I am basically a wimp. Any thrill ride, my son and husband will ride but not me. I know that in the regular lines I can walk through with them and step out at the front. Can I do this in the fast pass line as well? Do I need a fast pass just to be in line?”

Welcome to the Disney Parks Moms Panel, Tammie!

I smiled when I read your question, because I have several family members who are, ahem, wimps (you said it first!). Just like you, they don’t want to miss out on family time, and will sometimes join us in the Standby queue (that’s the non-FastPass+ line) before parting ways before we board an attraction. Like you said, that’s usually no problem.

For the FastPass+ queue, though, only Guests with valid FastPass+ selections are able to enter. It’s at the Cast Member’s discretion whether to allow you to wait with your party, so it doesn’t hurt to ask politely with the expectation of a “no.” The queue Cast Members are busy counting Guests, checking heights, and grouping parties for their ride – and doing it very quickly so the ride continues to operate smoothly – so adding a non-rider may just not work. Remember, though, that with a FastPass+, the wait is usually quite short, so in many cases you’d just be walking through the line and then stepping out. If it were me, I would probably choose to browse a nearby shop or grab a treat and people watch on a bench near the exit (Disney people watching is so much fun!). In most cases, your son and husband will be back with you very quickly!

Tammie, another thing to note is that FastPass+ queues are usually not as detailed or interactive as the Standby ones, for the very reason that Guests are moving quickly through. On attractions like The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh and Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, there are interactive games to play while waiting in Standby, but the FastPass+ queue skips those. My favorite Standby queue in all of Walt Disney World is the queue for Avatar – Flight of Passage, which tells the story of the Na’vi people through a series of gorgeous rooms filled with immersive details. I just adore it! Similarly, if your husband and son will be riding Slinky Dog Dash, that queue is jam-packed with really fun theming and nods to your favorite childhood toys and games. We love to pass the time using the Play Disney Parks app, which has attraction-specific games to be played in the queue, along with trivia and other extras. 

Whether you like to soar through the air or stay on the ground, you’re in for so much fun this autumn at Walt Disney World, Tammie, and I hope your family has the most magical time together.

Wishing you a magical vacation,
Robyn