Fastpasses are a hot item at the Walt Disney World Resort. Everyone loves being able to bypass the long lines and hop right over the loading area of their favorite ride or attractions. With all of the new technology in place, it can be challenging to know all about fastpasses, so here are 7 things you should know about fastpass+.
7. Making Advanced Reservations
Making advanced reservations as soon as possible is the best way to secure your priority rides, attractions, or character meet and greets. You can start making selections for your fastpasses (with the purchase of a ticket or if you have an annual pass) as early as 30 days before you arrive or 60 days before check-in if you have a Walt Disney World Resort vacation package. The further away you schedule your fastpasses, the more choices you will have to choose from. You would not believe how quickly the most popular meet and greets (such as Anna and Elsa) and popular rides (such as the Seven Dwarves Mine Train and Soarin’) become unavailable due to guests reserving their fastpasses. In order to do this, make sure you download the My Disney Experience App. Create your account, log-in, and link your park tickets to your account. Once you do this, you can click on Fastpass+, select your date and park, and then take your pick! If you need help setting this up, you can always call the company directly. If you do not want to download the app or don’t have a smartphone, you can also log-in to your account on the Walt Disney World Resort website and select them the same way.
6. Attractions and Ride Categories
If you have two major thrill rides in mind that you would like to reserve as a fastpass, you may be out of luck. Attractions and rides are sorted in several categories and guests are only allowed to reserve one ride/attraction from one category and two from another. This is done to ensure that other guests can enjoy some of the thrill rides as well so that they don’t all get reserved at once. Take a look at the different categories that the rides are sorted in before making your ultimate fastpass list. This will help with not getting upset over the rides/attractions you had your heart set on!
5. Fastpass Worthy Rides and Attractions
There are some rides and Attractions that are constantly ‘sold out’ of fastpasses due to high demand, or always tend to have a long wait time in the stand-by line. It would make most sense to make sure you secure a fastpass for the most in-demand rides and attractions so that you can avoid wasting time waiting in the stand-by line and wait in shorter lines at other attractions. If you are unfamiliar as to which rides/attractions are fastpass worthy, you can monitor the wait times on you’re My Disney Experience app. If you glance at the wait times a couple of times per day for about a week, you will get an idea as to which rides have the longest wait times, which will in turn allow you to plan your fastpass+ list accordingly.
4. Fastpass Kiosks
Reserving your fastpasses 30-60 days in advance does require you to purchase your tickets in advance. For guests that plan to purchase their theme park tickets at the entrance to the parks, you will have to utilize the fastpass kiosks to reserve your fastpasses. Unfortunately, purchasing your tickets at the ticket window will not guarantee a wide selection of rides/attractions to choose from at the fastpass kiosk because those that were able to reserve their fastpasses ahead of time most likely maxed out the limit of fastpasses given that day for the more popular rides. You can locate the fastpass kiosk areas on the park maps.
3. Fastpass Limits
Each is entitled to 3 fastpasses each day you visit the parks. Once you use up these three fastpasses, you can locate a fastpass+ kiosk in the park and select a few more. Truthfully, it can be difficult to reserve more than three per day. For example, if you plan on being in the park from morning until evening, and you snag a fastpass in the morning and one in the evening, it would mean you would only be able to make more fastpass reservations after your evening fastpass has been used. This could mean your afternoon will be spent waiting in line at many rides. In order to avoid this, try to schedule your fastpasses back-to back (if applicable) so that once you use them all up, you have time to select more at a kiosk in the park. If you are park hopping, you will have to select the three fastpasses at one park only. Once you utilize all three at that park, you can select three more fastpasses at your next park at one of the kiosks.
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2. Changing Your Fastpasses
If you are bummed out because your favorite ride/attraction reads “not available” because it has been completely ‘sold out’, do not panic! Often times, guests change their fastpass experience or time, which opens it up for another guest to snag for their family! Check back often and see if what you’re looking for becomes available. You never know how lucky you will be unles you never give up and keep trying. If you want to make a change in time or decide you would like to change your experience to another ride or attraction, you may do so on the My Disney Experience app as well. There is no penalty to changing your experience or ride time, and you can do this at anytime before or during your vacation.
1. They’re Free!
The best thing about fastpasses is that they are absolutely free! There is no additional charge to being able to select them on everyday of each of your park visits!
BONUS TIP: Consider planning and booking your next Disney trip with an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner you can trust like Mickey Travels. They’ll help you get the best Walt Disney World deal, share expert advice and their services are totally FREE! It’s genius!