We will soon see if FastPass+ will affect the Standby LineUpdate: Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway will be a Tier One attraction!
It was recently announced that Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run will start accepting FastPass+ on February 19. That is not the only change coming to the FastPass+ tiers at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Starting on that date, Tier One will consist of two rides. Slinky Dog Dash will join Smugglers Run. The rest of the rides and attractions that offer FastPass+ will be Tier Two. This will solve a problem that has been a major complaint lately, that the only actual ride in Tier Two is Star Tours. On February 19, that will no longer be the case.
With FastPass+ you can make one advance selection from Tier One and two from Tier Two. If you are staying at Walt Disney World you can make your selections 60 days in advance. For the rest of us, it is 30. They all need to be in the same park. You can change your selections, depending on what is available. The most popular rides will fill up at the 60 day mark. On the day in question, you can make more FastPass+ reservations after you have used the first three.
The big question right now is what will happen once Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway opens on March 4. From what I’ve been told, there are no immediate plans to use FastPass+ on the new ride, but that could easily change. There is a FastPass+ entrance, but that does not mean that it will be used right away.
I also don’t know how Rise of the Resistance in Galaxy’s Edge will eventually figure into the equation. Some guests have reportedly received a survey that asks about Boarding Groups, FastPass+, and a Standby Line. It sounds like Disney is trying to figure out what will work the best down the road.
If I had to choose between grabbing FastPass+ for either Slinky Dog Dash or Smugglers Run, I honestly would pick Slinky. There are two reasons for this. First, Smugglers Run has the superior queue, and a good part of it is in the shade. Second, Smugglers Run has a Single Rider line. If you just want the experience (and don’t care if you’re an Engineer) then Single Rider will get you through a lot faster.
For reference, the current FastPass+ groups at Disney’s Hollywood Studios are as follows:
Tier One (choose one):
Alien Swirling Saucers
Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster
Slinky Dog Dash
Tower of Terror
Toy Story Mania
Tier Two (choose two):
Beauty and the Beast
Disney Junior Dance Party
Fantasmic!
For the First Time in Forever
Indiana Jones
Muppet*Vision 3D
Star Tours
Voyage of the Little Mermaid
Starting on February 19, the new tiers are:
Tier One (choose one):
Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run
Slinky Dog Dash
Tier Two (choose two – changes are on the top):
Alien Swirling Saucers
Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster
Tower of Terror
Toy Story Mania
Beauty and the Beast
Disney Junior Dance Party
Fantasmic!
For the First Time in Forever
Indiana Jones
Muppet*Vision 3D
Star Tours
Voyage of the Little Mermaid