Walt Disney World's Fastpass+ system is not the most intuitive system. Rather than stress about it, most people just set their three per day and never give them much thought after that. Truth is, you can be missing out on serious time savings if you're not giving your Fastpasses proper attention after you've set them. Here are three quick tips for effective Fastpass+ management. Interested in more about Fastpass+? Check out our full post on Fastpass strategy!
1. Take Care of Fastpasses Before Your Trip
Don't forget about your Fastpass+ reservations once you've set them unless they're perfect. If there's a ride you just couldn't get at the right time, make a note of it. Then, once a week, once a month, or every day when you need your fix, log in and see if the spot you wanted has opened up. Plenty of people are going to be changing their reservations as they develop their plans, so spots will open up, you've just got to check.
Keep your eyes open and that Tower of Terror slot you wanted might just open up.
2. Update or Even Cancel Your Fastpasses Once Your Trip Starts
So you get to Hollywood Studios at rope drop and hop on Rockin' Roller Coaster and Toy Story to start (no FP+ needed). Your first FP+ is in a few hours for Star Tours but the wait on Star Tours is only at 15 minutes now. This is the perfect time to get on Star Tours and see about changing that later FP+ to something better. Or, you might even wind up wanting to cancel it because...
3. Get Rollin' Once Your First Three Fastpasses Are Gone
You can only get new fastpasses once your first three are used (or cancelled, or just never set). Each park besides Magic Kingdom is limited enough that you might be able to squeeze in everything good by combining rope drop with fewer than all 3 fastpasses. Don't just keep those extra fastpasses for kicks if you're going to park hop. You might find good availability at another park if you cancel ones you don't need. Regardless of whether you use or cancel them, once your initial picks are gone, it is time to "roll," as I say.
This hack is simple enough. You can either just open up the MyDisneyExperience app and look for attractions that appeal to you and pick the earliest one, or you can take a more targeted approach. Find a ride you want to go on, note the wait, and see if you can get a sooner fastpass. Especially late at night, you'll find lots of chances to do this. Then, once you're in line at the new ride, start finding your next fastpass. You can easily get an extra 3+ fastpasses by picking rides with quick fastpasses available.