Walt Disney World Epcot Discussion Thread

[SoCalCoasters]

Good thing Universal doesn't give out any line skipping perks to their hotel guests either.

 

 

Oh wait.

[netdvn]

Essentially, this new rule levels the playing field to some degree, but it makes WDW a much less desireable vacation destination, imho. I guess we'll have to limit our visitng to MNSSHP, where amazing, the park doesn't blow-up when the fastpass machines are turned off.

 

How does following directions on the ticket make WDW any less desirable than other parks in the area?

 

It's like the parents that bring their too short kids onto rides, thinking that nobody will stop them.

[SoCalCoasters]

I'll be completely honest in saying I've never actually "cheated" with a Fastpass at the Disney Parks. I've just come back during the allotted time slot. Doesn't mean I'm not a "seasoned" park visitor, it just means I've planned my day around the Fastpass times I received, and I still have a fun time. Be thankful Disney even has a free system that functions decently.

[QueerRudie]

Personally, I think keeping to the 'times' is a great plan overall: In my experiences with WDW and DL over the past 15 years, the lines do have some problems with control with the FastPass lines- Indy Jones at DL was for us as long a wait as standby due to passhoarding people. In the long run the system is designed to move more people more efficiently, and having 500 people show up at a ride at a time is NOT the way to do so.

 

While nowadays lines aren't as much of an issue with me (A few of you know why...) I still think the system should be enforced to prevent line issues- and keep the people moving.

[Rastuso]

Fastpass always solved a problem that only it created. It was invented to get people out of line and into shops and food locations.

 

Of course, I don't think the standby lines will be effect at all by this. Whether or not you get in a standby line is purely psychological. Ever notice how the lines pretty much always end a the line entrance? Last time I went, the Pooh standby had been vastly shortened, due to construction. It probably contained less than a tenth of what it used to. But, the line still stopped at the entrance.

 

You can like or dislike this, but the truth is this will decrease the amount of rides you get, so that the onsite hotel guests can increase thier rides. Splash Mountain gives the same number of rides, period. This doesn't change that. It does, however increase the number of fights that a line CM will have to deal with, at least tenfold, likely more. The CMs are who will get this change removed. Probably after about 2 weeks of Spring Break, would be my guess.

 

Anyone want a start a pool about when the first story hits CNN and Fox about a CM getting pushed down by an irate parent?

 

-RO

[Wes]

I have a hard time believing the lax return time thing is common knowledge among most guests. Again, the only people who are upset about this are people who knew and willingly rigged it to work in their favor. While I'm sure exceptions will be made for guests, it's going to be really hard for any guest to complain if their FP says 11am-12pm that coming back at 8pm is within any sort of respectable grace period.

[Chroniq]

How does following directions on the ticket make WDW any less desirable than other parks in the area?

-This!

 

^And that- I bet 90 percent of guests aren't even aware that you can return late. Who will complain? The heavy users that will go to Disney anyways and then just bitch about it.

[ernierocker]

I can only imagine how frightening the DISboards are right now because of this? No wait, it is always frightening...

[Rastuso]

The lax return is VERY well known. People do talk in busses, elevators, pools. I would assume MANY poeple know it.

 

This simply opens up way too many issues, when someone will lose a VERY large amount of thier day. If you miss your 3 pm Splash Mountain window by 5 minutes, it will take you 2 hours to ride that ride. Which will of course make you miss another fastpass window, etc etc.

 

And giving out a pass at a broke down ride doesn't work because of this domino effect. And that's for resort guess and regular folks. If you have to be planning your day to the minute, a 20 minute delay for a large group of handicap folks, or a protein spill, or a really slow server at the drink stand , or you need to cross the parade route, will be disastrous. Your entire days worth of fastpasses could come tumbling down, and you are left with nothing but standby rides for the remaining 6 hours at the park. That would royally suck, and would have me at City Hall demanding something. They would have to give out fastpass excuses that were good for the rest of the day if you were delayed by as little as 30 minutes.

 

There is no upside for the visitor, but a risk of a huge downside.

 

-RO

[SoCalCoasters]

I can only imagine how frightening the DISboards are right now because of this? No wait, it is always frightening...

 

 

I've been temped to check, but I think my computer would explode from being subjected to all the fury.

 

The lax return is VERY well known. People do talk in busses, elevators, pools. I would assume MANY poeple know it.

 

This simply opens up way too many issues, when someone will lose a VERY large amount of thier day. If you miss your 3 pm Splash Mountain window by 5 minutes, it will take you 2 hours to ride that ride. Which will of course make you miss another fastpass window, etc etc.

 

And giving out a pass at a broke down ride doesn't work because of this domino effect. And that's for resort guess and regular folks. If you have to be planning your day to the minute, a 20 minute delay for a large group of handicap folks, or a protein spill, or a really slow server at the drink stand , or you need to cross the parade route, will be disastrous. Your entire days worth of fastpasses could come tumbling down, and you are left with nothing but standby rides for the remaining 6 hours at the park. That would royally suck, and would have me at City Hall demanding something. They would have to give out fastpass excuses that were good for the rest of the day if you were delayed by as little as 30 minutes.

 

There is no upside for the visitor, but a risk of a huge downside.

 

-RO

 

Didn't they say it was still like a 15 min window after your time before they would start refusing people? If you plan your day accordingly, and take into account the parade times + routes and take care to avoid them, I don't see this being a huge problem...I don't think this is going to ruin any guest's experience, except ones who take advantage of the system and aren't aknowledged of its change before their next visit.

[Rastuso]

No one is going to plan on being at the ride at the beginning of the FP. You wll try and fit in it, but you have non-FP rides, bathroom visits, eating. Those will take place in the return windows.

 

I simply don't see this being enforced hard core. It will be a PR nightmare for Disney. Imagine the 3 kids on a once in a lifetime visit to WDW, missing their only shot ever on Splash Mountain because their little brother got sick on Space Mountain, and they had to spend time dealing with that. This happens now, but those poeple still get thier rides. They think it is becasue the Splash Mountain CM was being FANTASTIC by letting them use an expired FP, so they give that CM a good mark as they leave for the evening, clutching a dozen Mickey items in their hands.

 

Now, they will be denied, and leave the park without a visit to the Emprium because their kids are crying. I would say this happens hundreds of times a day now at each park. But, the lack of enforcement makes it a non-issue.

 

-RO

[Wes]

Stop making up fake "woe-is-me" scenarios. The enforcement of the rules haven't even been implemented yet. When an actual family has their entire vacation ruined because they missed their fastpass window due to an external circumstance, then we can discuss it.

[Rastuso]

They aren't fake, they are just not known stories now, because the system doesn't creat them. I'm simply staing them as the "con" argument in this thread. So, you're saying no one can argue the thread?

 

OK everyone, this is a good thing, move along...

 

-RO

[doublestufforeo]

When my family and I went to Disney for vacation we picked up fastpasses and if we didn't make it back in time or we wanted to do something else withing the time period we'd throw out the passes or give them away. As your common family of four visiting the parks and not even knowing you could return late and still getting everything done, I don't see why anyone is complaining, (and yes we did visit during peak seasons.)

 

Just learn to plan out your trip, whether it means you have to plan a schedule to the park then so be it.

[Chroniq]

No one is going to plan on being at the ride at the beginning of the FP.

 

Have you ever been to Disney? On any given day, you'll see groups of people crowding the FP return line waiting for their time.

 

Self entitled people will be pissed about this change. Regular people will just follow the rules.

[ginzo]

I wonder if they'll try this policy at Disneyland Paris where the guests can't even match their Fast Passes to the correct ride, much less come back during a prescribed window of time.

[coasterfreak101]

This might be the most insane thread I've ever seen on here...complaining because a rule is actually being followed? And by adults, too. This is crazy.

[Rastuso]

No one is going to plan on being at the ride at the beginning of the FP.

 

Have you ever been to Disney? On any given day, you'll see groups of people crowding the FP return line waiting for their time.

 

Self entitled people will be pissed about this change. Regular people will just follow the rules.

 

I've been to WDW well over a hundred days. Quite a lot for a non local, I'd assume. Sure, some poeple are waiting, as have I. But if you have to plan your day, sometimes you get a FP, figuring you'll be there in the middle of the window. Well, at first I would. After knowing they don't expire, it made my visits much less stressful. And it isnt' cheating the system. Cheating the system was in the early days when ANY Disney card, including room keys from your visit the year before, would spit out a valid fastpass. Now THOSE were the days .

 

Again, this change is just a money grab for Disney hotels. It won't impact the standby line. If there was a truly large amount of folks returning at night, slowing down the standby line, then the standby lines should have been quicker in the afternoon, when those people weren't using their FPs. My experience does not back up that theory.

 

-RO

[ernierocker]

^Your biggest complaint seems to be that this will add more benefits to Resort guests staying with Disney and leave non-resort guests out in the cold. Now compare this to Universal Studios and tell me how this will be any different? Or any resort in the world for that matter. It shouldn't be a surprise to anyone that a resort would want to entice people with added benefits by staying with them instead of off-site.

 

And they are not actually taking anything away from non-resort guests. They are just enforcing an already existing system.

Edited February 10, 2012 by ernierocker

[Sir Clinksalot]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't the times strictly enforced at TDL? And that resort is widely considered to be the best.

 

Granted, you are dealing with spoiled American's for the most part at WDW, that's the difference.

[Swimace]

Again, this change is just a money grab for Disney hotels.

Yeah, it's so bogus that a business would want to find ways to maximize its profits.

 

Clearly a huge part of WDW's strategy is bringing people in for multi-day resort vacations, it makes sense that they want to try to find ways to increase their revenue stream while giving their guests more options.

 

Heaven forbid Americans be asked to generally abide by the rules of a system that is included with entry ticket.

THIS.

[Nrthwnd]

^^ i was going to add my TDL Fastpass experience here, and now that you've asked...

 

In the 2011 TPR Japan tour, two of us had FPs for Buzz LightYear. The "end time" was to be 11:30 am. We got in a few extra Fantasyland attractions before it got to within the time eperiod we had to show up and ride.

 

But - we forgot that there was a parade (D'oh!) starting at 11:00 and by the time it came to the path we were to cross, to get to Tomorrowland - it was blocked for the oncoming parade. We hit that path at around 11:20.

 

By the time 11:30 came around, we were both pretty wound up and getting pretty stressed at having to miss the time period. We then got past the parade path route at around 11:40 - literally bulleted to BL...

 

And then found out, we didn't have to freek out about it. They were allowing FPs well past "end times" into the attraction. That was in late June.

 

I think the idea of allowing a 15 minute "late arrival" past the end time of a FP is fine. That's what was being planned, yes? Just like a restaurant reservation. And that's for a specific time, hmm? And if you miss that envelope of allowed late time - you lose your FP. Simple. Plan ahead, people.

[SoCalCoasters]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't the times strictly enforced at TDL? And that resort is widely considered to be the best.

 

Granted, you are dealing with spoiled American's for the most part at WDW, that's the difference.

 

This.

 

The whole con arguement is that people will be enraged because THEY didn't use time management in most cases. Yes, there could be some exceptions, and poor little Billy might not get to ride that big attraction, but as a whole it's a smart, calculated business decision that I'm surprised took them this long to make.

[Rastuso]

TDL is totally different. You're lucky to get 2 FPs there in one day. Of course, if WDW starts issuing FPs to resort guests, that may be what WDW becomes, which is a very bad thing.

 

As for resorts always giving guests perks, sure. Universal is totally different, as their resort guests make up a much smaller percent of park guests. I'm always amazed at how few people are using the UE hotel passes.

 

An of course Disney is there to make money, but the poeple on this thread seem much less worried then everywhere else I've seen, including the TPR FB post.

 

I don't want to have to worry about time management on vacation, or risk losing a rare opportunity to ride an E-ticket.

 

FP as it is requires a lot of planning and walking at WDW, this makes it worse. This is a very large shift of perks from regular guest to resort guest.

 

Ultimately, after thinking about it, I can't believe this will last long without it having so many "exemptions" it is not any change at all.

 

-RO

[doublestufforeo]

TDL is totally different.

 

Why should it be any different? Now you actually have to use common logical sense and plan out your day, boohoo, there are plenty worse things that could happen in life than Disney enforcing their rules.