Lesson: How to use Fastpass!

Fastpass is a great tool to help you maximize your time in Disney! It was introduced in 1999 and allows guests to avoid long lines at the attractions on which the system is installed, freeing them to enjoy other attractions during their wait. The service is available at no additional charge to ALL park guests. You will see I bolded that section and capped ALL, why you ask? Because I cannot tell you how many times I have been there and heard people ask how much it costs, think it is only for resort guests, or so many other things. I have had people waiting in the regular line give me dirty looks and make comments as I zip by with my fastpass ticket in the fastpass line and they continue to slowly move through a LONG line!

So now you know what Fastpass (FP) is and that you can use it as long as you have a park ticket, which everyone in the parks should have one. Well what attractions have FP? FP is designed for the most popular rides. Mission Space in Epcot was the first ride designed with a seperate FP waiting area. All other rides before were modified to make a FP line available. Rides where you can use FP are:

Magic Kingdom
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin
Jungle Cruise
Mickey's PhilharMagic
Peter Pan's Flight
Space Mountain
Splash Mountain
Stitch's Great Escape
The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh

Epcot
Honey, I Shrunk the Audience
Living with the Land
Maelstrom
Mission: SPACE
Soarin'
Test Track

Disney's Hollywood Studios
Rock 'n' Roller Coaster
Star Tours
The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror
Toy Story Midway Mania
Voyage of the Little Mermaid

Disney's Animal Kingdom
DINOSAUR
It's Tough to be a Bug
Kali River Rapids
Kilimanjaro Safaris
Primeval Whirl
Expedition Everest

Here is a look at a FP for Splash Mountain, they all look the same, minus the ride logo of course!

When you get into the park have a plan of what rides you want a FP for. Then assign a FP runner - give this person the tickets and send him/her off to get the groups FP for that ride. Trust me you all don't want to trek back to Splash Mountain if you have just entered Main Street. No need to all run aorund! Pick a meeting spot for the FP runner to meet back up with you and now ride some rides.

You can see from the picture that it will give you a one hour window when you can go back, don't let that effect whether or not you get it. Lets say you get one and during that window you are scheduled for a meal at Cinderella's Table. It's ok! You can go after the time period is up, just not before! :-)

Now wait until your time is ready and then right at the start time - send that runner out for another FP, this is when you will be able to get another one (unless there is a significant - usually over two hours from when you received your FP - wait, then you will be able to get one before the start time.) Have the runner meet you with the next set of FPs in hand and go ride your first FP attraction.

FP runner - here is a look at the machine: When you walk up to a ride equipped with a FP, you will see the area that houses the FP machines, above that area it will tell you the window for the ride times. It will be a one hour window. Enter the tickets in one at a time into the machine. It will give you your ticket back and print out a FP. If you get a FP printed that says "Fastpass NOT available at this time" and you do not currently have a FP see FP cast member for help. Otherwise this has printed because you already have a FP and you are not allowed another yet, see your current FP for when you are allowed to get a new one. If a FP won't print or it just keeps spitting your park ticket back out - see the Cast Member, your park ticket may be demagnatized and you may need to have it replaced, the CM will give you a ticket for getting FP for the rest of the day in the park you are in. Now once you have gotten all your FP go meet up with the rest of your party!

Ok it is time to ride - where do you go? Well when you approach a ride with a FP, you will see two lines - one is marked Standby entrance and one is marked FP entrance. They are usually within a few feet of each other, but not always - The Safari in Animal Kingdom is a good example the entrances being far from each other. Take your FP up and show them to the Cast Member at the Fast pass entrance, he/she will check to be sure you are there at the right time and then let you by. You now get to zip right by all those people waiting in line! Once you get to the front there will be another Cast Member waiting to collect your FP, so be careful and don't lose them from point a to point b! Now go ride and have fun!!

Fastpass is a great invention and if used correctly will really benefit you, especially at busy times!