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

[HydroGuy]

I have not seen MMM but it has had, well, mixed reviews. If it were me I would just not do it.

I would probably not get MP unless I had money to burn.

So where does that leave you? You are doing MM on Saturday too? So that is like 7AM. And you want to be over at the gates by 6:30AM to make use of that. So unless you just do not need sleep, maybe go to DCA on Friday night? It is open until 10PM. Incredicoaster is better at night so try and ride that. Lines are usually not bad at night and they do have single ride if you are OK with splitting up. RSR has single rider too. LMAUA ride is short. Sometimes GOTG is not that bad for lines later in the night. Usually Soarin is not that bad. See CarsLand at night.

If you head into DL instead then check the app but often as the evening goes on the standby lines are often not bad for POTC, HM, BTMRR, BLAB, JC and Nemo subs. So maybe do those?

 

[LizzyS]

Forgive me if this has been mentioned, but since we're taking a tour one day and I've bought MP for that day, can you book FPs for later in the day for a specific attraction if you want or are you just given the next period available when booking? Like, when I'm taking the tour and take a sec to book via MP, can I do that for a few hours into the future easily or no? Do I have to wait until that attraction has return times available when I can actually use the FP?

 

[HydroGuy]

Forgive me if this has been mentioned, but since we're taking a tour one day and I've bought MP for that day, can you book FPs for later in the day for a specific attraction if you want or are you just given the next period available when booking? Like, when I'm taking the tour and take a sec to book via MP, can I do that for a few hours into the future easily or no? Do I have to wait until that attraction has return times available when I can actually use the FP?

Answered in the OP:

When selecting a FP, you cannot pick a preferred time. The FP return times start in the morning (at or just after park opening: see below), and then they march forward. What you see is what you get.

 

[goodeats]

Not being able to schedule FP was a hard adjustment after our WDW trip, but we got used to it quickly. We left the park for dinner around 5:00 and the only rides that had a return time for after we planned to get back was Space and Indy. Not a terrible problem to have, but something we were surprised by.

We were there on maybe a level 8 crowd day (although I think it was lower), and I was shocked at how quick our return times were through out the day.

 

[HydroGuy]

Not being able to schedule FP was a hard adjustment after our WDW trip, but we got used to it quickly. We left the park for dinner around 5:00 and the only rides that had a return time for after we planned to get back was Space and Indy. Not a terrible problem to have, but something we were surprised by.

We were there on maybe a level 8 crowd day (although I think it was lower), and I was shocked at how quick our return times were through out the day.

I am saying this lightheartedly, but only a WDW vet could find it "hard" to not have to (or be able to) schedule FPs 30-60 days in advance.

 

[Violetspider]

I am saying this lightheartedly, but only a WDW vet could find it "hard" to not have to (or be able to) schedule FPs 30-60 days in advance.

WDW vets and super planners like myself! Laugh if you must, but this is our norm.

 

[nolafan33]

My wife and I went to Disneyland for the first time last April, and I thought their MaxPass system was significantly easier and less stressful than the WDW system.

 

[theluckyrabbit]

... That only leaves Mixed Magic, which I do plan to knock out Friday night. Any suggestion of where & how soon to snag a spot?..

MMM isn't a showstopper like previous fireworks shows, so finding a viewing spot isn't that hard. Especially since there are 4 different viewing areas: SBC, Main Street, IASW, and ROA. Right now, Main Street and IASW are leading the polls for best viewing areas -- and both are large viewing areas. With an hour, you should find great spots. With half an hour, you should find good spots. We've walked up with less than half an hour and still found spots that were fine. MMM isn't the kind of show where we felt we needed to have "prime" spots. It's just fun, not spectacular. Be aware that MMM does not have fireworks every night. Right now, it's weekends only. And if there are weather issues, the show will be projections only.

 

[katejc]

MMM isn't a showstopper like previous fireworks shows, so finding a viewing spot isn't that hard. Especially since there are 4 different viewing areas: SBC, Main Street, IASW, and ROA. Right now, Main Street and IASW are leading the polls for best viewing areas -- and both are large viewing areas. With an hour, you should find great spots. With half an hour, you should find good spots. We've walked up with less than half an hour and still found spots that were fine. MMM isn't the kind of show where we felt we needed to have "prime" spots. It's just fun, not spectacular. Be aware that MMM does not have fireworks every night. Right now, it's weekends only. And if there are weather issues, the show will be projections only.

We just got back and had literally no wait for MMM. Just walked onto Main Street from DCA at around 9:25 and watched. It wasn't even that filled with people as it can get during fireworks. The show is brief and not something I would spend any time waiting for. It just seems like a filler until the real fireworks shows return.

 

[katejc]

Would like to add, too, to not worry about MaxPass--just be flexible and keep an eye on when you can grab your next ones and you'll find plenty of options! It will feel a lot simpler once you get in the parks and start using it. And like another poster said, know which rides have single rider--this can really help, especially when you want to ride a favorite again. Sometimes you even get seated together anyway--we did on RSR. I bet you'll enjoy DLR's more "go with the flow" approach!

 

[akmomesq]

Has MP significantly changed over the last year? We were there last spring break and used MP. We found it very useful. We're going again this May and adding MP - I thought - was a no brainer. But then I saw a suggestion in a different thread that said if you aren't at the parks earlier enough, don't bother with MP. We have teenagers - if we can get everyone to the park by 10 or so, we're doing great. This wasn't an issue last spring break. Is it an issue now? Has the MP popularity gotten to be such that if you're not there before 9, don't bother?

 

[FCDub]

Has MP significantly changed over the last year? We were there last spring break and used MP. We found it very useful. We're going again this May and adding MP - I thought - was a no brainer. But then I saw a suggestion in a different thread that said if you aren't at the parks earlier enough, don't bother with MP. We have teenagers - if we can get everyone to the park by 10 or so, we're doing great. This wasn't an issue last spring break. Is it an issue now? Has the MP popularity gotten to be such that if you're not there before 9, don't bother?

10 is not "late"

 

[Skyegirl1999]

Has MP significantly changed over the last year? We were there last spring break and used MP. We found it very useful. We're going again this May and adding MP - I thought - was a no brainer. But then I saw a suggestion in a different thread that said if you aren't at the parks earlier enough, don't bother with MP. We have teenagers - if we can get everyone to the park by 10 or so, we're doing great. This wasn't an issue last spring break. Is it an issue now? Has the MP popularity gotten to be such that if you're not there before 9, don't bother?

It has not changed significantly, although some FPs are running out sooner than they used to (notably RSR). The only thing that has been running out before noon is RSR.

Obviously the sooner you’re there, the more you’ll get done, but 10:00 isn’t a late arrival.

 

[wareagle57]

I have a question about the 30 minute minimum. Since you can make a MP reservation as soon as you enter the park, does the 30 minute clock start as soon as you book the FP, or as soon as the park opens? Say I'm in DCA for Magic Hours at 7am with a regular park opening at 8. At 7:30 I make a RSR FP for 8:00. Do I have to wait until 8:30 to book my next MP, or can I make it at 8:00? Same for DL. If I'm waiting on Main Street on a day with no early entry for the park to open at 8, and I make a FP at 7:30 with a return time of 8:00, can I book my next on 30 minutes later at 8, or do I have to wait until 8:30. I realize I can go USE the FP first, but if I can hold it and do something without MP and hold that one while making a 2nd MP, that would be a better option.

 

[Skyegirl1999]

I have a question about the 30 minute minimum. Since you can make a MP reservation as soon as you enter the park, does the 30 minute clock start as soon as you book the FP, or as soon as the park opens? Say I'm in DCA for Magic Hours at 7am with a regular park opening at 8. At 7:30 I make a RSR FP for 8:00. Do I have to wait until 8:30 to book my next MP, or can I make it at 8:00? Same for DL. If I'm waiting on Main Street on a day with no early entry for the park to open at 8, and I make a FP at 7:30 with a return time of 8:00, can I book my next on 30 minutes later at 8, or do I have to wait until 8:30. I realize I can go USE the FP first, but if I can hold it and do something without MP and hold that one while making a 2nd MP, that would be a better option.

The 30-minute minimum is from your booking time, not when your window opens. So in both of your examples, your window opens at 8, which is 30 minutes after booking, so you can book your next FP at 8. It doesn’t matter when the park opens, just when your FP window opens.

You are always eligible to book when your window opens UNLESS that’s less than 30 minutes from when you book - so if you book an 8:05-9:05 FP at 8:00, it will tell you that you can’t book again until 8:30, which is true unless you use that one first. Then you can book immediately.

Incidentally, if EMH started at 7 and you don’t book RSR until 7:30, your return time would be way after 8:00.

 

[wareagle57]

The 30-minute minimum is from your booking time, not when your window opens. So in both of your examples, your window opens at 8, which is 30 minutes after booking, so you can book your next FP at 8. It doesn’t matter when the park opens, just when your FP window opens.

You are always eligible to book when your window opens UNLESS that’s less than 30 minutes from when you book - so if you book an 8:05-9:05 FP at 8:00, it will tell you that you can’t book again until 8:30, which is true unless you use that one first. Then you can book immediately.

Incidentally, if EMH started at 7 and you don’t book RSR until 7:30, your return time would be way after 8:00.

Gotcha. That's how I understood it, but just wasn't sure if the 30 minute clock started running since the park wasn't officially open yet. You're right that RSR return times would be further out than that. But if I booked it at 7, or close to it, they seem to be around 8:10. So I could rope drop it, then go to Guardians and ride it until the park officially opens, and immediately be eligible to start grabbing Guardians MPs at 8:10. Thank you!

 

[nkereina]

Has anyone used the touring plans from the web site Disneyland Daily? We'll be going for our first time in May so I'd like to rely on the strategy the web site spells out. They seem to be popular and well regarded, but some of their recommendations are giving me pause (i.e. doing Pan later in the day). Has anyone had any bad experiences following their plans?

 

[LizzyS]

Has MP significantly changed over the last year? We were there last spring break and used MP. We found it very useful. We're going again this May and adding MP - I thought - was a no brainer. But then I saw a suggestion in a different thread that said if you aren't at the parks earlier enough, don't bother with MP. We have teenagers - if we can get everyone to the park by 10 or so, we're doing great. This wasn't an issue last spring break. Is it an issue now? Has the MP popularity gotten to be such that if you're not there before 9, don't bother?

No way, don't listen to this person. I was using MP all day long on our recent trip and I'm in love with it now.

 

[avalon451]

Skyegirl, I used MP for the first time on a quick 1 -1/2 day trip last May when I was chaperoning my daughter's band trip. As a former expert in the ways of FP, I loved the advantages, but for our upcoming family trip in September, I'm trying to get a better handle on the intricacies of efficient collection. Your posts are incredibly helpful! Thank you!

One thing threw me last May. I had a group of students hanging around with me, and we all scanned our park tickets into my phone to make a group, before we got to the parks. Once we were in, we bought MaxPass for everybody and I started making Maxpass group selections. What threw me, though, is that each ticket was only identified by the number on the back of the paper ticket. There didn't seem to be a way to attach a name or a picture to each person in the group, so in order to choose some of our group for one ride, but not all, I had to have each kid know the last few digits of their paper ticket so I could identify who to add to the group. Does that make sense? It was a major pain. I couldn't quickly choose just the kids who wanted to ride GotG, for example.

How you distinguish the different members of your group when selecting MaxPass groups?

If it makes a difference, this time we'll probably be purchasing parkhoppers through Disney with MP already included.

 

[Skyegirl1999]

Skyegirl, I used MP for the first time on a quick 1 -1/2 day trip last May when I was chaperoning my daughter's band trip. As a former expert in the ways of FP, I loved the advantages, but for our upcoming family trip in September, I'm trying to get a better handle on the intricacies of efficient collection. Your posts are incredibly helpful! Thank you!

One thing threw me last May. I had a group of students hanging around with me, and we all scanned our park tickets into my phone to make a group, before we got to the parks. Once we were in, we bought MaxPass for everybody and I started making Maxpass group selections. What threw me, though, is that each ticket was only identified by the number on the back of the paper ticket. There didn't seem to be a way to attach a name or a picture to each person in the group, so in order to choose some of our group for one ride, but not all, I had to have each kid know the last few digits of their paper ticket so I could identify who to add to the group. Does that make sense? It was a major pain. I couldn't quickly choose just the kids who wanted to ride GotG, for example.

How you distinguish the different members of your group when selecting MaxPass groups?

If it makes a difference, this time we'll probably be purchasing parkhoppers through Disney with MP already included.

So, this is not my area of expertise because we’re APs so our names are automatically linked, but in both June and September of last year, I managed friends’ Maxpass selections by scanning their tickets into my account. Both of those times, I got to name each ticket when I added it.

Perhaps someone with more recent experience can chime in here with better details!