FastPass tips

Looking for advice about Fast Pass. We are traveling with our 7,4,2 and 3 mo old. We are going to be at Magic Kingdom 3 days, 2 days at Epcot, one day at HS and AK. What are your opinions about what fast passes to book when?? Specifically for Magic Kingdom. The older two are big enough for the coasters. I appreciate any opinions, just feeling overwhelmed!!

First priority for those ages, 7dmt (make sure to ask for rider swaps), PP, and maybe Pooh or BTMRR.

Also have you plugged in your must do attractions into a touring plan? It will help you with FPP selection based on wait times and your ride choices.

HS for sure do TSMM. EP frozen or TT would be first priority, character spot is a good tier 2 for that age range.

What is BTMRR?

Big thunder mountain railroad. Just a bit more intense than 7dmt. So might work for your family or might not, depending on the littles.

How do I do the touring plan? I have most of the FPs booked now but just feel Like we will be all over the place!! Thanks for the tips - at least I’m on the right track as far as priority, just don’t know how to organize!!

On the main touring plans page across the top you should be able to select touring plans. There will be already made plans you can tweak or you can build you own. I would suggest starting with a pre made one that fits your party description. It’s better to do it on a desk top browser.

Remember that with these ages you can almost double your fast passes. Requires some extra planning and walking but definitely useful.

Great read on how to make it happen:

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Thank you for the link and for the most part I found it very useful indeed.

However, towards the bottom of the Q&A someone has written this: “I just called Disney World and they said those entering a ride with a fastpass would NOT be given rider swap unless the second group also had fastpasses. Obviously if you had fastpasses for everyone you wouldn’t need child swap!”

Have any of you had any experience with using FP & Child Swap? We are 4A and 5C. I’m trying to work out the best plan which will enable us to ride more rides by only booking FP for a few people and then swapping them out.

Can someone help with this?

That’s what our agent told us too. She called me on Monday to let me know that she had talked with some of her colleagues about this. She told me that the four of us that would be riding would still need the fastpasses in order to do the rider swap. Does anyone know how much this actually being enforced??

We go to DW annually and we’ve never been asked about ‘party 2’ having FPs under either the old or new FP system. We were there in Feburary and it worked and it looks like the post you’re referring to was in December. The only thing they’ve been diligent about is making the whole party come to the ride entrance and they ask who is not riding. If the whole party walks up together the process takes 10 seconds.

I was told this week that they are “cracking down” on the system and that I should be booking fastpasses for everyone. I am so confused!!:thinking:

I find it hard to believe but if it’s true that’s a bummer. It will still be useful for your older kids to ride twice while only waiting once, but one of the adults is out of luck. The RS tickets are good for the entire month so it will help planning the other MK days knowing you have it.

So just to clarify because I want to make sure I am understanding how it works for rider swap. Provided we could still do it this way. I have 7 & 4 yo who are both tall enough to ride big thunder mountain and splash mountain. So if I were to book FP for 2 of us for Big Thunder Mountain and then 2 of us for Splash Mountain and use rider swap. The two of us that had the FPs could ride first and then the other two? Am I understanding it right? Essentially getting extra FPs for those rides?

Yes, correct. That’s the way we’ve always done it. The only thing I’d add is the RS works for up to three people, so whichever kid has the FP can ride twice if three of you can fit. Best chance to fit is Splash Mountain. BTMRR is smaller but might work (I don’t remember as my older kids are too big), no chance on 7DMT. I’d check with a CM first.

You can “earn” a Rider Swap pass from the stand by line, so I do not understand how they could police the 2nd party needing to have a FastPass+!

So this is my scenario - can someone help?

There are 4 in my family - me, hubby and 2 kids (daughter can go on everything. Son, who’s 7, is scared of all coasters (even Barnstormer!)).

What’s the best way to do a day at MK with all of us using this system? We want to do all the headliners, of course. Appreciate any help and advice offered. It’s our first trip and I want it to be perfect. So much to think about! We are staying off site (just FYI).

I’m thinking:
7DMT - FP for my hubby and daughter. (I do Rider Switch with daughter again)
Thunder - FP for me and son. (Hubby does RS with daughter again - and might have to swipe his Magic band as he has a FP on it that we need to use up).
Splash - Hubby/Son (I do RS with daughter again)
Space - Me/Daughter. Hubby does RS with daughter again.
Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin - All of us FP

Planning on doing Peter Pan’s Flight and other Fantasy Land rides at RD.

Do you think this will work?

Also, I just had this response from Disney on email.

"Rider Swap is when Guests take turns waiting with youngsters too small to ride a certain attraction or those that do not want to ride, then “swap” with another adult Guest from their party to experience the ride without standing in line twice.

Each person riding would need a Disney FastPassÂŽ+ ticket. So, if your husband and daughter have their Disney FastPassÂŽ+ and you have yours, you would wait with your son, then swap once your husband has completed the ride to be with your son while you ride. You may check with the cast member, but sometimes, they may let your daughter ride again with you."

I don’t get it…if we all need FP anyway, what’s the point of RIder Switch? Surely we would just take turns watching my son and as the rest of us have FP just use that line. I’m confused as to why I’ve been given this instruction???

That’s what our agent was saying - that they are supposedly cracking down on the system. It doesn’t make sense to me either. I am hoping that this isn’t the case b/c I already have FPs booked forb2 of us with the intention of swapping. Would LOVE to hear what recent experiences have been with rider swap & what is actually happening in the parks!!