Big changes coming to FASTPASS in March

[TalkingHead]

It's hard to let something go when it digs so deeply and seriously into your very character. Sure, it's easy to brush off a lot of what people say on the internet, but sometimes people go too far and it really stings.

People commit suicide over things like this, and I hate to say it, but a lot of people here seem like they couldn't care less about what type of effect they have on people. Clearly those comments disturbed me, but I guess it was worth it for those people to make a point about fastpass.

In all seriousness, maybe you need to back away from the FP discussion for awhile?

The point I made hundreds of posts (and a couple of days) ago was that you can't say Disney endorsed the FP grace period only based on the fine print on a FP. Simply because there are plenty of "rules" that aren't in writing but are tacitly there (like you're not allowed to beat someone up in order to steal that person's FP -- even though the fine print doesn't say that). I don't think that qualifies as calling you a murderer or a criminal, although you've repeatedly attempted to cast yourself as a martyr.

Maybe you're missing the rhetorical point that was being made earlier in the discussion. Or maybe you just need to realize it's only an internet discussion about FP. It doesn't get much more trivial than that.

 

[DonaldDoleWhip]

In all seriousness, maybe you need to back away from the FP discussion for awhile?

The point I made hundreds of posts (and a couple of days) ago was that you can't say Disney endorsed the FP grace period only based on the fine print on a FP. Simply because there are plenty of "rules" that aren't in writing but are tacitly there (like you're not allowed to beat someone up in order to steal that person's FP -- even though the fine print doesn't say that). I don't think that qualifies as calling you a murderer or a criminal, although you've repeatedly attempted to cast yourself as a martyr.

Maybe you're missing the rhetorical point that was being made earlier in the discussion. Or maybe you just need to realize it's only an internet discussion about FP. It doesn't get much more trivial than that.

When people make it about something much, much bigger, it's no longer just about fastpass.

And yes, I think your comparison was overly harsh, because as I've repeatedly said, I'd never do anything that a CM wouldn't tell me was okay.

Also, yesterday wasn't "a couple of days ago."

 

[Captain Chaos]

So 'once inside the queue was packed' - there obviously was no increase in wait for you. Just WHERE you waited. If the indoor queue was packed when you got there, obviously getting in there sooner would not have gotten you on the ride any sooner. The same people are already in front of you and there was no spot left open on the ride itself that you could have used (hence why people are still in line!).

I think what you saw is them holding merge back to ensure the indoor queue was at the level they want to maintain. They don't like standby backing up through the merge point.

Just because the CM explained the question he probably hears 500 times a day doesn't mean he was wrong, just wasn't specific to your exact concern. What he answered was true - but it didn't cause you extra wait because as you said, no to few FP people went in front of you.

The wait time on the board said 45 minutes... I spent a good 20 at the merge, not including what I spent working my way up to the merge, and not including what I waited inside... That was my point.. I waited more than the posted time...

There have been times when I saw the line come around the corner from inside the building close to the merge, and the CM held everyone up until the line shortened... In my case, the line was not coming around the corner and we were still held up... I really saw no reason for it... I didn't huff and puff like others would have, I simply asked the CM what the hold up was... My concern was the ride was down...

I didn't crucify the CM for doing his job unlike a member where in this thread advocates he will do... I just found no reason why standby had to be held up when the line was not down the ramp to the merge, and barely even came to the corner of the outside ramp and since no FP people came through...

 

[Rowdy]

I'm sorry, judging by your response I seem to have hurt your feelings.

Need a tissue?

It's funny to see how worked up you get over such petty things. Dance puppet.

....

But continue with the personal insults, I guess that's how you handle debates. To each their own....

:lookaroun

 

[draybook]

....



:lookaroun

:king:






By the way, here's my proof regarding CM's not only allowing late FP usage but encouraging it. Now I realize the argument that I could have gotten these right after opening, but they were given to us around 8 or 9pm. We got them from the DVC folks right there by Starring Rolls. My son and I were there because he wanted to trade pins with the CM's. When we left, they handed us four FP's for TSMM. See the times for yourself. Also, the park hours were from 9am-10pm with EMH until 1am, so it wasn't for EMH morning hours.

 

[Buried20KLeague]

I want to make a couple points I made yesterday, since they're buried 10 pages back at this point...

I'm not in favor of this "as described" for one reason, and no one yet has given a reasonable and logical idea against it:

If they're going to enforce the return time window, then make it easy for me to find out what the current distribution time is for each FP attraction around the park.

It's noon, and I'm at Space Mountain. I've got a little one that will nap at some point, dinner reservations, and a specific time I need to leave the park for the night. I want Splash Mountain fast passes. Currently, I've got no problem walking all the way to Splash because even if the window doesn't work for me as printed, I can return later and still use them.

With the change they're wanting to make, I have no idea if it's worth walking over to Splash because I don't know if the return window will work for my schedule.

Knowledge is power. If they're going to do this, they should have a board in each land and one in the hub that shows the current FP distribution return times. Something like this should be in place before they flip the switch on this... But obviously there won't be.

I also want to make this point clear:

They are NOT making this change to help out the folks in the stand by lines. They are making this change because of a bigger picture that ultimately will mean that you'll either have to pay more for the perks, or you'll be standing in the standby line watching others that HAVE paid for this perk pass you by.

A lot of you praising this change are doing so because you feel like you've been "following the rules" and everyone else should too, or you think that by enforcing the return window your standby line experience will improve. MARK MY WORDS: IT WON'T BE THAT SIMPLE.

Everyone knows there will be more to it than this... And I just ask everyone to remember that when they praise this change.

Be careful what you wish for.

 

[Buried20KLeague]

either the decision is solely about x-pass and money

ding ding ding!!!

 

[DonaldDoleWhip]

I want to make a couple points I made yesterday, since they're buried 10 pages back at this point...

I'm not in favor of this "as described" for one reason, and no one yet has given a reasonable and logical idea against it:

If they're going to enforce the return time window, then make it easy for me to find out what the current distribution time is for each FP attraction around the park.

It's noon, and I'm at Space Mountain. I've got a little one that will nap at some point, dinner reservations, and a specific time I need to leave the park for the night. I want Splash Mountain fast passes. Currently, I've got no problem walking all the way to Splash because even if the window doesn't work for me as printed, I can return later and still use them.

With the change they're wanting to make, I have no idea if it's worth walking over to Splash because I don't know if the return window will work for my schedule.

Knowledge is power. If they're going to do this, they should have a board in each land and one in the hub that shows the current FP distribution return times. Something like this should be in place before they flip the switch on this... But obviously there won't be.

I also want to make this point clear:

They are NOT making this change to help out the folks in the stand by lines. They are making this change because of a bigger picture that ultimately will mean that you'll either have to pay more for the perks, or you'll be standing in the standby line watching others that HAVE paid for this perk pass you by.

A lot of you praising this change are doing so because you feel like you've been "following the rules" and everyone else should too, or you think that by enforcing the return window your standby line experience will improve. MARK MY WORDS: IT WON'T BE THAT SIMPLE.

Everyone knows there will be more to it than this... And I just ask everyone to remember that when they praise this change.

Be careful what you wish for.

Agreed with everything. I can't wait for the X-pass announcement to come, as all of this craziness will suddenly make sense.

Depending on the cost and requirements (if you have to buy it for everyone in the room or not, if AP holders can get it, etc), I'd certainly be willing to spend the money (and that's just for the fastpass, the other perks don't really appeal to me that much). Disney probably already knows that based on the detailed consumer profile they have of me. :ROFLOL:

 

[flynnibus]

The wait time on the board said 45 minutes... I spent a good 20 at the merge, not including what I spent working my way up to the merge, and not including what I waited inside... That was my point.. I waited more than the posted time...

Ok, but what you blamed the delay on was not the cause of your delay. I can't argue that your standby wait time may be have been wrong - but it wasn't the hold at the FP merge that caused it. Gotta put blame where blame is due - and in this case it sounds like just the sb estimate was wrong - nothing to do with FP merge.

I didn't crucify the CM for doing his job unlike a member where in this thread advocates he will do... I just found no reason why standby had to be held up when the line was not down the ramp to the merge, and barely even came to the corner of the outside ramp and since no FP people came through...

A legitimate curiosity - but from the information you provided it didn't negatively effect you and was just more of a psychological burden then it is an actual burden.

 

[flynnibus]

If they're going to enforce the return time window, then make it easy for me to find out what the current distribution time is for each FP attraction around the park.

For this one.. you're arguement of why this is important is to avoid having to walk to the ride and risk not being able to participant. Why is FP any different from standby in this regard?

People managed to survive walking around the park without Tip Information in every land both pre and post fastpass.

What are you are asking for are NEW enhancements and shouldn't be held as requirements related to this change in return enforcement at all.

Another reason why Disney shouldn't be bowling people over to make this happen? The more efficient you get in the park, the quicker you will move through the park, the sooner you'll be done in the park, and the sooner you'll be arguing 'the park is only a half day park, we need more things to do'. There needs to be a balance between 'slowing the customer down to see your product' and customer satisfaction. Customers moving by at 55mph don't stop and buy stuff. Customers in the park half as long as others are less likely to buy stuff. In some degrees, making your stay longer is all about ensuring Disney gets the max value for their investment and they increase impressions for marketing/sales.

The new tip boards being installed around the property may very well share this type of info in the future. Or Disney may chose to charge for it by bundling it with other services.

With the change they're wanting to make, I have no idea if it's worth walking over to Splash because I don't know if the return window will work for my schedule.

Same exact problem as if you wanted to go get in the standby line. This is a burden people have survived for a long time.

They are NOT making this change to help out the folks in the stand by lines. They are making this change because of a bigger picture that ultimately will mean that you'll either have to pay more for the perks, or you'll be standing in the standby line watching others that HAVE paid for this perk pass you by.

Certainly - otherwise they would have made this change long ago. I don't think you will find people saying otherwise.

Now what the net EFFECT will be is only speculation - but the motivation is not really contested at all.

 

[MrToad_At_BLT]

I want to make a couple points I made yesterday, since they're buried 10 pages back at this point...

I'm not in favor of this "as described" for one reason, and no one yet has given a reasonable and logical idea against it:

If they're going to enforce the return time window, then make it easy for me to find out what the current distribution time is for each FP attraction around the park.

It's noon, and I'm at Space Mountain. I've got a little one that will nap at some point, dinner reservations, and a specific time I need to leave the park for the night. I want Splash Mountain fast passes. Currently, I've got no problem walking all the way to Splash because even if the window doesn't work for me as printed, I can return later and still use them.

With the change they're wanting to make, I have no idea if it's worth walking over to Splash because I don't know if the return window will work for my schedule.

Knowledge is power. If they're going to do this, they should have a board in each land and one in the hub that shows the current FP distribution return times. Something like this should be in place before they flip the switch on this... But obviously there won't be.

Someone else can maybe verify this but I think that the Disney phone app (and I assume other apps by other sites) would have this information. Definitely not the most convenient method but I think there is a way to at least get a relative idea of this.

I also want to make this point clear:

They are NOT making this change to help out the folks in the stand by lines. They are making this change because of a bigger picture that ultimately will mean that you'll either have to pay more for the perks, or you'll be standing in the standby line watching others that HAVE paid for this perk pass you by.

I personally don't have an issue with anyone who has showed up late with a fastpass, as I can't think of one time it's had an effect on me that I'm aware of.

And I may be mis-understanding your point, but I don't see an issue with people having paid to get additional perks. If I see people have paid for first class on an airplane, I don't blame them for me being crammed into a seat in Coach. They have the means to afford it and it's offered to them. Disney has every right to offer something that would net them more profit, and if there are additional perks offered that I might have to pay for, I'll weight the pros and cons based on that accordingly.

 

[Gator]

This is why I'm not sure this new rule will ever last... whiners like this.

This is why WDW takes away the freedoms we enjoy: people who hate everyone else at "their" Disney World - like this.

 

[MrToad_At_BLT]

Either the decision is solely about X-pass and money, or a lot more people are guilty of this than you've implied.

Even if it is just about X-pass and the money, I have no issue with it.

Unless Disney totally eliminates the free Fastpass system for X-Pass (which I don't think I've read anywhere talking about the rumors of what it might be), adding additional perks to people willing to pay for it is nothing new.

You pay more to stay on-site at Disney but you get Extra Magic Hours, Transportation etc.

 

[DonaldDoleWhip]

Even if it is just about X-pass and the money, I have no issue with it.

Unless Disney totally eliminates the free Fastpass system for X-Pass (which I don't think I've read anywhere talking about the rumors of what it might be), adding additional perks to people willing to pay for it is nothing new.

You pay more to stay on-site at Disney but you get Extra Magic Hours, Transportation etc.

I agree with you. If anything, it's because of the loss of using FP's late that I'll be more likely to buy X-pass. I applaud the decision from a business standpoint, because in the end, I'll still be a happy customer and Disney will get more of my money.

 

[EOD K9]

Dray...you asked those of us that witnessed "abuse" to provide proof. To me, it's not abuse....just going with the system. I personally am not going to video or take pics of what seems to be an inordinate amount of people using the FP lines. If I did, what would I do with them?
You also stated earlier that you would go with the new policy. Good for you. You seem to be in the minority on that one. Most people are ready to start fighting on this one. People cannot say that since this is what it's always been, Disney can not change it. They can change the rules or guidelines or policies (whatever you want to call them) whenever they want. Like anything folks, it's a change, and we just need to deal with it when it happens.
They raise prices every year, we can't complain and say, well this was the price last year, so I don't accept this year's price. Now someone else will say we expect the rate to raise every year.
I think the traffic law comparison is not to make it sound criminal. It just means that when the sign says no turning during a certain time, it's obvious. If FP says return between these times, it's obvious.
We are all going to disagree on this one it seems. However, if Disney chooses to enforce the times now, we'll have to live with it.
Have a Magical day!!!

 

[Captain Chaos]

Ok, but what you blamed the delay on was not the cause of your delay. I can't argue that your standby wait time may be have been wrong - but it wasn't the hold at the FP merge that caused it. Gotta put blame where blame is due - and in this case it sounds like just the sb estimate was wrong - nothing to do with FP merge.



A legitimate curiosity - but from the information you provided it didn't negatively effect you and was just more of a psychological burden then it is an actual burden.

Wasn't a burden on me at all... I don't mind waiting an hour in queue for a ride... But if the ride was down, I would have left the queue and went back later...

Flynn, i get what you are saying... But the fact still remains, I was held at merge, as the CM put it, because they have to let FP in first... meanwhile, there was no FP guests entering the queue.... The board may have been wrong, but that doesn't change the fact that I waited outside at the merge for 20 minutes, another 20 - 25 minutes just to get to the merge, and another 20 minutes inside before I got to the pre-show.. Since no FP people were coming, and the line from the inside part of the queue didn't snake around the corner down to the merge, there was really no reason to hold up the stand by line... If they allowed standby in when no FP are coming, then the wait would have been more to the 45 min posted time... Maybe a few minutes less...

This was to show an instance when FP did negatively affect the wait time for standby....

Anyway, this discussion about FP has seemed to finally work its way around in a complete circle... Now I think it is a matter of sitting back and seeing what Disney does with this and if enforcing this policy remains in affect...

 

[Gator]

With a 5-minute early window, and a 15-minute late window, and the 1 hour time slot, you'll have an hour and 20 minutes to get to your ride. If you don't make it in that time, then that's bad planning on your part.

Bad planning? If I want a fastpass, I have to take the time they give me. And what if it falls about the time I have ADRs? Or what if I go stand in a line for another ride, get off the ride, and the baby has a blow out? Or the kids have to go to the bathroom? Or whatever... there's no planning with a fastpass anymore. Now there's planning around it.

I remember how it was, before kids and before I knew the flexibility, how we'd get a fastpass at BTMRR, run across the park to use our SpaceMT fastpass, then back across to get to BTMRR again. I liked grabbing the fastpass and thinking, "OK, I'll come back to Critter Country sometime after lunch." No more - and that stinks.

Now go ahead and flame away. Call names. Say I'm a bad person. It's my opinion, and a darn good one.

 

[Buried20KLeague]

Why is FP any different from standby in this regard?

You're changing the context of my concern. My concern isn't that: "I've got an hour before having something scheduled to do, so do I walk over there and get in a standby line RIGHT NOW and use that hour to wait in line". My concern is if the FP return time even makes it POSSIBLE for me to use them later on. If I choose to walk across the park to get in a stand by line, I know what I'm in for, plus at the hub I can get an idea of the stand by length if I need to.

People managed to survive walking around the park without Tip Information in every land both pre and post fastpass.

What are you are asking for are NEW enhancements and shouldn't be held as requirements related to this change in return enforcement at all.

I've said multiple times that if they're going to make this change, they should do so without negatively impacting guest experience. I don't want them to do the bare minimum... I want them to think about all possible implications before enforcing a policy. Certainly that's what they did when they came to the conclusion they would accept late returners in the first place, no? Many of the excuses I've seen people make for returning late I've found as a bit goofy... But I don't think the issue I brought up is. I think it's perfectly legit, and not greedy. If I can't use them late (WHICH IS FINE), then I would hope they could make it easier for guests to know if they should even bother to attempt to GET a FP.

Certainly - otherwise they would have made this change long ago. I don't think you will find people saying otherwise.

Now what the net EFFECT will be is only speculation - but the motivation is not really contested at all.

I think YOU understand this... I'm not sure everyone does. I'm just stating the point as a matter of record.

 

[Buried20KLeague]

This is why WDW takes away the freedoms we enjoy: people who hate everyone else at "their" Disney World - like this.

... Or money.

Take your pick.

 

[Rowdy]

Now go ahead and flame away. Call names. Say I'm a bad person. It's my opinion, and a darn good one.

And that's fine. But there's no reason to take it out on the CM like you said you would do. Instead, respect the CM and their position and politely ask for a manager. Then tell the manager you aren't happy and MAYBE they'll do something to make it better. There's no need to embarrass someone just trying to do their job, especially when they have no control over what you do, or what the rules are. Being nice goes a lot further.

How would you like it if one of your kids were the CM in this situation? I don't think you'd take to kindly to someone being all up your kid's chops about something that is entirely the consumers fault.