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View Full Version : "Unlimited FastPass" - How to maximize the feature



Darkbeer
02-06-2003, 02:14 PM
OK, what is "Unlimited FastPass", and who gets the special benefit.

OK, those who book travel packages thru the Walt Disney Travel Company, or the AAA (which actually is the Walt Disney Travel Company packages, just "re-branded" with the AAA name), or those who purchase "Passport Plus", as described in the Disney Travel/AAA brochures for the Disneyland Resort on the bottom of page 18, get the "Unlimited FastPass" option.

You are not required to stay at a Disney owned hotel, a "Good Neighbor" hotel package thru Disney/AAA Travel will also give you the special "Unlimited FastPass" option. The Passport Plus is a "stand-alone" package, with no need to purchase air or hotel.

More information about these packages are available here...

http://www.mousesavers.com/dlpackages.html

http://www.mousesavers.com/dltickets.html#passportplus

Now, there have been reports of problems with people trying to purchase the "Passport Plus" at AAA offices. The best thing to do is get the brochure, and show the agent the bottom of page 18, and tell them to call their Disney representative if they have any questions/problems. If they refuse to sell them, ask to speak to the "Travel" manager, and once again show page 18, and ask him/her to call the Disney rep.

OK, now we know who gets the special benefit, how does it work...

Well, the Disneyland Resort Passports that comes with the package has a special barcode that tells the FastPass machine that you are eligible for the special benefit. (So do NOT upgrade to an AP until the end of the last day, because the minute you switch from the passport to the AP, you lose the Unlimited FastPass option!)

Now, how does it work, well, think of the FastPass machines as a computer network, with each ride being a "unit" in the network. When a "regular" user attempts to get a FastPass, the machine does two things, the first test is that it checks to see if you have a current FastPass for the same attraction (that is a FastPass whose start time is later than the current time aka not yet valid), and the second test is to see if you have received another FastPass in the same park (There are two separate networks, one for Disneyland, and another for DCA). The rule here is you are not allowed to get another FastPass until the starting time of the first FastPass, or after 2 hours of issuance of the first FastPass. The easiest way to check this is to look at the bottom of the first FastPass, it will state "Another FastPass will be available at XX:XX" Now, in the past, certain FastPass machines have not been connected to the network, Pirates being the best known. In this case, the machine only cares about the first test, do you have another FastPass for THIS ride?, and will issue you one only if the starting time has passed. (For example, you go to Pirates, and get a FastPass for 11:30 AM to 12:30 PM at about 10 AM. The machine will refuse to issue you another FastPass until 11:30 AM, at which time, the machine would issue one for say 1:40 to 2:40 PM, once again, you will be blocked out until 1:40 PM, when the machine will once again give you a new FastPass for say 3:10 to 4:10 PM....)

Now, with one of the special Walt Disney Travel/AAA passports, when you stick the passport into a FastPass machine, it reads the barcode, and will treat the machine as being "disconnected" from the network, and will only apply the first test, do you have a current FastPass for THIS ride?, it doesn't care about any other ride. Also, the machine does print either "AAA Travel" or "Disney Travel" on the FastPass.

So, what is the best strategy if you have one of the special passports.

Well, lets say you are a family, what I would do is gather all the passports after entering the park, and have one designated "runner", let's say Dad, and then have the rest of the family (Mom and the kids) can go straight to Fantasyland. Or if the kids are too old for Fantasyland, or if it is a group of adults, you could go on the Matterhorn (a non FastPass attraction) or just go sit down and have some breakfast. The one "runner" will go to EVERY ride that is offers FastPass and get FastPasses for each member of the group. After he collects the entire set, he/she meets up with the rest of the group.

Now, sit down and sort out the FastPasses by area (Tomorrowland - Space, Star Tours and Autopia) (Toontown - Roger Rabbit) (Westside - Indiana Jones, Pirates, Haunted Mansion, Splash Mountain, Pooh and Big Thunder).

Now, figure out which way you want to start (the starting times of the FastPasses might help make this decision for you!). Remember a big rule about FastPasses in general, the Cast Members care about two things, the date of the FastPass, and the STARTING time, they will not let you use the FastPass until the starting time. What they do NOT care about is the ending time, they will allow the use of the FastPass after the ending time!

So, lets say you decide to start at Tomorrowland.. it is now 9:45 PM, and you have a (starting time) 10:00 AM Star Tours, a 10:30 Autopia and a 11:30 Space Mountain, well, walk on over to Star Tours, at 10:00, BEFORE you go on Star Tours, get another FastPass (this is the key of maximizing your use of the feature) The machine will check, and since your first FastPass started at 10:00, and it is now a few minutes after 10 AM, the machine will issue you a new FastPass). Ride Star Tours, it is now about 10:15, so go check out the NASA exhibit, and the spinning marble until 10:30. Then off to Autopia, and before riding, get a new Autopia FastPass. Now you probably have time to visit Innoventions until 11:30, at which time, you head over to Space Mountain, grab a new FastPass and then ride.

Now, you move to the next area you want to go to, and repeat the same procedure. This way you will always have a FastPass for each attraction, but save a LOT of walking.

To sum up

Best strategy if you have the "Unlimited FastPass" option.

Have one person in your group go get a FastPass for EVERY ride in Disneyland when you first arrive.

Before you use the current FastPass, get a new FastPass for the same attraction.

Hope this answers your questions, if not, please ask some more questions!

marciemi
02-06-2003, 06:17 PM
Thanks - interesting strategy! I think I would have just had everyone hit the big rides first, grabbing fast passes after leaving for ones we wanted to do again later. This seems like it makes more sense, and since there's no penalty (effectively) for having a fastpass you aren't going to use, you might as well get as many as you can!

kranders
02-07-2003, 05:58 AM
Which rides are currently disconnected from the system for us mortals?

POTC, HM?

Tink0706
02-09-2003, 01:27 PM
marciemi,

While there is no penalty for not using FPs that you get, you are taking away a FP that somebody else might use. I think that this will be the problem with the new tickets, many FPs will be wasted and at some point they will no longer be avaiable for a ride.

marciemi
02-09-2003, 02:46 PM
Okay - good point! Can you tell I haven't thought this all the way through yet? I think my kids are going to pick rides they love (I know Space Mountain, and am guessing Soaring) and think we'll get as many fast passes as we can throughout the day for those rides (use..get..use..get) while doing a couple others intermixed. I still think it makes sense to get them all at the beginning of the day as Darkbeer mentioned since you'll probably try to do them all (at least the first day!) I really need to make a list of which rides have FP's even - right now I'm just going from memory of what was at WDW 2 1/2 years ago!

Darkbeer
02-09-2003, 06:22 PM
Marcie, the list was in my first post, but let me break it out for you....


Now, sit down and sort out the FastPasses by area
(Tomorrowland -
Space Mountain,
Star Tours and
Autopia)
(Toontown -
Roger Rabbit)
(Westside -
Indiana Jones,
Pirates,
Haunted Mansion,
Splash Mountain,
Pooh and
Big Thunder).