Fastpass

[EJS-Houston]

Forgive me for being late to the party...but I just read a closed topic thread and wanted to get some clarification. When I was last at DisneyWorld this past November, Cast Members assured us that when you get a Fast Pass, you're given an hour window of time to return and get in the Fast Pass line...but...you could actually return and get in the Fast Pass line at any time after the beginning of your Fast Pass window. In other words, if your Fast Pass said to return between 1:10 and 2:10, you could actually return at any time after 1:10 (e.g. 4:30). Is this no longer true? Are they now strictly enforcing the 1 hour window, so if you were to come back at 2:30 in the above scenario you'd be out of luck?

[Disney Doll]

You are correct. The one hour window is now being enforced. Some say they will honor a 15 minute grace period, but I'd play it safe and plan to be there within the window.

[dnickels]

Barring something that affects a large number of guests (i.e ride breaks down for an hour) yes they are enforcing the actual fastpass 'window'. Plan on being back within the hour time-frame printed on the ticket.

(they are apparently still giving a 10 or 15 minute grace period, but still better safe than trying to cut it close and missing out)

[#1donaldfan]

From what I hear they are enforcing the times indicated within 15 minutes......I will know for sure in less than 7 days !!

[EJS-Houston]

Wow! Glad I asked! I'm hoping to go back within the next 6 months. Given that I (and others in my party...I have witnesses) was just advised by a Cast Member 6 months ago that they don't enforce the end time of the Fast Pass window, I'd have assumed that was still the case. Thanks All!

[DizneyRox]

That was then, this is now...

With Disney, things can change fast.. This is one of them.

[MstngDrvnDsnyLvr]

Here at Disney now - they are strictly enforcing the Fastpass times. Yesterday at the Safari ride in Animal Kingdom - they were STRICTLY enforcing - someone was just over 20 minutes past and they were not allowed on the ride via Fastpass.

I can say that the Fastpasses for most of the rides in Animal Kingdom were not going all that fast compared to Soarin'. If you don't get your Fastpass for Soarin' in the morning - you won't get one. But don't get a Fastpass if you KNOW you have a dinner reservation somewhere at the same time - that won't fly with the CMs. AND honestly - when Soarin' said a 60 minutes - my daughter and I got through Stand By in 30 minutes on Monday.

[MargaretMessler]

I have found the stand by time on Soarin to almost always be overstated. Anyway, the original topic...

I think we all just need to make sure we're looking at the posted time of the fastpass before swiping our tickets. If you don't think you can make it within that window, then move on.

[EJS-Houston]

I have found the stand by time on Soarin to almost always be overstated. Anyway, the original topic...

I think we all just need to make sure we're looking at the posted time of the fastpass before swiping our tickets. If you don't think you can make it within that window, then move on.

Yeah...and honestly, I think that's fair. When that cast member told us we could show up later than the end time I thought that was really generous. But I'm grateful for the Fast Pass system, and won't have any problem getting back within the printed time window.

[spoiledraf]

Just got back yesterday. They had a problem with space mountain for a while. They turned us away and told us our fast pass could be used anytime the rest of the day so they do try to accomadate when they have technical problems.

[MargaretMessler]

Just got back yesterday. They had a problem with space mountain for a while. They turned us away and told us our fast pass could be used anytime the rest of the day so they do try to accomadate when they have technical problems.

As well they should. But barring technical problems, the whole system works remarkably well if everyone is held to their window. Which is why I don't really see the need for this new fastpass system - forgive me, I don't remember what it's been called - where everything is pre-assigned at the beginning of the day.

[MickeysBestPal]

But barring technical problems, the whole system works remarkably well if everyone is held to their window.

It also worked great for over a decade when you could use your FP any time that same day.

[joonyer]

It also worked great for over a decade when you could use your FP any time that same day.

True, until finally enough guests figured out they could use the FP as late as they wanted. Then gradually over time, the FP system began to fail to work as it was designed, which was to put a roughly equal number of FP riders through the attraction during each hour of the day. FP lines began to get significantly longer during the last hours the attraction was open. It's only anecdotal I know, but I have been to Space Mountain late in the day when there were more people in the FP line than there was in the stand-by line.

[Allenfow98]

We just got back last Wed from a 10 day trip. I am grateful for the crackdown on the return times. I was the person who would run all over the park getting fastpasses knowing that we could use then pretty much whenever we wanted. This trip i still went and got our next fastpass, but it was for an attraction in the same area or the next area over, it was such a nice enjoyable trip that i wasnt running all over the place every two hours, my feet and legs thank Disney for cracking down on the return times.