Fastpass - What Do You Think?

[MillenniumForce]

Hi yet again,

I have a couple questions!

Do you think using a Fastpass for a popular attraction dramatically reduces the wait time?

..and...

Do you think Fastpasses should only be available to resort guests?

 

[lentesta]

1) It's a complex question. On days when an attraction's capacity far exceeds demand, yeah, I can see a scenario where FASTPASS reduces the wait times for most guests. (Imagine a line with only three people, where the middle person opts for FASTPASS. The third person's wait is now shorter than it would have been otherwise. The second person returns at some later point and is immediately granted access to the ride, instead of waiting behind person #1.) A second dependency is how the FASTPASS users return to the ride. But in theory, when the ride's not running at capacity, yeah, it's possible. Because Disney manages the capacity of its headliner attractions (de facto FASTPASS attractions), I doubt it happens often in real life.

However, if the attraction is running at capacity, then FASTPASS becomes a zero-sum game. Decreases in wait times to those who have FASTPASSes are offset by increased wait times for those who do not.

2) No.

 

[Pixiedust1393]

1. Yes it dramatically reduces the wait time. But, sometimes I would rather have both lines open so the lines could both move faster.

2. No, because the resort guests get the Extra Magic Hours. It wouldn't be fair for the people that stay offsite not to get a fastpass.

 

[CleveRocks]

For a person using a FASTPASS, of course it saves time!

Let's see, there's a 60 minute stand-by line for Space Mountain, with a FP return time of 90 minutes from now. So I could wait in line for an hour. Or, during the next hour-and-a-half, I could ride Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger Spin, and also probably Stitch's Great Escape (I've never seen big lines in that one), and then get lunch at Cosmic Ray's, and then go use my Space Mountain FPs. Instead of standing in line, I got more done and had more fun.

I can give you lots of examples at each park of how I've saved time and gotten more done by doing things during my FP waiting time.

 

[bob0012]

Fast pass creates the apperance of saving time. Unfortunatly allowing people to save space in one line and get in another backs up both lines, causing wait times for to be increased. So while it appears fast pass allows you to come back sooner, if fast pass didn't exist you probebly would have been able to wait in both attractins queues in the time it taks for your fast pass to be up, and maybe grab an ice cream.

 

[lpet11984]

While it may not dramatically reduce wait times consistantly, the aspect I love the most is the ability to be in two places at once- being able to "wait in line" and ride something else/grab a snack/look around in a shop/etc.

And no, I don't think fastpass should be reserved for resort guests- resort guests already have so many extra perks (extra magic hours, staying on property, etc.) that if Disney were to make FP reserved for resort guests, it may turn off some people from visiting (if they can't afford staying in a resort hotel among other reasons). Keep FP for everyone.

 

[marni1971]

As a typical target for the resort, FP saved us a lot of time. With only 2 weeks to see central Orlando every minute counts! However, the issue of capacity needs to be addressed - though more obvious in Disneyland - since FPs means more guests not queing and instead walking around or eating / purchasing. With no increase in new major attractions in new buildings overall park capacity in theory goes down.

FP for resorts only? No. It`s been discussed before, but this will make WDW into a class society - the haves and have nots. There`s already a small example of this in on and off site lodging - those who can afford to stay on site have the perks mentioned above. Those who can afford it can stay at the Deluxe resorts and not the mods. FP for resorts only would be a little too much.

 

[Tramp]

For the person holding the fastpass, it reduces the wait time dramatically. :hammer:

If a person knows how to use the fastpass system efficiently, it could greatly enhance their visit. If you watch the return time and get another fastpass as soon as the window opens, pick and choose which attractions best utilize a fastpass and visit the attractions with little waittime inbetween, you can move steadily throughout the park. If your intention is to visit only the most popular attractions throughout the day, chances are you won't like the fastpass system.

The day Disney limits fastpasses to resort guests only will be the last day Disney ever sees me.


PS: The only complaint I have is that I wish there were fastpasses available on the popular attractions for guests arriving later in the day.

 

[Nemo14]

We have friends who visited during the week between Christmas and Newyears this past year. We had cautioned them about how busy it would be, and gave them a quick education about how to use FP and what to use it for. They came home quite pleased that they never waited longer than 55 minutes for a ride, and rode every ride that they had planned to.
I agree with Tramp that if FP is ever offered to resort guests only, we would definitely stop going, as much as we love WDW.

 

[doop]

1.) As long as you figure out how you're gonna go about getting what fastpasses and waiting in lines for rides that you don't need a fastpass for, it will dramatically reduce wait time.

2.) No, the price of admission is enough, everyone should be allowed to use fastpass. Plus resort guests already have EMH.

 

[hjaen1989]

there are the value resorts that Can't cost that much more than off property hotels. and in the grand scheme of things EMH is the only perk you do not have to pay for. I think that the FP should be for on property and for annual pass holders. Because if you are going to WDW and feel it is too expensive to stay on property then you should have to pay for certain PERKS. Point is this is a vacation place no room for penny pinchers:brick:

 

[lpet11984]

Point is this is a vacation place no room for penny pinchers:brick:

Some folks are not penny pinchers by choice, but out of necessity...

 

[CleveRocks]

Fast pass creates the apperance of saving time. Unfortunatly allowing people to save space in one line and get in another backs up both lines, causing wait times for to be increased. So while it appears fast pass allows you to come back sooner, if fast pass didn't exist you probebly would have been able to wait in both attractins queues in the time it taks for your fast pass to be up, and maybe grab an ice cream.

I respectfully but strongly disagree.

Fastpass doesn't allow you to come back sooner. It allows you to have fun instead of standing in a line.

Another example. My kids want to go into Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, and it's 12:00 noon. Let's just assume, for ease, that every ride/attraction takes 10 minutes to experience AFTER waiting in line.

No FP scenario: At Pooh, there's a 50 minute stand-by line. If I wait in that line and ride Pooh, I'm out by 1:00 p.m.

FP scenario: There's a Fastpass return time of 1:00 p.m. I grab FPs. We go to Dumbo and wait in the 30 minute line (Dumbo isn't a FP attraction) and ride. It's now 12:40 p.m. We stand around, tie our shoes, and wonder what to do next, and it's 12:45 p.m. We walk into Mickey's PhilharMagic (no line), enjoy the show, and exit at 12:55 p.m. We enjoy the Fantasyland atmosphere for another 5 minutes, maybe take some photos, and then walk onto Pooh with our FPs at 1:00 p.m., out by 1:10 p.m. (ALL A TRUE STORY, BY THE WAY!)

Without Fastpasses, we would have spent from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. waiting for and riding Pooh.

With Fastpasses, we spent from 12:00 p.m. to 1:10 p.m. waiting for and riding Dumbo, watching Mickey's PhilharMagic, and riding Pooh. Three rides/attractions instead of just one.

WHICH WOULD YOU RATHER DO?

If Fastpass is used intelligently, it definitely saves individuals time.

 

[dreamscometrue]

Every trip to WDW has been during summer or Christmas and the crowds are heavy. Despite this fact, the longest we have ever waited for any attraction was about 20 min. and this is often due to our use of Fastpasses (combined with early arrival). We go to the parks from early morning until close everyday (with a brief resort rest most afternoons) and do this for 10 days. I feel that we use our time efficiently and enjoy meals, shows, shopping, parades or other rides with short queues while waiting for our ride time to roll around. I do not find Fastpass in any way restrictive since we get a one hour window, and as has been noted on other threads, CMs have never given us a hard time for returning a few minutes late if we miss our ride time.

Every time I go on a ride using FP or getting in a short queue, I ask myself why people would stand 60-120 minutes to ride (unless they are a frequent guest). If most guests are like me and get to WDW at the most once per year (or less often than that), I simply don't understand the reason for waiting in a long queue as opposed to getting a FP and coming again later and using that valuable time to experience so much more of the park.

I always stay on site and I think that FP should be for all WDW guests, not just resort guests.

 

[DizFanatic]

I like FastPass. At least you can jump on a few popular attractions quickly instead of waiting on long lines for everything. Especially with kids who can get impatient if you wait for an hour, go on a 2 minute ride, then wait on another hour line... It breaks it up a bit. I dont think that it adds that much time to the standby lines.

 

[ToTBellHop]

Fast pass creates the apperance of saving time. Unfortunatly allowing people to save space in one line and get in another backs up both lines, causing wait times for to be increased. So while it appears fast pass allows you to come back sooner, if fast pass didn't exist you probebly would have been able to wait in both attractins queues in the time it taks for your fast pass to be up, and maybe grab an ice cream.

You are assuming that every ride at WDW always runs at full capacity, which is not true. Many attractions are often walk on, so having a Fastpass for Test Track and being able to ride the Universe of Energy, Spaceship Earth, and everything in the Imagination! pavillion before your ride time comes up saves time. Fastpass only becomes a problem when there are almost no non-fastpass attractions, like at Animal Kingdom. It just creates jam-packed walkways there--same thing on Sunset Boulevard. Parks like Epcot can handle the crowds much better.

 

[njblackberry]

Do you think Fastpasses should only be available to resort guests?

In order to really stir up the pot, how about FPs for Deluxe Resort and DVC owners only. That ought to heat things up

:fork: :fork: :fork:

Heh heh heh

 

[amykissangel]

I find the FastPass brilliant, but again, that is only my opinion

I agree with so many others before me; for ex:

I want to ride Splash Mountain, but the wait is 60 min. We can come back an hour from now.

So it may be time for a counter-service meal, or a showing of the Hall of Presidents, or waiting for the Haunted Mansion for half an hour.

In my hour of wait time, I have accomplished a counter-service meal, the Hall of Presidents, AND can walk on Splash Mt. with nearly no wait.

VS.

I have waited for an hour in line to ride Splash Mountain.

In my opinion, there's really no better way to enjoy WDW. How else do people ride Test Track, Soarin', EE, BTMR, Splash and Space...and things like Peter Pan for the little ones??

When we brought 4yearold cousin Brittney, there is NO way we could've waited in the 50 min. long Peter Pan line. But we COULD ride the Teacups (10 min wait, 5 min ride time), It's a Small World (15 min wait, 5 min ride time), and the Carousel (no wait, 5 min. ride time.)

So in one hour, we rode the Teacups, It's a Small World, the Carousel AND Peter Pan!

(Sorry, I'm just majorly a fan of FastPass!!)

And if they allowed ONLY WDWResort Guests to use FP, that would be terrible on their part. Almost as bad as Six Flags for charging park admission, THEN $25 for 4 rides (no waiting in line.)

Luckily we usually always stay on property, but for ex. we're not this upcoming April. Don't know how we'd do it with those spring break crowds and no Fast Passes!

 

[Harry456]

1) I agred with many people, the fastpass is very economical when visiting Disney World. You more time doing things you want before entering the ride.

At Cedar Point, basically half the time you wait in the hour long ride until you finally get on the ride. At the end of the day, you never get to ride every ride you wanted to go on.

2) (I'm assuming Fastpass are just for Disney World Resort Guests) Again, at Cedar Point, they have big-thrill ride and they have fastpass. problem: its for everyone and its a rat race to get to them before they run out. At noon, i'll bet the fastpasses are all out. I remember getting a fastpass for Millennium Force, we got them at 9-10 am. Our fastpasses were for 8:00 p.m! lol gap difference.
lol it doesn't matter in line when your a waiter, you always say, "stupid fastpass people. When you fastpasser, you say, "Ha! i fastpassed this ride :drevil:." (fastpassed? NEW WORD!!! )
its debate is basically convenience vs. economical visit, time vs. things to do. What do you prize more?

 

[MillenniumForce]

I agree with mostly everyone in that Fastpass should be offered to all. If it wasn't for EMH, I would think differently, but EMH is definitely a huge benefit to staying onsite.

I see what everyone's pointing out about FP too - tackling multiple rides and etc. Makes perfect sense!

Oh, and Harry456 ~ one hint for Cedar Point...if you get there at opening time (even to the general public. I've never stayed at a hotel for CP before because we live close enough) and go straight to the back of the park, you can get a ton of rides done there in miracle time. When my dad and I got there at 9:30am the day before labor day last year, Raptor already had an hour to hour and a half wait as did MF and etc. We went straight to the back due to a tip I read online, and we literally walked on Magnum XL-200 a few times in a row. Oh and FYI there aren't fastpasses at CP anymore.

But anyway...back to Disney! Lol..