A:
Fast Pass: The two times I've ridden Centennial was this Summer and I did not use Fast Pass for either. The line was nothing big at all (granted, I went both times on weekdays, non-holidays). The good thing is that A) you can buy the regular ticket from your cell phone just seconds before getting in line (just google for "Centennial Wheel Chicago tickets", it'll give you an option quickly, I promise), and buy the ticket(s). This way, if the line to the Ticket Booth itself is long, you skip that, right off the bat and then you can proceed to the line for the ride itself (ain't bureaucracy grand?). B) While you're resolving the ride ticket item (see "A" above), if you see that the line to the ride itself is super huge, then you can make a judgment call on your own to determine if it's worth the extra money to buy the Fast Pass itself before going into either the regular line or the Fast Pass line. Me? It would have to be a superhuge line (which, sometimes it might be, granted), and/or maybe I'd feel the need to impress "someone" with just how much I value their time and happiness or some other abstract reason (maybe you only have 6 weeks to live, I dont know...), then perhaps I may consider the Fast Pass. But I'd wait until I got there to decide if it's worth it, 'cause I'll be kicking myself very, very hard if I buy it before I got there and when I arrive it's not the very longest of lines. The ride itself, seems to me, took about 15-20 minutes, maybe longer (not 100% sure, sorry, I wasn't timing the thing), 'cause it's once around while they board a full cycle, then 3 more nonstop spins at slow speed. Very comfortable gondolas and it's just your party in the ride, even if it's just the two people, you won't be mixed in with anyone else.