Fast passes-help me strategize!

[Mary Diehl]

I know this has probably been posted millions of times, but I need some help with each park concerning fastpasses. Here are my thoughts...
Whichever park we go to that morning, I'm thinking of getting to our families most popular ride-FAST!! and getting fastpasses for it right away. But we will also ride it too after receiving our fastpasses. This way we can be guaranteed to ride it at least twice that day. I've also heard that sometimes you can obtain two fastpasses at the same time. Any way of knowing this without walking clear across the park to get to the other popular rides you want to do but then finding out we have to wait until our first has expires? Or should I send one of my sons across the park to see if they'll work again? I just need some thoughts and maybe there's a link I'm not aware of to help me. I appreciate all your help. Thanks

 

[Robo]

Any FP, when issued, has a time stamped at the bottom which tells you when you are allowed to get another FP (for this same attraction, or another FP ride in the park).

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.

 

[dwaters]

I suggest you have a fast pass "runner" who goes and gets the passes for the group while they are doing something else (this is usually my job). Just take all their tickets....but MAKE SURE in your excitement you don't run off and leave the park ticket in your machine. This happened to me and I lost my father in law's ticket. I ran right back the the machine and had the CM open all the machines to look for it. It was gone. We're so lucky it was just a ticket and not a room key with a chargeable account.


Decide what you want to do and get those passes first. On busy days the passes can be all gone by noon or one o'clock.

 

[drogerstn]

.... I've also heard that sometimes you can obtain two fastpasses at the same time. Any way of knowing this without walking clear across the park to get to the other popular rides you want to do but then finding out we have to wait until our first has expires? Or should I send one of my sons across the park to see if they'll work again? ...

There are occasions when some less busy rides will allow the user to get a FP before the "allowable time" printed on the FP. These are usually "lesser rides"; I wouldn't send someone accross the park to a major attraction and expect to be able to do this. One example of something that may be worth a try: if you have a FP for Splash Mountain, send your "runner" to Jungle Cruise (its not a great distance) and there is a chance that it will distribute FP's even before the time printed on your Splash Mountain FP.

The 1st FP's usually cannot be used on an attraction until around 40 to 45 mintues after park opening. The standby lines move much faster during this short time period because the flow is not interupted by FP users; this is when you will have your best chance of getting on the attraction via standby. Once the FP return times kick in, the movement of the standby lines can really slow down.

You may want to send a "runner" to get new FP's as soon you reach the time printed on the FP and BEFORE you use the FP you already have. This will allow the time on that new FP to be ticking away even before you use the original FP and while you are on the original FP attraction. Also, it will get you an earlier return time on the new FP attraction than if you waited until after going through the 1st attraction.

 

[megcellent]

Thanks for this info ... as I was wondering about the best FastPass strategy for my trip in May. I hope more people respond!

 

[KarenCPA]

whatever you decide, I want you to know I completely support sending your sons to run errands. I do that all the time. They're young and that's their job! karen

 

[jswalker1981]

Getting to a park early has a big say on what fastpasses I get. For instance, yesterday my DGF and I went to MK. We got there shortly after it opened. As most people go to Tomorrowland, we walked right over to Frontierland. We literally walked right onto Splash Mountain, and almost did the same thing with Thunder Mtn. (we waited about five minutes, tops). With those two popular rides out of the way, and without the use of fastpass, we no longer had to worry about wasting a fastpass on those rides. And you can ask anyone, Splash Mtn racks up a long standby time, and the fastpass return time could be up to four hours away by noon time. We then make our way over to the Haunted Mansion, but we also check out peter pan, as that line can get pretty long, and the return window for a FP can get stretched out till later in the day pretty fast. The line was only twenty minutes, but with FP, we've been spoiled. The return window was only 30 minutes away, so we grabbed a fp, hit HM, and then went to Philarmagic, then back to Peter Pan. The best situations is to get a FP with the quicker return time, and then pick your poison with the longer waiting return time rides. For instance, I do this especially in tomorrowland. Most people will run to Space Mtn to get a FP first, but I would much rather get a FP for Buzz which will at most have a 45 minute wait for a FP. I then check out COP, then maybe the arcade and the TTA, then by then, my window has opened up for Buzz. I then grab a FP for Space Mtn. That way I've walked on to about three rides, and I'm sitting on a FP for Space. Instead of sitting on that FP for Space, and then waiting 45 minutes to ride Buzz. I try to have the only long wait time for FP return to be Space Mtn. And i hardly ever wait in the standby line. If you are a fan of COP, then you will always have a place to sit and relax, and enjoy a great show. Try to always be sitting on a FP, don't try to go throughout the day without having one FP in your pocket. If you are trying to have a full day at a park, then that is the best strategy. Yesterday was a relaxing day for my girlfriend and I, as we just walked around the park, hitting rides we really love, and then calling it quits around 4:30.

 

[rlovew]

jswalker gave you the best strategy for MK, here is what I would do for EPCOT. After arriving in the park send 1 person to Soarin' to get FP for the group. While they are going across the park have the rest of your group head to Test Track and wait for your runner. Jump into line and ride. After coming out go on Mission Space. If it is not time for your FP you may want to stop at the end of MS to play the games, otherwise head over to the land. Get a FP for Living with the Land and then ride Soarin'. Visit the Circle of Life and if your wait is long Living Seas before heading back into the land for your boat ride.

Stop by and get a FP for Honey I Shrunk the Audience (If they are avaiable- I have only seen it when really busy) and go on Imagination Ride, play in Imageworks until FP is avaiable. Finish anything else you want to do in FW.

Head to the WS starting in Mexico, while the family looks around send your runner to get FP for Norway's ride Malestrom. Take the bopat ride in Mexico, shop in Mexico and China and then it should be time to head to Norway. Continue your way around the WS enjoying movies, shopping, and food along the way.

The bggest thing to remember is that if their is something nearby your really want to FP then get it before you ride. At EPCOT it is not as urgent to have a FP all day because much of what their is to do doesn't use FP.

 

[mitchs]

can you watch "wishes" fireworks from the liberty tree tavern?
we have ressies for 9pm 6/9.

thank you

 

[tinker&belle]

I was wondering, if I get a FP at about 9:20 in the MK, when would the approximate pick up time be for the next. And then if I got my next FP at that time, what the approx. time for the next would be?

Example: FP 9:20 for Pooh
FP Next time for splash (about what time would this be?)
Next FP for philharmagic?
Next FP for Buzz or stitch?

 

[drogerstn]

I was wondering, if I get a FP at about 9:20 in the MK, when would the approximate pick up time be for the next. And then if I got my next FP at that time, what the approx. time for the next would be?

Example: FP 9:20 for Pooh
FP Next time for splash (about what time would this be?)
Next FP for philharmagic?
Next FP for Buzz or stitch?

The "next allowable FP time" printed on a FP will not be later than (could be earlier though):

1. The start time of the period for which the FP is good for entering the attraction
2. Two hours after the time the guest obtains the FP

Whichever one of these occurs 1st will be the next time you can get another FP unless the attraction happens to be printing earlier times. I've experienced this on some of the shows and some of the less popular attractions, but not always...

 

[drogerstn]

...
Example: FP 9:20 for Pooh
FP Next time for splash (about what time would this be?)
Next FP for philharmagic?
Next FP for Buzz or stitch?

Oh yeah, regarding your example:
If you pick up a FP for Pooh at 9:20am, it will have a one-hour time period printed on it stating when you can return to Pooh and use your FP. A good guess for this time might be 10:05am-11:05am; the time printed on the FP for which you can get the Splash FP would be 10:05am (maybe 10:10am??). IF the FP for Pooh had a return time much later, like 12:15pm-1:15pm, then the time printed on the FP telling you when you can get another FP (e.g. Splash) would be 11:20am Hope this helps...

 

[Robo]

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