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

[MrsD.Duck]

Can you explain how? We are taking our first family DLR trip in June. I am really excited about NOT having to book FP 60 days in advance because that is so annoying. I just want to make sure I’m technologically ready to roll and I would love to watch these return times for a few days.

Edit: Do I have to already purchase tickets with Maxpass to see times?

If you have the app downloaded, just tap on the icon that puts you on the home page. Next tap on the castle you will then see rides and times. Just tap on a time (big thunder) then tap on the expanded pop up and there it shows you the fastpass return time for that ride. Then just back out and scroll over to another ride and do the same thing for that ride.

 

[Skyegirl1999]

You can’t see all of the return times listed in one window (the way they appear in the 2nd post on this thread) unless you’re in the park. As mentioned by a PP, you can click on the ride on the app, and it will show you the current FP return time. So right now, I’m not at the parks, but I can see that “It’s a Small World” is distributing FPs for 7:05-8:05pm.

What I meant by running around is really not by finding a kiosk 9r going to the ride first, but, getting a fp for a Space Mountain or an Indiana Jones or a GotG or something similar if we won't be in that section of the park until the evening time. It seems that my options are to get the FP time that is offered to me, and make my way over to that area, even if I need to pass by 5-6 different things that we would then have to double back to. And if I wait until 4ish to get a fp for those rides for the evening times, they would be all gone.

So, I suppose it sounds like I would need to get some type of fp simulator to guestimate when best to try for what? All while staying within the windows of when we can make them (90 minutes after setting, or riding, etc). We use Touring Plans for our WDW trips, but it doesn't seem to really figure out the Maxpass well when we use it for DL, either. Are there any suggestions out there for really helpful tools to help us figure this out?

How many days will you be there? Parkhoppers or not?

If you have the time and don’t need to crazy-maximize your FP efficiency, it’s not that difficult to bunch FPs together by location. For Disneyland, you’d want to start with Tomorrowland book Space, Star Tours, and Buzz, then hit Matterhorn, IASW, and Roger Rabbit, then hit Big Thunder, Haunted Mansion, and maybe Splash. Now, this would be a very full day of touring, and it would leave out Indiana Jones and maybe Splash, so unless you hit a cancellation on those, you’d have to pick them up on another day... but it’s perfectly doable to book them in a certain location order if you prefer.

DCA is tougher, but still doable.

 

[Dr.Mickey]

If you have the app downloaded, just tap on the icon that puts you on the home page. Next tap on the castle you will then see rides and times. Just tap on a time (big thunder) then tap on the expanded pop up and there it shows you the fastpass return time for that ride. Then just back out and scroll over to another ride and do the same thing for that ride.

Cool! I have been all over the app but I’ve never tapped a ride to see the FP distribution times. I was looking for the full page view as demonstrated while in the park. I suspect I will be glued to the app for a few days now

 

[avalon451]

For example, our first DL Park day, we plan on doing Toontown in the morning, then going through Fantasyland, and then Tomorrowland, finishing with the fireworks show

The one thing about this particular part of your plan-- ToonTown doesn't open until one hour after regular park opening. Most touring plans have you starting in Fantasyland, because most of the rides there (with the exception of the Matterhorn) don't have FP and can get quite long lines later in the day. If you head for FL first thing in the a.m. (either on a day when you have MM/ early entry privileges, or rope dropping on a non-MM day) then you can knock it all out in the first hour, while choosing your first FP via Maxpass. Though conventional wisdom lately has you skipping Peter Pan unless you can walk briskly enough to be one of the first 40 or so people in line.

 

[kpd6901]

You can’t see all of the return times listed in one window (the way they appear in the 2nd post on this thread) unless you’re in the park. As mentioned by a PP, you can click on the ride on the app, and it will show you the current FP return time. So right now, I’m not at the parks, but I can see that “It’s a Small World” is distributing FPs for 7:05-8:05pm.


How many days will you be there? Parkhoppers or not?

If you have the time and don’t need to crazy-maximize your FP efficiency, it’s not that difficult to bunch FPs together by location. For Disneyland, you’d want to start with Tomorrowland book Space, Star Tours, and Buzz, then hit Matterhorn, IASW, and Roger Rabbit, then hit Big Thunder, Haunted Mansion, and maybe Splash. Now, this would be a very full day of touring, and it would leave out Indiana Jones and maybe Splash, so unless you hit a cancellation on those, you’d have to pick them up on another day... but it’s perfectly doable to book them in a certain location order if you prefer.

DCA is tougher, but still doable.

Tues 6/11 - Toon, Fantasyland, Main St, maybe tomorrow land.
Wed 6/12 - off site site seeing
Thurs 6/13 - SWGE (8am-noon); critter/adv/NOSq/frontier
Fri 6/14 - same exact as Thurs 6/13; plus F! Dinner package
Sat 6/15 - DCA w/WoC Dessert Party
Sun 6/16 - Make-up day for things we missed; Downtown Disney for VR and Mickey pics.

Park hoppers; trying to avoid staying later than nighttime shows

 

[kpd6901]

The one thing about this particular part of your plan-- ToonTown doesn't open until one hour after regular park opening. Most touring plans have you starting in Fantasyland, because most of the rides there (with the exception of the Matterhorn) don't have FP and can get quite long lines later in the day. If you head for FL first thing in the a.m. (either on a day when you have MM/ early entry privileges, or rope dropping on a non-MM day) then you can knock it all out in the first hour, while choosing your first FP via Maxpass. Though conventional wisdom lately has you skipping Peter Pan unless you can walk briskly enough to be one of the first 40 or so people in line.

Since it is our first trip, the thought was do Mr Lincoln and get some pics around Main Street and do Castle walkthrough as we make our way to Toontown. Testing on Touring Plans has us getting through Toontown and having relatively minimal waits in Fantasyland until about 1pm or so (longest one being 14 minutes). This is with getting a Matterhorn FP early to use from 10-11. No other fps used through at least 1 pm. At that point, Peter pan hits 51 minutes. Playing around more, it looks like, if I start booking fps for Tomorrowland about 10:30 and later, I can get them for Space, Star Tours, Buzz for the 5:30-8:00 time frames, and then hang out for fireworks around 9:30. Is that realistic or is Touring Plans here really unreliable from this perspective?

 

[Skyegirl1999]

Since it is our first trip, the thought was do Mr Lincoln and get some pics around Main Street and do Castle walkthrough as we make our way to Toontown. Testing on Touring Plans has us getting through Toontown and having relatively minimal waits in Fantasyland until about 1pm or so (longest one being 14 minutes). This is with getting a Matterhorn FP early to use from 10-11. No other fps used through at least 1 pm. At that point, Peter pan hits 51 minutes. Playing around more, it looks like, if I start booking fps for Tomorrowland about 10:30 and later, I can get them for Space, Star Tours, Buzz for the 5:30-8:00 time frames, and then hang out for fireworks around 9:30. Is that realistic or is Touring Plans here really unreliable from this perspective?

Touring Plans is worthless. I would not trust those times at all. Not even a little. Fantasyland is immensely popular and many of the rides there build lines early.

I have to say that it would be a really, really major error to spend the start of the morning doing Mr. Lincoln (which is often a movie preview instead) and the castle walkthrough. Those are “mid afternoon when everything is crazy” activities.

You also have to realize how close together things are at DL. Getting from Fantasyland to Tomorrowland is not a hike. If you’re park-hopping, or trying to get from Space Mountain to Splash Mountain and back, that’s one thing... but getting from Space to the Matterhorn takes a couple of minutes.

 

[avalon451]

Is that realistic or is Touring Plans here really unreliable from this perspective?

Touring Plans is really unreliable. Ridemax is better, but neither of them is as good as reading the tips threads on our very own DISboards, in particular the ones at the front of this very thread. Skyegirl's strategies combine the best of years of tips and research we've all picked up. Hydroguy's tips compilations are also invaluable.

Both Touring Plans and Ridemax are fun to play around with, and Ridemax especially has some good insider tips for general information and advice-- but you'll never do better than coming up with your own plan that works with your particular dates, your group, your preferences.

I agree with Skyegirl; the Main Street pics and Castle walkthrough are not for those golden hours of park opening. We do that stuff on one of our half-days; often we fly in early in the morning and arrive at the parks midday; that is our time to amble, take pictures, take it all in, and maybe ride one or two things with late FPs that are still available when we get there. But when you have a full day available, it's best to get to the turnstiles 30-45 minutes before opening and use that time wisely.

 

[kpd6901]

Thank you all for the input. Our cross country flight arrives at LAX near 11 pm Pacific time, so we probably not be back at our hotel till, what?, close to 1-2? So, we really don't want to get there too early so that we are dead tired throughout the trip. The whole "get there early to get your fp when you scan in before they are all scooped up" is what scares me.

 

[cdatkins]

Great thread!

Question that i did not see answered in the original post:

Let’s say I enter DCA at 7am on an early entry morning. Can I use MaxPass to then grab FPs for my entire family (all 5 of us) even if I am the only one that entered DCA?

Thanks!

 

[kpd6901]

So, as I think about this more, and again, I do appreciate all your help, I think I need to shift my thinking a little bit. And maybe this was already alluded to but it didn't click for me. Would it be best to prioritize the most popular ones and try to get a ballpark for when those will be in the window we aim for and go from there? So, if we hit Fantasyland first, then Toontown, then Tomorrowland, when we first get in, just try to monitor for midday FP for Matterhorn and late afternoon/evening FP for Tomorrowland...with a mindset that the later times come sooner for the more popular ones that were tiered in another prior post?

Figure a Tuesday morning, on June 11 (is school out yet? When do the crowds tend to fill in? 10? Noon?) If we roll in around 10 am, would it be tough to get the Matterhorn and Space Mountain fp? Or at that point, are we looking at just hoping for the one and our window blocking getting the other?

 

[kpd6901]

Great thread!

Question that i did not see answered in the original post:

Let’s say I enter DCA at 7am on an early entry morning. Can I use MaxPass to then grab FPs for my entire family (all 5 of us) even if I am the only one that entered DCA?

Thanks!

From what I seem to have read, FP can only be gotten for any person after they scanned into the park, so if it is just you, you can only get it for you. If you want a fp thru Maxpass for your entire family, they must all also enter the park. Can I get a confirmation on that?

 

[BillFraser29]

kpd...after looking at your itinerary I would wait until after FL and ToonTown to go back out near the entrance for Mr. Lincoln & other pics. There will also be various characters roaming this area throughout the day. The morning is the best time to hit FL because of the lack of FP and then go to ToonTown to avoid walking from FL - back to the front of the park - and then ToonTown (at the back of the park). While in FL, Toontown, & at the front of the park you can be stacking Tomorrowland FP's (Space Mountain goes first, then Star Tours and Buzz).

Your days 3/4 should be easily manageable, and by that point you should have a pretty good layout of the park and times in which you want to book things. One tip is to book Indiana Jones FP since it does break down quite often. Both of these days and DCA is when MaxPass will be most valuable. Also do not miss the Frozen show at DCA, even if you do not have any Frozen fans in your group.

 

[BillFraser29]

From what I seem to have read, FP can only be gotten for any person after they scanned into the park, so if it is just you, you can only get it for you. If you want a fp thru Maxpass for your entire family, they must all also enter the park. Can I get a confirmation on that?

Correct, but once everyone scans in first thing in the morning, then you can book FP all day for both parks. Even if you were to take a mid-day break you can continue to book FP during that time.

 

[HydroGuy]

Great thread!

Question that i did not see answered in the original post:

Let’s say I enter DCA at 7am on an early entry morning. Can I use MaxPass to then grab FPs for my entire family (all 5 of us) even if I am the only one that entered DCA?

Thanks!

From what I seem to have read, FP can only be gotten for any person after they scanned into the park, so if it is just you, you can only get it for you. If you want a fp thru Maxpass for your entire family, they must all also enter the park. Can I get a confirmation on that?

100% correct. Each party member must have scanned in to either DCA or DL in order for you to get a FP/MP for that person.

 

[kpd6901]

So, again, used to WDW and magic bands, each person taps in, including kids with the band that is physically attached to them and doesn't get lost. At DL, no Magic bands. So, when we arrive at our hotel, we will receive our physical tickets and scan them into the app. Having never seen a DL ticket, do they have the names already on them, or do we need to make sure that each kid (14, 10, and 6 - each with their own versions of autism, ADHD, and Oppositional) will keep their tickets to scan in at the rides for Maxpass usage? Or once they are all scanned into the app, do we just use our phone to scan into a ride? If so, do we scan in once for the entire party, or does the adult with the app stand at the kiosk and scan one at a time while maneuvering the kids around us into the line (in hindsight, the wording of my post sounds a little snarky - not intended, just trying to work through logistics expectations with the attention difficulties of my kids).

Thanks!

 

[dieumeye]

So, again, used to WDW and magic bands, each person taps in, including kids with the band that is physically attached to them and doesn't get lost. At DL, no Magic bands. So, when we arrive at our hotel, we will receive our physical tickets and scan them into the app. Having never seen a DL ticket, do they have the names already on them, or do we need to make sure that each kid (14, 10, and 6 - each with their own versions of autism, ADHD, and Oppositional) will keep their tickets to scan in at the rides for Maxpass usage? Or once they are all scanned into the app, do we just use our phone to scan into a ride? If so, do we scan in once for the entire party, or does the adult with the app stand at the kiosk and scan one at a time while maneuvering the kids around us into the line (in hindsight, the wording of my post sounds a little snarky - not intended, just trying to work through logistics expectations with the attention difficulties of my kids).

Thanks!

You get the tix at check-in and can scan them into the app. You can have each ticket scanned into as many phones as you want. And you can have as many tix on one phone as you want. You could have all the tickets on your phone. You can use them to enter the park right on the app without everyone having to hold their own ticket. You can book FPs for everyone on one phone. When you get to the ride, you can use one phone to scan everyone in. Yes... "the adult with the app stand at the kiosk and scan one at a time" but the app makes this super easy. You hold the phone under the scanner and it dings, then swipe with your thumb and the next pass comes up and the scanner dings, swipe, ding, swipe, ding. It takes maybe 5 seconds to scan in 4 passes. It could not be easier.

 

[kpd6901]

You get the tix at check-in and can scan them into the app. You can have each ticket scanned into as many phones as you want. And you can have as many tix on one phone as you want. You could have all the tickets on your phone. You can use them to enter the park right on the app without everyone having to hold their own ticket. You can book FPs for everyone on one phone. When you get to the ride, you can use one phone to scan everyone in. Yes... "the adult with the app stand at the kiosk and scan one at a time" but the app makes this super easy. You hold the phone under the scanner and it dings, then swipe with your thumb and the next pass comes up and the scanner dings, swipe, ding, swipe, ding. It takes maybe 5 seconds to scan in 4 passes. It could not be easier.

Wonderful! Thanks!

 

[theluckyrabbit]

So, again, used to WDW and magic bands, each person taps in, including kids with the band that is physically attached to them and doesn't get lost. At DL, no Magic bands. So, when we arrive at our hotel, we will receive our physical tickets and scan them into the app. Having never seen a DL ticket, do they have the names already on them, or do we need to make sure that each kid (14, 10, and 6 - each with their own versions of autism, ADHD, and Oppositional) will keep their tickets to scan in at the rides for Maxpass usage? Or once they are all scanned into the app, do we just use our phone to scan into a ride? If so, do we scan in once for the entire party, or does the adult with the app stand at the kiosk and scan one at a time while maneuvering the kids around us into the line (in hindsight, the wording of my post sounds a little snarky - not intended, just trying to work through logistics expectations with the attention difficulties of my kids).

Thanks!

I noticed your question about DAS in another thread. One great thing about MP at DLR is that it works wonderfully well together with DAS. The two systems are separate and can work alone, but together, they work great. You can hold returns times for both at the same time. Just be careful when you scan at the return line that you are scanning the one you want, either FP or DAS. And, if using the DAS, make sure that the person whose photo is linked to the DAS is the first to scan so the CM can see that person.
Some people like to use their phone to scan all the tickets at the return line. Other people like to keep all the tickets in a lanyard to scan in order to save on phone battery life in the parks. Both ways work fine. Just make sure to put the tickets in a safe (and waterproof) place after you scan them in to your app. Sometimes (very rarely) the app goes wonky and can lose your tickets, requiring a re-scan. Having the paper tickets handy will save a trip back to the hotel to find them. Also, take a photo of each ticket with a clear image of the bar code as a safety measure. If the tickets get lost or stolen, you will be able to replace them easily and quickly by showing the photos at Guest Services.

 

[ThistleMae]

100% correct. Each party member must have scanned in to either DCA or DL in order for you to get a FP/MP for that person.

But one person can book for the whole party, once everyone has scanned in....correct?