New Fastpass System

[yodiwan1]

I had heard that the new system was currently being tested. Has anyone on here heard anything about it, or experienced it themselves?

[theBIGyowski]

One review I read on it was fairly positive. It's only being used with guests who use DME right now...as a trial run...so it will be interesting to see how it goes.

[Wizzard419]

That seems... quite more expensive a system (unless they make it part of the room key and all) than the present one but it would also make it possible to not allow late guests to try and use their FPs. I wonder how people will know what time their pass is for after they get it?

[Amy]

Sooo, what's the new system??

[mindflipper]

Actually, there are changes to the current system, but it seems to differ from park to park and from ride to ride. Recently, I heard from people who have been to EPCOT that they are strictly enforcing the time on the FP for Soarin', but not for other rides. You can no longer come late to Soarin' with the FP - it has to be during the time on ticket. There are some who get FP's so they can use them during late hour EMH, but discover they couldn't use them for the RnR and TSMM over DHS during the late hour EMH - time was being strictly enforced for this ride but only during the EMH hours. The enforcement seems to come and go, which makes it sound like the management may be testing the idea of making changes in the policy of how the current FP's are enforced...

[Amy]

Actually, there are changes to the current system, but it seems to differ from park to park and from ride to ride. Recently, I heard from people who have been to EPCOT that they are strictly enforcing the time on the FP for Soarin', but not for other rides. You can no longer come late to Soarin' with the FP - it has to be during the time on ticket. There are some who get FP's so they can use them during late hour EMH, but discover they couldn't use them for the RnR and TSMM over DHS during the late hour EMH - time was being strictly enforced for this ride but only during the EMH hours. The enforcement seems to come and go, which makes it sound like the management may be testing the idea of making changes in the policy of how the current FP's are enforced...

So it's more of continuing to chance the enforcement of the times rather than a new system? How does that tie in to guests using DME?

[Soarin08]

Actually, there are changes to the current system, but it seems to differ from park to park and from ride to ride. Recently, I heard from people who have been to EPCOT that they are strictly enforcing the time on the FP for Soarin', but not for other rides. You can no longer come late to Soarin' with the FP - it has to be during the time on ticket. There are some who get FP's so they can use them during late hour EMH, but discover they couldn't use them for the RnR and TSMM over DHS during the late hour EMH - time was being strictly enforced for this ride but only during the EMH hours. The enforcement seems to come and go, which makes it sound like the management may be testing the idea of making changes in the policy of how the current FP's are enforced...

Sounds more confusing than the current method they're using...

[mindflipper]

Actually, it is the current method, but it's being weirdly enforced. The new system isn't out yet, but it makes me wonder if they're testing changes to the policy of the current system in order to make both the new and the current system be able to work simultaneously. It could be in order to allow the new system to work, the current system will require strict enforcement of the times...

[Wizzard419]

Are they using the RFID things (like one article was saying)? I think part of it might be a means of doing away with the printers as well as being able to make the system able to "float". Though it is kind of flawed since it would mean either needing to keep two systems up (and talking to each other) so that those guests without chipped tickets (such as single day guests) can be able to use the system. Alternatively, I guess they could tack on a fee for their hardware like some theaters do for 3D movies for the glasses.

[Amy]

I like the idea of doing away with the printed return passes. I'm sure they recycle them but it still seems like such a waste...

[Wizzard419]

I like the idea of doing away with the printed return passes. I'm sure they recycle them but it still seems like such a waste...

I guess the question is, which does more damage paper or oil (plastic) and expensive metal (copper is used with RF chips) that cannot be recovered since the people will take it with them when they leave.

[cy1229]

I like the idea of doing away with the printed return passes. I'm sure they recycle them but it still seems like such a waste...

I guess the question is, which does more damage paper or oil (plastic) and expensive metal (copper is used with RF chips) that cannot be recovered since the people will take it with them when they leave.

OOOOOH I love questions like these!!!

WARNING The nerd-o-meter is about to go off scale. Prepare yourselves.

That is a really good question.

Paper is made from trees, and can be made from recycled paper, both of which are fully sustainable and renewable. The process of making a ream of paper consumes the same amount of energy that is contained in 2 gallons of gasoline (http://www.need.org/needpdf/infobook_ac ... /ConsI.pdf page 47). How many little tickets are in a ream of paper?

According to http://reason.org/news/show/paper-groce ... equire-mor, paper grocery bags require more energy to manufacture than plastic grocery bags. However, plastic grocery bags are significantly less massive than both paper grocery bags and plastic room key / park ticket cards.

Having said all this, the answer is

I don't know.

[Amy]

Darn it cy1229, I thought you were going to answer the question!
I guess I would rather see plastic cards with RFID chips. Those can be kept as souvenirs, and eventually perhaps included in the hotel room/entrance media. They don't use the nice, thick, credit card-type cards anyhow, just the flimsy, thin plastic cards. And you have to take into account the ink used to print the FP and electricity used to power the paper FP machines.

[Goofyfan]

If they really enforce the time when fast pass can be used.... that may seem that it will put more pressure on the guests to be there on time. Makes me wonder about the poor people waiting in line for other attractions or meals....Makes me a little weary.

[Wizzard419]

Just checking on an old FP in my wallet, they are not printed on recycled paper (or at least do not pimp it like with their other cardstock). You also forget that an RFID chip uses a lot of copper (for the power antenna) so the metal means more strip mining as the old cards will not be recycled.