Walt Disney World is a very exciting, but complex place to vacation. Disney has designed the "My Disney Experience" app to house all vacation plans at the touch of a button. Below are my top 5 ways to utilize the My Disney Experience app.
1. Genie, Genie+, and Lightning Lane
This is a controversial topic if you've been a Disney fan for a while. I'm still a little bitter about Disney no longer offering FREE fastpass, but that's an argument for another day. The Tip Board (free Genie) basically allows you to put in the rides and shows that you want to do/see and then creates a custom plan for the day while considering projected wait times. Genie+ is similar to the old Fastpass system where you can skip lines. As I alluded earlier, Genie+ has a fee. As I write this article, Genie+ is $15 per person per day. Disney advertises that on average, guests can enter 2-3 attractions per day using the Lightning Lane entrance to skip the line. In my experience, you can use far more than that. I usually use about 7-10 per day.(More on this at another time...) Finally, the MDE also has Individual Lightning Lanes. Each park has a fancy ride where you can pay even more money to skip a line that's not included in Genie+ (Magic Kingdom: Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, Epcot: Guardians of the Galaxy, Hollywood Studios: Rise of the Resistance, and Animal Kingdom: Flight of Passage).
2. Interactive Map
Definitely one of the best features in the app is the interactive map. First of all, it allows you to see where you are in relation to everything else so it can be used to navigate the park. Much better than using an old fashion paper map! Arguably just as important, the map shows you current wait times for rides! The map also has filters for character meet and greets, dining, entertainment, RESTROOMS, photo pass locations, guest services, shops, and more.
3. Mobile Order Food
Casey's Corner at Magic Kingdom- You can utilize the Mobile Order feature here!
If you hate waiting in lines, this is a great feature! Click the plus sign at the bottom of the app and select Order Food. Use the app to order and pay for your food ahead of time. Walk to the restaurant and click "I'm here. Prep
are my food!" and wait close by. When your food is ready you will receive a push notification. Then head to the Mobile Order Pickup Window. I would suggest looking a little before you're ready to eat. You can even order the food in the morning and select a lunchtime pickup. On busy days, the times can go quickly.
4. Photos
This is really only applicable if you purchased Photopass. The Photos section of the app will store all of your ride photos and photos that you've taken with a Photopass photographer. Some Photopass photographers have magic shots available and make you do silly things when you pose. When you look on the app, you're able to see things like them adding Minnie Mouse, green army men, birds, etc. to your photo.
5. Online Resort Check-In
All Star Music Resort Directory
About 60 days prior to arrival, you can start your online check in process. You can request room preferences such as close to the bus stop, close to resort restaurants, a lower floor, etc. You can set up the credit card in which your incidentals and MagicBand charges will go to. Disney's check in time is officially 3:00 PM (4:00 PM for Deluxe Villas), but on the MDE app you can request an early check-in. It is not guaranteed, but more often than not your room will be ready early. My FAVORITE feature about online resort check-in is that you can go straight to your room, bypassing the front lobby. The app will notify you when your room is ready and tell you the building and room number. You can then use your MagicBand or the app to open the door.
Honorable Mentions:
Virtual Queue, Park hours, Merchandise Mobile Checkout, and Resort Hotel Transportation Times.
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