What exactly are fast passes and where do you get them?

[marriedmarylander]

Can someone explain this to me? Do you have to buy them or are they free? Is it so you don't have to wait in line?

 

[beattyfamily]

It is a free feature.

This is what you do. You go to a ride that has the Fastpass feature. There will be about 4 or 5 machines next to the entrance to the ride. You put in your park pass for each person and out pops a Fastpass. Its a paper stating when you should return to the ride and head to the FASTPASS line. It's usually an hour later or more. It will say "Return between 10:00a and 11:00a" or something like that.

While you are waiting for the Fastpass time to come, you can go do other things. You can only hold one Fastpass at a time.

When you return to this ride, there are usually two, and sometimes 3 lines. The Standby (the longest), Fastpass, and single line riders. You would go to the Fastpass line.

There are signs to show you where to go and there will also be a clock above the Fastpass line showing what Fastpass times can enter.

There will also be a sign/clock above the Fastpass machines showing you what times are being given out. So let's say you are there at 10:00a and the sign says "Between 11:00a - 12:00p" then you know that your window to return to the Fastpass line is an hour later. But it could also say a much later time so in that case you'd have to decide if it's worth it to do Fastpass for that ride.

Also Fastpasses can run out on busy days for popular rides like TT and MS at Epcot.

I hope this helps. Again, this is FREE.

 

[marriedmarylander]

Ahhh I see... are they only on certain rides? Will it say in my guide which rides?

I like Tower of Terror.. I remember going on it about 10 years ago...

But without fast past how long are lines on a weekday in May (Monday - Thursday). If it's only about 2 hours I can deal with that... 3 is pushing it.. but 4 or more I think I'll get up early to get a fast pass.

 

[beattyfamily]

Ahhh I see... are they only on certain rides? Will it say in my guide which rides?

I like Tower of Terror.. I remember going on it about 10 years ago...

But without fast past how long are lines on a weekday in May (Monday - Thursday). If it's only about 2 hours I can deal with that... 3 is pushing it.. but 4 or more I think I'll get up early to get a fast pass.

Yes, they will be listed on the park map. Only certain rides like Test Track, Mission Space, Honey I Shrunk the Audience, Peter Pan, Phiarmagic, Pooh, Haunted Mansion, the mountains, Tower of Terror, , Ariel show, Muppet 3-3, Rockin Rollercoaster etc... The big rides usually have them and some smaller rides.

Sorry but I haven't got a clue what May will be like. I would think it will be a little busier than usual due to the Happiest Celebration going on starting May 5.

 

[ccgegg]

But without fast past how long are lines on a weekday in May (Monday - Thursday). If it's only about 2 hours I can deal with that... 3 is pushing it.. but 4 or more I think I'll get up early to get a fast pass.

Am I reading this right that you don't mind waiting in line 2 hours for a ride? Wow, I commend your patience, but don't expect lines that long in May... esp on a weekday. Despite your patience, take full advantage of the FastPass system. The basic premise is that it allows you to "do something else" instead of waiting in line. So let's say it's 11am and you get a FastPass for Space Mountain to return between 12:00 and 1:00, you can go ride Buzz Lightyear instead of standing in the 45-60 minute Standby line at Space Mountain. Then when you get off Buzz Lightyear, head for the Fastpass line at Space Mountain and you'll probably be riding in less than 15 minutes. Beats the heck out of standing in the much longer Standby lines for both rides.

 

[bonkos6]

So let's say that the fastpass time on your paper say 10-11. Does that mean you need to back to the ride right at 10 or can you go back anytime between 10 and 11?

 

[beattyfamily]

So let's say that the fastpass time on your paper say 10-11. Does that mean you need to back to the ride right at 10 or can you go back anytime between 10 and 11?

any time between that hour!

 

[bonkos6]

GREAT, THANKS!!!

 

[tjkraz]

But without fast past how long are lines on a weekday in May (Monday - Thursday). If it's only about 2 hours I can deal with that... 3 is pushing it.. but 4 or more I think I'll get up early to get a fast pass.

Sounds like you are going to enjoy your Disney vacation a whole lot more than you think. We were at WDW Monday to Thursday last May and never waited more than 25 minutes for any ride (and that was for Astro Orbiter--a non-FastPass ride with a very slow moving line.)

Print out beattyfamily's response above. Read it before bed and when you wake up. Carry it with you. Memorize it. Make others memorize it.

One of the biggest misconceptions seems to be some folks thinking they need to pay extra or do something special to use FastPass. ANYONE with a park ticket can use FastPass free of charge. If you have questions, ask a Disney employee (Cast Member). There is usually someone stationed right near the FastPass machines.

IMO, if a line is more than 30 minutes long, get a FastPass and go do something else. Or, if there's nothing in the immediate area you want to do, get a FP, wait in the Standby line to ride once and as soon as you get off use your FastPass to ride again.

There's no way to really prepare in advance for FastPass because you can't predict whether the return time on your ticket will be 45 mintues away or 2 hours. For a mid-May trip, I'm betting most of the return times will be an hour or less. Just try to remain flexible and you'll save a lot of time standing in those lines.

TIP: At the very least, try to get a FastPass before every meal. By the time you're done with lunch or dinner, your time may well have arrived and you'll be able to walk right onto the ride.

 

[Idahomom]

The FastPass is a great feature. We were nervous & confused about using it, but after the first time we did we loved it. It's very easy and saves you so much time! Have fun!

 

[ShellyShellfish]

what if we have a parkhopper ticket and are a resort guest, I thought that our room key was also our park admission? How does that work if we have to stick our ticket in the machine? do we get the ticket back??

 

[ccgegg]

There's no way to really prepare in advance for FastPass because you can't predict whether the return time on your ticket will be 45 mintues away or 2 hours.

There's a clock near most/all FastPass stations which states when the current FastPass return time is. That way, people aren't getting FastPasses, then seeing they need to return in 4 hours and end up just tossing them.

 

[vossjemi]

Ok, how does FastPass work in conjunction with BabySwap? Our kids are 3 and 5 so won't be able to ride the big rides at MK. We'll have grandparents with us, so they could take the kids to do something while we ride a big ride, but if they want to ride too, how do we do this? Or, if they happen to not go with us, how do we do it? Is there a baby swap line too? Thanks for any insight on how this works.

p.s. we're going in september so maybe the lines won't be too long and we won't have to worry too much about all this?

 

[beattyfamily]

Ok, how does FastPass work in conjunction with BabySwap? Our kids are 3 and 5 so won't be able to ride the big rides at MK. We'll have grandparents with us, so they could take the kids to do something while we ride a big ride, but if they want to ride too, how do we do this? Or, if they happen to not go with us, how do we do it? Is there a baby swap line too? Thanks for any insight on how this works.

No babyswap line. What you do is get Fastpass for everyone and then tell the CM at the entrance to the ride you have a baby and you want to swap out. They usually will give you a Fastpass swap paper. It looks like the regular Fastpass but it's good for the day and it's good for up to 4 people.

So part of your party will go on the ride and the other half of your party will go after you get back using the Fastpass you go with the machine or the special Fastpass you got from the CM.

Some rides, however will make you swap at the ride itself and have the kids go through the line and you'd swap out at the ride.

Either way you go to the Fastpass line if you all have fastpasses.

 

[marriedmarylander]

TIP: At the very least, try to get a FastPass before every meal. By the time you're done with lunch or dinner, your time may well have arrived and you'll be able to walk right onto the ride.

Before every meal? I thought they were gone really quickly? If they are still available throughout the day, that would be awesome.

 

[vossjemi]

No babyswap line. What you do is get Fastpass for everyone and then tell the CM at the entrance to the ride you have a baby and you want to swap out. They usually will give you a Fastpass swap paper. It looks like the regular Fastpass but it's good for the day and it's good for up to 4 people.

So part of your party will go on the ride and the other half of your party will go after you get back using the Fastpass you go with the machine or the special Fastpass you got from the CM.

Some rides, however will make you swap at the ride itself and have the kids go through the line and you'd swap out at the ride.

Either way you go to the Fastpass line if you all have fastpasses.

Ok, so say DH & I get this babyswap paper and ride the ride. Then, give grandparents the paper and they go straight to the front of the fastpass line?

 

[beattyfamily]

Ok, so say DH & I get this babyswap paper and ride the ride. Then, give grandparents the paper and they go straight to the front of the fastpass line?

Yes, you and DH ride the ride with your fastpasses you got, then the grandparents can ride with their fastpasses and THEN you can decide who will go yet again with the other Fastpass baby swap you got AND if you got Fastpasses for you two kids, someone can go yet again.

I hope I explained it well.

Not all rides do the Fastpass ticket if the child in question is old enough to ride it; they'll make you all go in the line together and then swap at the ride itself. Or meet at the exit and swap there (like Test Track).

My best advice is to go to the Fastpass machine and get them for EVERYONE even the kids not riding it. Then go to the line entrance and ask the CM how they handle babyswap and go from there.

 

[vossjemi]

Ok, I am a little confused. Say all 4 of us get fastpasses. DH & I go through and get the baby swap paper. Are you saying the baby swap paper is like a fastpass in an of itself? And good up to 4 people? So, grandparents could use it in lieu of a fastpass? As an extra ride through? Also, our kids are 3 and 5. Are you saying we could get fastpasses using their tickets and use them for ourselves?

 

[beattyfamily]

Ok, I am a little confused. Say all 4 of us get fastpasses. DH & I go through and get the baby swap paper. Are you saying the baby swap paper is like a fastpass in an of itself? And good up to 4 people? So, grandparents could use it in lieu of a fastpass? As an extra ride through? Also, our kids are 3 and 5. Are you saying we could get fastpasses using their tickets and use them for ourselves?

Yes, that is what I am saying. So even though my younger DD doesn't do the rides, I get a fastpass for her and I do babyswap and get that Fastpass and I go ride with my older DD then my DH rides with my older DD and then one set of us goes yet again.

Not all rides do this but most do now.

 

[vossjemi]

Wow, that is great to know! Thanks!