My Disney Experience

Easy Guide to Memory Maker and PhotoPass at Walt Disney World

Walt Disney World photo packages explained

Haunted Mansion Memory Maker Feature

Magic Shots are special photos and video that are taken of you while on select Walt Disney World attractions. And now the 13th attraction to get this feature is, of course, the Haunted Mansion at Magic Kingdom Park.

Magic Shots are excellent ways for you to get even more out of your Memory Maker purchase. With Memory Maker, you can take home unlimited digital downloads of all your Disney PhotoPass photos and videos captured at more than 100 Walt Disney World Resort locations for one price.

If you purchase Memory Maker in advance, you’ll get a good discount, but you can also purchase it during your visit.

To capture on-ride photos and videos, just be sure you are wearing your Magic Band. After that, check your My Disney Experience app to view your media.

Related:

Easy Guide to Disney World Memory Maker

by Darren Wittko

Why Magic Bands Are Not Needed Anymore

Stop using MagicBands! They are SO 2013. Here’s everything you need to know about MagicMobile.

Will Older MagicBands Still Work When MagicBand+ is Released?

MagicBand+ will be arriving at Walt Disney World this summer. Soon you’ll be able to engage with Disney moments like never before as it reacts to nighttime spectaculars with lighting effects and gesture recognition.

Walt Disney World Launches Mobile Dine Check-in

According to the Walt Disney World website, Mobile Dine Check-in will be offered at select restaurants across property. This feature will allow you to bypass the check-in podium by pressing a button on your Android or iPhone.

mobile-dine-check-in_disney-world

When your restaurant check-in time arrives, you’ll receive a notification on your phone. You can also check-in by scanning a QR code at the restaurant with your phone. When your table is ready, you’ll receive instructions as to where to go.

Mobile Dine Check-in will be offered at the following restaurants:

Magic Kingdom

Be Our Guest, Cinderella’s Royal Table, Liberty Tree Tavern, Skipper Canteen

Epcot

Akershush Royal Banquet Hall, Biergarten, Coral Reef, Le Cellier, Rose and Crown,

Disney’s Hollywood Studios

Hollywood & Vine, Mama Melrose’s, 50’s Prime Time Cafe, Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater

Disney Boardwalk

Flying Fish

Resort Hotels

Boatwrights Dining Hall, Olivia’ Cafe, Sanaa, Boma, Jiko, Toledo, ‘Ohana, Kona Cafe, California Cafe, Chef Mickey’s, Artist Point, Citricos, Grand Floridian Cafe, Narcoosee’s, 1900 Park Fare, Ale & Compass, Cape May, Beaches and Cream, Sabastian’s Bistro.

FastPasses & Dining Reservations Now Available for June 1st & 2nd, 2020

I’ve been checking for FastPass availability over the past few days to check on some rumors of Walt Disney World opening June 1st were true. My Disney Experience showed no availability for any date in May or June.

However, I just checked again this afternoon and I was able to select FastPasses for both June 1st and June 2nd. FastPasses were showing available in each of the four Theme Parks.

My Disney Experience shows FastPass+ availability for June 1st and 2nd, 2020.

I was also able to make dining reservations for both days as well. Dining options showed available at each of the 4 parks.

Disney has not officially released a reopening date for the parks and they remain closed until further notice. However, this could potentially be a little insight into a possible reopening date. I’ll update this post if I receive any notifications from My Disney Experience.

As soon as Disney makes an official statement as to the reopening of Walt Disney World Resort, I will post it here on SaveAtWDW.com

Service Your Way Gift Card Program at Walt Disney World

Today the My Disney Experience mobile app has been updated to allow guests to enroll in the Service Your Way Program. Guests staying at most Value and Moderate resort hotels have the option of declining housekeeping services during their stay in exchange for a gift card.

The Service Your Way Program Allows Guest to Decline Housekeeping in Exchange for a Gift Card.

By opting to decline housekeeping services in your room using the Service Your Way Program, you will receive an electronic Disney Gift Card based on the length of your Disney Resort hotel stay in the amount of $10 per night.

You will still be eligible to receive toiletry items and fresh towels when/if you need them by calling housekeeping on your Disney Resort hotel Guest room telephone. However, your room will not be vacuumed and your beds will not be made during your stay if you choose to use the Service Your Way.

Darren Wittko

Mobile Order Coming to Disney Resort Hotels

Soon Disney will expand its popular mobile order food service to additional restaurants at Disney Resort hotels, including: Everything POP Shopping & Dining at Disney’s Pop Century Resort, The Mara at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge and Contempo Café at Disney’s Contemporary Resort.

Mobile order is expanding to Disney Resort hotels.

Mobile order service is already being offered at Centertown Market and Spyglass Grill at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort and over 20 other quick-service locations throughout the four theme parks and Disney Springs area.

I use mobile order all the time and it’s a great time saver. There is usually a little wait involved but it’s a nice feature especially during peak times.

And don’t forget,you can now redeem your meal entitlements from the Disney dining plan for meals and snacks through the service. I also notice that Disney recently introduced a new look that makes the ordering experience a lot easier.

Related:

Disney Dining Plan

Quick Service Dining Plan

A New Way to Order Food at Walt Disney World

By Darren Wittko

Finally! You Can Book Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique Online

Book Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique Online

At Walt Disney World has just announced the option of booking Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique, The Pirates League and Harmony Barber Shop online through a new online reservation system at DisneyWorld.com.

With the online system, you can quickly search for available dates or make cancelations to existing appointments at the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique locations in domestic U.S. Parks, and at The Pirates League and Harmony Barber Shop in Magic Kingdom® Park at Walt Disney World® Resort.

Advance reservations are strongly encouraged for these experiences as they are quite popular and appointment times fill up quickly.

At Walt Disney World Resort, reservations can be made up to 180 days in advance for the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique (ages 3-12), The Pirates League, or Harmony Barber Shop.

New Magic Band Designs Coming Soon!

New design options coming to Magic Bands at Walt Disney World Resort

Soon, guests of Walt Disney World Resort will have the option of adding new customized Magic Bands. But…for the right price.

Hotel guests and new and renewing Annual Passholders will have the option to upgrade, at a discounted price, from a complimentary solid-color MagicBand to one of more than 30 new MagicBand options featuring favorite Disney characters and designs.

Guest staying at a Walt Disney World Resort hotel will have more designs to choose from compared to those staying off-site.

These new MagicBand options will be available for pre-arrival purchase at a special price of $14.99 off retail cost through the My Disney Experience website.

No word yet on when these new Magic Bands will become available, but Disney is saying that this will launch in the coming weeks.

Check out special hotel discounts and offers on the Current Offers Page

Walt Disney World Bus Times Now Available

Wait Times for Walt Disney World Buses now in real time. 

Walt Disney World Resort in Florida just introduced a new bus time feature in the My Disney Experience mobile app that enables you to view up-to-the-minute estimates for when the next bus will depart from your Disney Resort hotel and when you will arrive at your destination.

The app regularly updates in real time to provide the most current estimates for buses heading to all four theme parks, two water parks and the Disney Springs area. Guests can access this feature by tapping “See Bus Times” when viewing an active Disney Resort hotel reservation.

Currently wait times are only offered for buses departing resort hotels to theme parks, not from theme parks to hotels. 

Disney released this video to demonstrate how it works

FastPass Strategy at Walt Disney World

As a travel agent I'm asked all the time about how to maximize Disney FastPass. Today I found a great article from TouringPlans.com that offers a great strategy for obtaining additional FastPasses after the first three selections have been used.

How to Maximize the FastPass System at Walt Disney World

 

Darren specializes in Walt Disney World Resort