Is getting a fast pass for Radiator Springs still crazy?

bfaber

Mouseketeer
Joined
Mar 10, 2004
I was last at the park in June of 2012 shortly after Cars Land opened I believe. Planning a return trip next month and was wondering if getting a fast pass for Radiator Springs at park opening is still a 45 minute affair, or if the newness has kind of worn off?? Just trying to make plans for park opening and wanted to know what to expect. Thanks!
 
Yes and no...they no longer actively/formally make guests line up pre-park opening for an RSR FP, but a line will still form (the CMs just don't patrol it as much anymore). I don't think it's on the same scale as when the attraction first opened, but it's still the most popular FP in the parks. In most cases, FP are lasting until 90 minutes or so after the park opens. They were lasting over two hours prior to the Soarin' refurbishment, so once Soarin' re-opens, the demand for RSR FPs might decline again.

Unless you want an early return time, I would probably go do a ride or two, let the first rush clear out and then go get the RSR FPs. My family often gets there at rope drop (non-EMH morning), heads straight to TSMM and then go back and get the RSR FP.
 
Yes and no...they no longer actively/formally make guests line up pre-park opening for an RSR FP, but a line will still form (the CMs just don't patrol it as much anymore). I don't think it's on the same scale as when the attraction first opened, but it's still the most popular FP in the parks. In most cases, FP are lasting until 90 minutes or so after the park opens. They were lasting over two hours prior to the Soarin' refurbishment, so once Soarin' re-opens, the demand for RSR FPs might decline again.

Unless you want an early return time, I would probably go do a ride or two, let the first rush clear out and then go get the RSR FPs. My family often gets there at rope drop (non-EMH morning), heads straight to TSMM and then go back and get the RSR FP.


Didn't this used to be disconnected with the other FPs? I'm thinking between that and enforcing return times it has made them last longer.
 
Yes, it used to be disconnected from the rest of the FP system. I do think that had an effect on demand and has made them last longer. I don't think that enforcing return times had as much a difference because they started doing that in February of 2013 when RSR was under a year old and demand was still crazy high.
 


So we went in Aug the year after it opened and then the next couple of years after and it seems to have slowed down a bit, but I agree that it is still one of the most popular rides in the park. Three years ago when it opened if you weren't in like within an hour of the park opening you wouldn't get a fast pass. Compare that to last year where (in early Aug) you could pull a fast pass for late afternoon- evening well into late morning and sometimes even still around noon (depending on when the park opened). The first year we rode it once in the entire trip, the second year we got on twice and last year I think we were even able to ride it three times in one day doing a walk in first thing in the morning, pull a fast pass right after, and then a fast pass again after we rode it.

It did use to be disconnected and I agree with mom2rtk that by connecting it and enforcing return times has helped them last a bit longer.

you can always use one of the wait time apps and see about how long they last on any given day. I know it's not 100% accurate but it may help give you an idea of how long they are lasting currently.
 
I was there last Sunday and when I got a RSR FP about 15 minutes after the park had opened, there was no line at all, I just walked right up. This was on a day when there was MM, not sure if that matters. The park had opened at 8 am and my return time was for 10 am. About two hours later, I walked by the FP distribution and saw that they were being given out for 6 pm.
 


I do think it has a lot to do with when you are going to the parks. When I was there last (just before the peak of Spring Break season started), FPs weren't lasting more than 2 hours (except the morning when RSR was down and didn't open until a few hours after the park did!). So if you're going during a quieter time, I think you have a better chance of getting a FP later in the day. If you are going during peak season, I think it's FPs tend to run out earlier, even though the operating day is longer.
 
We were there last month during Spring Break and we were able to get a FP for RSR as soon as we entered the park for a Return Time of mid morning or so. Then we would go back and pull another FP when the Return Time was for after dark.....RSR is a totally different experience after dark.

During Spring Break the FP for RSR were lasting until at least late morning so it is definitely not near as bad as when it first opened.
 
I was there the June after it opened, then again last August and in January. Our best strategy (with 2 teenagers) was to send me to the FP line with everyone's tickets and send the rest of my family to the single rider line right when the park opened. The FP line looked long but it was super efficient -- they had every kiosk open and CMs there to do the FP distribution so there was no confusion and the lines moved very quickly.

By the time I got the FPs and walked over to RSR, my boys were already on the ride (in separate cars) from the single rider line.

Our FP return time was around 11:00, so at that time we all went back and rode together to get a great picture. That way my hubby and boys got two rides in in the morning and our total wait time was about 10 minutes.

-----
When I went in January with friends we stayed at the Grand so we got in an hour early and got two rides in before the park opened (without needing a FP). The ride is still super popular but it seems to be running more consistently now and some of the chaos is gone.
 
Would it work to get a fast pass for RSR while my hubs goes ahead to Toy Story and I meet him there? Would we have a long wait for Toy Story then?
 
I was there last week, and while the FPs were gone at 1pm, the posted stand by wait was "40 minutes". I've never seen it that short. I still did single rider, which was practically walk on.
 
The first week of March, we were in DCA for MM, pulled fastpasses around 11:30 with no line. The FPs were gone around 3 that afternoon.
 
Last week they were lasting well past noon too. (Park opened at 9). We pulled one of the last times one day around 1:30 I want to say.
 
I plan on using my EMM on Wednesday and hitting it right away then TSMM then to RSR fast pass so I get at least 2 rides Wednesday.
 
We use single rider and if fabulous. We have never waited more than 15 minutes. Usually we ride is 3-4 times per day.
 
We just got home on Thursday. I agree with most others who were there recently that the FP were gone by around 1pm most days. I was there for rope drop three days and got FP for 9:30 one day, 9:50 another day, and 10:00 the next day. The first day I didn't get to the FP area until closer to 10:00 and I think the FP was for 11:30. My kids are 4 and 6 so single rider wasn't an option b/c they wouldn't want to ride with strangers. I think as long as you get there relatively early in the day you should be ok.
 
5 and 9. We're not too worried. We will be there this Tuesday -Thursday. Should be pretty slow days and we're staying on location and will use the DCA EMM
 

GET A DISNEY VACATION QUOTE

Dreams Unlimited Travel is committed to providing you with the very best vacation planning experience possible. Our Vacation Planners are experts and will share their honest advice to help you have a magical vacation.

Let us help you with your next Disney Vacation!





Top