why do people stand in line for a fast pass ride?

[avalon451]

However, by the simple expedient of getting there at opening and collecting FPs as soon as they are available, you avoid those "hours later" return times. By 1 p.m. even on the busiest day, you can conceivably have 8 FPs in hand. All of them will be valid when you return later in the afternoon or evening, although the last ones you collected might have return times of 7-9 p.m. You can ride the non-FP rides in the morning while you collect FPs, take a midday break to avoid the heat and the midday crush, then return after dinner and used all those FPs you collected in the morning. Voila. Even on the busiest day, you never wait more than 10-20 minutes for the headliner rides, maybe 30 at most.

I have never, and will never, wait in long lines. It's just not necessary.

 

[HoneyBee06]

However, by the simple expedient of getting there at opening and collecting FPs as soon as they are available, you avoid those "hours later" return times. By 1 p.m. even on the busiest day, you can conceivably have 8 FPs in hand. All of them will be valid when you return later in the afternoon or evening, although the last ones you collected might have return times of 7-9 p.m. You can ride the non-FP rides in the morning while you collect FPs, take a midday break to avoid the heat and the midday crush, then return after dinner and used all those FPs you collected in the morning. Voila. Even on the busiest day, you never wait more than 10-20 minutes for the headliner rides, maybe 30 at most.

I have never, and will never, wait in long lines. It's just not necessary.

However, not everyone likes to get to the park at opening. So those people will end up with late return times and longer lines.

 

[JenM]

Getting there at opening wasn't really an option for us that weekend. My flight from NY was delayed the night before, so I got in late. I was going to be driving home with my dad, so he took the car out early Saturday morning for an oil change while I got to sleep in a little. And even with the late start we were still in the park by 9:30am.

It was our first trip to DL, so we just played the whole thing by ear and weren't really bummed out by the Fastpass situation. There was plenty for us to do in the park, and we loved the Indiana Jones ride so much it was worth the wait anyway. We knew it would be very crowded, and since we had a few more days we would be able to catch up to anything we missed that day later on.

My dad was in Anaheim for a convention, so he had meetings in the morning on Sunday and my friend was driving from LA to meet us, so we didn't get into the park until after lunch. Never used fastpass that day either--but it wasn't as crowded as Saturday and we didn't really wait long for anything. We even got a decent spot for Fantasmic.

Monday and Tuesday my dad was working all day so I went into the parks solo--there were practically no crowds, and the only reason I was getting Fastpasses was to go on rides twice in a row.

 

[Dizneydaz]

Getting there early is, of course, a great way to get alot of FP before the times are too late, or gone. Also, you get the added benefit of maybe getting a Dream! We have AP and in the past, we've arrived in late morning, or early afternoon. Needless to say, all of last year, we got no Dreams (and that inc. a trip to WDW in Sept.) However, once we started getting there earlier (at, or near opening) we've gotten many Dreams. And, many FP.

My favorite way to get (and use FP) is on a typical day, go to DL-first ride-SpaceM (one of DD's fav) we grab a FP for later and then ride it. Then we'll head over to BLY and usually ride that and get a FP for later. Next, BTRM, ride it, FP for later. By then, we usually cross over to DCA and start all over again. By lunchtime we'll have a nice supply of FP to use the rest of the day. We also utilize single rider lines (esp. at DCA). For example, we'll either ride MM together, or grab a FP for later and then DD8 will go in the single rider line-she loves this ride and will ride as many times in a row as I'll let her.

Of course, if we get Dream FP, getting other FP isn't as important-but we still get some to ride multiple times.

Now, just so you know, I don't go alot during the high crowds in the summer. If you do go then, you definitely want to get there early and grab as many FP as you can.

I recently took my neighbor and 3 kids with me and had to teach them how to use FP. They have AP and go alot. She didn't understand FP, and thought they cost extra. I set her straight and now she's on the right path!