PDA

View Full Version : Fast Passes Shut Down?



mjmcnns
09-05-2008, 10:57 AM
This may be entirely inaccurate, but I recall reading somewhere that certain rides are no longer offering FPs after Labour Day. Is this true and if so, which rides are no longer on the system?

dawnid
09-05-2008, 11:19 AM
I think some of the rides cover their FP machines during off-peak season. They get unveiled again during holidays and such. :)

Darkbeer
09-05-2008, 11:21 AM
During the off-season, many Fastpasses are not offered on slow weekdays.

In DCA, three out of the 5 are not offered.

Grizzly River Run
Mulholland Madness
Tower of Terror

Normally, Screamin' and Soarin' are available 7 days a week.

In Disneyland, 2 of the 7 are turned off...

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
Autopia

Leaving normally 5 open daily, Indiana Jones, Space Mountain, Splash Mountain, Roger Rabbit CarToon Spin and Buzz Lightyear.

But currently Buzz Lightyear machines have been turned off due to a repavement project (the area is being used for stroller parking).



But the reason why is that there is no real reason for Fastpasses on those slow days, as the wait times are very short in the Stand-By queues.

Autopia Guy
09-05-2008, 11:22 AM
Generally, during the slower "off season" at the Resort, some attractions will not offer Fastpass on a daily basis. If you get a Dream FP, you can still use that at the attraction.

And, generally, it seems that Autopia and Big Thunder Mountain are the ones that do not offer FPs during the week.

*EDIT* And wow, 3 responses in a 3 min span that all say the same thing. Hope you got all the information you were after. *EDIT*

houseofmouse
09-05-2008, 11:26 AM
During the off-season, many Fastpasses are not offered on slow weekdays.

In DCA, three out of the 5 are not offered.

Grizzly River Run
Mulholland Madness
Tower of Terror

Normally, Screamin' and Soarin' are available 7 days a week.

In Disneyland, 2 of the 7 are turned off...

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
Autopia

Leaving normally 5 open daily, Indiana Jones, Space Mountain, Splash Mountain, Roger Rabbit CarToon Spin and Buzz Lightyear.

But currently Buzz Lightyear machines have been turned off due to a repavement project (the area is being used for stroller parking).



But the reason why is that there is no real reason for Fastpasses on those slow days, as the wait times are very short in the Stand-By queues.
Tower is shut off? I hate standing in that line outside. I hate the inside line too. Wish FP offered a different way in.

ScottC4746
09-05-2008, 11:31 AM
During the off-season, many Fastpasses are not offered on slow weekdays.

In DCA, three out of the 5 are not offered.

Grizzly River Run
Mulholland Madness
Tower of Terror

Normally, Screamin' and Soarin' are available 7 days a week.

In Disneyland, 2 of the 7 are turned off...

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
Autopia

Leaving normally 5 open daily, Indiana Jones, Space Mountain, Splash Mountain, Roger Rabbit CarToon Spin and Buzz Lightyear.

But currently Buzz Lightyear machines have been turned off due to a repavement project (the area is being used for stroller parking).



But the reason why is that there is no real reason for Fastpasses on those slow days, as the wait times are very short in the Stand-By queues.
Actually the Autopia Fast Pass is totally useless. When you go to use it, they still head you off to the line and you have to wait with everyone else. Basically, it does nothing.
HM seems to only operate during the Halloween Overlay.

Darkbeer
09-05-2008, 11:32 AM
Tower is shut off? I hate standing in that line outside. I hate the inside line too. Wish FP offered a different way in.

Yes, because even with just 2 out of the three shafts running, or one level, the weekday lines usually start past the pre-show room. (You basically walk in and stand in one of the 2 wait areas in front of the room, no queing prior to that). So no need for Fastpass.

Of course, it will be available on Holiday Mondays, etc...

Autopia Guy
09-05-2008, 01:17 PM
Actually the Autopia Fast Pass is totally useless. When you go to use it, they still head you off to the line and you have to wait with everyone else. Basically, it does nothing.

Thats just the way the queue was built. For FastPass to really be effective, the line needs to almost fill the "Grandstand" area and maybe being pulsed from the entrance.

And that last bit of the line that everyone walks through should only take 10 to 15 mins TOPS from what I remember, but it seems to change from day to day.

Carina
09-05-2008, 08:32 PM
We were there 2 years ago ( middle of may) and athough Indy Had fastpasses they were useless as they met up with the regular line way before the line started... I wish they had had them covered - it was the same all week - but the first day, not knowing that, we fastpassed it and tied up the opportunity to fastpass anything else for a few hours and all it did was save us from walking back and forth thru the ropes outsides, when the lie didnt start until just before the movie room ( wait was maybe 10 - 15 mins MAX). I was dissapointed big time!

Autopia Guy
09-06-2008, 11:53 AM
all it did was save us from walking back and forth thru the ropes outsides, when the lie didnt start until just before the movie room ( wait was maybe 10 - 15 mins MAX). I was dissapointed big time!

FastPass is NOT a front of the line pass. It is a pass that "holds you place in line" so that you may wait a shorter amount of time when you return. It is supposed to be about a 10 to 15 min wait once you are through the FastPass merge point. So you wait at Indy was right about what it should have been. Granted, some attractions have the merge even farther back in the line (ie, Space Mountain, CA Screamin, ect.) so their wait is even shorter. Or you get the really nutso ones like Splash where the merge point is basically front of the line. Not what it is supposed to be, but that is the easiest point in that attraction to do so.

ScottC4746
09-06-2008, 03:23 PM
FastPass is NOT a front of the line pass. It is a pass that "holds you place in line" so that you may wait a shorter amount of time when you return. It is supposed to be about a 10 to 15 min wait once you are through the FastPass merge point. So you wait at Indy was right about what it should have been. Granted, some attractions have the merge even farther back in the line (ie, Space Mountain, CA Screamin, ect.) so their wait is even shorter. Or you get the really nutso ones like Splash where the merge point is basically front of the line. Not what it is supposed to be, but that is the easiest point in that attraction to do so.
And then last summer they could have used one for Nemo but one was never designed. When I was there today and the line down I was studying the que house and it really would not work no matter what you did.

Carina
09-08-2008, 12:48 AM
FastPass is NOT a front of the line pass. It is a pass that "holds you place in line" so that you may wait a shorter amount of time when you return. It is supposed to be about a 10 to 15 min wait once you are through the FastPass merge point. So you wait at Indy was right about what it should have been. .

Sorry My post was not written clearly I didnt clarify....
there was not a single person in the area before the fastpass line you either walked thru the rope que outside ( that was empty) if you had no fastpass... or saved 30 extra seconds not havng to walk thru an empty que if you did have them - all the line was inside - and that was every time for 5 days
SO what I was trying to say was.....

I wish the fastpass machines were not spitting out fastpasses, when they made no difference to the wait time (the non fastpass time was the same) and it was like that for the full 5 days we were there so I dont mean they should turn on and off thru the day as needed I mean when day in and day out the lines dont warrant it......

because it meant we had tied up our fastpass ablity on our ticket for an hour 1/2 for nothing fastpass machines turned off is sometimes a good thing!

mjmcnns
09-09-2008, 09:00 AM
Thanks for your help.

Generally speaking, am I right in assuming that if the wait time is 15 min or less it isn't worthwhile to get a FP?

Are there any rides that I shouldn't bother getting one for in general at this time of year?

Bytebear
09-09-2008, 09:33 AM
You want to get a FP for Soarin', Splash Mountain and for Space Mountain for sure. And if Haunted Mansion Holiday offers them. Everything else is optional, in my opinion.

candles71
09-09-2008, 10:03 AM
The only ones we get at this time of year are Splash and Screamin'. Space Mountains line usually starts after the merge point (where you enter the building) in our experience of the last 2 septs. If you look at the roof and can see a line I would get one.

cstephens
09-09-2008, 10:50 AM
I would add Indy to the list of attractions where a Fastpass would be good.

candles71
09-09-2008, 11:20 AM
I would add Indy to the list of attractions where a Fastpass would be good.

except the line doesn't start until you are inside the building (usually pretty close to the movie room) at this time of the year, and the merge point is as you enter the building.

Carina
09-10-2008, 08:18 AM
except the line doesn't start until you are inside the building (usually pretty close to the movie room) at this time of the year, and the merge point is as you enter the building.


EXACTLY MY POINT! ( few posts up) You are 100% correct!
DONT WASTE A FP ON INDY!

Bytebear
09-10-2008, 10:32 AM
I have found that a FP can be a good thing on Screamin' but not always. I guess the 15 minute rule is a good one, but I would even say 20 minutes on any ride, and Scramin' does go down to 15 minutes. However, beware, that sometimes when the line is short, they will pull a train off the track, and the line suddenly goes from 10 minutes to 40 minutes.

VickiC
09-10-2008, 11:22 AM
It always seems to me like if they are issuing Fastpasses for Autotopia I should get one. Eveyrtime they've been issuign them and I've used one I've walked right by the standby "hold" area and into the main line area which at leaves saves the time you have to wait in the hold area.

jenniebean
09-10-2008, 09:23 PM
Are there any rides that I shouldn't bother getting one for in general at this time of year?

It's a sloooow time around now (if your countdown is correct & you're visiting the parks like, now) & when I was there Saturday, usually the most crowded day of the week, it was so empty there was NO wait time for Tower of Terror (at noon, no less!), Big Thunder Mtn, & less than 10 for Space Mountain AND Soarin'...

so, if it's still not very crowded-- & yesterday it was empty-- then just grab fastpasses as souvenirs for a scrapbook

have fun!

FolsomFan
09-12-2008, 10:22 AM
I would love to go when it is slower. We always seem to go in June or july ... we may have to change that.