Tell me about AP park entrances

[DOOM1001]

I know we clog up every line we enter, since the reader cannot read our 5 and 3 year olds prints. No matter what we try. Every Single Time!

It's annoying, especially when they ask, "was this the finger you used before?" Every. Single. Time.

Then a lead comes buy, takes their picture with an IPAD. Every. Single. Time.

Wish they would just get monitors or something and have your face pop up.

Perhaps a dedicated line for people with finger scanning issues would be great.

Except that line would take forever!! lol

That's Sea Worlds system,they take a picture of you so its in the system,when you scan your card the picture pops up and the CM just compares you to the pic.

 

[sponica]

I know we clog up every line we enter, since the reader cannot read our 5 and 3 year olds prints. No matter what we try. Every Single Time!

It's annoying, especially when they ask, "was this the finger you used before?" Every. Single. Time.

Then a lead comes buy, takes their picture with an IPAD. Every. Single. Time.

Wish they would just get monitors or something and have your face pop up.

Perhaps a dedicated line for people with finger scanning issues would be great.

Except that line would take forever!! lol

I'm an adult and have always had issues with fingerprint scanners...I've had to get staff at Universal open lockers for me because the reader didn't like the thumb, I've clogged up the lines at Epcot/MK/AK because the scanner doesn't like me (and I'm just a regular old visitor, they'd prob ban my hands from the park if I was an AP)

 

[AngiTN]

That's Sea Worlds system,they take a picture of you so its in the system,when you scan your card the picture pops up and the CM just compares you to the pic.

DL does this too, or did last time we visited (non AP out there)
First time you use your multi-day ticket they snap a photo. I assume your photo pops up each time you enter. No clue why DL has such a different process than WDW. I guess that's slower and wouldn't work in WDW where there are more guests?

 

[Disnsyncey]

October, when our AK bus from Sports was 20 minutes later than the board "said" it would arrive, we were WAY later than we had hoped....the AP line was 1/3 the normal lines, so we jumped in that one....helped save time!

 

[loves to dive]

Yep, as others have said, it can be shorter and it can be longer so we just use the shortest line.

 

[bladiator]

During a nearly 2 week trip (and this being our first time buying APs), I was really excited about using the AP line, and I used it about 2 times. It was always way longer than anywhere else. And the times that it was comparable to the regular lines, I thought "well, I'll do it now cause I can" and I always had the "blue mickey family" in front of me. I went during the weeks after Thanksgiving so it was shorter lines in general, so maybe during a high crowd time it would be worth it, but I never got any use out of it besides getting to flash my AP card.

 

[2DIZNY]

We have consistently had good luck at Animal Kingdom, for some reason. The other parks are hit and miss.

 

[SaintsManiac]

We used them at every park last weekend. There was never anyone else in that line, but we were at RD for everywhere but HS.

 

[Wubar]

Was in line for AK this morning in the AP line. Was maybe a bit shorter than the other lines, but then someone in the front had problems with the scanner. I spotted a CM coming over to the closed scanners, as soon as she pulled the covers off them and motioned she was open, I grabbed my son and wife and we jumped over to that line and were through in 2 minutes. Had I waited in that AP line I am sure that would have translated to at least an additional 20 -30 minute wait over in Pandora.

 

[DoryGirl1963]

We bought our APs when we mived down here in April 2015 & visit at least once a monrh, usually more. Never had an issue. Then in Nov using the AP line to get into AK, my finger wouldn't scan & I had to wait & be "verified." Yes, it's the same finger I use every...single...time. No, it was not a block out issue. Hit MK the next weekend & no issues as usual. Who knows?

 

[Princess_Lisa]

Pretty simple for the most part.... there's a sign the says Passholder and usually a couple of dedicated tap stations. Sometimes the AP line is longer than the regular line, sometimes it's shorter. Depends on the park, the time of day, how many regular gates are open, etc.

If the line is shorter, I use it... if not, I use the regular line. For me it's variable.

I do whichever is shorter. Last time I was at Disney, the AP line was 2-3 times the length of all the other lines. I overheard someone asking if they were allowed to use the "regular" (non-AP) lines since the passholder line was so long. They apparently believed they had to use the passholder line since they were passholders.

Never have saved me time.
Even when there are long lines elsewhere.
You'd think, AP users = someone who knows what they are doing.
Nope. Not in our luck. We manage to get AP users that seems to forget they have seasonal AP with black out dates and always attempt to enter when not permitted.
Unfortunately, instead of sending them aside and allowing others to come on in, they hold up the entire line arguing with the CM. Every time.
Or some other reason their AP doesn't work. Wrong finger, etc. (something else you'd think an AP user would remember)
If they'd just send these guests to the side and let others keep on coming in it would be fine. Instead, they hold up everyone. And since there are only 1 or 2 (at most) rows of turnstiles for AP, it just gums up the entire thing.
Could be great, but in theory aren't.

This has been my experience many times. First time I used the line, it was about the same length as the other lines and I figured being passholders everything would go smoothly. No such luck. I've seen ticket issues, issues with fingerprints, etc...

 

[TAK]

In our experience, lately going about once a month, I'd say more often than not, the AP line is a little bit shorter and saves us time. Just went through it at MK last week, at about 9 AM, and definitely got us through much quicker. Usually it helps a little, at least. So I always take a peek at it. If it looks long, obviously, we pick a different line.

I used to get annoyed at the people in front of us stalling the line (and they're always in front of us!), full of eyerolls and all. You're APs, don't you know what you're doing?! Once I started watching, though, to be fair, most of the time it's the scanners futzing up. No help for that -- on the visitor side, I mean.

 

[AngiTN]

In our experience, lately going about once a month, I'd say more often than not, the AP line is a little bit shorter and saves us time. Just went through it at MK last week, at about 9 AM, and definitely got us through much quicker. Usually it helps a little, at least. So I always take a peek at it. If it looks long, obviously, we pick a different line.

I used to get annoyed at the people in front of us stalling the line (and they're always in front of us!), full of eyerolls and all. You're APs, don't you know what you're doing?! Once I started watching, though, to be fair, most of the time it's the scanners futzing up. No help for that -- on the visitor side, I mean.

I agree, when the scanners are hosed there's not much to be done. The only thing I get annoyed with is instead of letting those guests move aside and wait on help they hold up the entire line behind them. I don't get it. I guess they don't want to be responsible to watch them. Still wish there was a better way

 

[winthropf]

My experience (3 trips a year or so) is that the cast members don't do anything to enforce that the line is for passholders. Most people seem to view it as a regular line, especially if it is shorter. I can only remember once or twice having a CM patrol to check that the people in line had annual passes.

 

[TAK]

I agree, when the scanners are hosed there's not much to be done. The only thing I get annoyed with is instead of letting those guests move aside and wait on help they hold up the entire line behind them. I don't get it. I guess they don't want to be responsible to watch them. Still wish there was a better way

Me too. We ran into one of those situations at DHS the other day. It made no sense to keep everyone waiting while they talked, called over other people, and so on.

 

[evilqueenmindy]

I think opening a full 4-tapstile group for AP would really help the issues, it’s always been just 2 when I’ve been there. . .and feels like it take forever.
The kids fingerprint KILLS ME, they cannot get it right. One day, I was with my little nephew, used his right index finger, it worked at MK, we park hopped to DHS, finger didn’t work, didn’t work, they had him try his left index finger, boom, in. It was back to right index finger at Epcot. Just strange.

 

[jjjones325]

We bought our APs when we mived down here in April 2015 & visit at least once a monrh, usually more. Never had an issue. Then in Nov using the AP line to get into AK, my finger wouldn't scan & I had to wait & be "verified." Yes, it's the same finger I use every...single...time. No, it was not a block out issue. Hit MK the next weekend & no issues as usual. Who knows?

Got the blue Mickey once at Epcot. Same finger etc. Manager came over to scan my band, and I saw on his pad the surveillance footage of when we first hit Epcot on that trip with my finger on the reader. It was kind of neat how clear that photo was. Glad I wasn't wearing the same shirt.

 

[scrapquitler]

For the most part, this is our experience at every tap station, our morning usually starts with a glance back and eye roll from DH that we are ALWAYS behind the group you describe above. I was wondering if the AP line would be the "we have our act together" crowd.

You would think so, but my experience has been that this is not always the case. And sometimes people who don't have an AP get in the line and aren't redirected, either.

 

[richmo]

Like many earlier posters...it all depends. Sometimes the AP line is worth the usually slightly longer walk, sometimes not. Your eye test is the best judge.

On bringing the rest of your party that don't have AP's in that line: shouldn't be a problem. I've done it, but, as someone else posted, its probably not a good idea if you have a huge party. But up to four or so (I made that number up), I'd think you'd be fine.

 

[tobikaye]

If the AP line is closer and has a shorter line, I use it. If the AP line is at the far end or has a line just as long as other lines, I pick a different line. Simple as that.