FIVE ESSENTIAL TIPS TO AVOID LONG LINES AT WALT DISNEY WORLD!

​Fastpasses are the key to avoiding long lines when vacationing at Walt Disney World. Whether you’re a Disney pro who had the paper FastPass system down pat, a first-time guest feeling a little overwhelmed, or anyone in between, you might be wondering about the best ways to take advantage of Disney’s FastPass+. Unlike other theme parks, Walt Disney World provides the FastPass+ service for free to all guests! That said, taking a little extra time to plan means you can avoid some of the longest lines, even on busy days in the parks! Check out our best tips for making the most of FastPass+ during your magical vacation!

Tip #1 -  Prioritize!
 
You can read all the articles and strategies in the world telling you which rides or attractions to secure FastPass+ for, but none of that means anything if you’re not taking your family’s needs into account! There’s a great benefit to snagging a FastPass+ for Tower of Terror in Disney’s Hollywood Studios but if your family aren’t thrill-seekers and would prefer something a little less intense that FastPass+ won’t do you any good! Figure out which rides and attractions you’re actually interested in and then pick which of those will have the longest lines to avoid! Saving yourself a 60-minute wait is better than saving yourself a 30-minute wait - but only if you were planning to wait for the first ride anyways!
 
On trips with my sister I’d never waste a FastPass+ on Tower of Terror - she won’t want to ride it anyways so we’re better off skipping the line on something else!

Tip #2 -  Book Early!
 
And I don’t mean book well in advance of your trip - though that is definitely helpful too! While there are some FastPass+ options that are difficult to snag without booking right at the 60-day mark, most of the time you can get some great FastPasses much closer to your trip! What’s even more important is selecting your three FastPasses for time slots as early as possible in your park day!
 
Why? You’re allowed to book as many FastPasses each day as you want until they run out - but only one at a time and only once you’ve used up your first three! The earlier in the day that you do that the more rides and attractions you’ll be able to use FastPass+ on throughout the day which means less time spent waiting in line.
 
If you plan to be at the park as soon as it opens try to time your last FastPass+ booking to be ending by three hours past that, or as close to that as you can. As soon as you’ve used your first three bookings (even if the last window isn’t over yet), you can move on to the next tip…

Tip #3 -  Make More Fastpasses! 
 
Once you’ve used your three pre-booked FastPasses, you can use the My Disney Experience app on your phone or a kiosk in the park to make another one! If it’s still pretty early in the day you should have lots of options.

You can pick the ride with a long line you want to avoid, or choose the FastPass+ that starts the soonest if you’re not as picky about which rides you ride and you’ll get to make even more! And you know what? There’s no limit! You can keep doing this all day long!

Tip #4 -  Make the Best of Line Time!
 
The lines for rides in Walt Disney World are actually super cool, but could the time spent in line be put to better use? No one wants to spend their Disney vacation on their phone - your family is there to have a great time and make memories together! So when are you supposed to make these extra FastPasses? Even with FastPass+ you’re probably going to spend a couple minutes waiting in line for rides. Did you know you can make your next FastPass+ on the app as soon as you’ve scanned your Magic Band for the last one? That means you can hop on your phone while in line for one ride to make a FastPass+ for the next one!

Tip #5 -  Never Give Up!
 
So you’ve got the system down and you’re FastPassing rides left, right, and centre! That’s awesome! But there’s that one ride you just can’t snag a FastPass+ for, they’re all out! Is this a once they’re gone, they’re gone situation? Or is there still hope?
 
There might be! Firstly, people change their plans all the time - so keep checking while you’re waiting in line or for a show to start, you never know what might open up! Next, smaller party sizes can help with this. Are there six people in your family but only two who want to ride Star Tours? Try looking for a FastPass+ for only those two! You increase your chances and the other four of you can do something fun you’ll enjoy while your Padawan relatives take a quick trip across the galaxy!
 
So there you go! You’re educated and ready to make the most out of FastPass+ which will give you even more time to make some magical memories with your family! You did it!

​By Melissa - melissa@clickthemouse.ca