OK, I'll bite: Who actually thinks fastpass is broken? While I don't think it's a perfect system (and probably never will be), I think it works better more often than not.
I also think the people who complain that Fastpass results in longer lines are, with all due respect, completely wrong. To the adrenaline junkie who bounces from fastpass-worthy attraction to fastpass-worthy attraction, every line is going to seem long no matter what. But if you're thoughtful with when and how you use fastpasses, it gives you opportunities to do things you might otherwise not get the chance to do, whether it's experience other NON-Fastpass attractions (which might have less of a wait, but you never know, because you're always on line for an "e-ticket" type attraction), or have a longer leisurely lunch, or enjoy a parade from start to finish, or shop, or just people watch. The only way to definitively say "fastpass means longer lines everywhere" would be if absolutely everything in each park were to be a fastpass attraction, and that includes getting into restaurants (table service AND counter-service, getting into shops, even going to the bathroom.
I've seen plenty of people argue "well, the last time I was at WDW BEFORE they had fastpasses, the lines were nowhere NEAR as long as they are now." Of course, that argument is moot unless you know, for a fact, attendance in the parks during THAT trip and your most recent trip were identical. If you have that info, then you might be in a position to gripe, but considering that over the past few years attendance records keep getting broken, I feel safe in assuming you don't have that info.
And finally, in regards to the time window, yeah, I understand that some people use Fastpasses after their one hour time window expired. The fact that CMs allow people to use these expired Fastpasses (according to some, the CMS have been instructed by the suits to let people pass) indicates to me that Disney doesn't see it as an issue, so why should we? After all, as someone suggested on the deleted thread, if you show up later, you make the line a TAD longer at that point, but as a result, the lines were a TAD shorter all the time you WEREN'T there. It's plausible that people in the standby line would be getting on, more or less, the same time anyway, because if you showed up within your window, everyone else on the standby line before them would've waited those few extra seconds for you to get on, and it would all balance out, as far as attendance totals at the end of the night. I would guess Disney keeps one-hour windows on the fastpass, however, so that they could start adhering to the windows if levels of attendance seem to make it necessary. Of course, if I'M on line, and have to wait while someone with an expires fastpass passes me by, I'm gonna be a little irked, though I'm sure I'll manage without killing anyone.
I'm sure there are also other ways Fastpass could be "fairly" instituted so this ceases to become an issue. One way might be for Disney to be able to give the windows "wiggle room" and adjust them, making the window longer if the parks aren't too busy, and shrink them back to an hour on busy days. Another idea would involve three steps:
1: Make the window longer - 90 mins? 2 hours? This allows even more wiggle room for people who get held up on a malfunctioning attraction's line, or a longer-than-expected meal, a shoppe where the help is new and takes more time ringing up sales, whatever...
2: Sync the fastpass use to the visitor's pass, not the little ticket that spits out of the Fastpass machine. When they approach the Fastpass line, there's a ticket machine they feed their pass into, and if the Fastpass window is still valid, they're allowed in. Once inside, there's also another ticket machine at the point where the Fastpass & standby lines start to merge. This way, no one can jump over from the Standby line. In the unlikely event that your window expires in the time between the 2 machines, it only matters as long as your window was still in effect when you first entered, you'll still be good to go.
3: Make it impossible for a customer to get another fastpass UNTIL either the prior fastpass is used, or the window, expires, providing people incentive to get to that attraction so they can a fastpass for another attraction.
And a final solution (no, not THAT "Final Solution" all you World War 2 history buffs, man, what is WRONG with you?) would be to install Fastpass kiosks not only throughout each park, but also in resorts and DTD, that would allow you to PLAN YOUR FASTPASSES, picking the times that work out best for you, and not what the current wait time is, or will be when you get there. There would be some caveats, like a one hour wait-time in-between each Fastpass one-hour window, and of course if your plans changed you might be S.O.L. but this allows a conscientious visitor to plan ideal times for him/herself and his/her party members, without worrying about "making" ADRs or missing parades. You'll get a little itinerary, and use your pass (like in the previous example) to get on the Fastpass line without any worry.
All of these idea, IMHO, seem like decent ways to keep fastpass working "smoothly," but again, if Disney doesn't see the system as broken, they'll see no need to fix it.
:shrug:
