Before diving into Fast Pass options and ride heights you first need to understand a few things about how Fast Pass+ works and options available for families with smaller children, who don’t meet the height requirements of some rides.
Fast Pass+
Fast Pass day often causes stress for many guests. Don’t let it! It’s simply a tool to maximize your time in the park.
It does NOT mean you won’t get to ride the attractions you don’t have Fast Passes for!
In fact, if you aren’t able to get a Fast Pass for one of the suggested attractions, just plan to ride that attraction early in the day and then use your Fast Passes. You can use my park touring plans to help guide your day.
Fast Pass is not available at Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon or Blizzard Beach water parks.
How it Works
More on how to set up and use Fast Pass at Disney World here.
Note: Fast Passes can be selected at 7 am EST 60 days prior to arrival for all guests staying on property (at a Disney Resort) and 30 days prior to arrival for guests staying off property. If you are staying off property you’ll have to log in and make Fast Pass selections for each day at 30 days prior whereas if you’re staying on property you can log in 60 days prior to arrival and choose Fast Passes for the entire duration of your vacation.
Rider Swap
Rider Swap gives parents and other members of the traveling party the opportunity to ride any attraction their child can not, or does not want to ride.
How it Works
- All guests will approach the ride entrance and let the Cast Member know they would like to use rider swap.
- Group one will get in line for the attraction and group twos Magic Bands will be scanned by the Cast Member to add a rider swap pass to their account.
- Rider swap passes work for up to four people, (works like a Fast Pass) and is used for re-entry into the Fast Pass line, after group one returns. You can see the addition of the rider swap in your My Disney Experience account.
- Group two is free to do something else in the area until group one returns.
- After group one has completed the ride, group two can scan their Magic Bands at the Fast Pass entry touchpoint to ride the attraction. Group two has up to one hour to use their pass. You can arrive up to 10 minutes late just like a Fast Pass.
- Attractions with a ride height requirement have the rider swap option.
There are a couple of things I really love about this!
- Both parents get to experience the attraction with their children.
- This eliminates parents from missing some really great attractions when traveling with younger children. Disney is for adults too!
So, if you’re considering skipping the big kid rides because your kids are small, I’d reconsider and use rider swap to help make this your Disney Vacation too!
Touring Plans
Touring plans are a great way for guests unfamiliar with Disney Parks to have a plan in place so that they’re able to easily move through the parks. It will also help to keep you on track and get more attractions covered in a day.
Use touring plans as a guide, not something to cause you additional stress. Park crowds and selected Fast Passes impact how quickly you can cover a park. If there’s something you’re not interested in riding on the touring plan, skip it and move to the next ride.
Magic Kingdom Touring Plan
Epcot – Touring Plan
Epcot Festival Touring Plans
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Epcot Festival of the Arts Guide and Touring Plan
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Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival Guide and Touring Plan
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Epcot International Food and Wine Festival Guide and Touring Plan
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Epcot International Festival of the Holidays
Hollywood Studios – Coming soon
Animal Kingdom – Coming soon
Ride Heights and Fast Pass Tiers by park
Magic Kingdom
Magic Kingdom does not have any Fast Pass tiers, meaning you can choose your three preferred Fast Passes from all of the rides that offer them.
Main Street, U.S.A
- Meet Mickey Mouse at Town Square Theater
- Meet Tinker Bell at Town Square Theater
Tomorrowland
- Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin
- Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor
- Space Mountain – 44″
- Tomorrowland Speedway – 32″
Fantasyland
- Mad Tea Party
- The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
- Seven Dwarfs Mine Train – 38″
- Mickeys PhilharMagic
- Peter Pan’s Flight
- it’s a small world
- The Barnstormer – 35″
- Dumbo the Flying Elephant
- Enchanted Tales with Belle
- Meet Ariel at Her Grotto
- Under the Sea ~ Journey of The Little Mermaid
- Meet Cinderella and Elena at Princess Fairytale Hall
- Meet Rapunzel and Tiana at Princess Fairytale Hall
Liberty Square
- Haunted Mansion
Frontierland
- Big Thunder Mountian Railroad – 40″
- Splash Mountain – 40″
Adventureland
- Pirates of the Caribbean
- Jungle Cruise
- The Magic Carpets of Aladdin
Suggested Fast Passes:
Ride Lovers:
- Seven Dwarfs Mine Train – 38″
- Space Mountian – 44″
- Splash Mountain – 40″
- Big Thunder Mountian – 40″
If the above rides are not available choose:
- Pirates of the Caribbean
- Haunted Mansion
Families with Small Children:
- Peter Pan’s Flight
- Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin
- Seven Dwarfs Mine Train – 38″ (great first coaster)
- Goofy’s Barnstormer (great first coaster)
- Meet Mickey Mouse if children are not tall enough for the roller coasters above.
Epcot
Epcot uses a tiered Fast Pass system. This means that some attractions, typically the most desired ones, are put in the Tier One section so that guests are only able to get one from that tier. Fast Pass two and three will be chosen from Tier Two. This helps to distribute the Fast Passes for the most popular attractions more evenly.
Tier One
*Guests are only able to choose one Fast Pass from the tier one category. Fast Pass selections two and three must be chosen from tier two.
- Frozen Ever After
- Soarin’ Around the World – 40″
- Test Track – 40″
- Epcot Forever – Reserved Fireworks Viewing
Tier Two
- Disney and Pixar Short Film Festival
- Journey Into Imagination With Figment
- Living with the Land
- The Seas with Nemo & Friends
- Spaceship Earth
- Turtle Talk With Crush
- Mission: SPACE – 44″
Suggested Fast Passes:
Ride Lovers:
Tier One:
- Test Track or
- Soarin’
Tier Two:
- Spaceship Earth
- Mission Space
- The Seas with Nemo and Friends
- Living with the Land
Families with Small Children:
Tier One:
- Frozen Ever After
Tier Two:
- Spaceship Earth
- The Seas with Nemo and Friends
- Living with the Land
Hollywood Studios
*Guests are only able to choose one Fast Pass from the tier one category. Fast Pass selections two and three must be chosen from tier two.
Fast Pass is not currently available for Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance
Beginning February 19th guests visiting Hollywood Studios can use the new tiers below to choose their Fast Passes. This is a definite improvement!
Tier One
- Slinky Dog Dash – 38″
- “Millenium Falcon – 38”
- Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway
Tier Two
- Beauty and the Beast – Live on Stage
- Disney Junior Dance Party!
- Fantasmic!
- For the First Time in Forever: A Frozen Sing-Along Celebration
- Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular!
- Muppet*Vision 3D
- Voyage of The Little Mermaid
- Toy Story Midway Mania!
- The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror – 40″
- Star Tours – The Adventure Continues – 40
- Alien Swirling Saucers
- Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith – 48″
Suggested Fast Passes:
Ride Lovers:
Tier One
- Slinky Dog Dash – 38″ – priority
- Millennium Falcon – 38″
Tier Two
- Tower of Terror – 40″
- Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith – 48″
- or Star Tours – The Adventure Continues if the above is not available
Families with Small Children:
Tier One
- Slinky Dog Dash – 38″
Tier Two
- Toy Story Mania!
- Alien Swirling Saucers
- or For the First Time in Forever: A Frozen Sing-Along Celebration
Animal Kingdom
*Guests are only able to choose one Fast Pass from the tier one category. Fast Pass selections two and three must be chosen from tier two.
Tier One
Avatar Flight of Passage – 44″
Na’vi River Journey
Tier Two
Dinosaur – 40″
Primeval Whirl – 48″
Expedition Everest- Legend of the Forbidden Mountian – 44″
Festival of the Lion King
Finding Nemo – The Musical
It’s Tough to be a Bug!
Kali River Rapids
Kilimanjaro Safaris
Meet Favorite Disney Pals at Adventurers Outpost
Rivers of Light: We Are One – preferred seating
Up! A Great Bird Adventure
The Animation Experience at Conservation Station
Suggested Fast Passes:
Ride Lovers:
Tier One
- Avatar Flight of Passage – 44″
Tier Two
- Kilimanjaro Safaris
- Expedition Everest- Legend of the Forbidden Mountian – 44″
- Dinosaur
- Kali River Rapids
Families with Small Children:
Tier One
- Na’vi River Journey
Tier Two
- Kilimanjaro Safaris
- Festival of the Lion King
- Finding Nemo – The Musical
- The Animation Experience at Conservation Station
And truly, the best way to plan your Disney vacation is to let someone else do it for you!
Need more help, please reach out! You can find me on Instagram and Facebook. Or email me at Jamie@LOTMV.com
