Disney's FASTPASS system is a reservation system designed to moderate wait times. Understanding how to use FASTPASS is critical for success with our Touring Plans, especially if you want to experience lots of attractions or are unable to arrive at park opening.
Disney only offers FASTPASS at select attractions, and in some cases FASTPASSes are only offered during busier times of year. Specific FASTPASS information for each theme park is linked below, followed by general information about FASTPASS.
Understanding FASTPASS
When you arrive at a FASTPASS attraction, if the posted wait time is acceptable you should hop in the regular "standby" line. If you do not want to wait that long, you may pick-up a FASTPASS ticket that will allow you to return and ride with a minimal wait during the posted return window.
Disney describes the FASTPASS system in 3 easy steps:
- Each member of your party inserts his or her park ticket in the FASTPASS kiosk.
- You'll receive a FASTPASS ticket with a return time so that you can go play in the park instead of waiting in line.
Tip: Look on the bottom of your current FASTPASS ticket to find out when you can get one for another attraction. - Come back during your return time and hop on the attraction with little or no waiting
General FASTPASS Touring Tips
- Park tickets must be activated at the front turnstiles (or Downtown Disney monorail station) before being used to obtain FASTPASSes, so you can’t send one family member into the park while the others snooze. However, once everyone has entered, you can send one person across to the other park with everyone’s tickets to retrieve FASTPASSes there.
- Don't mess with FASTPASS unless it can save you 30 minutes or more at a given attraction.
- Since lines are manageable, there's no reason to use FASTPASS during the first 30-40 minutes a park is open.
- If you arrive after a park opens, obtain a FASTPASS for your preferred FASTPASS attraction first thing.
- Always check the FASTPASS return period before obtaining your FASTPASS.
- Don't depend on FASTPASSes being available for ride attractions after 2 p.m. during busier times of the year.
- Effective February 18, 2013, Disneyland Resort started enforcing the one-hour time window on its FASTPASS tickets. Be sure to return on-time.
- Make sure that everyone in your party has his or her own FASTPASS.
- You can obtain a second FASTPASS as soon as you enter the return period for your first FASTPASS or after 2 hours from issuance, whichever comes first.
- Maximize efficiency by always obtaining a new FASTPASS for the next attraction before using the first FASTPASS you already hold.
- Be mindful of your FASTPASS return time, and plan intervening activities accordingly.
- Rides don’t dispense FASTPASSes during early entry, nor while they are closed for technical difficulties or special events.
- When obtaining FASTPASSes, it's faster and more considerate of other guests to select a "FASTPASS Runner" to obtain passes for your entire party. This means entrusting one individual with both your valuable park admission passes and your FASTPASSes, so choose wisely. (Also note that the runner can do her work while you eat, visit the restroom, or ride a different attraction.)
- Keep in mind that FASTPASS on Disneyland's older attractions does not work as efficiently as it does on newer attractions. In many cases, FASTPASS users enter a separate queue that at some later point is merged with the standby queue. You want this merge to happen as late as possible so that you get ahead of as many standby guests as possible. You cannot control this, but it is something to be mindful of as you compare the benefits of using FASTPASS on different attractions.
Disconnected FASTPASS Attractions
Some attractions’ FASTPASS kiosks function independently and are not hooked up to the park-wide FASTPASS distribution system. Because a disconnected attraction has no way of knowing if you have a FASTPASS for another attraction, it will issue you a FASTPASS at any time. Disney can connect and disconnect FASTPASS attractions at will, so it’s possible that the disconnected lineup will vary somewhat during your visit. The use of disconnected FASTPASS attractions is incorporated in our touring plans.
Finally, Disneyland Park’s and DCA’s FASTPASS systems are not connected. You can obtain a FASTPASS at one park and then immediately walk to the other park and obtain another FASTPASS.
List of Disconnected FASTPASS Attractions
- Roger Rabbit's Car Toon Spin at Disneyland
- California Screamin' at Disney California Adventure
- Radiator Springs Racers at Disney California Adventure
- World of Color at Disney California Adventure
