Most Common Fastpass+ Mistakes

Planning a Walt Disney World vacation can be overwhelming, even if it isn’t your first time. If you are anything like me, the attractions are a large part of your vacation. Make sure you avoid the most common Fastpass+ mistakes when you are planning your next magical Disney trip.

Not booking when you can

A lot of people who aren’t familiar with Disney vacations often forget the dates that are important. You can book dining reservations 180 days in advance a fastpass+ can be booked 60 days out if you are staying on property. If you are not staying on property they can be booked 30 days in advance. It is important to book these as soon as possible because some of the hardest rides disappear that morning.

Not booking in order of difficulty

Whether it is fastpass or dining, both reservations should always be made in order of difficulty, not chronologically. That means, book Flight of Passage toward the end of your trip before you book your first day plans. You have a much greater chance of getting those hard to grab fastpasses if you book this way.

Booking at incorrect times

Never book a fastpass for the first hour that a park is open. It is a waste. You will be able to get on most rides quickly in the morning so your wait time is very minimal. You want to save them for midmorning-afternoon to get the most value of them. Also, be aware of extra magic hours for the park. If the park you are going to has extra magic hours in the morning you will notice it fills up much quicker that day.

Not splitting up the group

Just because you are going on a family trip does not mean you have to do everything together. As a child, my brother refused to go on any type of thrill ride, while I absolutely had to ride every single one of them. You can split up your party and only book for people who will actually ride the attraction you are reserving.

Not checking height requirements

Disney is a magical place for every age, but not every height can ride the rides they want too. You need to check the height requirements before you book your fastpasses. This avoids wasting them on a child who cannot actually go on the attraction.

Booking the wrong attractions

There are certain rides for each park that offer fastpasses, but never actually need them. Mickey’s PhilharMagic is one of my favorite rides, but you will never see me fastpass it. The wait is only for the next show. Be sure to look at which rides actually will benefit from a fastpass vs which ones will be a waste.

Not reserving more after your original 3

When you are booking 60 days out for your fastpasses, you can only book 3 for one park. After you scan your third of the day, you can immediately go on your My Disney Experience and book something else in any park. You can continue to do this throughout the day until all of the availability is gone.

Not checking your other reservations

You should have already reserved your dining options by the time you can reserve fastpass. Make sure you do not double book yourself and waste a fastpass. Factor in how long it will take you to get to your other reservations and plans and make sure you leave yourself enough time. This actually leads into the next tip.

Not checking the map

This is one of the more obvious tips I suggest in getting you the reservations you want, but it is also a very common mistake. You have to check where the attractions are on the map and allow yourself time to get from ride to ride. Going from Jungle Cruise to Space Mountain, to Pirates of the Caribbean makes no sense unless you are trying to get your Fitbit steps in the for the day. Save yourself the added workout and figure out a plan of attack before you book.

Not remembering what was scheduled

You’d be surprised how many people go through the effort of planning out their fastpasses, only to forget about them later. Write them down, take a screenshot, or set a reminder on your phone – whatever you need to do! If you realize you cannot make one, reschedule it.

Not using it at all

This is a free system Disney provides. Most theme parks charge for this type of service, but all you have to do is locate a kiosk or download My Disney Experience and you are good to go! Some people assume it costs money like other parks. Even Disneyland charges for maxpass, but Walt Disney World does not.