There’s a lot of planning that goes into a Walt Disney World vacation these days – and thanks to technology – it’s all online and easier than ever! Researching places to stay, places to eat, and Park rides and attractions can be done entirely online, your trip can be booked online, and then you can make dining reservations online too! In addition to making ADR’s ahead of time, you can also plan out your fastpasses before you even arrive at the Park! No Fastpass kiosk or tickets needed – it will all be loaded onto your Magic Band (along with your room key, ticket information, dining reservations, and credit card info)

So if you’re deep in that “planning” stage, and you can’t decide which rides to use your precious Fastpass+ selections on…fear not! I’m here to help, with my top five picks for rides you NEED a fastpass for:

• Test Track: Located in Epcot and sponsored by General Motors, there are 3 parts to this experience. First, you enter the pre-show area where you “design” your test vehicle (this part is newer and was added when the ride was redone in 2012), and then you board your test vehicle and take it through a track where it goes through tests for: capability, efficiency, responsiveness, and power. You get to see how well your car fares against varying weather conditions, and (my favorite part!) how well it does on the speed test! After the test, you exit into a Chevrolet showroom of current and concept vehicles – and true to Disney standards, it’s also a gift shop, where you can even buy a car! This has always been a popular ride, but ever since the refurbishment, it has become even MORE popular with waits stretching beyond the 120 minute mark on busy days – which is why I have deemed it a Fastpass MUST (especially for all car enthusiasts – which I have a few of in my family)
• Seven Dwarfs Mine Train: Magic Kingdom’s newest attraction opened less than a year ago in May 2014, and it’s newness is the main reason I would make sure I reserved my Fastpass for this one. Another reason is that I LOVE roller coasters, and this one is unique – it uses new technology to make you feel the tilting and swaying that would occur in a real mine cart. The queue is interactive too – with games and fun things to see. It’s more of a “family” themed roller coaster, and for that reason it has been EXTREMEMLY popular – and if you don’t want to risk the long Standby line, Fastpass is the way to go!
• Toy Story Midway Mania: This Hollywood Studios attraction is based on old time carnival games, where the story is that Andy gets a new carnival play set for his birthday, and as soon as he leaves his room for dinner, his toys decide to give the games a go! A pie throw, egg throw, darts, basketball throw, ring toss, and shooting games are the current features here, and you experience them while wearing 3D glasses and riding on spinning vehicles. This is a WILDLY popular ride for kids (and really, for adults too!) and the wait at any given time is over an hour and I have seen it stretch way beyond that – so if you’re looking for a ride the whole family can enjoy – I suggest you book a fastpass and head to the carnival!
• Peter Pan’s Flight: This one is a classic – one of my personal favorites, and I am obviously not alone, as the wait time is often 90 minutes or more! When it’s your turn to take flight, you board a “pirate ship” that flies over Peter Pan and his adventures in Neverland. The ride takes place mostly in the dark, which I love because it really is like you’re being transported to a new, wondrous place! Mermaid Lagoon, Hook’s ship, Wendy walking the plank, Pan battling Hook – you see all that and more throughout your adventures. Like I said – it’s classic, and little ones may not understand the story or theming, but getting to “fly” in the ship and see all the different scenes is something those of all ages can enjoy
• Space Mountain: Another “classic” ride – it’s actually Florida’s oldest operating roller coaster, as it’s been open since January 1975 (40 years wow!). As the name suggests, it’s a space-themed ride, where you board a spaceship and “blast off” into outer space! It’s a fast ride with lots of turns and drops in the dark – where you can see the stars, asteroids, and other rockets, with a soundtrack of “space like” sounds (as well as other passengers screams – mostly of delight). It was Magic Kingdom’s first “thrill” ride – and it continues to thrill and excite to this day, where the wait can span anywhere from 30 to over 120 minutes. On Christmas Day, I saw the wait time for Space Mountain was – no joke – 180 minutes, and while that may seem like a lie – it’s not. Trust me – you’ll want to fastpass this one FOR SURE

My “Must Fastpass” Picks are based mostly on the average wait times I have seen/experienced at the Parks, so your top choices may vary – but at least this gives you a place to start in planning out your Fastpass+ picks.

Here’s hoping that you can use my recommendations to help avoid some really long wait times next time you’re at Disney World!