FASTGUIDE to FASTPASS

The Disney Diva does not wait in long lines

- by Kristin T. Scroggin, February 19, 2011

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Say it with me... the FASTPASS is my FRIEND!

Knowing how to use the FASTPASS service at main attractions can save you TONS of time at Disney World. But first you have to know what it is and where to get one.

What is a FASTPASS? Think of a FASTPASS as a piece of paper that holds your place in line while you ride other attractions or eat or shop. It lets you return to the ride later and enter a separate, much faster line. Better yet, a FASTPASS is free.

Who needs a FASTPASS? Every person in your party who is going on the ride MUST have a FASTPASS. Nobody will be allowed to join the FASTPASS line wihout this little slip of paper. The people who do not plan to ride do not need a FASTPASS!

How do I get a FASTPASS? Find the FASTPASS machines for the busy attraction that you want to ride later. These machines are typically near the entrance to the attraction. Slide in your park admission ticket, pull out a FASTPASS coupon with a time range for your return. In most cases, you can return in an hour or so, but during very busy periods the wait can be a bit longer.

Some groups designate one member of their party as a 'FASTPASS runner'. The runner gets a FASTPASS for everyone in the group while the rest of the group does something else. Remember, if you use this strategy, that the runner must have a park ticket or Key to the World card for each person who wants a FASTPASS. Don't leave the group without them.

How does FASTPASS work? Let's say you get a FASTPASS for Soarin' at 11:05 AM. If it's early in the day, you likely will be able to return to Soarin' in about an hour (12:05 PM) and your FASTPASS will expire in about two hours (1:05 PM). As long as you return to Soarin' between 12:05 PM and 1:05 PM, you'll be able to bypass the regular line and hop into the much speedier FASTPASS line.

If you get a FASTPASS for Soarin' (or any other popular ride) later in the day, your return time might not be in an hour; in fact, it might be several hours. Get 'em early.

Remember, also, that you can only get one FASTPASS at a time. You can't get another one until your first one becomes active. So, in the Soarin' example, you won't be able to get another FASTPASS anywhere else in the park until 12:05 PM. Check your FASTPASS ticket for the exact time when another ticket will be available.

How do I know if I should get a FASTPASS or just wait in the standby line? We have a rule in the Diva household. "If standby is more than 20 minutes, FASTPASS it." The only exception is Expedition Everest, and even then the wait time can't be longer than 30 minutes.

On our last trip, for example, the wait time for Splash Mountain was 50 minutes. But the FASTPASS wait was only 60 minutes! So instead of standing in line like goobs, we grabbed a FASTPASS, did some stuff that had no wait or only a minimal wait, then came back to Splash Mountain in 60 minutes and walked right on.

I bet we passed close to 250 people in the line for Splash Mountain. I kid you not. And we walked DIRECTLY onto the ride. No wait for us whatsoever. Diva style...

Which rides usually need a FASTPASS? What, you want a list? Okay:

• Magic Kingdom: Buzz Lightyear, Peter Pan, Space Mountain, Splash Mountain
• Epcot: Mission: SPACE, Soarin', Test Track
• Hollywood Studios: Rock 'n' Roller Coaster, Tower of Terror, Toy Story Mania
• Animal Kingdom: Dinosaur, Expedition Everest, Kali River Rapids, Kilimanjaro Safari (though we've ALWAYS walked directly onto this ride, every single trip)

What does NOT need a FASTPASS? What, you want another list? Okay:

1. Do not waste a FASTPASS on shows. We saw someone arriving late for Nemo with a FASTPASS and they were turned away. The Nemo seating is HUGE, and if you're there in any reasonable proximity to the showing, you'll get a seat.
2. Do not waste a FASTPASS on 3D Movies or cartoon interactives such as It's Tough to be a Bug, Mickey's Philharmagic, Turtle Talk with Crush, or Monsters Inc. You will most likely get into a show if you're there at least 5-10 minutes before it starts. If you don't make it, just come back for the next show.
3. Do not waste a FASTPASS on anything with less than a 20 minute standby. By the time you get through the extremely long queues, you've already burned off 5 minutes.

The FASTPASS is YOUR chance to be treated like a Diva at Disney World. Don't PASS it up!

Don't stop there! Check out more Disney Diva's Favorite Things...