Planning Your Disney Vacation with FASTPASS +: Testing the New FASTPASS+

This September's test of the FASTPASS+ System at Magic Kingdom seemed to be made for me, a perk for the planning set! Further evidence of the Boy Scout motto at work! And,boy, was I prepared! The reality is, however, that the system is super simple. I can imagine it being used on a smart phone, on the run, by those less prone to planning. Let me clue you in to how it works and some of the cool perks associated with it.

For those readers unfamiliar with the old-school FASTPASS, it's about getting an appointment time to ride an attraction. While others hoping to enjoy the attraction wait at the Standby Entrance queue, those with a FASTPASS avoid most of the queue and are granted quick admittance to the ride. Right now, FASTPASSes are obtained by physically going to the attraction, scanning the Key to the World Card or park ticket in a machine, and obtaining an appointment for the closest available one-hour period when you can return to experience the attraction. The appointment is printed on a paper ticket issued by the machine. Rides like Soarin' and Toy Story Midway Mania will run completely out of FASTPASSes, even in the off-season -- obtaining a pass early in the day can be important for any attraction, when crowd levels are high. You can only obtain a new FASTPASS when your last one has "matured," and that time, too, is printed on the pass. So if you have a FASTPASS for Space Mountain between 2:00 pm and 3:00 pm, you may be able to get a FASTPASS for another ride after 2:00 pm.

Rather than the paper pass, FASTPASS+ uses a credit card-type pass, with all of your FASTPASS selections programmed on it. You don’t have to physically go anywhere but your computer to plan your FASTPASSes. For the test, Disney allowed us to choose up to four experiences from among a short list of attractions, to obtain a pre-loaded FASTPASS. The test was for Magic Kingdom only, and the sampling of attractions eligible for FASTPASS+ testing were: Space Mountain, The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, Splash Mountain, and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. Similarly, listed on our test, but not available when we attended, were each of the parades and shows (maybe something Disney will test in the future, prime viewing spots?). The website for the test was simple, we chose selections for each traveler, accepted a choice of proposed times, and then could adjust those times based on what better suited your schedule.

Room Service
Room Service - Soy Milk, Orange Juice, Donut - photo by j316

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Once we arrived at the park on our test day, we simply touched the card to a Mickey-shaped sensor located at each attraction's FASTPASS entrance and again at the other end of the FASTPASS queue. It was awesome! We traveled with our son in a stroller and my mother in a wheelchair, and I can't tell you how much time and trouble it saved us by not having to cross the park to obtain FASTPASSes in person. Juxtaposed to our second Magic Kingdom day on that trip, using the old-style FASTPASS, I would guess it saved me more than a mile of walking. Similarly, on the FASTPASS+ day I was able to plan our day land by land, rather than crisscross the park to meet appointment times. Of course, it is Disney, and there is always an added touch. At each FASTPASS ride they knew we were celebrating my Graduation and congratulated me (I wasn’t wearing a button.) What a great personal touch!

I can report that at the Magic Kingdom I saw FASTPASS+ sensors at all FASTPASS entrances, and even at some queues that have previously never been FASTPASS rides (Goofy's Barnstormer for example), so it would appear it is a direction in which Disney has some investment. The benefit and agony will most likely come in how Disney administers the system. I can't imagine it getting as competitive as Advanced Dining Reservations, because so many additional slots are available, and for the test, Disney limited the amount of FASTPASSes a single guest could obtain. I can even imagine a day, using this system, where my family could sleep in and not hit a park at rope drop. But don't tell them that please, I can't have you getting their hopes up.







FASTPASS Collection
On a recent trip I decided to try and collect all of the Fastpass tickets. I got most of them including a return ticket for Space Mountain, a Fast Pass card, and a FastPass ticket to the Final Flight Event at Star Tours. To my knowledge I am missing only Indiana Jones and Honey I Shrunk The Audience. - photo by Wolfhunt

About the Author: Tamera Maresh-Carver lives with her Family and Golden retriever in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma and has been visiting Walt Disney World since she was ten years old. She is looking forward to their next trip in 2014.

Related Links:
Enjoying the Japan Pavilion at Epcot - A World Showcase Favorite last updated 2/24/2011
The Parades of the Magic Kingdom - A Plethora of Processions last updated 01/22/2009
Epcot's World Showcase - Pavilions vs. The "Real" World last updated 01/29/2009
Recent Changes to Disneyland - Part 1 last updated 02/12/2009
The Seas With Nemo And Friends - In Love With The Living Seas last updated 4/23/2009

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Reader Comments:

We were also chosen to try the fastpass +. It was great . I like the idea that everything is planned in advance, no race to get the fastpass as soon as we get into the park.

I was also celebrating my retirement on this trip and it was nice to be congratulated on every ride or event.

The only problem we had was before we left for our group trip , it becaming difficult to choose the same hours for the same event because the choice of hours were totally different for each room. But we returned to the site every day and after a week we coordinated everyone.

I can see it being a plus for families with small children, no running around and less wait.

Also no collection of small papers ( regular fastpass) everything on one card is definitely a plus.

     jennamelissa on October 12, 2012 @ 9:54 am

How do you get to use the new Fastpass+? Is it something that Disney will email to you or can you just use it at the park? I don't have a smart phone and therefore no access to the internet at the parks. If they did email it to you, how far in advance did they do that?
Thanks for your help!
Lisa W.

     disneylisa30 on October 12, 2012 @ 1:11 pm

FASTPASS+ is currently still in the testing phase. If you are chosen, information will be included with your documents from Disney that you receive prior to your trip.

     Belle* on October 12, 2012 @ 3:16 pm

Thank you Belle* ! I appreciate your help! I am going with my parents very soon and they hav ethe trip documents...I will have to check them out ASAP!

     disneylisa30 on October 12, 2012 @ 3:24 pm

Really excited to be testing Fastpass+ at The Magic Kingdom and Disney's Hollywood Studios soon. Of course, I have been doing a lot of web searches since receiving our Fastpass+ cards a couple of days ago.

I am somewhat dismayed at hints that this may become a "perk" for guests at Deluxe Resorts and Villas. When Universal Studios implemented this "caste-like" system it really made me lose interest in visiting their park. I have not been back since. While I have stayed in Deluxe Resorts in the past, I just can't justify the cost for a room we basically shower and sleep in. Value resorts serve that purpose just fine. While you get nicer amenities at those resorts, I think that the differences should remain at the resort and not carry on into the parks (the closest bus stops are quite enough).

I know there are all kinds of speculation since testing began but I hope this concept is just a rumor.

     Audrey J on December 2, 2012 @ 2:12 pm

just received our fastpass+ two days ago. we are staying at pop so they are giving them to value resorts. they came seperate from our documents and 1 week before our trip. can't wait to try them, now deciding on which rides to use for at mk and hollywood?

     bluejn on December 3, 2012 @ 9:51 am

We were chosen to use FastPass+ in September. It was great for meet-and-greets and rides, but we couldn't even get near the fireworks area. We were using a FP for Splash Mt, and then we ran into the Electrical Parade. It was dark, poorly lit, and we couldn't get past the crowds. We tried going a different direction, and got stuck in an even more massive crowd. We gave up and searched for food. The fireworks weren't worth all that mess. Others claimed to have no trouble getting to fireworks area, but I think it depends on where you are in park prior to walking over to the designated standing location. We started out with what should have been plenty of time, but the crowds were crazy that night.

     sheldoal on December 3, 2012 @ 10:02 am

We were picked too! MK and HS (had to go with Toy Story there!).
This was a nice little bit of extra magic!

     nanpchef on December 5, 2012 @ 11:53 am

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Updated 10-11-2012 - Article #860 

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