Upgrades to FastPass+ at Walt Disney World

Back in January I wrote my first post about the FastPass+ system at Walt Disney World. At the end of that post I said “The system is still in its testing phase so I am sure there will be tweaks to the system as we move forward.” I am happy to announce that all of the concerns I had listed in that original post are being updated, beginning next week!

In case you haven’t read my initial post my main concerns were…

• Guests not staying on property couldn’t get MagicBands
• Difficult to coordinate FastPass+ times with other guests
• FastPass+ times not showing up on the My Disney Experience App if you don’t have a MagicBand
• Only 3 FastPasses a day
• No park hopping with FastPasses

FastPass+ Changes since I wrote my January Post

MagicBands for Everyone…for a price

1. Annual and Seasonal Passholders were finally able to order their MagicBands in March-if they hadn’t already received them by staying on property. We received ours in time for our trip to Walt Disney World for Type-A WDW and hopefully, my thoughts on using them for a weekend will be next week’s post.
2. At the end of March Disney started selling Magic Bands in several of their stores in each of the parks for guests not staying on property. The cost is $12.95. Once you purchase your MagicBand the Cast Member will link your theme park ticket to your band. If you had registered your ticket on the My Disney Experience app they will also transfer to your MagicBand. Off-site guests do not get the Touch-to-Pay feature of the MagicBands that on-site guests receive.

Coordinating FastPass+ is a Bit Easier

1. Now that we have our MagicBands and the My Disney Experience app is working for us full-force, we can coordinate our FastPass+ better. In the app you can link your family’s and your friend’s accounts together, allowing 1 person to make FastPass+ reservations for everyone. For example, on Wednesday I will be spending the day in Epcot with my adult son Aaron and our friend David from Pennsylvania who will be down on a week long vacation. We attached Aaron and David’s account to mine via email and I was able to make the FastPass+ reservations for all of us!

FastPass+ Changes Beginning April 28, 2014

On 4/24/14, Tom Staggs, Chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, announced on the Disney Parks Blog:

So starting Monday, after guests have used their first three FastPass+ selections, they will be able to select another one at one of the kiosks located in each of our WDW parks. When they’ve used that one, they’ll be able to select another, and so on, ultimately providing guests with even more ways to customize their Walt Disney World Vacation. Guests will also be able to select and use their additional FastPass+ entitlements when they hop from park to park.

These new changes will allow some park hopping and it will allow you to get additional FastPass+ once you have used your original three for the day.

I am excited to see how Disney will continue to grow with the MagicBands and the FastPass+ system. I appreciate the fact that they have rolled out this industry changing system in steps so that they could review and tweak the system as they go along.

Have you used the FastPass+ system yet? What are your thoughts about it?