FastPass to History ~ Legacy FastPass Grows Up
Hello FastPass to History Blog Hoppers!Thank you, again, Frontierland Station for hosting this blog hop.
Back in 1999, the very first paper FastPasses came into existence and ever since Mouseketeers have toured in an entirely new and different way.
Originally FastPass allowed each ticket holder to pull one new FastPass at one of several E-Ticket rides. Guests would come back during an assigned ride window to a significantly shorter wait, using the intervening time to eat in restaurants, shop and enjoy other attractions and shows. Originally, you couldn't pull an additional FastPass until your first window opened.
Eventually they relaxed the time limitation to allow guests to pull additional FastPass tickets two hours after the first pulled FastPass.
FastPass influenced the design of Mission:SPACE, which included the first designed separate line for FastPass holders. Other attractions designed before 1999 had queues added to accommodate the FastPass system as they added FP.
By 2000, FastPass became part of the normal WDW lexicon, as much understood as the ADRs. Super planners used them to squeeze even more fun into their days, often handing off a handful of tickets to a "FastPass Runner" who would haul across the park to retrieve FastPasses for a group and then meet up with the group. After over a decade virtually unchanged, legacy FastPass inklings of change started to appear. The hour windows on the tickets (previously laxly enforced) became strictly enforced. MagicBand scanners appeared near many rides which previously did not employ a FastPass. Would they be adding FastPass to everything?
It turns out that legacy FastPass, as it existed in the 2000's was going the way of the dinosaurs. After extensive testing of the FastPass+ system taking place between May 2012 and November of 2013, Animal Kingdom shut down all legacy FastPass machines on December 18, 2013.
After working out the kinks, Magic Kingdom followed suit January 14, 2014.
Just this Tuesday, January 21, Disney's Hollywood Studios changed to FastPass+.
Tomorrow, Epcot closes the last of the legacy FastPass stations.
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| Go run around the park rather than waiting in line? Sounds good to me! |
Well, you can plan and pick out your FP+ times weeks to months in advance of your vacation. More wonderful, from my point of view, no one needs to hurry across the park at rope drop, you can pick out and adjust all FP+ online from your smart phone (there's an app for that!) or if you're technologically challenged, you can pick out your FastPass+ times at one of the kiosks with the help of cast members at each of the parks.
I'll write up my full opinion on My Disney Experience, MyMagic+ and FastPass+ after my next trip to the world, but as of now, I am cautiously optimistic that this will make my vacations even more magical!
I'm sad to see the paper Fastpasses go. I've kept some as souvenirs over the years. But I'm excited about Fastpass+! It will be great not to have to run to get a fast pass first thing when I arrive! Love your article! Thanks for linking up!
ReplyDeleteJust picked our FastPass+ things for our Disney trip/cruise next week. I was super disappointed!!! You can only pick ONE thing out of the major attractions and two things from minor things (that do not usually have long waits, especially in February). I'd rather have the old system back where you choose anything, then when you time runs out, you can get another fast pass from anything you want. Maybe they'll revert to that while still using your smartphone or the park/hotel kiosks. We can always hope!
ReplyDeleteI'm guessing how many FP+ they allow, park hopping and how the tiers work will adjust over time. I figure it's going to be one of those things that still is improving as they get more people to try it. If there is one thing about Disney I love, it's that they keep moving forward and trying new things.
DeleteI have faith that this will eventually be a magical part of trip planning.