Last summer, the Disneyland Resort introduced Disney MaxPass, a paid service that allows guests to make FASTPASS reservations from their smartphone and gives them free PhotoPass downloads, both for just $10 per person per day. Now Disneyland is making it easier to add MaxPass by allowing it to be included in your Disneyland Resort Vacation Package.

Book a Disneyland Resort Vacation Package at either one of the three Hotels of the Disneyland Resort or one of the many Good Neighbor Hotels and add Disney MaxPass to your reservation, still for the introductory price of $10 per person per day.

Guests may choose a 2, 3, 4 or 5-day Disneyland Resort Hopper or 1-Park per Day Ticket to add to their vacation package, however all guests on the reservation must choose the same Disneyland Resort ticket type and all guests must choose whether or not to add Disney MaxPass.

For a no-obligation quote on a Disneyland Resort Vacation Package, visit Dreams Unlimited Travel.

When Pirates of the Caribbean reopens at Disneyland Park next month, it appears that it will not only feature a brand new redhead, but it will also be among the Disneyland Resort attractions that feature FASTPASS.

Disneyland closed the attraction for refurbishment back in April to make changes to the auction scene, including giving a new role to the fan-favorite redhead, but they’ve also installed new wait-time signs, FASTPASS terminals, and made adjustments to the queue.

The updated Pirates of the Caribbean is expected to set sail on June 8th.

Image: Nancy Johnson

No matter which park you choose to spend your day in, there’s always something you come out wishing you had known beforehand. Here are my top tips for each Disney Park in the USA, where to stay when visiting and how to avoid the “red-zone” for your special needs children.

California – Disneyland Resort

Disneyland Park:

This is where it all began. So what is your on-the-day secret weapon in Disneyland Park? The FASTPASS Maxpass system. You’ve heard about it and you might even look at it when you get there, but with a little pre-planning this can be your new best friend. It will leave you wondering why there isn’t a MaxPass for everyday life. Suddenly the line at the bank or the lunch shop seems so unnecessary and sad. It doesn’t stop you from waiting, it just means you don’t have to wait in line — the dream of every parent with a special needs child. We don’t want to take away from anyone else, but waiting in line can feel like an impossible task. Want more? It is designed to be used from your mobile device, meaning that you do not have to physically visit each attraction to get your next pass. At $10 per person per day, many people will give this a miss, however, if you are visiting with special needs in mind, consider how much your time (and not waiting in lines) is really worth to your family.

When you are ready to take a break from your day, make the trek around to Critter Country and have an early lunch at the Hungry Bear Restaurant. It is right on the Rivers of America facing the water, so it is quiet and a good spot to take a few moments to decompress.

Disney California Adventure:

California Adventure is a fantastic place to go if you have a child that needs to burn off energy. CA is home to the Redwood Creek Challenge Trail. Standing in lines and being still can be very hard for some kids, not just because they are bored but because their body wants to move to stay calm. Redwood Creek Challenge Trail is the best place to take your struggling child to let them climb, crawl, slide and zip-line their way back to regulation. If you’re spending time nearby at attractions with long wait-times, like Soarin’, Grizzly River Run or Toy Story Midway Mania, drop in here for ten minutes for some proprioceptive input before getting in the next big line.

Where to stay in Anaheim:

When visiting Disneyland we recommend staying offsite. Unlike in Walt Disney World, there are no planning advantages to staying onsite. We stay at the Camelot Inn & Suites just across the road. The distance is arguably shorter than staying at the Disneyland Resort itself and the value for money is much greater than any onsite hotel. Check out the Family Suites which have two large rooms with a combined four queen beds. Better yet, missing the fireworks in the park? Step outside your front door and watch them from the balcony.

Florida – Walt Disney World Resort 

Magic Kingdom

Known as being the busiest park on Walt Disney World property, Magic Kingdom is full of action and people. Because of this, it’s important to have a plan. Booking those FastPasses 60 days in advance will start to shape your days and help you plan your way around the park. Magic Kingdom is a very large park with many of the attractions out in the open, so prepare for different weather conditions with ponchos, hats and sunscreen. Because this park is a little further away than most of the others, you probably won’t be as inclined to park-hop during this time. So how do you survive the whole day at Magic Kingdom without a meltdown?

You plan breaks. Not just breaks, but well-timed breaks. Having lunch at “lunch time” is for amateurs. Take advantage of the quieter times at indoor quick service locations to give yourself a sensory reset. Split your lunchtime food into two and take a break around 11 am, and then another later at around 2 pm. These times are going to be far less crowded and much less likely to send you and your family into overdrive.

Animal Kingdom

Ah, Animal Kingdom — the home of the new breathtaking, and FastPass anxiety-inducing, Pandora. Just about anyone who is visiting the Avatar Flight of Passage attraction has spent hours, days or even months scouting out their My Disney Experience app for the best FastPass. Or, any FastPass. For those impressive five minutes on board, be prepared to either develop a panic-induced RSI issue in your fingers from continuously hitting “refresh” on your browser, or, suffer in line for hours on the day. How does this relate to special needs? If you are going in already stressed, your little ones will be too. It may even be worth walking away from the attraction if you don’t have a FastPass.

Discuss in advance what your waiting limit will be and use the app to keep an eye on the wait time without having to walk past the attraction and tempt fate. Waiting for hours on end isn’t going to be easy, or enjoyable, for a child that is learning to cope with the added pressures of their special circumstances. Given that Pandora’s Flight of Passage is one of the most talked about new attractions at a Disney Park around the world, it might feel like you are missing out. Just remember there is a good chance you are saving your whole group from a very stressful and time-consuming mistake. That doesn’t mean you should write off Pandora in general. Don’t forget to visit (or re-visit) after dark to see Pandora come to life.

Hollywood Studios

Hollywood Studios park is about to rock your socks off. Already featuring the hugely popular Tower Of Terror and Rock’n’ Rollercoaster, it is now home to Toy Story Land and, before long, the highly anticipated Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. With all this excitement come the masses, so prep here to anticipate lots of people. Have realistic expectations of what you will achieve in a day and talk openly with your children about how long lines will be so that everyone has fair warning that this park will be time consuming. Take advantage of Fantasmic dining packages that give you a FastPass advantage for the show.

Epcot

With futuristic styling and mostly indoor rides, there is a level of sensory over-stimulation that can creep up on you at Epcot. When you stop and think about it, there are virtually no rides at Epcot that are out in the open air. Because of this, you find yourself constantly being hit with dynamic lighting, loud conversations, echoing sound effects and a mild case of claustrophobia.

Take time out to be outside and walk around World Showcase to give your special needs child time to regulate from all the additional stimulation.

If you need a bit of dimly-lit downtime, consider a restaurant like Coral Reef. While the food may not be the best available, when dining at quieter times some children are soothed by watching the aquarium inside and the darker lighting can be a calming influence after the intensity of the rides.

Where to Stay on WDW Property:

Port Orleans Riverside: It is a favorite for many, due to its sprawling layout and immersive landscaping. The Port Orleans Riverside Resort offers a more calming experience than most Disney Resorts. The Bayou area has rooms that can accommodate up to five people, offering two queen beds and one Murphy bed; perfect for your littlest Disney fan. These rooms disappear quickly, so check them out a long way in advance. Port Orleans Riverside still carries its share of theming, with the beautiful Louisiana-inspired decor and southern charm, the resort makes you feel like you have stepped into a scene from The Princess & The Frog — subtly, of course. This provides a more calming experience than the likes of Pop Century or the All-Star Resorts.

Swan Resort: Looking for a moderate – deluxe resort that gives you a break from the Disney theme? Try the Swan Resort, located in the BoardWalk area near Epcot. This hotel offers bus transportation to most locations as well as a boat option to Epcot or Hollywood Studios. Both are also walking distance, so you’re not tied down to one mode of transport. Many people ask the difference between the Swan and the Dolphin Resorts. While most would have an incredibly detailed response about the pools or restaurants (all of which are shared), I’m here to tell you the truth: it’s the beds. The Dolphin offers double beds while the Swan offers queen beds in standard rooms. After a day at Disney when everyone is tired, with sore feet and over-stimulated minds, you need room to lay down, be comfortable and sleep it off, ready to do it all again the next day.

If dining along the BoardWalk, take a stroll to calm things down before heading to bed.

I hope those tips make you feel a little more in-the-know on your next trip into a Disney Park. For more information on special needs and the Disney Parks, don’t forget to check out my other articles on planning for our wonderful special needs kids and how to make the most of your time on vacation.

With valid admission to the Walt Disney World Resort or Disneyland Resort theme parks, the FastPass service is free. The FastPass service is available for all guests visiting the park, whether you are using a one day Base Ticket all the way up to a Disney Platinum Plus Annual Pass. Everyone has access to the service.

The FastPass service has been free at Walt Disney World and Disneyland since it was created, but many guests are confused by this fact because the Universal Theme Parks do charge guests for Express Pass, which is a similar expedited line service. The FastPass service can also be confused with the MaxPass service at the Disneyland Resort in California, which costs guests $10 per day and works in conjunction with the FastPass service. MaxPass at Disneyland allows guests to make their FastPass selections via their smartphone rather than at a kiosk. At Walt Disney World, all FastPass selections can be made via their smartphone or online for free by using the My Disney Experience App.

For more details about FastPass+ and how it works check out our FastPass+ page!

The policy at the Walt Disney World Resort is that you can change or cancel your FastPass+ reservations for attractions on the My Disney Experience app, or at a FastPass kiosk. It is important to know that you’ll only be able to change the time of your FastPass if there are other times still available.

Disneyland Resort FASTPASS selection times cannot be changed, as those are printed on a hard ticket. The Disneyland MaxPass system allows you to book FASTPASS reservations on the Disneyland app, but is an additional charge, can only be used inside the parks, and traditional FASTPASS rules still apply.

For more details, tips, and planning information visit our Walt Disney World FastPass+ page or our Disneyland FASTPASS and MaxPass page.

At Walt Disney World, guests can schedule up to three FastPass+ selections for one park each day. You cannot book multiple FastPass+ reservations for the same attraction in one day. What can you do once you’ve used those three FastPasses? Well, that brings us to the next commonly asked question.

Walt Disney World’s policy is that once you’ve used your 3 scheduled FastPass selections, you then have the option to get another FastPass on your smartphone or at a FastPass+ kiosk. After you use that FastPass, you can do it again and again until the park closes or FastPasses are gone for that day.

Guests staying at Walt Disney World Resort hotels in Club-Level Rooms or Suites with tickets for 3-days or more have the option to purchase an additional 3 FastPass selections for $50 plus tax, per person per day. The additional FastPass selections can be used on any tier of attraction, and with a Park Hopper Ticket the selections can be made for multiple parks. These FastPass reservations can be made 90 days in advance.

The My Disney Experience app was recently updated to feature in-app Shop Disney Parks functionalities. Before, guests would have to shop for Disney parks merchandise on a separate landing page. Now, Walt Disney World park goers have the convenience of finding gifts and souvenirs in the same app.

These new Shop Disney Parks functionalities include browsing keepsakes, finding items in the parks and shipping them to most U.S. addresses. Shop through seasonal collections, search by categories, scan in-store item QR readers and add merchandise to your bag all from your smart device.

Three years after its launch, Shop Disney Parks is now available on the homepage of the My Disney Experience app where guests can purchase park tickets, look at wait times, reserve dining, manage FastPass+, link photos and now find merchandise. This one stop shop of an app has expanded over the years to cover all guest needs in the parks and is continuing with this August 2018 update.

Although the My Disney Experience app seems to be absorbing park shopping capabilities, the Shop Disney Parks app and homepage will continue to be offered in addition to the new in-app function.

Source: Disney

If you’re reading this, you probably have at least a little more Disney parks knowledge than the average tourist. Are you the resident expert in your office and called upon to help plan your co-workers Disney vacations? Do you bite your tongue when friends talk about the “haunted house ride” or confuse Disneyland with Walt Disney World?

With the power of knowledge, though, comes responsibility. What if their vacation is not as magical as you said it was going to be? What if they hated your favorite attraction or the restaurant you recommended? How do you deal with the pressure?

It’s even harder when you are not only asked for advice, but are traveling with your friends or co-workers and have to play “tour guide.”

Recently, I got the chance to do just that, and it didn’t turn out at all like I expected (or planned).

I visited the Disneyland Resort with two friends, one of which was a first time visitor. His only other experience was a week-long family vacation to Walt Disney World when he was a kid.

It took everything in me NOT to be the obnoxious Disneyland “expert” tour guide. I just wanted to enjoy the parks with friends. Yet, I was looked to for advice and direction every step of the way.

Other than springing for Disney MaxPass, we did everything wrong this trip. We took the first time visitor into Disney California Adventure first. We stopped for two extended meals. We left before fireworks.

We did everything wrong, and still we had a great day.

After an early wake up call, we drove down to Anaheim, but our 4 hour drive stretched to 5 with traffic (and a stop at the golden arches). The parks weren’t opening until 9am that morning and we had fully intended to be there for opening, but didn’t arrive until after 10am.

Now, as much as I TRY not to be the jaded Passholder, I will never understand why so many people wait until they get to the resort to purchase their tickets. When I heard the person in front of us buy a one-day ticket, I had to bite my tongue.

“USE THE APP!!”

“IT’S 10:30AM! YOU’VE MISSED ROPE DROP!”

“YOU MUST BE RICH!”

There are so many ways to get tickets in advance now, you should NEVER wait in that horrendous line unless you absolutely have to. We had to.

One of my friends was eligible for military tickets (a great discount!), but you either have to visit a military base or wait in THAT LINE to get them. Considering the discount, it was well worth the wait.

Once inside the parks, I bought everyone MaxPass, but still tried to leave the FASTPASS choices up to them. Normally, I would have been crisscrossing the parks being the “FASTPASS runner,” so the extra cost for MaxPass saved the wear and tear on my Crocs.

Despite our lack of planning, MaxPass did its job and made me look like the tour guide I wasn’t.

With very little planning and less than 10 hours in the two parks, we were able to experience many of the E-Tickets and several old favorites. I think I counted 12 attractions*, plus Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln and Frozen-Live at the Hyperion. We also stopped for lunch in California Adventure and dinner in Disneyland Park.

Lunch at Boardwalk Pizza & Pasta was just a matter of a convenient location, but when it finally came time for dinner, the tour guide in me so badly wanted to insist on Plaza Inn (because I NEEDED that chicken). I tried to play it cool, because the worst thing you can do is oversell something. In my imagination, I pictured the conversation going something like:

ME: “This chicken is the best chicken in the whole universe!”

THEM: “I’ve had better.”

Luckily, after exiting Space Mountain, the smell of Plaza Inn fried chicken wafted through Tomorrowland and we floated…just like in the cartoons…over to The Hub to “check out the menu.”

There was no line outside and air conditioned seating inside, so we took that as a sign. I also must’ve been sending out some subliminal advertising, because we all ordered the chicken. I quietly ate mine…waiting for the verdict.

FRIEND 1: “I love these green beans.”

Wait…what?

FRIEND 2: “That’s a lot of chicken.”

Yes….yes it is.

It appears that the tour guide did well with the dinner selection.

After dinner, we stopped at a few more attractions, then the early morning drive started catching up with us. We had great hopes of closing out the park, but it was not to be.

However, once again our bad decision paid off as we were out of the park, rode the tram, and halfway up the Mickey & Friends escalator before the fireworks started at 9:30pm.  We were back to our hotel, into our swimsuits, and enjoying the hot tub while everyone else was stuck in the mass post-fireworks exodus.

As I said in the beginning, despite lack of planning and a reluctant tour guide, we had a great day at the Disneyland Resort.

Our plan was to head to the parks again the next day, but we awoke the next morning and decided that there was no way things would go our way two days in a row, so we didn’t press our luck and headed home.

While I didn’t want the job in the first place, I think my stint as tour guide went well enough that I might give it another go when my buddies head back down to Anaheim in a couple months.

I just hope they can keep their expectations in check.

*For the curious readers that want to know what attractions we were actually able to experience during our horribly planned day, here’s the list (in order…I think):

Disney California Adventure

• Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree
• Luigi’s Rollickin’ Roadsters
• Incredicoaster (FP)
• Pixar Pal-A-Round
• Guardians of the Galaxy-Mission: BREAKOUT! (FP)
• Frozen-Live at the Hyperion
• Soarin’ Around the World (FP)

Disneyland Park

• Pirates of the Caribbean
• Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride
• Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln
• Space Mountain (FP)
• Indiana Jones Adventure (FP)
• Haunted Mansion (FP)
• Jungle Cruise

Walt Disney World has just announced that they will be continuing to extend select benefits, currently available to Disney Resort hotel guests, to guests who are staying at nearby hotels through 2019. The following Disney Springs Resort Area Hotels are included:

• B Resort & Spa
• Best Western Lake Buena Vista
• DoubleTree Suites by Hilton Orlando
• Hilton Orlando Buena Vista Palace
• Hilton Orlando Lake Buena Vista
• Holiday Inn Orlando
• Wyndham Garden Lake Buena Vista

Guests of these hotels, with a valid theme park ticket, will now have the opportunity to enjoy the Extra Magic Hours benefit in the theme parks through December 31, 2019. The Disney Springs Resort Area Hotels are also offering guests the opportunity to make FastPass+ selections up to 60-days in advance of their stay through 2019. These benefits were originally set to end December 31, 2018.

In 2013 Walt Disney World introduced MagicBands, which are wristbands that feature a radio-frequency identification (RFID) chip. MagicBands are linked to the guest’s theme park admission tickets, their FastPass+ reservations, their Disney hotel key, their Disney PhotoPass information, and can be linked to their credit card for on-property charges.

Guests staying at a Walt Disney World Resort hotel receive one MagicBand per guest for free. Granted, these free MagicBands are just basic colors. Guests can purchase MagicBands online or on Walt Disney World property which range in price from about $13 to $48 and come in a wide variety of colors and themes.

For more information about MagicBands click HERE!

Walt Disney once said, “We don’t look backwards for very long. We keep moving forward, opening up new doors and doing new things, because we’re curious…and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths.” That is still a core belief that is engrained in The Walt Disney Company.

Walt Disney World has undergone massive changes over the past 5 years, and more even changes are on their way. For the most part, these alterations are improvements. Without them, we as guests wouldn’t have the upcoming Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, the Guardians of the Galaxy roller coaster, Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway, and so much more to look forward to.

Yet, building an exciting new attraction typically means closing its predecessor, and that can be a difficult transition for guests that have grown up with and feel attached to these rides and shows. In the past 5 years, we’ve seen rides like The Great Movie Ride, Universe of Energy, Studio Backlot Tour, and more shutdown to make way for new and exciting projects. Objectively what will be replacing these attractions will be more popular, and so Disney is doing what is in their best interest, but subjectively it can be difficult for an individual whose favorite attraction closes for something they might not care about.

So, change isn’t always a good thing when it comes to the Disney parks, for example right now the Magic Kingdom lacks a nighttime parade, which had been a must-do part of many guest’s vacations for years. Recently Disney announced that they would be replacing Illuminations: Reflections of Earth, which was a fan favorite nighttime fireworks spectacular at Epcot for almost twenty years. While Disney most likely has exciting changes in store, this transition can be difficult for guests who have become attached to what they felt where staples of their Walt Disney World vacations.

It isn’t just the rides and shows that have changed in the past 5 years. The way in which guests get FastPass reservations and dining reservations were completely revolutionized with the My Disney Experience app. If you use this app frequently you’d know it so many technical difficulties that at some point during you’re Disney vacation make you want to throw your phone into Seven Seas Lagoon. When the app is working properly it is a huge convenience because you don’t need to call just to make a dining reservation, and you don’t need to crisscross around the theme parks gathering paper FastPass tickets all day. The advantages outweigh the negatives, but when the app is not cooperating it doesn’t always feel that way.

No one should argue that these changes should not be made, because for Disney to survive they must adapt and change with the times. If the Disney parks looked like they did on their opening day they would certainly not be as popular as they are now, so we must accept that the ship is moving in the right direction even when they take a ride or show that we loved away. The Disney Parks is not a museum, and things grow and changes as time goes by, but it doesn’t take away the fact that these changes can be difficult.

The newest update to the My Disney Experience site has taken a step-by-step approach in helping guests to not only plan, but to manage every aspect of their Walt Disney World vacation, including their Resort hotel stay, ticket purchases, dining reservations, and FastPass+ selections, right from the website. While this update isn’t showing on the mobile app quite yet, it can likely be expected to arrive there soon.

Last week, we shared the new park ticket structure that is being rolled out by the Walt Disney World Resort on October 16, 2018, and it appears as though this step-by-step approach is being launched to assist guests with what originally looked like a more complex ticketing process.

If you only get one week out of the year to spend in the most magical place on Earth, you want to get the most out of it. Some of these tips are specific to Magic Kingdom, while others are applicable at any Walt Disney World Resort theme park.

Ride the Resort Monorail

When you first arrive at the Ticket and Transportation Center and pass through the ticket windows, you are greeted with a huge sign for the monorail. Most WDW experts will know to look for the resort monorail, slightly to the left between the main monorail entrance and the ferryboat entrance. It is still attached to the main monorail station, just all the way to the left when you are looking at the entrance.

While it stops at both the Polynesian Village Resort and the Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, it is usually still faster than waiting in line for the regular monorail to come around.

Walk Through the Emporium Instead of Walking Down Main Street

This one is pretty self-explanatory.

After your first visit to Magic Kingdom, you can skip walking down the center of Main Street U.S.A. and seeing the castle for the first time.

Walking through the Emporium gift shop takes much less time and you can exit right through Casey’s Corner. It’s not as easy to cut through the other side of Main Street, since the shops are not all connected.

Take the Walt Disney World Railroad Train

The 20-minute train ride will let you off at three different stops in the Magic Kingdom. If you have plans in Frontierland or Fantasyland first thing on a crowded day in the Kingdom, I would recommend hopping on the train.

It’s also a nice ride if you’ve never ridden it before and a good way to get some shade and a nice breeze.

Walk With the Crowd, Not Against

This tip applies to any park, not just Magic Kingdom.

Depending on where you are, it is usually much faster to walk with the crowd instead of trying to weave and bob through it. It might seem tempting, but don’t do it. You’ll just end up bumping into people and angering them, or running into people trying to come the other way.

Ride Big Ticket Attractions at Night

I have already given my tips on how to ride Flight of Passage without waiting hours and hours, but the same rule applies to any big ticket attractions, like Seven Dwarfs Mine Train in Magic Kingdom.

If there is a ride you were unable to get a FastPass for, or don’t want to waste a pass on, try to hit it before the park closes. Lines usually become shorter at night and especially once the park is about to close.

Plus, you probably don’t want to get into the chaos of the mass exodus of everyone leaving after Happily Ever After anyway.

Get Your Food Before Waiting in Lines

You have a FastPass+, but you’re also hungry and running out of time before your next FastPass comes up.

Solution: grab your food to go! There are plenty of quick service restaurants and carts that you can pick up food from to take with you in your queue.

You can also utilize mobile ordering.

Some options for food on the go are better than others, but that’s a subject for another article on another day.

Every single day, bright and early at 7 am, US EST, thousands of men and women go into a complete and utter panic, terrified to see their well thought out plans sink or swim. If you ask any of them what day of the week it is, you won’t find your average Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday answers, as this is not a day that occurs in a 7-part rotation. This is the day you have been counting down to for the better part of an entire year. This day is the one that kicks off a 60-day countdown towards the first moments of your vacation. This is the day where dreams are made and broken.

What day is it? FastPass Day.

It begins up to 48 hours before your big day with an inability to sleep or general restlessness. Sometimes plagued with terrifying nightmares of sleeping in till 8 am, booking the wrong passes for the wrong day or the ultimate disaster entirely out of your control, the My Disney Experience app going down. It feels like your entire Walt Disney World Resort adventure is hanging by an unreliable thread.

This will often be followed by shivers or sweats; nervous behaviors can also manifest in anxiety-related tendencies such as fiddling, scratching or rocking back and forth in the fetal position. With so many emotions at play — excitement, fear, aggression — it’s a melting pot of conflict with the extended cast of Inside Out at the control center. Every emotion is present and accounted for with everyone from Nauseating Apprehension to Stoic Determination ready to bust out into the spotlight at any second. You hold your breath as the last sixty seconds countdown, desperately waiting for that defiant clock to move on from 6:59 am.

Photo by Hannah Wei on Unsplash

It’s on. Right now it’s you versus the thousands of other people around the world, navigating their local time zones to battle it out in a clicking war for the best FastPasses on offer.

Before I get to this point, I like to have a few things sorted out in advance to maximize the odds of getting what I want, when I want it.

• Have at least two different browsers installed. When your login doesn’t work, or an error shows up, clearing your cookies and cache might do the trick, but sometimes all it takes is the two clicks required to open a different browser, and off you go.
• Write down your login information. I know, I know, it is saved in your browser. But what would you do if, at the most inopportune moment, it wasn’t working or simply wasn’t there? Write it down and double check it by logging in with it so you can cross this issue off the list of possible obstacles between you and that perfect Avatar Flight of Passage time slot.
• Write down your FastPass goals and your alternates. Save yourself from that chaotic moment of panic and have your schedule on hand. If you make a list of what you are aiming for alongside your calendar of when you will be in each different area, it makes it easier to adjust things if your first choices are not available.
• Make a list of your dining reservations. Write down the times of each reservation, allowing a buffer on each end to get to and from the restaurant. In the haste of frantically trying to get something locked in, you don’t want to accidentally book FastPasses in time slots where you will already be elbow deep in your favorite food.
• Update your app. If you are using a mobile device, make sure your app is up to date with the latest version, alleviating any technological compatibility issues.

Once you have everything ready — your notes, your tissues, any calming medication required and lucky charms or any other comforting items you deem necessary — wait for that highly anticipated time to roll around and strike while you can. If you got what you wanted, well done. But slow your publicly ecstatic roll because it’s kind of like getting the lead in the school play; we are happy for you, but we wanted it too. Be sure to tone down the exclamation marks when you announce your victory to the world.

Did you miss what you were looking for or settle for FastPasses you weren’t that keen on? There is light at the end of this emotionally charged tunnel, standby.

• Keep checking. Things change, and other people’s plans change. When this happens, they change their FastPasses. What does that mean for you? You can take the ones they had. Keep checking before you leave and more often than not, some other options usually appear. It might not be exactly what you were after, but you may be able to get something much closer to your goal. Don’t give up!
• Stay flexible. Sometimes what you thought was the perfect plan was doomed from the beginning. If your FastPasses take you in a different direction, just go with it. Perhaps the Disney gods are stepping in to save you from a disastrous series of lines and ride failures. You never know. Make adjustments and see where they take you.
• Consider shuffling your days. If you have your heart set on one particular ride, be prepared to shuffle around which days you were planning to be in each park to try and jag what you want. Just be cautious of those 180-day dining reservations you made a few months ago, especially if you don’t have a park hopper ticket.
• Just chill. Even if nothing changes and you didn’t get what you wanted and the whole FastPass experience has left you depressed and melancholy, cheer up. It isn’t actually the end of the world and anything you don’t get the chance to do is just even more incentive to go back.

In the event that My Disney Experience won’t even book your FastPasses, make sure to have some stress chocolate on hand to cope with the on-hold wait time when you phone Disney impatiently at 7:01 am. Maybe even wait until 7:02, sometimes it just needs an extra minute.

Take a breath; you’ve got this. It’s FastPass Day.

Photo by William Iven on Unsplash

For as far back as I can remember, there has been discussion online and all over about people making “throwaway” Disney Resort room reservations at the Walt Disney World Resort. Folks do this when trying to gain access to an earlier reservation window than they would otherwise have without that Resort hotel reservation. It first started with Advanced Dining Reservations (ADRs) and then moved on to FastPass+ selections in recent years.

Typically, ADRs can be made up to 180-days in advance. Having a Resort reservation allows guests to make additional reservations for up to ten days of their vacation beyond the 180-day mark; essentially getting a jumpstart on those with no Resort stay on the books. For FastPass+ selections, guests can make those up to 60-days in advance if they have a Resort reservation.

What began happening was that folks would book their Resort hotel stay, make their ADRs and FastPass+ selections when the time came and then they’d cancel their room reservation before the penalty timeframe. This is obviously a loophole that has needed to be closed by Disney for many years, but folks have continued to take advantage of it simply because they could.

There has been talk over on the Disney Rumors and News forum at DISboards.com over the last few days that Disney may have finally closed this loophole. While we have been unable to confirm with Disney on whether this is indeed the case going forward or not, it appears that the warning message given by the My Disney Experience app prior to canceling a Resort reservation that any FastPass+ selections they’ve made will be canceled if the Resort reservation is canceled with the actual follow-through of them being canceled. The message is not new, but folks have reported that their FastPass+ selections have been canceled after canceling a room-only reservation.

Poster, chabs says, “I can confirm that this is true. I found a better AP rate this morning for one of my rooms that I had booked for March. I’m doing a split stay and found standard view WL vs nature view WL, so I canceled nature and booked the new standard view room instead. When I canceled my more expensive room online, I received a warning message that “all fast passes associated with this reservation will be canceled”. I had already booked the new reservation, plus I had another reservation for the first part of my trip at AKL, so none of my fast passes canceled as of yet. Hopefully they won’t get messed up once the refund is processed.”

Poster MIAMousketeer reports, “I canceled a reservation today and got the warning that any fastpasses attached to this reservation would be canceled. I didn’t have any, so I can’t report if any were canceled. But I have not seen this warning before for FastPasses.”

Poster Runnsally brings up a good point in saying, “The part that is still unclear to me is whether the system will link the 60-day-window FP to a specific resort reservation that must be maintained in order for the FP to remain valid, or (I think more likely) just make sure that any FP booked at the 60 day window can be associated with any resort reservation for the same time period. These two things are very different in practice.”

Poster tlmadden73 also has a good point with his comment, “The downside to planning ‘ahead’ of time is the disappointment when the thing you want to ‘reserve’ is still not available when you try to do it at the exact first moment you can. Hopefully removing this ‘room cancellation loophole’ helps clear up those high demand FPs like FOP and SDD, though truly the only thing that will help that is more attractions at those parks (which DHS is fixing in a few months).”

Of course, we’re not sure what the answer is, but we’d love to hear your thoughts! Weigh in by leaving a comment below, stopping by the “Disney to cancel FPs if room is canceled” thread at DISboards.com, or by joining the conversation on our Facebook page.

For all you planners out there, the planning process is nearly as enjoyable as the vacation itself. Carefully creating a calendar or spreadsheet with your daily itinerary, opening it every day and going over it with an expert eye wondering where you may have made a mistake. Planning out the tempo for the week and thinking what the best order is for going to the different parks, all the while anticipating your window for booking Advanced Dining Reservations (ADR) and scheduling your FastPasses. The exhilarating feeling of scoring that elusive FastPass or ADR that you weren’t able to get out of the gate.

These are all the things you enjoy and live for in the six to twelve months leading up to your next Walt Disney World vacation. Oh what’s that? You have kids and they’re not worried about that nearly feral look in your eye as you hunch over a few extra spreadsheets? Well then that means you need to bring them into the process and pass the passion down to the next generation.

Let’s take a look at a few age brackets and get a few ideas on how to bring them into the planning process. Just because they get older doesn’t mean they can’t do things in the younger age brackets. Every age bracket includes those ideas in the younger ones.

Three and Under

There isn’t much a three-and-under child can do to actually help you. They just want to feel included and be part of that excitement. Your passions are often their passions at this age, so there are a lot of things to give them an outlet to express that excitement.

1. A Disney countdown calendar is a perfect way to countdown to the day you leave for Walt Disney World. Go out and buy a bunch of Disney stickers and a piece of poster board and draw up a three month (or more) calendar. Have the kids decorate it, and every day they can put a sticker on the day in the morning.
2. Visit a nearby Disney Store and let someone know you’re heading to The World soon. Sometimes they’ll put your names up on the screen and make an announcement. While you’re there you can pick up small toy for them to keep while they wait.

Four through Seven

Kids all have varying degrees of reading skills and understanding of technology, so these age brackets are only general ideas for kids of this age. No judgement!

We want to get the kids involved in making decisions and picking out places in the parks they want to see. As they get older, they’ll be a living and walking touring plan.

1. Print out maps of all the parks and have the kids create their own touring plan or itinerary. Ask them about their favorite rides. Have them draw routes and paths on the paper and talk about it together. As your kids get older, they’ll be studying the maps and memorizing them more and more.
2. Give your child a computer/tablet and have them watch the fireworks or shows (assuming we’re not worrying about spoilers!) and review them for you. Make your choices based on what the kids want to see.

Eight through Ten

Now we want to get the kids to get more involved in the details, which include wait times, travel times and the awareness of crowds. Depending on your child’s ability to use Google Maps and/or your allowance of them being on the internet, here are a few activities you can give them. If you don’t want them using a computer, give them general travel times listed below and have them figure things out.

1. Use Google Maps and have them discover how long it takes to fly or drive to Orlando. If you’re flying, figure out the time it takes to drive to the airport. Have them figure out when the family needs to wake up and be out the door. Then have them figure out how much time is left in the day once you land and arrive at the resort.
2. Have them look up average wait times or the popularity of all the rides they want to go on and ask them what part of the day and what order is best to go on them. Make them part of the process in determining FastPass+ selections.
3. Use Google Maps and have them explore an aerial view of the resort and the parks. Have them figure out how long it takes a bus to get to and from the parks and when the family needs to wake up each day to get to the parks.
4. Show them how to use Google Maps in street view so they can walk through the parks and explore them on their own.

Eleven and older

Now you can finally bring your kids into the planning process with details. Have them look for flights, assist in finding hard-to-get ADRs, look up restaurant reviews and plan out where your family will want to eat.

1. Depending on where you are in the planning process and how comfortable you are in sharing the financial end of things, have your kids help look for good deals on flights or look through different package offerings on the Disney website. Bring them in at the very beginning of the planning process; have them do it with you so they have some ownership of the whole vacation.
2. Show them how to use the My Disney Experience app and look for openings for ADRs that you couldn’t get.
3. Have them select a few restaurants they want to go to and incorporate them into your plans.
4. Have them coordinate FastPass+ times, show times, and firework times. Give them a copy of your spreadsheet/calendar for them to manipulate and compare them once a week.

There are many other ideas out there and these are only a few, but our goal is to give our kids different ways to be excited about your Walt Disney World vacation. The larger the sense of ownership your kids have of the vacation, the more they will be engaged. If you bring them into this process, the older they get the more awareness and appreciation they will have of what it takes to plan a great trip. You’ll also be teaching them valuable skills, like the awareness of time and it’s management, logistics and an appreciation of the cost.

Ultimately, it’s just another family activity that will bring you all closer together.

Top Image: Disney

Between May 31 and June 23, guests visiting Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disneyland Park will have to have booked a no-cost reservation to have access to the land. These reservations will be critical as regular guests visiting the parks will NOT have the option to wait in a stand-by line. According to The Press-Enterprise, Disneyland Vice President Kris Theiler said, “We’re not going to have a standby line. So, it will be limited solely to those guests that have reservations.” He also stated that this reservation won’t last the entire day, but will be for a “window of time.” Disney hasn’t decided what the duration of time will be.

With so much excitement surrounding the new land, these policies were deemed necessary to keep quality of the experience up to the standard Disney has set for itself. Theiler said, “We just know that there’s really a lot of anticipation out there in regards to the land. We wanted to try and do as much as we could to address that and to meet that anticipation and that excitement.”

Unfortunately, Disney has not yet released how reservations will be made or when they will available to book.

However, if you are staying at one of the three Disneyland Resort Hotels, and have valid theme park admission, you will be guaranteed a reservation to the land during your stay.

Credit: The Press-Enterprise

Welcome to the March edition of Disney Rumor Round Up for 2019! You can check out the February 2019 installment here. Spring has sprung at the Disney Parks! Disclaimer: Any rumors mentioned in this article are not confirmed by Disney and may not ever happen.

Magic Kingdom

Rumors regarding Magic Kingdom are rather quiet at the moment. In addition to WDWMagic sources last year reporting that fireworks at Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party would change from Hallowishes to something similar to Happily Ever After, WDWNT is also reporting this along with even more attraction overlays including Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Tomorrowland Transit Authority Peoplemover, and Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor. These overlays would be rather minimal like the ones added in 2018. It is then expected that Holiday Wishes during the Christmas season would also change.

Epcot

Construction continues on several major Epcot projects. The new space restaurant is nearly completely enclosed now as that is expected to open in late 2019. Guardians of the Galaxy coaster track is staged on Disney property as work continues on the exterior of that massive building. Permits have been filed for work to begin on the new Epcot entrance which will start this spring. Wonders of Life is now closed and is now considered a construction site as work to create the new Play Pavilion is underway.

Many news sites went forward to report that Innoventions West, Club Cool and other areas are included in the demolition permit for the entrance work at Epcot. While they share similar addresses it is expected that this permit specifically is only for the park entrance however many sources indicate Innoventions West, Club Cool, Fountain View, and more will be torn down or drastically changed as Epcot moves forward into its re-imagining.

Back in World Showcase the France pavilion is getting yet another addition in the Crêperie dining venue along with the attraction Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure. According to rumors this new restaurant will go alongside the new wall being put in place and underneath the Skyliner cables. This area is currently visible from International Gateway.

Hollywood Studios

Disney has finally confirmed and sort of shocked the community with the opening dates for Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. On August 29th, 2019 Galaxy’s Edge will open to the world at Hollywood Studios but only with one attraction. Rise of the Resistance will open at a later date not yet announced. According to rumors that date is still up in the air. There have been some technical glitches with Rise of the Resistance however Disney also is doing this to help with crowds. Some sources seem to be exaggerating the technical issues more than others. Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run, the shops, and dining will all be ready to go before Rise of the Resistance so instead of waiting Disney decided it was best to go with the phased opening. It is expected that Rise of the Resistance could be open in November in Walt Disney World. Neither attraction will open with Fastpass when they do open. Even more changes could be coming to Fastpass as noted below.

Adding a bit more to the Star Wars news it is expected that Walt Disney World’s version will have some sort of limited access when it opens. Disneyland is giving resort hotel guests guaranteed access from May 31st through June 23rd. Walt Disney World has said they would not use that system but notes capacity is limited. Disneyland announced they would be using a virtual queue system starting June 24th after the hotel reservation window ends. This is said to also happen at Hollywood Studios according to sources at WDWMagic. This makes sense to limit and control crowds for this highly anticipated land.

The forgotten child in all of this is Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway. Disney has previously said Fall 2019 opening for this new attraction but it is expected this will open before or in time for Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge as the park will need the increased capacity when the crowds descend on the park.

According to WDWNT, the Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular will get a major update removing the studio theming as the focus of Hollywood Studios continues to change. This change would be in place around the 50th anniversary of Walt Disney World if this rumor is true.

Animal Kingdom

BlogMickey is reporting a rumor that a new event could be coming to Disney’s Animal Kingdom. This event would take place in Harambe in Africa and has the rumored name of Circle of Flavors. No other known details at this time.

Walt Disney World Resort

Over at Disney Springs, WDWNT is reporting that a Frozen II themed VR experience could soon be joining those at The Void at both Disneyland and Disney Springs. The Star Wars and Wreck it Ralph experiences have been quite successful with guests.

The Disney Skyliner continues to test with most recent aerial images showing over 280 cabins now onsite. The Hollywood Studios line is testing daily with more uncovered cabins showing on that line. The Art of Animation/Pop Century line also started more major cabin testing. The last one is Epcot and hasn’t entered major cabin testing yet. It is the belief that Disney wants this system to open in time for the opening of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge on August 29th.

A major rumor has popped up recently on WDWMagic.com. Reportedly a version of a paid Fastpass system could soon be making its way to Walt Disney World. Disneyland, Disneyland Paris, Hong Kong Disneyland, and Shanghai Disneyland all have some sort of paid Fastpass option already. A paid version for Walt Disney World has been rumored before but has yet to actually happen. This new info that has come about says we could see it as soon as later this year. With new major attractions opening up it makes sense in a way.

While details are vague at the moment there are several options on the table that Disney is combing through. One option discussed is giving guests a “taste” of free Fastpass still, allowing them to book 1-2 per day and any additional Fastpasses would be an extra charge. These extra Fastpasses would be available in different package levels. All guests whether you are onsite or offsite would be able to buy these levels. Another option is giving guests the current 3 per day but making headliners extra. So an attraction like Flight of Passage may come at a cost if you want a Fastpass or the new Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge attractions once they get Fastpass. Still a lot of speculation so stay tuned for more on this as time goes on.

Finally, Mizner’s Lounge at The Grand Floridian is closing for a major refurbishment and expansion. According to multiple sources once this reopens it will be a live action Beauty and the Beast themed lounge. It is expected to reopen this fall.

Disneyland

Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge is opening May 31st, 2019 in Disneyland much earlier than many expected but as noted above only one attraction will be open at first. According to rumors and speculation it is expected that Rise of the Resistance will be ready to go by D23 Expo in August.

For further discussion on all of this and more, visit the Rumors and News board on Disboards.com

Walt Disney World’s FastPass+ system is a fantastic tool to manage your party’s day at the theme parks by securing FastPasses within the My Disney Experience app. How you choose to use this tool is up to you and your desired level of vacation preparation. These tips are designed for those who prefer to plan diligently, visit the park occasionally on vacations, and/or desire specific experiences during their stay. With that being said, let’s get started!

1. When to Secure Your FastPasses

A guest may secure a maximum of 3 experiences per day 30 days in advance. However, those guests who have a reservation at a Disney Resort hotel are permitted to secure the same number of experiences per day 60 days in advance. It is important to note that if you are staying at a Disney Resort, you are permitted to secure FastPasses through the entire length of your stay. For example, if you are staying on property with a four-day ticket, you can secure three FastPass+ selections for four days at the 60-day mark. Therefore, you are technically able to secure a FastPass+ for your last day in the parks 64 days in advance.

Pro Tip – Since you are entitled to make FastPass+ selections through the length of your stay, try to arrange your schedule so that you visit the parks with the most popular rides last. Flight of Passage at Animal kingdom is a difficult FastPass+ to secure, even when making selections at the 60-day mark. However, if you visit Animal Kingdom on the last day of a 7-day pass, you will have the opportunity to select a FastPass+ for Flight of Passage 67 days in advance. During my previous trip to Walt Disney World, I visited Animal Kingdom on the 2nd and 6th day of my trip. During FastPass+ selection, the earliest return time for the first visit was 5:00 pm while the earliest return time on the second day was 11:00 am. This is a decisive advantage, especially when you consider eligibility to make additional selections.

2. Quantity of FastPasses to Secure

As previously stated, you have the option to secure up to 3 FastPasses in advance. However, that does not mean you must select 3, neither does it mean you are limited to a total of 3 FastPasses for that entire day. To make the most of the FastPass+ system you should open the My Disney Experience app as soon as your party taps the Mickey Touch Point at the FastPass+ entrance and make your next selection. As soon as you redeem your last scheduled FastPass+, you are entitled to make an additional selection, one at a time. Continue this process until no FastPasses remain that are of interest. Depending on the time of year (how busy the parks are) you can enjoy 5-10 FastPasses.

Pro Tip – Not all FastPasses are created equal. This is especially true for the parks that have tiers of selection, where you permitted to select only one of the most popular rides and two of the secondary rides. If you do not see the value in committing yourself to secondary rides, do not select them as part of your advanced planning. The preferred strategy is to select the first-tier ride in advance with an early return window, enter the FastPass+ line, then make an additional selection while in the FastPass+ line. By only selecting one FastPass+ in advance you can make your next selection earlier when in the parks (you do not have to wait to redeem two additional FastPasses). In addition, you are not limited to the ride selection tiers on the day-of, therefore optimizing your ability to secure 2-5 FastPasses for top attractions for that day.

3. Free up FastPasses for Later

As a seasoned Disney park guest, you probably have a sense of which rides you prefer to experience once versus multiple times in a single day. Regardless of the lengthy historical wait time that any given ride may have if you know you do not enjoy the experience as much as others do not waste a FastPass+ on it. It would be wise to visit a popular ride that you are less interested in the early morning when the standby wait time is lower. This enables you to check the box next to that attraction and clear up time in the afternoon for preferred rides. Despite your best efforts, you may not be able to select a multitude of FastPasses for your party throughout the day. Therefore, it is important to utilize the FastPass+ system for experiences you and your party value. This process ensures that you prioritize the rides that matter to your group as opposed to selecting all the FastPass+ options that Walt Disney World believes is important. FastPass+ selections do not last all day and standby wait times tend to be lengthier in the evenings, so it is important to have a good idea to have a mental list of the must-see attractions prior to your visit. And remember, there is no shame in having two or more FastPasses selected for the same ride in one day if there is value for your group.

Guests who book a stay at select hotels in both 2019 and 2020 with valid Walt Disney World theme park admission will have access to the Extra Magic Hours benefit, as well as the opportunity to reserve select FastPass+ experiences up to 60 days in advance of their stay.

Each day, one of the four Walt Disney World theme parks opens early or extends later for guests to enjoy select attractions and, during select dates, the Extra Magic Hours benefit may also be offered at one of the Disney Water Parks. Take a look at the Extra Magic Hours calendar in the My Disney Experience app or request a copy of the printed Times Guide that’s available in the hotel lobby.

In addition, guests at the following hotels who have a valid theme park ticket or confirmation number and a hotel reservation number will be able to link their hotel reservation in My Disney Experience and reserve select FastPass+ experiences up to 60 days in advance.

Hotels included in this benefit are the Disney Springs Resort Area Hotels, which are designated Official Walt Disney World hotels, the Four Seasons Orlando Resort, the Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek, and the Waldorf Astoria Orlando. The Disney Springs Resort Area Hotels include Best Western Lake Buena Vista, B Resort & Spa Lake Buena Vista, DoubleTree Suites by Hilton Orlando, Hilton Orlando Buena Vista Palace, Hilton Orlando Lake Buena Vista, Holiday Inn Orlando – Disney Springs Area, Wyndham Lake Buena Vista, and Wyndham Garden Lake Buena Vista.

These hotel benefits are available now for travel dates in 2020 and are subject to change without notice.