"I know, I can tell time"

[hhsrat]

As far as the people waiting in front of the entrance to get in line, I was referring more to the people (adults) who watch the clock with the type of intensity that makes me think I am going to be tackled at soon as it reaches the next 5 min mark, it can be a little unnerving for the CM. I completely understand being tired and not wanting to do laps around the park, I think "walking around the park" was a bad choice of words on my part.

Or the ones that say "But my watch says it's (insert their FP return time here)", to which (back when I worked a FP attraction) I would respond with something along the lines of "That's nice, but we run on Harambe Standard Time here, and my clock (pointing above my head to the clock) says you've still got another minute to wait"

[Floridian]

Or the ones that say "But my watch says it's (insert their FP return time here)", to which (back when I worked a FP attraction) I would respond with something along the lines of "That's nice, but we run on Harambe Standard Time here, and my clock (pointing above my head to the clock) says you've still got another minute to wait"

Yep thats the line, Harambe Standard Time. I am often shown cells phones as proof that my clock is wrong, and seriously the clock is wrong, but I am required to go by the time in Harambe...thats how I say it because I have difficultly saying Harambe Standard Time with a straight face.

[EeyoresButterfly]

Jumping into this late, but since it was referred to on another thread...

Bru: Your mistake is a common one. The FP return time is the time you actually enter the line, not the time that you get to the front. People make that mistake all the time. Unfortunately I have had to become a bit of a hardass about it at certain rides. I do wait (most of the time) until my clock says it's time. I feel bad if you're a minute or two early and I let in a big group, but I let them in because they had the earlier time and waited until their time to show up, it's not fair to make them wait behind somebody who came early. If there is no line and they're within a minute or two normally I will let them go, but with the way FP works in Fland, our lines get backed up very easily and the minute you start letting people in early, you are in for it. I am not condoning in the least what that person did, but I will give you a perspective. I have been very tempted to say what he said (but with adults, not kids). After standing in the hot sun all day listening to people wine at me because I won't let them in 15 minutes early, losing my voice from constantly having to ask them to move away from the entrance so that those who have the proper time can get in (and so people evacuating can get out in the event of an emergency) and being met with nothing but attitude, it really wears you down. I have never and will never say that to anybody no matter how tempted, it is unacceptable, but I can certainly understand why he would have done it.

A PSA for those unfamiliar with FP: The return time is your time to enter the line, not your time to get on the ride. The logic that by the time you get to the front it will be your time is not the logic the FP system was built on. We do not collect them until the merge point because people frequently duck under the ropes/railings or otherwise try to sneak into the FP line, so always hang onto your FPs and be ready to hand them to the person at the merge point. If you do not have them, do not be surprised if you get turned away. We will be nice whenever possible, but it is very common for people to sneak into the line and claim to have "lost" their FPs. If you show up early, please politely move away from the entrance. Please do not argue with us. We are not trying to be mean. With many of these rides letting somebody in even a minute or two early can back up both the standby and FP lines, forcing those who waited for their return time or standby to wait even longer for the guests who came early. If we ask you to move away from the entrance, please do so. Again, we are not trying to be mean, this is a safety issue. There may be a circumstance where we have to evacuate the ride in an emergency, and several hundred people will be coming out the entrance. We are required to keep the entrance clear. This also prevents those whose return times have already started from waiting for ten or fifteen minutes behind those who came early. Remember: Your return time is not the time you get on the ride, but the time you enter the line. You will experience a minimal wait. We apologize if it is longer than expected, unfortunately if somebody lets people in early, the merge CM does not do the right ratio, or the ride breaks down, you may have to wait more than five minutes, however we will work to get you on as soon as possible. You're there to have fun, so take a deep breath and enjoy your ride! (I hope this didn't come off to strongly, and Bru, this is not directed at you. I figured this would be a good place to put this since it came up in the conversation!)

[CMGUY89]

Soarin' is (for lack of a better word) a nazi attraction for a lot of policies. Foremost among them FP return times. FP windows are like every 3 minutes, compared to some other attractions which can be 5-15 minutes. They have to be very strict on early admittance because of the sheer principle that the ride has a long dispatch time. Compared to the land where it takes 1-2 minutes MAX to dispatch 36 people, it takes Soarin' 6-8 minutes to dispatch 87 people from the time the doors open. In fact the Tower CM has to time the dispatch interval and if they take more than 8 minutes they have to fill out a reason as to why (i.e. ECV, Film Cleaning, Chicken out, protein spill, etc.)
That being said there is NO EXCUSE for a CM to EVER be rude to a child like that. I would have immediately reported them. Unfortunately management almost encourages the behavior. On NYE during our morning track talk meeting a manager told soarin' and I quote "There should be no "hello, happy holidays, happy new year" just get them in their seat, do your s-walk, clear your carriage, enable, and dispatch." I was appalled because basically he was giving them free reign as long as their OHRC was good. IT MAKES ME SOOOOO ANGRY! Then they wonder why Soarin' gets so many complaints!
GRRR! (Not bitter at all ;) )

[GRUMPY PIRATE]

Wow, I never realized that the SG's can't figure out a simple fastpass!

We don't normally use them, but for cryin' out loud, its not that complicated.

It should be like the one comedian that was talking about flying on an airline, when the flight attendant shows you how to use the seatbelt. If you are too stoooopid to not know how to use a seatbelt, you shouldn't fly!!

If you are to Stoooopid to not figure out when the fastpass says you can enter the line, you need to leave the park, you are too stooopid to have fun!!!

(that one way of dealing with the SG's!!!)

[Cheshire Figment]

It should be like the one comedian that was talking about flying on an airline, when the flight attendant shows you how to use the seatbelt. If you are too stoooopid to not know how to use a seatbelt, you shouldn't fly!!

But seat belts were not mandatory in cars until some time in the late 60s, and shoulder belts not really common until about 1980.

So before the use of seat belts was common, the airlines had to teach people how to use them.

And, of course, once a federal regulation is in force it is very difficult to get rid of it.

[I LUV Chip]

Wow, I never realized that the SG's can't figure out a simple fastpass!

When we were at Epcot over Easter last year we wanted to do the living with the land ride. Well, stand-by line was an hour wait, but the fast pass machine was up and running and the time on the tickets was for 5 minutes later. So, like any smart logical thinking family we grabbed fastpasses and stood there the five minutes.

When our time came up we showed our FPs and started walking, we had some SG cursing at us and he actually called us park snobs. LOL I almost stopped and educated him but the hubby asked me not to.

More FPs for us! :D:

[February]

I'm just curious does it say on the fast pass that it's the time you enter the line? or on the signs? because the way they always portray it in dvds and stuff it shows people walking right on. Maybe thats why people think it means time to enter the ride.

We are definitely not SG's and the behavior still upsets me. Eeyore, I'm sorry that you have had to deal with people coming in so early- but to me I still say that 30 seconds if there is NO line waiting is not a big deal.

but I will give you a perspective. I have been very tempted to say what he said (but with adults, not kids). After standing in the hot sun all day listening to people wine at me because I won't let them in 15 minutes early, losing my voice from constantly having to ask them to move away from the entrance so that those who have the proper time can get in (and so people evacuating can get out in the event of an emergency) and being met with nothing but attitude, it really wears you down. I have never and will never say that to anybody no matter how tempted, it is unacceptable, but I can certainly understand why he would have done it.

But he was not in the heat- he was in a nice air conditioned pavilion! And crowds were light- wait time for standby was only forty five minutes! (For Soarin, that's not bad I think)

Also like I said we did not give the CM's any attitude at all, we got way out of the way over by the area where people without fast passes were waiting.

As far as being tempted to say those words- hot sun or not, please think twice before you say them to a child.

I will bet that when my daughter goes back to ride Soarin she will remember the experience.

Bru
(who will never show up for a fastpass unless it's way into the time ever again!)

[EeyoresButterfly]

Bru- I do not condone what he did. Like I said, if there is no line I tend to let people in if they are within a minute or two. I will also repeat that I do not condone what he did. Being tempted to and actually saying it are two entirely different things. I would never say something like that to a guest, be it adult or child, no matter how annoyed I am. He should not have said that, you are right, there are some people who should not have guest contact.

[Shorty82]

I'm just curious does it say on the fast pass that it's the time you enter the line? or on the signs? because the way they always portray it in dvds and stuff it shows people walking right on. Maybe thats why people think it means time to enter the ride.

I happen to have a FastPass right here. It says on it "Return Anytime Between" and the times. To me that means you enter the line at that time, not merge at that time.

On the back it says "Please enter the FASTPASS entrance at the attraction between the times noted on the other side". If there's any doubt as to whether or not the FP time is the time you enter or the time you merge that one sentence should clarify it for you.