Buddy Pass

[3DisMunchkins]

I've seen this mentioned several times. Can someone explain what exactly it is and how/where you can use it?
thanks!

 

[EmJ]

I've seen this mentioned several times. Can someone explain what exactly it is and how/where you can use it?
thanks!

My understanding is that a Buddy Pass is like a single rider line, except that two people can use it together. So, parent & child, two friends, spouses. I thought it was only available on Monster's Inc., but I was just informed on another thread that it also can be used on Toy Story.

 

[B3rlingirl]

One of my unanswered questions regarding that buddy pass if it it has to be 2 people using it of if you could still use it as a single rider...

I heard it for the first time a few weeks ago in a trip report regarding monster’s inc...

 

[EmJ]

I just read this: The Buddy Pass system is a separate line for this attraction that helps cast members fill single rows that may not be being used (usually due to large groups). It is available for parties of 1, 2 or a small party of two adults and one child. https://wdwnt.com/2018/12/trying-the-new-buddy-pass-system-at-toy-story-midway-mania-at-dca/

So if this is accurate, it would work for singles as well as our family of two adults and one child. Interesting...

ETA: If it hasn't changed, the information above does look accurate, as the author of the review posted a photo of her buddy pass ticket, and it identifies parties of 1, 2, or 2 adults/1 child as able to use the pass.

 

[pharmama]

I think the idea behind this is to keep them from having to call down the line for parties of 2 to fill in ride vehicles around larger parties.

On TSMM, if you went as a party of 2 adults and 1 child in this line I believe you will all end up in one row. They really mean it about SMALL parties of three for this as the ride is pretty squishy with a kid and two adults. But here's the real kicker- the kid (or whoever is sandwiched in the middle) won't have a gun and won't be able to "play" the ride. So I would only recommend doing this with a very small child who won't be able to operate or play the ride anyway.

This is less of an issue for Monsters as there isn't an "interactive" aspect to the ride but again your whole party will probably be expected to sit in one row. This is doable but again, how squishy depends on the size of everyone in the party.

 

[EmJ]

I think the idea behind this is to keep them from having to call down the line for parties of 2 to fill in ride vehicles around larger parties.

On TSMM, if you went as a party of 2 adults and 1 child in this line I believe you will all end up in one row. They really mean it about SMALL parties of three for this as the ride is pretty squishy with a kid and two adults. But here's the real kicker- the kid (or whoever is sandwiched in the middle) won't have a gun and won't be able to "play" the ride. So I would only recommend doing this with a very small child who won't be able to operate or play the ride anyway.

This is less of an issue for Monsters as there isn't an "interactive" aspect to the ride but again your whole party will probably be expected to sit in one row. This is doable but again, how squishy depends on the size of everyone in the party.

Thanks for this clarification! It won't work for us to go as a family then, as he will definitely want to work the cannon, but I still like the idea of letting him have extra rides with mom or dad after riding once as a family.

 

[3DisMunchkins]

Perfect...thanks everyone! We’re a party of four but wouldn’t mind splitting. Anyone have experience with how much time it saves?

 

[Tinkerbell19672]

I’ve never heard of Buddy Pass. If a party of 2 uses it, will they be separated on the ride? Wondering what the difference is from single rider in that case

 

[j9isawesome]

I’ve never heard of Buddy Pass. If a party of 2 uses it, will they be separated on the ride? Wondering what the difference is from single rider in that case

No, a buddy pass means you ride WITH your buddy. Single riders are almost always separated and not sitting next to one another like you would with a buddy pass. It’s only for rides like Monsters Inc & Toy Story where parties of 2 are often needed to fill the vehicles. My experience has been that you have to be offered a buddy pass from a CM at the entrance of the line & have been told no almost every time I’ve asked about it. We’ve been chosen to use buddy pass on Monsters Inc a few times though.

 

[Tinkerbell19672]

No, a buddy pass means you ride WITH your buddy. Single riders are almost always separated and not sitting next to one another like you would with a buddy pass. It’s only for rides like Monsters Inc & Toy Story where parties of 2 are often needed to fill the vehicles. My experience has been that you have to be offered a buddy pass from a CM at the entrance of the line & have been told no almost every time I’ve asked about it. We’ve been chosen to use buddy pass on Monsters Inc a few times though.

Thank you. So we aren’t guaranteed to get a pass if we ask for one?

 

[DLgal]

No, a buddy pass means you ride WITH your buddy. Single riders are almost always separated and not sitting next to one another like you would with a buddy pass. It’s only for rides like Monsters Inc & Toy Story where parties of 2 are often needed to fill the vehicles. My experience has been that you have to be offered a buddy pass from a CM at the entrance of the line & have been told no almost every time I’ve asked about it. We’ve been chosen to use buddy pass on Monsters Inc a few times though.

This hasn't been my experience. I have been using this pass for years at Monsters Inc and have never been told no.

Disney themselves were advertising the one for Toy story on their social media recently as well.

I suppose, like single rider lines, they can be made unavailable at high volume times, though.

 

[SOCALMouseMommy]

This hasn't been my experience. I have been using this pass for years at Monsters Inc and have never been told no.

Disney themselves were advertising the one for Toy story on their social media recently as well.

I suppose, like single rider lines, they can be made unavailable at high volume times, though.

I have been told no one time. Because of that I usually don’t even ask if they don’t have passes visible in their hands.

 

[theluckyrabbit]

...My experience has been that you have to be offered a buddy pass from a CM at the entrance of the line & have been told no almost every time I’ve asked about it. We’ve been chosen to use buddy pass on Monsters Inc a few times though.

This has been our experience, too. We didn't know about the Buddy Pass and have never yet asked for one, but it has been offered to us by CMs on occasion. Usually we receive one if a CM likes our outfits, e.g. Dapper or Disney Bounding, or if something funny happens when we are chatting.

 

[cruisehopeful]

Hmm, didn't know it was a rare thing. After being offered many times at Monster's Inc, I started asking the CM at the front of the line if there were any Buddy Passes available. I've never been told no. If there's no regular line, I don't ask, though. As a Buddy Pass holder, we always sit in the back row on the ride.

I didn't know they offered it at any other rides because I've never been offered one anywhere else.

 

[PHXscuba]

Thank you. So we aren’t guaranteed to get a pass if we ask for one?

The only time I asked and didn't get one was because they were out of the little paper slips to send people through, i.e. the "buddy line" was pretty full. I'm sure they didn't want it spilling out of the exit. We did something else -- Sunset Theater? -- for 20 minutes and they had a stack of them to hand out when we came back. This happened to be the August day that Socal APs were first unblocked from summer, so I think there was a greater proportion of knowledgable locals in the park.

I hadn't heard they had expanded it to TSM, thanks to those who mentioned it!

PHXscuba