MaxPass at Disneyland Parks

Disneyland Resort has recently introduced a new ticket option called Maxpass. Maxpass is designed to work with the Fastpass system to help you maximize your park time at Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure Park.

What is Fastpass?

Fastpass is a free option that Disneyland offers to everyone that has park admission. You visit a kiosk for a specific attraction and insert your park tickets. You are then given a separate paper ticket with your Fastpass return time. During this hour long timeframe, you may visit the attraction listed and enter the Fastpass line which is usually shorter than the standby or regular line by scanning your ticket. There are currently 16 attractions that offer Fastpass (Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Buzz Lightyear Astro Blaster, California Screamin’, Grizzly River Run, Guardians of the Galaxy Mission Breakout, Goofy’s Sky School, Haunted Mansion, Indiana Jones Adventure, Matterhorn Bobsleds, Radiator Springs Racers, Roger Rabbit’s Car Toon Spin, Soarin’ Around the World, Space Mountain, Splash Mountain, Star Tours, and Toy Story Midway Mania).

What is Maxpass?

Maxpass is a ticket option, like park hopping, that you may add to your standard park tickets. It is currently priced at $10 per person, per day. With Maxpass, you can get Fastpass return times via the Disneyland app instead of visiting the Fastpass kiosk at each attraction. You also receive, at no additional charge, digital downloads of all pictures taken that day, both from attractions as well as Photopass photographers.

What Maxpass is not

Maxpass is not Fastpass+, like at Walt Disney World in Florida. With Fastpass+, you can pre-reserve 3 Fastpass+ attractions before your visit for each day that you have park admission. Then while in the park, once you use your first 3 reservations, you can reserve another via the app. With Maxpass at Disneyland, you are not able to make any reservations until your park ticket has been scanned that day as you enter the park.

Why use Maxpass?

With Maxpass, as soon as you scan your park ticket and enter the park, you can use the Disneyland app to make your first Fastpass reservation. So you may be at the entrance gate, but can reserve a Fastpass for Toy Story Midway Mania, which is quite a hike from the main entrance. Your entire party can then head straight to Radiator Springs Racers without one person having to take everyone’s tickets, run to Toy Story, and then run back to Cars Land.

Pictures!! In our most recent 4 day trip, we had over 100 pictures just from the Photopass photographers and rides. Some of our favorite Photopass photographs are the Magic Shots that only appear when taken by Photopass photographers on their cameras.

Magic Shot Baby Groot

Tips for using Maxpass

When you receive your park tickets, assign one to each person in your party (write their name on them). Then have one person download the Disneyland app and link the tickets. While linking, you’ll see an option to enter a nickname for that ticket. Only one person in your party needs the app.and can manage Fastpasses for the entire party. The app also lists park hours, dining reservations, and attraction wait times (once the park is open).

Linking Ticket in App

If you didn’t purchase the Maxpass option with your tickets, once you scan them to gain entry to the park, you may purchase Maxpass within the Disneyland app.

Purchase Fastpass

When you make your first Fastpass reservation via the app, you will see a notification as to when you may make your next Fastpass. With Disneyland’s paper system, this time is printed near the bottom of your Fastpass ticket. This time MAY be before your first Fastpass redemption time, so keep an eye on it. You may be able to make a new Fastpass reservation while in line for another attraction. (We were able to have 3 at one time, due to long wait times).

Fastpass Time

To retrieve your Fastpass time when you arrive at the attraction, you will need either your paper ticket (NOT the paper return time if you use the kiosk) or your ticket via the app. For some rides, like Indiana Jones and Soarin, keep your paper tickets handy as you may lose cell service inside the ride. Some rides require you to scan your ticket at the entrance and then at a second checkpoint within the Fastpass line.

If you have a park hopper ticket, you may make a Fastpass reservation at the other park while still inside the first park. (This is another great reason to have the park hopping option).

If an attraction goes down while you have a Fastpass for it, you will receive an “any attraction” Fastpass automatically loaded to your app. Be careful if you have another Fastpass for a named attraction. When you scan your ticket (paper or app) ask the Cast Member to make sure that you used the proper Fastpass as it may default to the “any attraction” when you didn’t mean to use it.

Bring a spare battery or a portable way to charge your phone. You’ll be on the app a lot, so your battery may drain faster than usual. If you’re able to charge your phone while you ride, you won’t have to waste time at a charging station. Disneyland also sells Fuel Rods. For $30, you will get a portable charger with a multiplug cord you can use to charge your phone. Once you’ve depleted that charger, simply exchange it at a kiosk for a new one. (Tip – some airports now sell them and you can also purchase online. Pricing may vary depending on location).

Fuel Rods

Maxpass it truly designed to help you get the most out of your Disneyland trip. On our most recent trip, we had 4 days of park hopping tickets. We were able to experience 20-25 attractions while using 8-10 Fastpasses each day. We were able to ride our family’s newest favorite ride, Guardians of the Galaxy Mission Breakout 9 times over 4 days. (We also maximized our time by staying at a Disney resort so we were able to enter one of the parks an hour early each day and when Guardians was open an hour later to guests staying at the Disney Resort. This is currently the only way to get early or late access to Disney California Adventure Park and specific rides).

There is so much to experience at Disneyland and with Maxpass, you can do it all! Email me at Amy@TravelWithTheMagic.com or you can find me on Facebook. You can also call me at 1-800-670-4312, ext 129. I can’t wait to plan your MAGICAL vacation!