Ever since Disney World reopened, the parks have been operating without FastPass+, and for many guests, it has been difficult to adjust to this change.
If you traveled to Disney World before the pandemic, then you’ll probably have to reevaluate the way that you plan your park days now.
Today, we’re giving you our best tips for how to survive in Walt Disney World without FastPasses!
Arrive Early
The first tip that you’ll need to conquer Disney World without FastPass+ is to make sure that you arrive at the parks early. If you can, get to the parks 45 minutes to an hour before they open.
We’ve seen that occasionally, the parks will open earlier than posted and allow guests to board rides before the official park hours begin. If that happens, you may be able to knock out some of the more popular attractions quickly. Even if you aren’t let onto the rides before park opening, you’ll likely be able to get in line for them — then you’ll be among the first to board.
Whether the park opens early or not, arriving first thing will ensure that you get to experience some of the shortest wait times of the day. You’ll probably be able to jump on a few rides before the crowds pick up, and that will make the rest of your day a little less stressful.
Stay Late
Since the parks reopened, we’ve begun to see a trend where guests don’t stay as late in the evening as they used to, likely due to the fact that there are fewer attractions available and no nighttime spectaculars to watch. This means that toward the end of the day, wait times will go down!
In the last few hours, you may get the chance to knock out a few rides without hour-plus wait times. It’s also important to remember that you can get in the line up until the time that the park closes. If the closing time is listed as 8PM, then the queue won’t close until 8:01.
Plan Your Rides Strategically
One of the biggest ways that you’ll save time throughout your day is by planning strategically. You’ll often see the longest wait times in the middle of the day, so save those less-popular rides and shows for then.
If you know that a ride is popular, plan to experience it first thing in the morning or last thing at night. For instance, it’s better to wait 30 minutes for Seven Dwarfs Mine Train first thing in the morning and 30 minutes for Dumbo in the middle of the day than to wait 5 minutes for Dumbo in the early morning and 90 minutes for Mine Train in the afternoon.
Keep Yourself Entertained
Without FastPass+, you may be spending a little more time in line than you’re used to. Because of this, it’s easy to get bored!
Make sure to plan ahead for the time spent in line with games, videos on your phone, or conversation topics. Some popular choices among guests are the Play Disney Parks app and the Heads Up game for your phone. Just remember that if you’re using your phone to entertain, you’ll want to bring a battery pack.
Do Certain Things BEFORE You Get in Line
Due to current health and safety precautions, guests are not allowed to eat and drink in the main portions of ride queues (once you pass the sign for the attraction). We recommend eating and hydrating before you get in line, especially if you think you’ll be waiting a while.
Waiting is a LOT less fun if you’re “hangry”, and being dehydrated will only make you more fatigued. We also suggest making a stop by the bathroom before waiting for a ride, because getting out of the queue to go can be quite a hassle.
Go With the Flow
When FastPasses were a big part of trip planning, your schedule for the day was a lot more rigid. Nowadays you have more flexibility and you’ll be able to do whatever you’d like at whatever time since you’re not bound by FastPass windows.
Keep an eye on wait times in the My Disney Experience app, and plan your day as they fluctuate. If a ride’s wait time dips down low, then go get in line. If the wait for the one you want to do next gets too long, save it for later. Without FastPasses, you don’t have to commit to doing certain attractions at specific times of the day (except for those first-thing-in-the-morning and last-thing-at-night attractions!)!
Get a Park Hopper
If you think you’ll use it, our last tip is to get a Park Hopper ticket. This way, if the park that you’re currently in gets too busy or crowded, you can hop to another one. You can come back to the original park later in the day, or you can stay at the new one — whichever is more convenient and has shorter wait times at that point in the day.
It’s important to remember that currently, there are some restrictions to Park Hopping. You’ll only be able to travel between parks after 2PM and if there is availability with the limited capacity. However, if you think your family would benefit from Park Hopping, then it might save you a little bit of stress and a lot of time!
Those are our best tips for how to survive in Disney World without FastPass+! If you need more advice for your upcoming trip to Walt Disney World, stick around, because we make sure to stay up-to-date on all the latest news. Our reporters are in the parks daily experiencing all the changes, so we’ve got tons of great tips for our readers!
Click Here to Read 25 Things You Need to Know When Planning Your First Disney World Park Day!
Did you ever use FastPasses at Disney World? How did you feel about them?
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We survived just fine without fastpass for 30 years. It only slows the line down. Hope it never comes back.
I agree Mike. We’ve gone every year for 20 years. In January 2020 we were waiting in line for Winnie the Pooh and the cast member allowed 14 Fastpassers (I counted) go thru before us because that line was getting too long. No wonder the stand by lines have been longer. This isn’t the only attraction we witness this.
I think it is great without fastpasses especially right now with lower capacity. The lines are moving very quickly never standing still since you dont get stopped as the fast pass people go ahead of you. Most posted times are actually less. I say unless they are going to change the fast pass system to one where you have to be in park to get reservations like “Rise of the Resistance” then lets roll without it.