MaxPass: So right now all FPs are digital. Every visitor can go to a FP station and use their physical park ticket to get a FP. A paper ticket is provided which is just a reminder. When redeeming FPs you use your park ticket (note: you need to scan twice, once at the line entrance and again at the merge of FP and standby lines). If you link your ticket to the
Disneyland app then you can use your phone to see your FPs and also pull up your ticket digitally which can be used to scan.
What MaxPass allows you to do is "pull" a FP from your phone. So you do not need to walk to the ride to get a FP. Everyone in your party would need to purchase MaxPass to use this benefit. Another MP benefit is that you are able to cancel a FP from the Disney app (I think this may also be possible with regular FPs for a ticket linked to the app, but have not personally experimented with it). So if you got a pass for Indiana Jones that has a return time in 3 hrs and you realize that was a mistake and you instead want a Haunted Mansion FP, you can cancel the Indy one. When someone cancels their pass it goes back into the available FP return times. So if you get MP you have the possibility of getting a quicker return time than someone who has to physically go to the ride.
Another change related to this is that there is no longer an arbitrary time delay between pulling a FP and the return time. So many rides have instant return times (e.g., at 12:30 you pull a pass for Haunted Mansion that can be redeemed from 12:30-1:30, so you can walk right into the line). Previously there was a 30-45 minute delay. The actual rides that this is a possibility for vary but have often included Haunted Mansion, Big Thunder, Buzz, Roger Rabbit, Screamin, Goofy.
When you pull a pass (either physically or via MP) it says you have to wait at least 30 minutes until you can pull another. So that Mansion FP for 12:30 says you can get a new FP at 1:00. BUT, once you use that pass, the time limit disappears. If you immediately go into HM, then you can get a new FP afterwards (or if you have MaxPass you can get it in line).
If you have a FP for a ride and it shuts down during that redemption time it turns into a multiple-experience pass. It is displayed in the app and you can see which rides you can use it on and it is valid for the rest of the day (or next day if it's the last hour of the park). I think Space, Guardians, and Racers are the rides where you can only use the multi-experience pass if your original FP was for that ride.
And depending on when the last time you visited, Toy Story and Matterhorn now have FPs.
So the main benefits of MaxPass are: less walking, possibly able to get a sooner return time, and photopass downloads.
New experiences: Guardians is the big one and is pretty awesome! There is also a whole superhero thing in DCA, which can be hit or miss, but the Guardians dance party and Groot meet and greet are cool.
Fantasmic! just returned with significant changes to the show. It's pretty cool and shouldn't be missed!
The Rivers of America are about to reopen with a new route, as well as Disney Railroad. So those are new, but not going anywhere.
Food: Some special offerings for Fantasmic, including Blackberry Beignets, and dining packages at Blue Bayou, River Belle Terrace, and Hungry Bear. Some flavored churros-watermelon near Haunted Mansion and smores near Hungry Bear. Lots of superhero themed in DCA Hollywood Land. I'd recommend checking the Disney food blog for a full listing.
Hope that helps!!!
