"The computers are down...."

[Eljay]

That's what we were told one afternoon a few weeks ago, when we saw that there was a massive log jam of people, at a total stand-still, at the ticket gates at DHS.

After a few minutes, the lines started to move and the CM's were stamping our tickets with that day's date. No finger scan, no inserting of tickets.

I have an AP, so of course it didn't technically apply to me.

It got me thinking about how after 10 or so years of having an AP and visiting WDW about 30 days a year, how I have never seen this scenario. Actually, it's amazing how smoothly things run on a regular basis.

 

[DaveStroem]

I wonder how this affects the FP machines? It is my understanding that the computer has to know that you are in the park for the FP machines to recognize your ticket/card.

 

[Eljay]

I wonder how this affects the FP machines? It is my understanding that the computer has to know that you are in the park for the FP machines to recognize your ticket/card.

Yeah, that crossed my mind at the time, but since it was afternoon, I figured that there probably weren't any left.

I know from experience that the FP machines will not give you a FP if your ticket isn't scanned. That happened once when my ticket got demagnetized and they let me in after I showed my ID. Before I got the AP replaced, I foolishly tried to get a FP. No luck.

 

[shellybaxter]

This happened to us at Epcot in early December. We waited for about 10 mins before they just started letting people in and writing on the backs of tickets. We didn't try to get a FP but worried about if they would work with our tickets or not. BTW - We have APs too and they did write on the back of Dh accidently but no one cared the rest of the trip

 

[GaSleepingBeautyFan]

DD9 and I were at the MK in Nov. 08 and their computers went down. We couldn't enter MK.

Someone rebooted their system and it finally let us in. They didn't let anyone in while it was down and the lines were building up.

None of the FP machines worked until mid-morning either. Employees were standing at them asking how many you wanted and confirming your tickets and then giving you FP's.

 

[disnut8]

None of the FP machines worked until mid-morning either. Employees were standing at them asking how many you wanted and confirming your tickets and then giving you FP's.

That's what I would think would happen if the turnstiles malfunctioned. Hence the writing on the back of the tickets with that day's date.

 

[JerseyMamaBear]

We were there on March 22nd around 1230 or so when the computers went down at the gates. We stood there for about 1 1/2 hours waiting to get in. It also affected the purchasing of tickets too. I wonder if it was a multi-park issue?

 

[Eljay]

We were there on March 22nd around 1230 or so when the computers went down at the gates. We stood there for about 1 1/2 hours waiting to get in. It also affected the purchasing of tickets too. I wonder if it was a multi-park issue?

I don't know, but apparently, it was a multi-day issue, because it happened to me on March 23rd.

 

[WDSearcher]

Sometimes the machines win.

 

[Robo]

We stood there for about 1 1/2 hours waiting to get in.

From what time to what time?

Does that include any waiting that you did if you arrived before the scheduled opening time?

 

[JerseyMamaBear]

From what time to what time?

Does that include any waiting that you did if you arrived before the scheduled opening time?

From around 12 to 1:30 ish. They were okay about keeping guests occupied. They brought out a lot of characters for meets so instead of waiting in a physical line we just took a lot of pics. We thought we would be smart and use the RainForest enterancre to beat the every growing crowd once they announced that some lines will be working soon, and it worked in theory (not many guests) but instead of telling us that they would not be opening that line we just stood there like a bunch of dummies. So back to the main enterance again to wait. Oh well, guess it could have been worse.

 

[Robo]

From around 12 to 1:30 ish. They were okay about keeping guests occupied. They brought out a lot of characters for meets so instead of waiting in a physical line we just took a lot of pics.

I'm thinkin' 90 minutes standing around with a few characters is about 80 minutes too many.

Somebody dropped the ball on this one!

 

[Eljay]

On March 23rd, it was around 2:00-ish.
I can't tell you how long, because we came upon it in progress.
I can tell you that it couldn't have been too long, because only the area between the ticket windows and the gates were packed solid. We only waited about 10 minutes. The CM's looked pretty stressed.