Fast Pass tips

[kybred72]

Last time i was at WDW was 2000. I don't remember a whole lot about Fast Pass. How many are you allowed per day? Per ride? Does each ride only have certain number of tickets allotted per day? :shrug:

Can you offer any tips on getting the most benefit from Fast Pass? For example, when we first get to the park in the a.m., is the First Thing I wanna do is get a Fast Pass?

Thanks for your help :wave:

 

[Theresonly1]

yes, each ride only has so many to give out for the day. You can only have one at a time, with the exception of your time being way in the future, then i believe, you can get another after a set amount of time passes. Each pass has a time on the bottom that tells you when you can get another.

Soarin' is one that i would suggest getting a fast pass for EARLY, they seem to go really fast.

I'm sure everyone else has lots of suggestions too.


Have a great trip!!

 

[Monty]

When you get an FP, it'll show when you can next get one, usually after your window start time or two hours later, whichever comes first. If it's more than two hours until your window [each FP is valid for a one-hour window or until park close if the start time is within an hour of closing], you'll be able to get another after two hours for rides other than the ride you already have one for.

FPs are great for avoiding lines, but sometimes it's worth waiting as well. An example would be Expedition Everest, the Stand By line and the Fast Pass Return line are both so well themed, it's worth doing both!

 

[ClemsonTigger]

Couple of things...
First, FP's are smart. If you are using multiple tickets (for your whole party) all have to be in the park.
Allocation times were explained by Monty. Best thing is to FP one E ticket, walk on to another (first thing in the AM), then FP the more popular one again for the afternoon.

The only time you can get more than one FP is in MGM. You can get a FP for RNRC or ToT then immediately get one for Indy or Lights Motor.

It really is quite easy when you get the hang of it. Probably the hardest thing is locating the line for them apart from the standby line. There are always CM's there to help.

 

[DisneyJoe]

My "Fastpass and wait" strategy - once you get the hang of it, it works great...much is dependent on time of day, ride popularity, and ride location.

For example, in MGM, head towards Tower of Terror and/or Rock N Roller Coaster - check the return times for Fastpass and the standby time for each - now, get a Fastpass for one, and then go and get in line for the other. If you time it right, when you finish riding the ride, your Fastpass window will be open and you can just walk onto the other ride.

This can also be done with:

- Mission:Space and Test Track - or a combination of Soarin' and Mission:Space or Test Track - if you feel like crossing the park

- AK Safari or Expedition Everest, and the walking trail near each

- Splash Mountain and Big Thunder Mountain railroad

OR

You can get a fastpass for a ride, and then go in the Standby line to ride it, then after exiting, use your fastpass to ride a second time!

After you do it a few times, you'll understand.

-Joe

 

[joekardos]

Can someone please explain/clarify the Fastpass opportunities with RNRC or TOT with the Indy Stunt Show or Lights, Motors, Action?

Say I got a Fastpass for TOT, will it say on the ticket that no other Fastpasses can be given until X:XX EXCEPT for Indy or Lights, Motors, Action? And if I can get a Fastpass for TOT and Indy at the same time, can I get them in reverse, say I first get a Fastpass for Indy, can I get a TOT Fastpass afterward (really for convenience sake so my group has less walking to do)? We will only be in MGM for a day, so we want to maximize our time as best as we can.

Also, does Lights Motors Action have Fastpass anymore? I went to MGM last year and the Fastpass machines were closed, giving me the impression that Fastpass was not offered for it anymore. Thanks.

 

[Lucky]

Sometimes you may have to go out of your way to get Fast Passes. On a hot day especially, you don't want to drag young kids along with you - just send one adult with all of the park cards.

 

[ClemsonTigger]

Can someone please explain/clarify the Fastpass opportunities with RNRC or TOT with the Indy Stunt Show or Lights, Motors, Action?

Say I got a Fastpass for TOT, will it say on the ticket that no other Fastpasses can be given until X:XX EXCEPT for Indy or Lights, Motors, Action? And if I can get a Fastpass for TOT and Indy at the same time, can I get them in reverse, say I first get a Fastpass for Indy, can I get a TOT Fastpass afterward (really for convenience sake so my group has less walking to do)? We will only be in MGM for a day, so we want to maximize our time as best as we can.

Also, does Lights Motors Action have Fastpass anymore? I went to MGM last year and the Fastpass machines were closed, giving me the impression that Fastpass was not offered for it anymore. Thanks.

We would generally get FP for RnRC then I would head out with all tickets and get FP for the first LMA show. More often than not, except in the busiest times, CM's are out just handing out FP's at LMA for the first show. Depending on time of day...machines are closed after max # of FP's are distributed. Mid afternoon for most Etickets on busy days.

There is nothing printed on the ticket that says anything about being able to get the show tickets immediately.

 

[CleveRocks]

Here's an example of how I use FASTPASS. Let's say it's 10:00 a.m. and I'm in Fantasyland. Winnie the Pooh has a 40 minute stand-by line, but a FP return time of 11:10 a.m. It also says I can get another FP after 11:10 a.m.

So I get the Winnie the Pooh FPs. We wait in line for Dumbo (NOT a FP attrcation) for 30 minutes, and then ride. It's 10:35 a.m. We then wait 5 minutes for Mickey's PhilharMagic, and watch it, and then get out at 11:00 a.m. We get a drink, look at a map, look at some people, and then it's 11:10 a.m.

Now here's the key ... before we use our Winnie the Pooh FASTPASSES, we get FPs for another ride. Them with those new FPs in our pockets, we go ride Winnie the Pooh. Use your time riding one FP attraction as part of your waiting time for your next FP return window to open.

So let's say I get Peter Pan FPs for a 12:20 p.m. return. We ride Winnie the Pooh, and get out of there around 11:30 a.m. We then go across to It's a Small World (not a FP attraction) and wait in line for 30 minutes, and when we exit it's 12:15 p.m. In 5 minutes, we could choose to go ride Peter Pan with our FPs, and also chose to get another set of FPs. We decide to break for lunch. My wife will wait in line at Pinocchio Village Haus (the counter-service place in Fantasyland) with the kids, and I'll take a jog to someplace else to get FPs, like Space Mountain, for example. I'll get back and they've probably started eating. We're done well before the 1-hour FP return window closes. We ride Peter Pan, then leave Fantasyland and go towards wherever I got our next FPs from.

I gave a hypothetical example above. Just one way to maximize the FP usage. By the way, we NEVER plan this stuff in advance. Rather than plan things to the nanosecond 6 months in advance, my way is to develop a pretty-darn-near encyclopedic knowledge of the rides and attractions and the layout of whatever park, to know what places use FP and which don't, and then go to a non-FP ride/attraction while waiting for a FP to ripen.

 

[flynnibus]

Best Possible Tip.. NEVER get on a ride as soon as your FP window starts. ALWAYS pick up your NEXT Fastpass first. Even if you don't horde tickets, always get your NEXT FP at your earliest possible opportunity, not after riding your 'current' ticket. That 20+minutes to experience your ride can mean a ton over the course of the day.

Always pick the FP attractions that run out early as your early picks (like Soarin, etc)

Always remember your next available FP is 2hrs after you picked up your current FP, or the start window of your current FP. You can return to the attraction at any time (regardless of what the ticket says) on that day. The last point defeats the purpose of FP load distribution, but that is the way Disney currently allows guests to operate.

 

[spaceghost]

Here's my fastpass tips:

• Research which rides you should use FP for and which you don't really need to. For example, typically there's very little point in using FP for any of the shows, except maybe The Voyage of the Little Mermaid in MGM. I suppose if you've ridden everything else that can use FP, and you want to use it on a show, go for it, but its usually not necessary. There are other rides that fall under this too, like Living with the Land (does that even have FP any more? When I went in April, the FP booths weren't even online as the ride was pretty much a walk-on).
• The ride and wait trick that others have mentioned does work great. Its a good trick with the mountains in MK, ToT and RnRC in MGM, etc. This also works with dining. Planning to break for lunch? Get a FP first and use some of your wait time mowing down some tasty vittles.
• FP doesn't always come online for some rides first thing in the morning. It typically depends on the popularity of the ride, but many of them don't come online until an hour after park opening. For example, we had multiple days at MK on our last trip, so one day we started out in Fantasyland for the little one. While some of the group was riding the teacups, I went over to see about FPs for Winnie the Pooh, and the FP dispensers weren't up yet. The wait times for the ride were only 5 minutes, so it really wasn't necessary yet.
• Not sure of the size of your party, but I'd recommend having one person hold the passes/keys to the world and having them responsible for getting the FPs. This is more efficient and also good FP queue etiquette. No need to have a large group all milling around in the FP queue while other people are waiting to get their FPs. Yes, there can be lines to get a FP to skip the bulk of the line on a ride.
• This ties into the previous tip, but I'd recommend having the designated FP person run ahead and get the FPs while the rest of the party is occupied with other activities (shopping, picture taking, grabbing a snack, character meeting, etc.). The need for this may depend on your party, but for my trip in April, this worked great. Our party included my 4 y/o daughter and my in-laws, so they couldn't necessarily race to get a FP first thing. I could do so and then come back and meet them as they made their way over to the ride.
• Again, this depends on party make-up, but make sure to use all of your passes to get FPs. For example, in our party we had 2 people who did thrill rides, 2 who didn't, and 1 who did some and not others. So, for example, I was able to get 3 FPs for RnRC and 2 for ToT, all at the same time, even though some of the people in the party weren't going to ride the specific rides. Just because my 4 y/o daughter couldn't go on some rides, it didn't mean that we couldn't use her pass for a FP for those rides.

Those are my tips. Hope they help. I found FP to be a great tool on our trip and with some research it can really be used to your advantage.

 

[jmicro59]

Quick question, isn't there still a few rides that use FP but aren't on the "network" so those attractions don't know weather or not you have a fast pass and can't inform the FP system that it just handed out a FP to you?

 

[Monty]

One tip I neglected to mention:

If there are lines for FPs, avoid any line that has someone wearing one of the brightly-coloured shirts common to tour groups. Often they groups will send one runner with a massive stack of tickets to get FPs for their entire group, sometimes 60+. I saw an elderly couple stuck behind one such runner for the whole time I was in the next line over, with some discussion with those behind me I let them get their two FPs ahead of me [to much applause from those around us ].

 

[joekardos]

I see that some believe FP is useless on shows, and because I have never used Fastpass for a show in WDW, what are its advantages (or disadvantages for that matter)? Does it guarantee seating in a particular section? Do you get to come at a later time (closer to the start of the show) and do not have to wait with everyone else? Or do you have to arrive earlier and are admitted before everyone else? Please explain, thanks.

 

[CleveRocks]

I see that some believe FP is useless on shows, and because I have never used Fastpass for a show in WDW, what are its advantages (or disadvantages for that matter)? Does it guarantee seating in a particular section? Do you get to come at a later time (closer to the start of the show) and do not have to wait with everyone else? Or do you have to arrive earlier and are admitted before everyone else? Please explain, thanks.

None of the above.

Every show has some sort of "pre-show room," I'll call it. Before you get into that room you have to wait in line to get in. Here's the deal -- there's rarely any serious line to get in. Like with any ride/attraction, whether you were in the FASTPASS line or the stand-by line, you get loaded into the same area because the lines merge.

At that point, everyone is lumped together in the pre-show room. Once you're in that room, there's no distinction between which line you previously waited in.

The pre-show rooms are just large rooms with multiple unmarked doors that will automatically open when seating begins. Then it's every man for himself to just get in there.

SO I hope this helps you understand that having a FP for a show does nothing for you except make your wait in the outside line shorter. And since there's rarely a line outside, there's no real advantage to wasting a FP on such an attraction.

For example, take Mickey's PhilharMagic. I've been in Fantasyland at slow times and at crowded times, and I've never noticed more than a 10 minute wait in the stand-by line outside, and it's usually been no line at all. Sure, you can just walk on through if you have a FP, but the people who just got in the stand-by "line" will meet you inside the pre-show room because there was no large stand-by line for them to wait in. And now you're all in it together.

 

[Disneyfanman]

I have found FASTPASS useful for two shows......Indy and Mermaid at the Studios on busy days. I use to use if for WWTBAM as well before it closed. I never need it at the other parks for shows. Not sure why that is.

 

[Theresonly1]

I too have used them for a few shows, it is most helpful if something else close by doesn't have a real long line and you want to do it before you go into the show, you don't have to wait in the line outside.

 

[laalaa]

Fp

Has soarin got much busier with fast passes?

I was last at WDW in september 2005, people around us were fast passing for soarin but we chose just to wait in line. The wait time was being displayed at 1hr 10mins. For some reason we thought we'd chance it. We were given one of those time cards to take to the CM at the front. It only took 35mins to get onto the ride. When we came back off the time was still dispaying the same so we went back on hoping it would just be 35mins again and we were right:sohappy:

Actually ,the 2nd time we went on a family joined the queue behind us. A dad, mum, and two kids.

Dad - "Gee, a whole hour to wait.....do u guys wanna wait?...it wont be worth it anyway"

The dad turned to me and said

"you guys been on this before? is it good?"

Me "yeah, its great, we just been on and have come back again, it only took 35mins the first time, but dont quote me on that!"

Dad "Hey, you guys these folks only waited 35mins"

Me "Dont tell anyone I said that, i dont wanna disappoint you"

The dad then started going down the whole queue saying

"Dont worry guys, you wont have to wait long, that lady down there says it'll only be 35mins!"

Im so glad it tunr out to be 35mins!

 

[dave2822]

Has soarin got much busier with fast passes?

Soarin' fastpasses go faster than any other attraction.

My theory is that usually if you encounter a 70 or 80 minute wait time in the morning, it won't be that long because there isn't a lot of people in the fastpass line yet slowing the standy line down.

However, the same posted 70 or 80 minute wait time in the afternoon and evening will usually be accurate, and the wait time may be even longer, because more and more guests are returning with fastpasses, and as the fastpass line builds, they take more effort into lessening that line first.

 

[cb3k]

Here is a tip for you while at the Magic Kingdom. Do not waste a FP on Splash Mountain (people now looking at their monitor in disarray). I have found that if you watch the start of the Dreams Come True Parade (3 o'clock last I was there) from the other side of the crossing of Adventureland into Frontierland (you should be standing in FrontierLand), you can immediately jet over to SM and ride with no wait, sometimes even two times...The Parade creates a massive barrier that practically blocks anyone from getting in to Frontierland (yes there is that lil path on the water near TSI but not many take that). This also goes for Big Thunder Mtn...Another tip is to get the most popular ride (probably Space Mtn in this case) early in the morning, and if you are really a go getter you can head over to Tom Sawyers Island and look for the paintbrush (if you find it laying around give it to your captain who takes you to and from the island and they will give you a fast pass for the whole party for ANY ride) Every time I have gone out there I have found it laying there because no one really knows this little trick...If you play your cards right..you now have a Space Mtn FP, a FP for your whole party to ride whichever ride you would like, and BASICALLY two FP's for Splash and BTMR....four rides in no time at all......sorry for the rant, but had to get a lil in depth..