[proffer]

Okay, this may be a sorta dumb question, but since I've never been to WDW before, I'm still a little shakey about a few concepts.

I ran across something that referred to obtaining Fastpasses by sticking your pass or ticket into a machine and getting a printout of when you are scheduled to come back and ride whatever-it-is...

Using an automated system seems like a nifty idea, but my question is this: If there are 3 of us (one a child) then do we need to use all three passes to get three FPs, or do only the adults need to get an FP and kid is automatically included?

And what's to stop the machine from giving Mom & Pop one FP time and Junior a different one...?

Or am I on the wrong track here?

As I said, I'm a bit confused. Any insight would be appreciated...

(We're there the first week in June, and should be easy to spot... we'll be the small family wandering around lost with confused looks on our faces...)


BTW...called Dining Services and arranged our PS schedule. That went surprisingly well and we got the times we wanted at the places we wanted. So, at this point I'm starting to feel at least a little cautiously optimistic...

[mickey]

At several of the major rides in each park, Disney has installed the fastpass system. Located near the entrance to these rides there will be a large sign labeled "FastPass", and underneath it will be several machines that look like the change machines in arcades, but Disneyed up. You walk up to one of several machines and insert your park pass. For every pass inserted, you receive one fastpass to that ride. Everyone who wants to ride must have a fast pass. Printed on your fastpass is a one hour time frame in which you may return to the ride. All fastpasses are assigned in sequential order and in five minute increments, so at worst, you will get two tickets at one time, and a third ticket five minutes later. They assign a good number of passes for every five minute increment. All three of you will be allowed into the ride when the time on the latest ticket has arrived. The difference in time between the time you receive your pass and the time you can ride is dependent upon how many fastpasses they have distributed. If many are passed out, the wait time may be several hours, if it isn't busy, it can be as few as 45 minutes. Once you are let into the ride, they have a seperate line for fastpass riders. At some point in the line, you are merged with the other line, and wait just like anyone else. In Tower of Terror, it isn't until the loading area, but on Rock 'N' Roller Coaster, it is still outside, and you still have quite a wait.

Printed on the fastpass you receive is also the time when you can get another fastpass, to the same ride or any other ride in the park. They are all linked, so you can't get another one until the printed time. ( This is the case at Disneyland, is this now true at WDW as well? )

Whew! Did that answer the question? I am sure you will have more now, so go ahead and ask.

Here is a list of attractions that have the fast pass:

ANIMAL KINGDOM

Dinosaur - DinoLand USA
Kali River Rapids - Asia
Kilimanjaro Safaris - Africa
It's Tough to Be a Bug - Tree of Life
Primeval Whirl - Chester and Hester's Dino-Rama


MAGIC KINGDOM

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad - Frontierland
Buzz Lightyear - Tomorrowland
Jungle Cruise - Adventureland
Haunted Mansion - Liberty Square
Peter Pan's Magic Flight - Fantasyland
Space Mountain - Tomorrowland
Splash Mountain - Frontierland
Winnie the Pooh - Fantasyland


MGM-STUDIOS

Indiana Jones
Muppets Vision 3D
Rock N Roller Coaster
Star Tours
Tower of Terror
Voyage of The Little Mermaid
Who Wants to be a Millionaire


EPCOT

Honey, I Shrunk the Audience
Test Track
Living with the Land
The Maelstrom

[LadyJena]

I know when we go to Disneyland we always use fast pass unless its in the morning and we get there early enough to miss the crowds. You want to use fast pass it can save you a lot of wait time!

The only thing I dislike about the fast pass is having to wait so long to get another ticket. You either have to wait for the hour of your ride to begin to get another ticket form another ride. I know you can get another ticket if the ticket is late in the afternoon and the other fast pass you want is early afternoon I think there has to be a 2 hour differance in the time between them.


Ruth

[proffer]

Ah...thanks!

That clears it up for me. The five-minute increment thing makes sense.

Am I to assume then, that, given the "admitted according to the latest FP time in your party" policy, that if you show up late for your FP appointment...you're still admitted to the FP line? If so, then, how late? If junior has a bathroom crisis, or we get stuck in another line somewhere and end up being an hour late....are the FPs still good?

I get the 2-hour wait-before-you-get-another thing...but what if you somehow don't use the FP and 2 hours have passed. Does the system lock you out until you have used the earlier FP?

[mickey]

Am I to assume then, that, given the "admitted according to the latest FP time in your party" policy, that if you show up late for your FP appointment...you're still admitted to the FP line? If so, then, how late? If junior has a bathroom crisis, or we get stuck in another line somewhere and end up being an hour late....are the FPs still good?

Printed on the ticket is a one hour timeframe. So, you get the ticket and it says 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM. You need to show up sometime during that hour. I have used them after the hour has expired, but that is not common. Also, don't even try to get in even one minute early, they are very particular about that.

I get the 2-hour wait-before-you-get-another thing...but what if you somehow don't use the FP and 2 hours have passed. Does the system lock you out until you have used the earlier FP?

They system has no idea if you use it or not. You just hand it to a CM and they throw them in the garbage. The new system at Disneyland actually has a time printed on it when you can get your next pass, which is usually an hour later. I would assume the WDW system now has this feature, but I haven't been there in a couple of months, so I am not sure. Under the old system, if your time was 3 - 4 PM, you could get a new pass at about 3 PM.