When you are staying at a Walt Disney World ® resort, you can reserve up to three FastPasses 60 days prior to your arrival date. Please note that when selecting FastPasses for a park, you cannot have more than one FastPass per attraction (i.e. you cannot have 2 FastPasses for Space Mountain on a single day). Your Magic Band(s) will serve as your FastPass “ticket”.
In most circumstances, we suggest not picking FastPasses starting at park opening, wait times will be minimal at that time. In most circumstances, choose FastPass times beginning no sooner than 10:00am, the next one at 11:00am, and select your third FastPass for right after lunch. This allows you to arrive at park opening and get any of the “must do” attractions done (that you don’t have FastPasses for) first thing in the morning when standby wait times are shortest.
One of the things we see so often when discussing plans with clients who have already booked and made Fastpass selections before we have advised them is the attractions they have chosen to FastPass. There are many attractions that Fast Passes are not needed. We have detailed our picks for the ones to not FastPass and why.
Magic Kingdom
Under the Sea
This clam ride through the Little Mermaid story can have lengthy waits during peak days but is covered or in air conditioning for most of the queue. Only select a Fast Pass if this is a “must do” for your group.
Dumbo
There are now two Dumbo rides so you can get on these magical Elephants a lot faster. There is also a pager feature where you can grab a pager, play in the Dumbo play area and they will call when it is your time fly.
Mickey’s Philharmagic
This 3D movie experience rarely has a long queue. The wait is either covered or in air conditioning.
Mad Tea Party
This classic teacup ride will only have lengthy waits during peak days. Not the best use for a Fast Pass.
Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin
If you are a fan of the ride “Toy Story Mania” in Hollywood Studios, this one is not comparable. Although it is a favorite of Buzz fans, the graphics and accuracy of the trigger are not as advanced as Toy Story Mania. The queue is lengthy during peak days but is covered or in air conditioning.
Monster’s Inc., Laugh Floor
This interactive show where the animated characters trade jokes with the audience rarely has a long queue. The queue area is covered.
Haunted Mansion
Please note this attraction can be frightening to little ones. The wait can be lengthy but is covered and a portion of the queue is interactive.
Town Square Theater
This greeting with Mickey and Tinkerbell can have long wait times, but the queue is entirely air conditioned. You may want to save your Fast Pass for something higher up on your “to do list.”
Epcot
Journey into Imagination with Figment
Ride into the Sight, Sound, and Smell labs. The Ears team’s opinion varies; some love the ride and some really don’t. The queue here is typically a short wait, but during peak days could be lengthy. Not one that we suggest getting a pre-selected Fast Pass for.
We do not suggest obtaining a pre-selected Fast Pass for this movie experience. The queue is indoors with air conditioning and rarely has lengthy waits.
Disney & Pixar Short Film Festival
We do not suggest obtaining a pre-selected Fast Pass for this movie experience. The queue is indoors with air conditioning and rarely has lengthy waits.
Hollywood Studios
Indiana Jones
This live action stunt show features loud special effects including fire, gunshots and explosions. A pre-selected Fast Pass will not get you reserved seating just a shorter wait time. On a typical day, obtaining a seat for this show would only require that you queue 30+ minutes prior to show time, so a Fast Pass is not really needed for this show.
Muppet Vision 3D
This 3D movie does not typically have a lengthy wait and the queue is mostly indoors and air conditioned.
Whatever attractions you decide to Fastpass, make sure you allow an hour to an hour and half if you have character meals and don’t choose Fastpass times that conflict with these.
The best way to utilize the pre-selected FastPasses is by arriving at the park’s opening hour and enjoying the most popular attractions or ones you would like to enjoy twice. Then you can select your 3 FastPasses for attractions that have lengthy waits all day, or attractions you want to enjoy more than once.
HAVE A MAGICAL VACATION!
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