So you’re California bound and ready to visit Walt’s folly, also known as Disneyland.  There is so much to see and do at Disneyland Park and California Adventure that Disney programmers have develop ways to help you breeze through those California days.

The Disneyland App

The Disneyland app is free on apple or google play store. It’s a great way to see wait times, preview photos, and of course to use MaxPass if you decide to add it.  Use it to store digital copies of your tickets…just in case you forget your paper tickets in your room.

How to Connect Your Tickets

1. Open your App and go to My Tickets.
2. Use the (+) sign to add tickets.
3. Scan the ticket bar code on the back of each ticket.

That’s it!  Tickets can be added to more than one person’s app, but can only be assigned to one person. This means that mom & dad can each use the app on their phone, and can each scan in the whole family’s tickets in order to adjust fast passes, or even use it for park admission.

Fast passes are free and are included in your ticket price - but it means that someone (or all of you) have to walk to a spot (usually near the attraction), get the fast passes, then go back to the attraction at the right time. So you can pick up paper fast passes for the Matterhorn, go ride the teacups instead of waiting in line, then go back to the Matterhorn to ride. The app lets you get the fast pass while you're already in line for something else, instead of walking around the park.

Adding MaxPass:

The MaxPass is new, and lets you make fast pass requests on an app instead of walking up to the attraction and getting a paper ticket.   Your travel agent can add it when your trip is booked, at which time its added for everyone & for the length of your trip.  MaxPass costs $10 per person/per day.  You can also choose to add it as you go for one day at a time.

MaxPass also includes downloads of any photo pass images taken during the day that you have MaxPass, which is a nice benefit as well. 

MaxPass can be added each day once you are all in the park.  If you are arriving at the park late, it’s a good idea to see if fast passes are available for attractions before adding it.  Generally, if you arrive in the morning, it’s likely not a concern unless the parks are near to capacity.

1. Open the App and go to MaxPass
2. Select the person for whom you want to add the max pass. You can add the whole family at once or individual people
3. Have your credit card handy—even if you have a card tied to your app for purchases, you’ll need to know the 3 digit security code to complete the purchase.
4. Finish your purchase & enjoy!

Using MaxPass:

1. Open the app and choose Get FASTPASS with Disney MaxPass
2. Choose the park you are in
3. Scroll through the available attractions and choose one
4. When you are in within your Fastpass window, scan your app or your ticket to enter the line

Tip:  most of the time, fast pass windows are within an hour or two of the time you are looking BUT highly popular attractions, like Incredicoaster or Guardians of the Galaxy Mission: BREAKOUT!, it could be several hours later.  If you book a FASTPASS that is several hours later, you can book another one in an hour or so.

Is MaxPass Worth It?

MaxPass will most definitely give your family more fun attraction time with far less line waiting. This is especially true when the park it busy during the holidays and school vacation weeks.  It's definitely a "must have" for families with babies, toddlers and young school age kids. At $10 per person per day this will add an extra $50 per day for a family of five's vacation budget.  Some families may elect to go "old school" and send a designated "runner" to physically go and collect everyone's Fast passes.

Sure, having the app with the ability to digitally collect Fastpasses is a wonderful thing but the real value here is the Photo pass. A one week photo pass purchase is $78 by itself, so this is an added perk built into the Max Pass. Have Disney PhotoPass Photographers all over the park capture your vacation memories.  Having professional photos with the entire family in the same picture....that's priceless.