Disney FastPass
TypeVirtual queuing system
InventorDisney Parks, Experiences and Products
Inception1999
ManufacturerDisney
AvailableNo (Defunct, replaced by Disney Genie's "Lightning Lane" in United States parks and "Disney Premiere Access" in other parks)
Last production yearJanuary 6, 2022 (Hong Kong)

FastPass, FastPass+, and MaxPass were virtual queue systems created by the Walt Disney Company to speed up customer access to certain attractions and amenities at the Disney resorts and theme parks. First introduced in late 1999 as a virtual queue,[lower-alpha 1][1] the systems all allowed guests to avoid long lines at the attractions on which the system was installed, freeing them to partake in other attractions during their wait. There was generally no extra fee for the service.

The original FastPass system was still featured except Walt Disney World, which used FastPass+, along with both Shanghai Disneyland and Disneyland Paris, which replaced the FastPass system with a pay-for-use system called Disney Premier Access.[2] The system continued to use a virtual queue where guests are given a paper ticket with a designated time, instructing them when they would arrive at the head of the queue. However, each park had slight variations on the FastPass concept.

On August 18, 2021, it was announced that the FastPass, FastPass+ and MaxPass would officially be retired in favor of the new Disney Genie service in Disneyland and Walt Disney World, which includes a premium Genie+ option for parkgoers to use the "Lightning Lane".[3]

FastPass

Disneyland Resort featured the original FastPass system alongside MaxPass. Disney's FastPass service was available at no additional charge to all park guests, while MaxPass cost US$20 a day. FastPass was predominantly offered at very popular attractions; at a later stage, it was made available additionally for select shows, offering access to a roped-off viewing area.

To use FastPass, a guest would scan their physical (or later, digital) park ticket at an automated machine, usually located adjacent to or in the vicinity of the attraction they wanted to experience. The machine would print a ticket giving a half-hour or one-hour time range (depending on the park) for the guest to return. Displays near the machines would show the current return times which would be made available; it was not possible to select a different time. Upon return during the allocated time, the guest would turn in the FastPass ticket to a cast member and join a shorter line to enter the attraction. In latter years at some parks, guests would need to scan their original park ticket rather than the FastPass ticket; this process was implemented to combat the resale of FastPass tickets. The FastPass "ticket" would in this scenario act merely as a reminder of the time of their return slot.

Return slots typically became available soon after the park opened to guests, but not during Extra Magic Hours (early park access open to guests at preferred hotels). The return time advanced in five-minute increments as FastPasses were distributed, and when the park closing time was reached, no further FastPasses were distributed for that attraction that day.

To allow for a wide distribution of FastPass tickets, a guest holding a FastPass could not obtain another FastPass until the beginning of the return timeslot allocated to them. Over time, this changed to allow another FastPass to be obtained two hours after the last one was printed, even if the return time was further away. Additionally, a FastPass for a show, such as World of Color, could be held additionally to a ride FastPass. Any attempt to obtain a FastPass in breach of the waiting period would result in an error message being printed on a FastPass slip, informing the guest of the time they could next obtain a FastPass.

FastPasses were obtainable via the Tokyo Disney Resort app in latter years, avoiding the need to physically walk to the desired attraction, but it was still necessary to have entered the relevant park that day.

MaxPass

On August 30, 2007, the Walt Disney Company filed a patent for using SMS as a way to get and use FastPasses in the park. The patent indicated that guests staying at Disney hotels would be allowed to make early reservations for attractions using their in-room television.[4]

Originally, all the FastPass tickets were free as long as the guests purchased their park tickets. However, on January 11, 2017, Disney announced Disney's MaxPass for the Disneyland Resort. The new system worked in conjunction with the original FastPass system. It was Disney's first premium virtual queue system, costing US$10/day or $75/year upon launch in 2017. On January 6, 2018, Disney increased the price to US$15/day, and US$100/year.[5] It is included with select Disneyland Annual Passports. The system allowed users to receive a FastPass return time on their smartphone through the Disneyland mobile app when they were inside the parks. Guests who bought the MaxPass system were also able to download their PhotoPass pictures for free.[6][7][8][9]

Also, in March 2017, Shanghai Disneyland introduced Disney Premier Access, a similar system to Disney's MaxPass. Following the pandemic, all parks outside the US (except Hong Kong) used this system.[10]

FastPass promotions

Throughout the annual Disney Soundsational Summer promotions of 2011–2012, guests staying at any of the three hotels of the Disneyland Resort received two complimentary FastPasses per person. These passes allowed guests to enter the FastPass line of any FastPass attraction (plus The Little Mermaid: Ariel's Undersea Adventure, which does not otherwise offer FastPass) at any time they chose, similar to the Dream FastPass.[11]

Disney FastPass+

The icon for FastPass+

FastPass+ allowed guests to reserve and plan a visit in advance to parks at Walt Disney World.[12][13] Reservations were available for select attractions, Character Greetings, entertainment, and viewing areas for parades and fireworks.[14] The system allowed guests to make reservations up to 60 days in advance, and change at any time. FastPass+ was a reservation and scheduling system, unlike the old paper FastPass system, which was a virtual queuing concept. Additionally, guests were encouraged to reserve FastPass+ sections with their group and were allowed to change the group's FastPass+ reservation.[15] Guests that stayed at an onsite Disney resort could make reservations up to 60 days in advance while all other guests could schedule reservations up to 30 days in advance, assuming tickets were linked to their account. Annual Passholders could hold FastPass+ reservations for up to 7 different days in the 30-day window. If a Passholder stayed at a Disney resort onsite, they also had 60 days to make reservations for the entire length of the stay.[16]

Guests could make three reservations in advance for each day, and all three were required to be at the same theme park. Disney's Animal Kingdom, Epcot, and Disney's Hollywood Studios separated the attractions available for reservation into two tiers. Guests were restricted in the combination of attractions they were able to reserve in these parks to ensure better reservation availability for others at the parks' most popular attractions. Guests had the option to make a further reservation via an in-park kiosk or the My Disney Experience app after they had used their initial three selections subject to availability. They had the option to continue to make further reservations after using each reservation, until all reservation slots had been allocated for the day.[17]

Disney FastPass+ was not operational at Disney World since the parks reopened in July 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This was cited as due to the need to create proper social distancing.

The system was permanently discontinued and replaced in October 2021 by Lightning Lane while the International parks (expect Hong Kong) used Shanghai's Premier Access.

Other parks

Before COVID-19

During summer of 2011–2012 at Disneyland Paris, guests who stayed in the Disneyland Hotel or in club-level accommodations of hotels received an untimed single-use FastPass voucher for each day of their stays, usable any time except between 13:00 and 16:00. Guests in Castle Club accommodations at the Disneyland Hotel or suites in any hotel instead received a VIP FastPass, which could be used repeatedly for the full length of stay with no time restrictions. In each case, the FastPass was usable only on rides with FastPass facilities.[18] This offer was retained until 2020, at which point it was retired.

Disney Premier Access

Disney Premier Access
TypeVirtual queuing system
InventorDisney Parks, Experiences and Products
Inception2018
ManufacturerDisney
AvailableYes

Disney Premier Access is a paid virtual queue system introduced by the Walt Disney Company currently offered at Disneyland Paris, Hong Kong Disneyland, Tokyo Disney Resort and Shanghai Disneyland. The system allows guests to pay to avoid long lines at select attractions or access dedicated seating areas for select shows on which the system is offered. Guests select or are offered a designated return time window, when they must arrive at the head of the queue to utilize their Disney Premier Access reservation.[19][20][21]

The system is believed to have been introduced initially as a response to ticket scalping of the physical paper fastpass tickets at Shanghai Disneyland.[22] The system was formally called Disney Priority Special and Priority Special+ at the Hong Kong resort.[19]

Tokyo Disney Resort 40th Anniversary Priority Pass

Tokyo Disney Resort has offered a "40th Anniversary Priority Pass" for certain rides, which is free of charge and functions identically to the original FastPass, save that it is requested and redeemed via the Tokyo Disney Resort app since July 26, 2023.[23] Disney Premier Access is sold, also via the app, for the most popular rides, and for reserved viewing areas for select shows and parades.[24] Additionally, guests staying in an official hotel who have purchased a "vacation package" obtain a number of Attraction Tickets which are used for entry via the same Premier Access/Priority Pass line.[25]

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ However, a ride reservation system was first introduced in world's fairs.

References

  1. ↑ "Themed Attraction; Fastpass".
  2. ↑ "How much does Disney Fastpass cost at every park? (2020)". February 1, 2020. Retrieved February 11, 2020.
  3. ↑ Maehrer, Avery (August 18, 2021). "Disney Genie Service to Reimagine the Guest Experience at Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Resort". Disney Parks Blog. Retrieved August 18, 2021.
  4. ↑ "Disney Files Patent for Wireless FastPasses". Netcot.com. Archived from the original on September 28, 2007. Retrieved September 5, 2007.
  5. ↑ "Disneyland Resort increases prices for tickets, parking and more". Attractions Magazine. January 7, 2019. Retrieved February 2, 2019.
  6. ↑ Glover, Erin. "Additional Disney FASTPASS Locations and New Disney MaxPass Coming to Disneyland Resort". Disney Parks Blog. Retrieved January 18, 2017.
  7. ↑ Munarriz, Rick (January 18, 2017). "Will Disney World Start Charging for FastPass? – The Motley Fool". The Motley Fool. Retrieved January 18, 2017.
  8. ↑ Sciretta, Peter (January 11, 2017). "MaxPass Is Disneyland's Premium Paid FastPass Service". Slashfilm. Retrieved January 18, 2017.
  9. ↑ Martin, Hugo (January 17, 2017). "Disneyland to add $14 digital surchage [sic] for Fastpass option". Stuff. Retrieved January 18, 2017.
  10. ↑ "Disney Premier Access Now Available at Shanghai Disneyland". TDR Explorer. March 24, 2017. Retrieved April 20, 2018.
  11. ↑ "Disneyland Discount Information". WDW Info.
  12. ↑ Levine, Arthur (2019). "Disney World's FastPass+ vs. FastPass: What is the Difference?". Retrieved February 11, 2020.
  13. ↑ Testa (February 2, 2020). "Disney World FastPass+ FAQ: Overview, Tips, and Advice". Retrieved February 11, 2020.
  14. ↑ "How to use FastPass at Disney World". WDW Prep School. January 26, 2018. Retrieved May 11, 2020.
  15. ↑ "Making FastPass+ Selections". Walt Disney World. Retrieved December 12, 2013.
  16. ↑ "Annual Passes – Frequently Asked Questions". disneyworld.com. Walt Disney World-Disney Parks. Retrieved October 10, 2014.
  17. ↑ "What is FastPass+ and How to Use it – FAQ". Walt Disney World Resort. Retrieved August 23, 2018.
  18. ↑ "Disney's FASTPASS". DLP Guide – Disneyland Paris at the click of a mouse!.
  19. 1 2 "Disney "Priority Special" Attraction Admission Pass". Hong Kong Disneyland.
  20. ↑ "東京ディズニーリゾート・オフィシャルウェブサイト". www.tokyodisneyresort.jp. Retrieved January 9, 2021.
  21. ↑ Coomer, Shawn (July 17, 2019). "Shanghai Disneyland Fastpass Guide". Retrieved February 11, 2020.
  22. ↑ "Guide to Paid Fastpasses at Shanghai Disneyland". February 26, 2018. Retrieved February 11, 2020.
  23. ↑ https://www.tokyodisneyresort.jp/treasure/tdr40th/en/prioritypass.html
  24. ↑ https://www.tokyodisneyresort.jp/en/tdl/guide/disneypremieraccess.html
  25. ↑ https://reserve.tokyodisneyresort.jp/en/about/wp_08

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