For many of us, it's the world class attractions that call us to the Walt Disney World Resort. Whether you're a big thrill seeker or prefer a more gentle ride experience, waiting in a long line effects us all the same way. As guests, we expect to have to wait for our fair share of experiences in the parks. From character meet and greets to queuing for Space Mountain, the wait times are always a major factor in how much we get to experience in our magical Disney Day. For the most part, the "crowd factor" in the parks fluctuates depending on the season; peak, regular, value or holiday, with holiday traditionally being the most crowded season.
So how does one get around to all their favorite rides, shows and attractions and have time to sit down and enjoy a meal before it's time to leave? I'm here to tell you friends, it's all in the magic of the Disney Fastpass reservation system. On the Disney website the Fastpass is explained like this, "Disney's FASTPASS Reservation System reduces time spent in line at popular attractions at Disney Theme Parks. To use the FASTPASS system, simply slip your Park Pass into the FASTPASS machine to receive a ticket with an assigned return time and enjoy the rest of the Park while Disney's FASTPASS service saves your place in line." Sounds easy enough, right? Well, yes it really is just as simple as placing your park ticket into the fast pass machine and "reserving" your time at that particular attraction. Now, say you missed your allotted fastpass time for Space Mountain because you were having such an awesome adventure in Frontierland exploring Tom Sawyer Island that you just lost track of time. Did you lose out on experiencing the pulse-pounding hyperspace adventure that is Space Mountain? Well, in a word, nope. You see, your fastpass reservation works like this: you can enter the fastpass return queue anytime after your originally reserved time. For example, say your fastpass reservation time is 2:20 pm - 3:20 pm, even if you miss that one hour time slot and it's now 4:00 pm, it's still valid! Another little known "secret" to using the Disney Fastpass System is that you don't have to wait until you've used your existing fastpass reservation to make another one. Usually, you only have to wait about one hour before you can get another fastpass for another attraction. Look on your fastpass ticket for the time at which you can get your next one. There are lot's of options with this perk, so ride on my friends, ride on!
The fastpass, while magical, isn't the "end all be all" of choices available to you when it comes to the experiencing the all the rides, shows and attractions on your "must-do" list. Another tip is knowing when to ride the more popular rides such as Splash Mountain in Frontierland compared to the less trafficked (but not necessarily less beloved) attractions like Pirates of the Caribbean in Adventureland. It's smart to take advantage of the parades and live shows, and the shorter ride wait times when they're running. In the park, these events attract guests (especially those with small children) like moths to a flame. Check out your Times Guide so you know when the parades and shows run in the park. This is a great time to ride one of the more popular rides as the queues should be less busy.
Another option, is to stay on property at one of the Disney Resorts and take advantage of the Extra Magic Hours. The Disney website offers the following information regarding this perk, "Extended Disney park hours, known as Extra Magic Hours, offer a rare and unique opportunity to enjoy additional time in Walt Disney World parks—above and beyond the standard operating schedule - at no extra charge. This special perk is offered to Guests of select Walt Disney World Resort hotels, and Residents and Guests of Golden Oak. Each day, one of the 4 Walt Disney World theme parks opens one hour early or remains open up to 3 hours after regular closing time. Additionally, Disney Water Parks offer Extra Magic Hours during select times of year."
Lastly, for those families visiting the parks with small children there is the Rider Swap option offered at all four of the Disney parks. Rider Swap works like this: when you have a child too small to ride an attraction, one adult waits with that child while the rest of the party rides then they swap with another adult so that they can experience the ride without having to wait in line twice. Easy peasy!
Remember, these tips apply to all four of the parks at the Walt Disney World Resort, not just in the Magic Kingdom park. It is best to plan your day prior to going to the park so you can more effectively prioritize your experiences. Now, with all these options, you should be able to get the most out of your Disney Day! So get going!
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