State of Fast Pass Return (or replacement)

[jordan13402]

Having been there in 2019, I would venture a guess that there are more people there right now. Just my opinion, but it sure felt a lot more crowded. I suppose it could be the lack of people eating shows, meets and parades, too, but it was crowded.

I would also say that in my experience (not scientific, I know) that PotC is definitely better without FP. In 2019, we would wait 20-30 minutes at the end of the night easily if we did not have a FP. This trip, we got in line with a posted 30 minute wait and were on a boat in under 15. That line wound around the queue like crazy- outside, through the former FP line, back around and to the split between the loading areas. But it moved. So, minimum we waited 10 minutes less this trip than in 2019 when in standby.

I don't think that rides like PotC, IASW, HM that can eat people fairly well should be FP. Let them do their job and move the people through efficiently to 1. give people something to wait for that's manageable and 2. take the stress off of other more popular rides. I'd also argue BTMRR or Space, with their 2 line loading setup, should not have an entire side of their capacity shut down for FP. Maybe merge them somewhere at the split (which I think I remember BTMRR did) so the load capacity reduces standby wait. This would definitely help at Space! Even now, they are only utilizing the entire right side of that ride for DAS, Rider Swap, etc. just as they were for FP. It would certainly help keep the wait times down if both sides loaded more equally.

I guess all this to say that I'm hoping when they bring whatever version of FP is coming they address some of these issues/ inefficiencies.

we were there end of June and I noticed that about Space Mountain too...I thought "man this line would go faster if both sides were being used for all riders

 

[b00kbug]

I totally agree- and was saying the same thing last week. Right now we have too many people and not enough to do. I know a few things are coming (Turtle Talk, BatB, Monsters) but there needs to be even more.

That's true - and character meet and greets also

 

[mercuryvenus]

That's true - and character meet and greets also

The character meet and greets will be huge. It seems to me they could do it with just somewhat distanced pictures (no hugs, just standing next to the character and taking a picture). Or they could allow hugs for the fur characters and not the face characters.

 

[preemiemama]

The character meet and greets will be huge. It seems to me they could do it with just somewhat distanced pictures (no hugs, just standing next to the character and taking a picture). Or they could allow hugs for the fur characters and not the face characters.

I think they may be waiting for younger kids to be able to get vaccinated? I could see issues with little kids especially not understanding the distancing and just running for the characters...

 

[mercuryvenus]

I think they may be waiting for younger kids to be able to get vaccinated? I could see issues with little kids especially not understanding the distancing and just running for the characters...

Potentially true, though I feel like most kids are remarkably well behaved around the characters. I’ve always been impressed by the fact that the kids tend to run towards the characters during the parades and wait in line for them at meet and greets.

But maybe I just haven’t happened to be around when kids have gotten unruly with them.

 

[preemiemama]

Potentially true, though I feel like most kids are remarkably well behaved around the characters. I’ve always been impressed by the fact that the kids tend to run towards the characters during the parades and wait in line for them at meet and greets.

But maybe I just haven’t happened to be around when kids have gotten unruly with them.

Not positive- that was just my theory. Even a couple overexcited kids could be problematic I guess? Or they don't have enough performers. Or they're cheap. Take your pick?

 

[Loro]

Not sure why they can't just install a temporary barrier for the meet and greets. I've seen some amazing character interactions at places like Garden Grill, and for face characters they can still have one-on-one verbal interactions too.

 

[CSLucas]

Not sure why they can't just install a temporary barrier for the meet and greets. I've seen some amazing character interactions at places like Garden Grill, and for face characters they can still have one-on-one verbal interactions too.

I don't see why they can't do it the same way they are doing Elsa in Epcot. My kids were just excited to have a picture with her - they didn't care that she was behind a little fence. I think they could station characters at certain places and stick a photopass photographer with them. I know when we went in April they were only allowing Elsa to be out for like 10 minutes at a time to keep crowds from forming, but since they don't seem to care about crowds or distancing now then I don't see the problem in having more predictable appearances or even in letting the meet and greets happen in their old locations, just keep the characters behind some themed barricade.

 

[Loro]

I don't see why they can't do it the same way they are doing Elsa in Epcot. My kids were just excited to have a picture with her - they didn't care that she was behind a little fence. I think they could station characters at certain places and stick a photopass photographer with them. I know when we went in April they were only allowing Elsa to be out for like 10 minutes at a time to keep crowds from forming, but since they don't seem to care about crowds or distancing now then I don't see the problem in having more predictable appearances or even in letting the meet and greets happen in their old locations, just keep the characters behind some themed barricade.

Exactly!

Very easy fix to bringing back some magic and pulling more people away from attraction lines and into the M&G lines. Maybe they can do something like this with the new influx of CMs.

 

[disneyfan123]

It also may be hard to believe, but some people don't use smart phones. The kiosks are their only option in the parks.

You need to remember that there are many international visitors to WDW who can't use data plans due to the high cost of international roaming (you have no idea how expensive cell phones plans are in Canada, and you don't want to know!). Relying on the WDW wifi isn't always good so having kiosks could help a lot of people.

 

[finedice]

The data says otherwise. I don't have the links handy, but touring plans did a study on it a while back. The differences in waits were negligible. It just seems faster now because the lines are moving more constantly.

Yes, yes, it has been posted as such ad nauseum. First hand, it definitely does. Believe what you like, but a full Space Mtn SB queue would never get from the beginning of the attraction entrance to loading in 12 -15 mins previously. That I know from personal experience -regardless of what TP may have studied years ago.

 

[DisSurfer878]

The character meet and greets will be huge. It seems to me they could do it with just somewhat distanced pictures (no hugs, just standing next to the character and taking a picture). Or they could allow hugs for the fur characters and not the face characters.

I could see some version of argument that fur characters could have snotty kids rubbing their nose on the suits or sneezing on them and with no masks and littles unable to be vaxxed and the next one runs up and rubs their face in it.... yeah.

 

[ChipnDale79]

When this came out everybody had a good laugh, ‘Who’s gonna pay over $100 each for 75 exclusive minutes on 3 rides (7DMT, Pooh and Peter Pan) plus breakfast?’ WDW got the last laugh because it turned out being immensely popular. And unlike After Hours being a hard ticket, EMM needed admission to MK (or hosting park) that day.

i could be wrong, but if i remember correctly, it was a flop at first, but then they started pairing back magic hours and allowing the good neighbor hotel guests be a part of magic hours.

 

[Moliphino]

The data says otherwise. I don't have the links handy, but touring plans did a study on it a while back. The differences in waits were negligible. It just seems faster now because the lines are moving more constantly.

If it's the same study that was posted before, it was comparing standby waits with paper fastpasses to standby waits with fastpass+. NOT standby waits without any fastpass at all.

 

[Mac30188]

i could be wrong, but if i remember correctly, it was a flop at first, but then they started pairing back magic hours and allowing the good neighbor hotel guests be a part of magic hours.

When my daughter was 4, we used this splurge for her first trip to MK and it worked great. We rode SDMT 4 times, Peter Pan 2 times, Pooh only once, and carousel once. After those 8 rides were done, we were able to immediately jump to another ride at rope drop (IIRC princess hall visit) and then went to breakfast as a short break. The food was pretty decent, and we were fortunate enough to have a Disney magic moment in there as well. By the time we left breakfast, we were full, refreshed, and and felt like we had done quite a lot without having to endure the madness and waiting of rope drop.

As my daughter is quite older, there is no way I would do again. Her ride tastes are more exotic, and losing that early morning park time for those rides would not be worth it. For a 4 year old's first visit to Magic Kingdom, it was absolutely magical and one of my favorite add-ons I have ever done.

 

[cakebaker]

i could be wrong, but if i remember correctly, it was a flop at first, but then they started pairing back magic hours and allowing the good neighbor hotel guests be a part of magic hours.

We're huge fans of the traditional After Hours events, but only tried the morning one once and it was a disaster.

We walked in, went right to SDMT and it was down. No biggie, walked to PPF....it was down. Went back to SDMT and they had no clue when or IF it would open during the event and as it turns out, it didn't. Back over to PPF, still down and no time estimate on it's return. When the 2 biggest draws for that event are down, you just lost any reason to pay that price. So, off to guest services we went and had a fairly unpleasant encounter with a CM who finally refunded our money after making sure we hadn't eaten the breakfast offered and seemed to take great delight in snipping off our bands to make sure we didn't sneak back in for bacon I guess. lol It was not even 30 minutes since the event had started and we'd walked back and forth in the park a couple of times, then walked to guest services and stood in line with all the other unhappy people there so chances that we ate were slim.

They did give FP's to those wanting to ride SDMT, but this was our last morning, had a flight out that afternoon and from the reports I read from others, SDMT wasn't back up for hours that day.

I had thought it was overpriced and not really a good value, but it was a last day treat for my grandson. We would not do one again if they ever brought it back.

 

[Pens Fan]

Not sure why they can't just install a temporary barrier for the meet and greets. I've seen some amazing character interactions at places like Garden Grill, and for face characters they can still have one-on-one verbal interactions too.

I remember last summer when theme parks began reopening around the world, someone on here posted a picture from a (non Disney) park in Europe. They had characters surrounded by props for their meet and greets. The props provided a barrier, but still allowed for verbal interaction. They also made for a pretty great photo. It seems as if something like that would work. Like others noted above, until all children are at least eligible for vaccination, I don't see Disney allowing any guests hugging the characters.

 

[rstan]

Not sure if anyone has seen this, but the website is very glitchy today and this came up when I refreshed a few times.

 

[cluce]

Not sure if anyone has seen this, but the website is very glitchy today and this came up when I refreshed a few times.

View attachment 591334

I Just came here to report that!!!! you beat me to it!!!! hopefully this is good news!!!!

 

[Marionnette]

Not sure if anyone has seen this, but the website is very glitchy today and this came up when I refreshed a few times.

View attachment 591334

Same here. Can't log in thru the website and all of my plans are missing in the MDE app.

SMH.