Using FASTPASS at Disney World

One of the most exciting places to visit in America is Disney World in Orlando, Florida. There isn't another theme park in the nation that offers as many exciting rides, amazing sites and fun for children and adults alike. In fact, I was surprised how much I enjoyed it as an adult, never having been as a child. But one of the things that is most convenient about Disney World is the FASTPASS service.

While FASTPASS is, by no means, perfect, it does allow you to enjoy Disney World without worrying about long lines and wasting time. Even using FASTPASS, you'll probably have to stand in line for a little while, but it will avoid two-hour-long waits at some of the most popular rides.

FASTPASS, essentially, is a way for you to hold your place in line without actually having to stand and wait. When you enter the park and pay for your ticket (or order online), you're given a Park Pass, which has a barcode on the back. At select rides (usually the most popular), a FASTPASS booth is located at the start of the line. You simply slide your Park Pass into the machine, and you are given a time (usually an hour long) during which you can come back and ride the attraction without having to wait in line. But before you get all excited about this system, here are the things that I learned about FASTPASS that might help your visit to Disney World be more enjoyable.

1. FASTPASS tickets are only available until timeslots run out. That means that, if there are no more times available, you might not be able to get a FASTPASS at one o'clock in the afternoon. To avoid this problem, select the rides in which you are most interested and get FASTPASSes for those first, and then continue about your day.

2. You can only get one FASTPASS every two hours. The turnstiles that dispense the FASTPASS are computerized, so they know when you last tried to obtain one. So make sure that you prioritize the list of rides that you want to visit, and plan your day accordingly. This keeps people from running all over Disney World, snatching up a FASTPASS for every ride.

3. You must return to the FASTPASS ONLY line in order to board the ride with your FASTPASS. So don't get into the regular line and expect to be able to use your ticket. Remember that you don't have to return at a specific time to use your FASTPASS (i.e. 12:02 p.m.); you typically have an hour time frame (i.e. 12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.).

4. I mentioned above that you can only get a FASTPASS at Disney World every two hours. Remember that the two hours starts when you get your FASTPASS, and not when you actually ride that attraction.

5. When waiting for your FASTPASS timeframe, be careful which rides you seek during the interim. It is never a good idea to ride an attraction that has a FASTPASS turnstile if you don't actually have a FASTPASS. What you have to understand is that FASTPASS holders have priority over those who are waiting in the regular line. That means that you might be waiting in the regular line for six hours while the FASTPASS holders go ahead of you.

6. There are FASTPASS rides in the Magic Kingdom - Space Mountain, Jungle Cruise, Haunted Mansion - so be sure to look for those when you visit.

7. Bring snacks. This really doesn't have anything to do with FASTPASS, except that you'll be waiting around for your FASTPASS timeslot, and if you don't have time to ride a different attraction, you'll be tempted to buy food. The snacks at Disney World are extravagantly expensive ($3.00 for a corndog!), so it helps to bring snacks with you into the park.

I do recommend that you use the FASTPASS option, but be smart about it!