Your best FastPass tips

[diskids2]

Hi All!
The last time I went to WDW, there was no fastpass, they were just putting in the machines. I was wondering if those who have had the experience could give me their best tips and techniques for using fastpass at all of the four major parks.

Thanks!

 

[keithomas]

OK, that is the obvious tip, but I was amazed how many people did NOT use this perk!

We had the best success by doing the following:

1. Pick what ride you want to ride that has a fastpass (i.e. Splash Mtn)

2. Go to the fastpass distribution machines and check the return time (i.e. 90 minutes to return) and get passes.

3. Go do another attraction whose wait time is less than your wait to return that isn't too far away. (i.e. Aladdin's magic carpet ride)

4. Get back to the fastpass attraction right as your "window" opens.

Some good "ride pairs" that worked with our group of 4 adults/4 kids were:
Splash & Aladdin/Pirates/Jungle Cruise/
BTMRR & Aladdin/Pirates/Jungle Cruise
Buzz & Astro Orbiter/speedway
Kilimanjaro & Lion King show

Another good option is to get fastpasses and then go EAT!!! Unless the rides bother you on a full stomach!

 

[XStAnt]

I have two tips for you:

1) Get a second Fast Pass as soon as you can. Your ticket will say when you can obtain another one. Get the second one before using your first one so that the time to return begins to run. It may require a lot of walking across the park but it's worth it if the park is crowded.

2) Don't use FP if you can get on the ride right away. Many times in the early morning there was no line for an attraction and we walked right on. We did this with Test Track at Epcot (went right after the park opened) and with Indiana Jones at MGM (walking by and the next show was about to start in 10 minutes and there were still seats left).

 

[mad4themouse]

Have one member of your party scoot off to get FastPasses for the whole group while everyone else is waiting in line at a counter service restaurant. Saves on walking for the whole group and your FastPass time may come up right after you've finished your meal.

 

[pgjam]

We get to MGM when it opens & immediately get a fastpass for TOT. We go on R&R Coaster & by the time we get off it's almost time for the fast pass for TOT. Works great every time.

just got back & can't wait to go again.

 

[Tay N Evie's Mom]

My kids loved TOT, so we got fast passes for TOT even though the line was short. We were able to ride 3 times in a row with no wait. When we went back again there was a 30 min wait, so we decided to use our fast pass to go again since they were for that time period. Another tip is if there are a few people in your group who don't want to go on a ride, say TOT, use their tickets to get extra fast passes. Someone else in the group can get right back on with the extra fast passes.

 

[cindyfan]

Pay close attention to the FP return times.
There have been times that the return time was BEFORE the wait time would have gotten you in.
Example: at R&RC.....it was 11am and the wait time was 30 min. That really isn't that long to wait so no one was using FP. Therefore the FP return time was from 11:20 to 12:20 instead of the usual one hour.
I know it sounds crazy, but it does happen that way some times.

I was not riding it at the time because I was waiting with DD for DH to ride. But we stood and watched as people just continued to get in the standby line instead of grabbing a FP!
I just thought if you are willing to stand in line for 30 minutes.....why not grab a FP and just sit on the bench to wait for 20!!!! Then just walk on!

 

[diskids2]

Thanks for the great information. I can't wait to use this in my planning! If anyone else has any other ideas feel free to post, I'll keep checking.

 

[tjkraz]

Most (if not all) fastpass tickets now tell you the exact time at which you can get another pass. That time will ALWAYS allow you to get another FP ticket before you use the one currently in your hand. Use this to your advantage whenever possible.

For example, ToT and R&R are right next to each other. If standby times for both are excessive, get a FP for ToT, then before you ride ToT you should be able to get a FP for R&R.

Even with FastPass it will take you 15-20 minutes to experience any given attraction. Most FastPass lines get you very close to the front of the queue, but it's not like they guarantee you will be the very next rider. Many of the FP attractions also have pre-shows, which will eat up some time.

Also, one other completely unrelated comment. If a ride is broken-down during your FastPass return time, the ticket is basically valid FOREVER. Theoretically you could stick the ticket in a drawer at home and present it to a CM 2 years down the road and it should be accepted. From a practical standpoint, you can still use the ticket at any later time in the day or during your trip. R&R was shut down when we went to ride it, but they were still giving out FP tickets. The return time was almost immediate on the FP, but knowing the info above, we got tickets anyway.

About 3 hours later we returned. The ride was up and we walked right into the FP line.

 

[markºoº]

We always like to do the Safari at AK a couple of times as it is never the same ride twice. If you are at AK when it opens, immediately do the Safari. When you get off immediately get a FP. The return time is usually about 60 minutes. While waiting for your return time, walk the trails or grab a bite to eat. By the time we are done, we are usually within the return window.

 

[diskids2]

More great suggestions, thanks!

 

[kilee]

Just remember, that there is still a small wait w/ fastpass. So if the stand-by time is 10-15 minutes. You may just want to get in line. On our last trip, I heard a couple people grumbling about that. They were mad because they thought they were getting right on and they wound up waiting almost the same amount of time. Only they had to do all the backtracking to come back to the ride.

 

[Brianhog]

The post about fast pass being good if the ride breaks down is interesting. We had that happen to us on test track one time and thy would not allow us to use our fast pass when the ride came back up.

 

[diskids2]

Does anyone have any experience with either being able to use or not being able to use your out-timed/dated fastpass when the ride has broken down?

Thanks

 

[rwodonnell]

Originally posted by markºoº
We always like to do the Safari at AK a couple of times as it is never the same ride twice. If you are at AK when it opens, immediately do the Safari. When you get off immediately get a FP. The return time is usually about 60 minutes. While waiting for your return time, walk the trails or grab a bite to eat. By the time we are done, we are usually within the return window.

Or, you could just get the fastpass first, then wait through the normal line, then when you're done, get right back in line in the fastpass lane. We've done this in the Magic Kingdom, because we have kids and they say "can we do that again?" If you have a fastpass already in hand, you can say "Why yes, Johnny" and not have to wait another half-hour or whatever.

Of course this only works when the return time window is not too distant (line time + ride time away).

 

[lilsonicfan]

Note that the wait time for FP is not always 10-15 minutes - it totally depends on the attraction, and I found that it also depends on the CM who is letting FP people through. Once in the Buzz FP line the CM let about 20 FP people through before letting any of the normal lineup people go. But another time, the CM let fewer FP people through at one time. So it can vary.

FP in the mornings is the best as the turnaround times are usually about an hour or so, so you can get lots of fastpasses within a relatively short amount of time. We lined up for Buzz while one of us walked to Space Mtn to get FP, then by the time we were done both of those it was time to get another FP.

 

[cressy]

WE have returned to Test Track several times after it was broken down during our FP return time, and not had any problem using the FP. In fact, we've never had any problem returning to a number of attractions (rides, that is-I think it would mess up the count for scheduled shows like WWTBAMPI and Indiana Jones) later than the return window on our fastpasses.

 

[shafke]

One thing also to note... unless it does not work anymore. It worked for us last Oct. We got A FP for Indy. it did not have a time for the next FP would be available and we were then able to get a FP for Star Tours.

 

[tjkraz]

Originally posted by diskids2
Does anyone have any experience with either being able to use or not being able to use your out-timed/dated fastpass when the ride has broken down?

Thanks

Here's what Deb's site has to say on the matter:

"What happens if the ride breaks down or goes off-line?

If this happens, the system should stop issuing tickets. You will have the opportunity to use the FASTPASS you acquired anytime during the rest of that day, once the attraction is operating normally again."

Now, I can actually confirm that PART of that is incorrect. We walked up to R&R when it was down, and the CMs were ENCOURAGING people to get a FastPass. We did.

After riding ToT, we went back to R&R and to find that it was still down. We later returned a couple of hours after our FastPass ride window had closed, pointed out to the CM that the ride was down during our return time, and he let us pass without incident.

Additionally, there was a thread here a couple of months back in which a WDW CM claimed that they are supposed to honor FastPass tickets INDEFINITELY if the ride breaks-down during the return time. I can't confirm that from personal experiences or the info on Deb's site (which only references a same-day return), so take it with a grain of salt.

 

[disneypremium]

Once Indiana Jones broke down but after we were able to use our fastpasses. The same with California Screamin'. Both times the fast pass machines were shut off due to the ride breaking down.
-Elektra