Are the Unlimited FastPasses Really Worth It?

[robinb]

We're going to DL for 3 days (3/21 - 3/24), two of those days will be the weekend. I'm thinking about getting the AAA Passport Plus passes (we're AAA members), but I really don't need the extra 2 days. The cost of 2 Adult and 1 child 3 day hoppers at the gate is $54.25 less than the Passport Plus'.

Other than the 2 days we won't use, the AAA PP has

* 2 free breakfasts ($26.25 value). We're staying at the Hilton on Priceline and my DH is HHonors Diamond so I expect that we will get lounge access for breakfast. Can I apply the value of these vouchers to lunch instead?

* 3 $10 ESPN cards ($30 value). We didn't use ours from the last trip.

* Free parking ($21? value). We'll walk or take the hotel shuttle.

* Unlimited Fastpasses.

So ... we are FP experts (WDW, DLP, TDL) but the thought of getting FPs for any FP ride anytime we want really appeals to me. Does it really work that way? Would it be a huge advantage for us on a Saturday and Sunday?

 

[Michelle]

Personally, YES, I think it would be a huge advantage to be able to ride all the FP rides as often as you wanted.

You'll still have waits in queues for non-FP rides but at least with the unlimited FPs you can cut your wait time down considerably.

 

[disneychrista]

YES! These passes are deffiently worth it, IMO.
If you take the hotel shuttle, be warned you will have to pay for it, $2/day for adult and children over age 9. The breakfast vouchers, as far as I understand, can be applied to any meal at any restaurant, with the value being the face value $8.75 per voucher.

I would get the passes, the few $$ extra will be worth the time savings in line.

 

[year2late]

I thought you had to buy the passes as part of a package. Is that true?

 

[disneychrista]

Originally posted by year2late
I thought you had to buy the passes as part of a package. Is that true?

No, these passes can be purchases seperately. The 3plus2 pass is $122.75/$99.75.

 

[my3kids]

robinb: Please tell me which AAA you called. Everytime I try AAA to buy the Passport Plus tickets, they deny there is such a thing. Please pass on the number you called!!

 

[cheshcat]

I have an annual pass... is there anyway for me to get unlimited fastpasses?

 

[disneychrista]

If they deny that the tickets exist tell them to refer to page 18 of the "Disneyland Resort & California" brochure.

As for AP getting unlimited FP, sure you can, if you want to purchase the Passport Plus from AAA.

 

[tink2dw]

How long are these passes good for?? Expiration date?? Used by Date??

TYA

 

[Letsbgoofy]

Has anybody posting actually used them? They sound great but I would like to know if you spend half of your day running around trying to use your passes.

 

[tdogg]

We used the unlimited fastpass tickets in Feb, the expiration said Jan/04. I could not imagine standing in line for hours for one ride! If you pick an area like Space Mt, Auto, Star Tours, Fast Pass them go ride the Matterhorn you will be ready to go, another is Indiana Jones, Pirates,Mansion, Possibly Splash Mt or Thunder Mt, then ride the Jungle Cruise until the FP are ready. If you stay in an area you will be suprised how quick it is to set up your fast passes for the day, It is easier to do this morning & early afternoon it sounds like alot of work but if you plan, it is better than waiting hours in the standby line. Try Walt Disney Travel or a local travel agent that specializes in Disney to purchase the tickets.

 

[robinb]

Thanks everyone! I called my local AAA and they claimed that they didn't sell DL passes. I pointed her to page 18 and she said "Oh. I thought you meant passes at a discount." Actually, she really worked her butt off getting me those passes. They'll come to the local office and she'll call me when I need to pick them up.

 

[my3kids]

robinb: Good for you for getting them from AAA. I told the agents I talked to to look on page 18 of the DL brochure, and they then claimed they didn't have a brochure for DL! I finally gave up. I did want the Disney luggage tags that AAA would have sent with the tickets though. We didn't need the free parking b/c we're on site, but the other goodies would have been fun to receive.

 

[disneychrista]

Originally posted by my3kids
Disney luggage tags that AAA would have sent with the tickets

I haven't seen/read anything about luggage tags being part of the package with the tickets, where did you see/read about them?

 

[JenniferW]

Excuse how clueless I am, but somehow I missed this option, haven't been to DL since last June, and this one intrigued me!

Is this the only way to get the unlimited fastpasses for those amount of days? Am a AAA member and want to check this one out. Only need one or two days, but with the Fastpasses, may be worth it because we would be going on a weekend.

Is $122 the only option with this benefit?
What is the breakfast voucher you are referring to?

Are the ESPN cards only to be used to games or can it be used for food?

Jenn

 

[my3kids]

I think the unlimited fast passes are also available with the Disneyland packages (At least it was with the package that Dreams Unlimited quoted for me.) The other benefits with the seperate tickets that are available either from AAA or WDTC are a voucher worth $8.75 for breakfast, $10 per person in ESPN Game Cards, the fast pass collection option. The DL Package does not include the free breakfast in the park, if I am remembering correctly. For us, it came out a bit cheaper and gave us more benefits to book the hotel room with the AAA rate and buy the Passport Plus tickets instead of the package.

Oh, and on the other question about the luggage tags....I thought I read that with AAA, they sent the free parking pass as well as luggage tags, one per person. Maybe I am thinking of something else they offer though. Hopefully someone who was actually able to secure the tickets through AAA can tell if they got the luggage tags or not. I couldn't get them from AAA for reasons unknown .

 

[goofyme]

i just got off the phone with CRO.....i was going to try to cancel my tickets(buy 5 day ticket, pay for 3) because of the "unlimited" fastpass AAA was offering thru their tickets....this CRO fellow tells me "unlimited" fastpass is available to everyone and you do not need to wait 2 hours or until after your previous FP is over...

IS A GIVING ME A LINE????

thanks

 

[disneychrista]

Originally posted by goofyme
this CRO fellow tells me "unlimited" fastpass is available to everyone and you do not need to wait 2 hours or until after your previous FP is over...

IS A GIVING ME A LINE????

I think she is giving you a line. There are some attractions that are not connected to the FP system and will allow you to get a FP even if you have one for another attraction but they change and it is a game of trial and error really to find one.