Use a FASTPASS — Skip the Wait

You are having a great time at a Disney theme park and at the entrance to certain popular attractions you will notice two times posted- (1) the wait time using the regular standby line and (2) return time for FASTPASS tickets — so what is a FASTPASS?!

Disney’s FASTPASS gives guests of an alternative to the standard lines at many popular attractions in all of the Disney theme parks at no additional charge.  At FASTPASS attractions, guests can choose to enter the regular wait line or receive a FASTPASS ticket that denotes a one-hour window of time.  Guests can then go enjoy other attractions in the park and upon their return, at the designated time, enter the attraction with little or no wait.

The following Walt Disney World attractions are currently offering the FASTPASS option:

• Magic Kingdom: Splash Mountain, Space Mountain, Jungle Cruise, The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin, Peter Pan’s Flight, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, “Mickey’s PhilharMagic;” Stitch’s Great Escape!

• Epcot: Test Track, “Honey, I Shrunk the Audience,” Living With The Land, Maelstrom, Mission: SPACE, Soarin’

• Disney’s Hollywood Studios: Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith, The Twilight Zone^TM Tower of Terror, Star Tours, “Voyage of the Little Mermaid,” “Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular!”

• Disney’s Animal Kingdom: DINOSAUR, Kali River Rapids, Kilimanjaro Safaris, “It’s Tough to be a Bug,” Primeval Whirl, Expedition Everest

The FASTPASS option is also available on many popular attractions at Disneyland.

If the wait in the standard line is long, and you choose to get a FASTPASS ticket, here is how it works:

1. A guest inserts their theme park ticket into the FASTPASS machine.  A FASTPASS will appear denoting when to return to the attraction.  Holders of the FASTPASS are given a one-hour window for their return — 10:15-11:15 am.  That means guests can not enter the attraction using the FASTPASS before 10:15, but is free to come anytime BEFORE 11:15.
2. When guests return at the said time, head straight for the FASTPASS entrance and go directly to the attraction with little or no wait.
3. Guests are able to use the FASTPASS tickets option several times during the day.  However, you may not be able to hold multiple FASTPASS tickets at the same time and how often you may receive a ticket varies, so check the back of the FASTPASS.

Our family has successfully used the FASTPASS system on many occasions saving not only time, but tempers.  Once the FASTPASS was secured we have used this free time to use the restroom, get a snack and basically regroup.  While guests may only hold one FASTPASS per admission ticket at a time, we have been able to take advantage of the varying tastes of our children and while I took one child to see a show, the others used two tickets for one FASTPASS and the other two tickets to obtain a FASTPASS on a second attraction.

While this may be old news to some, the amount of time that can be saved makes this a tip worth repeating — so ask yourself — what are you waiting for?!

Photo Selection: WDW News