Fastpass Changes In March

[zipadeedoodah]

And for great service, you will still receive great service... Just because Disney will be enforcing this policy doesn't mean their service suddenly became garbage...

Well said!

[DizneyFreak2002]

Well, I HATE this new idea! Hate it. With kids, I like the idea of grabbing a fast pass and coming back to that attraction later in the day. Instead, their little legs have to go from one side of the park to the other trying to get somewhere in a tiny little window of time. It's nice grabbing a fast pass for Test Track or Soarin in the morning, and then coming back in the evening when nothing is happening in World Showcase. NO MORE Stinking shame. Rethinking the expediancy of my next WDW trip.

Maybe you need to stay away then... Or better yet, figure out a better touring plan... You will have an hour and twenty minutes to get to your ride... Plenty of time even from World Showcase... No reason to be dragging your kids... You can still take your time to get over to Soarin...

I'll give you some free consultation, next time I'm charging... When you get to a theme park, and there is a ride you just have to do, go there first, your wait time will be next to nothing... And before getting a FP, check out the return times... Chances are, for TT, Soaring, and TSMM, the FP return times will be way later in the day, so you really are not losing out on anything, so no dragging your kid from one end of the park to the other... And if the return times are that close to the time you are there at that moment, then, I don't know, stay close enough to that attraction and do other things in that area...

It really isn't that big of a deal, just now you have to actually follow rules...

[badkitty]

I'm surprised at how upset everyone is on both sides of the argument. I really don't have a strong opinion one way or the other and I don't want to offend anyone. I'd like to say though, with the vast attendance in the park and the limited number of fastpasses that are distributed, I can't believe that the few that "break the rules" are really significantly affecting the length of the fastpass line. If Disney has allowed it in the past, it isn't really getting away with something. It was Disney's policy to allow a same-day-no-expiration.

I agree with the PP who said the problem is with the crowding at the fastpass entrance for those waiting for their start time!

I think my issue will be with the next-gen fastpass if it turns out to be as rumored. I like to plan my trips but I don't want to mega-plan them. I don't choose ADRs more than a day or so in advance and I definitely will not be selecting fastpasses months in advance. Please pity me in the stand-by line as you pass me by.

[Goofster]

But isn't this exactly what sets Disney apart from other theme parks? It's that extra "magic" that they put into people's vacation that keeps them going back.

I'm curious to know if people on this board visit other parks like a Six Flags or a Cedar Point Park.

We go to Cedar Point once every summer and there isn't any extra magic there...not really any magic. Just roller coasters and long lines. If a ride breaks down while you are in line, which they often do, you can either wait for it to go back online or leave and come back later. The park doesn't give you a fast pass for your time spent in line.

[ChipNDale79]

Maybe you need to stay away then

That's thing that very well could happen, people may stay away. I don't think I'm asking for much, all I'm asking for his some leniency when it comes to the time window, sometimes things happen.

When you spend the amount of money that you do on a Disney vacation its the least that WDW could do.

And before you say, fine stay away, there are 100 people that will take your place, well there arent. If there were 100 people that would take my place at Disney, then WDW wouldn' have been running the promotions they have been running for the past number of years. If someone chooses not to go, then thats one less person that Disney is missing out on, no one is going to take their place.


Quite honestly I don't go to Universal because they don't have a Fast Pass system comparable to Disney. I understand they have a pass but you have to pay extra for it. I also understand that Universal isn't hurting either, but I wonder how much better they would be doing if they followed the same path that Disney follows.

Let's just hope that Disney doesn't head in the direction of Universal.

[TinkerbellT421]

Speaking of six flags, I haven't been there in years, cause frankly I hate that place, for many reasons. But isn't there some type of fast pass system there? But you have to pay extra for it, it's not called fast it has a different name, and it's a ridiculous amount of money. Am I way off base?

[MstngDrvnDsnyLvr]

WOW - HEATED SUBJECT!!

All that is happening is that they are going to enforce what they already have in place. And how many people that visit WDW and DL actually realize that they CAN go after the time PRINTED IN BOLD PRINT ON THE FP TICKET?? Probably not as many as those that actually do go after their allotted FP time.

So instead of just grabbing any old FP, one will have to actually pay attention to the FP times before getting passes. As for the one that was all .... so sorry that you feel that way, but I personally have to applaud Disney for the enforcement of the FP window.

[Mousemates]

Maybe you need to stay away then...

...I'll give you some free consultation, next time I'm charging...

It really isn't that big of a deal, just now you have to actually follow rules...

Two thoughts:

#1 when the tone of a response loses civility it seldom moves the discussion forward.

#2 the number of times some folks have posted to this particular thread indicates it might be a bigger deal to them than they realize.

[ChipNDale79]

Two thoughts:

#1 when the tone of a response loses civility it seldom moves the discussion forward.

#2 the number of times some folks have posted to this particular thread indicates it might be a bigger deal to them than they realize.

Where's the "like" button?

[DizneyFreak2002]

That's thing that very well could happen, people may stay away. I don't think I'm asking for much, all I'm asking for his some leniency when it comes to the time window, sometimes things happen.

When you spend the amount of money that you do on a Disney vacation its the least that WDW could do.

And before you say, fine stay away, there are 100 people that will take your place, well there arent. If there were 100 people that would take my place at Disney, then WDW wouldn' have been running the promotions they have been running for the past number of years. If someone chooses not to go, then thats one less person that Disney is missing out on, no one is going to take their place.


Quite honestly I don't go to Universal because they don't have a Fast Pass system comparable to Disney. I understand they have a pass but you have to pay extra for it. I also understand that Universal isn't hurting either, but I wonder how much better they would be doing if they followed the same path that Disney follows.

Let's just hope that Disney doesn't head in the direction of Universal.

Disney should head in the direction of Universal because Universal has been doing it right lately, Disney been doing things all wrong...

And you are getting leniency, an hour and 20 minutes worth, not all day anymore (the hour of your window plus 5 minutes before and 15 minutes after)... That is plenty of enough time... And again, if the return time doesn't work for you then don't get a fastpass...

As for Universal's Express Pass, actually, I have read different articles about it... Doing it the way they currently do it actually makes it more efficient than Disney's FP system allowing guests to come in anytime they want after the return time... Numbers have been put out there, and no I am not going to rehash them here, but wait times for popular rides have actually lessened with Universal's Express Pass system... So their system really isn't a bad thing... And that as before Potter opened...

[DizneyFreak2002]

I think my issue will be with the next-gen fastpass if it turns out to be as rumored. I like to plan my trips but I don't want to mega-plan them. I don't choose ADRs more than a day or so in advance and I definitely will not be selecting fastpasses months in advance. Please pity me in the stand-by line as you pass me by.

The NextGen Fastpass will only be an option.. You don't have to use it when booking your Disney World vacation... You'll still be able to wing it... And I'll be standing with you on the standby line as I don't like to plan every minute either...

[DizneyFreak2002]

Speaking of six flags, I haven't been there in years, cause frankly I hate that place, for many reasons. But isn't there some type of fast pass system there? But you have to pay extra for it, it's not called fast it has a different name, and it's a ridiculous amount of money. Am I way off base?

Six Flags has a pay system called Flash Pass... Looking at their site now, for Six Flags Great Adventure here in NJ, the Flash Pass is $45.00 for the first person... Gold Flash passes are $80.00 for the first person and platinum flash passes are $120 for the first person... And are good for only that day of purchase... So yes, fairly expensive...

I never had the need for a flash pass at Great Adventure... I just wait... and if the wait time is that long, then I skip the ride until later... However, I also know that certain coasters are more popular than others, so i plan accordingly.. I'll go to El Toro and Green Lantern first thing in the day since lines are minimal upon park opening, then work my way over to Nitro later in the day...

[ChipNDale79]

Disney should head in the direction of Universal because Universal has been doing it right lately, Disney been doing things all wrong...

And you are getting leniency, an hour and 20 minutes worth, not all day anymore (the hour of your window plus 5 minutes before and 15 minutes after)... That is plenty of enough time... And again, if the return time doesn't work for you then don't get a fastpass...

As for Universal's Express Pass, actually, I have read different articles about it... Doing it the way they currently do it actually makes it more efficient than Disney's FP system allowing guests to come in anytime they want after the return time... Numbers have been put out there, and no I am not going to rehash them here, but wait times for popular rides have actually lessened with Universal's Express Pass system... So their system really isn't a bad thing... And that as before Potter opened...

So Disney should start to charge $20 per day per person for Fast Passes, is that what you are suggesting?

[DizneyFreak2002]

Two thoughts:

#1 when the tone of a response loses civility it seldom moves the discussion forward.

#2 the number of times some folks have posted to this particular thread indicates it might be a bigger deal to them than they realize.

I will continue to post... so, i dunno what your post really is meant to do..

[DizneyFreak2002]

So Disney should start to charge $20 per day per person for Fast Passes, is that what you are suggesting?

If that is what they decide to do, then so be it... sometimes you have to pay for the privilege...

[ChipNDale79]

If that is what they decide to do, then so be it... sometimes you have to pay for the privilege...

I wouldn't think that would be a smart move on their part, considering the promotions they've had to run in the past couple of years just to get people to WDW.

I for one would stop going to WDW as much as I do now if that were the case. We would take the kids every 3-4 years, but we wouldn't go every year. I've had this discussion with several friends and they all express the same opinions.

There's a point where enough is enough. So I'm not so sure that's a good idea.

[DizneyFreak2002]

I wouldn't think that would be a smart move on their part, considering the promotions they've had to run in the past couple of years just to get people to WDW.

I for one would stop going to WDW as much as I do now if that were the case. We would take the kids every 3-4 years, but we wouldn't go every year. I've had this discussion with several friends and they all express the same opinions.

There's a point where enough is enough. So I'm not so sure that's a good idea.

I can find 1000 other reasons not to go to WDW every year, FP is not one of them... But that is your decision and you are entitled to it...

And whether we think it is a good idea or not, if Disney decides to go that way, what can we do? Not go.. Which is what I been saying through out this whole thread... if someone doesn't like it, then they don't have to go... So, again, you backed up my points exactly...

I don't like every decision Disney makes either... But I still choose to go and enjoy myself... I don't like the 180 day ADR window, but that doesn't stop me from making ADRs or going... I just may not make a lot of ADRs or I may cancel the ADR... I don't let policy that I do not like affect my vacation... And it seems like, and again, not pointing to you so don't take this personal, a lot of people will let this affect their vacation... it shouldn't...

If they went to a pay system (and the NextGen choose your ride time FP may be a pay system), then they do... We also don't know what their plan for this truly is... So a lot of people are really getting ahead of themselves with this...

Oh, just one more point... None of us like when Disney raises ticket prices and hotel room rates... We all think it is a bad idea... Yet, we all still pay their prices and 17 million people still enter the gates... If people want the privilege of choosing their return times, they may have to pay for it... or if people want the privilege of returning to the ride any time they want, they may have to pay for it, like in other theme parks... Disney is a business... They will always look out for number 1 ( their bottom line)... And yet 17 million people still visit Magic Kingdom every year...

What is wrong with me, I'm actually defending TDO???

[wildernesslady]

We have been guilty of going to a ride after the FP time. Mainly for convenience of where we are and what we are doing at the time.

We will obviously be following the new rules as we feel the FP system is a good one. It will just require a little more planning.

Remember, sometimes change is good. We all just need to adjust. I will not; however, ever pay for the FP service. Hopefully, Disney does not start charging for that.

It is what it is. That seems to be my motto for 2012.

[Polynesian Dweller]

Well, I HATE this new idea! Hate it. With kids, I like the idea of grabbing a fast pass and coming back to that attraction later in the day. Instead, their little legs have to go from one side of the park to the other trying to get somewhere in a tiny little window of time. It's nice grabbing a fast pass for Test Track or Soarin in the morning, and then coming back in the evening when nothing is happening in World Showcase. NO MORE Stinking shame. Rethinking the expediancy of my next WDW trip.

We have never missed a FP window in all of our trips. Never! And never felt any hardship or put out at all. It is not hard at all.

With everything in this world, you work within the parameters you are given. The parameters for FP are easy. Before you get one you know the return time, it's posted above the machines. You decide if it works for you. If it does then you get one. Then you plan your activities to be back at your time. That will be 2 hrs, plus a 1 hr window plus 15 minutes. So you have 3 hours and 15 minutes to get back. That's a lot of time. If, for example, at 9 am someone can't plan to be back by 12:15 then that says more about that individual's planning ability than anything else.

[ChipNDale79]

And whether we think it is a good idea or not, if Disney decides to go that way, what can we do?

It's pretty simple, as you've been saying all along, don't go. But I dont see how that helps Disney, and in the end what they really care about is filling their resorts up with guests and selling merchandise and food to those guests. So if the decisions they make upset enough people, like adding another fee for another service, those people who go on a yearly basis may very well not go as much.

Currently they are NOT filling their rooms or parks, so in the end it'll hurt their bottom line.

Ive experienced Disney when fast passes were gone and wait times for attractions like HM were 2 hours, you wont catch me dead in a Disney park in that situation ever again. It wasnt fun, if they start charging for Fast Passes, as Universals does, that's exactly the situation they will find themselves in.

Can you explain to me how people not going to WDW helps the Walt Disney Company?

However I do think we have gotten completely off topic.