I need help for Fast Pass

[carmel]

Hi,

I went to DW lots but it was before the FPs were introduced. We only took advantage of one when we were there two years ago. I guess we were intimidated with trying to plan around them.

We will be in DL during one of the busiest weeks but because of school schedules, can't really help it.

Can someone take pity on me and kinda give me strategies/scenarios/examples of how to maximize the FPs to be able to get the most out of a very crowded park? I have a 6yr old and a 2yr old munchkin. The majority of our two/three day visit will be riding rides geared towards them.

Sorry this question is kinda vague but I don't really know how to ask it. I guess I would just love to hear how I can take advantage of the FPs and plan my day around them. I don't even know if you can hold >1 FP at a time. I'm a FP Goofy!

 

[iceskatejen]

I'll do my best to explain FP. At DL you may not use them much because most of the kiddie type rides don't have it. In that case, just be there at least 30 minutes before the gates open (be there at 7:30 if the park opens at 8 and at 8 if it opens at 9) and head straight to Fantasyland, riding Dumbo and Peter Pan first as they get the worst lines (and the Matterhorn if the 6yo wants to do it, 2yo can't ride it). Yes, you can hold more than one FP at a time--if your return time has come around you can get another before using the first or if your return time is more than 2 hours away you can get another 2 hours after getting the first. There are a handful of unlinked FP machines--at Star Tours and (I think) Roger Rabbit in DL and Grizzly River Run at DCA and you can hold a FP for any of those rides and for any other FP ride at the same time. Also the two parks are not linked together so you can hold a FP for a ride in each park so long as the ticket used to get the FP was used to get through the turnstiles (iow, you can't just take your family's tickets over to one park while your family is in the other and get FPs for all of them).

 

[got2travel]

Most important I think, is don't feel like you are tied into the 1 hour time frame the FP gives you. You cannot ride before your start time, but your FP will be accepted for the rest of the day, even hours after your end time has passed.

Also, take advantage of everyone's ticket. Even if you know that not everyone is your party will ride, grab a FP with their ticket anyway. You can only get 1 FP per ticket but that does not mean that the same person holding that ticket has to use the FP.

 

[carmel]

I'm sorry to be such a dufus but I still don't think I completely understand.

I think I get the 'unlinked' machines - you can hold all of them along with a FP from an unlinked machine, right? I also understand that you can hold a FP from both sides of the park at the same time.

Okay, for the linked machines.......I don't really understand the two hour window thingy.

Again, sorry. I'm not normally so dense. But for reasons unknown to me, the FP intimidates me.

 

[got2travel]

No problem on asking questions. You'd be amazed at how many visitors just don't even use Fastpass because the don't understand it or think it costs extra. At least you will be prepared.

Say at 11am you want to ride Splash Mountain. There will be signs posted telling you how long the wait in line is. Maybe its at 60 minutes. You can either choose to stand in line and wait the hour, or get a Fastpass. The Fastpass will tell you to come back from 12pm - 1pm. So instead of standing in line for an hour, you can go do something else, then come back. Now you are not allowed to get another Fastpass until after your return time, so you wouldn't be able to get one until 12:01pm.

Another example, still 11am and we want to ride Splash Mountain, but the Fastpass that we got says we can return 2:15pm-3:15pm. Instead of having to wait until after 2:15pm to get another Fastpass, you only have to wait 2 hours. So you could get another one at 1:01pm, since you got this one at 11am. Your Fastpass will actually have it printed on there what time you can get another one.

Usually the Fastpass return times are pretty close to the actual posted wait times, but for some of the rides Fastpasses go so quick that the return time gets pushed out. Disney only distributed a set number of Fastpasses for each return window. Oh, and a new window starts every 5 minutes. So you might get something that says 12:05-1:05, its not always right on the hour.

 

[carmel]

I think I got it now! That really helps to go in knowing that info.

 

[disneychrista]

Here is a list of what attractions have FP. I borrowed this list from darkbeer on mouseplanet.

Disneyland
Autopia
BTMRR (weekends only in off-season)
Haunted Mansion Holiday (Stand-Alone, not offered during the regular version)
Indiana Jones
Roger Rabbit (Stand-Alone)
Splash Mountain
Star Tours (Stand-ALone, weekends only in off-season)

DCA
California Screamin'
Grizzly River Run (Stand-Alone, weekends only in off-season)
Mulholland Madness (weekends only in off-season)
Soarin'
Tower of Terror

 

[matsterrocks]

Pirates of the cariabean no longer a fast pass?

 

[got2travel]

Nope, they took out the FP for Pirates right before the holiday season.

 

[disneychrista]

FP at the Disneyland Resort was removed and modified just after Labor Day. The machines at both The Haunted Mansion and Pirates were "closed." As well as others only being used on weekends or when crowds dictate. The machines for the Pirates FP have since been taken out. The Mansion FP machines will stay, because they will use them for the Holiday Version (Oct - Dec)