Whenever we go on a Disney family vacation, my family and I try to take full advantage of the FastPass system get the most out of the Disney World attractions. So what is the FastPass?
The simplest way of explaining the FastPass system is a way of getting a guaranteed "reservation" to go on the most popular rides in the Disney World parks!
When planning your day in the park (you do plan your day, don't you???), make sure to decide which rides or attractions are most important to you. (If you're staying in a Disney hotel, you can get a map for each of the parks at the front desk -- you need to do this!) As you're deciding which rides you want to go on, check for any that have an FP next to them on the map. This means they offer FastPasses.
So When Should You Get A FastPass?
Just because an attraction offers a FastPass does NOT mean you should get one! For starters, you will probably not manage to get more than 4-6 FastPasses in a given day. Second, some attractions just aren't worth a FastPass, particularly stage shows that don't typically fill up (for instance, Voyage of the Little Mermaid in Hollywood Studios).
It goes without saying that one of the first criteria for a FastPass should be that it's a ride you actually want to go on! But after that, virtually any ride with a line more than 30 minutes long it's a viable candidate for a FastPass. You'll typically want to get FastPasses for the busiest rides and wait in line for the less busy rides.
Where Do You Get A FastPass?
Typically you'll find the FastPass distribution next to the main entrance for the ride. Frequently (but not always) they're on the right side of the entrance. You'll see multiple lines, under one or more "clocks" that show the current "return window" for your reservation.
Under these clocks you'll find small kiosks (about 4 feet tall by a foot wide and a foot deep). These are the distribution machines. You insert your park tickets in a slot at the top of the machine and it will print out a FastPass for you.
There are a few things to notice about the FastPass you receive:
- It has a "start" and "end" time on it. You're expected to return in this window, typically an hour long. The "start" time is in stone, don't bother showing up early. Not many people realize this but, the "end" time is a suggestion. You can show up any time between the start time and park closing and jump in the FastPass return line.
- The FastPass has a date printed on it. Don't bother trying to use a FastPass from a different day. You'll just waste everybody's time.
- There will be a time printed at the bottom of the FastPass. This is the earliest time that you can get another FastPass. It will typically be no earlier than the "start" time of your FastPass or 2 hours after the FastPass was issued, whichever comes first. Don't waste your time trying to get another FastPass before this time.
It's also worth realizing that you need a FastPass for everybody in your party that intends to go on the ride, however, they don't actually have to get a FastPass themselves. Have one person in your group take everybody's park tickets and get FastPasses for everybody.
There is no cost associated with a FastPass. In theory, somebody could buy or sell a FastPass for a really popular ride, but if somebody from Disney catches you doing it, they're likely to throw you out of the park! But there's nothing stopping you from giving them away, so if you have some left as you're leaving the park for the day, be sure to give them away to somebody. A little good karma never hurt anyone!
Every now and then, one of the FastPass machines will malfunction and not give you a FastPass. Don't just walk away! There will be a Disney cast member somewhere in the vicinity of the machines, tell them what happened and the vast majority of the time, they will get you a FastPass.
There are a limited number of FastPasses for each ride. Some of the really popular rides (Everest in Animal Kingdom, Soarin' in EPCOT, Toy Story Mania in Hollywood Studios) are virtually guaranteed to "sell out" fairly early in the day. Grab FastPasses for these rides as soon as you get to the park if you want to get on these rides, otherwise plan on waiting in line for these two rides for 90 minutes or more.
Hopefully, the information in this article will help you make the best of the FastPass system and make for an enjoyable Disney family vacation! Now you can focus on saving money on your vacation by getting a cheap Disney hotel!
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