When it comes to making your Walt Disney World FastPass+ selections, strategy is everything. Like some of the attractions at Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom, a handful of your FastPass+ choices at Epcot will be available on a tiered basis; that is, you can’t simultaneously secure a FastPass for the park’s three headliners: Soarin’, Test Track, and Frozen Ever After. Instead, you’ll be able to choose a time slot for just one of the major attractions, and then fill out the rest of your day with other not-quite-as-popular rides.
It’s always a good idea to secure your FastPass+ slots well in advance for the park’s headliners, along with other popular rides like Mission: SPACE and Spaceship Earth, or experiences that could generate long lines on busy days, like posing for pictures with your favorite Disney pals at the Epcot Character Spot.
But when it comes to using your FastPass+ reservations wisely, here are a few attractions that you don’t have to worry about booking in advance.
5. Living with the Land
A boat ride through the working greenhouses of the Land pavilion, Living with the Land is a slow-moving attraction that doesn’t typically attract a lot of interest from park-goers. I’ve rarely seen anything longer than a 5-minute wait for this attraction, even on the busiest of summer afternoons; in fact, every time I’ve ridden Living with the Land, I’ve walked right on.
While it can be interesting to learn about agriculture—and it can provide a much-needed chance to sit indoors after a long day on your feet in the hot Florida sun— there is definitely no need to FastPass this attraction because you will likely never encounter a long line (or any line, for that matter). Plus, Living with the Land is included in your “Tier 1” choices along with Test Track and Soarin’, which really makes this decision a no-brainer.
4. Journey into Imagination with Figment
This Imagination! pavilion attraction features a zany purple dragon and a ride through the Imagination Institute’s sensory labs, where you’ll learn about the five senses. It’s somewhat dated and never drew more than a 5- or 10-minute wait, but the fact that it’s included as part of the FastPass+ system seems to have slightly increased the average wait time as of late.
Still, the ride loads fairly quickly and the line will rarely get out of hand, so there’s no need to worry about lining up a FastPass to spend some time with Figment.
3. Turtle Talk with Crush
The line for this interactive attraction isn’t your traditional “first-come, first-served” kind of queue. A few minutes before the doors open, everyone lingers in a holding area outside of the theater—so showing up just a few minutes prior to the next show and making your way towards the front is all you need to secure a seat to see the 153-year-old surfer turtle interact with the audience.
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Although I personally love this attraction—watching Crush interact with the audience in real-time and wondering how it’s done never gets old!—you probably shouldn’t waste a FastPass on this one unless there are no other choices available.
2. The Seas with Nemo and Friends
Much like the Little Mermaid attraction at the Magic Kingdom, The Seas with Nemo and Friends features a constant-moving line of “Clam-Mobiles” that take you on a journey into the depths of the ocean with everyone’s favorite clownfish and his friends.
Because of its fast loading speed, I’ve personally never seen more than a 15-minute wait posted even at peak times. Honestly, it usually takes more time just to maneuver your way through the long and winding queue area than it does to wait for your turn to ride. You probably won’t be saving yourself any time in line by reserving a FastPass for this attraction.
1. IlluminNations: Reflections of Earth
By booking a FastPass for Epcot’s popular nighttime spectacular on the lagoon, you will be granted VIP access to a prime roped-off viewing location: the area in the Showcase Plaza between the two main World Showcase gift shops. But since IlluminNations is one of the “Tier 1” choices you’ll have to make with Test Track, Soarin’, and Frozen Ever After, most people will opt to secure their seat for one of the park’s headliner attractions.
From a strategic standpoint, booking a FastPass for IlluminNations will also mean forfeiting your opportunity to secure any additional FastPasses throughout the day, as all three of your choices must be used before you can secure another FastPass. There are plenty of excellent viewing locations for the show, and even though you may have to stake out your square-foot of pavement by the lagoon early on busy nights, you can certainly experience the show without a FastPass.