You are at the 60-day mark (for on-site guests) or the 30-day mark (everyone else) and it’s time to make your FastPass+ selections.
But making ride/attraction reservations 60 days out sounds like overkill, right? Disney World is a popular vacation destination. Very popular. If you want to enjoy your vacation and spend less time waiting in 2-hour long queues, you need to take advantage of this FREE Disney perk.
Let’s get started!
1. Log in at www.disney.go.com and click on the Parks & Tickets tab, then the Walt Disney World tab. If you haven’t already, make sure you’ve downloaded the My Disney Experience app on your smart phone. All the selections you’ve made online here today will automatically be available on your phone.
2. On the far right top of the screen, click on the My Disney Experience tab and the FastPass+ (FP+) should be illuminated, showing it’s time to make reservations for your trip.
3. Click on FastPass+ under “Plan and Manage.” Enter your email address and password (again, I know) and your itinerary will pop up. You should have made dining reservations already and these will show up on the days highlighted, letting you know which park you are scheduled to be in on what day.
4. Select the day you want to schedule and the Next button. Then select the members of your party who will need FastPasses. Click Next and then select the park you want to make reservations. Remember, all 3 of your FastPasses must be in the same park.
5. You can make your own selections or click the FastPicks button at the bottom of the page. Prioritize your selections. Then three options and a “Best Bet” option will appear on your screen. If you have chosen the FastPicks button, suggestions based on your party’s ages, check in time, dining selections, etc. will be presented with three options or your best bet. Play around with the selections/priority positions until you get a schedule you like. I found one I loved until I realized we’d be trapped in Frontierland during the electrical parade. I switched things around a bit and got an option I could live with. Remember, you can make changes later. Think of this as your initial, working schedule.
6. Either plan another day (and repeat step 5) or click “Done.”
7. If you like the way things look for each day, keep it. If you need to do some minor tweaking, you can do this on the screen immediately after you’ve “confirmed” your selections. This step is necessary if you need a bit more time to get to a dining reservation or if things are too far apart and you want your passes a little closer together. Just remember to factor in walking time, especially in EPCOT or Animal Kingdom, where attractions are spread out.
6. You’re finished! Easy, peasy, lemon squeezy!
Just some final tips to remember:
- Factor in walking distance from each attraction or dining location. The maps they provide may be deceiving. Give yourself plenty of time.
- I’ve heard of glitches in the system. I haven’t experienced any but if you do, some people have experienced an easier experience with the My Disney Experience App rather than the computer/internet format.
- Some attractions are not worth “FastPassing.” For example, Pirates of the Caribbean and Tower of Terror handle crowds well. The shows (American Idol Experience, Mickey’s Philharmagic, etc.) accommodate large groups of people, with great views from many vantage points. Only use FastPass for shows if it’s something you absolutely must see or there’s a time crunch with other activities and you want to make sure you get in for a particular time frame. For more information on the best FastPass attractions (and the worst) click here.
- And attractions like Captain EO and Journey Into Imagination with Figment, just aren’t as popular as they once were. So, know the high ticket items and shoot for those.
- Okay. I’ll just tell you what those high ticket items are. Grab a pen. I’ll wait.
- Magic Kingdom: Seven Dwarves Mine Train, Space Mountain, Splash Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Buzz Lightyear’s Ranger Spin, Haunted Mansion and any of the character meet and greets.
- EPCOT: Frozen Ever After, Soarin’, Test Track, and Spaceship Earth (but only if you try to ride this in the AM). If you catch Spaceship Earth on your way out of the park, the lines could be considerably shorter.
- Disney’s Hollywood Studios: Toy Story Mania, Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster, Tower of Terror and Star Tours.
- Animal Kingdom: Flight of Passage, Na’vi River Journey, Expedition Everest, Kali River Rapids and Kilimanjaro Safari Ride but, again…If you hit Kilimanjaro Safari as soon as you enter the park (which I recommend since the animals are more active first thing in the morning) you won’t need a FastPass for this.
There you have it. An easy, FastPass+ primer, complete with strategies and suggestions.
Now, go get planning!
