Disclosure: Affiliate links within. Purchasing and/or clicking on some of the links in this post helps support Family Travel Magazine®. I am a former member of the Disney Parks Moms Panel and have been on some complimentary press trips at Walt Disney World, but all opinions are my own.
Let’s face it – Walt Disney World’s change over to the FastPass+ system is a bit confusing. Ashley’s guest post this past fall about the new MagicBands was one of our most visited posts last year, and with the full change over, families seem to be confused with how it all works (with good reason – it’s a big change!). Wondering how the new FastPass+ system works at Walt Disney World? Here are nine things to know about the new FastPass+ system at Walt Disney World!
Disclosure: Affiliate links within. Purchasing and/or clicking on some of the links in this post helps support Family Travel Magazine®.
FastPass+ is in the testing phase
This means that anything is subject to change at any time. If your trip isn’t for a few months, be sure to continue reading about developments as your trip approaches.
No paper FastPasses are currently being offered
In 2013, guests could supplement their FastPass+ selections with legacy FastPasses from the machines. At this time, legacy FastPasses are not being offered, so guests can only use the FastPass+.
Only those staying onsite are able to currently get MagicBands and make FP+ reservations in advance
Right now, only onsite guests are offered MagicBands, and the opportunity to make FastPass+ selections in advance. Off site and onsite guests can make/change their FastPass+ allocations at an onsite kiosk. UPDATED! Staying off-site? Check out this post for the latest info for off property guests.
Guests are only able to make three (or sometimes four) allocations
At this time, guests are only able to make three FastPass+ allocations, although sometimes you’ll be able to make four. Be strategic with your selections, and choose afternoon times where possible.
Related: The Best Hotels for a Disney Vacation
Fastpass+ options include rides, parade/fireworks, and character greetings
The new Fastpass+ system offers FastPasses for additional rides, as well as parade and fireworks viewing spots, shows, and character greetings. So, it’s important that you really sit down and think about which of these experiences are the most important before making your choices. Keep in mind that you can still experience these things without a FastPass, but you’ll need to wait in line.
Guests can make FastPass+ reservations for a time that they choose
Unlike the legacy system, you can choose the time for your FastPass among available options. Now, you won’t need to worry about getting a FastPass that potentially overlaps with your dining reservation or other plans.
Make your FastPass+ allocations for the afternoon, unless you only plan to be at the park in the morning
Lines are historically shorter in the mornings, when the park opens. So, if you are planning an all-day trip to the parks, save your three or four allocations to the afternoon, when lines are traditional longer.
Only one FastPass+ can be made for an attraction
Sadly, you can’t ride Toy Story Mania three times in a row. Right now, some of the parks are also tiering attractions – so at Hollywood Studios, for example, you’ll have to choose between Fantasmic!, Toy Story Mania, and the Rock N Roller Coaster, because you can only get one of your three allocations from that top tier.
Even if you have park hopper passes, you can only make FastPass+ reservations for one park per day
It’s three per day, not three per day per park. So, I’d recommend making your allocations for the second park you are visiting for the day.
If you are going to Walt Disney World, I recommend the following hotels. Note that I have stayed in some of these resorts as part of press trips, but all opinions are my own. You can also save up to 28% on Disney Resort hotels here, and see various discounts on Walt Disney World tickets here.
- Disney’s Beach Club
- Disney Swan and Dolphin
- Disney’s Art of Animation
- Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge
- Gaylord Palms
- JW Marriott Orlando Grande Lakes
- World Center Marriott
Looking for more Disney tips and tricks? Follow my Disney Pinboard. You can purchase MagicBands and accessories before you arrive on the Disney Store website.
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Karon says
We’re headed to Disney in two weeks, so this is very timely information. Thanks, Jodi!
Jodi Grundig says
Glad it helped Karon!
isabelle says
This is a bit confusing to me…. I have made my FastPass+ reservations online! but do I have to print out a copy? How will I know when, what ride and what time to go? Do they still offer those small papers that the old fast past you to give out? Thanks!
Jodi Grundig says
Isabelle – your FastPasses will be saved to your MagicBands. You can use a kiosk or the app to check on them.
Nancy Dobrovolsky says
No you do not need to print a copy. You will touch your magic band to the mickey head at the fastpass entrance.
Kim {Stuffed Suitcase} says
We’re eagerly anticipating our first WDW trip this coming May, so I appreciate this advice. Do you know if the WDW Swan/Dolphin is still a part of the magicbands system? I know they were initially, so I’m wondering if they still are. Thanks!
Jodi Grundig says
The Swan & Dolphin aren’t part of the MagicBands system at this time, but that could certainly change!
Mindy Duval says
Heading to Disney at the end of May. The new “paperless” Fastpast is confusing me. Are the bands available to ALL who go into the parks or just those staying on site? If you can’t get bands, how does fastpast work for those, like us, who are staying with friends?
Kim {Stuffed Suitcase} says
Mindy, my understanding is that you only have the bands if staying at a participating on-site hotel. Others will have to login to the my disney experience website or mobile app to choose/reserve their times.
Jodi Grundig says
Mindy – Only onsite guests currently get the bands. You will be able to get FastPass+ reservations at a park kiosk and the reservations will be saved to your card.
Megan Conley says
I think the current situation with Fastpass+ blows. I have the park hopper and really upset that you can allocate where you get fast passes. I think they should make many changes to the system such as
– e.m.h fast pass selection.
– different parks. You can still pick 3 a day but you can pick different parks
Mari says
What app are you talking about to keep track of the fast pass times?!
Jodi Grundig says
Hi Mari –
Here’s a link to the app – https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/plan/my-disney-experience/mobile-apps/
Nydia says
The only problem with the new system, the lines for fastpass are longer than the rides. Also, you really don’t know if you can reserve the rides you want depending on how many people the person in front of you is scanning tickets for. We have encountered this a few times already usually by 10:00 a.m. all the popular rides are gone. I hope Disney will still tweak these areas.
Dawn says
Annual pass holders can get magic bands now too!
Ellen says
Jodi,
Headed to Disney for the 9th time in a few weeks, and the info on Fastpass+ helped immensely.
Vanessa Gutierrez says
I am so confused! so they don’t have result fastpasses like Disneyland in California? I will be going to WDW in August for the first time and want to be completely informed!
Meg says
There are 8 of us traveling to WDW together in November. Could you possibly clarify something for me? Can 1 person get a fast pass+ ‘reservation’ but have multiple people go on the ride with them at the assigned time? I haven’t been able to figure out if each of us gets 3 per day and we have to coordinate fast pass+ reservations or we can all get different ones and enjoy more rides. Any ideas? Thanks!
Kristin says
You will have to reserves times for all people wanting to ride the ride. Once you have your magicbands you can register each person in your party and reserve passes for everyone. We use the app (my disney experience) to do this but it is also available on the wdw website.
Louisa says
We haven’t been to WDW since 2012. When we went, we ran to the rides we wanted fast passes for when the park opened, scanned our tickets, then went and waited in lines until out fast pass time came up hours later. We are going back next month and we are NOT staying on site. Does this mean we will NOT get the arm bands and we still scan our tickets at the ride to get a fast pass?
Jodi Grundig says
This post should help: https://www.familytravelmagazine.com/property-disney-guests-things-know-fastpass-magic-bands/
Tabbetha Shosa says
I have a question. We have been to Disney many times before but this will be our first time using Fastpass+ . I have heard different things about them. Once we use the three passes are we able to book more in the park or is three it for the day regardless? I hope not because we usually use anywhere from 6-10 fastpasses a day when we go so this would definitely be an unwelcome change for us!
Kim Graff says
I met a lady who is a certified Disney Vacation planner who lives right here in my neighborhood. See if you can find one in yours. She’s local, but she has online access to Disney’s reservations, fast-passes and dining. She looked over our itinerary and made great suggestions. For Free! She said that as soon as the time for a fast pass selection has expired you can go to a kiosk and add one. Download the Disney app and see real time waits to choose your selections.
Christy says
We were just at WDW a couple of weeks ago & had the magic bands. We were not able to add any more fast passes once we had used our three passes for the day. But if we didn’t use one, we could still change it to a different ride. However you can only use them in one park. I was very unhappy with the one park rule. It also seemed like many of the fast pass lines were longer than they had been in the past when we’ve gone.