Why Fast Pass TSM?

[suebedo]

I am one of those that vote for FP first, then ride standby. We have a 4 yr old who doesn't ride the RnR or ToT so TSMM is our main attraction and we want to ride it at least 3 times during the day. If you are towards the front of the line at RD and FP very first thing, your return time will be 10:10A or so and that opens up your next FP retrieval time much earlier. That is important to us because we need the FPs to ride this ride. We come back as soon as our next FP retrieval time opens to get another set and we carry those around for the rest of the day until we decide to ride again. 3 rides a day is worth it for us.

 

[mickeyluv'r]

Given that fact, it also seems to me that if one wants to ride twice, it would be smarter to jump onto the standby line as fast as possible, and then, after riding the fiirst time, get a fastpass.

But then, what do I know?

One could, I suppose, argue that by getting a fastpass early on, the time for getting another fastpass would roll around a bit earlier, but I doubt that there would be that much of a difference.

But then ....

Karnak

but the fastpass times for TSM change very rapidly. By the time you get out, the return time may well be up to like 11am. I've been in line and seen the return time jump from 9:15 to like 9:55 before I was able to get my passes. So in theory, you could get FP's, then ride TSM, and by the time you get off, your window is open to re-ride it.

By doing the ride first, then getting FP's - you will lose some time waiting for your window - as oppoed to the time others lose in line.

I'm guessing they sort of both work out about even.

 

[LittleGreekAlexandra]

You know, funny you say that. I've been to DHS 5 times this year and have never had the opportunity to get a FP for TSM. The wait time of the one time I did the darn ride was 110 minutes. And it was too! In the off season!

 

[Lucky4me]

When we went earlier this month, we rope dropped and went in the standby line. We were first in line and moved so fast through we missed a lot of the themeing/preshow. When we got off, the fast pass line was twice as long as the standby line
Because it was so far from the ride, there were people at the end of the line who assumed they were in line for the ride. No CMs around to tell them otherwise.
We went on TOT and RNR, then came back for fast passes with only a few people in line for them.

 

[GaSleepingBeautyFan]

Don't tell everyone our secret!

We also ride it first and then get a FP for later.

The kids really like the ride so I'm glad to oblige them with a 2nd chance to ride it with very little line time.

I forgot to mention that only DH likes ToT so we don't have to get FP's for that. Or just get 1 for him at ToT.

RnR is the only other ride that we usually get FP's for and it's no biggie to us if they are later in the day. I don't ride it so we only get 3 FP's for it.

 

[lurkernj]

In Sept, we (me and DS11) rode standby at rope drop, then got a fastpass with a return time of 10:30, at 10:30, we got another fastpass for 2:30. So we were able to ride it 3x before 3p (left park at 3:30) I would definitely do it this way again, but I can see if you have little kids that one person would fight the melee to get the fastpasses alone.

 

[jamstew]

I am one of those that vote for FP first, then ride standby. We have a 4 yr old who doesn't ride the RnR or ToT so TSMM is our main attraction and we want to ride it at least 3 times during the day. If you are towards the front of the line at RD and FP very first thing, your return time will be 10:10A or so and that opens up your next FP retrieval time much earlier. That is important to us because we need the FPs to ride this ride. We come back as soon as our next FP retrieval time opens to get another set and we carry those around for the rest of the day until we decide to ride again. 3 rides a day is worth it for us.

 

[TammyC]

This is an interesting thread. I had never really thought of riding first. We usually grab FP, then head to RNR and TOT. I always figured that if we ride TSMM first the lines at the other attractions will be longer when we get there. One ride on TSMM is enough for us, so being able to get another FP is not an issue. So, I wonder which way is more efficient??

T

 

[LMO429]

We always ride first then get a fast pass.

My theory on why some people get a fastpass is the following: I think most guests that go to wdw are not as experienced with touring plans. its become quite chaotic by tsm and lines starting forming..the fast pass distribution center is before the actual ride que I think newbies just get on line for the fast pass first not knowing that they can actually get on the ride...a line forms and people not knowing better just follow along.....

 

[kstgelais4]

We were there mon. morning too. We got there about 30 min. before rope drop. We headed right for Tsm, and I also noticed that people were crazy with the FP there. However even though the line was long it went really fast. DH went and got the FP, while the kids and I looked arounf the shop. When he got back he said that a lot of people were like "why did we all get in line? Why didn't just one of us get the FP's like that guy". I think it was just a lot of families where the WHOLE party got in the FP line. After we got our FP, we got in the standby, which was no longer than 10 min. This enabled us to ride RNR w/o FP and then get a FP for it before we went back to TSm. We will be doing this again tomorrow when we go back to DHS!

 

[jamstew]

We always ride first then get a fast pass.

My theory on why some people get a fastpass is the following: I think most guests that go to wdw are not as experienced with touring plans. its become quite chaotic by tsm and lines starting forming..the fast pass distribution center is before the actual ride que I think newbies just get on line for the fast pass first not knowing that they can actually get on the ride...a line forms and people not knowing better just follow along.....

Actually, I think it depends more on what you want to accomplish during the day and what time you want to leave the park. I've been using touring plans since 1990, so I think that qualifies me as being experienced. There's no touring plan that tells you what to do if you want to ride TSM three times and leave the park after the parade. The only way to get two TSM FP's (and be able to get anything else done) is to FP first. I get there at rope drop, and unless the FP lines are outrageous, that's what I do. The longest I've had to wait to ride after getting a FP was 20 minutes (although the sign may say it's longer). I may or may not need a FP for ToT (I don't do RnRC), but I know the stand-by line there is always going to be shorter than TSM. The last couple of times I've been there, there have been CM's directing traffic to the appropriate place.

 

[jamstew]

One could, I suppose, argue that by getting a fastpass early on, the time for getting another fastpass would roll around a bit earlier, but I doubt that there would be that much of a difference.

There actually can be quite a difference, depending on crowd levels.

 

[auntyjenn]

Hm, interesting. I wouldn't mind riding TSMM twice, but what my kids really want to do is the rollercoaster, so I'm planning on us hitting that first and getting a FP, then riding, then TOT maybe ride RR again if the wait is short and then going to get a FP for TSMM and riding it whenever we get to it (we stay the whole time). What do you think the return time would be on a TSMM fastpass if we get it at 11:00am? Will there still be some left?

 

[RachaelA]

We did this twice in June.

FP TSM
Ride TSM
FP RnRC
Ride RnRC
Ride Tot
FP TSM

But I'm always the first person at one of the FP machines. We get to rope drop early and I'm always one of the first few people walking behind the CMs to TSM. I would never wait in a 20 minute FP line. i'd just ride it standby.

 

[cnorth]

I definately fastpass TSM. The rush to get to any of it is a madhouse in the morning! I don't want the kids going through that and possibly getting trampled. Especially the little one. Sometimes he seems to not have correct equilibrium just on his own, much less with people rushing around him! If I go ahead and do the "mania" to get to the FP by myself, my family can fall to the back of the crowd, and slowly get to TSM. By the time they get there, I'm done getting FPs, and we can ride standy!