Earlier this week, Disney quietly launched a new set of changes to their FastPass program which affects the way guests will be able to use Disney’s famous “save time in line” system.
Luck favors the prepared so here’s a few FastPass Tips and Tricks that even seasoned veterans should know next time they head to the Happiest Place on Earth…
-
You still use your admission media (park ticket or Annual Pass) to get a paper FastPass
A valid admission media that has been scanned at the park entrance is required to redeem a FastPass. You still physically insert admission media into the FastPass kiosk and receive a paper ticket.
-
You can now keep your paper FastPass; Disney wants you to scan your admission media
In preparation for the upcoming MaxPass system — an upcharge service that will allow guests to collect FastPasses digitally via the official Disneyland app — Disney is now asking guests to redeem their FastPass Reservation Times by scanning their admission media. This is a change from the previous method of turning in your paper FastPass which you can now keep!
-
You still CAN’T get a new FastPass until your current Reservation Time starts (or after two hours, whichever is sooner) BUT there is a new change if it’s not a busy day…
If you are in the park early enough in the day or if it’s not a very busy day, you’ll find that FastPass Return Times can end up being really close to the current time. For instance, we saw this weekend the Haunted Mansion had a 10-minute wait but the FastPass Return Time was for two minutes from the time we got to the attraction. So rather than hop in an admittedly short 10 minute line, we got a FastPass instead and walked right into the FastPass Return Line.
In the past, the return times were never usually “immediate” to match the current time. This made it difficult to stack more than two FastPasses at a time. So in this instance, because our FastPass Return Time was “instant” we were almost immediately able to get a new FastPass for another attraction. This means that you COULD theoretically get a FastPass for every single attraction for a marathon sprint of Disney’s most iconic rides.
It’s a tight squeeze but is technically possible to get FastPasses for all nine FastPass-enabled attractions at Disneyland (or the 7 at Disney California Adventure) and then immediately proceed in order to board them.
-
The FastPass network is connected between both parks
Earlier this year Disney, introduced FastPass to Toy Story Midway Mania and Matterhorn. When this happened, the entire FastPass network between both Disneyland and Disney California Adventure was connected. In the past, you could grab a FastPass at Disneyland and if you hopped over to Disney California Adventure you could proceed to grab a FastPass for an attraction there, regardless of your Disneyland FastPass Return Time. This is no longer the case.
https://twitter.com/findingdennis/status/877612696354529281
It's kinda fun to do what was previously not possible! All 8 valid @DisneylandToday FASTPASS times and coffee! 😃 ☕ pic.twitter.com/iZPwHLJkvh
— hastin (@hastin) June 24, 2017
More changes should be expected when MaxPass does officially launch but for now it could be a pretty awesome time to take advantage of the changes to the system! ENJOY!
