Guide to FastPass & MaxPass at Disneyland
Disneyland and Disney California Adventure offer free FastPass and paid MaxPass ride reservation systems to skip the standby line. This guide covers the pros & cons of each, tips & tricks for choosing the best FastPasses, strategy that will save you the most time, plus whether you should spend money and upgrade to MaxPass. (Updated February 4, 2020.)
We’ll start with something of an update, as we just spent a couple weeks at Disneyland for the grand opening of Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance. While that blockbuster new attraction notably does not offer FastPass, MaxPass, or a standby line (full details in our Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance Disneyland Strategy Guide), one thing it does require is being inside Disneyland before park opening.
That will likely be the case for the remainder of 2020. Consequently, there’s even more value in purchasing MaxPass than normal. You can book your first MaxPass the moment you enter Disneyland, even before official rope drop. By contrast, we would’ve had to wait another 30-45 minutes each morning to grab our first paper FastPass. We used MaxPass every single day and even with off-season crowds, absolutely loved it. MaxPass allowed us to do 3-4 extra rides per day, which was a huge advantage.
Suffice to say, we recommend MaxPass. (Important note: this recommendation and the accompanying commentary was made when the price was $15 per person per day. As we discuss in the commentary to our MaxPass Price Increase & New Ride Details, it’s a much closer call now.)
The cost is $20 per person per day (but you can save money on park tickets by purchasing Get Away Today’s tickets with MaxPass; see more in our Guide to Discount Disneyland Tickets). Plus, as noted above (and covered in more depth below), MaxPass will allow you to do several more attractions per day as compared to traditional FastPass.
We’ll underscore that point again: yes, FastPass is free at Disneyland. This is the number one question we hear from first-timers, most of whom assume there’s some sort of catch since other theme and amusement parks charge for their front-of-line service. FastPass is totally free–no catch. As noted above, MaxPass costs $20 per day, but it means less walking and doing more.
If you’re a Disneyland regular, you know the ins and outs of FastPass and MaxPass. It’s second nature. However, if you’re a first-timer, it’s not so simple. It’s also not all that intuitive, particularly since Disneyland no longer really provides information (or signage) to guests about the complimentary FastPass service, and the only MaxPass info is usually a pop-up in the Disneyland app.
Before we get ahead of ourselves, let’s cover some of the basics. FastPass is essentially a virtual queueing system for select attractions at Disneyland and Disney California Adventure. Not exactly a front of the line ticket, but close. The key difference between this and a front of the line system is that you are waiting for an attraction…you’re just not physically waiting in the line.
You go to a FastPass kiosk at an attraction (let’s say Radiator Springs Racers) at 9 a.m. The current wait time is 90 minutes. The FastPass return time is 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. You obtain a FastPass reminder paper, and go have breakfast at Flo’s V8 Cafe, do some shopping, and return at 10:30 a.m., scan your park ticket to enter the FastPass return line, and wait ~10 minutes before boarding the attraction. You’ve waited over 90 minutes to ride…you just waited somewhere else.
That’s just one example with arbitrary numbers chosen. Sometimes you wait less time than the current standby wait, but more frequently, you wait longer. Since your line is virtual, you can be in more than one place at once: virtually in line at Radiator Springs Racers and physically in line at Luigi’s Rollickin’ Roadsters.
Hopefully, that explained the basic mechanics of how FastPass works, here are some additional rules and answers to frequently asked questions:
- Unlike some front of line passes, FastPass is not unlimited. You cannot grab a second FastPass until the time on your FastPass reminder indicates one will be available.
- Normally, your next FastPass can be drawn either at the start of the return window for your first one, or 2 hours from the time you grabbed your previous FastPass, whichever is earlier. Example A: You grab FastPass #1 at 8 a.m., and your first FastPass window is 9 – 10 a.m.; you’ll usually be able to grab a second FastPass at 9 a.m. Example B: You grab FastPass #2 at 9 a.m. and your window is 2 – 3 p.m.; you’ll usually be eligible for another FastPass at 11 a.m.
- Given Examples A & B above, you should be able to see how you can sometimes hold multiple FastPasses simultaneously…but not always.
- There’s a limited supply of FastPasses, and return times are based upon demand. You will most often see return times far later in the day for attractions that are most popular/have the longest wait times. Only so many FastPasses are issued for each hour of the day, and return times are based upon demand. Radiator Springs Racers will almost always have a return time far later in the day.
- By contrast, the following attractions routinely have a return time that is shorter than the standby wait: Roger Rabbit’s Car Toon Spin, Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters, Haunted Mansion, and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad.
- FastPass distribution occurs in designated areas near attractions. Signs make these areas easy to find. The notable exception to this is Radiator Springs Racers, which has FastPass distribution outside of a bug’s land.
- When acquiring FastPasses, give them to one person in your party and send that person as the designated runner. They do not actually have to run to get the FastPasses, but bonus points if they do! 😉
- World of Color and Fantasmic are not connected to the FastPass system used for attractions. You can always hold these simultaneously with one another and other attractions.
- Disneyland Resort does not use FastPass+ for scheduling multiple FastPasses weeks or months in advance. Whether MaxPass or FastPass, it’s all a same-day, one-at-a-time system at Disneyland.
- There is literally no reason not to use FastPass at Disneyland. You are at a significant disadvantage if you choose not to use it.
One thing to know is that the FastPass systems in Disneyland and Disney California Adventure are now connected, meaning you cannot game the system by getting one FastPass and immediately Park Hopping to get another. This is a trick that worked for a long time, but it no longer does. (If you see this still mentioned on older posts here, please let us know in the comments of those posts–we are trying to update this info site-wide.)
Another thing to know is that Disneyland’s paper FastPasses distributed at kiosks are actually just “reminder” slips. The actual FastPass is tied to your park ticket, and you will scan your ticket to redeem your FastPass, not the FastPass reminder. (If you used your phone as your ticket, that means scanning the bar code on there.)
The system seems designed so that it can eventually be utilized with MagicBands, or NFC technology like the Apple Watch, but as of right now, it’s a bit clunky with the FastPass reminder and ticket system.
FastPass Strategy
We cover this in passing in our 1-Day Disneyland Park Itinerary and 1-Day Disney California Adventure Itinerary, but figured we’d offer bullet points with FastPass priorities here for each park, as well.
These rankings are determined by a combination of when FastPass distribution normally ends for each particular attraction, plus average standby waits. Whether an attraction is currently an “instant” FastPass is also factored in…
Disneyland
- Space Mountain
- Matterhorn Bobsleds
- Indiana Jones Adventure
- Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
- Splash Mountain (summer visits only)
- Star Tours: the Adventures Continue
- Roger Rabbit’s Car Toon Spin
- Buzz Lightyear’s Astro Blasters
- Autopia
- Haunted Mansion
Disney California Adventure
- Radiator Springs Racers
- Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: BREAKOUT!
- Incredicoaster
- Toy Story Midway Mania
- Soarin’
- Grizzly River Run (summer visits only)
- Monsters, Inc. Mike and Sully to the Rescue
- Goofy’s Sky School
In some cases, you’re probably better off revisiting attractions near the top of the list if FastPasses are still available, rather than going directly down it. For instance, Goofy’s Sky School is a total waste of time, so I’d recommend getting a second Incredicoaster FastPass (for nighttime–it’s better then) instead of a first Goofy’s Sky School FastPass. Likewise, if Haunted Mansion has a 10 minute wait and Indiana Jones Adventure has a 60 minute wait, get a second FastPass for Indy, and do Haunted Mansion via standby. The above is just a resource, not a step by step itinerary.
Disneyland has confirmed that Monsters, Inc. Mike and Sully to the Rescue in DCA and Autopia in Disneyland will soon be offering Disney FastPass and MaxPass. Both attractions are aimed at families with kids, which is a type of attraction underrepresented by the the ride reservation services. We expect more additions like this as Disneyland tries to make MaxPass more appealing to guests with small children.
Note that neither Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge attraction–Millennium Falcon Smugglers Run or Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance–currently offers FastPass or MaxPass. Given that the Florida version just added FastPass, we’re guessing California’s Millennium Falcon Smugglers Run will likewise add FastPass/MaxPass before Summer 2020. Once it does, slot it into the #4 position on the Disneyland list above.
MaxPass
MaxPass is now available at Disneyland Resort. Think of this as a modified version of the My Disney Experience app from Walt Disney World, but with fewer options and a $20/person per day cost.
In addition to being able to book FastPasses via your phone, the $20/day add-on grants guests the ability to download PhotoPass photos taken by Disneyland photographers and on-ride attractions. If you’re a party that would’ve purchased PhotoPass anyway, buying MaxPass is a no-brainer.
In essence, MaxPass plays by almost all of the same rules as the legacy (paper) FastPasses at Disneyland Resort. (Well, just about.) You are paying for the convenience of not walking to a FastPass machine–along with some other advantages that might sound insignificant, but really make a huge difference.
So, why purchase MaxPass? The first and biggest reason for this is crowds. Congestion throughout the parks means a lot of extra time just getting from point to point, and being able to use MaxPass from the phone (e.g. not having to fight the crowds to grab a FastPass) definitely can be advantageous–as would being able to grab MaxPasses while waiting in line for a different attraction. Effectively, MaxPass allows you to be in two places at once.
The second reason why is because of the minimum time window for drawing your next FastPass. Remember that example above (in the bullet point section) illustrating the earliest time you can draw your next FastPass, and how it’s either the start of your next FastPass window or in 2 hours, whichever is earlier?
Well, with MaxPass, the draw window is reduced to 90 minutes. On a busier day, this shorter window can be huge–especially when a lot of attractions are using the 2-hour rule for paper FastPasses. Over the course of an entire day in the park, the advantage of not having to walk to get another FastPass coupled with the condensed draw window of 90 minutes can amount to an extra 3-5 FastPasses. That’s a pretty pronounced advantage over the legacy FastPass system.
Additionally, if you enter the parks prior to official rope drop time, you can immediately start booking MaxPass, whereas you cannot go to the physical locations where FastPasses are distributed until official park opening time. Since the turnstiles always open around 30 minutes before official park opening time, this means you can begin booking MaxPass that much earlier. This is a nice and valuable head start, especially for popular attractions like Radiator Springs Racers.
Another huge advantage is being able to snag MaxPasses that are no longer available as FastPass. When other guests cancel their MaxPasses (which happens a lot), that inventory goes back into the system. For example, on this evening at 8:05 p.m., I scored two FastPasses for Radiator Springs Racers, which had been ‘sold out’ of paper FastPass since about noon! By refreshing the Disneyland app, you can continue to acquire hard-to-get FastPasses via MaxPass until late into the evening.
Then there are the other advantages of MaxPass. While it is same-day only and requires that you enter the park to use the service (meaning no making MaxPass reservations when you wake up late in your hotel, or while stuck in traffic on the 5), it does not use a geofence.
This means that once you’ve used your ticket to enter either Disneyland or Disney California Adventure for the day, you can make MaxPass reservations for either park. In other words, if you decide to take a midday break and go to your hotel for a nap, you can make MaxPass reservations as soon as you wake up.
If you decide to head to Trader Sam’s, you can still make MaxPass reservations. If you’re in line for the Matterhorn, you can make a MaxPass reservation for Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: BREAKOUT! On our recent 2-week trip for the opening of Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance in Galaxy’s Edge, we’d frequently rope drop Disneyland and then head to Laguna Beach or Los Angeles from around noon until 7 p.m. During that time, we continued to acquire FastPasses via the app, and used our stockpile when we returned at night.
When it first came out, MaxPass is something we did not recommend, as it didn’t appear to offer much advantage to us initially. Due to adjustments made to MaxPass and also seeing it in action on more crowded days, that’s no longer our assessment.
Now, I couldn’t imagine going back to the paper FastPass system. MaxPass is a revelation, and far better than the FastPass+ system at Walt Disney World. Suffice to say, I recommend MaxPass if you are visiting Disneyland as a tourist and can justify the cost. This is especially true during the busier days in the parks, as the value/utility of MaxPass most definitely increases as the parks get more crowded.
Getting a few extra attractions in per day, saving on the walking, and having PhotoPass included makes it worth the $20/person cost, in my estimation. You’re at a definite disadvantage if you don’t purchase it, and buying it definitely gives you a leg up on most other guests visiting Disneyland.
If you would pay a couple of dollars extra (per attraction) to experience a few more headliners per day, MaxPass will probably be worth it to you. While the cost of this will add up quickly, so will those extra attractions. I’d still be surprised to see the MaxPass service catch-on with locals, but if you’re an out-of-towner, it should be on your radar, especially if you have more of a ‘time is money’ perspective.
Overall, the FastPass system at Disneyland is wonderful, and incredibly easy to use once you get the hang of it. There are some features of MaxPass that are incredibly nice and convenient, and the time you’ll save justifies the $20/person/day cost. Once the attractions in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge start offering FastPass and MaxPass that will be even more true!
If you’re preparing for a Disneyland trip, check out our other planning posts, including how to save money on Disneyland tickets, our Disney packing tips, tips for booking a hotel (off-site or on-site), where to dine, and a number of other things, check out our comprehensive Disneyland Vacation Planning Guide!
Your Thoughts
Do you have any additional tips or strategy for using FastPass at Disneyland? Have you tried out the MaxPass system yet? Think being able to do a few extra attractions, not walk as much, and have included PhotoPass is worth the extra $20 per day? Do you agree or disagree with our advice? Share any questions, tips, or additional thoughts you have in the comments!
Hi Taren,
You can be in Disneyland and select a Fastpass for either Disneyland or California Adventure and visa versa. You can be in California Adventure and select a Fastpass for Disneyland or Calfornia Adventure. It is very easy to use. You can also order food via mobile order for either park too. One caveat, you have to physically be in one of the parks. Your phone GPS is checked for your location. I’ve tried to get a Fastpass on the Tram ride and the app knew I wasn’t there yet 🙂
I am visiting Disneyland for the first time in forty years this April. I am a little leary of this system. I like being able to be assured I will get on a ride without having to get up at the crack of dawn. I love the WDW system of fast passes. Get organized and you’ll be rewarded. Not have to get to the park and find out that you’ve missed out. I
We will be going to Disneyland in a group of 9 people, including some children under 13 years old. We want to stay together as much as possible while there. Would it be a disadvantage to buy MaxPasses for everyone because of the number in our group? Will it be hard to get 9 FastPasses at the same time (by using the MaxPass)? I just don’t want to spend that extra money if it is not going to benefit our whole group. Thanks for any helpful responses!
Not a problem at all since, unlike wdw, disneyland FPs are distributed in a sequential way. Like they start distributing 30 fastpasses for the return window 9-10 am, after those have been distributed they begin with 9.05-10.05 am. You cannot choose your return time (other than wait for it to be available), but this also means that even with a large group you are always guaranteed similar return times (maybe 5-10 minutes apart, at max). Only for FPs grabbed later in the day (from other people cancelling them) you can have a disadvantage with a bigger group in terms of what you find. But for the average use no, and Maxpass only adds convenience to that 😉
Lore_sully, thank you so much for your reply and your explanation! That makes me feel better about it. 😀
Thank you for the always thorough and thoughtful posts! One quick correction: Radiator Springs Racers paper Fastpass distribution was finally moved to CarsLand, behind Ramone’s, as a bug’s land gave way to Avenger’s Campus.
I am planning to visit Disney for 2 days later this month, 3 adults and 2 kids, one 7 and the other 2 years old.
Do I need to get a Maxipass for the 2 year old?
If one of the adults probably will not get on any of the rides, do I need to get 3 maxipass or only 2 (for the adults)?
I’ve already bought my park tickets, how do I add the MaxPass feature to use when I’m in the park?
How many fastpasses or maxpasses can you grab/reserve at one time? For example with Maxpass, is it like WDW, where they allow 3 fastpasses reservation at once or can you only reserve one at a time with 90 min increments?
You can only grab 1 at a time. It’s not like WDW where you book 3 FPs in advance and then can book more after you use the 3
I mean any new tips..
Can yoi explain yoir day when you went to LA. You can keep gerting fastpasses to disneyland even if you arent there ? I have never been to disneyland. Just disneyworld. We are going in July 2020. After the holiday. Any tips?
Just confirming I understand your example correctly-the days you go to LA for the afternoon, maxpass is allowing you to make a new “reservation” every 90 minutes while in LA, but you can time them to all be after 7pm (so Ride A may be return time 7p-8p and Ride B is 7:30-8:30? OR they can all be 7p-midnight, but not overlapping each other)
If budget is an issue, I would skip the park hopper, especially since you will be there for 3 days and don’t have to fit everything in one day. My kids honestly got tired bouncing back and forth between parks even though they are close it’s still added walking. I would do the max pass at Disneyland but not Ca Adventure to save money, but get your free fast pass for Radiator Springs (in CA Adventure) as soon as you enter the park, they can go quickly. You can bring your own food into both parks, just no glass. Hope that helps!
I am planning a 3 day trip to Disney with a 6yr old kid. Keeping budget in check, I plan to buy 3 day 1 park ticket with maxpass for all 3 days. Do you recommend taking the park hopper to fully use the maxpass or one park per day would be sufficient.
Neo, I wouldn’t personally let a $15 MaxPass dictate whether you pay an additional $50+ for a Park Hopper ticket. To me, that would seem a bit like letting the tail wag the dog.
I also have young kids, and I can say that the MaxPass hasn’t really added a ton of value for our family in the California Adventure Park. Our kids have been disinterested in most of the rides for which MaxPass is available, and I don’t recall ever taking advantage of the photo benefits in that park.
If budget is an issue, I would skip the park hopper, especially since you will be there for 3 days and don’t have to fit everything in one day. My kids honestly got tired bouncing back and forth between parks even though they are close it’s still added walking. I would do the max pass at Disneyland but not Ca Adventure to save money, but get your free fast pass for Radiator Springs (in CA Adventure) as soon as you enter the park, they can go quickly. You can bring your own food into both parks, just no glass. Hope that helps!
Hi Tom,
We are planning a trip for a large group visiting from the Philippines for their first visit. You have convinced me that max pass will be the way to go. Is one person able to manage the max pass reservations on his phone or does each ticket holder need to do the reservation? Most of our guests won’t have cell service and may not be tech savvy enough to understand the system.
PS We are Disneyland veterans and I have found your blog so helpful. It really made our trips to WDW and Tokyo Disney truly amazing. Thank you for all your great advice!
Yes, one person can manage all tickets on a smart phone. Each ticket will get loaded onto that persons Disney app account. Download and start your Disney app account before you leave home. If you’re not tech savy there are plenty of Disney folks that can help you. Just ask when you purchase your tickets or enter the park.
I believe it is now $30 extra for Maxpass, would you say it is still worth it, for 3 tickets. Planning on going for 2 days with park hopper for our first time. Any feedback would be appreciated.
Maxpass is $15 a day per park ticket purchased. Maxpass gives you the ability to select Fastpass passes on your phone, in either Disneyland or California Adventure, and to download any and all pictures taken of you/your group by the park photographers and rides that take your picture.
FTYI – Maxpass is $100 extra per year, per annual pass purchased.
Question, so if you have a park hopper, are you saying that MaxPass will allow you to get FastPasses for both parks in the same day? I was trying to understand that from the blog as well….
Hi Taren,
You can be in Disneyland and select a Fastpass for either Disneyland or California Adventure and visa versa. You can be in California Adventure and select a Fastpass for Disneyland or Calfornia Adventure. It is very easy to use. You can also order food via mobile order for either park too. One caveat, you have to physically be in one of the parks. Your phone GPS is checked for your location. I’ve tried to get a Fastpass on the Tram ride and the app knew I wasn’t there yet 🙂
As of Feb 15 (?), Disneyland raised the price of the MaxPass to $20 per day.
Do you need a data plan or is the wifi in the park good enough to use maxpass? Thank you!
Their wifi is good enough if you are willinmg to hunt for a strong wifi signal. There are many wifi dead spots in both Disneyland and California Adventure. I was using their wifi all the time but the dead spots became frustrating ;-\
So now I stay on their wifi, but if it’s in a dead spot I turn off wifi and use my data to get my fastpass. I recommend bringing an external battery charger for your smart phone. I use my phone for the fastpasses and for downloading/looking at photos. We have Samsung Note 9’s that get down to 25% after about 10 hours of continuous use.