

They are removing FP from some attractions at DL for several reasons. Some attractions were not popular enought to warrant a FP. Also, the walkways at DL are much smaller and by having more people standing in regular lines it lessened congestion in the walkways. Although the system at DL is indeed flawed, and it's pretty well known on the DL boards how to use it to your advantage. I once held 8 valid fastpasses at the same time, and I even have a picture to prove it.