*No longer relevant* (Maxpass/Fastpass: an overview and some strategy)

Agreed. If one uses FP as they should. They will get more FP than using max pass.

This is a factually incorrect assertion.

Maxpass has an advantage in that it allows you to pull your next Maxpass significantly earlier than you can pull a paper FP. It's a 90 minute wait for Maxpass vs a 120 minute wait for FP. Also, in the morning, you can pull a Maxpass before the park opens, and then every 30 minutes or so for the first 2 hours of the park operating day (this has been my consistent observation).

In addition, as mentioned, you have access to cancelled fastpasses via Maxpass. I got one yesterday for Toy Story Midway mania by refreshing a few times until an earlier time came up (it was handing out 7-9pm when I was trying. We were going to leave by 2, and I snagged a 1:45-2:45 one that someone had cancelled). Without that, we wouldn't have ridden that ride yesterday.

Since you can also pull FP in the other park using MP, it effectively gives you that advantage as well. You can't pull a Soarin fastpass while riding It's a Small World using traditional fastpass.
 
We went during the busy Presidents week last year for 7 days. I didn't pay for MP in advance and ended up adding it to 3 or 4 days. I felt like when I had it I needed to get my money's worth and run run run. The other days we arrived later and had a much more casual touring strategy. I will definitely use it again but I don't think it's necessary every day.
 
Incredicoaster, RSR, Goofy's Sky School, Grizzly River Run

Indy, Matterhorn, Millennium Falcon, Space Mountain, Splash Mountain, and Star Tours

I'll be with my wife, who doesn't do thrill rides. Is MaxPass still an advantage oif I can take advantage of single rider?

Is there a thread on MaxPass or a link to MaxPass for dummies? It didn't exist when we were last there in 2015.
 


I'll be with my wife, who doesn't do thrill rides. Is MaxPass still an advantage oif I can take advantage of single rider?

Is there a thread on MaxPass or a link to MaxPass for dummies? It didn't exist when we were last there in 2015.
Yes, MaxPass is still an advantage for a single rider. How MUCH of an advantage is subjective.

I’m a single rider a lot but still use MP/FP because the FP line will still usually be shorter than single rider.
 
I'll be with my wife, who doesn't do thrill rides. Is MaxPass still an advantage oif I can take advantage of single rider?

Is there a thread on MaxPass or a link to MaxPass for dummies? It didn't exist when we were last there in 2015.
Yes, MP can still be worth it for at least one of you just for the PP perk. You may want lots of photos of you and your wife together in the parks, and that could make the MP price worth it!
Read through this and ask all your MP questions there: Maxpass/Fastpass Superthread: an overview and some strategy
 
In my opinion MaxPass is more important with a really busy park. You have a 90 minute instead of 120 max “cool-off” period and as mentioned above you have the opportunity to pick up cancelled FastPasses (which are often very plentiful!) where you have zero chance of it with normal FP.
When you say "picking up a cancelled FP," can you expand more? Does this pop up when using MaxPass or how do you know if you snag a cancelled FP? Does it just pop up when searching for a ride and time?
 


When you say "picking up a cancelled FP," can you expand more? Does this pop up when using MaxPass or how do you know if you snag a cancelled FP? Does it just pop up when searching for a ride and time?
Using MaxPass in the app, you will find a FP suddenly available for a time or for a ride that was previously unavailable. If you see it and want it click immediately as you have to be speedy to get it. During my recent visit, I tried the strategy of repeatedly refreshing the app to see if I could get better FP times or FPs for rides that had run out for the day. It does work though you need to be patient if for instance you are trying at 4pm to get to a FP for a very popular ride on a busy day. On New Year's day, I was at my hotel resting at that time and spent a good 20 min repeat refreshing trying to get an RSR or TSMM FP for that evening for my family of 4. I did get an RSR finally.
 
We will only have two days in the parks and our first day is an afternoon arrival - probably 2:00 - on Easter Sunday. How do I gauge if purchasing MP will be worth it once there? The only thing that stands out to me is seeing FP Unavailable (something like that - I'm not DLR savvy yet). I'm pretty sure both days will be hopper tickets. I think I understand how to refresh (at least we know how to refresh in WDW). Thanks!
 
On your way there check which fastpasses are available.
would you be able to detail that a bit more? like if i check on indiana jones, and it has FP available but for the last hour of the day, is that not a good sign? what would be a good "window" of time that would get me to pull the trigger and buy MP?
 
All great info from everyone!!!

More questions I've thought of:

1. Any tips on saving data charges on your phone for those that have limited data plans? Since you cannot book anything on MaxPass until you enter the park for the first time, is there an area near the entrance where WiFi is reliable?

2. Can you now book any Star Wars rides using MaxPass? And if so, I've read on busy days they do "invites" to the new Star Wars Land. How does that all work together with MaxPass, especially if they are filled to capacity?

3. Can you ride your favorites over and over again? We love California Screaming / Incredicoaster - could we redeem our MaxPass FastPass and sign up for another one while in the FastPass line?

4. Can you schedule rides for later in the day (say because you want to stay in one park in the morning and then hop to the other, or stay in one area all morning, and then venture to the other area after a PM hotel break), and still add FastPasses in between? Or, are the additions of FastPasses sequential only?

5. Considering the pass window is shorter for MaxPass, have you ever had a circumstance where your FastPass line takes longer than expected and you miss the next ride you have a FastPass for?

6. Technology can often be unreliable. What precautions can you take to ensure your FastPasses are not lost if you have technical difficulties on your phone (besides taking a screenshot of your FastPasses)?

7. How can you arrange having all FastPasses on one phone (like, mom takes the helmet and does all the scanning) but still have the ability to transfer this control (say, to dad, if mom wants a break, or to one of the kids - they are teens and may venture off on their own for a couple of hours)? Does MaxPass have this flexibility?

8. For new MaxPass users, Is it better to buy one day first to try it out? That way, if you hate it, you're not committing to all the days you're there up front?

9. With multi-day hopper tickets, you don't have to go consecutive days. If you buy all MaxPasses at once, do they have to be used consecutively or does each one activate only on the days you go to the parks?

10. Are there any stats about MaxPass system crashes? Or successful refunds if there is a crash? I'd hate to be a large family spending a hundred bucks a day on MaxPass and have it crap out...especially without a refund...

Thanks in advance!
 
I think a major question should be are you worried about the "vaule" maxpass will give you on your first day? If so I would probably forgo maxpass that day. With it being a holiday weekend and arriving so late most of the headliners will be either "unavailable" or late in the day. While you might luck into some cancellations the value you get from maxpass is not the same for half day as it is for a full day.
 
All great info from everyone!!!

More questions I've thought of:

1. Any tips on saving data charges on your phone for those that have limited data plans? Since you cannot book anything on MaxPass until you enter the park for the first time, is there an area near the entrance where WiFi is reliable?

2. Can you now book any Star Wars rides using MaxPass? And if so, I've read on busy days they do "invites" to the new Star Wars Land. How does that all work together with MaxPass, especially if they are filled to capacity?

3. Can you ride your favorites over and over again? We love California Screaming / Incredicoaster - could we redeem our MaxPass FastPass and sign up for another one while in the FastPass line?

4. Can you schedule rides for later in the day (say because you want to stay in one park in the morning and then hop to the other, or stay in one area all morning, and then venture to the other area after a PM hotel break), and still add FastPasses in between? Or, are the additions of FastPasses sequential only?

5. Considering the pass window is shorter for MaxPass, have you ever had a circumstance where your FastPass line takes longer than expected and you miss the next ride you have a FastPass for?

6. Technology can often be unreliable. What precautions can you take to ensure your FastPasses are not lost if you have technical difficulties on your phone (besides taking a screenshot of your FastPasses)?

7. How can you arrange having all FastPasses on one phone (like, mom takes the helmet and does all the scanning) but still have the ability to transfer this control (say, to dad, if mom wants a break, or to one of the kids - they are teens and may venture off on their own for a couple of hours)? Does MaxPass have this flexibility?

8. For new MaxPass users, Is it better to buy one day first to try it out? That way, if you hate it, you're not committing to all the days you're there up front?

9. With multi-day hopper tickets, you don't have to go consecutive days. If you buy all MaxPasses at once, do they have to be used consecutively or does each one activate only on the days you go to the parks?

10. Are there any stats about MaxPass system crashes? Or successful refunds if there is a crash? I'd hate to be a large family spending a hundred bucks a day on MaxPass and have it crap out...especially without a refund...

Thanks in advance!

1. Wifi isn't reliable anywhere in the parks. It is spotty at best. I'd recommend boosting your data plan for the month you are traveling, change it back down when you return home.

2. Neither of the Star wars land rides have Fastpass service available yet. Millennium Falcon is open with a standby only line. The Rise of the Resistance can only be accessed (for now) with a boarding group issued as part of a daily lottery that happens at park opening via the app.

3. Yes, you can get multiple Fastpasses for the same ride, although you can't hold duplicates. So, you would have to scan in, then could get another one immediately as long as you are able to book one. Best way to ride Incredicoaster is first thing in the am. You can often get through the standby line in 5-10 minutes or use single rider to ride numerous times before crowds build.

4. The fastpasses are issued in chronological order only. When you are ready to book one, you will get one return window for each ride and that's it. If you want to make FP for later in the day, you would do that for the very popular rides where fastpasses go quickly (RSR, Toy Story, Guardians of the Galaxy, Space Mountain, Matterhorn). You can also continue to book using Maxpass if you leave the park for an afternoon break. You can make a new one every 90 minutes all day from anywhere, once you scan into a park for the day.

5. Not really sure what you are saying here. The return window is always an hour. The "earlier " 90 minute thing with MP is the time that must pass between booking new fastpasses. I have had overlapping times many times and never not made the second ride if it's in the same park. But, if you think you might not make it, you cancel that one and try for a later time.

6. Your fastpasses are linked to your tickets. You use the tickets to scan into the ride. An app glitch won't lose your fastpasses. The machines at the rides are on a different system and will be able to read your ticket and know you have a fastpass. A screenshot is good so YOu remember what time to go back to the rides.

7. Again, the fastpasses are not on the PHONE, they're on the TICKETS. As long as each person holds their own tickets, they can redeem the fastpass by scanning the ticket at the line entry. In your scenario, the adult wit the app on the phone can continue to make plans for everyone else. Just in case its not clear, you must purchase Maxpass PER PERSON. It is a benefit you add on to a ticket. One person can't buy Maxpass for an entire group.

8. It is a good idea to buy for one day at a time if you aren't sure you will like it.

9. Again Maxpass is linked to the actual ticket. If you add it onto the whole ticket ahead of time, every day when you scan in, the app will already know you have Maxpass and you will be able to make fastpass reservations using Maxpass. If you go day by day, you will have to manually go into the app and purchase it for each person in your party every day immediately after you scan into the park. Once it is purchased, you will be able to start booking fastpasses.
 
I think a major question should be are you worried about the "vaule" maxpass will give you on your first day? If so I would probably forgo maxpass that day. With it being a holiday weekend and arriving so late most of the headliners will be either "unavailable" or late in the day. While you might luck into some cancellations the value you get from maxpass is not the same for half day as it is for a full day.

I don’t necessarily agree with this. We recently visited on 12/29 and 12/31 and got 17 & 15 FastPasses using MaxPass. The majority of these were obtained well after traditional distribution was done for the day. Several were obtained in the evening with only a 5-10 minute wait for the return window to open.

You won’t get many traditional FPs arriving mid-afternoon on a busy day, but you could get some good ones with MaxPass.
 
For me it’s more about trekking to the fast pass machines. So, I’d get it. I don’t go to the parks often so I don’t know the cut off.

We went 12/18 got it at 4 pm and it was great value.

Went 11/19 got to at 4 pm and there wasn't value. I think it was less busy this time.
 
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I’ll watch the app once true spring break weeks hit. I still have to learn the system as well. If we walk in around 2, is it possible to stack a couple for the evening? (I ask this like I know what I’m taking about but I really don’t. I’ve just seen the word stack before).
My plan for the later arrival Sunday is a walk around, a dining package for F!, whatever rides we can manage, and getting my son set up with DAS. $60 in the grand scheme of everything doesn’t seem too bad.
 
I’ll watch the app once true spring break weeks hit. I still have to learn the system as well. If we walk in around 2, is it possible to stack a couple for the evening? (I ask this like I know what I’m taking about but I really don’t. I’ve just seen the word stack before).
My plan for the later arrival Sunday is a walk around, a dining package for F!, whatever rides we can manage, and getting my son set up with DAS. $60 in the grand scheme of everything doesn’t seem too bad.
I’ve been able to stack more successfully at DCA, but have has success at DL too. However I typically go during slower times, so that may impact it.
The fact you can grab others cancellations is a big plus for me. You can’t do that with regular FP.
 
Agreed. If one uses FP as they should. They will get more FP than using max pass. I am not opposed to it. I just find FP easier to use and hey. It’s free.
You won’t get more FP by pulling traditional FPs than with Maxpass.

I mean, it’s fine to use traditional FP, I sometimes recommend it to certain visitors, but it’s incorrect to say it provides more FPs than Maxpass...
 

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