Fastpass Abuse

[no1swfanindy]

I have only seen this happen a couple of times but it happened while we were waiting to enter a ride for our fastpass return time.

One person walks up to the CM with a fastpass then asks the CM if his 4 buddies can join him. The CM hands each person without a fastpass a yellow slip and all enter the line.

I was a bit shocked, we tried to enter a couple minutes early with our fastpass and was turned away. These people all entered without one, with the exception of the first person who did have one.

If the ride was so busy that we couldn't enter WITH our fastpass a couple minutes early, then they shouldn't have let anyone in line WITHOUT a fastpass.

We don't make a habit out of arriving early to our fastpass rides but this time was Expedition Everest and my youngest son was very eager to ride it!

The second time I saw this happen was at Splash Mountain. We didn't try to enter early but did stand and wait for the time to come. Again, one person walks up to the CM with a fastpass, has 3 family members without fastpasses, and all go in line.

I'm just curious if anyone else has seen this happen, and what is the policy regarding groups with only one fastpass holder? Obviously since the CM had a pad that they gave slips to each of the non-holders, Disney has allowed this to happen.

 

[mousefan1972]

They may have had a rider switch pass. These are for guests who have someone in their party who can't/doesn't want to ride. A rider switch pass is good for the person holding it, plus up to 3 more people. Guests with rider switch passes use the FP line. I would bet that is what you saw at Splash Mountain. Not sure about EE, though. I've used rider switch a lot (we have very young kids who during various trips haven't been tall enough to ride) and I've never been given any other piece of paper other than the switch pass, and I've always used it with my daughter. :shrug:

 

[no1swfanindy]

They may have had a rider switch pass. These are for guests who have someone in their party who can't/doesn't want to ride. A rider switch pass is good for the person holding it, plus up to 3 more people. Guests with rider switch passes use the FP line. I would bet that is what you saw at Splash Mountain. Not sure about EE, though. I've used rider switch a lot (we have very young kids who during various trips haven't been tall enough to ride) and I've never been given any other piece of paper other than the switch pass, and I've always used it with my daughter. :shrug:

That's a good thought, but I did overhear the person aks the CM if the others could ride with him without FP's. Also, there was no one with a small child left to wait. These instances were both young people (teens) and not old enough to have children.

 

[Vernonpush]

 

[BRER DAD]

Hey vernon, pass me some please.............:ROFLOL:

 

[Vernonpush]

Hey vernon, pass me some please.............:ROFLOL:

The big bucket is for everone to share.:lol:

 

[Pumbas Nakasak]

damn those pesky carbs

 

[kennygman]

Could be a handicapped access slip.

 

[Susan Savia]

Well I've not see that exactly, but we were in line at Buzz and some folks were behind us and were grunting about having to stand in line so they hopped out of line and went out and each got a fast pass and come back and walked right on. Now I am just curious, but would the time on their pass have been for right THEN? The CM took their tickets without even looking at them and in they went...Hmmmmmmm :veryconfu

_____________________
Next Trip - January 2009

 

[blackthidot]

I would be most awesome if it was the same dude doing this infront of you every FP ride...:ROFLOL:

 

[Since1976]

This brings up a question I've had since our last trip in 2005...

My wife and I used Fastpasses on Soarin at Epcot, and when we entered the queue (all the way at the entrance in the food court), we told the CM that we were child-swapping. My expectation was that we would be able to walk *all the way* to the end of the loading area (just to the doors of the auditorium) with our child, and that one of us would wait there with our child while the other rode.

Instead, the CM told one of us to wait on a bench outside of the attraction (near the exit to Soarin') with our child. After exiting, we swapped places and the other parent went back through the Fastpass line.

We never used child swap before or again after this. Is this how child swap normally works? I would much rather have our children go through the queue with us, even if they don't get to ride.

 

[coasterphil]

Child Swap procedures differ depending on the attraction. Most usually have an area close to the load/unload area and don't make you wait outside the attraction.

 

[Pumbas Nakasak]

Personally I have found that a bit of a tease, sort of heres what you wont be riding. That said I know our youngest hated Splash and didnt want to go anywhere near the Q far less the child swap area.

 

[durangojim]

I admit it, it was me and some friends.

Just kidding, but what a great idea. A group of 4 could now go get four completely different FPs at the same time and everyone could ride it. WDW's policies just keep getting better and better!

 

[Since1976]

Personally I have found that a bit of a tease, sort of heres what you wont be riding. That said I know our youngest hated Splash and didnt want to go anywhere near the Q far less the child swap area.

Good point. Our youngest, who's 1, won't mind. The older one, 4, probably will.

 

[Since1976]

I can definitely see the potential for abuse here. Each parent could theoretically get a Fastpass for two different attractions, and child-swap the other parent in to the ride without a FP. Parent A (with FP) rides Tower of Terror, then Child Swaps with Parent B, who has no FP. Immediately afterward, they head over to RnRC, and Parent B (with FP) rides, then Child Swaps with Parent A.

Add in extra guests, and you have yourself a mess. I guess the CM would have to check for everyone's FP when the first parent goes into the FP line.

Now that I think about it, I think the CM who attended us at Soarin' (see my earlier post) didn't even give us a Child Swap ticket. It was superfluous if you already had FPs.

 

[wvdisneyfamily]

I admit it, it was me and some friends.

Just kidding, but what a great idea. A group of 4 could now go get four completely different FPs at the same time and everyone could ride it. WDW's policies just keep getting better and better!

What a scheming mind you have! :ROFLOL:

 

[SleepingMonk]

The only yellow slip of paper I've ever seen are hand written passes that are available for various reasons from guest services. No way, no how are those used by regular cast members working ride lines though.

 

[sarabi]

I can definitely see the potential for abuse here. Each parent could theoretically get a Fastpass for two different attractions, and child-swap the other parent in to the ride without a FP. Parent A (with FP) rides Tower of Terror, then Child Swaps with Parent B, who has no FP. Immediately afterward, they head over to RnRC, and Parent B (with FP) rides, then Child Swaps with Parent A.

Add in extra guests, and you have yourself a mess. I guess the CM would have to check for everyone's FP when the first parent goes into the FP line.

Now that I think about it, I think the CM who attended us at Soarin' (see my earlier post) didn't even give us a Child Swap ticket. It was superfluous if you already had FPs.

Hrrrmmm... I guess you could call this abuse if it weren't for the inconvenience that the couple can't ride any of these rides together in the first place and it takes them twice as long to visit all the attractions because one of them always has to stay with the kid. Yeah, I'm guessing the sheer inconvenience of traveling with the kid sort of evens out the whole "abuse" of child swap thing. If it IS abuse at all.

 

[raven]

Just the other day at Soarin' a kid in front of us was abusing the system. I guess if you are stayig on the property and use your "Key to the Wold" card as your ticket, just ask for more room keys and keep shoving them into the machine to get more Fast Passes. :fork: