Disney World FastPass Guide, Tips and Trick + FREE Printable Cheat Sheet: Updated for 2020
Disney World Fastpass Updated: February 18th 2020
Who likes standing in line, raise your hands! No one? For real? That’s shocking! (insert sarcastic font here). Chances are if you are reading this blog, you LOVE Disney or you are a Disney newbie and just trying to learn the ropes. Either way, I bet anyone who is reading this does not love standing in lines. You might (or might not) know that Disney offers this GREAT, FREE perk to its guest call FastPass! Below, I will tell you what a FastPass is, how to use it, and I will give you a FREE printable FastPass Cheat Sheet!
So What is a FastPass?
So glad you asked! Fastpasses are basically a pass that lets you skip the line! It’s a ride reservation system that allows you to reserve a spot in line to certain rides, shows, and character meet-and-greets! You can start off with 3 per day in advance but can add more the day of. I’ll explain more about that later in the “Tips and Tricks” section.
All guest to WDW can use this amazing perk for free, but there is a small catch. If you are staying at one of Disney World’s 20+ resorts, you can book your Fastpasses 60 days in advance! This is a huge perk if you are eyeing one of Disney’s ‘hard to get’ FastPasses (I am looking at you Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, Slinky Dog, and Flight of Passage). If you arent staying on-site, never fear! You can still do your FastPasses 30 days in advance. As long as you have your tickets purchased, you can set up your fastpasses at the 30-day mark. Side note: if you would like to know when your 60/30 day mark is, click here to head to our WDW Trip Calculator!
How Do I make a FastPass?
Before you can make any FastPass selections for your trip, everyone in your party must have a theme park ticket linked to their Disney account on the My Disney Experience website or the My Disney Experience App (unless you have a child under three who doesn’t require a ticket. They are free and therefor don’t need to make any Fastpasses).
When you are all set up on the app or website, then you wait for your 60-day or 30-day mark to come around.
Once that day arrives, you are ready to make your FastPasses! Your booking window opens up at 7am EST.
1. Open the app or website, at Click “Get FastPass+”
2. Click on the people in your party that you would like to add to your FastPasses. You can also click ‘Select All”
3. Click the date you would like to make a FastPass on.
4. Next, click on the Park that you would like to make your 3 original FastPasses on.
5. Now you will see Time Slots of different rides/attractions/experiences that you can choose from!
When you select a FastPass time for an attraction, your time is actually the start of a one-hour window during which you can use your FastPass.
For example, if you selected the 1:30 pm FastPass for Big Thunder Mountian, you’d be able to use the pass any time between 1:30-2:30
You can’t have a FastPass for another attraction that overlaps that window. So any FastPass before the 1:30 Big Thunder Mountian would have to END by 1:30 (like at a 12:30 starting timeslot) and any FastPass after the 1:30 Big Thunder Mountian would have to START by 2:30.
How to Use Your FastPass Once in the Parks
Yay, it’s FINALLY time to go to the parks and use those FastPasses! Whoohoo! To remind yourself of what Fastpasses you have, check your My Disney Experience account. They are all stored on there.
Your park ticket (or MagicBand if you have one, click here to learn more about Magic Bands) are essentially a key to your FastPass.
To use a FastPass, just go to the attraction/show/character meet and greet during the hour time-slot and find the FastPass entrance. You will scan your park ticket or MagicBand there on a Mickey icon (Mickey to Mickey!) which will turn green if your FastPass is valid.
If the Mickey Icon turns red, that means for some reason your FastPass isn’t valid. This could be for a number of reasons: You are more than 10 minutes early or late for your timeslot, you are at the wrong FastPass (been there, done that), or there is something wrong with your account. If this happens, talk to a cast member and they can help you out.
If the Mickey Icon turns Blue, that means you are within 10 minutes (either before or after) your hour timeslot. It is within the Castmembers discretion to let you in or not at that point.
What Attractions can I use FastPasses on and what are Tiers?
FastPass isn’t available for all attractions at Walt Disney World. FastPasses are made for the rides/attractions that tend to have a longer wait time.
Disney also has divided attractions into “tiers” at all of the parks except Magic Kingdom. This means that you will be limited to only one FastPass from the “Tier One” attractions at Animal Kingdom, Epcot, and Hollywood Studios. If you pick a ride from “tier one” then you can pick two rides from “tier two”. Or, you can also pick all three attractions from “tier two” if you like.
Click on the photo below to see the Cheat Sheet and hights requirements! Print it out and use it with your planning!
NOTE: The Printable is based off the updated new tier FP system in Hollywood Studios that starts August 29th, 2019. If you are making Fastpasses for before that date, the tiers fo Hollywood Studios will vary a little.
These planning sheets have been updated February 18th, 2020
Or click here to download them!
Tips and Tricks for Disney World Fastpass-
- My favorite tip of all is how to get more than 3 a day! Once you scan in for your third FastPass, pull up your My Disney Experience app and make another one! As soon as you scan in for that 4th FastPass, make another one! You can do this until the park closes!
- Try to make your original FastPasses for late morning/early afternoon. I personally like to have my FastPasses for about 10 am, 11 am, and 12 pm. There are two reasons for this. The first, when the park first opens, the lines aren’t extremely long, so you might not need a FastPass earlier in the mornings. The second reason is that if I scan in for my third FastPass at 12 pm, that now means I have all day to make more Fastpasses!
- Try to make your original 3 Fastpasses close together in time and vicinity. This will save you time and save your feet from running around.
- Make sure you pick rides that actually need FastPasses. I know Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor and Indiana Jones Stunt Show are on the FastPass list, but they hold so many people at a time, that they tend to not really need a FastPass
- Are you really wanted to ride a “Hard to get” FastPasses like Slinky Dog or Flight of Passage? Well if you are staying on site, I have a great tip for you! Book those first, but on the LAST day of your trip. Why is this? Because there will be more available since you will be booking it at 60+ days!
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Do you have any questions about Disney World Fastpass? Do you have any tips of your own? Leave a comment down below!
Did you like this Cheat Sheet? Then check out these Disney Planning printables here!
Have you been dreaming of a magical Walt Disney World Vacation? Or how about an exciting trip to Disneyland California? Or maybe a relaxing Disney Cruise? Or a trip to a ‘far off place’ around the world with Adventures by Disney? If any of those things have ever crossed your mind, fill out the form below! My services are completly free too. Let’s try to make your dream a reality! I am a Disney Travel Planner through Mickey World Travel!
10 Comments
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Valerie Fowler
We are going in May, and now that Slinky and Smugglers Run are in the same tier it’s blowing my mind. 😱 What to do, what to do . . .
Nicole Ellington
yes! Such a hard decision! They are both so good!
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julie
A fast pass seems it would be a ‘must have ‘ going to Disneyworld. Also sounds like planning your trip far in advance is important!
Audrey
I haven’t heard of a Disney fastpass before! I’ll have to check it out.