Disney FastPass+ Reservations: Eight Tips for the Best Vacation Ever

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Today was the day I’d been waiting for–Disney FastPass+ Reservation Day! I was up early, ready to schedule, and was able to get everything I wanted. Does it always happen that way? Of course not. However, I’ve become somewhat of a pro at scheduling Walt Disney World fast passes over the past few years.  If you are new at scheduling fast passes, I have eight helpful tips to help you increase your chances of getting the perfect Disney FastPass+ reservations for your dream trip.

What is FastPass+?

FastPass+ is Walt Disney’s ride and attraction reservation system. Over the years, it’s had a few changes. While some people don’t like the “new” system, I love it. As someone who always stays on property, the Fast Pass+ system allows me to make plans sixty days in advance. 

In the old days (well, before 2015), Disney had paper fast passes. Guests could only hold one at a time, and they didn’t get to choose the time. It was whatever the computer spit out. We would send our fastest runner, a lanky seventeen-year-old, running across EPCOT with all of our keycards to get passes for our next ride. Once, my friend Bill stood by the old Soarin’ Fast Pass kiosk, yelling “Five! I’ve got five to trade for a later time” because the time we received conflicted with our dining reservations.  

Now, fast passes are digital and can be planned in advance using the Walt Disney World website or app. If you’re only at the parks for a day, you can still make same-day reservations using kiosks. However, I don’t recommend that strategy. Use the kiosks only as a last resort.

The best part about Disney’s fast passes is that they are FREE. Each guest can schedule three fast passes initially. Once those are used, the guest can schedule one additional fast pass at a time for the rest of the day.

Fast Pass+ can be a lifesaver at busy times of the year, guaranteeing three attractions with short waits. Over the years, I’ve discovered eight tips to help you schedule those hard to get Fast Passes.

Eight Tips for Scheduling Disney FastPass+ Reservations

1. Know exactly which day you can start scheduling your fast passes.

If you are staying at one of the Walt Disney World Resort hotels or several of the Disney Springs resorts, you can schedule your FastPass+ selections sixty days before check-in. Not only can you schedule 60 days in advance,  you can also schedule your fast passes for your entire stay on that day (up to 10 days).  If you are staying off-property or at a hotel that doesn’t offer the 60 days, you’ll be able to schedule your FastPass+ selections 30 days in advance.

Make sure everyone has tickets linked to his or her account. If you haven’t purchased your tickets, you won’t be able to make FastPass+ reservations.  If you have a resort package that includes tickets,  that’s fine. Your reservation does not have to be paid in full to schedule fast passes.

2. Make sure everyone in the party is connected

If you are traveling with a larger group or have several rooms, make sure everyone is connected through the My Friends and Family section of My Disney Experience. I find it easier to do this on a computer rather than on the app.

All you need to do is go to My Friends and Family on the right-hand drop-down menu, scroll down, and click on “Add a Guest.”  The easiest way to add guests is by importing them from a Walt Disney World hotel reservation. You’ll just need their reservation number.  Make sure each person on the reservation shows up in your friend list. Lately, I’ve had trouble with children not showing up–a call to Disney reservations solved that problem.

Hint: You can make reservations for everyone you’re connected to who has tickets at your sixty days whether or not their check-in date is the same. For example, I was able to make FastPass+ reservations for my friend Katie and her family today, even though they don’t arrive until five days after we do.

3. Have a basic daily plan.

Hopefully, you’ve already made dining reservations and have an idea of which park you’ll be at on which day. I suggest putting Hollywood Studios near the end of your stay (or visiting multiple times) because every single ride is a Tier 1 attraction (more on that later).  If you plan on using a FastPass+ to ride Flights of Passage at Animal Kingdom, you should schedule that park later in your trip.  Our schedule for our next trip looks like this: Saturday–Hollywood Studios, Sunday–Magic Kingdom, Monday–EPCOT, Tuesday–Magic Kingdom, Wednesday–Animal Kingdom, Thursday–Hollywood Studios, and Friday–EPCOT.  I left the last day (Saturday) open. We may head to either Animal Kingdom or the Magic Kingdom, depending on what our grandson wants to do that day.

4. Understand the ride tiers and determine which rides are most important to your family.

Your family make-up is going to help you prioritize which rides to schedule FastPass+ reservations.  Our next trip includes a preschooler and an infant.  There are several rides that J.R. is not tall enough to go on.  My husband doesn’t like Soarin’.  Knowing this, I can schedule three of us on Soarin’ while Papa D. takes J.R. and baby Oz on the Living with the Land boat ride next door.

Always use FastPass+ for these rides.

If possible, you should always use FastPass+ for the following rides: Seven Dwarfs Mine Train and Peter Pan’s Flight at the Magic Kingdom, Flights of Passage at Animal Kingdom, Slinky Dog , Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run, or Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railroad at Hollywood Studios, and Soarin’, Test Track, or Frozen at EPCOT.  Currently, Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance uses a virtual queue, so it won’t be part of your FastPass+ selections.  Remember, don’t waste your fast passes on shows and attractions that let in a lot of people at once.

What are tiers?

Tiers are one way that Disney is trying to extend FastPass+ for top attractions to more people. In Animal Kingdom, EPCOT and Hollywood Studios, certain rides and attractions are considered Tier 1, while others are Tier 2. Each person is only allowed to choose one tier 1 attraction per day as one of their three original FastPass+ reservations. Tiers are subject to change, so it’s important to keep an eye on that’s going on in the “World.”

Tiers in Hollywood Studios

The Tier 1 attractions in Hollywood Studios currently include Slinky Dog Dash,  Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run, and Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railroad.  Rise of the Resistance uses a virtual queue. Make sure your entire party is in the park at opening and that you have the Walt Disney World app on your phone if you want to ride this amazing attraction.

We plan multiple days at Hollywood Studios so that we can have a Tier 1 ride each day. If that is not an option for you, try to score a FastPass+ time for your favorite, rope drop a second, and stand in line for the third.

Tiers in EPCOT

Four attractions at EPCOT are Tier 1:  Soarin’ Around the World, Test Track, Frozen Ever After, and EPCOT Forever. EPCOT Forever is a fireworks show, so I don’t recommend using a FastPass+ on it. If you have young children, the Frozen Ever After boat ride is a good use of a fast pass. For adults and children over 40 inches tall who aren’t afraid of heights, I recommend using your FastPass+ on Soarin’ Around the World. While Test Track also has a height requirement of 40 inches, it also has a single rider line.  If the regular queue is showing more time that you want to wait, the single rider line is always an option as long as you realize that you will be in a separate ride vehicle rather than with your friends and family.  I would not recommend using the single rider line if you have younger children.

Tiers at the Animal Kingdom

Only two attractions at Animal Kingdom are Tier 1. However, they are both  in Pandora, the land based on the movie Avatar. The best fast pass to get is Avatar: Flight of Passage. Riders must be 44 inches tall though, so if your party consists of smaller humans, consider using your Tier 1 FastPass+ on the slow-moving Na’vi River Journey boat ride. Or, just choose all your FastPass+ selections from the Tier 2 category.

5. Start with your last day first.

If you are staying on Disney property or in one of their good neighbor hotels, you can schedule your Disney FastPass+ reservations 60 days in advance PLUS 10. What that means is that if your reservation starts on June 20, you can start scheduling fastpasses on April 21. However, you can schedule for all the days of your reservation at the SAME time. So, if I am staying from June 20 until June 30, I can schedule for June 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, and June 30 all on April 21.

Being able to schedule FastPass+ reservations 60 plus 10 days in advance is a huge perk. If you know that you want to ride Flight of Passage at the Animal Kingdom, schedule it for your last day (in this scenario, June 30). Log on at 7:00 a.m. EST on April 21, create your FastPass+ party, choose your park and date, and schedule the pass.

Unfortunately, if you stay off property, you must schedule each day individually. That is why I always suggest staying on property, especially if your trip is a once-in-a-lifetime or once-every-several-years trip.

6. Choose the hard to get Disney FastPass+ reservations first, and then go back and fill in with the others.

Some people don’t realize that you don’t have to schedule three Disney FastPass+ reservations per park. Choose the hardest FastPass per park and lock it in first. Afterwards, you can go back and add the easier-to-get rides and shows. Don’t worry about times. Just get the fastpasses. You can always adjust the times later.

7. Schedule your Disney FastPass+ reservations early in the day so that you can add more later.

It’s important to remember that you can look for additional Disney FastPass+ reservations after you use your initial three. Because of this, it can be to your advantage to schedule your FastPass+ Reservations early in the day. If I schedule Peter Pan’s Flight from 9-10, Haunted Mansion from 10:15 to 11:15, and Seven Dwarfs Mine Train from 11:20-12:20, I can look for another FastPass as soon as I scan in to the Mine Train ride.

To add another FastPass, you can go on the My Disney Experience App on your phone or tablet, click on my plans, and hit Get FastPass+.  You can only make one at a time, but as soon as you scan in for one, schedule another.

Because of this feature, I rarely (if ever) schedule FastPass+ reservations for fixed time events like fireworks shows. Fastpasses are not necessary for most shows anyway unless it’s a super busy time of year (the week between Christmas and New Year’s), plus you can always make a dining reservation with guaranteed show seating if needed.

8. Never give up.

If you were not able to get a reservation that you wanted, don’t give up. Keep checking back. People change their plans all the time–especially the same day. I’ve dropped prime Disney FastPass+ reservations because we decided to do something different or because my husband didn’t want to ride that ride.  Keep refreshing the app if you are looking for a same day reservation. You could just get one.

If you don’t find a FastPass, try riding the ride when the park first opens, at rope drop. Or, get in line during the fireworks or just before the park closes. The rides will stay open so that everyone who is in line before park closing is able to ride.

Final Thoughts on Disney FastPass+ Reservations

A Disney vacation runs smoothly with advance preparation. Sure, you can go last-minute and have fun. However, if you want to optimize your time, having a plan and the right Disney FastPass+ reservations is crucial. With these tips, you can easily have an enjoyable fun-filled family vacation. May the odds be ever in your favor as you navigate the FastPass+ reservation system!

For more information about Walt Disney World vacations, check out these posts. If your party consists of young children, these are classic rides you can’t miss. 

 

 

 

 

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