Fastpass Window Enforced?

[TulaBelle]

Hey folks! Here's a question, maybe all the scrutiny on the FP times is in preperation for a upgrade/change to the system?

[Tater]

So far we used our FPs with in the window. All but one and they did not seem to look at the return time.

[bluebayou]

The whole purpose of fastpass is for you to return between "x and X time." If you have an ADR or some other plans at that time, don't be so damn greedy and get a pass. If messes up the whole system if everyone comes back with a fastpass at the end of the night,etc.

[danyoung]

I tend to agree with you, bluebayou. If I have dinner scheduled for 7pm, it would be short-sighted to accept a FP with a return window of say 7pm to 8pm, or even one from 7:30pm to 8:30pm. There's just too much of a chance that dinner would run late and I'd miss the endtime of my FP window.

[Leslie]

Totally agreeded. I know the last time 2 years ago when we got FP for SM the CM'S held there hand out for the FP'S without even looking at them and said to go in. Hopefully they are training the CM'S to check the time's before letting people proceed to the ride. It's the fair thing to do for everyone visiting.

[danyoung]

Agreeded? That's a fun new word!

[cstephens]

I generally try to return within the window that the Fastpass provides. But as long as Disney allows people to use the Fastpass on the same day after the window is up, then I don't see a problem with people using the Fastpass later in the evening.

[danyoung]

I agree with you that it's really not a problem using them when Disney allows you to. My whole point is that Disney SHOUDN'T allow us to.

[Guardboy21]

Does anyone know if the return fastpass policy is going to be enforced at Disneyland. We're going in 2 days, and because there is a party of 8, we kind of need to know

[cstephens]

Does anyone know if the return fastpass policy is going to be enforced at Disneyland. We're going in 2 days, and because there is a party of 8, we kind of need to know

They've never enforced the end return time that I know of since they implemented the system. They've only enforced the beginning return time. So if your return window is from 2pm to 3pm, you can't use the Fastpass until their system says it's 2pm, but you can use if even if it's any time after 3pm, as long as it's the same day.

[Guardboy21]

They've never enforced the end return time that I know of since they implemented the system. They've only enforced the beginning return time. So if your return window is from 2pm to 3pm, you can't use the Fastpass until their system says it's 2pm, but you can use if even if it's any time after 3pm, as long as it's the same day.

Okay, thanks, that's good to know

[bumblebeeonarose]

I just read all of the previous posts. It seems that most people think that the return time should be enforced, but that perhaps there should be a two hour window. This is exactly what I was thinking when DH and I visited Disneyland in September.

Because we know that it is only the start time that matters, we got FP specifically to use in the evenings. The mornings (a Fri & Sat) were both fairly light in attendance, with evenings being much heavier (it was the start of the Halloween season). While we walked around the park I noticed that the rides had very short waits in the morning, Ghost Galaxy (SM) being the longest at about 30 minutes. Most other rides, even Star Tours, were basically walk-ons. It seemed funny that you could get a FP for 8:40-9:40 for Star Tours. At 8:40 the wait for Star Tours was about 15 minutes. No one really needs a FP for that kind of wait. But people, like us, get those FP because we can. We know we can use them later.

This really does create problems later in the evening. I know 3P1P was saying that it doesn't because overall the daily ride rate is the same, but it does. This was painfully obvious when we waited about 30 minutes in the FP line for Holiday Haunted Mansion. Early in the day we got a FP. We rode the ride through the standby line. The ride was basically a walk-on, although the stretching room was full. By evening though, the ride was packed. If we, and many other guests, had had to use our FP during our allotted time, the evening lines (FP and Standby) would have run more smoothly. They really would have because the number of people in line would have been more evenly spaced throughout the day. The standby might have been 20 minutes in the morning instead of a walk-on, but those people would have all ridden at that time allowing for that many less people to ride in the evening.

Of course, we were one of the people abusing the system. But I don't really think of it as abuse because that is the policy. Since that is the policy, that is how we tour the park. If they enforced the times (prefferably with a longer window), we would certainly follow the rules. I believe that it would really help with certain rides like Splash Mountain. The ride has very little wait early in the day, yet people grab the FP for 9:30. They then return at 2:30 when it's blazing hot out. They get a quick wait while forcing others to stand in the heat longer (yes, I do this). This certainly makes a BIG difference as the time that they were supposed to return had no wait. Many logs run empty in the mornings (even in June). Instead they ride during the peak time with everyone else who wants to cool down.

Just my thoughts. I do feel that it could make a difference. Yes, it would change the way we tour the park, but it would help with some of the line congestion. I believe that FP would be better if it was used as it was meant to be. As for me, I will continue to get FP early and use them at my convenience as long as that is the policy, but I still think they should fix the system.

[crazysheli]

I am a fast pass return time abuser. I have no shame in coming back late for a FP return. With two small kids i cant keep running back and forth all over the park all day to meet fp times and standing in an hour long line with two small kids is not fun. The 20-30 minute lines are hard enough. I would be upset if they did start turning late comers away with the way the system is currently. However, if we could hold more that one FP at a time and they had a 2 hour window I would be understanding of the enforcement of return times.

[Teddi]

I join crazysheli in claiming abuse. I do not have a problem with it. The evening hours may end up with statistically more FP returnee's but no one's factored in how many FPs daily go UNUSED at all. I can't be the only one who ends up with FPs every trip that aren't ever handed over. Never been to WDW and I know that sometimes CMs do enforce the "times" but in the 'Land I've seen CMs tell folks over and over that they can be used "late" and I even saw CM's ASK FOR people to come back later at ToT, Indy, and BTRR. Of course this year DL has really really been plagued by unplanned temporary closures/rides going down, so they have to be flexible to keep folks happy.

[Tater]

I held to the fastpass time on my first two trips to WDW, if we for some reason didn't make it back in time, we kept the fastpasses for keepsakes. But this trip we were running about 5 mins behind trying to get back to Splash Mountain, I told DH to see if they would let us go. The CM just glanced down and waved us on, I did not try and return hours later to use it. I feel it is just wrong to hoard the FP and use them when the park is already over flowing, it backs up both lines. If I can stand inline with a broken toe to ride a ride, then everyone can.

Do I want to stand in a line 172 mins to ride Space Mountain, no and I wouldn't. But I know when I go to WDW I will be waiting. I find it annoying when people go and then complain about wait times. Like they are special and shouldn't have to wait. FP are nice, but they should enforce the windows.

[LegoMom]

I too, along with crazysheli and Teddi, claim end time abuse. we often get fast passes knowing that there is no way we will make that time. we often use them at the end of the night or just whenever we can get back, always after the start time and almost always after the end time.

I do believe however for every 3 of us that admit to holding on to them to use later there are 3 who stand there right at the entrance of the ride watching the clock for the very minute that it is their fast pass time. I really think it all evens out in the end. I think on really high crowd days there is no winning with the lines, fastpass or standby. I would say that on those days you just have to know that you are there on an high crowd day and tolerate whatever lines you have to stand in. Fastpass is no guarantee for a NO LINE ride, just a shorter line.

I think the system is good how it is being used now. If they do decide to enforce the window then I think they need open it to a wider window. Especially with ADR's and other things there should been more time allotted.

Just my 2 cents worth....

[StarTourist]

Unless hundreds of Fastpass 'abusers' show up en masse all at once right in front of you, holding on to a Fastpass for a later, outside-the-window time should not affect anyone. Even when we get a Fastpass we sometimes end up never using it for whatever reason anyway. Not everyone who obtains Fastpasses can or will use them, regardless of return time windows.

[danyoung]

Sorry, but I disagree, StarTourist. Using the FP later in the day increases the load on the system beyond what it was designed to handle. Instead of having say 50 people show up every 5 minutes you might have 75 or a hundred (just making up numbers to make a point). So now either the FP line gets longer, or CMs in an effort to keep the FP line short give increased preference to the FP line, making the standby line move impossibly slowly.

Now, I'm right in there with other folk as a FP abuser, although I usually try to do the attraction within the time window. But if I'm late, and the attraction CM is going to allow me to use the FP, I go right ahead and make things work for me. But I would actually prefer it if they enforced the time window.

[StarTourist]

To be fair, I have never personally witnessed the downside to late-arriving-Fastpass-'abusers' too often. The worst I have experienced is the stand-by queue equaling the Fastpass Return queue wait time. But when it happens, I grin and bear it.

[HTanner]

I never abused the return time until this past trip to WDW. I never even thought they would let you return and use them late, so I didn't even try. But, since I read it here, I decided to use it if it came up.

The first time it came up, we hopped into the morning line for fastpasses at Toy Story Mania. When we got in the line, the return time was for before our lunch - and we would have had just enough time to go on the ride and walk over to 50s PT cafe. By the time it was our turn to get a fastpass, the window was right after the start of our ADR at 50s. The line was very long and I had waited patiently in it. Was I greedy for taking my 4 fastpasses for my family? Maybe. But, to be fair, I had never experienced the mania that is the fast pass line for TSMM! I didn't realize that a whole hour of fast pass time would go by in the blink of an eye while I waited there. Then when I got up there, I didn't see the time had changed - and what was I to do then? Waste them? Give them back? Go wait in line again? (Which I couldn't do because the window hadn't opened for that - and when it did open, there would be no more fast passes for the day).

So, that day, we did use them about 30 minutes late. I didn't hoard them for the end of the night. The whole point was to go and enjoy the ride once during the day. I told my kids that we would see if we could use them late, but to be prepared for them to say no.

Later on in the week, we had a similar thing happen at TSMM - where the ride coincided with the only show time for Lights, Motors, Action and it was our last day. When we didn't make it back within the hour after our fastpass, we did not try to go later.

And, I gave away all the fast passes we collected but decided not to ride for whatever reason (got pooped out or someone not feeling well or...).

So, I think my fast pass karma is intact.

[Tater]

I never abused the return time until this past trip to WDW. I never even thought they would let you return and use them late, so I didn't even try. But, since I read it here, I decided to use it if it came up.

The first time it came up, we hopped into the morning line for fastpasses at Toy Story Mania. When we got in the line, the return time was for before our lunch - and we would have had just enough time to go on the ride and walk over to 50s PT cafe. By the time it was our turn to get a fastpass, the window was right after the start of our ADR at 50s. The line was very long and I had waited patiently in it. Was I greedy for taking my 4 fastpasses for my family? Maybe. But, to be fair, I had never experienced the mania that is the fast pass line for TSMM! I didn't realize that a whole hour of fast pass time would go by in the blink of an eye while I waited there. Then when I got up there, I didn't see the time had changed - and what was I to do then? Waste them? Give them back? Go wait in line again? (Which I couldn't do because the window hadn't opened for that - and when it did open, there would be no more fast passes for the day).

So, that day, we did use them about 30 minutes late. I didn't hoard them for the end of the night. The whole point was to go and enjoy the ride once during the day. I told my kids that we would see if we could use them late, but to be prepared for them to say no.

Later on in the week, we had a similar thing happen at TSMM - where the ride coincided with the only show time for Lights, Motors, Action and it was our last day. When we didn't make it back within the hour after our fastpass, we did not try to go later.

And, I gave away all the fast passes we collected but decided not to ride for whatever reason (got pooped out or someone not feeling well or...).

So, I think my fast pass karma is intact.

Exactly! I can see the running late and using the FP and if I had known when in the park I wouldn't make it back when I had FPs I'd give they away. But I know when the FP line is long enough to have people waiting 15 mins or more in the evenings, those FP were being used past the window and were horded with premeditated FP abuse. Oh and where does anyone get that it is "Policy" to use the FP beyond the return window? It is not the policy, it just isn't being stopped. So if it is wrong to do something, but you don't get caught or stopped, does that make it right? I think it just makes people who make a habit of getting FP knowing they will use them beyond the time, selfish and inconsiderate. If that comment makes you angry, then you shouldn't be purposely abusing the system.

[fairestoneofall]

We used FPs late once on this past trip with absolutely no issue at all. Granted, it wasn't very long past the return time.

[houseofmouse]

I always try to use them at or close to after the time just because we hop from one park to another while on vacation. I have several unused ones as well in my DD's collection of FP's.

[Barberella]

Bumping this thread as there are Twitter reports (cannot find official confirmation) that starting early March, FP return windows will be enforced, with a 5 minute early arrival and 15 minute late arrival window allowed.

[GusMan]

To go along with what Barberella mentioned, TouringPlans did tweet the same, saying that enforcement will start March 7.
Linky to their article.

Comments on the TP site are all negative so far. Then again, we dont know what other changes are going to be made to go along with the enforcement. ie: some of the possible ideas here in this thread.

The 5 minute before and 15 minute post window allowances - not sure that is going to be enough if the window is going to be the usual hour, if you ask me.