State of Fast Pass Return (or replacement)

[Wandering Oaken]

We also go in two weeks! I expect crowds to be less, nearly all the school districts in Florida, Georgia and Tennessee will be in school.

Good luck! But I wouldn't count on lower crowds. Too many people think the same thing as you and that everyone will have kids back in school. My guess is that it will still be crazy stupid packed because Disney refuses/cannot open everything back up to pre-covid levels.

 

[ChipnDale79]

Good luck! But I wouldn't count on lower crowds. Too many people think the same thing as you and that everyone will have kids back in school. My guess is that it will still be crazy stupid packed because Disney refuses/cannot open everything back up to pre-covid levels.

We're in NC, our kids dont go back for another month, i think thats pretty common for NC schools. so there will still be some with kids down there.

 

[CSLucas]

We're in NC, our kids dont go back for another month, i think thats pretty common for NC schools. so there will still be some with kids down there.

we are in SC and our don't go back until mid-late August.

 

[Wandering Oaken]

We're in NC, our kids dont go back for another month, i think thats pretty common for NC schools. so there will still be some with kids down there.

That's what I am talking about. A lot of schools don't go back until mid to late August so the slow-down in the parks doesn't usually hit until the beginning of September. Even these days it has gotten more and more packed even during that time.

 

[cakebaker]

We had guest recovery FP as well. Went to Guest Relations with the email about them and they turned them into "experiences". Like you said, there were exclusions. 7DMT, Toy Story, Star Wars, Pandora and Frozen were all excluded. The "experiences" work just like FP but just had the new name.

Thanks for the information! I had no clue what they’d do. These are from late 2019, had planned on using them in March of 2020 but......
They won’t help with what we need most, but better than nothing for sure.

 

[preemiemama]

Thanks for the information! I had no clue what they’d do. These are from late 2019, had planned on using them in March of 2020 but......
They won’t help with what we need most, but better than nothing for sure.

Ours were from 2019 as well. The Guest Services person tried to convince me to hold off until next year when the new FP would (presumably) be in place, but I'm really glad she activated them for this trip!

 

[mercuryvenus]

That's what I am talking about. A lot of schools don't go back until mid to late August so the slow-down in the parks doesn't usually hit until the beginning of September. Even these days it has gotten more and more packed even during that time.

What do you think the crowd levels will be like in early November? Basically all kids should be in school by that point, but the 50th anniversary stuff will have started by then, so it’s hard for me to gauge it.

 

[becauseimnew]

We also go in two weeks! I expect crowds to be less, nearly all the school districts in Florida, Georgia and Tennessee will be in school.

when do they start school?

 

[Wandering Oaken]

What do you think the crowd levels will be like in early November? Basically all kids should be in school by that point, but the 50th anniversary stuff will have started by then, so it’s hard for me to gauge it.

No one has any idea this year. The pre-COVID levels were already getting insane but this year you have: people that put off a trip from last year + revenge travelers + People already planning on going this year during November + People trying to "beat the crowds" picking times like November = I am guessing a ton of people. That is why we chose November next year. Hopefully most of the people will be vacationed out by then but I am not even counting on that.

 

[AnnabelleTheTalkingTree]

That's what I am talking about. A lot of schools don't go back until mid to late August so the slow-down in the parks doesn't usually hit until the beginning of September. Even these days it has gotten more and more packed even during that time.

Kids in my area don't ever go back until September.

 

[cakebaker]

I can

Ours were from 2019 as well. The Guest Services person tried to convince me to hold off until next year when the new FP would (presumably) be in place, but I'm really glad she activated them for this trip!

I can’t imagine a time when I’d need them more than this trip. I can see the point of getting them for free when the system goes to paid, but being able to avoid a few hours long lines is worth it to me. Besides, not sure when we will be back.

 

[Wandering Oaken]

Kids in my area don't ever go back until September.

Back (way back) when I was in high school we did not start until the beginning of September either. Then the Indiana Board of Education started increasing the required hours/days of learning per student so the schools kept moving the start and end days farther into the summer. We used to get a full three months (or more) off school for the summer. By the time my son graduated this past May he was starting school in late July and getting out of school in early June. Ridiculous.

 

[dachsie]

We leave Sunday for WDW and not at all looking forward to it. I have some guest recovery FP's, not sure what they'll do about those- hopefully go ahead and give them to us, but likely they aren't good for the most popular rides anyway.

I guess in Disney's eyes, it would appear they're willing to take the hit for the miserable experiences of guests for the next few weeks. Come August, crowd levels will lower some, a few people eaters are opening and it might not be so terrible. I, as always, have impeccable timing.

You seem to really not have a good time going to Disney and have reported a lot of bad experiences. Why do you still go? I know for me, if it wasn't fun, I wouldn't do it anymore.

 

[Spyral]

Back (way back) when I was in high school we did not start until the beginning of September either. Then the Indiana Board of Education started increasing the required hours/days of learning per student so the schools kept moving the start and end days farther into the summer. We used to get a full three months (or more) off school for the summer. By the time my son graduated this past May he was starting school in late July and getting out of school in early June. Ridiculous.

Same here with some of our school districts in Arizona. My son starts back Monday. Some districts started back a few days ago. On the plus side, do get 2 weeks at the breaks (Fall, Winter, Spring). We usually do DW during spring break and DL during fall break when we do our Disney trips, but we are doing DW this fall. I really hope some sort of fast pass system is up and running and available again by then (if not sooner so can plan better).

 

[Bibbobboo2u]

Ours were from 2019 as well. The Guest Services person tried to convince me to hold off until next year when the new FP would (presumably) be in place, but I'm really glad she activated them for this trip!

Oh - Did she say new FP would be in place then? This makes it sound like she was suggesting to wait because they might be more valuable when new FP is around, as in when it becomes the paid FP system......just a thought. I feel certain it is coming, but part of me is still in denial.

 

[preemiemama]

Oh - Did she say new FP would be in place then? This makes it sound like she was suggesting to wait because they might be more valuable when new FP is around, as in when it becomes the paid FP system......just a thought. I feel certain it is coming, but part of me is still in denial.

Nothing more than suggesting keeping them until next year. Nothing concrete. But definitely implying it was coming...

 

[state08]

I just saw a video of the line for space mountain literally wrapping all around tomorrowland......that has got to be miserable.

This is something that I’m surprised Disney is just letting happen. The pictures and videos I’ve seen of the lines sprawled all throughout normal areas of the parks look so ugly and chaotic compared to the way Disney is normally so focused on visuals.

 

[Aprilshack]

This is something that I’m surprised Disney is just letting happen. The pictures and videos I’ve seen of the lines sprawled all throughout normal areas of the parks look so ugly and chaotic compared to the way Disney is normally so focused on visuals.

I'm thinking they want the new FP/Genie system out but are still having problems.

 

[thingaboutarsenal]

This is something that I’m surprised Disney is just letting happen. The pictures and videos I’ve seen of the lines sprawled all throughout normal areas of the parks look so ugly and chaotic compared to the way Disney is normally so focused on visuals.

I'm in that line right now. My son just hit 44" or I'd nope out of it. It's pretty brutal.

 

[vincep]

You seem to really not have a good time going to Disney and have reported a lot of bad experiences. Why do you still go? I know for me, if it wasn't fun, I wouldn't do it anymore.

I think it's a sense of nostalgia and a hope against hope of finding a bit of the magic one had there once. Maybe this will be the time it will all fall back in place and it will be the Disney World I remember. That's how great the experiences once were. The memories keep calling you back.