The Fast Pass

[mtmbyck]

I was just on the "Tips" board and wanted clarification from my Canadian friends.

One person writes that they returned last week from Disney and were able to have a "fastpass runner" who went to all of the big rides and got fastpasses for their group for numerous attractions.

It was my understanding that you could only have 1 fastpass for a ride at a time and in fact, you had to put your admission ticket through the machine to get your fastpass time. You could not get a new fastpass until the time on your existing fastpass expired.

Has this changed???

 

[A&CsMom]

Subscribing ... I'd love to know the answer to this!

 

[BitsnBearsMom]

I was there in October and as far as we knew you could only have one fast pass at a time - you could get another as soon as the start time of the first fass pass passed. Say that 10 times fast

 

[pkitty]

Every FastPass held has a time at the bottom that indicates when you are eligible for your next FastPass(usually 30 minutes prior to your existing pass running out). This is how you can hold 2 FastPasses at a time. Wait until you are within your window to hold your next pass and go get it. Then get in the FastPass line for the exsisting pass you are holding and ride. By the time you are done riding that one you will often find that you are approaching your the FastPass window for the ricket you are now holding. Just keep repeating the process. Get one person in your party (easier to manuever and commute) to "run" ahead with your tickets to get the next passes. Repeat and ride all day like this. We can average 3 to 4 rides in 1.5 hours on the busiest park days just by organizing aroung the rides and there location to each other. Example "Splash Mountain" and "Thunder Mountain Railroad" are right beside each other. Pick the one with the longest ride wait and get that pass first. Then go next door and get in the regular riders line and wait (20 minutes - 45 minutes). Ride....then get a FastPass for the same ride (this way you get to go twice because you will be within the pass window). Now go next door and use your current Pass for that ride. When you get off of that, ride the other one with the pass that you are holding. Sounds confusing? It's not really once you get going. Remember there is only a finite number of passes per ride per day. They dispense until they are empty and that's all folks! If you are wondering whether or not to get a pass for something look at the ride times. If it is noon on your watch and the ride return time is 6pm...better grab a pass....if you wait until later in the day all the passes will be dispensed and you'll have to wait in the regular riders line Remember to have a rough idea of what rides are eligible for FastPass, where they are and what order you want to ride them in. Have fun....and remember the FastPass is your friend!

 

[seashoreCM]

Just before you get a fast pass you can more or less tell when you can get yet another one. That is never more than about two hours later. You will see signs above the area with the machines that tell when to come back and ride. If the time to come back is less than two hours away you can get another fast pass about then instead.

Yes, one person can take everyone's park tickets and go get fast passes. You should have your names on the tickets so everyone gets his own back.

You can get a fast pass for the Lights Motors show at MGM Studios before or after getting another fast pass without waiting the two hours.

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

 

[mbb]

Fast pass runner in our family is DH

And the biggest sprint for him is the Soarin' Dash...

Picture it...Epcot, Christmas Eve...it's gonna be packed...We're there at opening...Mom, dad, the kids and I head for Test Track/Mission Space..DH runs with all of our tickets to Soarin' - go honey, GO! ..

Just as we get to Test Track (stop at the potty included), Dh arrives, FP's in hand..we ride TT, and then head for MS....Love the Green Line!

45 minutes into our morning...we got 2 of the Big 3 done in less than 40 minutes...we have time for Ellen!

Ellen completed - head for the Land...what, no line at Nemo?? Go people, go!

10 minutes to spare, another quick potty break...

Woohoo! Get more FP's for Soarin'!

Walk on, Love that ride!

Muffins at Season's (lemon poppy seed, thank you!) and we're heading to World Showcase...

...wait! 20 minute wait at Figment??
Go people, go!!



Last ride on our way out of the Park...we're no waiting with FP's for Soarin' again....

Life's good on FastPass

 

[drag n' fly]

We also did what was mentioned below in addition took advantage of parent swap. Each parent swap allows you up to three people on the same ticket so my husband would get one fastpass and go on with the two older and then I would go on with the two older without having to use the two older kids, younger and my tickets up for fastpasses and then enabling us to hold more than one fastpass at a time with parent swap. Dh would do the first rope drop sprint and collect the fastpasses in whatever engineering order he figured while we strolled and had a looky loo and then he would call me on the cell to tell me which ride to head to first. We had a system and it worked! We also used our ds4 ticket to get fastpasses and parent swap for rides we really loved or kept it open to use for fastpasses for other rides. We got to ride LOTS using this method with all three kids riding the rides multiple times. It was great for ds4 who got to ride his favourite many times over like 4 year olds do and the older kids rode space mountain 4-5 times in one afternoon in additon to all their other favs like rockin rollercoaster and expedition everest. This however only works if you have younger ones in your group who cannot ride some of the bigger rides.

 

[mtmbyck]

I actually also got a response from the Disser who says he runs from ride to ride picking up fastpasses. It appears what he does is ride whatever he can in the morning and gathers fastpasses even if he is able to ride at that time - no line up. He saves the fast passes and evidently, even if the time has expired, the CM's let you ride so by late afternoon he has fastpasses to ride all of his favourites again without having to wait for his time. CLEVER! He says he did it for 5 days and was not questioned once about his time expiring!

 

[drag n' fly]

They always let you on after expiry. The only time they might not is if the standby line is really heavy and if your pass expired hours ago. We did this too and at one point couldn't use them all and gave 5 away to a group of cheerleaders and in return for our good deed a nice lady gave us five in return for soarin 2 days later!