What we accomplished with MaxPass 9/20/17-9/23/17... A LOT!!! And some MP tips.

[TeaInNeverland]

Woahhh! Thanks for the advice and being so thorough with your details! That's amazing to see what you guys were able to accomplish.

 

[twodogs]

Thanks for the list of what you accomplished, and especially the reminder to be well clear of the NOS area by 7:00 or so. I recall it being bad before Fantasmic in August, but you are right that it will be so much worse with the HMH overlay.

My teens know about GotG but I am surprising them that the Monsters After Dark overlay exists. Gotta have a few tricks up my sleeves!

PHXscuba

Yes I would not even go to that side of the park AT ALL after about 7pm. Fantasmic crowds were insane and just standing completely still blocking all movement of people. The paths are so narrow, and with HMH standby wait at that time of >120 minutes (and an enormous FP line too), people filled every available inch, so no one could move. People got nasty and were yelling. Not very magical. We just tried to stay calm and patient, knowing we would get there eventually and hoped they'd honor our FP if it was past the time window, due to crowds (which they did). Since there is no other way to get out of that corner of the park, it was a hot mess. I really wish they would rope off "sitting/standing and waiting for Fantasmic" areas and have walkways open on the other side of the ropes, like they did for the Halloween parade (and most parades/fireworks there). That would have preserved a moving strip of concrete for people to walk on. But they didn't, so all the people cramming in for a spot for Fantasmic were just standing like statues, blocking every bit of the narrow path as it is.

My DH and DD12 LOVED both GOTG and the MaD overlay! I think they liked the MaD overlay a little better, but they really enjoyed both. Have a great trip!!!!

 

[twodogs]

Can you pull FP for DL and CA as the same time? I was looking at the section below that you posted from Thurs. and it looks like you pulled RSR and then 5 minutes later pulled HMH.

ABSOLUTELY! This is a key element of maximizing your MP!!! If you have park hoppers, book away at both parks, but realize that the FP block-out window in one park blocks you out for pulling a FP for either park (ie all ride FPs at both parks are now connected). Another tip is that if, for example, DL opens at 7AM and CA opens at 8AM, you can enter DL at 7AM and book a FP at CA even though it is not yet open. The return time for the FP won't be until CA opens (so after 8AM), but this would be a way to get GOTG, for example, even though you were currently in DL, and before guests who can only go to CA at 8AM and pull a paper FP for GOTG, have a chance to get one. I'm sure the paper FP people don't like this feature of MP, but it is a benefit of paying for MP, in my opinion, and adds a lot of value.

Similarly, you could pull a FP for DL at 7AM EMH opening for a DL ride, and the return time will be at normal park opening (8AM) or later. FP doesn't work during EMH, but it can still be booked during EMH for a return time during regular park hours (at EITHER park). Hope this makes sense. We did it here, within the same park that had EMH that day:
Friday 9/22, EMH at CA (7AM EMH opening time, 8AM regular opening)
Arrived at CA at 0645

Booked FP for RSR at 0703, return time 0800

Edited to say that I had to scratch my head on that FP booking you mentioned. I checked through my screen shots again, and photos, and I had a typo on the time of booking the HMH FP. I booked RSR, then when the window opened from that (90 minutes later, and before we rode it since it was far in the distance in time from when I booked it), I booked an immediate return FP for Buzz. Since it was an immediate return FP, the time to book the next FP was only 5 minutes after booking Buzz. So then I booked HMH right after booking Buzz. Sorry for the confusion, but I want to make sure my post is completely accurate!!! I was pretty sleepy when I was compiling all of that!!! I corrected my original timeline to reflect this.

 

[littleBeast]

Wow, I'm glad I read this. I didn't realize how complicated getting FP would be. To me, I was just excited about using the MP because I wouldn't be running all over the park just to pick up my next FP. That alone is worth it to me. I did think it was strange they charge you $10 to use it but it's Disney, go figure..

 

[twodogs]

Wow, I'm glad I read this. I didn't realize how complicated getting FP would be. To me, I was just excited about using the MP because I wouldn't be running all over the park just to pick up my next FP. That alone is worth it to me. I did think it was strange they charge you $10 to use it but it's Disney, go figure..

It can be used simply to save walking. You would just book a FP, wait until the window opens (or you use that FP), and then book the next one. But I think the real value of your $10 pp per day can be increased by using it maximally. Even I second guessed if I could have booked things in a different order some of those days to get even more FPs out of it, but I did the best I could for using it first time. I hope you enjoy it as much as we did and hopefully these tips might help you get even more out of it than just slightly less sore feet!! Although with that many FPs, we were running most of the day and night to get to the next ride, but I’d rather run to a ride and ride it, than run to a ride to pull a paper FP and have to come back to ride it later!! Have fun!!

 

[TikiBelle]

This was much appreciated! I've been doing a lot of reading trying to get a handle on MaxPass and this was very easy to understand.

 

[twodogs]

Glad it was helpful! Have a great time!