Fast Passes

How do you choose what days you will do what parks?

I have a 5 year old, what fast passes do you recommend for each park?

I've done my own research, but want real people input as well. I have been to Disney 30 times, but not since they implemented the new fast pass system.

Additionally, I am booking the fast passes 60 days in advance. We are going in mid August, right before Star Wars opens. Do I need to log on right at 7am? Typically, I am commuting at that time and get into work around 7:30 am. If necessary, I can leave for work earlier to be ready at 7. I am not dead set on going on any specific ride. I am a pretty go with the flow person, but also want to make the most of our trip as we will most likely not be going back to Disney in the near future.

Thanks!

Re: Fast Passes

We are going this summer and this is what I did.
AK: you can FP one of the 2 pandora rides, the one everyone wants is flight of passage. Then you get 2 of the rest of the rides. I got flight of passage, the safari and kali river rapids. For me the other rides like dinosaur, expedition Everest are easier to ride in standby or getting additional fast passes after using the first 3.

Epcot: tier one popular rides are soarin, test track and frozen. I have girls so they are into the frozen ride and that’s the one I go for. Soarin is pretty easier to get as a 4th fast pass day of. For you I would go for test track...long waits and harder to get as a day of fast pass. The other 2 I usually do is spaceship earth and Nemo.

HS: tier one is toy story land. Slinky dog toughest to get FP, toy story mania and swirling saucers. I tried to get slinky but couldn’t so went on to toy story mania... if you can get slinky I would go for that. Then I did frozen sing along and star tours. Rockin roller coaster and tower of terror are big ones but not sure how your 5 year old likes thrill rides. I end up going on rockin roller coaster just me and my older DD... and we don’t really love tower of terror but my younger one is pushing to try it again. If I don’t get slinky dog we will get in line right before park close.

MK: sevens dwarves mine train is a definite...the other 2 I got were splash mountain and big thunder....all rides my kids love and all rides that get long waits. Another that gets really long waits is Peter Pan and space mountain. We are going to MK for 2 days and I did the same fast passes for both days because I find most of the other rides more manageable to get as additional fast passes or ride standby. We’ve never done space because my kids are afraid but I may try this year.

I would sign on at 7 am if you can swing it: for my days I just do what I want when I want but pushing HS and AK to later on in your trip increases chances of the hard to get fast passses. AK is our first day and I was able to get flight of passage, but HS was my 3rd day and slinky was gone for the whole day already. I do keep checking every day and it hasn’t popped up...we are about a month away now.

ETA, double check height restrictions

Message edited 6/6/2019 8:53:44 AM.

Fast Passes

Thank you!

I am lucky because my son is pretty tall for a just turned 5 year old. He might make 48 inches by the time we go, but I will definitely not book any fast passes for that height because he will most likely be right on the cusp.

Re: Fast Passes

Do what you think your 5 year old will enjoy!

Does he love roller coasters?

Does he love Mickey?

Does he love a character or a story?

My kids aren’t crazy about roller coasters (they go on enough in amusement parks), but love the “story rides” and characters that only Disney has to offer.

I have made FP reservations the day before the park and have gotten decent selection when not looking for a coaster/ brand new attraction.

Honestly... things the kids remember are the ice cream, the slides at the hotel, a cute interaction or realizing the birds in the Tikki Room are not living!

Fast Passes

I use Touring Plans to determine crowd levels for each day. Then I pick the park with the lowest projected crowd levels for each day. We usually go for 8-10 days, and do 2 parks days, then off, then two more park days, then off etc. Sometimes, three days before an off day, depending on the crowd levels.