My Fastpass+ experience at Magic Kingdom

Today I visited Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World and experienced day 2 of the new park-wide Fastpass+ system. This is the inevitable spread of the Fastpass+ system that was introduced with the implementation of the Magic Bands. Magic Kingdom is the first Disney World park that has introduced the system park-wide. The system is now mandatory for any guest that is interested in utilizing Fastpasses in the park. Here is my experience with the new Fastpass+ system using an annual pass on 1/15/14:

First, I headed to Fantasyland with all intentions of getting a Fastpass for Peter Pan’s Flight. The first thing that I learned about the new system was that you need to find a Fastpass+ distribution area. Although the signage wasn’t too easy to spot, it also wasn’t very difficult to find the station. I’m sure when the system is more established that there will be more permanent signage to go along with the new stations.

  

At the Fastpass+ station I was given 3 rules/guidelines to using the new system.

You can only choose 3 Fastpasses for your day at the park:

  Something I cannot vouch for is how this will work with/effect your day if you plan on park hopping. In retrospect I wish I would have asked the Cast Members about that.

    You must choose your Fastpasses based on its location (instead of a ranking the experiences and attractions are separated by location):

  Similar but not the same as the previously introduced Tier system from the Magic Band trials. You may choose more than one “big ride” for example I chose to Big Thunder Mountain Railroad AND Space Mountain and they were not considered in the same category because they are not in the same “land”. 

You must choose option A, B, C or D

  This is less of a rule but actually more like a guideline… think about it as the Pirate Laws from the beloved Pirates of the Caribbean movies. I say this because The Cast Member that I was working with gave me all four options and I wasn’t completely satisfied with all of the times because they were too close together and he immediately told me I had the option to “customize” the times if they weren’t to my liking. The lesson: Don’t settle for times that you aren’t completely satisfied with just because they were the presented options because… they aren’t.  

Obtaining and choosing the Fastpasses was an easy and quick process for me. I went to the cast member, he scanned my tickets, I chose 3 attractions, we haggled a bit on the times, and I was on my merry way. Using the Fastpasses was also quite easy since all you had to do was scan your ticket at the front and then again before the ride. If you are familiar with the old system the two check­points correspond with the locations where the Cast Member would check for your Fastpass time and again where they would collect it! Very easy and very smooth which is a good sign since it was only day 2 of the park­-wide usage of the system.

I did learn one additional (and seemingly important) thing about the new system! It is "flexible" meaning that although you choose a Fastpass time for three attractions, you are able to change time and/or attractions for an unused Fastpass slot during the day. For example: if I collected a Fastpass for Thunder Mountain and found that around that time the stand­by line was only 10 minutes I can choose to switch that Fastpass slot to another attraction at the Fastpass+ station and wait in the short stand­by line. Similarly, if I chose a Fastpass time that ends up not working easily into my schedule, I can choose to ignore that time and attempt to obtain a different time for that attraction at a Fastpass+ station if a time is available.

One downfall for me and the new system was that because my pass is not connected to a log-in on the “My Disney Experience” app I had only two choices to remember my Fastpass time. I could either memorize them and hope to not forget OR I could take a lovely picture of the screen that showed my chosen Fastpass times. I ended up taking the picture and it wasn't an issue. Although I understand that they are trying to go paperless with this whole system, having a small printout with all 3 of my Fastpass times on it would have been helpful!

  

So, since I've used the park­wide system ONCE at one park and that makes me an expert (that's how it works, right?) here are my tips on using the new system:

1. Obtain the Fastpasses early in order to give yourself more time options and allow for time to rearrange if necessary.

2. Don't settle for option A, B, C or D if all three of the times don't work for you. They can and will change one or two (or all three)times to help fit into your schedule.

  

3. Keep your ticket out in line for the attraction. If you are using a ticket instead of the MagicBand remember to keep it out! If you haven't scanned it twice, you aren't done yet.

4. Don't be alarmed by seemingly long Fastpass lines. Today I almost had a mini heart attack when I saw the Fastpass line but it turns out the line was just being held up on the outside by a family demanding to see a manager because they showed up at the wrong time! The Fastpass line was still considerably shorter.

  

5. Think about which attractions you will want to choose before facing the decision. Make sure you have at least an idea of which rides you want to use the Fastpasses for before you are at the machine/Cast Member at the Fastpass+ station. This will make your time obtaining you Fastpasses easier and quicker, not to mention it will help you avoid having to track down the Fastpass+ station to change a time/attraction later.

6. Make logical Fastpass+ decisions. Attempt to choose times that correspond with when you think you'll want to be in that area. Also, make sure that you aren't choosing a Fastpass for two attractions that are on opposite sides of the park if the times are close. This will help you avoid running around the park like a crazy person trying to make it to all of the Fastpass reservations you chose.

  

7. Accept the new system and learn to love it. This one hit me hard today but the fact is that most likely this new system will be park­wide at all four parks soon. Better to just face the music and learn to love it! After all, Disney is still offering you the opportunity to skip the lines for 3 attractions for FREE when you visit and that's awesome!

Cons:

The new system is "flexible" but not the same way the old system was. There is no such thing as happening across a stranger that happens to have extra Fastpasses to your favorite ride any longer (Bummer!). Nor can the Cast Member allow you through at 2:43 for your 2:45 Fastpass because it is all automated.

Only 3 Fastpasses per day. Although, as I've mentioned, I don't know how this might change/be effected by "park hopping" 3 doesn't sound like enough Fastpasses to me.

 Fastpass+ station locations. These were hard to find at the park today, and I'm sure this is something they are working on this very second. A select few were also very crowded but this may be alleviated by the addition of more kiosks.  

Pros:

No need to keep track of multiple pieces of paper! Now that your Fastpass is on your ticket or Magic Band it is much easier to keep track of them.

Being able to choose your own Fastpass time! Yes, I did enjoy choosing my Fastpass time instead of taking what was available at the time that I got to that attraction.

There is no need to run around the park looking for Fastpasses. You can reserve all 3 of your Fastpass times in one location.

The "Flexibility" of the passes: Yes I know I listed this as a con BUT there is a good and bad side to every story, right?! The good part of the flexibility is that although the pressure is put on to choose all your times at once, you can still change them around later. This is favorable since not everything happens the way you plan it to.

3 Fastpasses per day: Again, I know this was listed as a con BUT I would just like to state that I still appreciate that Disney offers this for FREE. As a "legacy Fastpass" abuser I do dislike being constrained to only 3 but the fact that Disney offers it for free is fantastic. Think about it this way; other parks charge you for this convenience.