How Much Do FastPasses Cost?
If there’s one question I get asked more than any other when it comes to planning a Disney World or DIsneyland holiday it concerns the cost of including Disney’s front-of-the-line Fastpass service in your vacation package. To help you understand exactly how FastPasses work, I’ll do my best to answer this question below!
Walt Disney World
For those planning a first-time visit to Walt Disney World, it’s important to know that FastPasses are FREE for those with valid theme park admission tickets or annual pass regardless of whether or not you are staying onsite at a Walt Disney World Resort. Under the system, visitors to any of Disney’s four theme parks have the ability to select in advance front-of-the-line passes covering attractions, entertainment and character greetings. Three selections can be made each day you are visiting the theme parks but are limited to one park only.
FastPass selections are made using your My Disney Experience account. Guests staying at one of Walt Disney World’s on-site resorts can select FastPasses 60 days in advance. Guests with valid theme park admission but staying offsite have the ability to book them 30-days in advance.
During your theme park visit, once you have used your three FastPasses you have the option to book a fourth on the day. Once you’ve used the fourth you can book a fifth etc.
Walt Disney World Guests Staying Club Level
Here at MickeyBlog we’ve spoken in the past of the advantages of paying extra for Club Level Accommodation at select Walt Disney World resort hotels. In addition to special perks like a turndown service and access to the Club Level Lounge, guests with a valid Club Level Reservation have the option to purchase 3 additional FastPasses per day at a cost of $50 per person per day. These 3 are in addition to the 3 you already have meaning each member in your party can enjoy 6 pre-booked Fastpasses during your visit. Guests booking under this offer also have the opportunity to book your FastPasses 90 days in advance (that’s 30-days before onsite guests) meaning that you’ll get your pick of available options.
Another fantastic perk of a Club Level FastPass purchase is that there are no restrictions on what they can be used for. For instance, Disney restricts regular guests from only booking 1 -Pandora- The World of Avatar FastPass per day. This means to enjoy both attractions you need to wait in the standby line for one or visit over two days. With the Club Level FastPass options, you can book both in advance. Also, if you have a Park Hopper you can book these special FastPasses at more than one park each day.
It is worth noting that Club Level FastPasses are only bookable for those spending 3 or more full days at the theme parks. For more information on other Club Level perks check out this article.
VIP Tour Services at Walt Disney World
If you want to do Walt Disney World like royalty and without having to wait in line for any of the attractions that enlisting the help of a VIP tour guide is definitely the way to go. Under this system guests have your own personal tour guide for the day. They’ll pick you up at your resort, take you to as many theme parks as you like during your visit and escort you to the front of the line on any attraction your heart desires. This completely eliminates the need to pre-book FastPasses because you’re given the FastPass treatment on every ride or attraction you visit. However, as you can imagine, this does come at a hefty cost. The rates for a VIP Tour Guide vary depending on the season from $425 to $625 per hour and a minimum of 7 hours must be booked.
Group VIP Tours at Walt Disney World
For those who want the perks of a VIP tour without the price tag and who don’t mind joining a group, Disney World offers several VIP Tours that provide guests with access to specific attractions. Let’s take a look.
- Ultimate Day of Thrills Tour – 7-hour guided group tour with front-of the-line access to some of Magic Kingdom’s most thrilling attractions including Splash Mountain, Space Mountain, Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, Haunted Mansion and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. Guests then head over to Epcot for Soarin’ before stopping off at Hollywood Studios to enjoy Slinky Dog Dash, Toy Story Mania! Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster, Tower of Terror and Star Tours. The cost for this experience is $349 per person in addition to a valid Park Hopper ticket.
- Ultimate Disney Classics VIP Tour – Savor iconic Magic Kingdom attractions including Dumbo the Flying Elephant, Haunted Mansion, “it’s a small world”, Jungle Cruise, Mad Tea Party, Peter Pan’s Flight, The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh and Under the Sea- Journey of the Little Mermaid. The cost is $249 per person not including theme park admission.
- Ultimate Night of Adventures VIP Tour – the Animal Kingdom after the sun sets is the focus of this 4-hour tour where visitors can enjoy access to Expedition Everest, Kilimanjaro Safaris, Flight of Passage, Na’vi River Journey, DINOSAUR, and Rivers of Light. The cost is $249 per person not including theme park admission.
Each of these options as well as the Private VIP Tours can be booked by contacting your Travel Agent or contacting Disney at 407.WDW.PLAY.
Disneyland Resort
One the West Coast they do things a bit differently than Disney Word, namely in that there are two ways for all guests to book your FASTPASSES, the traditional way which is FREE and at an additional cost via Disney’s MaxPass system. Let’s take a quick look at both.
Here’s a look at the FastPasses available at both parks:
Disneyland Park
- Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
- Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters
- Fantasmic!
- Haunted Mansion
- Haunted Mansion Holiday
- Indiana Jones™ Adventure
- “it’s a small world”
- “it’s a small world” Holiday
- Matterhorn Bobsleds
- Roger Rabbit’s Car Toon Spin
- Space Mountain
- Splash Mountain
- Star Tours – The Adventures Continue
Disney California Adventure Park
- Goofy’s Sky School
- Grizzly River Run
- Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: BREAKOUT!
- Guardians of the Galaxy – Monsters After Dark
- Incredicoaster
- Radiator Springs Racers
- Soarin’ Around the World
- Toy Story Midway Mania!
- World of Color
Disneyland Resort: In Park FASTPASS Distribution Points
This is the FREE version of FASTPASSES at Disneyland Resort and Disney California Adventure park and are available to all guests with a valid theme park admission. Unlike the Disney World model, guests visiting Disneyland DO NOT have the option of booking FASTPASSES in advance. Rather, they are booked on the day by physically going to the FASTPASS ticket distribution center for each attraction. You’ll find them near the entrances of the attraction listed above. Tickets are distributed on a first-come, first served basis and are not guaranteed. Here’s a quick rundown of how the system works:
- Look for the Disney FASTPASS Distribution sign near the entrance of a participating attraction.
- Check the Return Time displayed on this sign.
- If the Return Time works for you, insert your valid Disneyland Resort admission ticket or Annual Passport into the FASTPASS machine.
- The machine will generate a FASTPASS receipt with your Return-Time window.
- When you arrive at the FASTPASS Return entrance, make sure to scan the same Disneyland Resort admission ticket or Annual Passport you used to obtain the FASTPASS entitlement.
- Enjoy the attraction with a minimal wait.
Under the system, guests only have the ability to book one FASTPASS at a time. As soon as you’ve used up your FASTPASS you can head to the distribution center for another ride to get your second FASTPASS. There are only a few exceptions to this FastPass tickets for Fantasmic! and World of Color can be picked up in addition rides and attractions listed above. Because they are evening performances holding a FASTPASS for one of these attractions will not prevent you from using others throughout the day.
MaxPass at Disneyland Resort – Paid for FASTPASS Option
- Link your tickets with the MaxPass option to your Disney account.
- After entering Disneyland Park or Disney California Adventure Park, tap “Get FASTPASS” to make your FASTPASS selections (availability is limited and not guaranteed). You may make FASTPASS selections only for the tickets in your Disney account that have the Disney MaxPass feature.
- When it’s time to enjoy the attraction, head to the FASTPASS Return entrance and hold your mobile device up to the scanner so it can read your Disney FASTPASS redemption code.
If your plans change, no problem. You can easily cancel or change your selection on the My Plans screen (based on availability). Similar to the paper FASTPASS system, guests can only book one FASTPASS at a time. A soon as your existing FASTPASS has been scanned you can get on your mobile phone to book another.
The fee to use MaxPass is $10 per person per day and it also includes unlimited PhotoPass downloads of photos taken by Disneyland’s amazing team of photographers while you’re at the parks. World of Color and Fantasmic! FASTPASSES must still be obtained using the old system.
For more information on Disneyland’s MaxPass system check out this article.
We here at MickeyBlog hope that we’ve given you a better understanding of FastPasses and how they can be added to your Disney stay. Do not hesitate to reach out to mroden@mickeytravels.com with any additional questions!
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