A New Experience

While at the MK this week end, my sister had trouble with her band at entry. A very nice CM took us to Guest Services to help. When she was done we only had less than 5 minutes to make it all the way to Frontierland for our first FP. She hand wrote a pass allowing us to FP any time on any one attraction. She also divulged a Disney secret I never knew. The actual FP window starts 5 minutes before the stated time and ends 15 minutes after the stated time. We tried it out at Space Mountain and she was right. We arrived at the FP entrance purposely 14 minutes after our last arrival time and got in.

Glad they sorted it out for you!

I've arrived a minute or two early, and had no issues with my FP+, but I didn't know about being late ... I don't think I'd risk it, knowing my luck I'd get a CM who wouldn't let me in.

Good to know!
Thanks:thumbsup:

Thanks for the info!

I'll have to keep this info in mind. Thanks! :mickey:

We got to an attraction late last week because of transportation issues and we asked the cast member. She told us that all fastpasses allow a 15 minute grace period. Another cast member told us you could get on 5 minutes early. We did both without any issues.

Thanks for the info. We've arrived early a few times and just stood around and waited till we were in our window.

If you watch closely, the CM has the option of allowing a guest through the FP line. I watched once and after we passes through, under our names on the computer screen was a green sign. The person after us had a red box under their name but it said "allow" or something similar and the CM touched the screen and they were then allowed on.

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Originally Posted by mellen9

We got to an attraction late last week because of transportation issues and we asked the cast member. She told us that all fastpasses allow a 15 minute grace period. Another cast member told us you could get on 5 minutes early. We did both without any issues.

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Originally Posted by CanadianWDWFan

If you watch closely, the CM has the option of allowing a guest through the FP line. I watched once and after we passes through, under our names on the computer screen was a green sign. The person after us had a red box under their name but it said "allow" or something similar and the CM touched the screen and they were then allowed on.

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There is no "specific programmed" 5/15 minute grace period at attractions FP (although many still say there is - you won't find that in the OG - operations guide - at each attraction nor is that used in the attraction training), HOWEVER, the CM at the FP "Greeter position" has the option to do an "override" on the early/late time frame if he/she desires to do it. The override has 3 options to choose from as to why they are doing it and the CM has to enter one of the 3.

Overrides generally depend on the current length of the FP line, what attraction it is and how long the StandBy line is. )FWIW, at the attraction where I work, CM's do very, very few overrides).

Overrides are counted by management and if an "excessive amount" are occurring on a CM's assignment, that CM can be the subject of, shall we say, a "discussion" with either a Coordinator or Manager.

Wanted to add but my edit time had expired, an attractions manager "can" have the programming changed to allow time exceptions, depending on volume or other situations. Not done often but can be if warranted.

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Originally Posted by 11290

Overrides generally depend on the current length of the FP line, what attraction it is and how long the StandBy line is. )FWIW, at the attraction where I work, CM's do very, very few overrides).

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When we went in February 2013, we arrived two minutes ahead of our FP time for Soarin. The CM told us we had to wait. I kid you not. We have pictures of us holding our FP up, waiting, with the clock above us showing a minute left to go for our time. lol. We never tried to go in early for a ride since, but that makes sense. Soarin' is a pretty popular ride. I figured it had to be subjective.

We had the same experience on the Safari ride. Had to wait for our time exactly on the clock before the CM let us on! We didnt mind, and she had to turn a lot of people away who were early :)

It definitely depends on the CM. There were several rides that we were at least 5 minutes early for and they let us on...including Soarin' and we were there the week between Christmas and New Years.

Why do people always want to bend the rules to accommodate themselves? Sigh! I can understand when the situation made you late and it was not your doing, to let you use your fast pass a few minutes after the expiration. But just because you get there a few minutes early, why do you think you should be allowed in? Doesn't this make the next persons waiting in the standby line for an hour wait longer?
Its like those that try to park at DTD or a resort and travel via transportation just to get out paying the parking fee.

We've never been able to use a Fastpass earlier than the start time. We were three minutes ahead of time at Spaceship Earth and had to get out of the line and re-enter at the right time.