FastPass+ is a very confusing thing to a lot of people. And I have to say that I understand their confusion. There are lots of tips and tricks to use FastPass+. It does seem a little odd that you can reserve a time to ride on an attraction.
That being said, FastPass+ is definitely something you should know about. And it is something you should definitely know how to use to your best advantage! If you don't know what FastPass+ is, I answer five of the most asked questions in my article Disney World FastPass+ - Five Questions Answered.
However, that is not what this article is about. We are going to talk about how to use FastPass+ to your benefit! I'm going to share some FastPass+ tips and tricks. There is a strategy that works if you decide to use it. (You can also get more than three if you follow this advice.)
What is FastPass+ again?
If you didn't read the article above (though you really should), let's review what FastPass+ is.
FastPass+ is Disney World's attraction reservation system. You get a FastPass (i.e. a reservation) for when you are going to ride on an attraction. The FastPass+ system is going to give you a time frame, usually an hour, to go to the attraction and ride it without waiting in a big long line (the stand-by line).
You get FastPasses buy using the My Disney Experience app, or on the Disney World website. It is really easy to do. I'm gonna cover how to use My Disney Experience in another article.
How do you get started
Now that we have had that quick overview, let's get to the meat and potatoes of what we're supposed to be talking about. (There are no FastPass+ tricks in this section, but there are a few tips.)
So, you start out with three FastPasses. You cannot choose a FastPasses for different parks in one day. They all have to be in the same park.
Look at your "must do" attractions in a park, and those are the FastPasses you should try and get. So go on My Disney Experience, and click on FastPass. You can then choose the attraction that you want to get a FastPass for.
When you choose that attraction it is going to show you three times. Those times represent the beginning of a 60-minute window to ride the attraction.
So let's say you get a Space Mountain FastPass for 10:50 AM. (Good for you! That is a hard one to get!) Now you can ride Space Mountain anytime between 10:50 AM and 11:50 AM.
Now that I know how FastPass+ works, what's the plan?
There is definitely a strategy for using FastPass+, and that's why knowing the tips and tricks will help out. It's all about your strategy for touring the park.
You should try to get FastPasses for early in your day. You need to know that if you have a FastPass for 10:50 AM, your next FastPass cannot be before 11:50 AM. So the earlier the better.
Here is the reason you want them early in the day. As soon as you check in for your last FastPass that you have (that means after you tap your Magic Band), YOU CAN GET ANOTHER ONE!! (That's one of the tricks!)
You read that correctly. You can get another FastPass. So that means instead of three FastPasses, you can get four! And as soon as you tap in for that FastPass, YOU CAN GET ANOTHER ONE!! So now you are up to five FastPasses!
That is why you have to have a strategy for you FastPasses. You can get more throughout the day after you use your first three. So if you get a FastPass for 8:30 PM, you can't get another one till you use that FastPass. That doesn't give you a lot of time to get another FastPass if you even can get another one. They are usually all gone by that time.
The most FastPasses I have heard of someone getting is six. And that was when the Magic Kingdom was open late.
What attractions should I get FastPasses for?
Now that we have talked about the strategy for getting more than three FastPasses, we should talk about what attractions you should or should not get FastPasses for.
Attractions you should use FastPass+ for.
We talked about getting FastPasses for your must-do attractions. The other criteria should be does the attraction usually have a long line.
Let's use the Magic Kingdom for an example.
Splash Mountain, Space Mountain, 7 Dwarves Mine Train, and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad are all great choices for FastPasses. They are popular and usually have a long line that you probably want to avoid. (No one wants to spend all day in line.)
You might also consider FastPasses for Pirates Of The Caribbean or Peter Pan's Flight. (Peter Pan always has a long line because it has a low capacity of riders per hour, and it's popular.)
The one thing to know is that EVERYONE is trying to get a FastPass for those attractions. They are what we call "E" ticket attractions. (Well, maybe not Peter Pan.) That comes from when you used to have to buy ticket books, and you would get A thru E tickets to use at attractions; "A" is a not so thrilling attraction to "E", the most thrilling attractions.
So, if you are staying at a Disney World resort, make sure you get those FastPasses 60 days before you arrive. That will assure that you have the best opportunity to get one of those FastPasses.
Are there attractions I shouldn't use FastPass+ for?
The answer to that question is a definite YES! There are definitely attractions you should not use FastPass+ for.
These would include Mickey's Philharmagic, "it's a small world", the Tiki Room, the parades, and the fireworks. (PLEASE don't use a FastPass for the parades or fireworks.) These attractions either don't have long lines, the lines move quickly, or you can see them without the need for a FastPass.
If any of these attractions are on your must-do list, the good news is that you will definitely be able to ride or see these attractions.
Now Disney is going to try and get you to use a FastPass on these, but stay strong. Don't do it! You will be sorry.
What if I can only get FastPasses for one of those attractions?
There is a possibility that the first time you try and get FastPasses, you may not get one for the rides that you want. That's OK. Just because you choose a FastPass, it doesn't mean that you can't try and get one for an attraction you really want. You can change the FastPass at any time right up to your FastPass time. So keep trying. Even when you are in the park, keep trying. I can't tell you how many times I didn't get a Space Mountain FastPass the first time. But I did get one either before I got to Disney World. OR I got one on the day I was at the park! People change their plans all the time, and you never know when one is going to pop up!
One last tips (or is it a trick?)
There is one last thing you should know about FastPass+, there is a grace period around your hour!
Disney gives you a five minute grace period on before you FastPass+ time. That means you can get in line 5 minutes before your reservation! (That's a tip a lot of people don't know!)
AND, if you are running late, they give you a 10 minutes (sometimes 15 minutes) grace period after your FastPass+ reservation expires! That means that you can still get in line a few minutes after your FastPass+ time!
And if you get there past that grace period, nicely talk to the cast member at the FastPass+ check-in. Sometimes they can sprinkle a little pixie dust, and get you in if they think you missed your time for a good reason. They won't always do that, but it's worth a try. The worst they can say is "No". And remember, speak nicely to them. You catch more flies with honey than with vinegar!
A list of steps for FastPass+
So as you can see, there is definitely a strategy for getting FastPasses. It's not complicated, but you have to know what to do to make the most out of it. And don't forget to you the FastPass+ tips and tricks! They are super helpful!
So these are the steps:
- Get your FastPasses 60 days before you arrive
- Get FastPasses for early in the day
- Get FastPasses for "E" attractions (or Peter Pan if it's a must-do)
- Keep checking to get the FastPasses you want, even the day you're at the park
- After you have used your three FastPasses, get another one. And after that, get another one...
That's really it! If you know those five steps, you will have a successful experience using FastPass+!
What do you think? Do you have a FastPass+ strategy? Any tips and tricks that I missed? Share it in the comments below!
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