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WHAT FIRST TIME VISITORS NEED TO KNOW ABOUT DISNEY WORLD’S FASTPASS+ PROGRAM

(See also Frequently Asked Questions about FastPass+.)

I’m gonna focus here on prioritizing your FastPass+ at each park.

(Note that if you are using one of my itineraries, this prioritization is already done for you.)

I’m assuming that you will still arrive at the parks early in the morning, well before opening.

Arriving plenty early means you can experience at least one more headliner with a low wait beyond what you can get on FastPass+.  Since you will be limited to 3 pre-booked FastPass+, this is a big deal. (You can add fourth and following FastPass+ one at a time in the parks once your first three are used.)

Picking your early morning target is tricky.  There’s two good ways to pick:

1. A ride with a really distinctive queue that you will largely miss if you go through the FastPass+ return line—for example, Test Track and Expedition Everest.
2. A ride you know you will want to see again, since you can only pre-book one FastPass+ per ride per day—more relevant to returning visitors who know what they want to repeat than for first timers.

So based on this, and on what’s being offered right now for FastPass+, here’s my suggestions by park:

FASTPASS+ AT EPCOT

Epcot: Plan to arrive early and see Test Track.  Target for FastPass+ first Soarin, then Mission: Space, and then Spaceship Earth.

FASTPASS+ AT DISNEY’S HOLLYWOOD STUDIOS

Disney’s Hollywood Studios: Plan to arrive early and see Rock N’ Roller Coaster. Have Toy Story Mania be your headliner FastPass+, and your next priorities Tower of Terror and the Frozen Sing-along.

FASTPASS+ AT DISNEY’S ANIMAL KINGDOM

Disney’s Animal Kingdom:  Plan to arrive early and see Expedition Everest.  Prioritize Kilimanjaro Safaris as your first FastPass+ selection, then Kali River Rapids and DINOSAUR.

FASTPASS+ AT THE MAGIC KINGDOM

Magic Kingdom: Much tougher, as there are many rides that build long lines quickly.

The ones to target are Anna and Elsa Meet n Greet, Big Thunder Mountain, Enchanted Tales with Belle, Peter Pan, Space Mountain, Splash Mountain, and the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train.

There’s enough there for two or three days’ worth of FastPass+ at the Magic Kingdom.

So here’s the thought for now:

• FastPass+ Priority Targets:  Anna and Elsa (lines can be too long even at open), the Mine Train Ride (same reason), Splash Mountain (you don’t want to get wet at open)
• Park opening first ride (without FastPass+) targets: Space Mountain, Peter Pan, Big Thunder Mountain
• Other possible priorities: Buzz Lightyear, Pirates of the Caribbean, and the Haunted Mansion

There’s many ways to do this. Here’s one approach:

• Day 1 at the Magic Kingdom: Plan Peter Pan at open, then FastPass+ Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, Big Thunder Mountain, Splash Mountain
• Day 2 at the Magic Kingdom: Plan to repeat the favorite from Day 1 at open, then FastPass+ Space Mountain, Buzz Lightyear, and Enchanted Tales with Belle
• If you have a third day at Magic Kingdom with a morning, then plan to save the first ride for a repeat of a favorite, then book as FastPass+ repeat visits to Space Mountain, Splash Mountain and Peter Pan—almost everyone’s list of Magic Kingdom favorites includes at least two of these three…

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For the first page of this review of Disney’s Art of Animation Resort, see this.

THE LION KING FAMILY SUITES AT DISNEY’S ART OF ANIMATION RESORT

(Note: this photo-tour of a Lion King Family Suite at Disney’s Art of Animation Resort is a supplement to the full photo tour of a Finding Nemo Family Suites that’s here. At that link you’ll find a floor plan, and also much more detail on such items as bed dimensions, actual storage space, etc.)

The three types of Family Suites at Disney’s Art of Animation Resort–Lion King, viewed here, Finding Nemo, and Cars–have almost identical floor plans, varying only here and there in minor furnishings.

A refurb currently in process is shifting the floors to wood laminate, and the queen bed in the separate bedroom to a platform bed–which adds storage underneath. I’ll have updated images later in 2020.

When you enter the Lion King suite, as in the other Art of Animation Family Suites, you’ll be in the dining room, with a bath on either side. Further in the room on one side behind a door is the master bedroom and bath, and on the other side you’ll find the living room and mini kitchen.

The table and chairs are a distinctive feature in themselves…

…and even more so because a bed folds down from the wall, “disappearing” the table.

Note the darling sleepy lion at the head of the bed–a larger image is at the top of the page..

Beyond the dining area through a door you’ll find the master bedroom, with a queen bed on one side…

…and a TV, dresser, iron and ironing board, safe, and one of the two hanging spaces in the suite on the other.

One of the two baths in the suite is accessible only from the master bedroom. This bath has a large shower, but no tub (there is a tub/shower combo in the second bath).

The shower has lovely sun detailing on the shower wall. When I stayed in this room, it was 97 degrees outside, and I still liked this artwork!

On the other side of the suite there’s another bath–this one divided, with a sink in one space…

…and a toilet and tub/shower in the other, with a reprise of the lovely sun art.

The shower curtain is very cute.

Deeper into the space you’ll find the living room, with a mini-kitchen, small couch, and two little tables that can also serve as seats (including at the dining table) on one side…

…and on the other, a charming wart-hoggy seat, and a TV/dresser/hanging space similar to what you find in the master bedroom, but with one more drawer.

The couch pulls out into a bed.

The mini-kitchen includes a coffee maker and supplies, a microwave, sink, and some basic utensils.

Here’s a close-up of the fridge with a scaling object.

And the mini-kitchen also illustrates the only complaint one could have about these rooms–the clash of colors and textures.

Note the multi-colored rug on the right, the multi-colored brown wood on the left of the lower cabinet, and the multicolored green trim around the microwave.

To my eyes–and to some others–this is at least one too many different color/texture schemes.  But others–like my younger son–just love the “jungle” feel and reminiscences of the movie itself that these colors and textures inspire!

PHOTO TOUR OF A CARS FAMILY SUITE AT DISNEY’S ART OF ANIMATION RESORT

This review continues here.

MATERIAL IN THIS REVIEW OF DISNEY’S ART OF ANIMATION RESORT

• Overview of Disney’s Art of Animation Resort
• The Little Mermaid Area and Rooms
• Photo Tour of a Little Mermaid Room
• Overview of the Family Suites Areas
• Accommodations in the Family Suites
• Photo Tour of a Finding Nemo Family Suite (plus bed dimensions, storage, etc)
• Photo Tour of a Lion King Family Suite
• Photo Tour of a Cars Family Suite
• Amenities at Disney’s Art of Animation Resort
• The Pools at Disney’s Art of Animation Resort

OTHER KEY PAGES FOR WHERE TO STAY AT DISNEY WORLD

• Where to stay–the Basics
• Where first-timers should stay
• Reviews of all the Disney World resorts, based on my 150+ stays in them

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While this site is known for lots of positive things, there’s also some negatives–among others, leaden prose and out-of-focus images come to mind.

The leaden prose we are kinda stuck with. While I have tried to spark things up (my bus work is highly respected in the right circles), lead seems to run in my veins…

The weaker images, though, are subject to improvement.  While the biggest issue with my photos is the fool behind the view-finder, better tools do help here.

Up until now, 99% all the images on this site have been from my iPhone.  But while the phone is always with me and great for well-lit outdoor shots, it has (or I have, while using it) major issues with control over dynamic range, depth of field, and point of focus.

This has been particularly a problem for my photo-reviews of the rooms in the Walt Disney World resort, which too often turn out with only a narrow part of the room in focus, and real light problems.

So since I’d be shooting five rooms in six nights as part of the resort hop of early August, I went looking for a new camera.  It had to be fully controllable (especially f-stops) while fitting in my pocket.

After doing tons of research (that is, I read two pages on Tom Bricker‘s site–this and  this) I picked the Sony DSC-RX100–the best camera ever made that can sit, barely noticed, in your pocket.

I can now take rooms shots with much better depth of field.

Compare the photo above, taken with my phone in a standard room in Samoa in May for my updated review of Disney’s Polynesian Resort, with the photo below of a larger room in Tokelau from last week. (For additional punishment, click any photos to enlarge them.)

The second photo is more in focus across the full length of the room, and also, with the RX100’s better dynamic range and heightened control, the room lights aren’t blowing out the sensor–I could even include sunlight!

A common problem I’ve had in baths with the phone is having it pick a mirror or shower reflection to focus on.

This has led to comically bad shots like the above, of the master bath in the Finding Nemo suites from my review of the Family Suites at Disney’s Art of Animation Resort after my visit last summer.

Above is a shot of a similar space from the new camera from my visit last week to the Cars Family Suites. Focus at last!

The better level of and control over dynamic range also means better evening and dark ride shots.

The iPhone was pretty flummoxed by fireworks shots–see the image of Illuminations above–the best of hundreds of lousy such shots from my phone.

With the Sony, I’ll be able to get great night shots.  See the Illuminations shot from it above–not a great composition, but a hint at what I’ll be able to get eventually. See also the Cars shot at the top of the page for more of what I can now do in the evening.

Now, all evidence on this site to the contrary, I’m not the worst photographer in the world.  For years I had a darkroom, developed my own film, and printed my own photos–some of which have been published (though not recently enough for me to be able to link to them).

I also can tell a great composition when it slaps me in the eye. The shot of Tigger and a child on the right (from the RX100) would have been wonderful if I’d had 6 more inches of the kid on the right side to balance out Tigger on the left.

So with those core skills and a great new tool, my hope is that the photographs on this site improve sharply, from the third to the second-rate!

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DISNEY WORLD NEXT WEEK: AUGUST 17, 2013 TO AUGUST 25, 2013

The material below details operating hours, Extra Magic Hours, parades, and fireworks.

The same stuff is in the table, but organized by park, not by topic.

(And for more on August 2103 at Walt Disney World, see this.)

[Read more →]

OVERVIEW: MARCH 2014 AT DISNEY WORLD

This page reviews March 2014 Walt Disney World crowds, prices, deals and discounts, weather, and operating hours; adds a few other notes; and ends with week by week summaries.

The first week of March 2014 will see low crowds and moderate prices. After then, the spring break crowds pour in to Disney World and prices jump up.

[Read more →]

DISNEY WORLD SPRING BREAK CROWDS FROM FEBRUARY THROUGH APRIL 2014

DISNEY WORLD SPRING BREAK CROWDS: THE PRINCIPLES

Walt Disney World Spring Break crowds are governed by two and a quarter factors:

• Public school Spring Break calendars, which are still largely framed around Easter
• The demand of snow-belters for a break from winter weather, which peaks in March, and
• The quarter factor, the date of President’s day.  Later President’s Days (which can range from February 15 to February 21) tend to make the first part of March better

An early Easter combines the first two factors, making for more than the usual horrible crowds in March but a great April; a late Easter spreads the first two factors out, yielding some good early March and early April weeks.

Easter 2014, on April 20, is very late in the possible range. President’s Day 2014, on February 17th, is in the middle of its possible range.

As a result, 2014 Spring Break crowds at Walt Disney World will be

• Fine the last week of February and the first week of March,
• Very rough the weeks beginning March 8, 15, and 22
• Better the week beginning March 29
• Fine the week beginning April 5,
• Horrible the week of April 12 
• Bad, but not horrible, the week beginning April 19
• ..and back to fine the week beginning April 26

2014 PUBLIC SCHOOL SPRING BREAKS AND THEIR EFFECTS ON WALT DISNEY WORLD CROWDS [Read more →]