FASTPASS tickets.

 A great way to beat the crowds!

FASTPASS is available for several of Disney World's more popular attractions, and is basically an advance reservation system which gives you a ticket to ride an attraction at a specific time.

For example, you show up at Splash Mountain and obtain a paper FASTPASS ticket to come back during a one hour window later that day. The time of your ride "window" is printed on the FASTPASS itself, and may begin 10 minutes to several hours after you obtained the FASTPASS, depending on the crowds on the specific date of your visit. When you return at the specified time and present your FASTPASS ticket to the Disney personnel staffing the attraction, you will be allowed to enter a special line reserved for FASTPASS holders which allows you to board the attraction with minimal waiting.

There is no cost for FASTPASS, but in order to obtain one you have to walk to the attraction you wish to ride and insert the park admission ticket for each member of your group into the FASTPASS machine. At this point the machine will issue you the FASTPASS ticket(s). The system is set up so that you can normally only have one FASTPASS active at a time, unless the "return window" is more than two hours away. For example, you wouldn't be able to go to Splash Mountain and obtain a FASTPASS there, then immediately run to Space Mountain and obtain one there too. You would either need to wait until the "ride window" had begun at Splash Mountain before you could obtain the Space Mountain FASTPASS, or until two hours after you received your Splash Mountain FASTPASS, whichever comes first.

Note that you don't need to actually use the first FASTPASS before you obtain the second one. The "ride window" for the first FASTPASS just needs to have arrived, or two hours need to have passed, before you can obtain the second FASTPASS.

Option #1: Take Advantage of Late FASTPASS.

Late fastpass is designed to let you take advantage of a "loophole" in the way FASTPASS is being used at the parks. The loophole is that Disney rarely, if ever, enforces the ending time printed on the FASTPASS. This allows you to show up several hours late for a FASTPASS attraction, and still be able to ride using your FASTPASS. While Disney may prefer that you actually ride during the one-hour window printed on your ticket, we have never been turned away when we've arrived late.

For example, if you have a FASTPASS ticket that tells you to come back to the attraction between 1:00pm and 2:00pm, under this rule you should be able to come back at 4:00pm and still be able to use the FASTPASS ticket to avoid the normal line. (You will NOT be able to use the FASTPASS before 1:00pm, however. Disney is very picky on this point!) .

Option #2: Using a "Runner" to Obtain FASTPASSes

If your group includes an able-bodied individual who would be willing to do some extra work for the benefit of the rest of the group." We don't expect this person to do any actual "running," but the ability to at least walk quickly without getting too worn out would be helpful!

We will assume that rather than having your entire group make its way to that FASTPASS machine (which may be on the other side of the park), you will send your "runner" to get the FASTPASSes for you. The runner collects the entire group's set of admission tickets, navigates over to the FASTPASS machine specified on the RideMax plan, obtains FASTPASSes for the entire group, then re-joins the rest of the group at a pre-determined location. .

So, what does the rest of the group do while the "runner" is obtaining those FASTPASSes? Well, anything, really. If the next item on your plan (after obtaining the FASTPASS) is another attraction, your group could make its way to that attraction, then wait for your runner to re-join you there. While waiting you could take that much-needed bathroom break, visit with a nearby Disney character, grab a quick snack, or just sit and rest your feet! We don't recommend that the group jumps in line for some nearby attraction, unless you've agreed to this in advance with your runner. Remember, your runner is making a big sacrifice for the rest of your group – don't make the runner miss out on the "fun" as well, or you could have a mutiny on your hands!

Finally, and this is extremely important, make sure that you agree upon a meeting place before sending the runner off to obtain those FASTPASSes. The last thing you want to have happen is to spend an hour trying to find one another! Don't just assume you'll both "catch up later" – agree upon that meeting location in advance!

And remember, even if you don't buy some lavish gift for your runner at the end of the day, a nice "thank you" is always appreciated!

Disney's FASTPASS® tickets are at the following Walt Disney World®  Resort Theme Park Rides& Attractions, and are subject to availability:

Magic Kingdom® Park:

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad 
Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin
Jungle Cruise 
Mickey's PhilharMagic
Peter Pan's Flight 
Space Mountain 
Splash Mountain
Stitch's Great Escape!
The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh

Epcot®:

Living with the Land
Maelstrom 
Mission Space
Soarin'
Test Track

Disney's Hollywood Studios™:

Honey, I Shrunk the Audience  
Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular
Rock 'n' Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith  
Star Tours
The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror 
Toy Story Mania! 
Voyage of The Little Mermaid Show

Disney's Animal Kingdom® Theme Park:

Dinosaur
Expedition Everest - Legend of the Forbidden Mountain
It's Tough to be a Bug!  
Kali River Rapids
Kilimanjaro Safaris
Primeval Whirl