Fast Passes, yeah no nay?

[meticulus9]

loved the fastpass. allowed me to see much more than previously.

[meticulus9]

As a Cast Member, Disney's FastPass is a wonderful thing.... when it works. The whole idea around FastPass is that you come back during your hour time window. You see there are a certain about of tickets printed out for each time period... that amout is what the Cast Members base there "ratio" if you will on. Most of the time is a 4 to 1 ratio. However, thats not always the case... if you have someone who hasnt followed some kind of ratio.... it actually hurts those in the standby line... that leads the next cast member to try and 'clean up' the FP line. Also just after parade time you always have an influx of FP Guests. Thats usually the worst time to be in the Standby line. And the worst thing is when guests are late with there FP times.... We will let ya in but keep in mind that those in the Standby line will be forced to wait longer... so what goes around comes around, eventually. Lastly, speaking for every cast member that I ve ever worked with... please dont give the CM working at the FP return enterence why you have to enter before your assigned time.... weve heard it all.... from 'I have to catch my flight' to 'but I have to use the bathroom' and Ive even heard, 'well come on man, Im on my last ride and myself and the wife need to go back to the room, if you know what I mean'. (Yea that last one was actually used... kinda creepy right?) Anyways thats a little insite into Disney's FastPass system, from a Cast Members eyes. If you know how to use the FastPass system your set. Its not a hard system to understand but the best way to learn how to use it is ASK A CAST MEMBER!! we will give you all our 'inside tips'. After all we also go to the park and use the FastPass system as well. If you want any tips (especially from a Magic Kingdom Cast Member) feel free to ask me... but I cant give away all of our hidden ways...LOL.

secrets do share

[Disneys America]

Last December I got a Surprise Fastpass for HISTA out of a TestTrack FP machine... not sure if they do it more recently than that (though I will report when we go in 8 DAYS!!)

This sounds like an attempt to get people to go to underutilized attractions or attractions that can swallow up a large number of people at a time, but to the guest it looks like a real perk.

Now, if it would give one for Soarin' I'd retract my statement.

[bribren]

I'll actually avoid a ride if the fastpasses are gone. I skipped soarin on my first time there after it was built because they were gone.

[Captain Schnemo]

If a machine tried to give me a fastpass for HISTA, I'd punch it in the mouth.

Or, y'know, whatever machines have.

[rdeacon]

If a machine tried to give me a fastpass for HISTA, I'd punch in in the mouth.

Or, y'know, whatever machines have.

HAHAHHAAHHAHHAA


i would pay to see that schnemo!

Rich

[GoofyInOhio]

I must say I love the Fastpass system. It allows me a chance to come back and ride a ride without a wait and free's me up to either go and ride another ride, do some shopping or get a bite to eat.

[jeebz68]

As a Cast Member, Disney's FastPass is a wonderful thing.... when it works. The whole idea around FastPass is that you come back during your hour time window. You see there are a certain about of tickets printed out for each time period... that amout is what the Cast Members base there "ratio" if you will on. Most of the time is a 4 to 1 ratio. However, thats not always the case... if you have someone who hasnt followed some kind of ratio.... it actually hurts those in the standby line... that leads the next cast member to try and 'clean up' the FP line. Also just after parade time you always have an influx of FP Guests. Thats usually the worst time to be in the Standby line. And the worst thing is when guests are late with there FP times.... We will let ya in but keep in mind that those in the Standby line will be forced to wait longer... so what goes around comes around, eventually. Lastly, speaking for every cast member that I ve ever worked with... please dont give the CM working at the FP return enterence why you have to enter before your assigned time.... weve heard it all.... from 'I have to catch my flight' to 'but I have to use the bathroom' and Ive even heard, 'well come on man, Im on my last ride and myself and the wife need to go back to the room, if you know what I mean'. (Yea that last one was actually used... kinda creepy right?) Anyways thats a little insite into Disney's FastPass system, from a Cast Members eyes. If you know how to use the FastPass system your set. Its not a hard system to understand but the best way to learn how to use it is ASK A CAST MEMBER!! we will give you all our 'inside tips'. After all we also go to the park and use the FastPass system as well. If you want any tips (especially from a Magic Kingdom Cast Member) feel free to ask me... but I cant give away all of our hidden ways...LOL.

secrets do share

Well what would you like to know? Ive been with the company for a nice while..... of course we cant tell to many secrets now can we? LOL

As a Cast Member, Disney's FastPass is a wonderful thing.... when it works. The whole idea around FastPass is that you come back during your hour time window. You see there are a certain about of tickets printed out for each time period... that amout is what the Cast Members base there "ratio" if you will on. Most of the time is a 4 to 1 ratio. However, thats not always the case... if you have someone who hasnt followed some kind of ratio.... it actually hurts those in the standby line... that leads the next cast member to try and 'clean up' the FP line. Also just after parade time you always have an influx of FP Guests. Thats usually the worst time to be in the Standby line. And the worst thing is when guests are late with there FP times.... We will let ya in but keep in mind that those in the Standby line will be forced to wait longer... so what goes around comes around, eventually. Lastly, speaking for every cast member that I ve ever worked with... please dont give the CM working at the FP return enterence why you have to enter before your assigned time.... weve heard it all.... from 'I have to catch my flight' to 'but I have to use the bathroom' and Ive even heard, 'well come on man, Im on my last ride and myself and the wife need to go back to the room, if you know what I mean'. (Yea that last one was actually used... kinda creepy right?) Anyways thats a little insite into Disney's FastPass system, from a Cast Members eyes. If you know how to use the FastPass system your set. Its not a hard system to understand but the best way to learn how to use it is ASK A CAST MEMBER!! we will give you all our 'inside tips'. After all we also go to the park and use the FastPass system as well. If you want any tips (especially from a Magic Kingdom Cast Member) feel free to ask me... but I cant give away all of our hidden ways...LOL.

So What are some of the secrets.
If you don't mind sharing.
Thanks
Dan

Well Dan, what would you like to know? There is just so much that I have learned since i was first employed with the company.....

[MansionButler]

I for one, dislike fast passes. If you don't have a secret card to let you keep getting them, or the courage to push the magic button , then it sucks for everyone else in line. I think it makes regular lines twice as long. So...lets vote!

I'm not sure I understand what you're saying.

Other than the button, which is a really good way to get kicked out of the park, and should be locked anyway.

I love fastpasses but only if I'm going to do certain rides in the same area. If I have to catch a show at a certain time and it falls in the same time as my Fastpass, then its just a waste. On my last trip, I had a fastpass for Rock n Roller Coaster but I wanted to see the last show of Beauty and the Beast at the same time.

Great point, we have done that many times.

Of course, since CM's don't (or I should say, haven't, ever, in my experience) held you to the "end time" on the FastPass (though they are EXACT and ADAMANT on the "start time"), you could just go back after that show.

Every once in a while I'll find an FP on the ground, with an "end time" of a while ago. I figure, someone must have just tossed it because they thought it wasn't good any more. More quick lines for me!

I work(ed) at a non-FP attraction, but those I was still trained on it. The time window thing is really just protection. CMs, like you said, rarely, if ever, hold you to the end time of your pass, and I've made alot of guests happy by pointing that out.

What the window is treated for is that IF there is actually a problem with the FP line getting too full and the regular wait going too long, they have grounds to turn you away if you're late. That's an extreme situation, though, that I've never encountered. Don't worry about the stop time of your fast pass.

[mindy0509]

Love the fast pass. Last year when Everest opened we were able to ride with no wait at all while standby was over an hour long. We usually go at the begining of May so lines are not that long to begin with but it works well for the popular rides, i.e. Soarin, Everest, Mission Space.

[Blackie Pueblo]

What I'm worried about is whether or not the Fast pass system is still valuable. Lately, it seems the fast passess run out rather quickly for the must do attractions, or they have return times several hours later. Then, I've also seen the Fast pass lines just as long as the standby.

Is the fast pass becoming a thing of the past? Is it losing its original plan? Will they have to have a fast pass line for the fast passes?

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[spaulo]

Then, I've also seen the Fast pass lines just as long as the standby.

Really? I've never witnessed anything close to this.

[Cheshire Cat]

Really? I've never witnessed anything close to this.

Have you seen the lines for Soarin'? lol
There's not a fastpass and a standby, there's just two lines in general. They might as well make one theater fastpass and one standby. Space Mountain can get pretty bad too.

Another thing about fastpass I don't see the point in is having fastpasses available for shows, especially big ones like Lights Motors Action that can easily fit loads of people.

[spaulo]

I agree on the FP for shows... always seemed silly to me. But I gotta tell you, last time I was in WDW (a year ago) and the past few times I've been in DL (most recently this past weekend) I have never seen an FP line get anywhere near as long as a standby line.

[Mr.ToadWildRider]

FPs for shows are actually surprisingly good. I tried it with Indy Stunt show in July and we showed up 10> minutes before the show and got front row seats. My friend and I even got selected as extras and my g/f took pics. Those turbans are actually very hot....