Ultimate FastPass for 1-day visit?

mousehouse23

Mouseketeer
Joined
Sep 4, 2016
Hi everyone,

Our family of four is visiting Europe this summer, and as huge Disney fans, we're setting aside a day for DLP. We'll be staying offsite and visiting both parks on July 4th, a Thursday. (I looked it up and French students don't get out of school until the 6th.)

I'm torn about whether or not to purchase the one-time Ultimate FastPass along with our family's tickets. This vacation is already very expensive, so I'm balking at shelling out another $450 for this option, and yet I don't want our one day at Disneyland Paris to be all about lines and anxiety. We have been to Disneyland, so we're familiar with drawing paper FastPasses.

I'm not expecting us to ride everything, but do you think we'd still have a mostly successful day if we don't purchase the Ultimate FastPass? And would you recommend starting in the Studios, as most one-day itineraries map out?

Thanks so much for any advice you can offer!
 
Hi we are from u k so have been to Disney Paris often and d v c so visit Florida too
If you can afford it Defo get the fastpass the queues at Paris are very long like 1-2 hours for it's a small world is normal !!! and you Defo won't do Paris in one day without !! We have a disabled person in our party so get a disabled pass and we were there in December for 6 days and still did not quite do every ride
I'd do the studios first there are some fab rides that aren't at Florida. ratatouille that is awesome and will be there soon
And crush are fab
Hope this is helpful
 
Of course you can have a successful day with only paper FP and one day and staying off site. You are going during the week and schools are still in session. You are not in the most perfect position, but you are definitely not in bad position. With one day visits on a once-in-a-lifetime trip, I would recommend a paid FP, but if it's not in the budget then it's not in the budget.

You have to prioritize, and if you are used to other Disney parks, you don't have to feel too bad about not buying a FP. There are not that many FP anyway ;-)
Peter Pan & Buzz Lightyear are almost identical, can be skipped if your time is limited.
Tower of Terror is identical to Disneyland Anaheim, except for the layover of Guardians of the Galaxy. Could be skipped as well.
Ratatouille and Space Mountain have a single riders line (Space Mountain's single rider is sometimes closed).
Rock 'n Roller Coaster, Star Tours & Indiana Jones usually have FP available later in the day.

Conclusion: Your biggest priority is a FP for Big Thunder Mountain and the long lines for Crush' Coaster (also has a single rider, but not always open). And for both you could opt to either ride it right before closing or during parade time, if FP isn't available or the lines are too long.
 
Hi we are from u k so have been to Disney Paris often and d v c so visit Florida too
If you can afford it Defo get the fastpass the queues at Paris are very long like 1-2 hours for it's a small world is normal !!! and you Defo won't do Paris in one day without !! We have a disabled person in our party so get a disabled pass and we were there in December for 6 days and still did not quite do every ride
I'd do the studios first there are some fab rides that aren't at Florida. ratatouille that is awesome and will be there soon
And crush are fab
Hope this is helpful

1-2 hour lines for Small World is normal during your visits? May I ask when do you visit DLP in December?
It's now 6 o'clock in DLP, during Spring Break, right after the parade, and Small World only has a 5 minute wait. Your mileage may vary, of course, but I rarily see queues at Small World longer than 1 hour... 30 minutes is already rare.

@mousehouse23 I'd advise to download the app and a few days before arrival have a look at what to expect.
 


I’d say you could get maybe 8-10 rides done as well as the parade and fireworks if you make use of the normal fastpass system and have a plan. If you want to do everything then the paid fastpass might help, but even so not all of the rides have fastpass. Also I’d take your own food for lunch to save time or eat at weird hours as you’re likely to wait at least 30 mins for food in the counter service places.

1-2 hours for small world is definitely not normal! You’re looking at 60-90 mins for big thunder mountain, Peter Pan and crush’s coaster. 45-60 mins for space mountain, tower of terror, star tours. The rest of the rides will vary up to around 60 minutes, although first thing in the morning and last thing at night is much better.

You can have a lovely day without paying out more for fastpasses. Just depends whether you want to sample Disneyland or tick off every ride ‍♀️
 
Just to add some thinking, while I believe you can pretty much ride all the attractions of both parks in one day, the paid FP give you something nothing else: peace of mind, and the right to re-do the attractions you loved the most.

If your pockets are deep enough, by all means, I would suggest you to splurge and buy them.

Disclaimer: while we've never bought Ultimate FP, but we stayed in many Suite and Castle Club rooms, where we were given “free” VIP FP.
 
After thinking long and hard about this, I think we're going to forego the Ultimate FP and save our $450.

I think if we went and the park wasn't that busy, I'd be kicking myself all day for burning that kind of cash. I'm alright missing out on some of the rides we've done at WDW, like Peter Pan's Flight and Rock 'n' Roller Coaster. We'll just do what we can do with the paper FastPasses and be satisfied with the end result.

Thank you, everybody, for chiming in with your thoughts. I really do appreciate it!
 


Just some tips to maximize your paper FPS: remember that both parks are disconnected (you can hold one FP in each park), Indiana Jones is disconnected as well, and you can never return before posted time (no 5 minutes grace period like in DLR/WDW). Enjoy!
 
Just some tips to maximize your paper FPS: remember that both parks are disconnected (you can hold one FP in each park), Indiana Jones is disconnected as well, and you can never return before posted time (no 5 minutes grace period like in DLR/WDW). Enjoy!

This is fantastic, as I didn't know any of this. Thank you so much!
 
Yes, but they are fine if you arrive late! They only look at the start time.

While you are correct, end times are not enforced, I would not suggest anyone to actively “base” their FP strategy on it. This “perk” is actually useful when people in your party have FP with different return times, as only one of you need to have a start time that is actually in the past to allow anyone in.
 
Thank you for the great information and insights. We are heading to DLP in July and have 2 1/2 days.

Question - if we take advantage of EMH and regular FPs, will we be able to cover the must do's? We aren't big thrill riders, so mainly the family rides and Star Tours. Or should we do the Super Pass for Family?

Thank you!
 
Thank you for the great information and insights. We are heading to DLP in July and have 2 1/2 days.

Question - if we take advantage of EMH and regular FPs, will we be able to cover the must do's? We aren't big thrill riders, so mainly the family rides and Star Tours. Or should we do the Super Pass for Family?

Thank you!

With 2,5 days during the summer and staying onsite, I would do it. As the fastpassess are mainly for the big thrill rides, and only 2 family rides.
- Big Thunder Mountain
- Peter Pan
- Buzz Lightyear
- Space Mountain
- Star Tours
- Indiana Jones.

- Ratatouille
- Tower of Terror
- Rock 'n Roller Coaster

Besides Indiana Jones and Star Tours, all the others are also open during EMH, and Ratatouille and Space Mountain have single riders lines. With EMH and regular FP you can go a long way.
 
Hi everyone,

Our family of four is visiting Europe this summer, and as huge Disney fans, we're setting aside a day for DLP. We'll be staying offsite and visiting both parks on July 4th, a Thursday. (I looked it up and French students don't get out of school until the 6th.)

I'm torn about whether or not to purchase the one-time Ultimate FastPass along with our family's tickets. This vacation is already very expensive, so I'm balking at shelling out another $450 for this option, and yet I don't want our one day at Disneyland Paris to be all about lines and anxiety. We have been to Disneyland, so we're familiar with drawing paper FastPasses.

I'm not expecting us to ride everything, but do you think we'd still have a mostly successful day if we don't purchase the Ultimate FastPass? And would you recommend starting in the Studios, as most one-day itineraries map out?

Thanks so much for any advice you can offer!

Curious how your trip went and what your position was on FP? We are considering a stop at DLP when we are in Europe next year. Would love to get your thoughts! We would be there same time of year next year. We are DVC, Annual pass at WDW (live 1 hr away) and been to DL so big Disney family but would love the input. Thanks!
 
Curious how your trip went and what your position was on FP? We are considering a stop at DLP when we are in Europe next year. Would love to get your thoughts! We would be there same time of year next year. We are DVC, Annual pass at WDW (live 1 hr away) and been to DL so big Disney family but would love the input. Thanks!

Hi there!

In all honesty, I really wish we'd gotten the Ultimate FastPasses, in spite of the ridiculous amount of money they charge for them. We did not have as successful an experience as I would have wished for, though we still had fun.

We got off on the wrong foot because Crush's Coaster went down at park opening, which left us about an hour behind schedule off the bat. At that point, I panicked and decided to try and buy the Ultimate FastPass day of. There's a window to purchase them, and the Super FastPasses, at the DL park entrance. So I waited. And waited. One thing you quickly understand at DLP is that Americans have an expectation for speed and efficiency that isn't going to be met here. That's not to slam the French at all. I honestly see the benefits to having a more laid-back approach to things. It's just a different set of expectations. But after 30 minutes, I got to the front of the line and was told that Ultimate FastPasses were sold out for the day. You think they might have posted that, but they didn't. So we moved on.

We still managed to ride a lot. But everything was a bit harried. Our mistake for trying to cram it all into one day. I did really love their versions of Pirates and Big Thunder Mountain. Phantom Manor was interesting, though I think I prefer the US parks' take. Loved their It's a Small World: all the colors seemed so vibrant to me! Ratatouille made me excited for that attraction to come to Epcot. Crush's Coaster was a bit of a let down, honestly.

We also enjoyed the parade and seeing the dragon in its lair beneath the castle. Food-wise, we did the Tex-Mex place across from Big Thunder and found it underwhelming. We tried to do Toad's Hall for dinner, but it was bizarrely not open, even after 6 pm. We gave up and got terrible burgers and chicken sandwiches in the Discoveryland pavilion. Though we very much enjoyed our Ben & Jerry's at the Gibson Girl on Main Street!

The park and castle are beautiful, the cast members were pleasant, and as WDW and DL veterans, it was fun to see Disney with a new twist. So I definitely recommend going: just make sure you give it at least two days, or invest in the paid FastPass option. I think it'll be worth it!
 
Hi there!

In all honesty, I really wish we'd gotten the Ultimate FastPasses, in spite of the ridiculous amount of money they charge for them. We did not have as successful an experience as I would have wished for, though we still had fun.

We got off on the wrong foot because Crush's Coaster went down at park opening, which left us about an hour behind schedule off the bat. At that point, I panicked and decided to try and buy the Ultimate FastPass day of. There's a window to purchase them, and the Super FastPasses, at the DL park entrance. So I waited. And waited. One thing you quickly understand at DLP is that Americans have an expectation for speed and efficiency that isn't going to be met here. That's not to slam the French at all. I honestly see the benefits to having a more laid-back approach to things. It's just a different set of expectations. But after 30 minutes, I got to the front of the line and was told that Ultimate FastPasses were sold out for the day. You think they might have posted that, but they didn't. So we moved on.

We still managed to ride a lot. But everything was a bit harried. Our mistake for trying to cram it all into one day. I did really love their versions of Pirates and Big Thunder Mountain. Phantom Manor was interesting, though I think I prefer the US parks' take. Loved their It's a Small World: all the colors seemed so vibrant to me! Ratatouille made me excited for that attraction to come to Epcot. Crush's Coaster was a bit of a let down, honestly.

We also enjoyed the parade and seeing the dragon in its lair beneath the castle. Food-wise, we did the Tex-Mex place across from Big Thunder and found it underwhelming. We tried to do Toad's Hall for dinner, but it was bizarrely not open, even after 6 pm. We gave up and got terrible burgers and chicken sandwiches in the Discoveryland pavilion. Though we very much enjoyed our Ben & Jerry's at the Gibson Girl on Main Street!

The park and castle are beautiful, the cast members were pleasant, and as WDW and DL veterans, it was fun to see Disney with a new twist. So I definitely recommend going: just make sure you give it at least two days, or invest in the paid FastPass option. I think it'll be worth it!

Thanks so much for the great update and tips!! Happy to hear your enjoyed it in general! We were thinking 2 days and staying one night and definitely leaning towards Ultimate as well. Much appreciated!
 
Hi there!

In all honesty, I really wish we'd gotten the Ultimate FastPasses, in spite of the ridiculous amount of money they charge for them. We did not have as successful an experience as I would have wished for, though we still had fun.

We got off on the wrong foot because Crush's Coaster went down at park opening, which left us about an hour behind schedule off the bat. At that point, I panicked and decided to try and buy the Ultimate FastPass day of. There's a window to purchase them, and the Super FastPasses, at the DL park entrance. So I waited. And waited. One thing you quickly understand at DLP is that Americans have an expectation for speed and efficiency that isn't going to be met here. That's not to slam the French at all. I honestly see the benefits to having a more laid-back approach to things. It's just a different set of expectations. But after 30 minutes, I got to the front of the line and was told that Ultimate FastPasses were sold out for the day. You think they might have posted that, but they didn't. So we moved on.

We still managed to ride a lot. But everything was a bit harried. Our mistake for trying to cram it all into one day. I did really love their versions of Pirates and Big Thunder Mountain. Phantom Manor was interesting, though I think I prefer the US parks' take. Loved their It's a Small World: all the colors seemed so vibrant to me! Ratatouille made me excited for that attraction to come to Epcot. Crush's Coaster was a bit of a let down, honestly.

We also enjoyed the parade and seeing the dragon in its lair beneath the castle. Food-wise, we did the Tex-Mex place across from Big Thunder and found it underwhelming. We tried to do Toad's Hall for dinner, but it was bizarrely not open, even after 6 pm. We gave up and got terrible burgers and chicken sandwiches in the Discoveryland pavilion. Though we very much enjoyed our Ben & Jerry's at the Gibson Girl on Main Street!

The park and castle are beautiful, the cast members were pleasant, and as WDW and DL veterans, it was fun to see Disney with a new twist. So I definitely recommend going: just make sure you give it at least two days, or invest in the paid FastPass option. I think it'll be worth it!

Thank you so much for your report! We will have one full day and one half day in two weeks. I know it's going to be slammed so I was leaning toward the Ultimate one-time fastpass and your report has confirmed that it's the right move! I will definitely buy them in the the next few days so we're not caught by them being sold out. I'm excited to see the parks!!
 
Thank you so much for your report! We will have one full day and one half day in two weeks. I know it's going to be slammed so I was leaning toward the Ultimate one-time fastpass and your report has confirmed that it's the right move! I will definitely buy them in the the next few days so we're not caught by them being sold out. I'm excited to see the parks!!
Did you end up doing the Ultimate FP? Trying to figure out if it will be worth it. We will be there at high time as well and part of me hesitates bc there are so few rides with FP but we will only have about 1.5 days in park. We live 1 hr from WDW and have been to DL in CA and are used to pretty much all FP all the time! From the chart online it looks like for a family of 4 the additional cost for Universal FP would be $800 per day? Does that sounds right? It's a big spend so trying to figure out if it really is worth it.

Any input is appreciated!
 

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