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View Full Version : Fastpass, Parkhopping and Handstamps



HydroGuy
06-28-2005, 11:41 AM
I'm going to DL/DCA in early August with a family of six and want to maximize Fastpass (FP) usage. We have four-day parkhopper tix. We will not have Enhanced FP.

Before asking my question, let me summarize how FP, parkhopping and handstamps work for those who may not know.

o To get a FP you need your entrance tickets (with the mag strip).

o For the FP machines to give you a FP, the entrance tickets must be active in that it must be swiped at the entrance that day. Therefore, all of us must pass thru the gate. I cannot just walk in to DL myself, swipe MY ticket, and then get FP's for everyone in the group (perhaps sleeping in late).

o As long as everyone is in the park, I can get FP for them as long as I have their tickets. They do not have to be physically present.

o When you exit DL you get a unique handstamp that will let you back in later that day.

o DL and DCA FP machines are not networked, so there is no conflict in having FP for a DL and DCA ride at the same time.


OK, so here is my question. Let's say all six of us enter DL at 8AM when it opens and go on some rides, collect FP's for later use, etc. Then at 10AM, we exit DL, get our hand stamped, and head over to DCA. There we go on some rides, collect FP's, etc. Now it is say 12 noon and I want to collect another FP at DL while the family eats lunch or goes on another ride at DCA. Since we already swiped our entrance tickets for DL at 8AM, and have our hands stamped for DL, can I be a "runner" and head back into DL solo with all six entrance tickets and get another FP for a DL ride? In other words, if you have a DL handstamp and want to reenter, do they swipe your entrance tickets a second time to make sure everyone is physically in DL before giving out another FP?

SoCalSteven
06-28-2005, 11:48 AM
Tickets are not swiped when you exit, so the system would have no way to tell if you had ever left, so in theory it should work.

bradk
06-28-2005, 11:56 AM
what steven said is correct, but just to answer your question, they do re-scan the tickets when you re-enter (so your family does need to physically have the tickets when they come back in). but it shouldn't be a worry. as long as your tickets have been activated for the day, you should be ok.

Darkbeer
06-28-2005, 12:09 PM
I was testing the system, and found out that once the ParkHoppers/AP/tickets are scanned at either park, then you can take the entrance media to the other park and get FP's without them being used at the second park's turnstiles.

So no worries, you can go back and forth as much as you please without making the others come with you....

bradk
06-28-2005, 12:17 PM
the real question is if you have a hopper and it's activated at one park, does it HAVE to be activated at the other park? even though the fastpass networks are 'separate,' the turnstiles know if it's been activated at the other park.

LytNnBug
06-28-2005, 12:35 PM
the real question is if you have a hopper and it's activated at one park, does it HAVE to be activated at the other park? even though the fastpass networks are 'separate,' the turnstiles know if it's been activated at the other park.

Last Friday 2 of the people in our group left to drive home and we kept their park tickets (they spent some time in Disneyland Friday morning but not DCA). We were able to use their tickets to get a FastPass in DCA. We wondered the same thing, if we were going to have to go back through the turnstiles with their tickets, but it seemed to work.

bradk
06-28-2005, 12:52 PM
very good to know, thanks :)

shawnarae
06-28-2005, 06:53 PM
I am sure this has been asked before, so sorry for asking....but how many Fast Passes can you get at a time (not the Enhanced ticket)? I have never paid attention since I usually get my hopper pass through AAA with the Enhanced feature & have never had an issue with collecting Fastpasses. But this time I am not going through AAA for my hopper ticket.

bradk
06-28-2005, 07:04 PM
study this:

http://mousepad.mouseplanet.com/showthread.php?t=43193

HydroGuy
06-28-2005, 09:13 PM
I was testing the system, and found out that once the ParkHoppers/AP/tickets are scanned at either park, then you can take the entrance media to the other park and get FP's without them being used at the second park's turnstiles.

So no worries, you can go back and forth as much as you please without making the others come with you....Thanks. That is even better than I was assuming. This tidbit would also improve your "joy of fastpass" treatise. :p

Thanks also to the other folks who responded.

Mark Goldhaber
06-28-2005, 09:51 PM
I was testing the system, and found out that once the ParkHoppers/AP/tickets are scanned at either park, then you can take the entrance media to the other park and get FP's without them being used at the second park's turnstiles.
My guess would be that usage of the ticket writes the current date to the mag strip on the pass. The pass actually tracks its own usage. The Fastpass machines just check for the current date in the usage data on the pass. If the pass was used that day, it can generate a Fastpass.

Malcon10t
06-28-2005, 10:03 PM
My guess would be that usage of the ticket writes the current date to the mag strip on the pass. The pass actually tracks its own usage. The Fastpass machines just check for the current date in the usage data on the pass. If the pass was used that day, it can generate a Fastpass.

Actually, it doesn't. The entrance ticket is scanned into the computer, and the FP computers tie in. There is nothing written on the ticket.