MaxPass / Digital Fastpass - Discussion Thread

[Steven G]

I have tried twice on the phone to upgrade my signature AP to include maxpass. One time, they spent 1 or 2 minutes, and they couldn't, and the second they spent almost 15 minutes trying to do so, and they couldn't.
They said I have to go to the ticket booth to do it.
Bah.

You shoudl be able to upgrade it online, hopefully they do that soon, but I'm going to DL today and tomorrow.

 

[lmhall2000]

Now that it's been out a week. What's the best way to maximize?
We are using them next Thursday with MM entry at 7am. Have a party of five, then at 9am will be a party of 8??

Thanks for the help! Likely the only trip to Disneyland for us as a family, went 19 years ago, but kiddies were under 3, no memories. But we have pictures we are going to try and recreate!!

 

[arichau]

I used it a few days this week. I didn't really have a different strategy than pulling FPs the old fashioned way because I would look at the app and see what the available windows were for rides before I got fastpasses usually. Although we would rarely run to a different park to get FP and I did that several times this trip which was great!
A few things to remember:

-After you all enter 1 park MaxPass works well outside the parks. I reserved Fastpasses at the Candy Cane Inn no problem during our mid-day break.
-People cancel fastpasses so if you see that a ride has run out of fastpasses keep looking. We saw some open up one day because of a cancellation. It's like someone handing you a fastpass in the parks!
-No need to take your phone out to use your fastpass if you don't want to. You can just scan your ticket at the ride.

I was just with my daughter so I linked her pass to my account. That way when I went to get a fastpass reservation I could get them both at the same time. I had her pass with me so I just scanned both of our passes when we used them.

I would think your group would want to all have everyone's info on one account so you could all book at the same time? Or maybe not? I always got fastpasses for both of us but it looked like you could just choose one person to get the fastpass as well. I'd be interested to hear experiences from larger groups using MaxPass.

Have fun!

 

[az4boys]

Thanks so much for the information! I have a follow up question for the two items quoted above. To use an "anytime" pass, I believe it can be used for any fastpass ride at any time, other than a few they note. What if you have an actual fastpass for a ride that you want to do twice within the same time period? If you scan your AP at the fastpass entry, how would they know if you are using the anytime pass or the regular fastpass? Or to use an "anytime" pass do you need to enter with the app?
Thanks again for the wonderful list. Very helpful. I'm looking forward to trying it out. I don't want to buy MP, because if too many people do it, there is no chance they would potentially offer it for free in the future.

I don't have an answer, but it would be interesting to know in what order the system uses passes. If you are simply scanning your ticket bar code to enter the line, would it use the ride specific pass first, or the anytime pass first? If you were using your phone app to enter the line, could you choose? I think someone would have to test it out to know for sure.

 

[dina444444]

I don't have an answer, but it would be interesting to know in what order the system uses passes. If you are simply scanning your ticket bar code to enter the line, would it use the ride specific pass first, or the anytime pass first? If you were using your phone app to enter the line, could you choose? I think someone would have to test it out to know for sure.

It should use the ride specific pass first. That's how the system in Florida works.

 

[trez3]

I asked the Touring Plans folks if anything would change with ride strategy/order from their normal touring plans
by using MaxPass and they said no, just maybe you might get done sooner. I would be interested in knowing if
that is the case.

 

[cmwade77]

There are some differences with MaxPass vs. paper tickets, here is my recommended strategy:

1. You can get another Fastpass as soon as one of the two following events occur:
   1. You wait until the time your next Fastpass is available or
   2. The first time you scan your ticket or FastPass at the attraction you are returning to. Yes, this effectively means that your can get a Fastpass for your next ride while waiting in the short FP return line for your first ride. And there are times that you could hold two or more Fastpasses.
2. Do not backtrack, pick one end of the park to start on and work your way around, back tracking may sound good in theory, but it really wastes time in reality.
3. Do not be afraid of Fastpasses with return times that are a ways out, you will be able to get another Fastpass sooner than that time if it is too far out.
4. Get your first FastPass during Magic Morning hours, you probably won't be able to use it until after Magic Morning had ended, but you will be ahead of everyone else and if you can get a second one before Magic Morning ends, do so.
5. Get a FP even if the Standby line seems short, they are taking a lot more FPs than standby.
6. When returning, don't waste your time pulling out the app to scan, it takes a lot longer than scanning tickets. To that end, get lanyards with clear plastic so you don't have to keep pulling your passes out all the time, just watch that people aren't taking your picture when your barcode is showing, they could potentially use that photo to add your pass to their account not and book FPs or use ones you booked. I haven't heard of this happening, but I can see the potential for it to, although I would put it at highly unlikely, just potentially possible, especially for those with good cameras......sad to think that we have to consider that these days.
7. I absolutely think it will dramatically alter touring strategies because FP return times are so often immediate these days that there is no point waiting in the standby queue.
8. Take advantage of the grace period, we have been told you can return to the ride up to 5 minutes before the return window begins and up to 15 minutes after the return window ends.
9. And now the absolute most important tip ever to be shared ever, not just on the Disboards, but anywhere: HAVE FUN! You are on vacation.

Please keep in mind that these are based on our personal experiences as Annual Passholders with MaxPass over two Saturdays that we have been there since MaxPass has started.

 

[alvernon90]

Don't forget to cancel your FP if you know you are not going to use it. You don't have to wait for it to expire.

The corollary to that is to go ahead and grab a FP even if you think you might not want it. Under the old system you would be locked out for two hours if you got impulsive and pulled Star Tours just because you happened to be walking past it. Now it makes sense to grab it because the instant you start to regret it you can just dump it and try again.

Also, remember that you don't have to use it if the line is basically a walk on. We had FP for TSMM but the line was so short that standby was just as fast as FP. When we got to the front of the FP line and realized what was happening, we simply declined to scan our FPs and walked on with the rest of the crowd. By the time we got off and came around to go again, the FP was helpful because the line had built up a bit.

 

[cmwade77]

Don't forget to cancel your FP if you know you are not going to use it. You don't have to wait for it to expire.

The corollary to that is to go ahead and grab a FP even if you think you might not want it. Under the old system you would be locked out for two hours if you got impulsive and pulled Star Tours just because you happened to be walking past it. Now it makes sense to grab it because the instant you start to regret it you can just dump it and try again.

Also, remember that you don't have to use it if the line is basically a walk on. We had FP for TSMM but the line was so short that standby was just as fast as FP. When we got to the front of the FP line and realized what was happening, we simply declined to scan our FPs and walked on with the rest of the crowd. By the time we got off and came around to go again, the FP was helpful because the line had built up a bit.

The last part only applies if you want to ride it twice.

 

[cmwade77]

I don't have an answer, but it would be interesting to know in what order the system uses passes. If you are simply scanning your ticket bar code to enter the line, would it use the ride specific pass first, or the anytime pass first? If you were using your phone app to enter the line, could you choose? I think someone would have to test it out to know for sure.

It will always use the one that is the most restrictive first, let's say you have all of the following on your pass:
FP for a specific attraction
Rider Swap for the same attraction
FP for any attraction

Based on my experience, it would use it in that order, unless you weren't within your FP return window, the it would use the Rider Swap first.

Hopefully that makes sense.

 

[hodad]

I've gone enough times in the past few weeks, including arriving in the afternoon, that I feel comfortable planning my day in little geographically based chunklets of time.

For example,
1) get MaxPass for Splash Mountain, 2 hours away.
2) ride Pirates, Pooh, Tarzan, etc.
3) 90 minutes later, get walk-on MaxPass for BTMRR
4) In line for BTMRR, get another FP for BTMRR
5) Ride BTMRR a second time
6) Ride Splash Mountain

or

1) get MaxPass for Space Mountain, 2 hours away
2) ride Autopia, Nemo, etc.
3) 90 minutes later, get walk-on MaxPass for Buzz
4) In line for Buzz, get Max Pass for Star Tours
5) Ride Space Mtn
6) Ride Star Tours

 

[az4boys]

It will always use the one that is the most restrictive first, let's say you have all of the following on your pass:
FP for a specific attraction
Rider Swap for the same attraction
FP for any attraction

Based on my experience, it would use it in that order, unless you weren't within your FP return window, the it would use the Rider Swap first.

Hopefully that makes sense.

It makes sense and I hope that is the case, but are you saying you tried this scenario in the past 10 days? It is my understanding that rider swap just went digital yesterday or today.

 

[cmwade77]

Good option. But I'm trying to avoid GS at all costs, and an upgrade would mean I have to go to GS correct? If it can be upgraded at GCH desk, maybe I would do that. Just trying to waste the minimum of our park time!

Can anyone who has had tickets but not pre-purchased MP and had to buy MP via the app upon park entry, comment on how much time passed between buying MP on the app and being able to book your first FP of the day?

You can upgrade at any ticket window, you don't need to go to guest services.

That being said, MP is usually available for use immediately after purchasing it if you purchase through the App, if your purchase at the ticket booth it can take up to 30 minutes to be activated.

 

[cmwade77]

It makes sense and I hope that is the case, but are you saying you tried this scenario in the past 10 days? It is my understanding that rider swap just went digital yesterday or today.

The child swap part is new as of today, but that is what the system is apparently supposed to do. For what it is worth, we we're at the parks today, but admittedly I was unaware of the child swap going digital until just a little while ago, so this is just what I have been told about it.

As for the any ride FP use, that is based off of actual experience, it will also use the ride specific FP first, assuming you are within your return window and that was within the past week.

 

[az4boys]

The child swap part is new as of today, but that is what the system is apparently supposed to do. For what it is worth, we we're at the parks today, but admittedly I was unaware of the child swap going digital until just a little while ago, so this is just what I have been told about it.

As for the any ride FP use, that is based off of actual experience, it will also use the ride specific FP first, assuming you are within your return window and that was within the past week.

Thanks! We don't use child swap, but I think the anytime passes would be fun to combine with a regular FP for back to back rides on a favorite.

 

[cmwade77]

Thanks! We don't use child swap, but I think the anytime passes would be fun to combine with a regular FP for back to back rides on a favorite.

If it is a ride with an immediate return time, you can do back to back rides by just getting another FP for the same ride after the first scan of your pass when returning. They seem to have eliminated even the need to wait for a certain amount of time before getting another FP for the same attraction as of today. The trick is you have to have used the FP or be past the time they said you can get another FP, either way works. The any ride FP is great for attractions that have run out FPs for the day.

 

[disneymum58]

1. I've been checking my app from home later in the afternoon/evening and I'm not seeing any with immediate return times lately. A couple weeks ago, I was amazed by seeing this. Does anyone have a guess as to why this is? Are "immediate" return times more available at park opening/morning times? Or were they just available to interest people in using FP more and also making MaxPass more appealing?
2. Are Fps with MaxPass available during Early Entry?

 

[onlyoneash]

Whaaaa? Child swap is now digital too? Who's ticket does the Child swap go on, the person riding first, the child's or the adult waiting to go second? Can 3 people still use the swap pass?

So many questions! Why doesn't Disney have a blog post about the details of this?

 

[cmwade77]

1. I've been checking my app from home later in the afternoon/evening and I'm not seeing any with immediate return times lately. A couple weeks ago, I was amazed by seeing this. Does anyone have a guess as to why this is? Are "immediate" return times more available at park opening/morning times? Or were they just available to interest people in using FP more and also making MaxPass more appealing?
2. Are Fps with MaxPass available during Early Entry?

We had most attractions with immediate return times all while we were there today, the exceptions we're:

• Splash Mountain (Return time was usually about a half an hour a at, even when the standby was 60 minutes)
• Guardians (This did run out of FPs by about 5 PM, but did only have about a 30 minute wait every time we checked)
• Radiator Springs Racers (Ran out at about 3 PM)
• Grizzly River Run (Usually about 20 minutes away from the current time)
• Space Mountain (Also about 20 minutes)
• Star Tours (About 60 minutes away)

Everything else was available with immediate FPs when we checked. As of right now (11:20 PM) the following have immediate availability:

• Splash Mountain (Standby closed for the night)
• Star Tours (20 minute standby)
• Haunted Mansion (5 minutes standby)
• Buzz (5 minutes standby)
• Bug Thunder (15 minute standby)

We had similar results last Saturday, although admittedly crowds have been substantially lighter the past two weeks than they have been in a long time, although I suspect the number of people is the same, but it feels lighter because so much as reopened, such as Fantasmic, the tail road, Rivers of America, etc. that keep a lot of people on them at the same time. Your results can and will vary I am sure, but so far that is our experience.

Additionally those with MaxPass will have access to FPs that have been cancelled, basically this has become the new way to pixie dust your unused FPs. This does mean that there may be immediate availability for an attraction that you wouldn't be able to see at home, but would if you had MaxPass and had been in at least one of the parks for the day.

As for FPs, you can get a MaxPass FP during early entry as long as you have been scanned into the park, even if you don't have Magic Mornings and are just waiting at the rope drop. But return times will not start until the park opens for everyone.

 

[blana]

Whaaaa? Child swap is now digital too? Who's ticket does the Child swap go on, the person riding first, the child's or the adult waiting to go second? Can 3 people still use the swap pass?

So many questions! Why doesn't Disney have a blog post about the details of this?

We were told it just went live yesterday when we were at CA. You have to have all people who will be riding as part of the swap together. All three people riding second will get their passes scanned and a rider swap added to the pass. This is on top of any fast passes.