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Thread: Using Fast Pass After Allotted Time

  1. #26
    8 hr drive down Interstate 5
    Join Date
    Aug 2002
    Location
    Roseville, CA

    I agree SarahJanet. There are many rules/laws where tweaking is allowed. As a motorcycle rider I know that I can lane split between cars if I want to. (I don't like it so I don't do it). There is nothing in the California Vehicle Code that expressly permits this, but the way the Law Enforcement interprets it is that is isn't expressly forbidden. There is a part of the vehicle code that says a motorcycle can pass a car on the right hand side so long as there is enough room and this statute has been extrapolated to include lane splitting.

    The defacto policy of Disneyland as interpreted by the staff and therefore presumably the management is that you must wait for your return time, but you do not need to use it within the hour. That's all there is to it. I still think they should just print the hour the park closes as the expiration time and be done with it.

    There have been many threads related to FastPass use and claimed abuse. There are those who strongly feel the Enhanced FastPass was just plain wrong to begin with and that it made it worse for other guests. I happen to heartily disagree with this school of thought. Some say any FastPass is bad because some folks don't understand them or don't take advantage of them. To this I disagree with in the strongest terms because I don't feel that you should punish the resourceful folks who do a little research. The information is freely available and any castmember can fill you in. It isn't a secret or some stealth perk.

    If those who ask the questions and use the answers to their benefit are somehow abusing the system, then I accuse every lawyer and accountant out there of abusing the legal system. There is a big difference between USE-ing the system to its fullest benefit and ABUSE-ing it.

    Formerly Pat&Eil • Bring Back the AAA Enhanced FASTPASS!
     
    Check out my band, The Trist and look for our CD "Triangulation" in Sacramento Stores and online at CD Baby.com, iTunes and others.

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  3. #27

    I always felt that the reason they let people use their FP outside the window is because Disney just doesn't like to say "no" to their guests. They do anything to avoid confrontation. And because some people will legitimately miss their time and want to try and use it outside the window anyway--not because they planned to, but because of a mistake, forgetfulness, what-have-you. And so their policy is to accomodate this as much as possible--to make the guest feel cared for and to not have to say "no".

    I do understand the using information to your advantage. Being on these boards, I think we can all say we are people who LOOOVE info, and use that information to make our stays better. But there is the rule, and there is the spirit/intent of the rule. Just shrugging and saying, "Well, I am going to do whatever I want. If they don't stop me, that's their problem." isn't an argument as to why this practice is a good one. I guess I am hoping to encourage people to explain on what grounds they feel this is *not* an abuse of the *intent* of the system, whether or not the system allows it to be used in other ways by a select few who have learned how to circumvent it...

    Thanks for your responses, guys. I appreciate good discourse.

    Sharon
    "PIN SUCKERS" UNITE!
     
    Sometimes I doubt your commitment to Sparkle Motion...

  4. #28
    8 hr drive down Interstate 5
    Join Date
    Aug 2002
    Location
    Roseville, CA
    Quote Originally Posted by Clotho View Post
    ... I guess I am hoping to encourage people to explain on what grounds they feel this is *not* an abuse of the *intent* of the system, whether or not the system allows it to be used in other ways by a select few who have learned how to circumvent it...

    Thanks for your responses, guys. I appreciate good discourse.
    I'll take a stab at it.

    Disney always stated that the "intent" of the FastPass was to hold your place in line while you continue on with your day. Whether this was intended to allow you to enjoy other attractions while the FastPass holds your spot or whether it was really meant to free you up to shop & eat (i.e. spend $$$) during this time is speculation. It falls on either side of this fence: Either they are trying to give you the best customer experience or Disney is merely trying to get more money from you. Whichever side you land on, the result is the same. FastPass = doing something else while you wait for the attraction.

    How long the FastPass holds your place in line is not truly specified. If the line for Splash Mountain is 180 minutes but the FastPass return time isn't for another 5 hours, then you can argue that the FastPass isn't really just holding your place in line, its purpose is only to allow you to have a shorter line later.

    So what then is the difference if your FastPass has you come back 5 hours later or if you decide to do that yourself?

    If the FastPass is merely the placeholder they claim it to be, then there is nothing against the spirit of the FastPass going on if you use it to do other things at the park.

    As previously mentioned, enforcing the end time of the FastPass was nearly impossible right from the start. Rides go 101 all the time. (101 = down). It doesn't have to be the ride you got the FastPass for either. Say you have a FastPass for Indiana Jones. While you are in the queue waiting for Big Thunder Railroad it goes down. This delays your ride and could put you out of the FastPass window for Indiana Jones.. let alone the scenario where you are waiting for Indy and It goes down. When you come back later to ride Indy, they would have to honor your FastPass right? Both scenarios are commonplace.

    I'm sure Disney wants you to enjoy the park to the utmost so you'll want to come back again tomorrow or next month or next year.

    I use the FastPass (and hopefully again the Enhanced FastPass) so that I can get the most enjoyment out of the park, and I really feel Disney would want it this way.
    Formerly Pat&Eil • Bring Back the AAA Enhanced FASTPASS!
     
    Check out my band, The Trist and look for our CD "Triangulation" in Sacramento Stores and online at CD Baby.com, iTunes and others.

  5. #29

    So then why do they have a window at all? Why don't they say "return after 2pm"?

    The intent, in my estimation, is redistributing crowds. By controlling WHEN a certain number of people might return to the ride, it controls the length of the FP line. An example of how this has created a problem, sometimes I have seen the FP line longer than the regular line. I would guess that this was a result not of a lot of people returning within the allotted window, but more likely a combination of people returning within the assigned time PLUS people who were assigned earlier times who showed up and made the line longer than it was ever intended to be...

    Just mathematically speaking, that is...

    But again, I really appreciate your "stab" at it. Thanks for sharing your perspective, and being open to hearing mine in return! I love this kind of respectful exploration of ideas. I am always pleased with the intellectual capacity and the respectful back-and-forth (even when we get heated that this forum provides us.

    Sharon
    "PIN SUCKERS" UNITE!
     
    Sometimes I doubt your commitment to Sparkle Motion...

  6. #30
    Always Dreaming of Disneyland.
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
    Location
    Calgary,Alberta
    Quote Originally Posted by Clotho View Post
    I do understand the using information to your advantage. I guess I am hoping to encourage people to explain on what grounds they feel this is *not* an abuse of the *intent* of the system, whether or not the system allows it to be used in other ways by a select few who have learned how to circumvent it...

    Thanks for your responses, guys. I appreciate good discourse.
    I don't think it is a select few! The only way I learned how to use the fastpass was on this and other Disney sights. We had no use for it on our first trip,the park was empty and we pretty much walked on every ride. For our last trip however,we were warned it was peak time. That is when I started to collect fastpass info. I was under the assumption this was the way it worked.
    The information was confirmed when we went to the park and used the collected fastpasses. Not one castmember questioned our return times, or even looked at us funny. I would think that if they were upset by the practice of using fastpasses after their time, that they would say something!Every guide book I purchased suggested that the expiery time does not matter, and it is the first return time they are interested in. If Disney thought this was an abuse of the system, I am sure they would go after those publishing this info(as they are pretty swift in stopping unwanted behavior).
    Priscilla
    THE BEST THINGS IN LIFE.........ARE NOT THINGS

  7. #31
    8 hr drive down Interstate 5
    Join Date
    Aug 2002
    Location
    Roseville, CA
    Quote Originally Posted by Clotho View Post
    ... sometimes I have seen the FP line longer than the regular line. I would guess that this was a result not of a lot of people returning within the allotted window, but more likely a combination of people returning within the assigned time PLUS people who were assigned earlier times who showed up and made the line longer than it was ever intended to be...
    I've seen this too, but generally because the regular queue was short due to timing mostly. When this happens, I will jump in the regular queue and save the FastPass for later. I've also been known to give my FastPasses to someon at the end of the line if I no longer want to ride - or if I need to go. I don't think the extra folks returning later has a tangible effect on this.

    The Disneyland site says: "Disney's FASTPASS service is sure to help you get the most enjoyment out of your day at the Disneyland Resort. This free Guest Service saves your place in line, allowing you to venture off and experience more of the wonders of Disneyland Resort before returning to board your attraction with a minimal wait."

    This is, therefore, their stated intent. I see no conflict.
    Formerly Pat&Eil • Bring Back the AAA Enhanced FASTPASS!
     
    Check out my band, The Trist and look for our CD "Triangulation" in Sacramento Stores and online at CD Baby.com, iTunes and others.

  8. #32
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Jan 2005
    Location
    Washington State

    Thumbs up

    We always thought that once that window was up the fast passes were no good. Then one year my ds and grandchildren held fast passes to Buzz. I had one that the window had passed. I asked the CM and was surprised that I could still go with my family with my "expired" fast pass. I was very happy. We never gather lots of passes to use later, but in this case I felt good that I could enjoy the ride with the rest of the family. (Other members and I had arrived early at the park and the others had already used their passes) I did not feel I was abusing the system, just happy to learn that the passes don't expire after the window.
    Only a few days until I will be there during a very busy time. Hope to collect some fast passes.

    Gramiangel420
     

  9. #33

    FastPass as Virtually Standing in Line

    If you think of FastPass as a way of virtually standing in line while going shopping or standing in a second line at the same time, then I see holding a mature FastPass and using it later in the day is the equivalent of letting other people ahead of you in line and then resuming your place at your convenience and I don't see any harm in that. And I interpret DL's current policy on allowing the use of FP's after their printed timeslots to mean that they may feel the same way. And since the FP lines go so quickly, what could there be to complain about? Since everyone can use the ticket the same way, what unfairness could there be about it?

    Although, I think it may be a little maddening to some people for the FP to give the impression in so many words, "you must come back between 1:00 and 2:00" when the truth is you can come back any time after 1:00. Some people might feel a little ticked off if they knew the truth after sacrificing some other activity to avoid losing an FP they're not really going to lose. If the policy is that it simply matures at a certain time and can be used any time after that, the printed FP should just say so.

    "...I be willin' to share, I be!"

  10. #34

    The FP line is not always that quick. A few times on Thunder Mountain I've seen it halfway back to the entrance. Ditto on Autotopia.


  11. #35

    clotho, I tend to agree with you that Disney should enforce both the start time and the return time on the ticket. And I don't think it's a matter of Disney not wanting to say NO to a guest, as they currently say NO very firmly when you try to get in before the start time on the FP. I'd guess the vast majority of people do stay within the window of time, and those who know that the end time doesn't matter don't make up a big enough demographic to affect the system.

    That said, I don't have a huge problem wtih people using the system as it's implemented, and coming back much later in their day, long after the end time on the FP. But I really have a hard time with people who run around, gather up as many FP's as they can, and then don't use them. You're hoarding inventory that others could use. This is just as bad as making multiple ADR's on the same day, just so you can have a choice when dinner time comes around. Sure, you can do it, but it's most definitely abuse of the system.

    The secret of life is enjoying the passage of time.
    - James Taylor

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