Remember paper FASTPASSES? There is a rumor that is circulating right now that many people are taking for fact. According to the rumor, a paid FastPass+ system is on the way to Walt Disney World. The new system would not get rid of the free FASTPASSES, but you could pay more to receive more choices. Or something like that.
Versions of this rumor have actually been around for a while now, but it’s gained some momentum because of a recent article in Orlando Weekly. This has fans stirred up, positive that they will need to add an upcharge on their next vacation, even if it is just in a few days.
Walt Disney World already has paid FASTPASSES, they’re just something that most of us are not eligible for. Those staying Club Level on property can pay an extra fee and make three additional FastPass+ reservations per day. They can also book 90 days in advance instead of 60, like other on property guests.
Paid FASTPASS is not always a bad thing. Disneyland has MAXPASS. For $15 per day, per ticket, you can make same day FASTPASS reservations from the Disneyland App. If you don’t purchase it, you have to physically go to the machine to get a reservation. We used MAXPASS when we were at Disneyland last summer and we loved the convenience. It saved us a lot of time and walking. MAXPASS also includes your PhotoPass downloads, and for many people it’s worth the price right there.
Some of the other Disney Parks across the globe do have paid FASTPASS systems. I will not try to explain how they work, because I do not fully understand them myself. If someone wants to send me to Paris I’d be more than happy to do the research.
I don’t know if paid FASTPASSES are on the way to Walt Disney World or not. When and if I hear something concrete, I will let you know. Until then, please take anything that you hear with a grain of salt. Assume that things will not have changed by your next vacation. I’ve seen several people extremely upset about this, and it very well may not happen. If it does, we’ll deal with it.