x pass?

[MickeysBestPal]

I would LIKE to see them enforce this. I dont think its very fair to allow you to come anytime that day with a pass that has the time on it...

It simply doesn't matter WHEN a person chooses to use a FP, after the earliest Return Time is reached.

It
does
not
matter.

[Buttercup]

This is the 33 year old fuddy-duddy coming out in me... so bear with me.

When I make my ADR for dinner at say, 6pm, I show up for my ADR at 6pm. Why? Because that's when I made the reservation. I can't show up at 7pm and expect they'll have a table for me, because now my table has gone to the next party who has shown up at the proper time. I think we can all agree on that premise, right?

So when my fast pass says I have to come back between 1pm - 2pm (and I do see this on the sign before choose to get the actual fast passes), you bet your bottom I'm gonna be there within that hour! Why? Because in my mind, Disney has figured out some calculation that there will be X-number of people coming between 1-2pm with their fast passes, and therefore the fast pass lane will move at a good pace in order to accommodate those X-number of people. But then you toss in all the people who decided NOT to use their fast passes in the morning, and they start showing up between 1-2pm as well, and suddenly my fast pass lineup isn't moving so fast anymore. All because people decided to stretch the rules and take advantage of Disney's "make the guest happy" approach. All those rule-benders are filling up what would have been a quick and easy fast pass line for those of us who follow the rules. So in my eyes... it. does. matter.

See? I told you that you'd think I'm being a fuddy-duddy!
I didn't realize so many people stretched that rule and figured the fast pass was good for "anytime" after the start time. I honestly believe if they post the times above the kiosk, you know what time you're going to get and if you don't like it, don't get the fast pass right away!

Now. With that said, in regards to an X-pass, where I have to schedule what time, on what day I want to be riding Space Mountain, that's just going too far. I'm quite happy deciding on the day-of what I want to do (as in "Oh, we can get a fast pass for Soarin for between 2-3pm... that sounds good). But I seriously don't have the time to be sitting at home on my computer figuring out "On Tuesday January 29th, at 3pm, let's schedule a ride on Soarin'." That's ridiculous.

[MickeysBestPal]

So when my fast pass says I have to come back between 1pm - 2pm (and I do see this on the sign before choose to get the actual fast passes), you bet your bottom I'm gonna be there within that hour! Why? Because in my mind, Disney has figured out some calculation that there will be X-number of people coming between 1-2pm with their fast passes, and therefore the fast pass lane will move at a good pace in order to accommodate those X-number of people. But then you toss in all the people who decided NOT to use their fast passes in the morning, and they start showing up between 1-2pm as well, and suddenly my fast pass lineup isn't moving so fast anymore. .

That not the correct formula to compute the actual effect.

It doesn't matter when you use the FP as long as it is after the earliest Return Time.

If you didn't use it within the "window," then you (in effect) "let guests go on the ride ahead of you" during that window.

But, your "place in line" would still be waiting for you later in the day.

[Goes4FastPass]

[QUOTE=Buttercup;2207605]This is the 33 year old fuddy-duddy coming out in me... so bear with me.

When I make my ADR for dinner at say, 6pm, I show up for my ADR at 6pm. Why? Because that's when I made the reservation. I can't show up at 7pm and expect they'll have a table for me, because now my table has gone to the next party who has shown up at the proper time. I think we can all agree on that premise, right?...QUOTE]

A meal at a table in a restaurant with a limited number of tables and you use the table for an hour is not the same thing as a WDW attraction designed for capcity-capacity-capacity.

It's enough that the meal that you and I arrive to eat at 6:00pm had to be reserved the minute reservation lines opened 180+10 days ago. It's enough that we have to be at DHS when it opens to get near TSM. It's enough that headliners require a FP to be experienced

(do you know how long it takes to walk from anywhere in EPCOT all the way to and through the Land and downstairs to the Soarin' FP machines?)

If we come back a little late to use those FPs I certainly hope the whole place doesn't turn into chaos and anarchy.

Increasingly, I feel like WDW is the place where children experience magic and adults experience schedules.

[Mousemates]

Increasingly, I feel like WDW is the place where children experience magic and adults experience schedules.

great line

[Terra]

This is the 33 year old fuddy-duddy coming out in me... so bear with me.

When I make my ADR for dinner at say, 6pm, I show up for my ADR at 6pm. Why? Because that's when I made the reservation. I can't show up at 7pm and expect they'll have a table for me, because now my table has gone to the next party who has shown up at the proper time. I think we can all agree on that premise, right?

So when my fast pass says I have to come back between 1pm - 2pm (and I do see this on the sign before choose to get the actual fast passes), you bet your bottom I'm gonna be there within that hour! Why? Because in my mind, Disney has figured out some calculation that there will be X-number of people coming between 1-2pm with their fast passes, and therefore the fast pass lane will move at a good pace in order to accommodate those X-number of people. But then you toss in all the people who decided NOT to use their fast passes in the morning, and they start showing up between 1-2pm as well, and suddenly my fast pass lineup isn't moving so fast anymore. All because people decided to stretch the rules and take advantage of Disney's "make the guest happy" approach. All those rule-benders are filling up what would have been a quick and easy fast pass line for those of us who follow the rules. So in my eyes... it. does. matter.

See? I told you that you'd think I'm being a fuddy-duddy!
I didn't realize so many people stretched that rule and figured the fast pass was good for "anytime" after the start time. I honestly believe if they post the times above the kiosk, you know what time you're going to get and if you don't like it, don't get the fast pass right away!

Now. With that said, in regards to an X-pass, where I have to schedule what time, on what day I want to be riding Space Mountain, that's just going too far. I'm quite happy deciding on the day-of what I want to do (as in "Oh, we can get a fast pass for Soarin for between 2-3pm... that sounds good). But I seriously don't have the time to be sitting at home on my computer figuring out "On Tuesday January 29th, at 3pm, let's schedule a ride on Soarin'." That's ridiculous.

May I join the fuddy-duddy club? Does being 40 get me in?

Seriously though, I agree with you 100%.

I completely understand not wanting to be hindered by a strict schedule. But honestly if you have one hour to return, that's pretty flexible in my opinion. Now if it said between 1:00 and 1:05, okay, I'd think that was too much!

And when I do ADR's [local here, so generally we just walk up and see but sometimes we do]. I know in advance [days/weeks] what time, so I make plans to be there on time. Not that big of deal to say "Hey, my dinner ADR is at 6pm. It's 5pm now and I want to ride test track. The standby line is 40 minutes. I don't think I'll chance it, I'll do something else."

Just seems logical to me. I don't really get the rational of I want to be flexible when there is a good gap of time to return on. To me that would be like saying it would be okay then for the WDW parks to say "Hey today we feel like opening at 10am instead of 9am." Or you wouldn't book a vacation plane reservation that takes off at 5pm and think, "Oh I don't to be rushed, I think I'll show up at 5:15 and board."

Even on vacation there are typically some kind of general guidelines unless you truly do no ADRs or FPs and just walk through the park, doing whatever spontaneously.

Just my own take

[MickeysBestPal]

I don't really get the rational of I want to be flexible when there is a good gap of time to return on. To me that would be like saying it would be okay then for the WDW parks to say "Hey today we feel like opening at 10am instead of 9am." Or you wouldn't book a vacation plane reservation that takes off at 5pm and think, "Oh I don't to be rushed, I think I'll show up at 5:15 and board."

It's not the same thing.

It doesn't matter when you use your FP.
Your "place in line" has been reserved.
You can use it any time after the earliest Return Time without it negatively affecting others.
They would have been "behind you" anyway.
It's just that you let hundreds of others ride ahead of you, before you finally showed up to take your rightful place in the line.

Consider that you walk up to the FP line during your printed FP window...
but, instead of walking thru the line, you stand at a wide corner of the FP line, and just motion for others behind you to pass.
They go ahead of you, while you just continue to stand there, out of the way.

You continue doing that for, oh, an hour, two hours, THREE hours... then, you just join the FP line at that point and walk on up and board, and ride... three hours "late."

Now, who did you hurt in the above situation?

[MickeyFan1998]

I'm going to chime in and join the "fuddy-duddy" crowd. It's a 14 hour drive for us to visit, so we do schedule ADR's. I know what time I booked them, so if a return time on the FP is the same time, I don't get the FP. This actually happened to us on our trip in '04. I didn't think to check the return time and we got FP's for TT. We had an ADR for Garden Grill at that time, so we gave them to a couple with two kids who wanted to ride, but couldn't get them because they were all out. I think at the end of the day, it's a matter of just being on time. If it says to return at this time, that's when you should return to ride. I do understand that there will be circumstances, i.e. rides breaking down, to where you can't ride but for the most part, you should figure that into your schedule when you stop to get the FP.

Just my for what it's worth...

[Terra]

It's not the same thing.

It doesn't matter when you use your FP.
Your "place in line" has been reserved.
You can use it any time after the earliest Return Time without it negatively affecting others.
They would have been "behind you" anyway.
It's just that you let hundreds of others ride ahead of you, before you finally showed up to take your rightful place in the line.

Consider that you walk up to the FP line during your printed FP window...
but, instead of walking thru the line, you stand at a wide corner of the FP line, and just motion for others behind you to pass.
They go ahead of you, while you just continue to stand there, out of the way.

You continue doing that for, oh, an hour, two hours, THREE hours... then, you just join the FP line at that point and walk on up and board, and ride... three hours "late."

Now, who did you hurt in the above situation?

Yes it is the same thing in my opinion. There's a specific time printed on the FP ticket. Return within the times. It's that simple. Otherwise they should have renamed it or put "Good anytime AFTER "X" time."

And again, even though others have explained it, it DOES make the waiting longer because let's say 100 people got the FP. The 1st 25 come back between 12-1, the second 25 from 1-2, the third from 2-3 and the 4 group of 25 from 3-4. But none of them showed up until 2 pm. There's going to be a heck of longer wait than if say, the first 25 showed up 12-1pm, and so on and so forth.

So either it needs to be a "true" time or the FP needs to be redone to read "anytime". Then it honestly defeats the purpose of FP.

As an adult, I just chose to follow the time guidelines. I realize however with children [I have 2 small ones myself] that sometimes sticking to times in a huge park can be a bit taxing!! But generally It works out great for us. I also realize others are different though.

[dmosher]

For the record certain cats members in certain areas have been informed that they will be enforcing the FP 1 hour time slot in the future. While this is not an official Disney policy yet, it is in the testing/working phase and it looks like it will go through. This is being changed to force guests to adhere to the time limit on their FB stub. While some may see this as being to strict, the fast pass system was designed to streamline the line and without this restriction it has not worked as well as projected. It is just another example of the system needing to evolve to accomodate the number of guests.

Sorry but that seems to be the state of things.

[Terra]

For the record certain cats members in certain areas have been informed that they will be enforcing the FP 1 hour time slot in the future. While this is not an official Disney policy yet, it is in the testing/working phase and it looks like it will go through. This is being changed to force guests to adhere to the time limit on their FB stub. While some may see this as being to strict, the fast pass system was designed to streamline the line and without this restriction it has not worked as well as projected. It is just another example of the system needing to evolve to accomodate the number of guests.

Sorry but that seems to be the state of things.

Great point! Agreed!

[Goes4FastPass]

For the record certain cats members in certain areas have been informed that they will be enforcing the FP 1 hour time slot in the future. While this is not an official Disney policy yet, it is in the testing/working phase and it looks like it will go through. This is being changed to force guests to adhere to the time limit on their FB stub. While some may see this as being to strict, the fast pass system was designed to streamline the line and without this restriction it has not worked as well as projected. It is just another example of the system needing to evolve to accomodate the number of guests.

Sorry but that seems to be the state of things.

Greaat.... Just what we happy vacationers need, strrrrict cast members who get to nail guests who are 6 minutes late for their FP return time. "No Splash Mountain for you today! Mwah ah ah!... I'm just doing my job! Mwah ah ah!... "

"For the record" this is so very wrong. It is bad for the Walt Disney Company for "the system" to "evolve" in the wrong direction.

[Buttercup]

Yes it is the same thing in my opinion. There's a specific time printed on the FP ticket. Return within the times. It's that simple. Otherwise they should have renamed it or put "Good anytime AFTER "X" time."

And again, even though others have explained it, it DOES make the waiting longer because let's say 100 people got the FP. The 1st 25 come back between 12-1, the second 25 from 1-2, the third from 2-3 and the 4 group of 25 from 3-4. But none of them showed up until 2 pm. There's going to be a heck of longer wait than if say, the first 25 showed up 12-1pm, and so on and so forth.

So either it needs to be a "true" time or the FP needs to be redone to read "anytime". Then it honestly defeats the purpose of FP.

As an adult, I just chose to follow the time guidelines. I realize however with children [I have 2 small ones myself] that sometimes sticking to times in a huge park can be a bit taxing!! But generally It works out great for us. I also realize others are different though.

The system was put in place so people would come back during the appointed time. That's how it was originally created: how it was supposed to keep a limited, pre-determined number of people in the FP lineup at all times to ensure it moves quickly.
I'm sure when FP started, some people showed up a little late, and some generous cast members said "No problem, come on in". I have no problem with that: if you're supposed to be there by 2pm and it's 2:05... okay, you were a little delayed. But then somehow, over the years, that little bit of generosity has morphed into a free-for-all where people consider it the "norm" to come back whenever they feel like it, even hours later! That's not being a little hung-up and delayed on another ride... that's purposely waiting until hours later to use your fast pass. And that's not how it was or should be used.

Here's me in my Fuddy Duddy hat:

[Ian]

Over the course of a day, barring anything anamalous, people coming back after their FP window has closed would not affect wait times.

And even if it did, it would positively affect wait times at a different time of day since the people coming back late weren't in the line earlier.

Once you understand that there's a fixed number of FP's distributed in a given day for a given attraction, it's fairly straightforward to see that the impact from this is very, very low and certainly nothing for Disney to take a guest satisfaction risk on.

[BrerGnat]

My guess is that somewhere north of 75% of guests don't read the fine print. Right on the ticket, since the beginning of Fastpass, it says that it's good anytime after the return window opens up, for THAT day. Most guests probably see the BIG time window, and follow it. They don't read the back of the ticket, all the fine print, etc.

I have a hard time believing that Disney always intended the window to be a hard and fast rule. They designed the system to accommodate latecomers, and it does not change the waits one way or another how late you arrive with your FP.

What the problem is, is that they have stuck FP on too many rides where it's just not a good thing, loading wise, to have. You can see evidence of this at Disneyland resort, which has many of the same rides as WDW, but WITHOUT fastpasses, and the lines never get insanely long. WDW is too liberal with the amount of FP attractions, and that is why the lines are not manageable. Although, for all this talk of long FP waits, I've NEVER, since the advent of FP, waited more than 10 minutes in a FP line. I think too many people think FP means 'board immediately" and it just doesn't mean that at all.

[Ian]

I have a hard time believing that Disney always intended the window to be a hard and fast rule. They designed the system to accommodate latecomers, and it does not change the waits one way or another how late you arrive with your FP.

I'm not sure that's true ... at least in the beginning of the system, I'm fairly certain the back of the ticket said, "Return between the two times listed on the front of this ticket."

So in the beginning they may have intended it to work that way, but I'm pretty sure they now say you can return any time after your window opens, which leads me to believe that's the way they're intended to be used currently.

[Terra]

I've NEVER, since the advent of FP, waited more than 10 minutes in a FP line. I think too many people think FP means 'board immediately" and it just doesn't mean that at all.

Generally I've found that too be true as well except at Soarin', Test Track and Splash Mountain.

I'm not sure that's true ... at least in the beginning of the system, I'm fairly certain the back of the ticket said, "Return between the two times listed on the front of this ticket."

So in the beginning they may have intended it to work that way, but I'm pretty sure they now say you can return any time after your window opens, which leads me to believe that's the way they're intended to be used currently.

I'm going Saturday to MK, so I'm going to look on a FP ticket to see what it currently says. I do believe you're right though Ian. I don't have a problem really if it states that plainly and that's the direction they've gone/want to go.

I just like something fairly concrete either way.

[MickeysBestPal]

For the record certain cats members in certain areas have been informed that they will be enforcing the FP 1 hour time slot in the future.

While that was reported by certain sites a week or two ago, it looks, now, to have been incorrect information.

[MickeysBestPal]

Here are the facts:

Disney, as a policy, accepts a FP any time after the earliest Return Time on the same day that the FP is issued.

Anyone who wants to use a FP within the printed window has a right to do so.

Anyone who wants to use a FP later than the printed window has a right to do so, as this is Disney's policy.

Can Disney change its policy at any time?
Yes.
But, they have not done so, as of yet.

[Ian]

I'm going Saturday to MK, so I'm going to look on a FP ticket to see what it currently says. I do believe you're right though Ian. I don't have a problem really if it states that plainly and that's the direction they've gone/want to go.

I just like something fairly concrete either way.

I actually did a Google image search earlier on this and found plenty of examples of Fastpasses that had the "Return Between ... " language on them, but none with the " ... any time after your window opens" language.