When it comes to touring the Disney parks SMARTER, not harder, one of the best tips is utilizing the Disney FASTPASS system. It’s easy, it’s free, and it makes for standing in shorter lines. HELLO!
What IS Disney’s FASTPASS, you ask? Picture this scenario: You walk up to DINSAUR at Animal Kingdom and the posted wait time is 60 minutes. The posted FASTPASS return time is 2 hours from now. You’re hungry and a bathroom break sounds great, plus the kids want to play in the Boneyard and ride Triceratops Twirl so you go to the FASTPASS Distribution machine, put in your park ticket (or Key to the World [KTTW]card if you’re staying on-property), receive a FASTPASS , and go grab a bite to eat. When the return window time on your ticket rolls around, head back to DINOSAUR, show your FASTPASSes to the Cast Member at the FASTPASS entrance, and enjoy the short wait for one of the hottest rides at AK!
Here’s a peek at what a FASTPASS looks like:
As you can see, this FP is for Kilimanjaro Safari at Animal Kingdom and the return time is between 10:10 and 11:10am on Friday, April 11th. Every ride FASTPASS has a one-hour return time window, allowing you some leeway in getting back to the attraction. Show FASTPASSES have a specific showtime as their return time. Please note that the FP also shows you what time you can pull your next FP – yes, you can’t run around the parks pulling FP’s like crazy. You’re only allowed to hold one FP at any given time unless your return time is more than 2 hours away. Some attractions, like Toy Story Mania in Hollywood Studios, will run out of FASTPASSes long before the day’s over so please get one early!
Try to make your return time window to keep FASTPASS moving but if you miss your return time, you can still utilize your ticket – most of the time. Sometimes you’ll find a Cast Member who’s a stickler for the rules. In that case, come back later and try again. Don’t bother trying to return EARLY though. You won’t be allowed in. Period.
According to the Disney World website, these are the current WDW attractions accepting FASTPASSes and it’s always subject to change:
Disney’s Animal Kingdom:
- Primeval Whirl
- Kilimanjaro Safaris
- DINOSAUR
- Kali River Rapids
- Expedition Everest
Hollywood Studios:
- Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith
- Toy Story Mania!
- Star Tours
- The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror
Magic Kingdom:
- Space Mountain
- Splash Mountain
- Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
- Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin
- Jungle Cruise
- The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
- Peter Pan’s Flight
Epcot:
- Mission: SPACE Pavilion
- Test Track
- Maelstrom
- Soarin’
Ready for some of my favorite tips and tricks? Assign one person to get all of the FASTPASSes for the group. It can get pretty clogged around the machines and there’s no reason for everyone to go up – just give the person assigned everyone’s park tickets/KTTW card. Double-dip your favorites – pull a FASTPASS, ride the ride in the stand-by line, then return for the FASTPASS ride. You’ve saved time by utilizing the FP for the second ride. WOOT! Try it this way and thatta way and the other one way – the FP machines can get a little persnickety and they’re made to be able to read the magnetic stripe on your park ticket/KTTW card in any direction so before you call a Cast Member over for help (and have to wait), try flipping your card the other direction and even upside down. You may find a scanner that’s not gunked up and be on your way lickety split! Get FP’s for everyone in the party – even if Great Uncle Herbert or the 2.5 year old aren’t going to ride Kali River Rapids, someone else in your party may want to go again or you can pay it forward and gift your extra FP’s to someone who’s heading for the standby line. It’s one of my favorite things to do at WDW… spreading pixie dust :)
- Kimberly
