Is there a grace period for fp?

[Jon81uk]

I disagree, if you can't organise yourself to arrive at a ride within the hour they give you, why should you get an extra 5-15 minutes. Causing slight delays to the next group of fast passes who were there on time

Because sometimes things are outside of your control.

We rode Voyage of the Little Mermaid as we had about 45 minutes to fill until our Be Our Guest reservation and the sign said standby wait was 20 minutes. After a 45 minute wait we finally got on the ride and we were then late for our reservation.
Similar thing could happen where you think you have plenty of time to get off a ride before getting over to your FP reservation and it just doesn't quite happen.

 

[Tom P.]

Because sometimes things are outside of your control.

We rode Voyage of the Little Mermaid as we had about 45 minutes to fill until our Be Our Guest reservation and the sign said standby wait was 20 minutes. After a 45 minute wait we finally got on the ride and we were then late for our reservation.
Similar thing could happen where you think you have plenty of time to get off a ride before getting over to your FP reservation and it just doesn't quite happen.

We're not talking about a matter of life and death here. We're talking about being able to get on a ride immediately via the FastPass line or having to wait in the standby line.

You are given a window of an hour for FastPass reservations. It's not as though you have to show up exactly at a specific time, down to the minute. But that hour window should be it.

Yes, sometimes things happen that are outside of your control. If that happens, you just suck it up and stand in the standby line or skip the ride. It's not as if the entire course of your life will be altered forever if you miss that one FastPass.

 

[Jon81uk]

Yes, sometimes things happen that are outside of your control. If that happens, you just suck it up and stand in the standby line or skip the ride. It's not as if the entire course of your life will be altered forever if you miss that one FastPass.

No, but allowing people 5/10 minutes grace if they just miss the end of the window is easier than arguing with them. The current grace period is automatic, the effort of those 5 minute late people asking isn't worth it, easier to let them on if slightly late.

 

[LUVofDIS]

You've got an hour to get there, shouldn't really need a grace period

Wow. I can see what your saying but you are on vacation and the Disney system is not perfect, I know, I shouldn't type that out loud. I am glad they do give a grace period.

Anyway, I was able to get on MS about twenty minutes early, the CM said I just had to answer a question, the question was. "which character is your favorite character". How can you answer that, actually it was easy, it's Tink.

 

[Tom P.]

No, but allowing people 5/10 minutes grace if they just miss the end of the window is easier than arguing with them. The current grace period is automatic, the effort of those 5 minute late people asking isn't worth it, easier to let them on if slightly late.

So why argue with them if they are 15 minutes late, but not 10? Why not make the grace period 30 minutes instead of 15? People are always going to argue no matter where the cutoff is. People are always going to have a reason.

Don't get me wrong. I don't object to a cast member showing some kindness to someone and allowing someone to get on a ride when they are 10 minutes past their FP window isn't going to ruin my vacation either. But with any system like this, there has to be a cutoff at some point, and you are never going to satisfy everyone no matter what you make that cutoff point.

 

[Jon81uk]

So why argue with them if they are 15 minutes late, but not 10? Why not make the grace period 30 minutes instead of 15? People are always going to argue no matter where the cutoff is. People are always going to have a reason.

Don't get me wrong. I don't object to a cast member showing some kindness to someone and allowing someone to get on a ride when they are 10 minutes past their FP window isn't going to ruin my vacation either. But with any system like this, there has to be a cutoff at some point, and you are never going to satisfy everyone no matter what you make that cutoff point.

But its far easier to tell someone who is 30 minutes late to go away, I've done it at an event when letting people in. But for me it is more stressful telling people 5 minutes late to go away.
So yes there needs to be a cut off and its 15 minutes. As for the sanity of CMs its easier for them to say, sorry you are 25 minutes past your window, enjoy the rest of your trip compare to having to tell people, you are 3 minutes late go away.

 

[danyoung56]

We rode Voyage of the Little Mermaid as we had about 45 minutes to fill until our Be Our Guest reservation and the sign said standby wait was 20 minutes. After a 45 minute wait we finally got on the ride and we were then late for our reservation.

Sorry, but your example doesn't apply. We're talking about an HOUR LONG WINDOW on FP, not a dining rez time. I agree with others that think that an hour is enough. And if you miss it, there's always the standby line (or another day).

 

[Goofyernmost]

Sorry, but your example doesn't apply. We're talking about an HOUR LONG WINDOW on FP, not a dining rez time. I agree with others that think that an hour is enough. And if you miss it, there's always the standby line (or another day).

Agreed! The reality of the FP window is if you go to your first one at the front end of the window, you have a minimum of almost two hours to use your second one. I do that all the time I try to set my FP's up one right after another, in between I go to attractions that have short lines and I know that I can do it easily within that two hour minimum. Planning a FP after an ADR is always chancy but, again if you give yourself that extra hour you should have no problem. Just don't mess around and wait, use them as soon as possible and that will usually never give anyone a problem.

Part of the reason that we got the new system is because Disney allowed the CM's way to much leeway in late arrival. It only took a short while for people to decide that once you had a FP in your hand you just went back whenever you felt like it and the CM's would honor it. I don't remember exactly how long you had to wait until you could get another one even if you hadn't used them all yet., but, that required running all over the place. No wonder my feet hurt. So this really gives you the opportunity for more FP's. It's a better overall system, but, a little more complicated and inflexible in some aspects.

 

[Andrew Appleby]

use them as soon as possible and that will usually always never give anyone a problem.

you contradict yourself wonderfully here!

And it USUALLY does work but there are times that a grace window is needed.

 

[Goofyernmost]

you contradict yourself wonderfully here!

And it USUALLY does work but there are times that a grace window is needed.

Not sure I understand what the contradiction was. I might have worded something wrong. Can you clarify that for me?

 

[Andrew Appleby]

Not sure I understand what the contradiction was. I might have worded something wrong. Can you clarify that for me?

Usually always...Its one or the other, it can't be both. And when you're making a point about having an hour and trying to say a grace period shouldn't be required to finish by saying 'it usually works' kind of goes against the point your making.

Not wanting to argue, just dont understand why people dont think there should be some grace period. I don't think people should think they've effectively got a 1hr20 FP+ but some understanding that things can get in the way is appreciated.

 

[Goofyernmost]

Usually always...Its one or the other, it can't be both. And when you're making a point about having an hour and trying to say a grace period shouldn't be required to finish by saying 'it usually works' kind of goes against the point your making.

Not wanting to argue, just dont understand why people dont think there should be some grace period. I don't think people should think they've effectively got a 1hr20 FP+ but some understanding that things can get in the way is appreciated.

First, I don't think that the grace period is necessary and yes, it does send a message that it's an hour and 15 minute window. I tried to point out that there are ways to do it where one doesn't need the extra time and they can make their own experience a whole lot less stressful.

Second, I corrected the wording and it did come across like a contradiction, but, was actually a typo. Thanks for catching that, I hadn't noticed it when I read it over. I usually always never do that.

 

[Ted Daggett]

I never realized there was a "grace period" BEFORE the FP+ time. I am the fool standing 20 feet from the FP+ entrance 3 minutes before my assigned time waiting for the clock to change.

I don't think there should be a grace period allowed if you are late. It defeats the purpose of the 60 minute window.

This past August I was at MK at 11:03 pm, the park was closing at 11:00 after EMH that day. I was 10 feet from Peter Pan's Flight entrance and a CM came up to my group of 6 and informed us that the park was closed, and we had to turn around and head for the exit. I asked if we could just quickly run onto Peter Pan's Flight, and I was told, "NO, the park is closed". I was upset at the time, but then quickly realized that they need to cut someone off, or there will constantly be a line of people thinking they can beat the system. Unfortunately we wasted time stopping to buy Mickey ice cream bars, and lost out on PPF. No grace period for us that day...

 

[Monty]

The grace period is there for a number of reasons. Foremost is that people don't all set their watches by an atomic clock. If you set your watch by a radio announcer saying "It's now 10:23", you could be a few minutes off. Allowing for that makes life easier for the CMs. There's also the fact that FP+ offers you available times for your window that may conflict partially with other plans you've made months before. If I have an ADR for BOG and the only 7DMT FP+ window available overlaps, I'm going to book both. Cancelling a hard-to-get ADR in favour of a hard-to-get FP+ is something very few guests are willing to do, so they book both. Yes, there's a risk, but the grace periods make it less likely I'll miss out.

It's a good thing Disney is more reasonable than some posters here.

 

[analise]

We're not talking about a matter of life and death here. We're talking about being able to get on a ride immediately via the FastPass line or having to wait in the standby line.

You are given a window of an hour for FastPass reservations. It's not as though you have to show up exactly at a specific time, down to the minute. But that hour window should be it.

Yes, sometimes things happen that are outside of your control. If that happens, you just suck it up and stand in the standby line or skip the ride. It's not as if the entire course of your life will be altered forever if you miss that one FastPass.

But why suck it up when you get 15 extra minutes. Why would I not take advantage of the 15 minutes they do graciously gave me. Talk about taking life too serious.

 

[Phonedave]

So why argue with them if they are 15 minutes late, but not 10? Why not make the grace period 30 minutes instead of 15? People are always going to argue no matter where the cutoff is. People are always going to have a reason.

Don't get me wrong. I don't object to a cast member showing some kindness to someone and allowing someone to get on a ride when they are 10 minutes past their FP window isn't going to ruin my vacation either. But with any system like this, there has to be a cutoff at some point, and you are never going to satisfy everyone no matter what you make that cutoff point.

I made this same argument about height requirements a few years ago. The height was 48" and someone said their kid was 47 3/4" and what difference does 1/4 inch make. I said when the next person says their kids is 47 1/2. only a 1/4 inch less than yours, should they go on? What about the 47 1/4 kid? You have to draw a bright line somewhere.

 

[Gitson Shiggles]

 

[ninjaprincesst]

The automatic 15 minutes late is not on every ride, on our last trip the party in front of us for Navi River was 2 minutes late and were denied entry, then same trip we were 20 minutes late for TSMM (due to a monorail breakdown making us late for breakfast ADR and the lateness just snowballed) and we were let on no problem.

 

[Tom P.]

But why suck it up when you get 15 extra minutes. Why would I not take advantage of the 15 minutes they do graciously gave me. Talk about taking life too serious.

You're missing the point.

I'm not saying you shouldn't take advantage of the 15 minute grace period if it's given. I'm not suggesting someone is doing something immoral or unethical trying to ride a ride 20 minutes after their FP window is over.

The point is, though, that if Disney is going to have a system like FastPass+ and it is going to have any value, then they have to limit who can use it and when. A line has to be drawn somewhere. You can say that it's unreasonable to prevent someone from getting on the ride if they are only 5 minutes late. But then the next person waiting in line will say that it's unreasonable to let that person on and keep them out when they were only 10 minutes late. And so forth. You just have to pick a rule and stick with it. People will argue no matter what.

And allowing the cast member the discretion is the worst possible way to handle it. You are going to anger the guests and put a lot of pressure on the CM when they have to make that judgment call. If the cast members, 100% of the time, say that if the Mickey head sensor turns blue you can't go through the FP line and there's nothing they can do about it, that may still annoy some people, but it's not going to be nearly as bad as a CM trying to defend their judgment call to an angry guest.

 

[Tom P.]