Don't know if it's for all rides but when hubby wanted to use our hotel fast pass for rock n roller coaster, the fast pass line wasn't open. But he went to speak to a cm who sent him through the fast pass queue anyway. I just read a trip report about not being able to use a vip fast pass on tower of terror and it reminded me. Would always be worth asking when if fp line is closed.
I wondered this myself but it was open as we went during half term, if the FP were closed I probably wouldn't of thought to ask
We had the same thing in December at Indiana Jones. We showed our VIP FP's and were allowed through the fast pass line
I did the same. I used my hotel fast-pass both days when the fast-pass queue was closed. Both times no issue, the CM just opened the fast-pass line for me. On Star Tours there was no one and I walked direct from the outside area all the way up to the turn-style to go into the next available pod :) That was sooo cool. The second night I did the same on Buzz. The CM just opened the fast-pass lane for me and I went all the way around to the main entrance door.
After 6pm is the best time to use the hotel fast-passes, when all the regular fast-passes are gone but the wait time is over 15 or 20 minutes.