Disneyland to introduce MaxPass (New Fastpass & New Fastpass Attractions) - Now with Poll

[Winnowill]

So, the question (which I know hasn't been answered) is: is it HOLDING one FP at a time, or GETTING one FP at a time? What I've seen seems to indicate GETTING, but some of the answers in this thread are concerning. In other words, do the rules for acquiring new FPs remain the same: either when your window opens, or two hours after pulling the last one, whichever comes first? Because if it's the "holding" one, that significantly reduces the desirability of popular FPs as their windows go farther and farther out from the present. For instance, right now (11:57 am PT), Hyperspace Mountain is distributing FPs for 4:20-5:20 pm. If I pull one under current rules, I get another at 1:57 pm. But if I'm only allowed to HOLD one, I don't get another until after I've ridden HSM, sometime between 4:20 and 5:20. As for grabbing RSR FPs to ride after dark, that would kill your ability to pull any more at DCA. If they connect the parks, riding RSR after dark would become a real conundrum.

 

[Aladora]

So, the question (which I know hasn't been answered) is: is it HOLDING one FP at a time, or GETTING one FP at a time? What I've seen seems to indicate GETTING, but some of the answers in this thread are concerning. In other words, do the rules for acquiring new FPs remain the same: either when your window opens, or two hours after pulling the last one, whichever comes first? Because if it's the "holding" one, that significantly reduces the desirability of popular FPs as their windows go farther and farther out from the present. For instance, right now (11:57 am PT), Hyperspace Mountain is distributing FPs for 4:20-5:20 pm. If I pull one under current rules, I get another at 1:57 pm. But if I'm only allowed to HOLD one, I don't get another until after I've ridden HSM, sometime between 4:20 and 5:20. As for grabbing RSR FPs to ride after dark, that would kill your ability to pull any more at DCA. If they connect the parks, riding RSR after dark would become a real conundrum.

All current information says yes. The rules for acquiring FP using the new MaxPass system are the same as the current rules for acquiring a FP.

 

[mistyinca]

And then there is this "have to be in the park" thing work, yes, there is spoofing, but will specific rooms at the GCH suddenly now become more valuable than others, since it is on the edge of the park, and the system thinks they are actually in the park.

I don't think proximity has anything to do with it. By "have to be in the park" I believe your ticket or pass has to be scanned into a park like it does now to activate the system. Theres no spoofing or great hotel location that will approximate that.

 

[Winnowill]

I don't think proximity has anything to do with it. By "have to be in the park" I believe your ticket or pass has to be scanned into a park like it does now to activate the system. Theres no spoofing or great hotel location that will approximate that.

I believe it's got to be a little of both, or what's to prevent me going into the park, doing my standard touring, then leaving for a few hours, still gathering FPs even though I'm not in the parks at that time?

 

[CAmommy]

I, for one, am happy about this. We are a family of 4 with two school aged kids. We like to maximize our time at Disneyland and often times, one adult will forgo a ride in order to run to get a fastpass. Do I like the extra cost? No. Do I like the idea of not hoofing it all the way to CA just to get FP for RSR and then going all the way back to Disneyland to meet with my family? No!

 

[mistyinca]

I believe it's got to be a little of both, or what's to prevent me going into the park, doing my standard touring, then leaving for a few hours, still gathering FPs even though I'm not in the parks at that time?

I don't know that that would be such a big problem because they said it would still be 1 at a time. Knock yourself out but it will still be just one gathered fastpass. Lol

 

[MICKEYFIL]

I believe it's got to be a little of both, or what's to prevent me going into the park, doing my standard touring, then leaving for a few hours, still gathering FPs even though I'm not in the parks at that time?

I believe that is precisely one of the benefits. There can not possibly be a way that they would use a GPS system tracking that would be sophisticated enough to detect if you were just within or outside the exit line. You will need to go through and have your ticket scanned, which will be linked to your maxpass to determine that you are now "in the park" because who the hell would stand in line to go inside the park to then not bother. Also once through one park you will be able to access FPs for both parks, thus encouraging more people to purchase hopper plans, thus earning more money.

 

[agamble]

Phew! Having caught up on my reading I just want to say I am incredibly interested in how they choose to charge APs for this. I personally feel that a lower price closer to $50 (and certainly less than $100) a pass would be the way to go because if it's cheap enough most APs will buy it. And if the APs all buy it then the tourists will feel that they have to buy it too. But others have suggested that $50 would be way too cheap for the AP since it can theoretically be used every day (but most people do not go every day) and that they may want a higher price to discourage everyone from buying it so as to make it more exclusive and special for those who do purchase it. I just don't see that as good thinking. A $10 upcharge is not really significant enough for the exclusivity feeling. Also, I would think Disney would want more people using MaxPass as it will clear up some congestion (as people aren't crisscrossing the parks getting FP) and increase the overall satisfaction of guests (people hate waiting), and increase the necessity of the MaxPass for tourists and day visitors. I think a lot of the success of MaxPass will come down to how much they charge their very large, and growing, AP population.

 

[3TinksAndAnEeyore]

Does anyone ever wonder if Disney floats just the basics about new plans so folks like us can debate and discuss. Then Disney can use the concerns we generate to help them figure out what strategies will please and appease people the most?

 

[KirstinK]

Does anyone ever wonder if Disney floats just the basics about new plans so folks like us can debate and discuss. Then Disney can use the concerns we generate to help them figure out what strategies will please and appease people the most?

I doubt it. The vast majority of visitors to Disneyland never go on any related forums and are way less informed than people here about park offerings, promotions, how much they are saving or getting ripped off, etc.

 

[Winnowill]

I believe that is precisely one of the benefits. There can not possibly be a way that they would use a GPS system tracking that would be sophisticated enough to detect if you were just within or outside the exit line. You will need to go through and have your ticket scanned, which will be linked to your maxpass to determine that you are now "in the park" because who the hell would stand in line to go inside the park to then not bother. Also once through one park you will be able to access FPs for both parks, thus encouraging more people to purchase hopper plans, thus earning more money.

I dunno. The old Disney Magic app knew when you were in the parks and opened up additional functionality when you were. I imagine this would be similar - you'd have to use your location services on your phone, and the function wouldn't be available if you weren't physically in the parks. I mean, it wouldn't be PERFECT - if you were outside the line you could probably still do it, but I'm talking about going farther afield - like back to your hotel, or whatever.

 

[NaturalNine]

Wait, so the parks DO have WiFi for the CMs to use? someone said that, maybe a couple pages back. Then why can't they do what they do on the cruiseships - and let you connect to that WiFI just for the app? DCL's app is free to use when connected to the ship's WiFi. You just have to pay for WiFi use for anything outside of their app. I'm not a tech person, so I'm probably overlooking issues with that (and yes, I do realize the footprint of the parks is far larger than the ship). But it seems like they need to figure something out before they roll out app enhancements they want people to buy.

Do you propose that Disney provide guests with shoes to enable them to walk around? Disney are providing an OPT IN service, as a paid upgrade, for those who wish to use it. If you don't want to/can't afford to provide for yourself, the ancillary services required to use the opt in service offered, then it probably isn't the right fit for you and thus you shouldn't purchase it.

There is no need for Disney to provide Wifi in the theme parks with a basic system like this, it's not like they're rolling out MDE where its compulsory to use it.

 

[mom2rtk]

Do you propose that Disney provide guests with shoes to enable them to walk around? Disney are providing an OPT IN service, as a paid upgrade, for those who wish to use it. If you don't want to/can't afford to provide for yourself, the ancillary services required to use the opt in service offered, then it probably isn't the right fit for you and thus you shouldn't purchase it.

There is no need for Disney to provide Wifi in the theme parks with a basic system like this, it's not like they're rolling out MDE where its compulsory to use it.

It's actually not compulsory with MDE either. Nobody said you have to use FP. For that matter, nobody said you had to do any rides, right?

 

[cmph]

Do you propose that Disney provide guests with shoes to enable them to walk around? .

Um, wow, wasn't exactly expecting a sarcastic attack.

DCL could just as easily charge people to easily use the app via WiFi on the ships, b/c the alternative is to use paper navigators and outdated wavephones they already provide. But they don't, so it seems like DL could do the same. COULD. That's really all I'm saying. No need to attack me. I think it's a little crappy to charge for something we all thought would be free a couple months ago, but I actually don't have strong feelings on whether I'd personally purchase it, either way. I might, I might not.

I will give you the benefit of the doubt that your use of "you" in regards to financial situations was not directly aimed at me and was just a generic inclusive term for all reading this thread who are indeed upset.

 

[Congo Queen]

Well MaxPass is going to be very interesting to watch (and read about on Disboards) as the implementation plays out. It will certainly save me, the FP runner, many steps and make it easier to always be holding a FP which is one of Hydroguy's golden rules. Up charge is annoying as everyone has stated, but it will suppress use of MaxPass and make it a subset of people using the overall FP system on any given day. I tend to go when APs are blocked out and am always surprise by the number of vacation visitors who are not using FP at all. I imagine that I would not pay the up charge for every day of our annual summer family vacation. I might do old school FP running on days 1 and 2 when my legs are still fresh, and I am gung-ho. But by days 4 and 5, I might be very willing to shell out the $10/pp to save the steps. It am intrigued to compare and contrast an old school FP day with a MaxiPass day and see how number of rides and quality of visit compares.

 

[buyerbrad]

I think the biggest difference will be in the number of people in line for the rides at park opening now. Instead of running for the first RSR fastpass in the morning and standing in line to get it, those people can actually head to a ride line and book their FP while waiting to load a ride.

 

[az4boys]

I think the biggest difference will be in the number of people in line for the rides at park opening now. Instead of running for the first RSR fastpass in the morning and standing in line to get it, those people can actually head to a ride line and book their FP while waiting to load a ride.

Exactly. Before you had to choose if you wanted to go get a FP for RSR or go straight to stand-by. Now you can do both. I'm not sure how this will change the dynamics of the parks, but it will change it.

 

[lorijohnhill]

Ok, I have questions about this SIM card/data thing. How does this work?

My phone plan has 6 gigs of data. Just using the app and photopass (which was malfunctioning a lot while we were there) for a Disney week in December ate through all my data. I can't even imagine trying to add getting Fastpasses into that.

I have never been able to connect to their network to play the Mickey wheel game during WOC. I don't see how this new program will be successful until Disney can keep their infrastructure functional on a regular basis.

 

[Mousequake]

How long would it take to walk to any kiosk in the park.....20 minutes tops? So that means the people who get MP can get their FP approx 20 minutes faster than they could before? How is this such a big deal? Why are people so upset?

Most people are assuming it will work like it does at WDW-- you can open the app and book another FP just as soon as your old one is scanned at the entrance to the FP line. So you could book another one before you even get on your current FP ride, saving much more than 20 minutes.

 

[GrandBob]

Ok, I have questions about this SIM card/data thing. How does this work?

My phone plan has 6 gigs of data. Just using the app and photopass (which was malfunctioning a lot while we were there) for a Disney week in December ate through all my data. I can't even imagine trying to add getting Fastpasses into that.

Wow, really? Do you actually know where your data went?

We just got back from 6 days at Disneyland (5 days in the park). I was using the Disneyland app quite a bit, though certainly not constantly. My total data usage for the month, including the prior couple of weeks, was 0.6 GB. That included a fair amount of Facebook time.

Something's wrong. Android phones can tell you exactly where your data is going - which apps, how much to the OS, etc. I don't know if Apple phones have that information. But you might want to take a look, to see if you can identify where your data went. I don't believe that you could possibly eat up 6 GB of data in the DL app in a week. Perhaps your phone did an OS upgrade during that time? That can eat up gigabytes of data.

Bob