Waiting For March 7 FastPass Time Enforcement !!!

[punch57]

I am waiting for March 7 to see if WDW started enforcing the return time on FastPasses !!! Is there any new news on this ???

 

[punch57]

like i said one more day

 

[Iris]

My sister and her family were there last week and she said that at almost every fastpass return location the CMs were letting people know that they would start enforcing the return times soon. So it looks like at least they will give it a try.

 

[punch57]

 

[punch57]

See what happens on the 7 or 8 now !!! LOL

 

[miamimama]

We've been here since Friday, and been told by several CM's at several parks that enforcement will start tomorrow, March 7th. They have looked at our FP times and warned us each time that we came in late.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

What's with the angst on this?

If you are complaining because they are asking you to show up when you commit to show up...by taking the the fast pass in the first place...then what's the beef?

now i know that i am one of the last people to support Disney's 1984 Orwellian attempt to get you to schedule every second of your vacation 180+10 days in advance - but this one i'm actually for.

My experience has been this...not that i use a lot of fast passes with toddlers these days...but here's the observation:

people rush the most populars...typically soarin, rnr coaster, and toy story mania of note (because they haven't exactly delivered much in the last ten years or so)...gobble up up ten hours worth of fast passes in 20 minutes...and then, miraculously go through the 15 minute park opening line once or twice before moving on...

Now, i have no problem if you ride the things 100 times in a day...BUT...not at the expense of jamming the fast pass system later in the day or completely taking it out of play before most people even can get there.

And it's not that everyone has an equal shot. IF you stay at Boardwalk...you can be at MGM after a ten minute walk. If you are at contemporary...the same as magic kingdom.
If you are coming up for the day while visiting the gramps in Sarasota...no way. I know from the last few years that with small kids you have to go with it...but that doesn't mean you should be vultured by the likes of my wife's sociopath fastpass junkie cousin.

the funny thing is that the tickets all cost the same. And if the psychos are ruining the system by using the fast pass open ended policy to their advantage...or even if the enforcement SLIGHTLY rebalances the system...then everyone should be for it.

my take

 

[punch57]

That is the question please someone let us know !!!

 

[mcd2745]

What's with the angst on this?

If you are complaining because they are asking you to show up when you commit to show up...by taking the the fast pass in the first place...then what's the beef?

now i know that i am one of the last people to support Disney's 1984 Orwellian attempt to get you to schedule every second of your vacation 180+10 days in advance - but this one i'm actually for.

My experience has been this...not that i use a lot of fast passes with toddlers these days...but here's the observation:

people rush the most populars...typically soarin, rnr coaster, and toy story mania of note (because they haven't exactly delivered much in the last ten years or so)...gobble up up ten hours worth of fast passes in 20 minutes...and then, miraculously go through the 15 minute park opening line once or twice before moving on...

Now, i have no problem if you ride the things 100 times in a day...BUT...not at the expense of jamming the fast pass system later in the day or completely taking it out of play before most people even can get there.

And it's not that everyone has an equal shot. IF you stay at Boardwalk...you can be at MGM after a ten minute walk. If you are at contemporary...the same as magic kingdom.
If you are coming up for the day while visiting the gramps in Sarasota...no way. I know from the last few years that with small kids you have to go with it...but that doesn't mean you should be vultured by the likes of my wife's sociopath fastpass junkie cousin.

the funny thing is that the tickets all cost the same. And if the psychos are ruining the system by using the fast pass open ended policy to their advantage...or even if the enforcement SLIGHTLY rebalances the system...then everyone should be for it.

my take

Completely agree with all of this. I couldn't believe some of the reactions over on the theme parks board- ranging all the way up to people saying they would never go back to WDW because of this. Really? I didn't get all the outrage over the CC guarantees for ADRs either. There seems to be a segment here on the DIS that feels like they are some type of "insider" who have all the secrets to little advantages over the newbies. And to some extent there is a little truth to that I guess. But anything done by Disney that levels the playing field a little more or chips away at those advantages and these people get thier knickers in a twist.

 

[k5jm]

Old FP

New FP

 

[lockedoutlogic]

I don't remember...did it used to say "Not able to accomodate late arrivals" before?

 

[tjkraz]

I don't remember...did it used to say "Not able to accomodate late arrivals" before?

Don't believe so. I have a stack of about a dozen old FPs sitting in my desk drawer--some dating back to 2007--and none of them have the notation about no late arrivals.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

Completely agree with all of this. I couldn't believe some of the reactions over on the theme parks board- ranging all the way up to people saying they would never go back to WDW because of this. Really? I didn't get all the outrage over the CC guarantees for ADRs either. There seems to be a segment here on the DIS that feels like they are some type of "insider" who have all the secrets to little advantages over the newbies. And to some extent there is a little truth to that I guess. But anything done by Disney that levels the playing field a little more or chips away at those advantages and these people get thier knickers in a twist.

It's because people are abusers when they think they can get away with it. It's no longer about right or wrong (in your head - where it really matters)...there is no black and white anymore...its all grey. On a daily basis i see both adults and children who do things that are wrong (and they know it)...and instead of an admission or apology - stand there and argue their case. It's a sad social commentary.

As far as the credit card guarantees...that is perhaps my single biggest problem with WDW over the past ten years. They still to this day claim that double bookings didn't happen/werent' a problem. Really?

Then why now can i make reservations for 80% or more of the restaurants TODAY for a trip that starts in two weeks? Because people are just "over it"?...or perhaps the game is up and they aren't booking six a day...just in case they feel like going to MGM over Magic Kingdom?
Two, three, five years ago...you couldn't get anything over WDW Dine four months out. And with online booking - its easier to make them now...not harder.

Yeah...thanks for that little trend, dining plan. Coincidence? I think not.

The credit card guarantee seems to have cured all ills...and now some of the casual qualities of the dining at WDW that made it great have returned. Now if its 1:45 and you walk past Libertry Tree and feel like eating...you probably can. As opposed to a college program worker standing outside at 11 am yelling "we're all booked up today...columbia harbour house is that way and pecos bills is right over there"

(ok...so i normally joke about everything...but that CP yelling thing is true...i saw it at least 3 times from 2005-2008...and more than anything else - it made me wonder whether i wanted to continue to spend my time and money there)

no shows must have been too high - and somebody with a functioning cerebrum over at Team D realized that they are still better off having walk ups than have their places "booked" with ghost reservations. It's common sense to make those that really want to go commit to it...and leave the rest open for those that will gladly pay the day off.

Angst Down, Bellys Full, profits up.

 

[mcd2745]

It's because people are abusers when they think they can get away with it. It's no longer about right or wrong (in your head - where it really matters)...there is no black and white anymore...its all grey. On a daily basis i see both adults and children who do things that are wrong (and they know it)...and instead of an admission or apology - stand there and argue their case. It's a sad social commentary.

As far as the credit card guarantees...that is perhaps my single biggest problem with WDW over the past ten years. They still to this day claim that double bookings didn't happen/werent' a problem. Really?

Then why now can i make reservations for 80% or more of the restaurants TODAY for a trip that starts in two weeks? Because people are just "over it"?...or perhaps the game is up and they aren't booking six a day...just in case they feel like going to MGM over Magic Kingdom?
Two, three, five years ago...you couldn't get anything over WDW Dine four months out. And with online booking - its easier to make them now...not harder.

Yeah...thanks for that little trend, dining plan. Coincidence? I think not.

The credit card guarantee seems to have cured all ills...and now some of the casual qualities of the dining at WDW that made it great have returned. Now if its 1:45 and you walk past Libertry Tree and feel like eating...you probably can. As opposed to a college program worker standing outside at 11 am yelling "we're all booked up today...columbia harbour house is that way and pecos bills is right over there"

(ok...so i normally joke about everything...but that CP yelling thing is true...i saw it at least 3 times from 2005-2008...and more than anything else - it made me wonder whether i wanted to continue to spend my time and money there)

no shows must have been too high - and somebody with a functioning cerebrum over at Team D realized that they are still better off having walk ups than have their places "booked" with ghost reservations. It's common sense to make those that really want to go commit to it...and leave the rest open for those that will gladly pay the day off.

Angst Down, Bellys Full, profits up.

On the restaurant boards, there was a monster thread about the CC guarantees when it was first announced. All along I argued that it was my opinion that the #1 reason behind it was to reduce no-show rates - according to Touring Plans/Unofficial Guide, the no-show rates varied month-to-month but were as high as more than 30% at times, although many people completely dismissed those figures as if they were just making them up.

However, I really didn't need TP's info for me to know no-shows were out of control. That was just reinforcement. I, and many others, have seen tons of empty tables at fully-booked restaurants numerous times. All sorts of alternate arguments were raised, such as they purposely left the tables empty because of staffing issues and what not. Many others also argued that they just needed to over-book for the anticipated no-show rate. That argument was ridiculous also as what happens if they expect 25% no-shows and then only 10% don't show? Then everyone will be up in arms about the back-ups. None of them made sense.

As you said, since the CC guarantees went into effect, by all accounts there is much better ADR availability (correcting the imbalance where the demand for ADRs was greater than the demand for actual meals by probably more than a 2-1 margin). And FWIW, someone posted recently that while at Le Cellier and having a conversation with the manager, the manager said avg no-show rates have dropped from around 30% to 5%. That results in a win-win for everyone, I believe. It allows Disney to better manage the restaurants more efficiently (from reservations to staffing and supply/food ordering - possibly leading to fresher ingredients and therefore better quality meals) and for guests it results in better availability and hopefully less back-ups.



(my apologies for taking this thread off track)

 

[lockedoutlogic]

First, its nice to have a good conversation here (i.e. not "Tell me about Port?" or "How magical is Akershus?")

On the restaurant boards, there was a monster thread about the CC guarantees when it was first announced. All along I argued that it was my opinion that the #1 reason behind it was to reduce no-show rates - according to Touring Plans/Unofficial Guide, the no-show rates varied month-to-month but were as high as more than 30% at times, although many people completely dismissed those figures as if they were just making them up.

I have never seen any mention or read anything describing the no-shows since the implementation of the dining plan and the merciless beheading of the "priority seating" concept. And it was a shame...because everything was more casual, the service was better, the food was better...and frankly, money was made. But that 30% number does not surprise me at all. It was obviously a problem - no matter what the silly reasons and explanations that they cranked out everyday. I heard a bunch of them in my visits...most more ridiculous than the previous.

However, I really didn't need TP's info for me to know no-shows were out of control. That was just reinforcement. I, and many others, have seen tons of empty tables at fully-booked restaurants numerous times. All sorts of alternate arguments were raised, such as they purposely left the tables empty because of staffing issues and what not. Many others also argued that they just needed to over-book for the anticipated no-show rate. That argument was ridiculous also as what happens if they expect 25% no-shows and then only 10% don't show? Then everyone will be up in arms about the back-ups. None of them made sense.

Yeah...the staffing issue was the biggest load of garbage...as even if you assume that disney is paying 100% over the wage cost of their employees - that means $100 an hour still would have bought them probably 5-7 employees on average. That means that every single table would have been filled - if disney was in control - no question.
The issue was that disney's labor pool is what it is: underpaid, low skilled, college and international program, often impoverished, and usually at least partly disgruntled.
It became apparent to me very quickly that the employees at the restaurants used the excuse of the bookings to NOT fill empty tables due to no-show and then just lighten the workload. I can't say i blame them...but it was apparent that it was happening on a fairly large scale. The completely full bookings provided a perfect excuse.
As i mentioned - there is no way that you can go outside and turn everyone away willing to wait at the beginning of a 3 hour period...but they did over and over again as unofficial policy for aobut 5 years. No shows became just a lighter workload...but it also robbed the mouse. What kills me is that it took revenue so long to figure it out. Of all the frontline, entry level managers...the food and bevs are the lowest paid and often the most stressed out there. Am i suggesting that they passively (or actively) said "screw the walkins?" yes...that's what Ima sayin'

As you said, since the CC guarantees went into effect, by all accounts there is much better ADR availability (correcting the imbalance where the demand for ADRs was greater than the demand for actual meals by probably more than a 2-1 margin). And FWIW, someone posted recently that while at Le Cellier and having a conversation with the manager, the manager said avg no-show rates have dropped from around 30% to 5%. That results in a win-win for everyone, I believe. It allows Disney to better manage the restaurants more efficiently (from reservations to staffing and supply/food ordering - possibly leading to fresher ingredients and therefore better quality meals) and for guests it results in better availability and hopefully less back-ups.

YES....and everybody will be happier! Because if i feel like rose and crown on a Tuesday at lunch...I CAN JUST FREAKIN WALK IN TO GET MY SAUSAGE AND POTATOES...

sorry...tension. But of course the no shows dropped....because all those that were locked out of practically every restaurant but marrakesh and hollywood and vine six months out...but had always or would like to do sitdowns...simply gave up! And i had a few occasions where this kinda thing happened to me...and i quit. It was so disheartening to try to sitdown and get nastily turned away. Disney really blew a big hole in their dining experience with this. The CMs weren't taught how to do it...many actually seemed to either not care or actually laugh at your disappointment. It was really a black eye. It left you feeling ripped off or left out...and as a former CM, i can tell you that there is no way to make a high paying customer feel better after they feel like the Mouse let them down...none.
IF the credit cards made it go the way of the dodo...then they finally did something right.

But back to the fastpass issue...this could be the same thing...enforcing what should have always been enforced to not make people feel like they are somehow on a lower tier...cause nobody gets a refund if they feel slighted.
Disney is better served if they attempt to keep those sentiments out of your park.

So nobody needs to go on Soarin' 4 times...its a big tv in front of an erector set with chairs anyway.

 

[punch57]

Does anyone know if they are acctualy enforcing the FastPass late return times today ???

 

[doconeill]

Does anyone know if they are acctualy enforcing the FastPass late return times today ???

There are some reports (from Ridemax I think, who seem to be doing some "testing"), that they were admitted at 20 minutes at one place but warned, but denied at 22 minutes at another attraction. Seems consistently inconsistent, like the other thread where CMs say they were told different things.