Disneyland Paris 20th Anniversary Trip Thoughts: VIP Fastpass
Just two and a half weeks before we were due to leave for Disneyland Paris, I got an email from the Shareholders Club, offering me a free VIP Fastpass ticket to celebrate the 20th Anniversary. All I had to do was log in to my member area on the official website and then pick a day to have my VIP Fastpass. A VIP Fastpass entitles a group of 4 people a whole day’s worth of Fastpass access, on all rides that use the Fastpass system.
I initially wanted to choose the Tuesday, 8th May, as our VIP Fastpass day but that was fully booked, so I chose the Wednesday instead. It was all very easy – just a click of a mouse and I received a confirmation email that I would need to print off and take to Salon Mickey on the Wednesday morning. What would make this especially exciting is the fact that in 11 previous visits I had never used a Fastpass ticket, not once!
Fast forward to Wednesday 9th May and we arrived at Salon Mickey, as we did most mornings anyway – it’s one of the best reasons to become a Shareholder. I handed over the printed email and in return was given my VIP Fastpass, and thus easy ride access was now granted to the three of us for the day, but not before enjoying a complimentary pastry and drink in the sumptuous surroundings of Salon Mickey.
Our first use of our new VIP Fastpass was on Peter Pan’s Flight, a ride notorious for long queues at all times of the day. Not for us, as we flashed the VIP Fastpass, and feeling like Doctor Who with his psychic paper, we were allowed straight on the ride. This was my son’s first experience of Peter Pan’s Flight and as a huge Pan fan he loved it. Normally a repeat ride would mean a long time queuing or coming back later in the day when the next Fastpass window opened. However, with our newly acquired VIP Fastpass we were straight back on and enjoying the thrills of Neverland in just a few minutes.
We were joined in our tiny queue by a mother and her daughter, who was dressed as Peter Pan, as they told us this was their 17th time in a row! I’m not sure the park had even been open long enough for 17 goes on Peter Pan’s Flight, but I can’t imagine wanting to do that even I had the opportunity. In fact I’m pretty sure I couldn’t handle 17 consecutive rides on anything, even Pirates of the Caribbean!
Our next target was Buzz Lightyear Laser Blast and we ran giddily around the Fastpass route, only to find that there was actually nobody queuing in the normal area! Oh well, we had our VIP Fastpass and we were going to use it! But actually, it turned out to be the last time we used it as group that day! Later in the day, my wife snuck off to gain Fastpass entry to Big Thunder Mountain while my son and I experienced Fort Comstock and Phantom Manor for the second time that day.
No doubt we under-utilised our VIP Fastpass ticket, but for the 2 rides on Peter Pan’s Flight and my wife’s solo Big Thunder Mountain ride, it was worth it. For people who like rides such as Space Mountain 2, Tower of Terror and all the other Fastpass rides, it must be incredible, and a huge time saver. It was great to be offered the VIP Fastpass, I wouldn’t hesitate to take up of the offer another in the future, and I’d urge everyone to do the same.
