The MyDisneyExperience Post
This blog post has been in my head for some time. MyDisneyExperience is SO important now to aid in your stay at Walt Disney World. You could probably get by without it, but doing so involves a lot of extra walking and waiting in lines. But MyDisneyExperience can simply do so much that narrowing it all down into one single blog post is difficult!
So, I've finally decided that in this post, I'm going to address what MyDisneyExperience is, what you can do with it, and some basic steps. This is not an all-inclusive list of what you can do by any stretch, but I will show you why you want to use it, how to use it, and some of the coolest things you can do that will help you "Disney" like a pro.
What is MyDisneyExperience anyway?
The best way I can explain MyDisneyExperience is that it is your trip planning software. It does more than just keep your reservations together, though. It also integrates with your MagicBand, which is like your ticket and resort key all in one, so that you aren't carrying paper tickets or a card around. Anything you book on MyDisneyExperience will be reflected in your MagicBand.
MyDisneyExperience also comes in two flavors. There is the web version, where you might go to set it up the first time, and add users to your account, and link your tickets. Then, there is the app for your phone, and this is really my favorite part and later on, you'll see why.
Getting Started
Most people will get their first taste of MyDisneyExperience when they book a hotel or purchase tickets. You can create a MyDisneyExperience account by clicking the MyDisneyExperience icon in the upper right of the Disney web site.
Add Family and Friends
Unless you are traveling alone, you will want to add your friends and family who are traveling with you to your site. Doing this is important because it allows you to make FastPass + bookings for them at the same time you make them for yourself.
Once you've created an account, click on the MyDisneyExperience icon and choose My Family and Friends. Then click Add a Guest.
From there you can find them through your connected Guests (this sends an invite to someone who is connected to a family member or friend you already have listed on your account. Think "friends of friends"), import them from a Walt Disney World hotel reservation (you need to have a reservation in place with a disney confirmation number to do this), or add them manually. If you choose to add them manually, you'll be asked to fill out their first name, last name, and age.
Link Hotel Reservations
If you make a Disney hotel reservation or purchase tickets directly from the Disney website, then these should link automagically to your MyDisneyExperience account.
If you purchase your Disney hotel reservation elsewhere, you will need to manually link it to your MyDisneyExperience account. You can do this up to 200 days ahead of your stay.
You will need to have your Disney confirmation number. For some sites, like hotels.com, you will get a hotels.com confirmation number and have to scroll a bit to find the Disney confirmation number. If you can't find it, contact the agent you booked through or Disney directly for the confirmation. The third party confirmation number will not work.
Under MyDisneyExperience, click My Plans. Then hover over Resort Hotel and choose Link a Reservation. Then enter the Disney confirmation number and last name the reservation is under.
Tip: Enter the guests's names EXACTLY as you have them in your MyDisneyExperience account when making reservations. Sally S Goofy needs to appear as "Sally S Goofy" in both places and not as "Sally G" or "Sally Goofy" on your reservation. If this happens, MyDisneyExperience can sometimes create a "friend" for two different people. A call to Disney support will quickly fix it, but it can be frustrating if you don't catch it the day you want to make ADRs or FastPass + reservations.
Link Tickets
This works mostly the same as the above. If you purchased from the Disney website, your tickets should appear after about 24 hours. If you purchase from a third party, you will need to manually link them. The same advice above about names applies.
This time, you want to go under My Plans and click Park Tickets and Link Tickets. Enter the Disney ticket number for each member of your party.
If you have an Annual Pass, you can still link it here, but Disney will also send a plastic card (like a credit card) that is your Annual Pass. If they do this, you will have to choose between the card and your MagicBand to hold your ticket (choose your magic band!). Before entering a park, go to the ticket counter and ask them to link your annual pass to your MagicBand by presenting both.
Ok, your hotel reservation and tickets are linked, enabling you to begin to really enjoy the uses of MyDisneyExperience!
Download the mobile app
The mobile app is what you will likely use most often in the parks. It's also really handy for making those ADRs and FastPass + reservations in the wee hours of the morning in the dark.
It's available for iPhone on the Apple App Store and for Android on GooglePlay.
Make ADRs
ADRs or Advanced Dining Reservations are worthy of their own blog, so the short version is that you can make them starting at 7am ET 180 days prior to the date you wish to dine. If you have a Disney Resort Hotel reservation, then on that day, you can make reservations for all consecutive days of your stay as well up to 10 days out.
I recommend using the mobile app for this because you can roll over in bed, do it, and then put your phone down and go back to sleep! But you can also do this on the web version of MyDisneyExperience.
Because the mobile app is the superior method, I'll walk through those steps.
1. Before 7 am Eastern Time, log into MyDisneyExperience on your mobile phone and navigate to My Plans.
2. Click Reserve Dining.
3. Select your party size.
4. Select your date from the calendar. If it's not yet 7AM, the date 180 days out will still be in gray. Keep refreshing until it's blue and selectable.
5. Select a time period. Your options are breakfast, brunch, lunch, and dinner.
6. You'll see a list of restaurants with time suggestions. If you are aiming for a particular time, say, 6:30, you can select that on the next screen and see restaurants with openings around that time.
7. Scroll until you find the restaurant you want and click on the time that works for you.
8. Confirm your reservation.
Now, your dining reservation will appear under MyPlans on your MyDisneyExperience app.
These steps are also great for when you are already in the parks and want to dine and are looking for what is available last minute.
Make your FastPass+ Reservations
This is another topic worthy of its own blog post. But for now, we'll focus on when and how you can make them using MyDisneyExperience.
FastPass+ are your "skip the line" ride tickets. You get three you can reserve ahead of time. Some parks have rules about which types of rides you can reserve, and the initial three all must be in the same park. You should research this ahead of time so you have some idea about what you want to reserve.
Also know that MyDisneyExperience will not let you make FastPass+ reservations within an hour of each other or of an ADR.
You can make these at 7 am ET 60 days ahead of your Disney Resort Hotel stay for your entire length of stay OR 30 days ahead of the date you are traveling for just that day if not staying at a Disney Resort Hotel. That means, in terms of set up, you want to have your whole party entered as "Family and Friends" on MyDisneyExperience AND your Disney Resort Hotel reservation linked before this time comes.
1. At about five minutes to 7 am ET, log into MyDisneyExperience on your mobile device and navigate to MyPlans.
2. Click Get FastPass+.
3. You'll see the basic rules I just laid out. Click Get Started.
4. In Create a FastPass+ party, you will already be selected. Click the checkbox in front of other Family and Friends who are going and then click Continue.
5. Select the date you want to ride from the calendar.
6. Select which theme park your initial 3 FastPasses will be in.
7. At the top of the screen select a time either by morning, evening, or afternoon, or specific time of day.
8. You will see a list of attractions and times near the time you selected that are available.
9. Just like ADRs, scroll until you see the attraction you want and click the time you want.
10. Confirm on the following screen.
Other cool things the mobile app can do once you're in the parks...
1. Serve as a map
When you bring up MyDisneyExperience while in a Disney park, you will see a map of the park and a blue dot that indicates where you are and the direction you are facing. If unfamiliar with the parks, you can use this to help you get around.
But that's not the coolest thing, because it can also...
2. Show you wait times
No matter where you are, even from home, you can go to the map view and select Wait Times to see the wait time for every attraction in all of Walt Disney World almost real time. I say almost because things can change in 5 minutes and the app might not get updated quite that fast. But this is still an amazing tool for knowing what you are close to that doesn't have too long a wait when you're out of FastPass+.
3. Find a restroom - quick!
Using the map feature, select the restrooms option to see markers on the map where all the restrooms are located. Great for, um, emergencies.
4. Hungry? Find the nearest food.
Click dining to see icons where all the dining is located. Click on a pin on the map to see a description of what this dining is.
5. Mobile order!
Speaking of dining, probably the coolest thing that has rolled out with MyDisneyExperience is the ability to mobile order from select Quick Service restaurants. Mobile ordering lets you skip the line at the counter to place your order. Just mobile order and pay with a credit card in the app, and when you arrive at the location, click "I'm here" to let them know to prepare your order. You'll get a text when your order is ready telling you what pick up window to appear at. Show up, grab your food, and you're done! I love this!
Do this by clicking the plus sign in your mobile app or viewing the MyPlans section and selecting Order Food. Choose the restaurant you want, menu items you want, and enter a credit card to pay.
Select Order Food.
Select the restaurant from which to order.
See hours, location, and pricing, and click Order Food to begin selecting your items and paying.
6. Get more FastPasses
Once you've exhausted your initial three FastPass+ you reserved ahead of time, you can book more, one at a time. Follow the same steps you did when reserving the initial ones. Just know your options will likely be more limited, but don't let that stop you from checking. Skipping the line is always worth it.
7. Find characters.
Back in the map view, go to "characters" to see points on a map where characters will appear. Click a pin to see details about who and when they will appear.
8. Unlock your Disney Resort Hotel door
Did you go down to the pool or to the drink fountain and forget to wear your MagicBand? With a newer feature to the MyDisneyExperience app, if you have your phone, you are no longer locked out!
First, enable bluetooth on your phone. Then, go to your linked hotel reservation and click on it. Click unlock door when in proximity to your door.
This is not an all-inclusive list of everything you can do with MyDisneyExperience, but it's enough to help you survive and thrive on your first Disney vacation using it. As you can see, it is a powerful tool that is definitely essential to getting the most out of your vacation.
Do you have other cool tricks one can do using MyDisneyExperience? Let everyone know in the comments!
