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

[DLgal]

Thanks, I thought that was the case. ☹ I guess we just pick whichever Fastpass makes sense at the time.

The best thing to do in this situation is pick a fastpass for whatever ride has the SOONEST return time. That way, you don't have to wait 90 minutes to check again for RSR.

 

[tommygunn]

Hey fellow nerds. Making a trip to Disneyland for the first time in forever soon. So is it true that there is nothing i can do in advance for attractions? And max pass lets do fast pass type of stuff day of? I’m a Wdw vet so a little confused about the process. Thanks in advance!

 

[Mark_E]

You can start booking fastpasses only when you have scanned into the park.
Some timings:
You can start booking another fastpass after 90 minutes if your reservation is further out than this (e.g. get Space Mountain Fastpass at 8am for 10am, can get another at 9:30),
You can start booking another fastpass after 30 minutes if that time is sooner (e.g. get Buzz Lightyear Fastpass at 8am for 8:15am, you could get another at 8:30). The exception is if you scan in for your Buzz Fastpass, you can then immediately get another.

 

[tommygunn]

Ah thanks. And are you competing against the old school fast passes too - the paper ones or did they get rid of those?

 

[PHXscuba]

The only "advance" you can do is buying MaxPass from Disney or a third party when you buy your tickets. That way you won't have to buy it each morning after scanning in to the park.

Tours, TS meals, and special activities (like dessert parties, Savi's Workshop, Oga's Cantina, or Bibbidy Bobbidy Boutique are also available in advance, usually 60 days out.

Rope drop becomes more important because you can start getting MaxPasses/FastPasses as soon as you scan/enter (even before the park opens). So you get earlier return times. And if you have a parkhopper (which many recommend because the 2 parks are so close) you can get MaxPasses in both parks.

If you went to WDW while they still had paper FastPasses, it's most similar to that, except with MaxPass you can now "Pull" them on your phone app instead of at a physical machine. The machines are still there for people who don't have MaxPass.

PHXscuba

 

[PHXscuba]

Ah thanks. And are you competing against the old school fast passes too - the paper ones or did they get rid of those?

The all come from the same allotment. The advantage you pay for with MaxPass is that your maximum time between booking FastPasses is 90 instead of 120 minutes. Plus not having to walk to the individual machines.

PHXscuba

 

[Etonduf]

Hey fellow nerds. Making a trip to Disneyland for the first time in forever soon. So is it true that there is nothing i can do in advance for attractions? And max pass lets do fast pass type of stuff day of? I’m a Wdw vet so a little confused about the process. Thanks in advance!

In addition to the great responses you're getting here, be sure to read the first post in this thread: https://www.disboards.com/threads/m...thread-an-overview-and-some-strategy.3726246/

Many WDW people find that they really like MaxPass once they get the hang of it and see it in action.

 

[Sith]

Here's an example of what makes MaxPass great: Booking an evening Fastpass for Splash Mountain from the hotel pool during an afternoon break. As opposed to entering park and making your way all the way back there to book just to pull a paper one. Yes, you can do something similar at WDW, but due to the advance booking of FP+ it's rare to find something worth having.

In my opinion Maxpass is superior to FP+. It takes what is good about FP+, but not the bad.

 

[Mike_M]

...Rope drop becomes more important because you can start getting MaxPasses/FastPasses as soon as you scan/enter (even before the park opens). So you get earlier return times. And if you have a parkhopper (which many recommend because the 2 parks are so close) you can get MaxPasses in both parks...

The only caveat I would throw in here is that there are days where the standby lines for many attractions are VERY manageable. It’s been a while since I’ve gone to WDW, but I haven’t seen their standby lines in the app seem anything close to how short they are at DL most days. On these days, there is a strong probability for FastPass availability to be good throughout the day, even on the most popular rides. Days like this I would call MaxPass a ‘nice to have’ but not necessarily a requirement, especially if you happen to be near a FP distribution area when you are interested in getting one.

DL for the most part is not a planner’s park, it’s more spur of the moment in the way it flows (with the exception being table service resturants or SWGE reserved events).

 

[coaches24]

I didn’t see this answered in the first few posts so I want to make sure. With max pass do I have to scan into BOTH parks to get FP from both or can I get RSR FP after scanning into DL but before I ever get to DCA that day?

 

[midnight star]

I didn’t see this answered in the first few posts so I want to make sure. With max pass do I have to scan into BOTH parks to get FP from both or can I get RSR FP after scanning into DL but before I ever get to DCA that day?

You can scan into DL first. Doesn't matter the entrance for maxpass.

 

[Skyegirl1999]

I didn’t see this answered in the first few posts so I want to make sure. With max pass do I have to scan into BOTH parks to get FP from both or can I get RSR FP after scanning into DL but before I ever get to DCA that day?

From the OP: Once your ticket is scanned into either park, you are eligible to pull your first FP (from either park).

One of the major benefits of Maxpass is pulling FPs from the other park without having to go there.

 

[Mark_E]

Here’s a slightly cheeky tip but I did this twice during my trip. As I was about to scan in for Star Tours Fastpass, I noticed Astro Blaaters was down. After we scanned I went and booked a Fastpass for Astro Blasters (it had a return time 5 minutes away) and about two minutes later, it turned into an anytime fastpass. We were able to use it on Big Thunder Mountain which had return times much further out. I also did this when Goofys Sky School was down and was able to book a pass, it converted after 5 minutes and I used it for Soarin’.

 

[SOCALMouseMommy]

From the OP: Once your ticket is scanned into either park, you are eligible to pull your first FP (from either park).

One of the major benefits of Maxpass is pulling FPs from the other park without having to go there.

I have a question. Last week I went to try to ride RotR (which we did!). They let us through the DL gate early, before official park opening. DCA was also not yet open.

I tried to book a fastpass for RSR using MaxPass, but it said Fastpasses were not available. I thought you can book a FP before the park opens if you’re scanned in?

 

[Skyegirl1999]

I have a question. Last week I went to try to ride RotR (which we did!). They let us through the DL gate early, before official park opening. DCA was also not yet open.

I tried to book a fastpass for RSR using MaxPass, but it said Fastpasses were not available. I thought you can book a FP before the park opens if you’re scanned in?

You encountered a glitch, then. I booked Star Tours at like 6:30am on January 17, and I booked Space Mountain at about 7:40 yesterday.

 

[SOCALMouseMommy]

You encountered a glitch, then. I booked Star Tours at like 6:30am on January 17, and I booked Space Mountain at about 7:40 yesterday.

Ugh, well that is annoying! Wish I had kept trying. I was wondering why the return times were so late just minutes after park opening!

 

[midnight star]

https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/b...ure-fun-for-little-ones-at-disneyland-resort/
@katyringo posted this on a separate thread...but Autopia and Monsters are coming soon to fastpass. Wonder how it will impact maxpass data?

 

[Skyegirl1999]

https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/b...ure-fun-for-little-ones-at-disneyland-resort/
@katyringo posted this on a separate thread...but Autopia and Monsters are coming soon to fastpass. Wonder how it will impact maxpass data?

Oooo.

Monsters will probably go way faster than it deserves since DCA is light on FP rides in general and kid ones in particular (only TSMM).

Autopia has had FP before... I think I’ll be middle of the pack.

I don’t really like them adding FP in general, but these are fine, I think.

 

[SOCALMouseMommy]

https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/b...ure-fun-for-little-ones-at-disneyland-resort/
@katyringo posted this on a separate thread...but Autopia and Monsters are coming soon to fastpass. Wonder how it will impact maxpass data?

Very excited about FP for Monsters! I love that ride but the line is frequently so darn long these days (30+ minutes). It’s also nice since we have so few FP rides in DCA for those of us with littles. So yay!

 

[midnight star]

Very excited about FP for Monsters! I love that ride but the line is frequently so darn long these days (30+ minutes). It’s also nice since we have so few FP rides in DCA for those of us with littles. So yay!

It's my favorite "kid" ride. Monsters Inc was one of my favorite movies when I was a kid. Brings back memories