FastPass management

Image: DisneyDeciding how to address FastPasses is one of the most challenging parts of an unplanned Disney trip. Many of the best attractions sell out their FastPasses before the 30-day window opens for non-Disney resort guests. Should you try a week or two before your trip, you may find nothing satisfactory. That’s okay!

On the day that you’re at the park, you can monitor available FastPasses on MyDisneyExperience. While you’re unlikely to find Avatar Flight of Passage or Slinky Dog Dash, other E-ticket attractions are sometimes up for grabs. I’ve booked Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, Soarin’, Frozen Ever After, and Test Track during a daily visit. It wasn’t the same day, of course, but it’s proof that you can find some of Disney’s finest attractions during your park visit.

Image: DisneyThe other thing that you should decide in advance is how many FastPasses to book on a given day. You may select up to three, but two of them are for lesser rides everywhere but Magic Kingdom. The other three parks employ a tiered FastPass system that limits the availability of E-ticket attractions.

I'd still suggest that you select three FastPasses per day unless your options are awful. In doing so, you guarantee that you'll wait in a short line for three rides. Then, the instant that you've entered the line for your final FastPass of the day, you can start looking for more via My Disney Experience. Speaking of which…

Use My Disney Experience religiously…and pack a charger/battery

Image: DisneySeveral of the suggestions listed here combine with the My Disney Experience app. You can check FastPasses and utilize Mobile Ordering via this program.

When you plan a last-minute trip, My Disney Experience is your best robot friend. You’ll want to have it running most of the time. The drawback is that it’s a known battery hog. And I’m talking obscene amounts of battery drain.

For a spontaneous Disney vacation, packing a charger is an absolute must. You might even choose to bring a spare battery, presuming that your phone allows swapping. If not, you’ll find FuelRod stations throughout Walt Disney World and even at MCO. Consider spending the money to buy one of those and thereby have access to spare battery charges whenever you need them.