The "Science" of the FastPass system

[yesman70]

I know how it works, but why does it work so well? How does Disney do it?

How do they keep the FP people from slowing down the main line?

How do they estimate how many passes to give out for the day?

 

[skiingfast]

1.I know how it works, but why does it work so well? How does Disney do it?

2.How do they keep the FP people from slowing down the main line?

3.How do they estimate how many passes to give out for the day?

1. It works well for those who use it.

2. It doesn't, it slows down the main line if you don't use it. Many people complain about this, but in reality the same number of people would ride if FP existed or not.

3.I'm sure they have a formula. Something like 20% of riders could use FP. Since they know the ride capacity they multiply by .2 and hand out that many per day. When the ride closes, for mechnical or other reason, they stop handing out FPs, so it can maintain the same rate. As more tickets go out the return time advances so the FPs rider come back in a regular fashion. Though since the window isn't enforced many people come back late, elongating the line later in the day.

 

[yesman70]

1. It works well for those who use it.

2. It doesn't, it slows down the main line if you don't use it. Many people complain about this, but in reality the same number of people would ride if FP existed or not.

3.I'm sure they have a formula. Something like 20% of riders could use FP. Since they know the ride capacity they multiply by .2 and hand out that many per day. When the ride closes, for mechnical or other reason, they stop handing out FPs, so it can maintain the same rate. As more tickets go out the return time advances so the FPs rider come back in a regular fashion. Though since the window isn't enforced many people come back late, elongating the line later in the day.

1. Why would you even stand in line then? Why not just walk around, grab as many FP's as you can, then use those all day long?

2. How does it slow down the main line if people dont show up? Do they reserve a set amount of seats each ride for FP guests?

3. Seems like it would work more efficiently if they enforced the FP return time window?

 

[aymekae]

There are limits on how many FPs you can hold at one time, you can't simply collect them whenever you want.

On the first FP you collect, it will state that you can't collect another FP until after your first FP's time is up, or after a specific time (if your first FP's time is farther in the future).

There are some exceptions. For instance, you can hold a FP at each park at the same time.

Hope that makes sense!

 

[ArchOwl]

1. Why would you even stand in line then? Why not just walk around, grab as many FP's as you can, then use those all day long?

2. How does it slow down the main line if people dont show up? Do they reserve a set amount of seats each ride for FP guests?

3. Seems like it would work more efficiently if they enforced the FP return time window?

1. First of all, Disney effectively limits the amount of FPs that a person can hold by making you wait to obtain another one. In the morning, the time you have to wait before getting another pass can be short because not many have been given out, but the time gets longer until it caps at 2 hours. That means by the afternoon, you must wait 2 hours before getting another FP (aside from Roger Rabbit which is disconnected and also taking into consideration the two parks are disconnected as well). So, you can't just walk around and collect FPs all the time. FPs also run out, so by the afternoon or evening, all the FPs could be distributed.

Additionally, not everyone knows what a FP is. I mean a lot of people just show up to Disneyland and have no idea how FPs work at all. They may think they have to buy them or they just don't take the time to learn. Or they may not know how to maximize them by showing up early in the morning and collecting them when the two hour cap isn't in place yet. Or they think they expire so they end up not using them.

2. What happens is that the main line is feeding the ride system, but FP return people essentially "cut" in front of those in the main, or standby line. So there is no reservation of seats, but the main line moves more slowly because people are constantly "cutting" in front of them. I use the term "cutting", but obviously it is Disney sanctioned "cutting", not the line jumping you see sometimes. At some point, the FP and standby line merge (usually near the front). So the standby line people have been waiting for awhile, but the FP have only been waiting a few minutes (on average).

3. It might work more efficiently in theory, but in practice there could be dozens of reasons why a person couldn't make it back to the ride during the window. They could be eating a meal, watching a show, kid could need a nap, they could be stuck on a ride elsewhere, etc. This could mean a logistical nightmare for the CMs at the ride as folks complained or explained. Instead of doing that, they enforce the beginning time, but not the end. I am sure that Disney would love it if we would all be at the rides exactly during the time they listed, but people aren't going to do that because they are people, not robots. So I think they have settled on spreading people throughout the day in manageable chunks.

With the FP system, they know they won't have X number of people until noon, or 3pm, or whatever. Guests are happier because they aren't standing in line, but going on another ride, or eating or shopping (more $$ for Disney). Disney is happy that the guests are happier and they are spreading folks out over the parks. Overall, I think it is a good system.

 

[Grim_Grinning_Girl]

I've never seen or experienced any Fast Pass issues. And I too never knew that the passes do not expire at the return time, so I think a lot of people are under the impression that if not used within the printed time then they're out of luck.

A cast member told us about our passes not expiring, I think if more people knew and didn't really follow the times then yes there probably would be slower lines.

 

[yesman70]

A cast member told us about our passes not expiring, I think if more people knew and didn't really follow the times then yes there probably would be slower lines.

Yea, its obviosuly not something Disney actively advertises, or there would more problems like you stated.


Doesnt the system work where it "estimates" how long you would have been standing in line from where the real line is currently at?

Has anyone ever tried testing the theory? Have someone in your party stand in the regular line for an hour or two, then someone else comes back with a FP and see if you meet up?

 

[HydroGuy]

Yea, its obviosuly not something Disney actively advertises, or there would more problems like you stated.


Doesnt the system work where it "estimates" how long you would have been standing in line from where the real line is currently at?

Has anyone ever tried testing the theory? Have someone in your party stand in the regular line for an hour or two, then someone else comes back with a FP and see if you meet up?

Since some FPs are for return times 8+ hours away (for really popular rides) this is obviously not the case.

 

[ArchOwl]

I think of it more like a reservation system that assigns you a spot in line in the order you asked. There is a finite number of spots and when they run out, that's it.

 

[PHXscuba]

I know the FP system only gives out 'X' amount of FPs per hour, based on ride capacity. So in theory, if everyone used their FP in their exact hour window, there would only be X number of extra people per hour in the FP line joining the standby line. Obviously in reality the number is going to ebb and flow.

I think many people don't know about or understand the FP system even though it's printed right on the map, mentioned in every guidebook, and explained by any CM. If people choose not to use it, so be it -- DLR takes into account that not everyone will use it. I don't subscribe to the "run yourself silly back and forth across the park" theory, but acquiring a new FP every hour or so in the morning as we go can make a huge difference.

We were talking about taking our older kids to Magic Mountain this summer and I told DH that that Disneyland has spoiled them. They are going to hate standing in metal switchbacks for an hour or more!

Now if I could just get a FP for the food lines at lunch ...

PHXscuba

 

[lovebug33]

I think people don't know about FP. When we were at WDW, the line for BTMRR was 80 minutes long. The FP return time was 85 minutes away. It BOGGLED my mind why people would stand in line for 80 minutes when they could go do stuff and come back in 85 minutes and stand in a 10 minute or so line!

 

[elainesj]

Boggles my mind too. But some people just choose to believe that FP is inconvenient or whatever.

A close friend of mine went and refused to use FP her first day because she said she didn't want to go "back and forth all over the park" even though she has used it in the past (rather ineffectively) and I had spent time explaining how best to utilize FP. She went on 3 or 4 rides that day. She started using FP the next day onwards and did OK - but sure didn't use it as effectively as she could have and waited in plenty of lines.