State of Fast Pass Return (or replacement)

[Lewisc]

I'm talking about furnishing proof of disability- ie, a doctors note, not a disclosure of what the medical condition is. What your issue is doesn't matter, proof that it actually exists does and Disney can legally ask for that proof.

But it has nothing to do with HIPPA. My comment was directed to that part of your comment.. Its ADA. Requiring documentation also requires training CMs to evaluate it.

Good news. We'll fax this form to your doctor. As soon as we get it back we'll make some adjustments. While you're waiting would you like to purchase some passes?

 

[ellbell]

I'm seriously considering DAS even though I've never used it before because FP+ worked fine for me. I can't even ride a crowded city bus for more than 5 minutes without having a panic attack. Feeling trapped in an indoor queue for more than 20 minutes would give me a heart attack. I'm sure I'm not the only one that would feel that way.

 

[cakebaker]

I mean, let's just face it, with fast pass or without, you're going to have to wait on some things.

FP+ also inflated the standby lines on a lot of attractions as well.

FOP 2hr 20 min standby- 15 minute wait with FP+. I know which one I want and I'll skip any increased waits on secondary rides by doing them at rope drop while those who refuse to learn how to use FP+ effectively rush to the headliners. And if I have a FP+, I couldn't care less what the standby time is anyway.

Of course you'll wait on things no matter what, you'll just wait a lot less with it than without it.

 

[Branderson610]

But it has nothing to do with HIPPA. My comment was directed to that part of your comment.. Its ADA. Requiring documentation also requires training CMs to evaluate it.

Good news. We'll fax this form to your doctor. As soon as we get it back we'll make some adjustments. While you're waiting would you like to purchase some passes?

It can be done. Hate to keep talking about six flags, but they have a third party affiliate that issues their disability pass. You go to the website and enter the required documentation. They review your documentation, then approve a pass for you or not. If, you truly have a disability most of the time you are not asking for the pass the day of, you have already researched what is needed to obtain a pass before you go.

 

[Remy is Up]

I'm seriously considering DAS even though I've never used it before because FP+ worked fine for me. I can't even ride a crowded city bus for more than 5 minutes without having a panic attack. Feeling trapped in an indoor queue for more than 20 minutes would give me a heart attack. I'm sure I'm not the only one that would feel that way.

Lots of people with no physical or visible conditions use DAS. Anxiety, panic attacks, autistic, etc. It is actually used more for that purpose

 

[mom2rtk]

Hey Disney I have a very simple solution to this issue. Stop increasing capacity until you have enough attractions and dinning places and cast members available to serve all of the guest and expand park hours so as not to cram everyone into limited hours. You just keep jamming people into the parks without caring about the guest experience. They say the higher ups are worried about all the people complaining about wait times but they just keep increasing the number of park passes available. It is all about the short term income and not about the future.

Exactly that. It's a self imposed problem.

 

[ChipnDale79]

Hey Disney I have a very simple solution to this issue. Stop increasing capacity until you have enough attractions and dinning places and cast members available to serve all of the guest and expand park hours so as not to cram everyone into limited hours. You just keep jamming people into the parks without caring about the guest experience. They say the higher ups are worried about all the people complaining about wait times but they just keep increasing the number of park passes available. It is all about the short term income and not about the future.

I wish i could double love this.

 

[ellbell]

Lots of people with no physical or visible conditions use DAS. Anxiety, panic attacks, autistic, etc. It is actually used more for that purpose

I am aware I have just never had to bother with it because I was always able to get fastpasses for whatever I wanted instead. Even the thought of being in the tight FOP cue inside a simulated cave without being able to easily leave though makes me dizzy.

 

[Remy is Up]

FOP 2hr 20 min standby- 15 minute wait with FP+. I know which one I want and I'll skip any increased waits on secondary rides by doing them at rope drop while those who refuse to learn not to use FP+ effectively rush to the headliners. And if I have a FP+, I couldn't care less what the standby time is anyway.

Of course you'll wait on things no matter what, you'll just wait a lot less with it than without it.

Fp+ was a good system. The fact it was free made it even more interesting. However, the majority of park goers got their 3 and left it at that. Your regulars and ap holders understood how to maximize it.

 

[cakebaker]

Fp+ was a good system. The fact it was free made it even more interesting. However, the majority of park goers got their 3 and left it at that. Your regulars and ap holders understood how to maximize it.

I think we were pretty well versed in how to maximize it, but really didn't bother with it all that much outside of the first 3, maybe 1 or 2 more after that. It's just how we toured the parks, hopping and doing rope drop for secondary rides, multiple opportunities to book headliners- really didn't find it neccesary to spend a lot of time getting additional FP's. For those few rides we loved to ride as much as possible- if you could have seen our FP line up. lol No matter how many times we went to the MK during a trip, SDMT was in that 3, same with SDD. For others in our group, it was RRC or Space, but we rode what we wanted, when we wanted and for as many times as we wanted.

That's what made it good, imo. It was versatile- sleep in or rope dropper, park hopper or not, you could make it work and the more you learned to use it, the better it was. I'm sad to see it go and not just because it was free. Don't tell Disney, but I would've paid money for it.

 

[SarahWI]

That's what made it good, imo. It was versatile- sleep in or rope dropper, park hopper or not, you could make it work and the more you learned to use it, the better it was. I'm sad to see it go and not just because it was free. Don't tell Disney, but I would've paid money for it.

Agreed. We would get our 3 FPs well in advance of the trip and meander to and around parks when we were ready. No need to rope drop and no running to the machines which we hated.

 

[mrsbdub]

This may seem dramatic on our end but we’re actually now talking about canceling our trip and eating the 2 weeks worth of points now. We’ll see if that actually happen, but that’s the current topic of convo now.

I totally understand and have been thinking the same thing this week. We are set to arrive Sept 13-19 and after seeing yesterday's wait times, I am extremely hesitant. I am still within my 60 day window to cancel or reschedule and I am now leaning heavily to the latter especially since there are so many things still closed and not many perks for staying onsite at all.

 

[Remy is Up]

I think we were pretty well versed in how to maximize it, but really didn't bother with it all that much outside of the first 3, maybe 1 or 2 more after that. It's just how we toured the parks, hopping and doing rope drop for secondary rides, multiple opportunities to book headliners- really didn't find it neccesary to spend a lot of time getting additional FP's. For those few rides we loved to ride as much as possible- if you could have seen our FP line up. lol No matter how many times we went to the MK during a trip, SDMT was in that 3, same with SDD. For others in our group, it was RRC or Space, but we rode what we wanted, when we wanted and for as many times as we wanted.

That's what made it good, imo. It was versatile- sleep in or rope dropper, park hopper or not, you could make it work and the more you learned to use it, the better it was. I'm sad to see it go and not just because it was free. Don't tell Disney, but I would've paid money for it.

And we used It a bit differently. Which made it great because you and I both used it, in different ways. And it worked for both of us. That's why I liked it.

 

[Wandering Oaken]

And we used It a bit differently. Which made it great because you and I both used it, in different ways. And it worked for both of us. That's why I liked it.

Exactly. People used it in a variety of ways and it worked. We rarely ever closed the parks but we were always there at rope drop. We didn't even use our fast passes until after lunch and we'd walk around the park for the rest of the day until we got tired and went back to the room. When my friends go they sleep in a little bit and don't even get to the parks until around 11:00 or 12:00. They either use their fast passes right away or spread them throughout the day.

 

[Renarr]

I am aware I have just never had to bother with it because I was always able to get fastpasses for whatever I wanted instead. Even the thought of being in the tight FOP cue inside a simulated cave without being able to easily leave though makes me dizzy.

My wife got a DAS pass for similar reasons the first two years after her stroke (the clots hit near her optic nerve, and she was ultrasensitive to waiting in dark places). But she absolutely hated using it, even though the Finding Nemo standby waits of 15 minutes would be too much for her. We hadn't used it the two years after that, because we were able to Fastpass everything we were concerned about (and who else Fastpasses Finding Nemo? )

Depending on what they come out with, we've discussed the idea of utilizing DAS again. I definitely would envision an uptick in usage if their system is more challenging than before (because there are fewer, they are paid, they are different).

 

[Remy is Up]

Exactly. People used it in a variety of ways and it worked. We rarely ever closed the parks but we were always there at rope drop. We didn't even use our fast passes until after lunch and we'd walk around the park for the rest of the day until we got tired and went back to the room. When my friends go they sleep in a little bit and don't even get to the parks until around 11:00 or 12:00. They either use their fast passes right away or spread them throughout the day.

And a great thing was you could adjust your approach based on the situation. We would take friends who wanted to do it all. So we would refresh, refresh, pull all day getting as many as possible. Other friends had specific targets and we would use drop times to make that happen. We also had days just the two of us went and would grab them as we were walking in and then just get more as we wanted to. It allowed a ton of flexibility

 

[ellbell]

My wife got a DAS pass for similar reasons the first two years after her stroke (the clots hit near her optic nerve, and she was ultrasensitive to waiting in dark places). But she absolutely hated using it, even though the Finding Nemo standby waits of 15 minutes would be too much for her. We hadn't used it the two years after that, because we were able to Fastpass everything we were concerned about (and who else Fastpasses Finding Nemo? )

Depending on what they come out with, we've discussed the idea of utilizing DAS again. I definitely would envision an uptick in usage if their system is more challenging than before (because there are fewer, they are paid, they are different).

I am the else that fastpasses Nemo lol.

 

[Lewisc]

Currently you can get on line for FoP a few minutes before park closing. The wait is typically less then the posted time.

The system being implemented in Paris lets Disney, easily close the standby queue and say VQ are no longer available.

Theoretically Disney could Currently close standby lines an hour before park close. That's not generally done. Arguments with guests.

I think popular rides will be done for the day vs guests waiting past park closing.

Works better for disney nights hosting after park events, paid or otherwise.

 

[Moliphino]

I am the else that fastpasses Nemo lol.

I've done it. And LWTL. The tiers at Epcot mean you need to fastpass some unnecessary stuff.

 

[SuzErwin]

My wife got a DAS pass for similar reasons the first two years after her stroke (the clots hit near her optic nerve, and she was ultrasensitive to waiting in dark places). But she absolutely hated using it, even though the Finding Nemo standby waits of 15 minutes would be too much for her. We hadn't used it the two years after that, because we were able to Fastpass everything we were concerned about (and who else Fastpasses Finding Nemo? )

Depending on what they come out with, we've discussed the idea of utilizing DAS again. I definitely would envision an uptick in usage if their system is more challenging than before (because there are fewer, they are paid, they are different).

But that’s what DAS is for. If you need it, it’s available. It’s your choice to use it or not.

I highly, sincerely doubt DAS will be used in enough numbers to approximate the number of people previously using FastPass. Not many guests know about it, for one. Since the goal of a paid FP system would be to move some guests into the FP line, but not nearly as many guests as before, so the Standby line constantly moves and doesn’t feel as onerous, an uptick in DAS would still lead to the same result Disney is seeking.

And if standby lines become too long — by whatever metric Disney uses to determine that — then they say they’ll switch to a virtual queue so guests can do other things instead of standing in the line (which was the original intent of FastPass - it reserved a place in line for guests so they could shop or eat. But it came to be seen as a line jump or privileged faster access instead of as a line placeholder - because Standby queues moved so slowly and FP guests literally cut in line in front of them).

I’m not thrilled at the removal of free FastPass from DLP and I hope a different system comes to WDW and DLR - but it doesn’t necessarily mean spending all day in standby lines without a paid pass.