So you are planning to go to Disney World and you keep reading about the Fastpass system at WDW. What is it? How does it work? How much is it going to cost me? And even how do I do it.
Fear not!! I am here to lend you a helping hand. We will answer those questions as well as give you some tips, tricks and hacks on how to make it all come together.
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What is it?
Disney’s FastPass + system is a reservation system for the different rides and other attractions at Walt Disney World theme parks in Orlando, Fl. Basically look at it like your dinning reservations you can make 180 days out except you can only do this one up to 60 days out. You are saving a spot in line for a certain time to ride a particular ride.
The reservation window for your FastPass+ is done in hour blocks. They usually start right at park opening (within 5 mins) and go till about a half hour before park close.
What that means is you can Book your 3 FastPasses from 9am till 830pm at most parks for most days. For the most recent trip I am taking I booked Living with the Land from 9:00-10:00am, Spaceship Earth from 10:15-11:15am and Frozen Ever After from 11:20-12:20pm.
Superluxe Clothing Mens/Unisex Space Splash Big Thunder Mountains are Calling and I Must Go T-Shirt, Red, LargeMy FastPasses (reservations) are for hour blocks of time. I can arrive a few minutes before (like 5) or a few minutes later (people say 10 minutes). I already have my “spot” in line for that particular ride. The best thing about the FastPass+ system….. IT’S FREE.
That’s right I said free. Being able to use the FastPass + at Walt Disney World will not cost you any additional money unlike some other theme parks. You only need valid theme park admission.
How to use it
For newbies it can be a look a little challenging at first. But I promise you it is very simple. You can book your FastPass+ starting at 7:00am 60 days out if you are staying at a Walt Disney World resort. If you are staying off site you can book 30 days out.
Once your 60 day window opens up at 7am open your My Disney Experience app or log on to the website. You will want to download the app before your trip so you can keep track of all your FastPasses and so you can change and add additional ones.
Once your app is open click on the plus symbol at the bottom than click Get FastPass+. Once you do that you will be asked to Create a FastPass+ Party. NOTE that NOT all people in your party need to have the same FastPasses. If you are a larger family with both teens and toddlers you can create different parties.
Once you have created your party you will be asked to select a day. A good tip here is to select those hard to get FastPasses first (think Flight of Passage or Slinky Dog Dash). Plan on doing those rides later on during your trip.
I just hit my 60 day window (arrive on a Wednesday) and first day I selected was Sunday for Flight of Passage (GOT IT for 1:30pm). I than jumped right to Saturday for Slinky Dog Dash. Guess what…. already gone. 64 days out and still couldn’t get one. So try to work your way backwards from your last day to your first day.
Once you choose your day than you will be asked to select a Theme Park. NOTE that you can only choose one Theme Park per day for your first 3 FastPasses.
Once you have selected your date and park the fun can begin. You have a few different ways you find times to book your FastPass+.
You can search by Morning, Afternoon, or Evening or by a specific time. I personally like to grab my first one by selecting morning. Once I get it I note what time it ends. (FastPass+ CAN NOT over lap). If I got The Barnstormer at 9:10 I know the window is open until 10:10. My next FastPass+ can only start at 10:10 or later not before.
The app will let you know if you already have a FastPass+ during the selected window. See the above image for an example of that.
Don’t worry if you were not able to get the time you wanted or maybe even the FastPass you wanted. You can modify it. All you need to do to modify your selected FastPass is selected the FastPass you want to change in the “my plans” area. Select your FastPass you want to change and hit modify.
You will be asked who in your party you want to make changes to. Select the people in your group that the changes are happening for and click continue.
Once you clicked continued you will be able to select a different time for that ride or select a different ride. You can do this when ever you want. I will be doing this until I can get Slinky Dog Dash. None of the changes will go into affect until you confirm the change. So don’t worry about just looking and losing your original FastPass+ time or ride.
Disney Mickey Mouse Drawstring Backpack 2 PackTIPS, TRICKS, HACKS
Now that we know how to book and modify your FastPass+. Let’s go over some my tips, tricks, and hacks for the FastPass+.
Try to book all your FastPass+ in a row. This way once you have finished your last ride you can book another FastPass+ at that park or another. Once I am in line for Frozen Ever After I will open up the app and try to get Soarin’, Test Track. If neither one of them are available I will get another ride from any park I may also be visiting that day.
Speaking of getting another FastPass+ after your first 3 you CAN book another one and another one and another one. You can only book one at a time but you could get 5, 6 or maybe even 7 FastPass+ for one day if you are lucky.
If you are a Disney Club Level Hotel guest you can pay a fee ($50 per person per day) and receive 3 more FastPass+ reservations. That’s a total of 6 for each day you pay. You would be able to book your FastPass+ 90 days instead of 60. It can also be used on multiple tier one attractions and can also have rides from different parks.
This is a no-brainer but have a fully charged phone. You will need it to check, add and modify your FastPass while in the park.
Start with your last day of your visit when booking your FastPass+. You are more likely to get the top rides. Just think of it like this: you are staying on site and can book your FP 60 days out. You are staying a total of 10 days. So you can really book your FastPass+ 70 days out.
You get a little grace period for arrive at your FastPass+. About 5 minutes before your official start time and 10 minutes after. I just wouldn’t rely on it.
Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World 2019 (The Unofficial Guides)If you miss out on that top ride, go back into the app every couple of days and see if someone canceled there FastPass. You never know.
Remember Semper Gumby (Always Flexible) USMC Motto. Be flexible with your plans. Maybe you wanted to do Animal Kingdom on a Sunday but can’t get FOP. Move Animal Kingdom to Monday or later and change up your plans/
Here are the top FastPass+ to get from each park.
- Magic Kingdom: Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
- EPCOT: Frozen Ever After/ Soarin’
- Animal Kingdom: Flight of Passage
- Hollywood Studios: Slinky Dog Dash
The two Disney World Water Parks are not on the FastPass+ system.
Do you have any other tips? Did you know you can book more than 3 FastPass+? Or it is better to say at Walt Disney World for booking to top rides 60 days out.
Download my 8 day FastPass+ Checklist. An easy way to keep track of what days you will be in what park. What rides you have already FastPass. Even a spot for notes and DDP reservations.
Check out my FastPass+ choices for Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom, EPCOT, and Hollywood Studios. Let me know in the comments below if you have any other questions or tips you like to use. Remember to follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or Pinterest at KozmoPhotos. It will help you stay up to day with all the latest post and photos.
