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Tips and Secrets for Disneyland Fastpass Tickets

The Disneyland FastPass: You’ll wonder how it could possibly work. All you need to know is– It just does.

What is a FastPass?

It’s a ticket that holds your place in line for a ride. It lets you leave and do whatever you want and then get back in a special shorter line later.

Sort of like if your buddy agreed to stand in line for you and call your cell when he got close to the entrance.

Tips and Secrets for Disneyland Fastpass Tickets
Roger Rabbit’s Car Toon Spin Offers a FastPass

Other things to know about a FastPass:

  • It’s free.
  • Only certain rides offer FastPasses.
  • It expires at the end of the day.
  • You can’t run around and get all your FastPasses at the same time. Your first FastPass tells you when you’re allowed to get another one.
  • If Disneyland is especially empty that day, FastPasses might not be made available.
  • If Disneyland is especially crowded that day, FastPasses might run out.

Changes to FastPass

Now FastPasses are digital, meaning they are connected to your Disneyland admission ticket itself, not the little paper slip that used to be distributed when you put your admission ticket in the kiosk.  In other words:

In the Past: 

You’d go to a FastPass kiosk, insert your admission ticket, and a FastPass would come out.  You’d hold onto that ticket until it was time to return, then scan the FastPass ticket to get in line.

Now: 

You go to a FastPass kiosk, scan your admission ticket, and a “reminder” FastPass comes out.  When it’s time to return, you’ll scan your Disneyland admission ticket again to get in line, NOT the reminder slip.

Apparently that confusion has caused a slow-down at FastPass return lines; people are unclear which ticket to scan.  But not you!  Now you know: Scan your admission ticket, not the FastPass reminder.

Here’s How to Get One

FastPass
  1. Find the FastPass ticket kiosk near the line for your ride.
  2. Insert your Disneyland admission ticket
  3. Grab the FastPass receipt that comes out (and your admission ticket). Return after the time shown on your receipt.
  4. When you get back in line, scan your admission ticket again (not the receipt).

    For instance, if it’s now 11am, the FastPass may say “Return between 12:30-1:30”. This means you can go, and then come back anytime after 12:30 and get in the special shorter FastPass line anytime within that hour. You’ll stand in that line for about 5 minutes, maybe 15 if it’s hugely crowded that day.

What Rides Offer FastPass Tickets?

California Screamin'
I miss this ride!

These rides usually have FastPasses available. However, they do change, so check the guide you get when you enter Disneyland to be sure.  Some rides that offer them may not be listed here, and some of the rides listed here may not be offering them.

Disneyland

  • Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
  • Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters (sometimes)
  • Haunted Mansion (from late September through early January)
  • Indiana Jones Adventure
  • Matterhorn Bobsleds
  • Roger Rabbit’s Car Toon Spin
  • Space Mountain
  • Splash Mountain
  • StarTours
  • Fantasmic! (show)

Disney’s California Adventure

  • California Screamin’
  • Soarin’ Around the World
  • Goofy’s Sky School
  • Grizzly River Run
  • Radiator Springs Racers (Get them near It’s Tough to Be a Bug!)
  • Guardians of the Galaxy
  • Toy Story
  • World of Color (Get them near at Grizzly River Run)

FastPass Secrets

Buzz Lightyear FastPass
Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters Offers a FastPass
  1. After getting your FastPass tickets, leave the area. Most people who get FastPasses ride the next-closest attraction, so you’ll be waiting in line with all those people you’re trying to get out of being in line with!
  2. You’ll always have to wait at least 40 minutes to return. So heed secret #3…
  3. Only use a FastPass if it will save you at least 30 minutes.
  4. Check your FastPass ticket to see when you can get your next FastPass and then get one as soon as you can.
  5. If part of your group doesn’t want to ride at all, use their tickets to get EXTRA FastPasses and ride twice! For example, while one parent and child see a show or eat lunch, the other parent and child can use their tickets and get FOUR FastPasses. This will let them get in the FastPass line twice in a row. <- This won’t work after the new system has rolled out.
  6. Get FastPasses for Space Mountain and Splash Mountain as early in the day as possible.

What is a MaxPass?

MaxPass
Disneyland FastPass MaxPass

MaxPass is a way to get FastPasses via an app on your phone rather than having to walk to the kiosks.  It costs $10/day per person. 

It works exactly the same as a FastPass but you are paying for the convenience of not walking to a FastPass machine.  Like FastPasses, you can only get them once you’re in the park, not ahead of time.

Are MaxPasses Worth the extra cost?

FastPass nap
So Many FastPasses- Need a Nap

That depends on your budget.  Here are the main pros:

  • On really busy days, it’s pretty nice not to have to fight the crowds to get to the kiosks.  And considering you can get FastPasses for both parks, that’s a lot of legwork you just saved if you plan to visit both parks.
  • MaxPass gives you slightly shorter return windows.  For example, a FastPass tells you to return in 2 hours, whereas a MaxPass will have you return in 90 minutes.  
  • So between those last 2 points, you can end up saving a lot of time and energy.

How do I Get a MaxPass?

MaxPass App
  1. Download the Disneyland app.
  2. After entering either park, open the app and tap “Get FASTPASS”.  (Only the rides that offer FastPasses are listed.)
  3. When it’s time to return, go to the FASTPASS Return entrance and hold your phone up to the scanner so it can read your Disney FASTPASS redemption code.

FastPasses That No Longer Exist

  1. Dream FastPass A Dream FastPass is a prize randomly given to guests in the park. It’s like having one FastPass for every ride at Disneyland (the rides that use FastPass, that is). As you go on each ride, a tab is removed from the pass until you use them all up. The prize is one of many given out as part of Disneyland’s past “Year of a Million Dreams” celebration. I’m not aware of any being given out currently.
  2. Surprise FastPass Sometimes when you get your regular FastPass, you’ll get a “Surprise FastPass” along with it. This gives you quick entrance onto specific rides or shows, usually something Disneyland is trying to promote. For example, the “Honey I Shrunk the Audience” show wasn’t very well-attended so they started giving FastPasses away to encourage people to see the show. You can ask a staff member if any are being offered at the moment.
  3. Enhanced FastPass You used to be able to buy the Enhanced FastPass (also known as “Unlimited FastPass”) through AAA but not anymore. It enabled you to get a FastPass for every ride at the same time. (Normally you can only have one FastPass at a time.) One can only hope they’ll bring it back someday!

Welcome!

Corn dog

I’m Kathy! I collect all the Disneyland tips in one place for your next trip so you can spend MORE time having fun, LESS time in line, and get the BEST deals. I live in California with my husband and labradoodle. My 2 sons in the photos here are now in college.