Using FastPass+: Everything you Need To Know

If you haven't made a pilgrimage to the Most Magical Place on Earth recently, you may be surprised by some big changes.

The old FASTPASS system, introduced in 1999 to lessen wait times at popular attractions, was relatively straightforward. With no advance reservation system, determined park-goers would race to FASTPASS ticket machines as soon as the parks opened to secure a spot on their favorite rides.

The new FastPass+ system, which is a bit more complicated, allows for advance planning and opens up many more rides to the legacy system. We break it down for you below.

How do I get FastPass+?

By buying a ticket. FastPass+ is included in the price of admission for every day a ticket is purchased.

How does FastPass+ work?

FastPass+ reservations can now be made way in advance... no more rope-drop runs to Space Mountain necessary. Disney Resort hotel guests can reserve FastPass+ tickets up to 60 days in advance, while all other ticket holders can do so 30 days in advance.

FastPass+ reservations can be made using the My Disney Experience planning page or mobile app. After creating an account and linking their reservation, users can secure FastPass+ tickets for their favorite attractions.

If you don't buy park tickets until you arrive at Disney World, or need to change your FastPass+ reservations, you can do so in two ways. Each park has a number of FastPass+ kiosks where you can make or change your reservations. Beware, the lines for these kiosks can be long. If you can, download the mobile app, which makes it possible to make and change reservations on the go, eliminating yet another line.

FastPass+ experiences work the same way as the legacy system. Each FastPass+ comes with a window of time you will be allowed to enter the ride. Arrive at the ride during that timeframe, get on the FastPass+ queue and enjoy.

Do I need to have a MagicBand?

You can use FastPass+ without purchasing a MagicBand. The old paper park tickets have been replaced with RFID plastic, credit-card type tickets that are scanned at FastPass+ kiosks and at ride queues. MagicBands can be more convenient -- no need to fish your ticket out of a wallet or pocket -- but are not required. All Disney Resort hotel guests and Walt Disney World passholders are provided MagicBands.

So, how many FastPass+ experiences do I get?

You can reserve up to three FastPass+ experiences at one theme park. That means if you plan on park-hopping, all your FastPass+ reservations can only be in one park. After using all three initial FastPass+ tickets, you can select another FastPass+ experience for the same day, based on availability. After using that one, you can select another, and so on. These additional selections must be made at a FastPass+ kiosk.

What attractions can I get a FastPass+ for?

So many! FastPass+ is now available for more attractions than ever, ensuring that guests of all ages get to experience the attractions they love. Guests can also reserve FastPass+ for parades, fireworks, character greetings and Fantasmic!, ensuring a prime spot without camping out way in advance.

How does the tier system work?

Currently, Epcot and Disney's Hollywood Studios offer a tier system, to ensure FastPass+ tickets for extremely popular attractions are distributed evenly among park guests. For example, at Epcot, guests can choose one "Tier One" attraction and two "Tier Two" attractions. Tier One, for example, includes both Soarin' and Test Track, so guests must choose between the two.

What about Annual Passholders?

Annual Passholders are allowed to plan seven days of FastPass+ selections within any 30-day period, applicable to one park per day. If staying at a Disney Resort hotel, Annual Passholders can make FastPass+ reservations 60 days in advance.

Al About FastPass+

There are some new changes for Fast Pass Plus. Here they are:

Up to 60 days before arriving guests may choose 3 rides for FastPass+. You can do this either online or through the My Disney Experience app. You may also choose the time you want to have the FastPass+ for. 

This is what the online screen looks like:

Your FastPass+ selections wil be loaded onto your Magic Band. Here is what they look like:

MagicBands are RFID-enabled waterproof bracelets that each guest will wear. They come in a variety of colors (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, grey and pink) and will be shipped to your home before your trip, unless you book your trip within 10 days of leaving and then your MagicBands will be shipped to your resort.

Guests will now be able to choose another FastPass+ selection at one of the park's kiosks after they have used their first three FastPass+ selections. Once guests have used that FastPass+ selection, they can choose another, and so on.

So here are the changes:

*The first three fast passes can be reserved online or through the My Disney Experience app. However, the additional passes can only be booked through the kiosks at the park.
*Guests will also be able to use their additional FastPass+ selections when hopping from park to park.

Other important things to know about FastPass+:

*There is no additional cost to use this. It is included with your ticket price.

*Some attractions (such as the Frozen characters meet and greet and the new Seven Dwarfs Mine Train) are in high demand. If you want a FastPass+ for these, you MUST book 60 days in advance. 

*All 3 initial FastPass+ must be used in the same park. If you are park hopping, you make book an additional FastPass+ after you use al three at the first park.

Here are the attractions currently using FastPass+

Magic Kingdom
Barnstormer
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger Spin
Celebrate a Dream Come True Parade*
Dumbo
Enchanted Tales with Belle*
Haunted Mansion*
It’s a Small World*
Jungle Cruise
Main Street Electrical Parade*
Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
Monsters Inc Laugh Floor*
Town Square Theater Mickey Mouse
Town Square Theater Princesses
Magic Carpets of Aladdin*
Mickey’s PhilharMagic
Peter Pan’s Flight
Pirates of the Caribbean*
Space Mountain
Splash Mountain
Tomorrowland Speedway*
Under the Sea – Journey of the Little Mermaid
Wishes seating*

Epcot
Character Spot*
Captain EO*
IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth*
Journey Into Imagination with Figment*
Living with the Land
Mission: SPACE
Maelstrom
Soarin’
Spaceship Earth*
The Seas with Nemo and Friends*
Test Track

Animal Kingdom
Adventurers Outpost meet and greet*
Dinosaur
Expedition Everest
Festival of the Lion King*
Finding Nemo – The Musical*
It’s Tough to be a Bug*
Kali River Rapids
Kilimanjaro Safaris
Primeval Whirl

Hollywood Studios
The American Idol Experience*
Disney Junior Live on Stage*
The Great Movie Ride*
Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular*
Lights, Motors, Action ! Extreme Stunt Show*
Muppet Vision 3D*
Rock n Roller Coaster
Star Tours
Twilight Zone Tower of Terror
Toy Story Mania
Voyage of the Little Mermaid*

Changes to Fastpass + Are Coming!!

The Disney Blog is announcing changes that are coming soon to the Fastpass+ system.   The only “3 per day” limit will be lifted and guests will be able to go to a kiosk and book additional Fasttpass’s after they have used their three pre-scheduled ones.  These can be added the day of the visit only.

In addition, Disney is working on adding the ability to add Fastpass’s in more than one park per day popularly know as “park hopping.”  The exact dates for these changes have not yet been announced.

Nearly 3.5 million guests have participated in the fastpass+ testing.

Tom Staggs, Chairman Walt Disney Parks and Resorts said in the blog post, “As expected, most of our guests think that securing times to ride our attractions is one of the best ways to maximize the fun of a Walt Disney World Resort vacation. We’ve heard from a number of guests that they would like the opportunity to add additional FastPass+ entitlements during their visit, in addition to the three they can plan in advance. So, we’re working on providing them with the ability to add and enjoy additional entitlements on the day of their visit.

Once they’ve used the three they’ve booked, we’ll enable them to select another at kiosks in the parks. And once they’ve used the fourth, they can select another, and so on. We also heard that other guests liked the fact that with the FastPass+ service they could use FASTPASS when they park hopped. So we’re working on a service enhancement to add that feature to FastPass+ as well.”