A few fastpass questions

[3kidz4dis]

I have a few questions about fastpass that confuses me:

First I keep hearing 1 or 2 hours after a ride you can get a fastpass, which is it?

Then on touring plans in books and from people on this board they say "when the park opens go on so and so and get a fastpass first" But isn't that when you should not get one? Because then you can't get a fp again for another hour or two when you could need it more?

Also, how does childswap and fp work together or doesn't it?

Another question: If we left a park and came back say around 4:00 for instance to MK and wanted to ride Space mountain, could we use a fp that we got on our way out of the park if we were there earlier in the day. Like if we were there at 1:00, got a Fp for Space Mountain as we were leaving and it says on the FP to come back at 2:00 but we were back at 4:00 or 5:00 and now all fp's are gone, can we ride the ride?
Thanks so much!

 

[Hobbes]

I have a few questions about fastpass that confuses me:

First I keep hearing 1 or 2 hours after a ride you can get a fastpass, which is it?

Then on touring plans in books and from people on this board they say "when the park opens go on so and so and get a fastpass first" But isn't that when you should not get one? Because then you can't get a fp again for another hour or two when you could need it more?

Also, how does childswap and fp work together or doesn't it?

Another question: If we left a park and came back say around 4:00 for instance to MK and wanted to ride Space mountain, could we use a fp that we got on our way out of the park if we were there earlier in the day. Like if we were there at 1:00, got a Fp for Space Mountain as we were leaving and it says on the FP to come back at 2:00 but we were back at 4:00 or 5:00 and now all fp's are gone, can we ride the ride?
Thanks so much!

First question-it will always tell you on the bottom of your fatspass ticket when you can get the next-it is typically when the "window" for your fatspass opens-EG, if your fatspass said "return between 11.32 and 12.32, you could get another fastpass ticket from 11.32 (always a good idea to go get your next one before you go to ride the current one)

Second question, the queues at opening are smaller, so you can grab a fastpass for one ride, run to do another, and then your fist fastpass will be ready-this plan works particularly well for Soarin'/test track!

Three-pass on that (no children to swap! )

Four, MMM, difficlt to say. The fastpasses are ONLY supposed to be used between the hours stated. However lots of people have come on here and said that the CMs have let them on if a little late, say held up by a meal, or a parade etc. But I think 3 hours late may be pushing your luck! Much better to "spread the magic" and give them to someone else if you are leaving and can't use them.

 

[3kidz4dis]

First question-it will always tell you on the bottom of your fatspass ticket when you can get the next-it is typically when the "window" for your fatspass opens-EG, if your fatspass said "return between 11.32 and 12.32, you could get another fastpass ticket from 11.32 (always a good idea to go get your next one before you go to ride the current one)

I didn't realize you could do that, get one before you ride the other. So you are saying that as long as the first time given has passed by DH can run to the next ride, get a FP while we are waiting to ride the first ride?

Second question, the queues at opening are smaller, so you can grab a fastpass for one ride, run to do another, and then your fist fastpass will be ready-this plan works particularly well for Soarin'/test track!

Is it possible, say for a ride that is near the gate at opening and you go directly there and no fp's are given yet?

 

[LBKMAMA]

can you ever get two fast passes at once? I thought I read that you can, but that's never been my experience. Just wondering ?

 

[SueM in MN]

can you ever get two fast passes at once? I thought I read that you can, but that's never been my experience. Just wondering ?

Sometimes, you will have some pixiedust sprinkled on you. You go to get a Fastpass for one attraction and a "bonus" fastpass for some other attraction also comes out of the machine.
Here's a link to the DIS page about Fastpass.

 

[LegoMom3]

Third question: Yes, you can use Fastpass and child swap - if you have older kids who can do the ride, they get to ride 2x, once with each parent! You just tell the CM at the Fastpass entrance that you're doing the baby swap, and one parent goes up to ride (with our without older kids, depending on your situation), and after it's over the 2nd parent takes his/her turn (again, with our without the older kids, if applicable). Works great!

 

[Robo]

can you ever get two fast passes at once? I thought I read that you can, but that's never been my experience. Just wondering ?

Any FP, when issued, has a time stamped at the bottom which tells you when you are allowed to get another FP.

The FP system never "knows" whether you ever even USE an issued pass (they don't "scan" them when you use them), so it simply will issue another FP to you after a specific period of time.

Its also generally possible to "save up" several FP -within the SAME DAY- and ride various attractions via the FP line even after the "ride window" printed on the FP has expired.

I would not suggest you rely on that with a VERY popular ride like EE (or Soarin').

Another unique situation is that you can get a FP for "Lights, Motors, Action" at the studios, and it won't "stop" you form getting another FP for another ride during the entire time you have the LMA FastPass.

 

[3kidz4dis]

Another unique situation is that you can get a FP for "Lights, Motors, Action" at the studios, and it won't "stop" you form getting another FP for another ride during the entire time you have the LMA FastPass.

Thats interested. How would you know that that is the case with each ride? Does it say it on the ticket or are there just rides that everyone know that works with? Any other rides off the top of your head?

 

[amesmom]

Another unique situation is that you can get a FP for "Lights, Motors, Action" at the studios, and it won't "stop" you form getting another FP for another ride during the entire time you have the LMA FastPass.

Thanks for that info. I was really wondering about getting our FP for LMA and then being shut out from getting a FP for a ride. Makes sense, since your showtime for LMA may be hours away.

I also heard that if your FP window for an extremely popular attraction is hours off, that your time to get a new FP may actually be before that window. So always check your FP ticket. It will tell you when you can get another FP.

 

[antkim]

I was just in WDW last week....had several FP's. I was told by at least 4 CM's (asked a few just so see if I got a different answer )that the FP's were good up until park closing no matter what the return time stated. This held true on may occassions....for instance, I used FP's for RRC and ToT WAY past the return times....my return time for RRC was 1-2.....I rode at almost 10 pm. FYI....I asked the return question at all 4 theme parks and was told by each CM that we could use up until park closing.

Have fun!

Kim

 

[seashoreCM]

Thats interested. How would you know that that is the case with each ride? Does it say it on the ticket or are there just rides that everyone know that works with? Any other rides off the top of your head?

You can't find out without trying. From time to time less busy rides have shorter times to get a fast pass for the specific ride but the formula is a closely guarded Disney secret.

You can get a Lights Motors fastpass about five minutes after getting another fastpass even though the time shown on the earlier fast pass has not arrived. If you cut it too short the system will not give you a hint on how much longer to wait.

If your Lights Motors fastpass is not your first, the time for yet another fast pass is not necessarily five minutes later but rather depends on the previous fastpass you got.

Disney hints:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/fastpass.htm

 

[Shooby doo]

In the case of "lights......" it's a show hence the reason that although it's a Fastpass it doesn't count towards you total,rides are different!
Here's an excerpt from the UG about question 3:
"Inpractice,cast members are not strict about enforcingthe return window.They won't let you in before your windowbut they usually admit you after your return expires.....Wed estimate the probability of being denied entry at 10% or less"
"Generally,you can obtain a second Fastpass when you enter your return window or two hours after the time of issue,whichever is first.An exception is TOT where you're eligible to obtain a second pass after an hour"
HTH SD

 

[eeyore45]

I was just in WDW last week....had several FP's. I was told by at least 4 CM's (asked a few just so see if I got a different answer )that the FP's were good up until park closing no matter what the return time stated. This held true on may occassions....for instance, I used FP's for RRC and ToT WAY past the return times....my return time for RRC was 1-2.....I rode at almost 10 pm. FYI....I asked the return question at all 4 theme parks and was told by each CM that we could use up until park closing.

Have fun!

Kim

All very well and good, just know I had the opposite happen to me, specifically was denied at Soarin - it was beyond the FP return time, even talked to a "manager' CM... others were there with the same experience, others were there because there were NO FP left, almost felt sorry for that CM!! Because Soarin is so popular the lines are long - for both FP and standby, in their attempt to keep the lines reasonable they were denying expired FP... just an FYI

 

[Robo]

All very well and good, just know I had the opposite happen to me, specifically was denied at Soarin - i

Its also generally possible to "save up" several FP -within the SAME DAY- and ride various attractions via the FP line even after the "ride window" printed on the FP has expired.

I would not suggest you rely on that with a VERY popular ride like EE (or Soarin').

And there you have it.