Need Fast Pass Expert.....?

[Darkside]

I understand how to use Fast Pass at WDW.... but I never seem to think I utilize the system very well? Any tips from you Fast Pass experts??

 

[WendyBirdGirl]

Don't get FastPass for big theater shows like "It's Tough to Be a Bug" or PhilharMagic, or rides that always have a short line like Stitch's Great Escape. Get FastPass for slow-loading attractions like Peter Pan (ALWAYS a long line), or highly sought after attractions like Toy Story Mania, Soarin' and Space Mountain. Prioritize your to-do list; Get a FastPass immediately when you step into a park; Look at the standby wait time and use your FastPass privilege wisely!

 

[vicki_c]

Always get a FP when one is available as long as you can use it (based on the return time in case you're leaving the park or anything and won't be able to use it by its start time) - even when there isn't much of a line.

Then use the time you would have spent in that stand-by line (even if it was 5 minutes) to ride something else that doesn't have a FP opportunity.

We rarely let a FP opportunity go by without getting a FP to something.

 

[fastpass99]

Previous two posts are absolutely correct!

Plus if any members of your family are too small to ride, make sure you read up on the Rider Switch Pass ! This little known feature is very useful in conjonction with Fast passes. With it, your family can do a near-double fastpass ride in a high-profile attraction.

 

[dolphindan1]

gather FPs all day and use them later...You can always go after the window has expired...we gather all day long as soon as windo opens for a new one and we save them till after lunch towards closing...we used a Soarin FP with a 10 to 11 am windo at 7pm that evening...

 

[Yubbie]

gather FPs all day and use them later..

+1 to this!

Get to the park at rope drop and start collecting them, but don't use them until the afternoon. You should always be getting a new fast pass when the next time comes around.

On my January 2011 trip, I arrived at rope drop with my party of 5. We began collecting fast passes immediately, but didn't use any until around 2 or 3pm. I think we had 5 sets by that time and we never waited more than 10 minutes for any attraction the entire week using this strategy.

 

[>Ash<]

Don't get FastPass for big theater shows like "It's Tough to Be a Bug" or PhilharMagic, or rides that always have a short line like Stitch's Great Escape. Get FastPass for slow-loading attractions like Peter Pan (ALWAYS a long line), or highly sought after attractions like Toy Story Mania, Soarin' and Space Mountain. Prioritize your to-do list; Get a FastPass immediately when you step into a park; Look at the standby wait time and use your FastPass privilege wisely!

totally agree i dont know why philliarmagic even has a fast pass its silly because the show is rather quick and its a constant flow so their isnt really any need ...

i never understood how peter pan got a large cue as it does because their is a constant flow of ride-cars. ...

 

[dolphindan1]

i never understood how peter pan got a large cue as it does because their is a constant flow of ride-cars. ...

I have seen that queue full a few times

 

[LaurenT]

Most of the tips I use have been covered by PPs....I will sometimes do one other thing...
If I'm leaving a park early (ie: leaving Epcot at 2 pm to spend the day at the pool ot DTD), I will grab one more set of FP's for a big ride and hand them to a family on the way out...it's actually alot of fun!

 

[Robo]

totally agree i dont know why philliarmagic even has a fast pass its silly because the show is rather quick and its a constant flow so their isnt really any need ...

They have not used FP for Philharmagic in years.
When it first opened, the FP's were often needed.
Now, Disney has stopped using the FP's for virtually all of the
"show" attractions.
The notable exception is Voyage of the Little Mermaid (DHS,)
which still often uses FP.

i never understood how peter pan got a large cue as it does because their is a constant flow of ride-cars. ...

Even with the constant-load, the ride has a very low "capacity per hour."
(There are actually very few "pirate ship" vehicles, as the ride is slow and not very lengthy inside.) Plus, the ride is very popular.
Consequently, FP is needed nearly all day (after about the first 60-90 minutes following opening,) every day (with a very few exceptions in the slowest of times.)

 

[dolphindan1]

Even with the constant-load, the ride has a very low "capacity per hour."
(There are actually very few "pirate ship" vehicles, as the ride is slow and not very lengthy inside.) Plus, the ride is very popular.
Consequently, FP is needed nearly all day (after about the first 60-90 minutes following opening,) every day (with a very few exceptions in the slowest of times.)

I have only seen it below 40 mins 1 time aside from the first hour after RD...that was in Nov 2009...but that trip even TSM never got over 40 mins...PP is the 3rd ride if we hit FL at RD after Dumbo and the Merry go round...the first hour is good after that it really begins to build a line

 

[SOnotLayuh]

I have only seen it below 40 mins 1 time aside from the first hour after RD...that was in Nov 2009...but that trip even TSM never got over 40 mins...PP is the 3rd ride if we hit FL at RD after Dumbo and the Merry go round...the first hour is good after that it really begins to build a line

Looks like we need to travel at that time of year!

 

[Agri]

It also depends on the time of year. I didn't use any fastpasses this past trip - we didn't need them. Wait times were rarely over 20 minutes for the top rides, making FP unnecessary.

Here's the thing - you need to look at wait times AND the return times. Sure, you can collect them all day long, but if you're not interested in the rides with shorter lines, what's the point?

I go by the crowd calendars and use an app for wait times. Even with that information, a park can still be unexpectedly crowded - the ability to hop is very important to us. When the weather was so cold in December, a friend and I were able to do just about every big ride in the MK before it started warming up - and the crowds began arriving. About 11:30a.m., we were leaving to pick up my mom for lunch just as everyone was arriving. Lunch was in a different park. It was a 'bad' day for MK, but due to extenuating circumstances, we were able to walk on all the mountains, astro orbiter, teacups, and a few other rides. Likewise, this past trip, we were in Epcot on a low crowd day, but there were two tour groups there (unpredictable element) so we hopped over to the MK rather than battle two tour groups for the few rides in Epcot.

There is a lot that goes into making the most of FPs - on a hot day in AK, we got to Kali River Rapids the FP time was for half an hour later. The ride wait was 20 minutes. This was a no-brainer - get FPs and get in the stand-by line and we walked on after our first time down the rapids.

Another example - this past trip, the wait for TSMM was 20 minutes, the FP time was 2:00p.m. at 9:30a.m. Why get a FP for hours later when you can be riding in 20 minutes? Even with the wait time, we managed to ride it three times in a row before 10:30a.m. - way before the time we would have been riding it if we had just gotten a FP.

 

[Metsoskil]

When gathering FP for use later in the day its important to anticipate which FPs will go quickest as well.

For example, suppose you were going to get FP at MK for Space Mt., Splash, BTMRR, and the Jungle Cruise.

At rope drop you grab a FP at Jungle Cruise, which has a return time at 10:05. You can now get your next FP at 10:05.

At 10:05 you get a FP at Space Mt., which has a return time around 11:45. You can get your 3rd FP at 11:45.

At 11:45 you get a FP for Splash, which has a return time around 4PM. Your next FP opportunity would be 2 hours later - 1:45.

At 1:45 you get a FP for BTMRR with a return time around 6:30.


If you were to change the order of the FP you get, you could get a lot more done.

Example 2 - same rides.

At rope drop you get a FP to Space Mt. 10:05 return time.

At 10:05 you get a FP to BTMRR with a 11:00 return time.

At 11:00 you get a FP for Splash with a 2:30 return time.

At 1PM (2 hours later) you get a FP for Jungle Cruise with a 3:30 return time.

Example 2 could save you time and allow you to grab an extra FP or two during your day.

This is even more true at DHS or Epcot. Definitely get a FP to Toy Story Mania or Soarin', respectively, first.

 

[mommyoftwinz]

Most of the tips I use have been covered by PPs....I will sometimes do one other thing...
If I'm leaving a park early (ie: leaving Epcot at 2 pm to spend the day at the pool ot DTD), I will grab one more set of FP's for a big ride and hand them to a family on the way out...it's actually alot of fun!

That is so "disney"-like of you to do. What a great idea?

 

[disneychic2]

I must be missing something. I don't understand the advantage of saving your fast passes for later on. The way I understand it, a fast pass is good once, whether you use it during the actual return time or later in the day. I see the value if you had ADRs and can't make it for the appointed time, but other than that, please enlighten me. TIA!

 

[lsulindy]

I must be missing something. I don't understand the advantage of saving your fast passes for later on. The way I understand it, a fast pass is good once, whether you use it during the actual return time or later in the day. I see the value if you had ADRs and can't make it for the appointed time, but other than that, please enlighten me. TIA!

Because later on, the lines will probably be longer than they are during your return window. If the return time for the first FP I grab is for 10:05-11:05, there will still be shorter lines at 10:05 and I can wait in a shorter line for another attraction and then use my fastpass in the afternoon when lines are longer.

 

[Metsoskil]

Because later on, the lines will probably be longer than they are during your return window. If the return time for the first FP I grab is for 10:05-11:05, there will still be shorter lines at 10:05 and I can wait in a shorter line for another attraction and then use my fastpass in the afternoon when lines are longer.

Yup. This.