Big changes coming to FASTPASS in March

[draybook]

It's not good for the rides, but it's GREAT for just wandering around the park and taking it in. Especially after a bad day at work when it's 20 degrees.

Although the Haunted Mansion game isn't so bad. It at least uses dialogue from the ride. Not the REAL dialouge, but whatev. :shrug:

Touche! I will indeed agree that the park part of the game is excellent, and beats the crummy sights of Northwestern Mississippi and Memphis!

 

[H2Opolo15]

I know this has been said time and time again already, but I personally think this is great. Learn time management, if you get caught up and can't get to your designated ride within the time window (+20 extra minutes Disney will be allowing) then tough. Everyone needs to remember there are hundreds upon hundreds of other people in the park that also paid to get in, and are either A) willing to wait in line, or B) returning at their designated FP time.

There is nothing that grants you a magical ability to be an exception to the rule. I hope CMs strongly enforce this, the culture of some guests at WDW needs to change. Too often you see people who act "entitled" or above other guests for one reason or another and are simply rude to guests or CMs.
It's about time this policy is put into place. It will allow a vast majority of guests to enjoy the parks the same.

I personally had an experience on TSMM where I had waited, a good portion of 2 hours to ride it, and as much fun as I had standing in the same spot for 20 minute segments, I just wanted to ride. And when I finally reached the front and watched 20-30 FP holders walk in front of me 3 or 4 times before my family and I were allowed to go, I was extremely angry. Now I understand they've waited too, just not in line, the fact that, I would venture to guess 75% of those guests, were not returning during their designated window of time was what really got under my skin.

Hopefully this rule is enforced to the T. I think you will find more guests happy about this rule than unhappy because they can't ride their ride with a FP that is "expired".

 

[JRS1984]

Saying that we need to learn time management is a bit offensive. I plan my disney vacation to the smallest detail 6 months to a year before we get there. Being able to come back at any time helps me to fit more things into my day. The fact that I am unwilling to wait 2 hours in a line (which I never have even without a fastpass) means that I put too much into my planning to wait in line with the hoards of other guests who just show up.

 

[flynnibus]

Saying that we need to learn time management is a bit offensive. I plan my disney vacation to the smallest detail 6 months to a year before we get there. Being able to come back at any time helps me to fit more things into my day. The fact that I am unwilling to wait 2 hours in a line (which I never have even without a fastpass) means that I put too much into my planning to wait in line with the hoards of other guests who just show up.

Then I'm sorry to say your planning is flawed. You can't plan more precision then what the system can reliably deliver.

If you are planning out so much you can't hit an hour+ window, then your planning is simply incorrect and not feasible for the park.

Yes you can't plan to ride XYZ ride at the time YOU pick now.. but that doesn't mean you can't plan your vacation or that you can't possibly ride stuff anymore.

You won't have to wait 2hrs in line (except in specific cases) and you will still be able to use FP.

Planning must be able to adapt - this is not unique to Disney, FPs, or anything. If you can't adapt, then you're too rigid and you should look at a new planning method.

 

[draybook]

Coming with a late FP is not poor planning. It's using the system as Disney allows it. Speaking for my family, we use FP's late because we were allowed to. It allowed us to jump around the park, riding whatever we fancied. With the new change, we simply have to move around to certain lands at certain times, no biggie. I have the feeling that a majority of people who show up late are doing it for this very reason.

I remember the first FP we ever got. It was for Peter Pan. We then went over to meet Ariel in her grotto. The line was so long(this was in September) that I was worried about not making our window. I was very close to getting out of line and dragging the family over to PP so we wouldn't waste the FP's. Luckily we made it with like 4 minutes to spare. Imagine my surprise when we got home and I found out that we could have used them whenever after the window.

 

[Tom Morrow]

This debate is going in circles and accomplishing nothing...

 

[DonaldDoleWhip]

Coming with a late FP is not poor planning. It's using the system as Disney allows it. Speaking for my family, we use FP's late because we were allowed to. It allowed us to jump around the park, riding whatever we fancied. With the new change, we simply have to move around to certain lands at certain times, no biggie. I have the feeling that a majority of people who show up late are doing it for this very reason.

Agreed. My time management wasn't bad - it was great. It worked very well and allowed for maximum flexibility and relaxation. Now, I'll change that. I'll still get on all the rides I want, it just won't be exactly when I feel like it (which isn't the end of the world).

The bottom line - there are other changes that have taken place across WDW that are much more likely to (and already have) result(ed) in us reducing spending, lowering trip frequency, and eventually cutting WDW out of our list of repeat vacation destinations.

 

[Tom]

This debate is going in circles and accomplishing nothing...

Is anything actually accomplished on a discussion forum?

 

[JRS1984]

Then I'm sorry to say your planning is flawed. You can't plan more precision then what the system can reliably deliver.

If you are planning out so much you can't hit an hour+ window, then your planning is simply incorrect and not feasible for the park.

Yes you can't plan to ride XYZ ride at the time YOU pick now.. but that doesn't mean you can't plan your vacation or that you can't possibly ride stuff anymore.

You won't have to wait 2hrs in line (except in specific cases) and you will still be able to use FP.

Planning must be able to adapt - this is not unique to Disney, FPs, or anything. If you can't adapt, then you're too rigid and you should look at a new planning method.

I've never waited more than 5-10 minutes for a ride so my planning is not flawed! I will make do with the changes, but being able to use a fastpass whenever I want helps me to maximize the times I can experience a ride thereby freeing up more time in my itinerary.

 

[flynnibus]

Coming with a late FP is not poor planning. It's using the system as Disney allows it

If your plan requires precision beyond what you can achieve realistically (can't hit an hour wide appointment) and you can't adapt - it is bad planning.

People worried about 'the way they enjoy the parks won't work anymore' - we get it... adapt and move on. If you sit still and never adapt.. you're stuck in the past.

Ironically... this whole 'my world is changing' pity party could have kept people from taking advantage of the system if they refused to adapt in the first place. Reality is.. they adapted and were able to take advantage of the system as it was at that time. Now, it's time to adapt again. Change happens - adapt or get left behind.

People that keep complaining that the sky is falling because they can't tour like they used to are just overreacting because it is still possible to enjoy the parks, you aren't going to be flogged if something happens and you can't use your FP ticket, and you aren't going to be denied from enjoying the attractions. Are individuals going to suffer (used relatively) compared to before? Sure.. is the whole going to suffer? No.

 

[Jim Handy]

I'm very happy to see FastPass enforced the way it was designed once again. It's been a broken system for years now, so kudos for someone finally speaking up and saying this had to be done.

 

[Tom]

I've never waited more than 5-10 minutes for a ride so my planning is not flawed! I will make do with the changes, but being able to use a fastpass whenever I want helps me to maximize the times I can experience a ride thereby freeing up more time in my itinerary.

I can thank Len Testa and the TP group for our minimal waits. That and the time of year we go.

We'll usually get FPs, but most of the time it's so we can repeat an attraction. We will just have to pay attention to the return times now, if we want to experience ToT, TSM or other headliners more than once.

 

[Buried20KLeague]

I'm very happy to see FastPass enforced the way it was designed once again. It's been a broken system for years now, so kudos for someone finally speaking up and saying this had to be done.

AGAIN... This change isn't being made because someone in charge saw the poor people in stand by lines after parades and thought "we've got to do something!!". These changes are being made so that they can more easily introduce whatever pay-for-benefit options they're going to introduce.

I don't care if you're in favor of the change, but at LEAST be informed about why they're making the change. You may well not be as pleased once you are shown the whole plan.

 

[Jim Handy]

AGAIN... This change isn't being made because someone in charge saw the poor people in stand by lines after parades and thought "we've got to do something!!". These changes are being made so that they can more easily introduce whatever pay-for-benefit options they're going to introduce.

I don't care if you're in favor of the change, but at LEAST be informed about why they're making the change. You may well not be as pleased once you are shown the whole plan.

I'm completely aware of why the change was made. I'm aware it was done to help the horrendous XPass/NextGen program. But change is change and we at least have a little while to enjoy this before NextGen comes in and messes with everything.

I was trying to put a positive spin on things...hard to do these days.

 

[draybook]

If your plan requires precision beyond what you can achieve realistically (can't hit an hour wide appointment) and you can't adapt - it is bad planning.

People worried about 'the way they enjoy the parks won't work anymore' - we get it... adapt and move on. If you sit still and never adapt.. you're stuck in the past.

Ironically... this whole 'my world is changing' pity party could have kept people from taking advantage of the system if they refused to adapt in the first place. Reality is.. they adapted and were able to take advantage of the system as it was at that time. Now, it's time to adapt again. Change happens - adapt or get left behind.

People that keep complaining that the sky is falling because they can't tour like they used to are just overreacting because it is still possible to enjoy the parks, you aren't going to be flogged if something happens and you can't use your FP ticket, and you aren't going to be denied from enjoying the attractions. Are individuals going to suffer (used relatively) compared to before? Sure.. is the whole going to suffer? No.

Agreed. The people who think this will kill their vacation are jumping to conclusions. Like I said about my family, we'll stick with the changes and see how it goes.

 

[Buried20KLeague]

I'm completely aware of why the change was made. I'm aware it was done to help the horrendous XPass/NextGen program. But change is change and we at least have a little while to enjoy this before NextGen comes in and messes with everything.

I was trying to put a positive spin on things...hard to do these days.

Your post said that this change was because of "someone finally speaking up and saying this had to be done".

That certainly didn't lead me to believe you understood the change was due to upcoming XPass plans. It led me to believe you felt it was done to help the downtrodden in the standby line.

I just wanted to make sure to point out there's a bigger picture at play here that everyone should be aware of. I really believe that most people cheering this policy on are going to be singing a different tune once everything is out in the open. It ain't gonna be good for the "common guest", that much is certain.

I, for one, would rather keep the rule the way it has been for years than trade that for a short window of enforcing FP return times before it becomes forever changed with a pay-for-benefit system... But that's just me.

 

[the-reason14]

Your post said that this change was because of "someone finally speaking up and saying this had to be done".

That certainly didn't lead me to believe you understood the change was due to upcoming XPass plans. It led me to believe you felt it was done to help the downtrodden in the standby line.

I just wanted to make sure to point out there's a bigger picture at play here that everyone should be aware of. I really believe that most people cheering this policy on are going to be singing a different tune once everything is out in the open. It ain't gonna be good for the "common guest", that much is certain.

I, for one, would rather keep the rule the way it has been for years than trade that for a short window of enforcing FP return times before it becomes forever changed with a pay-for-benefit system... But that's just me.

:sohappy::sohappy: Preach!!!!

 

[Fractal514]

Your post said that this change was because of "someone finally speaking up and saying this had to be done".

That certainly didn't lead me to believe you understood the change was due to upcoming XPass plans. It led me to believe you felt it was done to help the downtrodden in the standby line.

I just wanted to make sure to point out there's a bigger picture at play here that everyone should be aware of. I really believe that most people cheering this policy on are going to be singing a different tune once everything is out in the open. It ain't gonna be good for the "common guest", that much is certain.

I, for one, would rather keep the rule the way it has been for years than trade that for a short window of enforcing FP return times before it becomes forever changed with a pay-for-benefit system... But that's just me.

You are making an assumption that the introduction of a next-gen system would mean the destruction of the current system. Anything I've read has pointed towards it being an addition not a replacement.

Am I being naive? Are you being cynical?

 

[Jim Handy]

Your post said that this change was because of "someone finally speaking up and saying this had to be done".

That certainly didn't lead me to believe you understood the change was due to upcoming XPass plans. It led me to believe you felt it was done to help the downtrodden in the standby line.

I just wanted to make sure to point out there's a bigger picture at play here that everyone should be aware of. I really believe that most people cheering this policy on are going to be singing a different tune once everything is out in the open. It ain't gonna be good for the "common guest", that much is certain.

I, for one, would rather keep the rule the way it has been for years than trade that for a short window of enforcing FP return times before it becomes forever changed with a pay-for-benefit system... But that's just me.

Bad wording on my part.

My point is-I'm happy the Fastpass system is straightened out.

 

[RSoxNo1]

I was definitely one of those people that returned late on Fastpasses. It was far more convenient to tour as efficiently as possible for as long as possible, all the while building up a stockpile of Fastpasses throughout the day.

Having said that, I doubt that late returns were that much of a drain on the system, nor do I think it would be too problematic to continue the old policy after the introduction of xPass. When you add in the additional Fastpass attractions coming on line (Little Mermaid, Dumbo, Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, The Seas with Nemo and Friends, Spaceship Earth, The Great Movie Ride), there will be more Fastpasses distributed across more attractions on any given day.

The reason I think they're doing this is because the xPass excuse is an easy explanation for the need to start enforcing the end time. It's not likely that this was necessary, but it's a reason that can be stated publicly. If it is justified, I would speculate that they will be specifying a short time period as the selling point for xPass in any associated literature.

I really think that the end time enforcement is really only necessary at certain attractions. It's certainly not necessary at the attractions where the return time is only 40 minutes out. Those attractions are distributing Fastpass at a rate slower than the programmed allocation, as such, the risk for backup is minimal. There's a way around this for it to be more accommodating, and still accomplish what Disney is looking to accomplish.

Attractions like Toy Story Mania could have return times that are 8-10 hours out - the window for this should be an hour.

Midrange demand attractions like Expedition Everest could have return times that are 2-4 hours out could have windows of 1.5-2 hours

Low demand attractions like Jungle Cruise or Buzz Lightyear regularly have return times that are 40 minutes - 2 hours out. They could have windows of 2-3 hours.

This is very easy to accomplish both from an implementation standpoint, and a guest comprehension standpoint.