When Will FastPass Return to Disney World?
Wondering when FastPass+ will come back at Walt Disney World or if it’ll be replaced by a paid ride reservation system? This post covers dates free FastPasses could return, how virtual queues reduce park capacity, and the possibility of Premier Access, MaxPass, and the Genie app as replacements that will cost money. (Updated August 12, 2021.)
Walt Disney World suspended FastPass prior to the reopening of the parks. While the official rationale for this was to use the extra queue space for the standby lines, it was actually due to physical distancing. Physical distancing is gone, attendance has increased, and wait times have gone up since then.
Consequently, there has been significant backlash to the elimination of FastPass+ among fans, hence this post. Walt Disney World has not provided any actual updates on FastPass since last year, but the rumor mill has gone into overdrive, and we have all the possibilities and theories for you. (Note: for the August 2021 updates, scroll down to the “Will FastPass+ be replaced by a different system at Walt Disney World?” section above the Runaway Railway photo.)
First, let’s answer a different but related question we’ve been hearing from guests: “Is FastPass+ already back at Walt Disney World?!” This is one we’ve actually heard asked in the parks a lot while we’ve been waiting in lines. No, Disney did not “secretly” bring back FastPass+ and forget to announce it to everyone.
Currently, the physical FastPass+ queues are being used for Disability Access Service (DAS) and select VIP guests. This priority access lane essentially includes tour groups, Golden Oak residents, and Club 33 members. We have noticed a significant increase in the usage of FastPass lines in the last two months, which is presumably attributable to more DAS passes being issued, since the number of VIP guests is relatively static.
With that out of the way, let’s turn to the titular question. Actually, this post essentially poses two different questions–let’s start with when FastPass will return? That’s the more popular topic among readers and an inquiry we’re receiving quite often.
In actuality, FastPass+ was suspended because it reduces the overall attendance limit of the parks. This is actually nothing new. Magic Kingdom, for example, used to have a higher capacity cap in the pre-FastPass days despite having fewer attractions. This might seem counterintuitive, but it’s because the FastPass system effectively allows guests to be in two places at once. With standby lines, when you’re in line, you are always physically standing in line–occupying only one spot in the park.
When guests use FastPass, they aren’t simply skipping the line. The nuanced explanation is that a “phantom version” of the guest is waiting in a virtual line for their turn to ride. (That’s right, virtual queues like FastPass+ are basically lines for ghosts!) This is why standby wait times are longer and that line moves slower when FastPass+ is utilized.
At the same time that ghost guest is in the virtual queue, the actual guest is doing whatever–shopping, dining, or even doing another attraction. Freeing up guests from standing in line was actually one of Walt Disney World’s two goals of the original paper FastPass system. In a nutshell, it would give guests more time to browse stores and eat, increasing per guest spending in the process.
In the past, this was no issue. There were plenty of stores, restaurants, shows, and other lower profile offerings to absorb the displaced crowds. The benefits of increased per guest spending brought about by FastPass coupled with guests perceiving it as a value-added perk outweighed any drawbacks.
The downsides were essentially higher staffing requirements (to support the FastPass infrastructure), reduced overall park capacity, and the need for sufficient alternative things to do. None of this was really a big deal because the parks had plenty of things to do and surplus capacity–it didn’t really matter whether Magic Kingdom had an upper limit of 110,000 or 80,000 guests if the vast majority of days only 60,000 or fewer people were visiting the park.
When Walt Disney World first reopened, the biggest impediment to the return of FastPass+ was physical distancing, which in turn put the upper limit on attendance at 35% of full capacity. If FastPass were reintroduced while full physical distancing was in place, it would further decrease overall park capacity.
However, this is no longer the problem. As noted above, Walt Disney World officially dropped physical distancing and guests have quickly followed suit. If you’ve been in the parks during the last couple of months, you know they look more or less “normal” in terms of guests spacing and congestion. You’ll even hear “please fill in all available space” from Cast Members once again.
Similarly, attendance caps are no longer much of an impediment. Walt Disney World was operating at 35% capacity earlier this year. Back at the start of summer, Disney quietly indicated they’d stop providing updates on attendance limits. Since then, Disney has refilled Park Pass reservations on numerous occasions, and there is frequently full availability for all parks every day.
Along with the attendance limits increasing, wait times have been growing. That might be why you’re reading this article to begin with–because you’re visiting Walt Disney World and are desperately missing and wishing for the return of FastPass. We hear you and agree with you. Some of the standby lines are pretty miserable right now, with long waits extending into overflow queues without any shade.
The lack of FastPass+ was definitely more tolerable last year and in early 2021 when lines moved quickly and constantly, and wait times were shorter. (We actually preferred no FastPass when crowds were super low.) Now, it’s a different matter entirely. FastPass cannot return soon enough!
Naturally, the core problem in bringing back FastPass has morphed over time. Like so many other businesses around the United States, Walt Disney World is short-staffed. This labor shortage means Walt Disney World doesn’t have the attractions Cast Members necessary to support the FastPass+ infrastructure. It also means Disney doesn’t have the other Cast Members necessary to reopen enough other experiences that would help soak up the “ghost guests” displaced by FastPass.
This problem is starting to be resolved. In the last month, Walt Disney World has significantly increased dining capacity and also is in the process of bringing back several shows. However, several others remain gone for various reasons, and some–like Finding Nemo: the Musical, Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular, and Fantasmic–may not return until 2022. That appears to be more of monetary decision than a staffing one.
That’s a long-winded explanation and maybe you just wanted a one-sentence answer, but we believe understanding the why of FastPass+ being unavailable is important. The point is that the parks are sufficiently staffed and capacity is has been close to fully restored via the reopening of more in the parks. That thus paves the way FastPass being restored or replaced.
With that said, what’s possible and when it happens are two different things. As we’ve said before, think of Walt Disney World like an ocean liner: you turn the wheel slowly, and the big ship pivots gradually. Everything takes time from decision to implementation. There will almost certainly be a lag between announcement and when it’s back. As for when an announcement will be made, we suspect one will come sometime in August 2021–possibly as soon as the Walt Disney Company’s quarterly earnings call.
If you’re looking for a specific date when a version of FastPass will return to Walt Disney World, the most likely return date is on or around October 1, 2021.
This one is based upon the start of Walt Disney World’s 50th Anniversary and new fiscal year. While Walt Disney World is gradually bringing back offerings between now and that date, it is the most significant milestone on the horizon, and Disney is waiting to debut a lot–from new entertainment and nighttime spectaculars to early entry and extended evening hours–until that date.
With that said, there’s still a remote possibility that Walt Disney World gets cold feet on the FastPass replacement and doesn’t launch it until January 2022.
Given the latest rumors–which are literally flying in every direction right now–this seems highly unlikely. The only reason it’s presented as an option is because plans can fall through. Based upon the current chatter, the FastPass replacement plans are going to congeal at the last possible minute, with the specifics still being debated and determined. Which brings us to the second question of this post…
Will FastPass+ be replaced by a different system at Walt Disney World?
Probably. Everything is subject to change until officially announced by Walt Disney World (even then, plans sometimes change!), but we’d be willing to put money on the prior incarnation of FastPass+ never coming back to Walt Disney World.
Some form of virtual queue will unquestionably return, but the FastPass+ system and branding could be retired and replaced by something else entirely. Whatever it is, that new ride reservation program will almost certainly have an upcharge component–or be a paid system completely.
There are a couple of possibilities for what paid FastPass will likely look like at Walt Disney World. For the first, see Paid Premier Access Replacing Free FastPass at Disneyland Paris. The new system has rolled out there and essentially combines Standby Pass, which is a free and hybrid virtual and physical queue, with a paid line-skipping option.
This system is now what exists for Disneyland Paris and Shanghai Disneyland, and a version of that is rumored as coming to both Walt Disney World and Disneyland. While the specifics will almost certainly differ for Florida with tweaks made given Walt Disney World’s unique size, scale, on-site hotels, and status as a vacation destination, the contours could be similar.
For another possibility, check out Disneyland’s MaxPass system. The primary advantage of MaxPass is that it allows you to be more dynamic in your plans for the day, making FastPass reservations as you go, adjusting your schedule on the fly based upon your actual progress (and crowds) in the park, rather than making than months in advance. Despite the downside of being paid, MaxPass allows for more spontaneity, which is a breath of fresh air.
As Walt Disney World is a different beast than the other parks, it’s possible the new paid FastPass system cherry picks components of both Premier Access and MaxPass and repackages them under different branding. In practice, this might mean bundle booking access for certain attractions plus a la carte paid FastPass for a handful of select headliners.
What remains to be seen is whether the FastPass replacement is integrated into the Disney Genie app announced a couple of years ago. Disney Genie promised a revolutionary new digital offering that would enhance the way you plan for and experience a trip, with optimized itineraries, real-time tips and updates, recommendations for experiences it thinks you’ll love, and help navigating the theme parks with added convenience and comfort.
It was originally set to debut last year, but that didn’t happen for obvious reasons. According to Walt Disney World, the Disney Genie app is still coming, but it’s unclear when it’ll be released. From the outset, details about Disney Genie were vague to the point that it seemed undefined, so it’s also entirely possible that the paid FastPass system will use the Disney Genie branding, and that’ll be the total extent of Disney Genie (meaning it won’t be a standalone app at all, but rather, a feature within My Disney Experience).
In any case, the debut of that app plus the “temporary suspension” of FastPass+ offers an opportunity for a soft reset of Walt Disney World’s ride reservation system, with the paid replacement coming in Fall 2021 via Disney Genie. Walt Disney World undoubtedly wants a slice of that money-making pie. There have been rumors of paid FastPass for years, and at some point, those will be brought to fruition. If Walt Disney World’s goal is to introduce paid FastPass with minimal guest friction, it’s easiest to go from nothing (standby lines only) to something.
Ultimately, we’re on board with a wholesale overhaul of the FastPass+ system, but not a system that is pay to play only. Hopefully whatever comes to Walt Disney World contains a free option along with added access for on-site resort guests. Again, we should reiterate that this post is almost entirely speculation and rumor. All Walt Disney World has announced is that FastPass+ is temporarily suspended. We’re simply guessing that it’ll be replaced by a hybrid of Premier Access and MaxPass, with Disney Genie being the system and/or branding.
Planning a Walt Disney World trip? Learn about hotels on our Walt Disney World Hotels Reviews page. For where to eat, read our Walt Disney World Restaurant Reviews. To save money on tickets or determine which type to buy, read our Tips for Saving Money on Walt Disney World Tickets post. Our What to Pack for Disney Trips post takes a unique look at clever items to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney World Ride Guides will help. For comprehensive advice, the best place to start is our Walt Disney World Trip Planning Guide for everything you need to know!
YOUR THOUGHTS
When do you think FastPass+ will return to Walt Disney World? Or do you think it’ll never back back, replaced by something else instead? Thoughts on the possibility of Premier Access, MaxPass, or a mashup of the two coming to Walt Disney World? Do you prefer fast-moving standby lines only, or the FastPass and standby combo? Interested in how Walt Disney World will implement the new system? Agree or disagree with our assessment? Other thoughts or concerns? Any questions we can help you answer? Hearing your feedback–even when you disagree with us–is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!
Guests in the fast pass line were never included in the line wait times. The line wait time was always based on the stand-by line, it still is. I have personally been given a time card that is recorded when I get to the front of the line and this is done electroically by reading how long it took me to get to the front of the line. The line wait time is then electronically updated in the Disney wait time system. Fast pass guests are never included in the system wait times.
My family has been fortunate to have experienced WDW vacations at least 15 times in the past 30 years. We are now annual pass holders and Florida residents. I have witnessed the changes which have occurred over the years. Now it is definitely focused on making money as much as possible. Inflated prices. Less concern for hard working families ability to afford the Disney experience. I had hoped to bring my grandchildren to share the experience. Don’t think it will be affordable much longer
I have watched Disney execute Walt’s vision and continuously improve on exceptional family experiences and value…. always expensive but worth it and even if improvements added costs, you got value and a better experience. Now I am watching it turn into a business with only profitability as a main goal with guest experience a distant second. I have been there at least 20 times increasing from 6 to 8 to 11 days at a time. Yes it was very expense but I was fortunate and it was an exceptional experience. However, pricing is pushing me to the limit and they are adding insult as they eliminate perks and values I am afraid I will be at least cutting back on frequency and duration. I tried to make excuses for the changes and poor decisions but can no longer $$ afford to. Reducing hours overall, reducing early and late openings for hotel guests and replaced with paid ones or paid events, possible pay now for fast pass. no magical express (complimentary LOL) larger crowds and longer waits, cost of food and drinks Etc Etc. I was very blessed to enjoy my honeymoon and raise my kids on Disney but ,,,,may not be able to do the same for retirement or grandkids. Disney has a huge loyal following but As Scrooge said its a poor excuse to pick a man’s pocket ….on a well deserved vacation. One major question….. with how crowded it is and all the new ownerships of Marvel / Starwars Etc why is there not a new theme park for those instead of trying to cram into existing parks and handcuffing themselves for the future growth and opportunity oh and $$$???
Park guests currently go to WDW to stand in lines. At times, the total wait times in some parks can exceed 15 hours which is more than the total hours that the park is even open. Disney has taken away from all park guests the ability to plan a WDW vacation. With no annual passes, guests are forced to to purchase day tickets far in advance that are non-refundable ticket purchases and park passes to even get into a park on the date of the ticket. With all of the limitations and restriction, the basic question is why even plan to go to WDW. It can cost a family of four $10,000 to $15,000 for a week at WDW and do nothing more than stand in lines.
Virtual queues??? Rise queue opened and filled during a refresh. Planning experiences 60 days ahead of driving down from Michigan meant that a Disney vacation was really a vacation, and made Annual Passes a reasonable investment as well as an incentive to visit more often, which we did… six or more times each year. Without APs and Fastpasses our trips might be one a year… maybe. Our experience at the beginning of March, while staying at Saratoga Springs, left a lot to be desired… aside from masks and distancing.
I think some form of fastpass+ will return. Universal has it and does it really well. And, Disney has to provide some incentive for people to stay in their very expensive hotels. Granted they have more hotels than universal, but Universals fastpass system for their guests tops Disney’s already. You get in the “fast” line for every ride if you are at one of their 3 hotels. Or, you can pay for it. Between suspending fasspass+ , eliminating the magical express, and getting rid of extra magic hours, what’s the real advantage to staying on property? I mean, I LOVE their hotels but they are expensive. They have to think long and hard about this. There has to be an added benefit to staying on property (other than location).
Well, they do let you pay for parking…. and let you wait much longer than they used to for a bus you probably can’t fit on until the next one… and you get to cary all of your packages with you all day long instead of having them sent to your ‘resort’. Yes, I know that they say COVID is the reason for no packages sent to resorts due to excessive handling. Well, all of that merchandise is handled a lot getting it on the shelf for countless folk to handle before one decides to take it to the register to be handled by another who handled the bag to put it all in to handle it as they hand it to you. What’s the issue if a couple more cast members wearing gloves take them to your resort? I, and countless others I talk with, now make our park purchases not based on if I want it, but if I want to cary it around all day. I promise you that my park spending has decreased. Disney is starting to live up to their mocked slogan ‘The Happiest Place On Earth To Be Unhappy’. So what can we do but rant on this wonderful site the Bricker’s have graced us with? Send copies to Disney and hope they read it and care? No longer go and spend our money where the value is greater? Or, continue to vacation there because it truly is, still, a very magical place to be? I suppose you’ll see me later this summer holding a souvenir bag in one hand, and a Mickey bar in the other! All the best.
I do not care for the current fast pass system. I am someone who likes to plan, however I have several problems with it. I dont like that we have to figure it out months in advance, or get up at the crack of dawn in hopes of securing a pass. For me I find it stressful and it negatively effects my vacation. But I also feel the same about ADR. I think they are ridiculous as well. I haven’t rode ROTR yet, but I’m already dreading the process. I’m going in oct and I dont even care for HS, but I had to reserve 2 of my days there just incase I can’t get a boarding pass. Basically, I think it is time for a new system. And while they’re at it, I think they should do something different ADR as well. Like for instance, if you are staying at a resort, you should be able to eat at that resorts restaurants without having to book a reso 3months in advance. If you spent the money to stay there, I’m sure you want to eat there. Or the way people can make as many resos as they want just so that they have them “just in case” is ridiculous and screws with the system. I don’t know 3 months in advance what I want to eat. If I’m booking and it’s snowing here in Chicago, I might think some warm pasta sounds good, however flash ahead 3 months and if I’m in the Florida heat, I may no longer want that pasta meal I reserved. It’s vacation, it should be fun, snd not so stressful. Sorry for the long rant.
Yesssss! 6 am is early but since I’m on the west coast… it’s 3 am!!! I love all your ideas! ROTR was so stressful last time since we only went to one park each day! I like that you can book from your hotel now! Before we were already in the park so at least they seem to be taking feedback! I think 60 days now is a little better than 180. That’s how Disneyland always did it.
The fast pass program should return. It allows park guests to plan and maximise their day in advance of coming to Disney. With out fast passes, guests go to WDW to stand in lines … sometime for hours. I have been to WDW parks where some wait times are nearly two hours for a ride the lasts 3 to 5 minutes. Currently, everything at Disney is about food or merchandise, and there is little or no entertainment. It’s all about standing in lines. The entertaiment world is all about making the customer happy. But Disney is going in the wrong direction.
I REALLY REALLY REALLY hope they do not put in more virtual lines instead of fastpass.
It means you might not be able to ride that 1 ride you really want to ride.
DH and I waited in a 3 hour ride to ride Flights of Passage the 1st time. Yes we would have been one of those people who if someone else had said that we would have said you are crazy……but riding that ride was more important to us than doing multiple things at AK that day. If it had been a virtual queue we might not have been able to make that decision.
Virtual queue sounds great with the idea that you don’t have some crazy line but when you travel to Disney and your priority is that 1 ride you should have the option to make that choice
Yes Holly! I agree. Coming from afar I hate the idea that I’ll have to plan multiple days at DHS in case you don’t score a slot for ROTR. It’s a right pain. Pros and cons obviously but that one attraction could mess up your entire day.
Virtual queues would work better if they offer more time slots. Universal has virtual lines all the time for high volume rides and you can access them multiple times through out the day. However, the park reservation system at Disney is causing the issue now since we have don’t really have the freedom to move from park to park as we please. Once park hopper is back to they way it used to be virtual lines would be great. They are very much similar to the a FASTPASS. Everyone has a chance to book them and you are given a time to return to the ride.
FastPass *is* a virtual queue.
The reason Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance is such a source of frustration is not because of the virtual queue–it’s because the ride is incredibly unreliable and prone to breakdowns, which necessitated a particular kind of virtual queue. That approach isn’t necessary elsewhere because all other attractions are much more stable.
Sorry, sorry, sorry. I have tried very hard to understand the spontiniety appeal of a Maxpass type system. Cannot understand it. To have everything well planned ahead elimates all kinds of stress. And planning is a huge part of the enjoyment too.
I agree I love to have my days planned. Going to disney world again in spring of 2022. I am nervous as I was able to take buss from airport which is stopping at the end of 2021(bummer) I would have all my dining plans in place and my fast pass. Made for a very relaxing and enjoyable vacation. All these changes could be bad for a lot of vacationers.
I don’t mind it at Disneyland because we live so close and can just pick up and go. So it’s helpful for locals and people that go randomly last minute to have some chance for the big rides. However we also plan disneyworld well in advance. It’s. Nice to have fastpasses for the big rides and take all the stress off deciding what to do next!
With Dr. Fauci now agreeing that 3 feet of social distancing is just as sufficient as 6 feet does that, coupled with the July 4th target date, bode well for Disney to feel justifiably comfortable with increasing capacity and thus some of these other popular amenities such as Fastpass-+?
Do you think that annual passes or some sort of lengthier passes will be sold to Floridan’s again? That’s literally all I care about.
Fastpass helps a family feel so much happier when they didn’t have to wait over an hour for at least a few rides… C’mon Disneybring it back May 1st…
Every update is making me more and more angry at Disney. I get they took a gigantic hit with the pandemic but when the pandemic is over I can’t be the only person who wants the Disney I know and love back. Had to cancel our 8/20 trip and lost our free dining promo. We would go every year during free dining promo.
Since then Magical Express has been discontinued as of 1/22 (so now we are potentially having to rent a car and pay to park at a Disney resort), Magic Bands are no longer free and may be phased out, and now we might have to pay for FastPass or it’s successor. I’m so disgusted with Disney right now. I want to bring my grandchildren but don’t think people should have to go broke to do it.
Mary Anne I completely agree with you. We too go in Sept during the free dining promo and had to cancel our trip in 2020 when the dining plan was taken away. Couldn’t afford to feed my family with the prices they charge in the park. Also didn’t want to leave the park to go eat since we only had a shorten time frame that we could spend in the parks. Magic bands no longer included, Magical Express discontinued, having to pay for FASTPass, extra magic hours being replace with 1/2 hour early entrance (whoopee) and the fact that I have to pay to park at a hotel that I already paid to stay at have all taken the magic out of Disney. I understand Disney is a business that lost money during the pandemic, but the items they are taking away really weren’t “free or included”, we were paying for them is a round about way. To top it off Disney keep raising prices but we are getting less of a Magical experience for our money.
LEAVE FASTPASS+ ALONE! The Disney app is horrendous, and MaxPass has plenty of issues of its own. I have zero faith in that Diaper…sorry, Disney Genie to give me what I need, and all those “helpful” customized tips sound like nothing but a huge PITA. Just leave it be, Disney. Having to pay for the Magic Bands is quite enough.
I’m interested to see how our trip in May will feel different without FP+. We are heavy planners when we go, and we usually pay for the planning sites that help to plan which rides to do when based on crowd levels, FP+ availability, and interest. I would hate to see it go because it is a fantastic system if you utilize it correctly, and add passes throughout the day when you’ve utilized your initial 3.
Maxpass is great… however, it is (was) $20 per person per day!!!! Also if you didn’t pick certain rides first thing they had no fastpasses left after noon (so radiator springs racers for example). And then I’d it was busy, there wasn’t a ton left at the end of the day. So you would maybe get the radiator springs racer for noon at 9 am and then have to wait all that time, then maybe only get a few other rides. So if maxpass was somehow included if you stay on site or something it would be ok but all the people saying they want to sleep in and then use maxpass wouldn’t make a ton of sense unless you do rides that normally don’t have long rides anyways!
I used to go to DCA after work with all the friends I made at work that day, which was usually an enormous amount of friends, and although it is true that most FastPasses are gone by evening, you could usually rely on Grizzly River Run to be available, especially on cooler nights (also Goofy Sky School, but that’s unimportant, in several ways). This is a good late night FastPass to be available, because Grizzly breaks down 5 or 6 times a day. So what you do is, you grab a Grizzly FP, then just hope it breaks down at some point during your return period. If it does, your Grizzly FastPass becomes a Multiple Experiences pass which you can use on whatever you wish. I got lucky probably about 8 separate times doing this, which means 8 free rides on Guardians, for me. (If corporate Disney FastPass decision makers read the comments, I have never exploited this loophole, and nobody ever would.) I *believe* this will work on Radiator as well, because DLR doesn’t tier their FastPasses like WDW does, but I can’t be certain because I’ve never tested this. I always ride Radiator through the Single Rider line, which is far and away the fastest way to board that one. In fact all of my enormous amount of friends ride this way with me, you just can’t see them on my PhotoPass, because we’re all single riding in one car after the other, having a blast.
Yaaaaas. Darren this definitely is true. Radiators used to shut down a lot too. They do the same for fastpasses at disneyworld by either letting you wait and come back or ride any other ride… however they do put stipulations on that saying you cannot ride the big rides in those events. (Tier 1 rides like you mentioned).
I am going to Disney for the first time Nov. 2021 and I am so confused about everything right now. I am going with someone that goes like 3 or 4 times a year so they know whats up. I am an early riser so I don’t mind getting up early to go ride rides. I hate standing in line for hours so either way, paid or “free” I want fast passes to return. If Disney opens parks back up above 50% capacity with out fastpasses I will be mad since I will be spending 60% of my time in line for rides! I hope they don’t increase capacity until Jan. 2022 or they start fast pass+ again. I am really nervous about going!
With WDW tying in so many ‘perks’ to staying in their resorts, making the probable pay for convenience an added bonus would make sense. With even a Value Resort 10 day trip running over $6,000 with meals (not a meal plan) and a few souvenirs, WDW is going to price themselves out of many folk’s vacation plans. I would entertain the paid convenience, but it would need to be a great add-on value to convince me, and I would guess, most.
I agree with you wholeheartedly. Before the pandemic I was already being priced out of staying on property. Iam at the stage in my life where I want to take my grandkids, but if I do my multiple yearly trips will be cut to every other year if not longer. Then without magical express my group would need 2 cars. I hope there is something equally convenient in the future. I grew up going to Disneyland then moved to the mid west. The drive to WDW with family was much more cost effective. My local Disney store, my little piece of “The happiest place on earth” between park trips is now being taken away very soon. Iam looking forward to the next step. Thinking happy thoughts and a little bit of pixie dust.
As a non morning person with a young family I love the idea of something more flexible. I’d pay for the convince of not guessing which ride my toddler will feel like 60 days out.
Although we’re digging rider swap right now. It’s MUCH faster being instead of going to the fast pass line you go to the front of the line for the second person. I’m okay keeping the fast pass line like this forever.
Being a senior with a back problem, I could only do disney if we had fastpasses. I could not stand in line for hours for an attraction or ride. 3 fastpasses per day pretty much was all we could do. I hope it returns as I cannot return without it. I won’t pay for it either, I think the price of admission is so high already, hardly worth a day to walk in crowds and stand in lines.
I absolutely love Fastpass+. My ENTIRE itinerary was based around where I got my fast passes. 60 days out I would get up early and start booking fast passes. Always got parkhopper so we would always do 2 parks per day. Try to get fp in the morning of course so it would free us up for more fp in the evening at a different park. Love Universal but the cost of their express pass for a day was outrageous. Can’t see paying extra every day for fast pass when you have already paid thousands for your trip there no matter how flexible it would be.
I agree. We have been 3 times and are planning April 2022 but the prices are ridiculous on site with no incentives. If there was extra for the FP+ it may price us out. We used our fastpass to plan to ensure we made full use of the 2 weeks.
With you on Fastpass+ Annette. Being from the UK WDW planning is essential. I doubt it could be much better because the same issues still apply. Disneyland has so fewer guests I cannot see MaxPass working in isolation and it erodes on-site value too. Though there’s not a lot of that left now. Because of the price I very much doubt we’d afford a WDW holiday again – its simply not worth queue time to ride ratio. Universal currently have it set perfectly, Their Express Pass is so violently expensive as an add-on most cannot/wont afford it. However, stay in one of their qualifying hotels (for a couple of nights) and it all but pays for itself. You have a great room, no transport issues, walk-on rides and no planning. 2 nights and your done!