Not doing fastpass or a dining plan doesn't make you a better person.

[Susan Savia]

We use fast passes only on a few rides, Test Track, Toy Story, Safari, come to mind. We don't like criss crossing the park just to get back to our time window to use fast pass. We don't know where we might be at the time the window opens and so in most instances we do not use them. If there is a long line we simply skip it and go on it another day.

Thoughts on the dining plan... we could never eat that much food in one day much less, everyday for the length of our stay. We book two ADRs prior to our trip, one breakfast and one dinner and the rest of our time is free. It would seem too, that all that time spent eating would take up a lot of valuable park time not to mention the time taken to get to these places.

 

[xdan0920]

yes it does

 

[jonnyc]

What was the world like pre-FP? As they have always been in service when i've been going to the World.

 

[the-reason14]

I can't see a problem with Fastpass, I can see how it doesn't work for some rides, but I can't see why anyone wouldn't use it. I have heard people complain abt it on here, but my advice for them then and now is don't use it.

 

[xdan0920]

I can't see a problem with Fastpass, I can see how it doesn't work for some rides, but I can't see why anyone wouldn't use it. I have heard people complain abt it on here, but my advice for them then and now is don't use it.

You contradict yourself in your first sentence. You can't see a problem with fastpass, but you can see why it does not work for some rides. :lol:

Not using it does not solve the problem of having it on Omnimovers. Those rides do not need it. It is good for slow loading rides. Not for rides that are supposed to be constantly loading, all it does is stuff up the lines.

 

[jakeman]

Not for rides that are supposed to be constantly loading, all it does is stuff up the lines.

Not true. Unless you can prove that Fastpass decreases the hourly ride capacity of an omnimover there is no way Fastpass impacts average per guest wait times for any attractions.

The math does not support the assertion that Fastpass adversely affects the wait times at omnimover attractions.

 

[dxwwf3]

Fastpass is ok. No huge gripe with that.
The dining plan is the problem, not that I think I am better than anyone else for not using it.

Dining plan is contributing to two of the worst problems relating to eating at WDW:
1- It has helped make it almost impossible for someone to just make a day visit and eat at a good restaurant.
2- It has caused many restaurants to simplify and/or reduce their menu selections.

The old way was better (Make a priority seating reservation a day out. Keep the menus the way they were. Etc.)
Character meals are horrible, too.....but that is a whole other topic.

Couldn't have said it better myself. FP works for me on most attractions, high capacity rides should avoid it IMO (Buzz and Toy Story Mania come to mind) because the lines would constantly be moving, but that's a minor gripe.

The changes stemming from the DDP have really changed the way we look at dining on our trips. Character buffets haven't helped either, but the real kicker is the recent Seasonal Price increases to the buffets at WDW. Jack up the price $4 because you're going in the summer? We cancel reservations to Crystal Palace and The Garden Grill (they should have kept lunch there).

 

[FreedomWrangler]

Fast Passes are great souvenirs. I love them and use'em extensively to that end. Building a nice collection...probably need to change the name to "Free Pass".

 

[Matt and Kelly]

I'm with the majority in this thread, Fastpass is great. I have no problem waiting in line if need be, but it really is nice to by-pass some lines like TSMM and Soarin' every now and then.

I have not used Dining Plan so I cannot comment on that. That said, I like the idea and would have no problem using it if that is the option we took.

 

[musketeer]

Fast Passes are great souvenirs. I love them and use'em extensively to that end. Building a nice collection...probably need to change the name to "Free Pass".

So you get a fast pass, and then don't use it? Why?

Or did I misunderstand your statement?

 

[musketeer]

Not true. Unless you can prove that Fastpass decreases the hourly ride capacity of an omnimover there is no way Fastpass impacts average per guest wait times for any attractions.

The math does not support the assertion that Fastpass adversely affects the wait times at omnimover attractions.

Completely agree.

The ride doesn't know that there is a fastpass system. If any given ride can have 500 people per hour (no idea if that is a real number or not), then it can have 500 people per hour if there is a fastpass available on it or not.

The availability of fast pass affects the capacity no more than the color of the ceiling of the room that you wait in does.

 

[ClemsonTigger]

Thats the only way we could eat at the restaurants. The dining plan is great and we get to try new places we would have never been able to try otherwise. I don't get how its a pain for the servers? There is nothing wrong with using it at all. The fastpasses are great also.

Some challenges for servers with DDP. Have to keep a second tab for alcohol and items orders outside of the plan.
Since the plan changed from including tip, more and more servers getting stiffed, either on purpose or by accident assuming that tip is included or in the case of two checks (see above) disregarding the alcohol/extras bill in the calculation.
Servers have to bear the brunt of complaints about the system (that of course they have no part of) ...then again CM's in general have to bear the brunt of those kinds of complaints...

I concur with the two negative impact points that Lee listed.

 

[musketeer]

I guess I don't get the arguements of it being harder on the servers as something to convince me it is a bad thing.

So what? Not trying to be harsh, but if they don't like their job, then quit.

If your favorite restarurant (any restaruant, not necessarily disney) comes out with a new menu item that you really like, but you find that it's hard for the cooks to make, would you not get it just for that reason?

Or if a new computer comes to the market that is really great and has all the features that I want, but it's hard to make, would I not get it because of that?

No one is forced to work there. If it's too hard for them, then go elsewhere. And if I remember correctly, there are a few other restaurants around the Orlando area.

I just won't be convinced that the dining plan is bad just because it's hard on the servers.

 

[slacker]

I don't know about the other negative impacts that the dining plan has, but it's not a problem for servers. The computers automatically take off all dining plan items, which leaves you with the alcohol/extras. I also found I rarely got left with no tip.
If servers are complaining about dining plan, that really makes no sense to me at all. I didn't notice a difference from ringing in someone's dining plan card, and someone's visa.
People are great with letting you know in advance they are on a meal plan.. and if they aren't, the server should've asked at the start of the meal. It really isn't complicated.

 

[DrummerAlly]

I think that Fastpass is the best thing since Mickey waffles.

I can understand some of the issues with the dining plan but I think it really benefits certain people who use it right. For example, my fiance and I on our last trip shared meals at counter service restaurants and went to one table service (San Angel Inn) on our entire 7 day trip because we were too cheap to spend money on food. Its not that we couldn't afford to eat better, or didn't want to take the time, the cost just turned us off.

For that reason, we decided for our honeymoon to go with the DDP so that we wouldn't have to worry about it and could enjoy our trip like we want to. Not having to look at the prices on the menu is priceless for us on our honeymoon.

For those who complain that they can't get into restaurants anymore or can't get reservations during peak times.... sorry. As for Disney raising the apparent cost of food and lowering the quality at some restaurants to make up for people using the DDP - that really is sad if thats whats going on.

I'll be enjoying the pre-paid, stress-free nature of the DDP even if others aren't.

 

[SirGoofy]

Not true. Unless you can prove that Fastpass decreases the hourly ride capacity of an omnimover there is no way Fastpass impacts average per guest wait times for any attractions.

The math does not support the assertion that Fastpass adversely affects the wait times at omnimover attractions.

I can prove that there are attractions at Disneyland that work completely fine without it. Attractions that have it at WDW.(Pan, Jungle Cruise, Pooh)

 

[muteki]

Not true. Unless you can prove that Fastpass decreases the hourly ride capacity of an omnimover there is no way Fastpass impacts average per guest wait times for any attractions.

The math does not support the assertion that Fastpass adversely affects the wait times at omnimover attractions.

While as a layman I won't have access to such figures to concretely prove it one way or the other (though I wish I did) I don't think it is too hard to see that the more people that use fastpass for a given ride, the less effective it is as a system. As the ratio of people using fastpass vs standby for a particular attraction approaches unity (as a worst case scenario), the reason for having it goes away.

While not this extreme, the popularity levels of certain rides (TSMM, Pan, others that coincidentally happen to be omnimover) approach this figure,and as such brings their necessity to have fastpass into question.

Adding to this, I could see a few other minor subjective factors, such as CMs not strictly enforcing return times (leading to back-up later in the day), less-than-optimal merging of fastpass and standby lines, contributing to the negative as well, on certain aforementioned attractions.

That being said, I prefer so much having the system than not having it. The difference in wait times from my last trip to those I had pre-fastpass was quite significant. I intend to use it all the time, but some attractions do not need it, I think. That, or at least have the amount they give out for a given time slot tweaked to decrease the behavior I first mentioned.

 

[the-reason14]

You contradict yourself in your first sentence. You can't see a problem with fastpass, but you can see why it does not work for some rides. :lol:

Not using it does not solve the problem of having it on Omnimovers. Those rides do not need it. It is good for slow loading rides. Not for rides that are supposed to be constantly loading, all it does is stuff up the lines.

Ya! As long as I can get on within a few minutes on rides like space mt. EE, TT, than thre is no problem lol.

But shows and omnimovers are where Fastpasses meets its problems.

 

[jakeman]

I can prove that there are attractions at Disneyland that work completely fine without it. Attractions that have it at WDW.(Pan, Jungle Cruise, Pooh)

But you can't compare two attractions in different parks. You have traffic flow, guest preference, differences in the ride itself and a host of other factors.

It's math. It's not refutable.

While as a layman I won't have access to such figures to concretely prove it one way or the other (though I wish I did) I don't think it is too hard to see that the more people that use fastpass for a given ride, the less effective it is as a system. As the ratio of people using fastpass vs standby for a particular attraction approaches unity (as a worst case scenario), the reason for having it goes away.

While not this extreme, the popularity levels of certain rides (TSMM, Pan, others that coincidentally happen to be omnimover) approach this figure,and as such brings their necessity to have fastpass into question.

Adding to this, I could see a few other minor subjective factors, such as CMs not strictly enforcing return times (leading to back-up later in the day), less-than-optimal merging of fastpass and standby lines, contributing to the negative as well, on certain aforementioned attractions.

That being said, I prefer so much having the system than not having it. The difference in wait times from my last trip to those I had pre-fastpass was quite significant. I intend to use it all the time, but some attractions do not need it, I think. That, or at least have the amount they give out for a given time slot tweaked to decrease the behavior I first mentioned.

However, none of these are based in the principle that Fastpass increases wait times.

They don't and it's impossible unless it decreases hourly ride capacity.

 

[muteki]

But you can't compare two attractions in different parks. You have traffic flow, guest preference, differences in the ride itself and a host of other factors.

It's math. It's not refutable.

However, none of these are based in the principle that Fastpass increases wait times.

They don't and it's impossible unless it decreases hourly ride capacity.

If you are so certain about your math, do you mind sharing it? Not intending to call you out or anything, but I really am interested in seeing it.

Fastpass may have little effect on overall capacity for a given ride, but the benefits it poses for one line may not outweigh the costs to those in the other. I would like to see data broken out not just for ride vs. ride, but standby line vs. fastpass. I would like to see how many guests per day or hour have reduced wait times vs how many have longer ones because of it. Then it is simply a judgement call.