Fastpass Return Times

[DisneyRunner]

I found a paintbrush on Tom Sawyer Island, in August. I was awarded FPs for both BTMRR and Splash. The FPs I was given, were from earlier in the day.:lol: No problem using them.

 

[PirateFrank]

If any one is interested, here is the PRINTED operational policy for Fastpasses.

As you can see, it is POLICY to allow "late" returns.

Actually, I hate to nitpick....but the above form is likely more 'procedure' than policy. I'm not a cast member, but in my line of work (municipal auditor), I frequently review procedures to determine if they are effectively enforcing policy. Policy is usually vague and/or broad, and designed to encompass a wide range of circumstances. Procedures are specific actions that the entity must take (in order to enforce or affect the policy). Decision maps and circumstance guides like the one posted above are procedures that are handed to employees that are designed to best interpret the policy as created, voted upon and enacted.

I highly doubt the policy setters responsible for cast member operations sat down and drew out a decision map for cast members to follow. They likely established & voted on a policy (maybe something like, "the unit must implement and effectively utilize the FastPass rider redistribution system, in a manner that is not discordant with other enacted company policy, provides a clear benefit to riders and does not inconvenience guests")

There's probably a great deal more to the policy and I make ZERO assertions that the above policy is anything like what the current TDO policy is. I'm just spewing the above as an example of what the policy might read like and to show how vague and broad policies generally are.

The point I'm making is that the above decision map/guide is really an *interpretation* of the policy... a procedure. The current interpretation likely focusses on not inconveniencing guests (assuming disney's FP policy has such a clause)....and (again assuming the word "effective" is in the policy) likely deprecates the importance of effectiveness*, in favor of guest experience.


*a rider distribution system like FP is only fully effective if FP times are enforced. It is less effective in it's current state.

 

[doppelv]

BTW, I view folks who make double ADRs and who use the FP system like this not as rule breakers, but rather like the guy who rides in the left turn only lane all the way down to the traffic merge and then cuts into traffic at the last second. Everyone else merged way up the road, but these guys take advantage of the opening and the fact that some idiot is going to let them in, and they get to use the system that way. Not breaking the rules, just taking advantage of a situation in a way that makes things a little bit worse for others. Again, this is my opinion, I don't think any of us have hard facts about whether this practice hurts others or not.

In this particular situation I'm not sure I agree with you're comparison. I agree that that situation is really annoying, but as a comparison its a bit of a different context.

I think a better analogy would be a vehicle in a HOV lane coming to a merge point back to regular traffic. That vehicle has every right to bypass all of the slower traffic, as it is the purpose of the lane. As long as they merge within their limits, they are well within their rights, and really shouldn't have to be considered rude or taking advantage of other drivers.

FastPass users can bypass guests waiting in Stand By because they were told they could. Now abusers of the system I would compare to people who drive the HOV lane until it runs out and then drive along the shoulder for a while until they find a better place to merge. Granted, in the case of FP they are allowed to do this, whereas on the roads it would be considered illegal, but as far as courtesy goes, I think its a more apt comparison. Double ADRs are rude through and through, DON'T DO IT!

Now, back on topic, as a former attractions cast member, I would love to see Disney enforce the end time, as it creates so much more frustration than its worth to let people in at any time. I've found that the people who wait until hours after their FastPass return time to ride are the same ones who yell and scream at merge CMs when they have to take 95% FP riders over Stand By when the FP lines get backed up.

Still, there are very valid reasons that people can be late for FP return times. If a dining reservation goes late, if they are on an attraction that breaks down, if their bus gets delayed, etc. People should not be expected to budget three hours of their day to account for a one hour FP window, they are guests at a theme park after all. I would recommend a FP validation system, to make things slightly more reasonable. If a guest has a dinner reservation that is delayed by a half hour, the server could validate their FP in some way allowing them late access. If a ride breaks down, guests who receive re-ride FPs could use them as proof, thereby preserving use of both passes.

As far as letting folks in early goes, this can be entirely on the discretion of the CM, in my opinion. If its the second week of September and an attraction is practically a walk on anyway, go ahead and let them in a few minutes early. It just takes their place out of the FastPass allotment later, allowing more Stand By riders to ride. Now if it was, for instance, NYE, no way! Cast members know their attractions, they know what works and what doesn't, trust their intuition.

Like I said, this is all my personal opinion, after having dealt with the goods and (really, really, really) bads of the FastPass system.

 

[menamechris]

I don't understand where the problem lies here. Under Disney's own operational policies, guests are allowed to enter the FP line late. So...I, for one, will continue to do that until such time as Disney says that is no longer allowed. But for right now - it is absolutely allowed. If certain individuals want to create their own rules and throw FP's away because they have passed their hour - that's their prerogative, but you can't condemn others for not abiding by YOUR rules.

 

[G00fyDad]

I found a paintbrush on Tom Sawyer Island, in August. I was awarded FPs for both BTMRR and Splash. The FPs I was given, were from earlier in the day.:lol: No problem using them.

Wow. I wonder why they used those? Every time I have ever seen a "complimentary FP", which is what that ought to have been it looked nothing like a normal FP. Are they not using the "complimentary FPs" any longer?

I don't understand where the problem lies here. Under Disney's own operational policies, guests are allowed to enter the FP line late. So...I, for one, will continue to do that until such time as Disney says that is no longer allowed. But for right now - it is absolutely allowed. If certain individuals want to create their own rules and throw FP's away because they have passed their hour - that's their prerogative, but you can't condemn others for not abiding by YOUR rules.

Thank you, exactly right! I get a lot more "dirty looks" from people in the Standby queue when I use a FP AT ANY TIME then I ever get from using a "late" FP. When I do show up late and WDW honors my FP ticket, that's their choice. If I were doing anything wrong, then WDW could simply refuse my entry into the FP queue. Again, I am simply obeying the rules set by WDW.

Fine. No one is crucifying you for it. I think it is fine too as long as Disney allows it. But listen to how heated people get when there is even a mention of Disney enforcing the return time. They go from all calm and collected to "WHAT DO YOU MEAN THEY'RE GOING TO ENFORCE IT?!?! NO THEY'RE NOT!!" in a matter of minutes. It's kind of funny to watch. Then they go right back to being calm and collected and acting like the ones who brought it up are the irrational ones. LOL Oh well. It's Disney's policy. If they change it, then they change it. Until then continue to use it as they allow.

 

[Clever Name]

Worrying about the use of a FP within its designated time window is a sign of OCD. :wave:

 

[draybook]

I've never seen anyone get up in arms over return times being enforced. On our last trip in September, we too were given FP's by the DVC folks over by ToT. The FP's were for that morning and they gave them to us in the evening around 9:30pm. I think I even have a pic of them.....

I'm not complaining because we got to ride TSMM about 5 times that day due to hoarding FP's and two trips through the stand-by line. However, if Disney ever decides to enforce the times then we're okay with that. We actually followed the times on our first trip because we didn't know any better.

 

[G00fyDad]

I think this topic is spinning wildly out of control, again.

Group A - There are people here that are simply doing what Disney allows them to do, ignoring the FP end return time and using the FP anytime after the initial return time. No problems there since Disney allows it.

Group B - There are people here that see the return times and follow them pretty straightforward. No problems.

Group C - There are people using FPs late and are up in arms over the idea that Disney may enforce the times on the FPS.

Group D - Then there are people here that feel like Group A is a bunch of thieving criminals who are breaking the law at every opportunity.

My suggestion, take it for what it's worth:
Group A, keep on keepin on. If Disney allows it, great. If they don't, then just abide by the rules. You seem like you'd not raise a fuss over it.

Group B, Kudos to you for doing what you see as the honest thing. :wave:

Groups C, Calm down. If Disney enforces the times then it is their parks and their rules. Deal with it.

Group D, Wow. I think you could find something else better to fill out your day than to get onto a forum and chew out people for doing you harm.

Can we all just agree that the system is the way it is right now and if it changes then it changes. We as consumers, or guests, will just have to adjust as necessary, if it is necessary?

 

[Furiated]

• Disneyland offers additional Fastpasses to guests staying onsite. I believe it's two a day. I believe this would be the best approach for Disney World, especially if it means scheduling from your room

I think this was a temporary promotion that is now over. If I remember right, you got FPs to the new Little Mermaid attraction? Something like that? I stayed on site in Sept and I was just outside the dates for the promotion.

 

[kapeman]

No offense...but why are you even getting a fastpass any time when you plan on using transportation outside the park or eating? If you know you have to do any of those around the FP return time...don't get a fastpass. Simple as that. If you think you won't be there in time, don't get it. If you have an emergency situation where you have to leave the park, tough luck. That's not Disney's fault and your place in the "virtual line"(which is what fastpass is supposed to be) is lost.
.

Apparently, you have never gotten a FastPass for TSMM...

 

[tjkraz]

I think this was a temporary promotion that is now over. If I remember right, you got FPs to the new Little Mermaid attraction? Something like that? I stayed on site in Sept and I was just outside the dates for the promotion.

Yeah, that ended right at the start of September--Labor Day at the latest.

The promotion was seemingly tied in with Ariel's Undersea Adventures but ultimately there was little value in using FPs for that attraction. Ariel does not offer FastPass but the idea was that hotel guests could actually use one of the cards provided to gain FP access to the attraction.

For the first couple of days wait times for Ariel were pretty bad at times (90+ minutes.) But after that things dropped-off (high capacity omnimover) and there was no real reason to use the cards for Ariel. Disney continued with the perk and hotel guests essentially got two immediate FastPasses for any attraction of their choosing.

 

[imagineergurl]

Last month Splash was doing a test of enforcing wait times. Several days during the week from around 11-4 a manager, coordinator and cast member would stand at return and only let in current times and were surveying guests on why they were returning late.

At another attraction we've already been told to inform guests returning late that the policy will be changing to get them into the mindset of returning on time.

 

[DisneyJoe]

I think this was a temporary promotion that is now over. If I remember right, you got FPs to the new Little Mermaid attraction? Something like that? I stayed on site in Sept and I was just outside the dates for the promotion.

They just announced it again for Disneyland for travel dates in January and February 2012.

 

[patricia27]

We love the fastpass system. Going in to the Studios the Toy Story ride has such big queues. Once I got there at 10am and the fastpass ride was for 4pm!! we went off the Epcot and returned later!! We have also done that for Soaring.

 

[EvilQueen-T]

i take the barbosa attitude ...i think of the times as "guidelines". i don't expect there to be a hard and fast rule for enforcing the end times anytime soon.

and yes i admit i get bummed when i have a fp for tsm that i got mobbed for at rope drop to get at 8am but can't use until 6pm but that's during my dinner that i had to make an adr for 6 months in advance then i get back at say 8pm but emh has started so they don't accept it...so yes i'm all for trying as much as possible to use my fp during the 60 minutes alloted but sometimes you've got to give a girl a break.

 

[Neverland]

It's true. This will be happening sometime in the next year or so. As of right now, you may still enter with a late fastpass, but CMs are being told to allow it, but discourage it. We don't advertise that late fastpasses may be used, unless the ride goes down. And if we get a guest who is having a panic attack because they're five minutes late, we simply let them in, and don't tell them that they could have come back an hour late and still gotten in. When we are explaining the fastpass system to guests, we tell them they must return between the two times on the ticket.

Generally, the new rule will be to not let late fastpasses in, unless it's within a reasonable amount of time. 20 minutes late because the parade was going on and you couldn't get there? Sure, okay. Eight hours late because you decided to go back to your hotel and swim? I'm sorry. Getting a fastpass is like getting a reservation. You reserve your spot in the fastpass line for that specific time, so the numbers don't get all wonky (although honestly it's the huge amount of GAC cards that make FP lines so long).

 

[G00fyDad]

It's true. This will be happening sometime in the next year or so. As of right now, you may still enter with a late fastpass, but CMs are being told to allow it, but discourage it. We don't advertise that late fastpasses may be used, unless the ride goes down. And if we get a guest who is having a panic attack because they're five minutes late, we simply let them in, and don't tell them that they could have come back an hour late and still gotten in. When we are explaining the fastpass system to guests, we tell them they must return between the two times on the ticket.

Generally, the new rule will be to not let late fastpasses in, unless it's within a reasonable amount of time. 20 minutes late because the parade was going on and you couldn't get there? Sure, okay. Eight hours late because you decided to go back to your hotel and swim? I'm sorry. Getting a fastpass is like getting a reservation. You reserve your spot in the fastpass line for that specific time, so the numbers don't get all wonky (although honestly it's the huge amount of GAC cards that make FP lines so long).

It doesn't matter how many times you tell people this. I still laugh a little when I see the comments made here. CMs like yourself can tell people until you're blue in the face that you are actively being told to discourage this practice because the policy will be changing and people here on these boards will still refuse to admit it and will actually claim it isn't happening.

"The sky is blue."
"No. It's aquamarine."
"The sky is blue."
"No. It's Teal!"
"The sky is blue."
"NO! IT'S RED!!!"
(they look up)
"Oh, I guess it is blue. Who'd have thought it?"

It's actually funny. :lol: I remember seeing someone talking about being a CM at a resort and hearing that wifi was coming in soon. They kept getting told that wifi was not on the way by these people that do not even work at Disney. And what do you know.... we have wifi now. Look at the threads sometime. You have some CMs telling people about things that are going to happen and a ton of people that only go to Disney to visit telling them that they are wrong. LOL

 

[draybook]

It doesn't matter how many times you tell people this. I still laugh a little when I see the comments made here. CMs like yourself can tell people until you're blue in the face that you are actively being told to discourage this practice because the policy will be changing and people here on these boards will still refuse to admit it and will actually claim it isn't happening.

"The sky is blue."
"No. It's aquamarine."
"The sky is blue."
"No. It's Teal!"
"The sky is blue."
"NO! IT'S RED!!!"
(they look up)
"Oh, I guess it is blue. Who'd have thought it?"

It's actually funny. :lol: I remember seeing someone talking about being a CM at a resort and hearing that wifi was coming in soon. They kept getting told that wifi was not on the way by these people that do not even work at Disney. And what do you know.... we have wifi now. Look at the threads sometime. You have some CMs telling people about things that are going to happen and a ton of people that only go to Disney to visit telling them that they are wrong. LOL

I think we get it. You're right and some of the people here are brainless idiots
that don't see the writing on the wall. Did I miss anything?

 

[G00fyDad]

I think we get it. You're right and some of the people here are brainless idiots
that don't see the writing on the wall. Did I miss anything?

Nope. Pretty much nailed it.

 

[BigThunderMatt]

(although honestly it's the huge amount of GAC cards that make FP lines so long).

Does laziness justify a GAC? Because I think that's the reason a lot of people have them these days.