MaxPass / Digital Fastpass - Discussion Thread

[DisneyJamieCA]

UGH. Thanks for the confirmation!! If you get a chance, would you ask if people would be turned away if they only had the paper FP reminder instead of their ticket? I am wondering if there will be any leeway since a lot of people won't know about the change. Or are there CM at the FP machines telling people the new info? Thank you!

We've only been on a few rides with it, but it doesn't seem like there is any leeway. Group in front of us on Star Tours (which only scans at the entrance, btw) didn't have their passes organized and held up the entire line until they could get them all handed out to the correct person. The little machine turns green if it's a valid FP when ticket is scanned and it pops up something (picture?) on their handheld device.

The return times are still wonky, but working in our favor. We got FP for both Indy and Big Thunder, both good right away We could technically go get another for something else now if we wanted. Makes doing the headlines so much easier. I'll be interested to see how it continues to work.

ETA: They ar explaining when you get the FP what to expect and lots of explaining once you get back into the return line. Suits all around, walking up and down the lines letting people know.

 

[NorthernCalMom]

Two quick questions for those of you currently in the parks:

(1.) Does it seem that FPs are running out faster due to the current return time weirdness?

(2.) Would those of us who use a fastpass runner still be able to do so (meaning, is it ok for one person to hold & scan an entire family's set of tickets, or will each & every one of the ticket holders have to be present to get a FP)?

Thanks in advance for sharing your experiences.

 

[agamble]

Two quick questions for those of you currently in the parks:

(1.) Does it seem that FPs are running out faster due to the current return time weirdness?

(2.) Would those of us who use a fastpass runner still be able to do so (meaning, is it ok for one person to hold & scan an entire family's set of tickets, or will each & every one of the ticket holders have to be present to get a FP)?

Thanks in advance for sharing your experiences.

I was trying to post from the park, but my phone and DIS were not cooperating. Anyway...

So we arrived at the park shortly after 8 and did not know the change had occurred. I Sent DH to get FP for space while I signed kids up for Jedi training. We then rode a few rides and grabbed FP for Star Tours. As we were entering Buzz we saw the scanners being used and I asked. So we went to get on Space and I had to pass out everyone's tickets to the. I was staying off with the baby and asked for the tickets back and got a rude response from the CM that they had to keep their tickets to get scanned again. Next hiccup, when grabbed a FP for Star Tours my mom was in restroom. We thought no big deal, we have to swap anyway. Well she had to be the swapped and could not go in the first group because her ticket didn't have a FP attached.

Also, yesterday at 5:00 I checked the app for screamin FP and they said 5:05. I thought it was an error. Well I walked over and at 5:06 I pulled a FP for 5:10 for screamin. Today the same with Matterhorn, just 15 minutes for return window. It isn't affecting availability necessarily though as these are FP Times for rides that otherwise wouldn't have been used. In actuality it will affect standby waits as people who aren't currently holding a FP can get on the ride almost immediately.

Final note for now, they were only running Soarin at 1/6 capacity yesterday morning. Wait time was about 15 minutes instead of the 5 posted b

 

[wenrob]

Two quick questions for those of you currently in the parks:

(1.) Does it seem that FPs are running out faster due to the current return time weirdness?

(2.) Would those of us who use a fastpass runner still be able to do so (meaning, is it ok for one person to hold & scan an entire family's set of tickets, or will each & every one of the ticket holders have to be present to get a FP)?

Thanks in advance for sharing your experiences.

FPs don't seem to be running out faster.

Older DD has still been our runner. No issues there. We just hand out our APs when we get near the scanner. On Space we DID scan below AND up top.

 

[STLstone]

I am still not sure how this Max Pass works.......
You have to obtain a FP from the phone app, not the FP machine, then they scan your Disneyland pass???

--Lori

First, MaxPass has not started yet.

But when it does, you can use the machine OR your phone to grab a Fastpass. You probably won't want to waste time walking to the machine if you could just do it from your phone.

The details about how the app will work on your phone and how you will manage everyone in your party have not been made available, yet.

After you have a Fastpass, you will take your park ticket to the ride when it's time to ride <-- this is the only change they have put into place today.

 

[lcp9]

I was trying to post from the park, but my phone and DIS were not cooperating. Anyway...

So we arrived at the park shortly after 8 and did not know the change had occurred. I Sent DH to get FP for space while I signed kids up for Jedi training. We then rode a few rides and grabbed FP for Star Tours. As we were entering Buzz we saw the scanners being used and I asked. So we went to get on Space and I had to pass out everyone's tickets to the. I was staying off with the baby and asked for the tickets back and got a rude response from the CM that they had to keep their tickets to get scanned again. Next hiccup, when grabbed a FP for Star Tours my mom was in restroom. We thought no big deal, we have to swap anyway. Well she had to be the swapped and could not go in the first group because her ticket didn't have a FP attached.

Also, yesterday at 5:00 I checked the app for screamin FP and they said 5:05. I thought it was an error. Well I walked over and at 5:06 I pulled a FP for 5:10 for screamin. Today the same with Matterhorn, just 15 minutes for return window. It isn't affecting availability necessarily though as these are FP Times for rides that otherwise wouldn't have been used. In actuality it will affect standby waits as people who aren't currently holding a FP can get on the ride almost immediately.

Final note for now, they were only running Soarin at 1/6 capacity yesterday morning. Wait time was about 15 minutes instead of the 5 posted b

This is going to be a nightmare with 3 little kids and doing rider switch with multiple adults (my parents are coming with us next time.) So in your example, did you get a FP for star tours but your mom wasn't allowed to use it because it was attached to your ticket? Are they checking pics? That's super annoying to go get fastpasses and have to make sure you're getting the right FP for the right people when you've got switching going on.

 

[DLRExpert]

2nd question...
Can you scan your entry/AP tickets onto the Disneyland App. Will the FP machines scan the tickets on the phone instead of using a physical ticket?

That way a person who is not riding can use the physical tickets to get more FP while the riding guests use the mobile app to get through FP.

Found the answer. Mobile App for scanning is not available yet.

 

[Malcon10t]

Final note for now, they were only running Soarin at 1/6 capacity yesterday morning. Wait time was about 15 minutes instead of the 5 posted b

How were they running at 1/6? They have 2 "flights" (left and right), each have 3 (A, B, C) sections. So, only 1 section on 1 flight was loading?

 

[beachdreamr1229]

I don't know about maxpass, but I tried the "new" fastpass system today. You still get paper "reminders", but you have to scan your ticket twice in the FP line for each attraction similar to the magic bands and WDW. It seems to be going relatively smoothly despite many visitors' confusion and dislike for having to scan their tickets.

 

[ex007]

Didn't see this posted elsewhere, so thought I'd let everyone know: Digital Fast Passes are now in effect at DCA. Wasn't at DL today, so don't know whether they are there yet.

But with digital FPs, the FP is now on your ticket or annual pass. The paper ticket printed out is now just a reminder. When you return to use your FP, you have to scan your park ticket or annual pass under the "Mickey Ears" reader, similar to those at WDW.

The major downside to this, obviously, is that you can no longer "stack" FPs. In order to get a new FP, you either have to use your FP or the outside time window has to expire. For example, if you FP window is 9:05-10:05, you previously could get a new FP after 9:05. Now that is no longer possible.

Guess it spreads the FPs around, but for those experienced guests, this will put a serious crimp in touring plan strategies.

 

[Susie63]

Breaking news......Disney releases Magic Bands for California Parks

 

[Jerryp49]

From another blogger. They may change this ,but :

 

[tasha99]

I think you may be able to still stack fps. Makes gifting unused fps to strangers impossible, though.

Btw, this is also in effect at DL today.

 

[ricardol]

Can someone please confirm if CM's are checking Photos of ppl? Or for example can you use another person from your party ticket to enter the attraction?

 

[mom2rtk]

Didn't see this posted elsewhere, so thought I'd let everyone know: Digital Fast Passes are now in effect at DCA. Wasn't at DL today, so don't know whether they are there yet.

But with digital FPs, the FP is now on your ticket or annual pass. The paper ticket printed out is now just a reminder. When you return to use your FP, you have to scan your park ticket or annual pass under the "Mickey Ears" reader, similar to those at WDW.

The major downside to this, obviously, is that you can no longer "stack" FPs. In order to get a new FP, you either have to use your FP or the outside time window has to expire. For example, if you FP window is 9:05-10:05, you previously could get a new FP after 9:05. Now that is no longer possible.

Guess it spreads the FPs around, but for those experienced guests, this will put a serious crimp in touring plan strategies.

I hadn't seen that bit of information yet. Where did you see that the new system won't let you get another FP until the window has closed (as opposed to when it opens as before)?

Reports here earlier today were that they were using scanners for redemption now, but did't intend to really roll out MaxPass until July.

 

[22Tink]

It looks like you can still get your next fp without using the first one. Casey from Disneyland Daily posted this picture of the reminder tickets and it has a time that you can get your next fp but nothing saying the existing fp must be used first.

 

[Skyegirl1999]

My parents have never seen World of Color. So last week, they came with us and got WOC FPs. Then my daughter wanted them to come and see MSEP with us. No problem, I said, my daughter and I will be back on the 27th; we'll grab WOC FPs in the morning and give them to you, and you can come that night after work!

I feel bad that we won't be able to do this for them now. I understand that it wasn't the intended use of FPs, but it also wasn't harming anything. :-(

 

[GaryDis]

From another blogger. They may change this ,but :

View attachment 246320

My understanding is that it's not the same barcode, because the tickets have a 1D barcode and the fast passes have a 2D barcode. It's possible they're still treated the same.

 

[DisneyJamieCA]

You can absolutely get another FP without using your current one. That part hasn't changed. And because of the immediate return times, we've actually held more at one time than we have in years. At one point today we held them for Space/Star Tours and then later for Big Thunder/Indy and Haunted Mansion/Splash. As it was, we pulled the HM FP at 1:20 with a 1:15 return time. Still not sure why the wonky return times, but it's worked well for us. It's essentially let us walk on all the FP rides immediately, bypassing longer standby lines, by pulling FP. We entered at 8am and by 1 had gone on Matterhorn, Space, BLAB, Star Tours, Autopia, Big Thunder x2, Indy, Jungle Cruise, HM, Pirates and had a FP for Splash.

Splash broke down during our return window, so we asked how that would work now. What we've been told is that it hasn't changed and we'll be able to use it at any point today. We will try later tonight and I'll report back how that process goes.

As for lines, the line to scan your return FP is a bit longer than normal, however the FP lines seem to move quicker overall. It does take some getting used to and handing out passes takes a minute, but I actually like this method.

As for the above, the FP may have the same bar code and it's possible a CM will let it be enough, but in what we saw today, they will only accept the ticket.

 

[DisneyJamieCA]

Wanted to add, that DH has continued to be our FP runner today. Obtaining the FP remains the same. It's just redeeming them that has changed. And to redeem each person does have to scan their own card. It's really simple to do. It turns green when it's accepted and yes, it brings up your picture to the handheld device the CM is holding. I hope that helps.