What time does the Disney FastPass site update to the next day?

[Susan Veness]

It's a different system in California for a few reasons. The demographic is MUCH different; mainly locals and West-coasters rather than the much, much more diverse crowd Orlando pulls in. But here's the kicker: while you can still get paper FP, as you did in Orlando, visitors can also purchase the app that allows them to schedule FastPasses. I don't know for sure what impact that has on paper FP availability, but it's not hard to guess, especially given that locals who visit fairly often are the target market.

[sex kitten]

It's a different system in California for a few reasons. The demographic is MUCH different; mainly locals and West-coasters rather than the much, much more diverse crowd Orlando pulls in. But here's the kicker: while you can still get paper FP, as you did in Orlando, visitors can also purchase the app that allows them to schedule FastPasses. I don't know for sure what impact that has on paper FP availability, but it's not hard to guess, especially given that locals who visit fairly often are the target market.

So if I'm reading this right, California has a paid for fastpass system and DLP are trialling paid for fastpasses that Japan already run.
Hmmm how long before you have to pay for fastpasses or queue??

[Susan Veness]

You don't have to purchase Max Pass (it's really one word, but I get a smilie I can't get rid of when x and P are next to each other) in Disneyland to use the FastPass system. You can still get paper FastPasses. My GUESS is, regular visitors are going to purchase Max Pass because it puts them ahead of everyone else when it comes to availability, and they may want the convenience if they're in the parks often and only want to do their favourites (I don't know that's the case, I just wonder if it is).

Here's more on Max Pass: https://disneyland.disney.go.com/gue...ices/fastpass/

[Superspur]

You don't have to purchase Max Pass (it's really one word, but I get a smilie I can't get rid of when x and P are next to each other) in Disneyland to use the FastPass system. You can still get paper FastPasses. My GUESS is, regular visitors are going to purchase Max Pass because it puts them ahead of everyone else when it comes to availability, and they may want the convenience if they're in the parks often and only want to do their favourites (I don't know that's the case, I just wonder if it is).

Here's more on Max Pass: https://disneyland.disney.go.com/gue...ices/fastpass/

So if i'm reading it right, the Max pass is $10 a day? Is this something that can be added on after you have bought tickets? My daughter is staying at Disney California next May for 2 nights and we're getting her a 2 day ticket with hopper but probably getting it from ATD. So can we add the Max pass to them after we have bought the tickets?

[Susan Veness]

I'm not sure if the price has gone up or not, but yes, she can still purchase it if she already has tickets. She'll need a smartphone with the Disneyland app installed, and she has to be IN the park when she adds it for the day. It's okay to leave the park and keep booking FPs, but she'll have to be in the park already to purchase it.

I have never used it, so I'm reluctant to say anything here is set in stone. But that's my understanding of the system. I'm sure she'll get far more (and better) info from the app or online.

[Ret400]

Blimey that sounds so unbelievably complicated I think I will just head over to Knotts Berry Farm.

So what I think I have deduced is that in order to have fun a relax, you need to download an App (which has various uses depending on where you are), then you need tickets, parking and then you need to get inside to be able to purchase something that will cost you more money that might then allow you book a fast pass, even though by the time you have worked all this out it’s three hours after opening time and they may have all gone if those locals have already booked on their app.

So that’s easy

[MiradorVic]

We went to Disneyland California late last September and absolutely love the old paper fast pass system. Yes, I think you could get the maxpass that would allow you to book fastpasses, like in Florida, but we choose to just race round and put our tickets in the machines and it worked brilliantly. I think you may have got a photo pass included with the Maxpass but it was non refundable and having done the app Florida fastpass thing once before we decided we'd rather take our chances on the paper system.

Unlike Florida, the entrances to both parks are opposite each other so we could even whizz between the 2 to get a fastpass for something else as soon as the next window opened. We only had 1 day to do both parks (we were doing a longer road trip), but managed to ride some firm favourites, including Guardians of the Galaxy, Pirates of the Caribbean, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Buzz Lightyear, Indiana Jones and the roller coaster near the big wheel (Incredibles?) that turned me a rather shocking shade of green, a water ride and a car one that reminds me a little of test track. I think we rode pretty much everything using fastpasses and hardly queued for anything.

Last time we went to Florida - and from what I'm reading on here the crowds are even worse now - we found the queues for anything we didn't have a FP for were pretty much unbearable, apart from immediately after rope drop and there was no chance of being able to get a FP for anything half decent once we'd used the ones we'd booked. If it wasn't for the fact that my other half will desperately want to see the new Star Wars stuff, we'd consider giving Disney a miss altogether, which is such a shame because we have had some brilliant days in the past....but I am losing my patience as I get older and my tolerance for standing in a queue for a long time is practically non existent

Maybe it works better in California because even though there are 2 systems on the go, people are only getting FP's on the day, not 30 or 60 days in advance, so everyone is on a level playing field.

So yes, I'm a big fan of the old system and hate that we have to put so much planning into what we are doing on each day of our holiday. As somebody wisely said above, the only planning we used to do was turn up early.

[Susan Veness]

Really pleased to hear you had such a fantastic holiday, and that the legacy FP system worked so well! We miss it, to be honest. It's great that you could make such good use of it and get so much done.

Star Wars is going to be off the charts. Not sure when your next trip here will be, but I'm thinking 2025 might be a good time for lower queues at Galaxy's Edge!

[Tiggers Friend]

Good to hear you had a positive visit to Disneyland, it is quite a special place. Did you manage to ride the Matterhorn?

I'm with you on the FP system, I simply can't be arsed planning my visit so far in advance, I'd much rather wing it!! One of the reasons we've not been to a Disney park for years.