Choosing Fast Passes: Which To Grab, Which To Skip

There are tons of rides in the Disneyland Resort that offer fast pass, and having so many choices can be daunting to newer park visitors. If you can’t grab every available fast pass during your visit, which are the best ones to go for? The following is a guide to which fast passes I find most useful, and which ones to skip if you’re prioritizing. Note: If you aren’t already familiar with the fast pass system, see my how-to post here.

DISNEYLAND

Priority

1. Space Mountain – This roller coaster is by far the busiest ride in the park, and the line is almost always massive. If you’re planning on visiting Space Mountain during your trip, this fast pass is a must.
2. Star Tours – The line for Star Tours is very slow-moving, and wait times build continuously as the day wears on. The fast pass line still snakes through the space port room, so you’ll be able to see C3PO and R2D2, but you’ll get to skip the long line.
3. Indiana Jones Adventure – Indy is a fan favorite among guests young and old, and the line tends to stay big from park open to close. This fast pass will help you skip all of the winding around in the jungle, and you’ll get to head straight into the temple.

If You Can

1. Big Thunder Mountain Railroad – Thunder Mountain’s line moves really fast, so it’s one of the most manageable roller coaster waits in the park. If you have the chance, grabbing a fast pass definitely cuts down on your wait time, but your wait likely won’t be too bad even if you can’t get one.
2. Haunted Mansion – If you’re visiting from Halloween to early January, you’ll definitely want a fast pass, since the Nightmare Before Christmas overlay is massively popular. But if you visit the rest of the year, the lines for the mansion tend to fluctuate and can be hard to predict. If the line for the mansion has been consistently busy all day, go for a fast pass, but if it’s been up and down, you may want to just wait until the line dies down again.
3. Roger Rabbit’s Car Toon Spin – Roger Rabbit’s line moves painfully slow, and it winds and winds and winds. Right when you think you’re at the loading area, you turn around another corner and the wait just keeps going. If you can get a fast pass for this one, you’ll save yourself a little frustration. Even so, fans of the film will get a kick out of the waiting area corridors; each is packed to the brim with references to the movie and toon gags.
4. Splash Mountain – Wait times for Splash Mountain depend heavily on the season and the time of day. Warm weather, sun is out? Forget it. Colder weather, first thing in the morning, or after dark? You’ll walk right up to the loading area. If you do want to ride during peak times, you’ll definitely want a fast pass. Otherwise, just come back later and you probably won’t need one.
5. Autopia – Like Splash Mountain, Autopia’s wait times vary dramatically. On summer days, the line will be out of control, and you’ll want a fast pass. But I list this ride under “If You Can” because more often than not you can swing by later and find a more manageable wait.

Skip

• Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters – Unless you are visiting the resort when it is insanely crowded (in which case every wait time is going to be terrible), you do not need a fast pass for the Astro Blasters. The line moves really fast, and most of it is outside the building, so lines always look more intimidating than they really are. Save your fast passes for the bigger coasters, and wait in the standby line to see Buzz.

CALIFORNIA ADVENTURE

Priority

1. World of Color – If you want even a remotely decent view of the World of Color show, you’ll need a fast pass. Bear in mind that this fast pass is disconnected from the fast pass system, meaning you can hold onto this one and still grab others without having to wait for it to expire!
2. The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror – This ride is always packed, and if you’re petrified like I am, you’ll want to get on and off as quickly as humanly possible. Grab a fast pass to skip the line that weaves through the abandoned gardens and hotel foyer, and head right into the library and onto your ill-fated elevator ride.
3. Soarin’ Around the World – Lines for Soarin’ tend to be less overwhelming than the coasters in California Adventure, but the line moves unbearably slow. The front room has a wall packed with photos and plaques recounting a brief history of aviation, but the other rooms have absolutely nothing to look at. Fast pass will get you flying through the skies much faster than the standby line.
4. For The First Time In Forever: A Frozen Sing-Along Celebration – With the exception of very quiet park days, most showings require fast pass for admission. If you want to see this show, you’ll need to get a fast pass ahead of time.

If You Can

1. Grizzly River Run – Like Splash Mountain, this ride fluctuates dramatically depending on weather and daylight. If you’re visiting on a busy day, a fast pass might be a good idea. Otherwise, come back later and the line will probably be much shorter. Note: If you are staying at the Grand Californian, Grizzly might be a good first stop of the day. You can ride, go back and change into dry clothes, and then continue onto your day in California Adventure. For similar reasons, it also makes a great last ride of the day!
2. Radiator Springs Racers – This is by far the most difficult fast pass to grab. At park opening, the line for this fast pass often extends all the way to Carthay Circle, so you’ll waste at least 30-45 minutes of your day before you even start waiting for the actual ride. I recommend foregoing this fast pass all together and going straight for the single rider line. The photo never comes out great on this ride, so splitting up your group won’t be a missed opportunity for a souvenir.
3. California Screamin’ – Screamin’ is the most unpredictable line out of all the coasters. Sometimes on crowded days, it’s no big deal. Conversely, it can be an hour on fairly open days. Check the line for Screamin’ if you’re in the area. If it looks bad, you can grab a fast pass or come back later. Either way, you’ll most likely be good to go.

Skip

1. Goofy’s Sky School – This is, without question, the absolute worst use of a fast pass in the resort. If the line is long enough that you’d need one, it is not worth the wait. Typically lines for this coaster don’t exceed 30 minutes, so if you see a longer wait, come back later and save your fast passes for other rides.