Long lines at FP return queue

[GrumpyFan]

One thing that seemed pretty obvious in all of our usage of the bands, whether at purchasing, gate entrances, Fastpass+ or room entry was the very strict requirement of having to physically touch the Mickey head on the band to receiver. While it's not terribly complicated, it is sometimes difficult for some to twist their wrist appropriately to line up the Mickey heads, which slows things down.

I don’t know if it’s possible using the system they have implemented, but the radio signals could be turned up in power to allow for quicker/easier scanning. We use a system like this where I work, and it's proximity based which doesn’t require physically touching. The reader and device can detect each others’ signal just by passing within close proximity, which is usually about an inch. If this were possible, it would make the system a bit more user-friendly and possibly even quicker.

 

[ABQ]

One thing that seemed pretty obvious in all of our usage of the bands, whether at purchasing, gate entrances, Fastpass+ or room entry was the very strict requirement of having to physically touch the Mickey head on the band to receiver. While it's not terribly complicated, it is sometimes difficult for some to twist their wrist appropriately to line up the Mickey heads, which slows things down.

You're certainly not the first person to mention this and as I've not been to the parks to witness it, I'm intrigued. From yours and other's posts I'm getting this vision that anyone wearing the band has to emulate some carny side show human pretzel freak show movement in order to line up the band with the receiver. What exactly is the deal with this? Is is that some people wear the band with the transmitter on the inside of their wrist like those that wear wrist watches turned inward and then, when having to swipe the sensor are all out of sorts? How can this be so hard to deal with?

 

[katiekinzakat]

Sometimes the bands twist around the wrists like you said, but sometimes it's a height issue. There are a certain range of heights where your wrist lines up easily and perfectly with the reader. Outside of that, it can get hard to position correctly if your arms are too long or too short. Also, some of the transmitters in the bands are stronger than others. I have seen people get through with barely tapping the band, if at all. Others have to struggle to position it juuuuust right. There is no consistency.

 

[GrumpyFan]

You're certainly not the first person to mention this and as I've not been to the parks to witness it, I'm intrigued. From yours and other's posts I'm getting this vision that anyone wearing the band has to emulate some carny side show human pretzel freak show movement in order to line up the band with the receiver. What exactly is the deal with this? Is is that some people wear the band with the transmitter on the inside of their wrist like those that wear wrist watches turned inward and then, when having to swipe the sensor are all out of sorts? How can this be so hard to deal with?

I wear mine with the Mickey facing up on the flat part of my wrist, much like someone would wear a wristwatch, with the time facing up if the palm were laying face down on a flat surface. From the sound of it, you wouldn't think it would be that hard, and it's really not if you can twist your wrist the right way and get the Mickey's have to physically touch each other.

Resort/room doors can be a little difficult as well, until you the hang of it.
Here's a picture I took using it at our room at POP. The band is on my left wrist, with a room door that has a door handle on the left as you're facing it.
BTW: In this image, the door did not unlock because I didn't get the Mickey positioned correctly.

If they were using a proximity based sensor, this kind of odd wrist twisting wouldn't be necessary.

I know it sounds nit-picky, and it is a little, but it really shouldn't be this difficult.

 

[jlsHouston]

So far the few rides we had a FP+ for it felt that the lines were due to the FP system having too many people using it...queues did not seem backed up, but definitely the FP line takes longer...at least for the rides I used it on. Of course Thursday and Friday were slow...Epcot was kind of slow in the morning yesterday too but even Test Track at 9:30 am with a FP+ took 10 minutes to get into the design room...Today you can't pick any FP+ for MK at all so looks like that is going to be the busy park for the day..

 

[rufio]

So far the few rides we had a FP+ for it felt that the lines were due to the FP system having too many people using it...queues did not seem backed up, but definitely the FP line takes longer...at least for the rides I used it on. Of course Thursday and Friday were slow...Epcot was kind of slow in the morning yesterday too but even Test Track at 9:30 am with a FP+ took 10 minutes to get into the design room...Today you can't pick any FP+ for MK at all so looks like that is going to be the busy park for the day..

Yep, touringplans.com says today is an 8/10. It's only going to get more crowded as the week progresses... We'll see how it goes!

 

[PolynesianPrincess]

I'm anxious to see how the magic bands work with the large crowds this week. At one point on our trip 2 weeks ago, the Space Mtn FP line stretched almost down to the line for Astro Orbitor. People really just have no clue what they're doing with these bands. We also saw several CMs letting groups in with FP times that were an hour and a half over. So I'm sure many others were doing the same thing, especially if you go by the phrase "if you let one go, you have to let them all go..." The return rules should be the same as paper FP. You have an hour window.. no more, no less.

 

[G00fyDad]

I'm anxious to see how the magic bands work with the large crowds this week. At one point on our trip 2 weeks ago, the Space Mtn FP line stretched almost down to the line for Astro Orbitor. People really just have no clue what they're doing with these bands. We also saw several CMs letting groups in with FP times that were an hour and a half over. So I'm sure many others were doing the same thing, especially if you go by the phrase "if you let one go, you have to let them all go..." The return rules should be the same as paper FP. You have an hour window.. no more, no less.

The Bands will get rid of that all together. The light will not light up green at the 16 minute after mark. Then it will not matter if the front CM lets you in or not, you still have to scan at the end of the FP line and the CM there will not let them through.

 

[stevehousse]

I will say that Test Track back up had nothing to do with FP+ being added to it! The design of the que lines arewhat throws that rides time off! There really should not dump everyone together after u design cars. You should be able to get closer to the second FP+ post before merging. Even with a FP+ we still had a 25 minute wait for TT an it wasn't even crowded when we went! Design flaw 100%!

 

[stevehousse]

I will add that the only othe ride that had a FP line that didn't move was Jungle Cruise one one. The entire FP que was filled and we didn't move for a good 15 minutes before we go out of line because we thought we would miss our dinner reservations at chef mickeys! This was te only line we experienced with FP that seemed way off! Every other FP line we used was just fine, and either a walk on or a short 5 minute wait...

 

[jlsHouston]

Today I saw what Op's are talking about with the FP queue being backed up when I went to soaring. My FP time was 6-7:15. I got there at 6:50 and about 30 people were in the FP line. The standby line said 100 minutes. I hung back a little not really believing there could be a line to enter at the FP section then got in line at 6:58. At 7:10 I was buckled in my seat and SOARING. I have to say this ride totally brings a smile on my face everytime I ride it and the orange blossoms smelled AWESOME!!

I had dining after that and had to hook it to WS to meet up with DD and grands. The FP+ option worked rather nicely for me today because I finished working at about 5, jumped in the shower, got online after that and selected Soaring for my FP+ ride at Epcot and it gave me a perfect time window...

 

[jlsHouston]

Yep, touringplans.com says today is an 8/10. It's only going to get more crowded as the week progresses... We'll see how it goes!

LAST SLEEP FOR YOU!!!

 

[PolynesianPrincess]

The Bands will get rid of that all together. The light will not light up green at the 16 minute after mark. Then it will not matter if the front CM lets you in or not, you still have to scan at the end of the FP line and the CM there will not let them through.

That is actually not the case. The first CM can force it through meaning it will show up at the second CM that the first CM granted them access to go through. It happened a good 7-8 times on this trip. The Mickeys were lighting up blue and the CMs were telling them their time was half hour ago, or in the one case at BTMRR that really ticked me off, they were an hour and 26 minutes late. The woman was just like "yeah, well, we had some things happen and what not. Just let us through" and they did. I thought the point of the bands was to be able to have the flexibility to change your FP? If they knew they couldn't make it in that hour, they should have changed it. I really hope the CMs stand their ground and don't let people in with expired FPs.

 

[G00fyDad]

That is actually not the case. The first CM can force it through meaning it will show up at the second CM that the first CM granted them access to go through. It happened a good 7-8 times on this trip. The Mickeys were lighting up blue and the CMs were telling them their time was half hour ago, or in the one case at BTMRR that really ticked me off, they were an hour and 26 minutes late. The woman was just like "yeah, well, we had some things happen and what not. Just let us through" and they did. I thought the point of the bands was to be able to have the flexibility to change your FP? If they knew they couldn't make it in that hour, they should have changed it. I really hope the CMs stand their ground and don't let people in with expired FPs.

Wow. What a different experience we had. I watched CM after CM tell guest after guest "I'm sorry. It is 30 minutes (or more) past your return time. You will have to enter the stand-by line." Not once did I see a CM tell a guest that they can go on in.

 

[PolynesianPrincess]

Wow. What a different experience we had. I watched CM after CM tell guest after guest "I'm sorry. It is 30 minutes (or more) past your return time. You will have to enter the stand-by line." Not once did I see a CM tell a guest that they can go on in.

Hmmmmm, I wonder why our experiences were so different? It irked me SO MUCH that they were doing this. Cause you know, once you let one group do it, they'll expect it every time they try to use one late! I can understand if you were stuck on an attraction or the attraction was down earlier in the day and you were now coming back to redeem your FP for it, but to just miss it with no good reason and just expect to use it whenever you want isn't cool. I wonder if maybe they were going with the whole "let them use it late since this is a new system" thing and then slowly roll out the "no, you're late, you can't use it" line after the system has been in place awhile?

Then not to mention the people who still have time before their designated FP time that choose to stand around near the entrance for FP, just waiting, blocking others who are trying to get in. That's probably why some places feel so jumbled and crowded because people don't wait to the side until it's their time. They "hover" so when the clock turns EXACTLY 1:30pm they can use their FP. God forbid they use it at 1:31pm. Geez people, you have a whole hour!!! But I digress....