Disney News

Category: FastPass+

  • Disney Ends Free FastPass in Favor of New Paid “Lightning Lane” System

    Disney Ends Free FastPass in Favor of New Paid “Lightning Lane” System

    Disney revealed on Wednesday the retirement of it’s FastPass program in favor of a new service calle Disney Genie+ and will cost $15 per ticket per day at Walt Disney World and $20 per ticket per day at Disneyland Resort.

    Guests will be able to choose one attraction at a time and select the next available arrival window for the Lightning Lane entrance.

    Disney Genie is intended to make planning easier and add more flexibility to those who visit parks and resorts by reducing time in lines and helping you “discover magic around every corner.” Take a look below at a few more features:

    • Get Itinerary Updates from Morning to Night: Disney Genie will continue to update your itinerary throughout your day, so you can be more spontaneous and go with the flow.
    • Find Your Favorites at a Glance: Create your very own personal tip board to instantly see your favorites. It will display current AND forecasted future wait times, helping you predict when you might experience quicker entry to attractions.
    • Enjoy More Flexibility and Fun: Disney Genie brings existing planning features together in one place. Join a virtual queue at certain attractions, make dining and experience reservations, mobile order food at many locations, get help from a virtual assistant and more.

    For even more convenience and flexibility, there are two other options for enjoying our theme parks, through a queue we are introducing called the Lightning Lane entrance that also saves you time in line:

    • Disney Genie+ service (available for purchase): For the price of $15 per ticket per day at Walt Disney World Resort and $20 per ticket per day at Disneyland Resort, choose the next available time to arrive at a variety of attractions and experiences using the Lightning Lane entrance. You can make one selection at a time, throughout the day – from classics like Haunted Mansion to thrill rides like Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and newer favorites like Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run (attractions subject to limited availability). This convenient option is the next evolution of the fan-favorite Disney MaxPass service from Disneyland Resort. Disney Genie+ will also include Disney parks-themed audio experiences and photo features to capture your memories – augmented reality lenses for those visiting Walt Disney World Resort and unlimited Disney PhotoPass downloads from your day if you are visiting Disneyland Resort.
    • Individual attraction selections (available for purchase): Schedule a time to arrive at up to two highly demanded attractions each day using the Lightning Lane entrance – like Seven Dwarfs Mine Train at Magic Kingdom Park and Radiator Springs Racers at Disney California Adventure park (subject to limited availability; attractions not included with Disney Genie+). Pricing for this option will vary by date, attraction and park and will be announced closer to launch.

    Lightning Lane selections will be made on the same day of your visit and can be used across multiple theme parks, great for those who love the Park Hopper option. Attractions continue to offer a traditional standby queue, or a virtual queue at certain attractions like Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance – to maximize flexibility.

    “While the FASTPASS, FastPass+ and Disney MaxPass services will be retired, we’re incredibly excited about the flexibility and choices Disney Genie service provides. You can choose from all of our new options, a mix of them or none at all, and continue to have a great experience no matter how you decide to plan your best Disney day,” Disney said.

  • Disney World FastPasses Now Available for June

    Disney World FastPasses Now Available for June

    With no idea when Disney World will finally reopen, many fans are looking for a little magical news and they may have just gotten some. It appears that you can now book Fastpasses for June on the My Disney Experience App.

    If you take a look at the app, guests with a valid park ticket – including Annual Passholders – can select FastPasses 30-days in advance beginning in June. This goes for guests with or without a Disney Resort room reservation.

    Take a look below at the FastPass availability we were able to find:

    There has been no official word from Disney on when they plan to reopen, but a task force referred to as the Orlando County Economic Recovery Task Force, made up of appointed officials, met up virtually last week to develop a preliminary set of guidelines that will be implemented when the parks eventually get the green-light to resume operations.

    Some analysts suggest the the parks may not reopen until Jan. 1, 2021. Stating that, “all aspects of Disney are at risk because of COVID-19, from their movie releases to their theme parks.”

    Again there is no official word from Disney so we’ll just have to wait and see.

  • BREAKING: Disney Adds FastPass Service for Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway

    BREAKING: Disney Adds FastPass Service for Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway

    Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway will open March 4, 2020, at Disney’s Hollywood Studios and now Disney has added FastPass+ service for the new attraction for visits beginning March 4.

    FastPass+ reservations for Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway just became available in the My Disney Experience app for guests visiting on or after opening day (March 4).   When the attraction opens, you’ll be able to enjoy the amazing world of Mickey using either FastPass+ (as available) or a standby line.

    As many of you know, at Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway,  you’ll enter the NEW Mickey Mouse cartoon short “Perfect Picnic” for a one-of-a-kind adventure where anything can happen.  Why? Because here, mouse rules apply!

    And when making FastPass+ plans for up to three experiences at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, you can select between either Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway, Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run or Slinky Dog Dash.  Then, you can add additional experiences to plans, including Toy Story Mania, Alien Swirling Saucers, Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith, The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, Fantasmic! and more.

  • FastPass+ Finally Coming to Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run at Disney World

    FastPass+ Finally Coming to Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run at Disney World

    Been waiting to fly the “fastest hunk of junk in the galaxy?” Guests can now reserve Fastpasses for Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disney’s Hollywood Studios! 

    FastPass+ reservations for Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run are available in the My Disney Experience app for those planning visits on or after Feb. 19.

    Similar to other theme park offerings, when making FastPass+ plans for Disney’s Hollywood Studios, guests can select between either Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run or Slinky Dog Dash (pending availability). Then, they can add additional experiences to plans, including Toy Story Mania, Alien Swirling Saucers, Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith, The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, Fantasmic! and more.  

    Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run combines immersive storytelling with interactive gameplay and makes guests the protagonist of their own Star Wars adventure! When it’s time for the mission to begin, guests will be assigned one of three critical roles: Pilots, Gunners and Flight Engineers. The goal is to smuggle goods while avoiding any unnecessary entanglements. 

    Also, please note that during this grand opening period of Disney’s popular new attraction, Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, they will continue to operate a virtual queue, but they may transition to FastPass+ in the future. 

  • Disney World Closing FastPass Reservation Loophole With on Property Bookings

    Disney World Closing FastPass Reservation Loophole With on Property Bookings

    Walt Disney World will begin canceling the FastPass+ reservations of guests who book on property to be able to reserve fastpasses earlier, who then cancel their resort stays according to multiple reports.

    Currently guests can take advantage of the 60-day FastPass+ booking window when staying on Disney World property, but some quests where abusing the system by booking the resort and then canceling the reservation after they have secured their Fastpasses.

    That 60 day window is coveted by guests who wake up at ungodly hours to make sure they are the first ones to book. When people circumvent the system it is a clear abuse and it depletes a fastpass inventory that is already strained. That is exactly why Disney is finally doing something to combat the abuse.

    In some instances the policy is already that the FastPasses would be deleted if guests cancelled their resort reservation outside of the 30-day from arrival window. However now no matter when a resort reservation is cancelled the FastPasses will be canceled too.

    This new policy change to close the loophole will go into effect beginning Monday, February 4 at all Disney World Disney Resort hotels.

  • Ticket With Pre-Selected Fastpasses Now Offered At Disney World

    Ticket With Pre-Selected Fastpasses Now Offered At Disney World

    Disney is now offering a new option for tickets. The resort now offers a one-day, one-park ticket that include pre-selected FastPass+ experiences linked to the tickets.

    Fastpasses for three attractions will be linked to the tickets at the time of purchase. The fastpasses linked to your ticket depend on which theme park you plan to visit. This new ticket option costs the same as a regular 1-day tickets with no preselected Fastpasses. The only limitation is that the FastPass+ selections linked to the ticket but must be used the next day and at the scheduled time.

    Guests can choose from several preselected options, here’s the rundown:

    MAGIC KINGDOM

    • Fantasyland Classics: It’s a Small World, Dumbo the Flying Elephant and Mad Tea Party
    • Futuristic and Frightful Fun: Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin, Haunted Mansion and Tomorrowland Speedway
    • Pint-Size Adventures: The Barnstormer, The Magic Carpets of Aladdin and Pirates of the Caribbean
    • Whimisical Escapades: Under the Sea – Journey of the Little Mermaid, The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh and Monsters, Inc Laugh Floor

    EPCOT

    • Immersive Explorations: Spaceship Earth, Living with the Land and The Seas with Nemo & Friends
    • Delightful Encounters: The Seas with Nemo & Friends, Turtle Talk with Crush and Journey into Imagination with Figment

    DISNEY’S HOLLYWOOD STUDIOS

    • Sensational Stage Shows: Beauty and the Beast- Live on Stage, For the First Time in Forever: A Frozen Sing-Along, and Voyage of the Little Mermaid
    • Movie-Inspired Excitement: Muppet Vision 3D, Star Tours-The Adventures Continue and Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular!

    DISNEY’S ANIMAL KINGDOM

    • Prehistoric and Whitewater Thrills: Dinosaur, Kali River Rapids and Primeval Whirl
    • Wild Performances: Festival of the Lion King, Finding Nemo-The Musical and It’s Tough to be a Bug!

     

  • Toy Story Land Fast Passes NOW Open With New Tier System At Hollywood Studios

    Toy Story Land Fast Passes NOW Open With New Tier System At Hollywood Studios

    Are you ready to “shrink” to the size of a toy and play with your favorite Toy Story characters in Andy’s backyard?  Well construction is nearly complete on Toy Story Land and you can now begin booking your fast passes for the new land starting today at Hollywood Studios in a new tier System.

    Toy Story Land opens at Disney’s Hollywood Studios on June 30 and FastPass+ reservations are now open for guests staying at select Walt Disney World Resort hotels.

    The new fast pass tier system for the park has been confirmed and there are only two tiers for the park.  One for tier Toy Story Land and then one tier for all of the other rides.

    Effective today, FastPass+ reservations are available for attractions in the land. Guests who are up to 60 days from their Walt Disney World Resort hotel check-in can choose one FastPass+ reservation for one of the Toy Story Land attractions, plus two other attractions in the park such as Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith, The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, and more, depending on availability.

    But FastPass+ reservations are just one of the ways guests can experience Toy Story Land. Beginning July 1, Disney’s Hollywood Studios will also operate from 8 a.m-10:30 p.m. for a limited time. In addition, even more Extra Magic Hour opportunities will be available including daily morning Extra Magic Hours, plus evening Extra Magic Hours offered once per week.

  • Buying Additional FastPass+ Being Tested at Disney World

    Buying Additional FastPass+ Being Tested at Disney World

    One of the many benefits of Disney World has always been their free FastPass+ system for their rides and attractions, but Disney may be testing out a pilot program that would allow guests to purchase additional FastPasses.

    WFTV’s Chip Skambis reports that, according to his sources, Club Level Guests at Disney’s Deluxe Resorts will be able to buy three additional FastPasses for $50 per day per person.

    According to multiple online reports Disney could be rolling out this pilot test program as early as this Friday for guests staying in eligible rooms at select Walt Disney World Resort hotels.

    Here are some of the details that have been reported so far on the possible new option.

    For $50 plus tax per guest per day, guests staying in eligible rooms with a minimum three-day stay will receive three additional FastPass+ selections per day, a booking window of up to 90 days in advance and preferred viewing location for nighttime spectaculars.

    This is a great option for those who are willing to pay for it, but where Disney guests who can’t afford the extra charge will suffer most, is when there are fewer fast passes available to them because they have all already been booked up.  A 90 day window is unprecedented, and with guest collecting as many as 6 fast passes, the people it will hurt the most is those who buy their tickets at the window with expectations of booking FastPasses once they enter the park.

    Free FastPasses aren’t much good when there isn’t any available. According to one media outlet, Disney had confirmed the information, but until Disney officially confirms it we’ll just keep this complied in the long list of rumors.