How will new FP+ rules affect Not So Scary and Very Merry?

[Delgado]

Apparently, unlike the old legacy FP system (paper), FP+ wasn't validating that the ticket medium you used to get FP+ selections at the kiosks in the park (initial 3 selections) was the same ticket medium you used to enter the park. So a guest could enter with a linked MB and use a "ghost" MB or unused/expired ticket at a park kiosk and get another set of FP+. The park kiosks apparently only read the RFID and didn't link back to admission. From what I was able to glean, this really became popular when some rides were tired at parks.

Others can probably explain it better than I did. Your can go to other Disney forums and see lots of outraged discussion on the crackdown.

No you did a great job at explaining. I totally get it now, I'm just amazed that it was even a possibility to do that in the first place. Huh, I never would have guessed. Was this so widely used that it could effect ride times?

 

[janoimagine]

I'm probably in the minority but I don't feel party tickets should be able to use FP when they enter at 4pm. The ride lines are short during the party by design.

I agree ... however ... it definitely does seem like they are selling way more tickets to these events than in years past.

 

[LAKid53]

No you did a great job at explaining. I totally get it now, I'm just amazed that it was even a possibility to do that in the first place. Huh, I never would have guessed. Was this so widely used that it could effect ride times?

Probably. Not sure how Disney discovered the hack - guest complaints, random audit of system, monitoring other Disney forums & social media, etc. (and we'll probably never know) but it must have been enough of an issue to threaten repeated violators with permanent banning from fastpass usage.

 

[LAKid53]

It worked internally as well for guest passes attached to a CM's main entrance pass. You did not have to scan a guest pass at the gate, but the FP's would still work on them.

I read that. And some of the biggest violators were CMs....

 

[iubigman]

For the record, I agree with what Disney did today. The spirit of the FP system shouldn't allow people to hack it the way they were. I don't even necessarily disagree with the concept that party goers shouldn't be able to use FPs, it was more of an honest question.

I will note that if E-Tickets that have always been open for the parties are now CLOSED for the parties, while at the same time the party has risen in price by 30-40% (which it has), it's reasonable for those folks to have the chance to FP those attractions.

 

[LAKid53]

For the record, I agree with what Disney did today. The spirit of the FP system shouldn't allow people to hack it the way they were. I don't even necessarily disagree with the concept that party goers shouldn't be able to use FPs, it was more of an honest question.

I will note that if E-Tickets that have always been open for the parties are now CLOSED for the parties, while at the same time the party has risen in price by 30-40% (which it has), it's reasonable for those folks to have the chance to FP those attractions.

And as a party goer, I'm in total agreement with your statement.

 

[rct247]

Fastpass is not offered during the parties, but you can enter as early as 4pm. Fastpasses usually finish distributing by 6:30pm despite the park being open until 7pm on party nights.

The enforcement for this rule may only affect you if you use your party tickets to make fastpasses, use the fastpasses before you get your tickets scanned at either the park entrance or at an in-park wristband distribution location. You may not even have issues using the fastpasses you made, however, if it triggers the system to show that you used Fastpasses with tickets that didn't "enter" the park, your account will be temporarily locked and you will have to visit Guest Relations.

If you made Fastpasses for 4:30pm to 5:30pm on your not-so-scary tickets, get your tickets scanned to get your wristbands at 4pm and then go ride, you shouldn't have any issues.

So, with that information, you will probably be able to get in one, maybe two attractions safely. If you try to use your party tickets to gain extra Fastpasses during the day even if you have a valid regular ticket, the system will trigger the lock when you start redeeming those extra Fastpasses.

 

[po1998]

If FP+ attractions aren't made available during the party, it's an issue. Especially E Ticket things like Big Thunder.

I'd be shocked if come party time, that BTMRR and the other "E Ticket" attractions are all not open.

 

[nickys]

The "hack" that Disney is stopping required you to have a MDE profile not linked to a ticket AND you have to book in person at a kiosk. The app would not let you book the FPs without a valid ticket for that day.

The very fact that you can book FP on a the app with a linked parry ticket means you'll be fine.

That was 1 of 2 hacks they closed.

The other was when you have someone linked to you on MDE, add them to your reservation (as phantom guests - they will not actually be there), and borrow their band. You could then make fps 60 days out for them, take their bands and use the fps as an additional 3 advance fps without scanning the band to enter the park. Book FEA and Soarin, book both Pandora rides etc. The ticket you linked to your phantom guest was never activated, therefore next time you just reassigned the ticket and started again. (Because an inactivated ticket, although technically might have expired can be traded against a new ticket at the gate - and therefore is still valid on MDE).

So if you book fps on an ordinary ticket but enter on your party ticket, it may also block you. That's IF the loophole has been closed as expected. No one seems to know for sure yet.

 

[JohnD]

Bottom line is, if you have ticked media that you used to enter the park, then you can access the system. Currently, they allow you to book Fast pass reservations anytime during the day of the party. You can use your Fastpasses however you wish.

If you want you can book them for 10 am and never use them if that's what you want. Unless Disney removes the ability for party tickets to book Fastpasses, you can do what you want.

Which is crazy because if the party ticket were your only means for entering the park, then booking morning FPs wouldn't do you any good. I agree it treats the party ticket like a regular ticket, so I would advise only booking 4-7 pm since you can't enter earlier than 4pm if that is the only ticket media you had.

 

[Glasgow]

I like the "benefit" of fitting in a few more rides when we attend the parties, but it won't make or break my vacation. C'est la vie. We'll just spend more time at the pool now.

 

[Horizons '83]

Bottom line is, if you have ticked media that you used to enter the park, then you can access the system. Currently, they allow you to book Fast pass reservations anytime during the day of the party. You can use your Fastpasses however you wish.

If you want you can book them for 10 am and never use them if that's what you want. Unless Disney removes the ability for party tickets to book Fastpasses, you can do what you want.

Question, if I have a party pass and regular admission do I get to choose 6 fast passes?

 

[Biff215]

Question, if I have a party pass and regular admission do I get to choose 6 fast passes?

No, because you can only use one to enter the park.

 

[Kingoglow]

Which is crazy because if the party ticket were your only means for entering the park, then booking morning FPs wouldn't do you any good. I agree it treats the party ticket like a regular ticket, so I would advise only booking 4-7 pm since you can't enter earlier than 4pm if that is the only ticket media you had.

Of course. I wasn't advising anyone to book their fastpasses at 10am if they on have a party ticket that day for park entry at 4pm. I was address ing a point made earlier that party tickets shouldn't allow the use of the fastpass system. My point was that buying a ticket to a park, even a party ticket, grants you access to the fastpass system (at some point). Those fastpasses are yours, to do with what you please. Use them, don't use them, or book something crazy that you will never use just to mess with the system... it is up to you.

 

[Kingoglow]

Question, if I have a party pass and regular admission do I get to choose 6 fast passes?

That is one of the loopholes that just closed. Apparently, last year you could.

 

[MotherofaPrincessLover]

How will the system know to associate my FP+s with my party ticket? If I have both regular admission and a party ticket in my MDE but only use the party ticket to enter that day, is the system smart enough to realize I was using my party ticket to get FP+s?

 

[JohnD]

How will the system know to associate my FP+s with my party ticket? If I have both regular admission and a party ticket in my MDE but only use the party ticket to enter that day, is the system smart enough to realize I was using my party ticket to get FP+s?

Let's say your purchase a four day pass but plan to spend 5 days -- 4 days in a Disney Park with the 4 day pass, party ticket on one of the 5 days. Just make sure to use the media issued specifically for the party. This could be a printout with a bar code or an entry card if mailed to you. I think you're okay using your MB if you make sure not to enter the park prior to 4pm. The system should read your party ticket and not deduct from your daily ticket usage. But if you want to be absolutely sure, don't use your MB for entry but one of the other media.

 

[Rickster7]

Which is crazy because if the party ticket were your only means for entering the park, then booking morning FPs wouldn't do you any good. I agree it treats the party ticket like a regular ticket, so I would advise only booking 4-7 pm since you can't enter earlier than 4pm if that is the only ticket media you had.

I would try to get my 1st FP for 3:30-4:30 so if I enter at 4 I can go right to that ride and probably fit my other 2 in by 6:30.

 

[JohnD]

I would try to get my 1st FP for 3:30-4:30 so if I enter at 4 I can go right to that ride and probably fit my other 2 in by 6:30.

Yep. That can be done. I would pick the first FP+ to be as close to the entrance as possible so that you can make it. Good thing there is a 15 minute window after the ending time, just in case.

 

[Rob562]

Let's say your purchase a four day pass but plan to spend 5 days -- 4 days in a Disney Park with the 4 day pass, party ticket on one of the 5 days. Just make sure to use the media issued specifically for the party. This could be a printout with a bar code or an entry card if mailed to you. I think you're okay using your MB if you make sure not to enter the park prior to 4pm. The system should read your party ticket and not deduct from your daily ticket usage. But if you want to be absolutely sure, don't use your MB for entry but one of the other media.

Starting at 4pm there are dedicated entry points for the parties, with signs over them. Those tap points are programmed to only allow entry with a Party ticket, whether it's stand-alone card or using a Band to access the Party ticket on your MDE account.

If you tried to enter one of those points with just a regular ticket you'd be rejected.

-Rob