To FASTPass or not to FASTPass? That is the question.

Since the first Disney theme park opened in 1955, waiting in line has been part of the Disney experience. Sometimes the wait is short (for smaller attractions like It's A Small World or Country Bear Jamboree), and sometimes it's long (for the bigger attractions like Space Mountain or Tower of Terror). For the most part, the waiting has never bothered me; I know that my ride experience will be worth every moment I spent in line. Of course, there are those times when I wouldn't mind getting in a little quicker: when it's an extra hot day, or when we're trying to make a dinner reservation. But you can't exactly cut line, can you? If you have a FASTPass you can!

What exactly is FASTPass?
To combat long wait times for its more popular attractions, Disney introduced the FASTPass program in 1999. Guests with FASTPasses are given a specific time window to ride a particular attraction with little or no wait.

How to you get a FASTPass?
To obtain a pass, just look for the FASTPass kiosk at the attraction. It's usually near the entrance. There will be a sign above the kiosk letting you know what time frame you can use the passes (it will be a one-hour time window, such as 12:30 to 1:30). To get a pass, isert your theme park ticket into one of the machines and it will give you a FASTPass ticket. When your return time comes, you'll enter the FASTPass line at the ride entrance, and a cast member will ask to see your pass.

Is FASTPass available for all attractions?
No. FASTPass is available at the most popular (or newest) attractions. These are the ones like Tower of Terror, Rock'n Rollercoaster, Expedition Everest, Star Tours, Kilamanjaro Safari, Mission Space, Test Track, Soarin', Peter Pan's Flight, Space Mountain, Splash Mountain, Thunder Mountain, Haunted Mansion, Pirates of the Caribbean, and a few others.

On which attractions is FASTPass the most useful?
If I use a FASTPass, I use it for these attractions: Rock'n Rollercoaster, Peter Pan's Flight, Space Mountain, Toy Story Mania, Tower of Terror, and Expedition Everest. Everything else generally has a comparable Stand-by wait time.

Is FASTPass always the best idea?
This can be a subject of debate for Disney enthusiasts. Some people swear by it. They get FASTPasses for all the major attractions and claim they spend almost no time in line. I am not one of those people. I seldom ever use a FASTPass, and here's why:
Reason #1: I don't like having to plan out which attractions I'm going to do at specific times.
With FASTPass, you have to be at a certain attraction at a certain time in order to use it. Although one hour seems like plenty of time, I'm usually on the other side of the park by then, doing other things, and I don't like having to backtrack to somewhere I've already been.
Reason #2: Sometimes the FASTPass line is longer than the Stand-by line. Some people might argue with me on this, but I promise you, I've seen it with my own eyes on more than one occassion. This was especially true when FASTPass was new. Everyone thought they had to get it, and so the FASTPass lines filled up while the Stand-by line was fairly empty.
Reason #3: If you know what you're doing, you don't need it. For first-time guests, or those who are still learning their way around the parks, I actually do recommend using FASTPasses for certain attractions. For example, getting a FASTPass for Tower of Terror and then getting in the Stand-by line for Rock'n Rollercoaster is usually a great plan. By the time you're off the coaster, it will probably be time to use your FASTPass. (Plus these attractions are right next to each other, so no backtracking). Over the years, I've developed a routine, or method, to which attractions I do and when. I usually don't wait in line for more than 30-45 minutes, and that's fine for me. Like I said before, I don't mind the wait. I know it's worth it.

Now, I'm sure that last paragraph has you saying, "OK, Miranda. Share your secrets!" LOL I promise, I will... in another post ;). For now, I'm calling it a night. Sweet dreams everyone!