Let’s talk about the weather

Image via Flickr user Castles, Capes, & Clones
Image: Flickr (license)

Florida weather is less consistent than the collective works of M. Night Shyamalan. You never know what will happen in a given hour, much less in a full day or an entire week. During a recent vacation, we extended our personal streak of days with 100+ degree weather to six before the temperature “dropped” to the mid-90s. For half our trip, we were unbearably hot, causing extreme discomfort with some of the members of our party.

On the back of the trip, the weather changed to an almost comical degree. It was 68 degrees when we left and felt cooler. The rain was also a huge issue. Our FastPass to Frozen Ever After became an exercise in endurance more than anything else, as we joined a small crowd of determined Anna & Elsa fans in braving serious thundershowers. Suffice to say that the cast members in princess costumes at Akershus worried about getting their outfits drenched by hug-inclined guests. Those aren’t the pictures that people will put in wall collages or use as cellphone backgrounds.

Image via Flickr user jeffn78
Image: Flickr (license)

That’s the frustration of Walt Disney World right now. Disney asks customers to plan meals 180 days in advance and FastPasses 30 to 60 days ahead of time. In Orlando, people aren’t sure about the weather IN THE HOUR WHEN IT HAPPENS!!! The ultimate outcome of this problem is that strange weather can ruin a day at Walt Disney World unless theme park tourists keep the right attitude about the situation. I’m the idiot who laughs in the rain, so I found the Frozen Ever After debacle funny more than annoying. That was NOT the consensus opinion in my group that day.

Missing a FastPass

Image: DisneyThe new FastPass system at Walt Disney World is controversial and divisive. More than anything else, it’s limiting. Guests can only schedule three FastPasses prior to the day of arrival. While changes in the system now allow for the adding of more FastPasses, the ones done ahead of time are usually the best. Most of the time, you won’t have a chance to get a FastPass for Frozen Ever After on the big day.

That’s why the current FastPass system feels like the ticking clock on the television show, 24. If you don’t arrive during your scheduled window, you’re probably out of luck. Sometimes, a generous cast member will let you ride anyway, but you can’t count on that. Instead, you have to be at the attraction when your FastPass is active. Otherwise, you’ll miss out, and that’s a huge problem. A FastPass you feel compelled to book weeks prior to arrival isn’t one you’re likely to find again while you’re there. Knowing that you’ve missed out on one of the most popular rides at a Disney theme park is a devastating feeling. I say this as someone who is certain that I just missed the greatest Kilimanjaro Safaris expedition ever last week.