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Late FP Returns Tightening Up?
- Thread starter Epcotian
- Start date
Dwarful
Well-Known Member
I guess I have always viewed FP as a perk not an entitlement. If we cannot use our FP's we give them to random people to use. If we have a sit down and the time might be tight, well, we may or may not ride the ride. I have never understood the logic of 'get to our FP ride 5-10 mins early and block the entrance waiting for the time to pass' nor would I expect the CM's to let me ride a FP ride if I show up hours late. We have had that unexpected ride break down and were told to return later (mostly with Space Mountain).
My thought is this...its a perk, if Disney gives us this perk and asks us to return any time within a 1 hour time frame, then we will gladly return during the appropriate time frame or not use the FPs.
My thought is this...its a perk, if Disney gives us this perk and asks us to return any time within a 1 hour time frame, then we will gladly return during the appropriate time frame or not use the FPs.
Disneycoog
Member
I usually collect them through they day. We go back to the resorts for the kids to nap and we go back that evening and use the fast passes. Using them the day after is a bad thing, but since there are limited numbers as long as you use them after the time alloted that should be OK. But hey, if Disney wants to enforce it then that is their right. Everyone that is here has stretched a rule now and then, if you say you havent then you are just plain perfect. If I recall there was only one perfect person in this world.
DisneyMusician2
Well-Known Member
Yeah, and even he wasn't that perfect.
slappy magoo
Well-Known Member
One thing I don't understand is people who say they get Fastpasses, only to find out that they conflict with a meal reservation and could they pretty-please get an exception? With sugar on it?
When you go to get a Fastpass, isn't there a clock that tells you what the current Fastpass window is? So if you opt to get a Fastpass at that time, you already know what the window would be? And if you have conflicting reservations when you get your Fastpass, knowing what the return time is, that would be WDW's fault because...? :shrug:
If Disney CMs opt to cut people slack and let them use their FPs after the window of opportunity has expired, fine and dandy. I never would've guessed it's a written-in-stone, on-the-books de facto rule, more of a judgement call of the CMs on duty at that time, depending on how smooth things are running that day. But if, say, a whole tour group who had Fastpasses for Soarin' that expired at 3pm show up for the last show of the night, denying lots of other people in the regular line (or maybe even people with current Fastpasses) the ability to see the show because their group is so large, that would suh-uh-uh-uh-______. Even more so if they just naturally assumed they were good any time because CMs TOLD them they were good all day.
I guess what I'm saying is, even before this thread, I would not have based any touring plans on getting Fastpasses early in the day and just assuming I'd get to use them after their window of time expires. If that sort of situation happens, where you suddenly have to leave a park, manage to return later in the day and the CMs cut you that slack, great. But to arrange my plans aorund that definitely happening...I just wouldn't be that presumptuous, myself. If you do it, and it works out, great. But if you get a CM who's a stickler for time, or it has become the written-in-stone, de facto rule that all time windows have to be observed, don't feel/act like you've been ripped off, either.
When you go to get a Fastpass, isn't there a clock that tells you what the current Fastpass window is? So if you opt to get a Fastpass at that time, you already know what the window would be? And if you have conflicting reservations when you get your Fastpass, knowing what the return time is, that would be WDW's fault because...? :shrug:
If Disney CMs opt to cut people slack and let them use their FPs after the window of opportunity has expired, fine and dandy. I never would've guessed it's a written-in-stone, on-the-books de facto rule, more of a judgement call of the CMs on duty at that time, depending on how smooth things are running that day. But if, say, a whole tour group who had Fastpasses for Soarin' that expired at 3pm show up for the last show of the night, denying lots of other people in the regular line (or maybe even people with current Fastpasses) the ability to see the show because their group is so large, that would suh-uh-uh-uh-______. Even more so if they just naturally assumed they were good any time because CMs TOLD them they were good all day.
I guess what I'm saying is, even before this thread, I would not have based any touring plans on getting Fastpasses early in the day and just assuming I'd get to use them after their window of time expires. If that sort of situation happens, where you suddenly have to leave a park, manage to return later in the day and the CMs cut you that slack, great. But to arrange my plans aorund that definitely happening...I just wouldn't be that presumptuous, myself. If you do it, and it works out, great. But if you get a CM who's a stickler for time, or it has become the written-in-stone, de facto rule that all time windows have to be observed, don't feel/act like you've been ripped off, either.
lilclerk
Well-Known Member
I completely agree, Slappy. I don't really CARE that people use them after their window of time expires, but to assume that it's the "official rule" when there are clear times (and dates) given is ridiculous. Almost as ridiculous as using FPs from previous trips. That's just not right and completely defeats the purpose of fastpass.
dxwwf3
Well-Known Member
There is no need to be more strict on the ride return time. We have been told by many people around here that the CM's are told to be leniant on this and it's not like they are letting more FP people on than the day's allotment. When I go to Disneyland next month, I do no plan to go by the one hour FP window at all (Even though I've read that they are even less strict at DL than at WDW about the one hour window). There are just too many variables in the park to be extrememly strict to people. What if they are on a ride that breaks down? What if they get incredibly slow service at a restaurant? What if the posted wait time at an attraction turnes out to be longer than expected? You can say that they should have just arrived earlier, but I think there are just too many things that can go "wrong" to keep people from being there in the one hour window.
But if they are going to start being more strict, they need to let people know about this. Regulars to the park could easily come a few hours late for their FP, and because there has never been ANY problem in the past they should expect to run into NO problems this time as well.
But if they are going to start being more strict, they need to let people know about this. Regulars to the park could easily come a few hours late for their FP, and because there has never been ANY problem in the past they should expect to run into NO problems this time as well.
PigletIsMyCat
Well-Known Member
Wow. I am actually shocked at the number of people who think using a FP beyond it's stated return time is okay!! The FP system is designed to keep people out of line and spending time in other places, true, but it is also designed to keep the flow of people getting on the ride in check.
Each ride has a per-hour person capacity. FPs are distributed in hour-long return blocks that advance by five minutes. Presumably, once the per-person ride capacity per five minutes is distributed in FPs, the hour long return window moves up by five minutes. So, say a ride has a fifty person per five minute ride capacity. (I'm just making up numbers.) I would guess that at park opening, say 9am, the FP machine would distribute FP's with a return time of 10am - 11am (let's just say.) to maybe forty people, leaving the other ten riders per five minutes for the standby line. After forty FP's have been distributed, the return block moves to 10:05am - 11:05am. And so on. By arriving back during your alloted window, you are ensuring that there is not an influx of people on the FP return line, therefore forcing the ridiculous back ups seen at Standby lines. All FP's given between 10am - 11am and 10:55am - 11:55am would be good at 10:55am and 11am. If we pretend all these numbers are good, and every single person distributed a FP between these times all showed up between 10:55am and 11am, that would be 480 people, which would cause a FP return back up, but the Standby line would conceivably been moving well this whole time.
If that makes any sense, there's a reason for FP. It's to keep FP holders out of the line and give them a 'reservation' for a ride, and to keep the Standby line manageable. All 480 mythical people in the above example would be able to ride a 50 people per five minute capacity ride in about 48 minutes. But, that Standby line will have 480 less people in it for the last hour. Using the FP's days or years after they have been issued breaks down that system, causing large back ups in the FP return line (since they have been planning on their 480 people per hour returning in their allotted hour) which then in turn backs up the Standby line and then backs up the next hours returns of FP holders... etc etc etc. NOT NICE. FastPass is not an entitlement, it is a perk to guests, as previously stated. I can understand using it in the same day (I guess) especially if prompted to by a ride CM, due to breakdown or whatever. But to just figure that 'oh, if my dinner runs over, I'll use the FP three hours late' is wrong. There is a FP quota for the day, but more importantly, it is set up by five minute increments with a one hour return window for a reason. DH and I have turned down FPs that coincide with dinner ressies; if the FP return time is conflicting with other plans we have, we give the Standby line a try (if the wait is within our time limits) because people who show up late for ADRs cause the same problems at the restaurants. Even worse, sometimes, since their table was being held and denied use by walk-ins (since WDW does not even allot tables for walk-ins; if all tables are requested for use by ADRs, they use them all).
Vent over.
Each ride has a per-hour person capacity. FPs are distributed in hour-long return blocks that advance by five minutes. Presumably, once the per-person ride capacity per five minutes is distributed in FPs, the hour long return window moves up by five minutes. So, say a ride has a fifty person per five minute ride capacity. (I'm just making up numbers.) I would guess that at park opening, say 9am, the FP machine would distribute FP's with a return time of 10am - 11am (let's just say.) to maybe forty people, leaving the other ten riders per five minutes for the standby line. After forty FP's have been distributed, the return block moves to 10:05am - 11:05am. And so on. By arriving back during your alloted window, you are ensuring that there is not an influx of people on the FP return line, therefore forcing the ridiculous back ups seen at Standby lines. All FP's given between 10am - 11am and 10:55am - 11:55am would be good at 10:55am and 11am. If we pretend all these numbers are good, and every single person distributed a FP between these times all showed up between 10:55am and 11am, that would be 480 people, which would cause a FP return back up, but the Standby line would conceivably been moving well this whole time.
If that makes any sense, there's a reason for FP. It's to keep FP holders out of the line and give them a 'reservation' for a ride, and to keep the Standby line manageable. All 480 mythical people in the above example would be able to ride a 50 people per five minute capacity ride in about 48 minutes. But, that Standby line will have 480 less people in it for the last hour. Using the FP's days or years after they have been issued breaks down that system, causing large back ups in the FP return line (since they have been planning on their 480 people per hour returning in their allotted hour) which then in turn backs up the Standby line and then backs up the next hours returns of FP holders... etc etc etc. NOT NICE. FastPass is not an entitlement, it is a perk to guests, as previously stated. I can understand using it in the same day (I guess) especially if prompted to by a ride CM, due to breakdown or whatever. But to just figure that 'oh, if my dinner runs over, I'll use the FP three hours late' is wrong. There is a FP quota for the day, but more importantly, it is set up by five minute increments with a one hour return window for a reason. DH and I have turned down FPs that coincide with dinner ressies; if the FP return time is conflicting with other plans we have, we give the Standby line a try (if the wait is within our time limits) because people who show up late for ADRs cause the same problems at the restaurants. Even worse, sometimes, since their table was being held and denied use by walk-ins (since WDW does not even allot tables for walk-ins; if all tables are requested for use by ADRs, they use them all).
Vent over.
darthjohnny
Active Member
The thing is that the Fast Passes have been used for over 8 years. If it has been so long, why are they suddenly craking down on late passes now.
Cattman96
New Member
Sorry man, i just don't like the "well you let me do it before" Excuse. To be ed cause someone let you break the rules before and not letting you know. I don't know, seems a little much to me.
YankeeMouse
Well-Known Member
As I posted before, we have occasionally used a fastpass after the expiration time, because we were told at the beginning of the fastpass system that you could come any time after the window time. Maybe that one CM gave us inaccurate info, but every time we have done this, the CM accepts it. If a CM had just once said, "You are supposed to adhere to the time", we would have. We just figured that, as Cap'n Barbosa would say, the rules were more like "guidelines". And as for using them the next day, obviously, that would be bad for crowd flow. Now that I understand completely the rule, I will adhere to the time window, but no one has ever enforced this, or even mentioned it, and I was just naively doing this, not to get away with anything.
Cattman96
New Member
Not you pal. Just if you had a problem with a cast member that told you that you were to late and you were upset. Not the case with you.:wave:
erasure fan1
Well-Known Member
I think its good if they are actually being more strict with this, The system was set up for a reason. Fastpass could use some tweaking in my opinion, so this is at least a start if thats whats going on. I also doent buy into the what if I have meal plans that conflict, the time is right there when you pull the pass.
the-reason14
Well-Known Member
Man I sure hope not, cuz that would take a lot of adjusting for me. Not only am I going to have to get use to not being able to use old fastpasses from previous visits, but now Im going to have to get use to getting there on the correct time. Dang
But still I hope that isnt the case though.
But still I hope that isnt the case though.
dxwwf3
Well-Known Member
It's not breaking the rules. If the CMs now tell us that you HAVE to be there at that time, then it's one thing. But as darthjohnny stated, we've been told for 8 years that there is no problem whatsoever in coming any time after the hour as long as it is on the same day. This isn't the case of one random CM allowing us in "against the rules". What we have been told repeatedly is that the CM's are basically told to allow any one in past their time. Soarin' seems to be the only attraction that can sometimes be the exception. So again the point is, it isn't breaking rules. This is not a new system and it's worked the same way for years now.
If Disney does want to change this practice, then stress the one hour window beforehand. Do not punish repeat visitors by all of a sudden changing the way things are run without any warnings.
That is the norm, not the exception. At least for the past 8 years.
Vernonpush
Well-Known Member
:ROFLOL:
Cattman96
New Member
Disney is telling you that you have a one hour window. The employee is telling you come back when you want I do'nt care. Now lets say you have an employee sticking to what his boss "Disney" says. Who is right? I travel interstate 70 several times. I usually go about 10 miles over the speed limit. I know its wrong. I pass the same cop all the time and never get ppulled over. Two weeks ago i get pulled over. Different cop i guess. The state says I was speeding. The other cops apparently didn't care. Is it the other cops that were wrong for letting me speed or was this guy just doing his job?
dxwwf3
Well-Known Member
What my point was is that we have been told by CMs, especially on this board, that the CMs are TOLD to allow people in past the time. TOLD by Disney. If this isn't true OR if Disney wants to change this practice, that's another story. But as of now, I have no reason whatsoever to think this isn't true. I don't know what else I can say :shrug:
Cattman96
New Member
This is not a good formula because fp people change so often but maybe ask the people who are working that ride when you get your pass and ask what their policy is. Maybe that would help with any misuderstandings? Just a thought and I hope no one thinks I was attacking them.