Top Three Tips for Discovering Disney by Maximizing Your FastPass+

Everyone knows that Disney World can get crowded.  This is why they implemented the FastPass+ system which has grown and changed over the years.  I remember having to run back and forth to the kiosks to get the FastPass ticket and then run back when it was time to actually use it (or more often than not, it was my husband Paul doing the leg work).  Gone are those days of having to race back and forth!  

Now you can set up your FastPass+ reservations as soon as 60 days in advance if you are staying on property (a bonus to those doing so) or 30 days in advance if you are staying off property.  This can be conveniently done online on your computer or using the Disney World app on your smartphone.  They are linked to your Disney World app and your Magic Band for easy use in the parks. These are essentially ride reservation windows that allow you to have a shorter wait for higher demand rides. You are allowed to pre-book 3 a day beforehand and then add more on one at a time after they are used.  Disney allows you a 1-hour window to arrive at the attraction and cash in on your FastPass+.  This allows you some wiggle room for any unplanned magic during the day.

My family and I just went through the whole FastPass+ scheduling system for our upcoming Disney World trip and have learned a thing or two along the way!  With our tips, it should help reduce your stress and help guide you in making good decisions on when to schedule these for your family.

Once again we are happy to be partnering with Marie Stewart The Travel Consultant Specializing in Disney Vacations who will be adding in her own professional knowledge as a Disney vacation planner.  

So download the app, upload your itinerary, and kindly step all the way in – there’s no turning back now, as we bring you this month’s Top Three Tips for Discovering Disney!

This month: Discovering Disney by Maximizing FastPass+

FastPass+ Overview Basics:

TIP #1: RESERVE THE MOST POPULAR RIDES FIRST

While this may seem like a no brainer, there are a few things to consider when picking which rides are the most important to you.  There are several rides, as you can imagine, that consistently have long lines.  While you can get a FastPass+ at a lot of attractions, it is best to get ones for the attractions you will need them the most.  

Generally, the newest rides are the ones with the longest lines.  These are very “hot ticketed” items and if they are a must-do for your family, then they should also be a must-do for your FastPass+ planning.

Disney World has also created a tiered system in recent years, attempting to allow more people to get on these new rides.  Magic Kingdom is the ONLY park that does NOT have a tiered system.  That means you can book any attraction available on FastPass+ without having any restrictions.

The other three parks, Hollywood Studios, Animal Kingdom, and EPCOT have tiered systems.  Out of the 3 FastPass+ you are allowed to pre-book on any given day, you are only allowed to book ONE tier 1 attraction and the other two have to be a tier 2 attractions.

I have broken down by park which ones are typically the most crowded on a consistent basis.  This is not an all-inclusive list of FastPass+ attractions.  To see a full list of attractions and if they are part of the FastPass+ system, please click here.

• Magic Kingdom:  There are a total of 25 available FastPass+ attractions without any tier restrictions.
  • The most popular of these are:  
    • Space Mountain
    • Splash Mountain
    • Thunder Mountain
    • Peter Pan’s Flight
    • Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
• EPCOT: There are a total of 12 available FastPass+ attractions with 4 Tier 1 attractions.
  • Tier 1 Choices
    • Frozen Ever After – If you have a Frozen fan I highly recommend choosing this one
    • Test Track – This is more of a “thrill” ride but the FastPass+ line bypasses the ability to create your own car while waiting in the queue
    • Soarin’ – This would be my personal second choice
    • EPCOT Forever
  • Tier 2 Choices
    • Many of the tier 2 choices at EPCOT have minimal wait times as compared to a lot of other rides. These are really more about personal choice as to what you like the best.  However, there are two that stand out a bit more than the rest when it comes to line times that you may want to grab a FastPass+ for while visiting EPCOT:
      • Spaceship Earth
      • Mission Space
• Animal Kingdom: Pandora is a brand new land that just opened in recent years in the Animal Kingdom.  It is said to have the best ride in all of Disney World, Avatar Flight of Passage, (which may now be challenged with the new Star Wars Land in Hollywood Studios).  Naturally, they made both of these rides a tier 1 attraction, meaning you have to choose which one you’d rather get a FastPass+ for.  
  • Tier 1 Choices:
    • Avatar Flight of Passage:  An innovative and fun attraction that is very difficult to get a FastPass+ as it fills up quickly.  Put this at the top of the list!  Many people choose Avatar Flight of Passage but it does have a height restriction of 44”+.
    • Na’vi River Journey: Personally I chose Na’vi River Journey because I know my mom and both of my kids could go on the ride.
  • Tier 2 Choices:
    • Unlike EPCOT, there are some attractions here under tier 2 that it is important to consider when choosing your FastPass+.
      • Kilimanjaro Safaris:  This is a must-do, in my opinion, no matter what age range your party is. This ride is the heart and soul of Animal Kingdom as you embark on a safari to see animals in their “natural” habitat.
      • Expedition Everest:  This is a very popular roller coaster that goes through the Himalayas in search of the yeti.  If you do not get a FastPass+ for this there is a single rider line that moves faster than standby, but you will not be able to ride with your party.
      • DINOSAUR:  This is a fun ride back in time to see dinosaurs but take note that it is very loud, and dark, and might be too scary for little ones.  My son is 4 and loves dinosaurs but I do not think he can handle this ride yet.  If your child is more an adventure seeker at a young age then it might be fine to give it a try!  The height restriction for this is 40”
• Hollywood Studios:  The highly anticipated Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge has just opened up in August 2019 with its main attraction Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run and their next attraction Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance to open December 5, 2019.  At this time they are not a part of the FastPass+ system.  Disney World plans on reevaluating this in the future.  It is important to note though that you may have to join a boarding group before entering the land itself if it is at max capacity.  More information on that here.  
  • Tier 1 Choices:
    • Slinky Dog Dash: This is part of the newer Toy Story Land and is a fun roller coaster.  While this is on the tamer side it does still give quite a thrill.  This is a must-do if you have a roller coaster loving child in your group.
    • Alien Swirling Saucers:  This ride is more appealing for smaller kids but big kids will enjoy it as well.
    • Toy Story Mania: This ride has been around since before the new Toy Story Land but is always a popular choice.
    • Rock n’ Roller Coaster:  Instead of choosing this ride I would choose one of the newer rides in Toy Story Land. While this ride also has a long line, there is a single rider option that is shorter than stand by.  Just prepare to ride separate from your group.
    • Tower of Terror: This is the only attraction I have never done in Disney World.  It is a popular one but I would say it’s more for personal preference if you want a FastPass+ for this.  I would save this for your fourth FastPass+ of the day as it is less likely to sell out as fast as the newer Toy Story Land rides.
  • Tier 2 Choices:  A lot of the choices under tier 2 are more about personal preference than necessarily popularity.  But the most popular one amongst them probably is Star Tours.

TIP #2: MAP OUT YOUR ROUTE

When choosing when to schedule your FastPass+ reservations, be mindful of what park you are visiting that day.  The 3 that you can schedule per day has to be at the same park. Once you use those 3, however, you can choose the day of to schedule your 4th FastPass+ at a different park, if you have the park hopper option on your ticket.

This leads to the idea of scheduling your FastPass+ reservations in the first half of the day, if at all possible.  After using your 3rd FastPass+ of the day, you are allowed to make the 4th one and once you use your 4th one, you are allowed to make a 5th one, etcetera, until the park closes for the day.  This is a great time to schedule on the fly another tier 1 attraction if any are still available or another less popular tier 2 attraction that you still want to enjoy.

When planning out your day, be mindful of the physical map of each park.  To save yourself some walking, plan your FastPass+ reservations in a way that makes sense while walking through the park so you don’t have to zig-zag back and forth multiple times from one attraction to the next.

If you have anything else planned during the day, such as a dining reservation, make sure to give yourself ample time to get to and from your restaurant to the next FastPass+ attraction.  It would be unfortunate to miss out on a coveted FastPass+ reservation because your meal took a bit longer than expected.

TIP #3: PREP BEFORE YOU BOOK

This may seem like overkill, but, yes, you should plan before you “plan.” Before your 60 (or 30) day reservation slot rolls around, make sure to have your desired times written down, along with one or two fallback plans in case the slot you want is full.  I found this helpful so I could see what to plan on what day and could easily change my plans in the moment to correspond with what times were available for a particular attraction.

If there is a popular ride that your family just has to get a FastPass+ for, schedule that first.  It is ok to go out of order when grabbing your FastPass+.  For instance, you can grab that Flight of Passage reservation on day 3 before grabbing your Peter Pan reservation for day 1 since Flight of Passage is very popular and likely to fill up.   Be aware, every guest that’s arriving days ahead of you (who’s stay happens to overlaps yours) has that much of a head start and grabbing reservations, so slots will already be taken before you have a chance to book.

If are you going to be staying for a longer length of time, choose different tier 1 attraction for another day that you can come and revisit the park so you can get a FastPass+ for another highly coveted tier 1 attraction.

And of course as always, plan to not plan!  (So, plan before you “plan,” but plan on not planning, in case your plans don’t pan out… you follow?) Things change, and if there is one thing to remember about planning a Disney World vacation it is to go with the flow!

The FastPass+ system can seem overwhelming and scary but I promise you it is not as bad as it sounds!  The website where you can schedule them makes it intuitive and easy to browse and make your selections.  

Thank you to  Marie Stewart The Travel Consultant Specializing in Disney Vacations for sponsoring this article series to keep Macaroni Kid a FREE local family community resource!  Please support our sponsor.

Contact Marie Stewart at  (631) 804-5897 mariestewart1@aol.com Find Marie Stewart The Travel Consultant Specializing in Disney Vacations on Facebook  Free Disney consulting and planning with any booking client. Ask for details! I consult with you and get a feel of what you’re looking for in a Disney vacation. I will explain options that I think would best fit you and your family’s needs. I walk every step of the way with you during the planning process which includes resort choices, Disney reservations, fast pass selections and much more! Call today for a free no-obligation quote. Recently booked a reservation in the past 30 days? Want Marie to be your advisor – contact her today!

This article is for entertainment purposes only.  All opinions are that of the authors.

Discovering Disney: Top 3 Tips (Click Image for Article)