MyMagic+ - Hard To Get FP+ Reservations...aka Anna and Elsa!

So for those of you that follow my Facebook page, I am sure you saw that after trying day after day to get fastpass+ reservations for Anna and Elsa (if you have been living under a rock the last several months, these are the very popular sisters from Disney's Frozen - the top grossing uber popular animated film!) I finally secured them for our trip in just a couple weeks!!

If you don't book your FP+ selections at 60 days out the sisters can be nearly impossible to get.  I am guessing this will also be the case with the soon to open Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, but I think that that won't be quite as bad as it will have longer hours and a faster turnover as well as larger capacity.  Anna and Elsa currently only meet from 9am-5pm, so there are 8 short hours to be able to meet this popular duo!

How did I do it you ask?  

Login in to your My Disney Experience account.  If you don't have one....now is the time to set it up!

Once you are logged in you will see the following....

Click on the link to Make Selections for FP+

Once you do that it is a very simple step by step process.  You pick your park and then you pick who you are booking for.  This is where you want to do things a bit differently!!!

1. Only select ONE person and that person must be over the age of 7.
2. Scroll down to see if that hard to get FP+ reservation is available.  If it is then select it.  Don't bother picking your other two.  Let the site auto pick them for you, you can go back and alter what you don't like later!
3. Next you are going to go to My Itinerary:
   
4. Pick the date you want and your itinerary for that date will pop up.  At the top of the screen you will see + Add Plans.  A drop down will appear.  Select Manage Fastpass+.
   
5. You will now select to copy the fastpass+ selections to another person.
   
6. Pick the person that has the FP+ reservations you want to copy.
   
7. Then pick the person you want to copy them to.  Repeat this process with all those that you need to copy it too.  

As you can see above my mom had already been copied, so that is why her arrow is not green and there are no more screen shots!  :-)  The times for the popular attraction, in this case Anna and Elsa will not be exactly the same, which is why you cannot book them all at once, but they will overlap, making it so that you can all go at the same time at some point.  You just have to wait until the last start time for your group is eligible and go then.  If the time for one is way off and does not overlap, take it and then go back in and edit the others to work with that persons time.  This works most of the time if there is availability, but not always.  On one day I was able to get 3 out of 4 of us, securing the final 3 FP+ reservations for that date apparently.  Since we all want to go together, I cancelled those and chose another day.  

I hope this helps some of you get the hard to get FP+ reservations!!  

And of course, if you booked your trip with me, I will do this ALL for you!!!  As I did today for one awesome family traveling in June!

Remember, we travel agents will do as much or as little as you want.  So please consider booking your trip with me.  This information does have value.  ;-)

Have a magical trip and and please share pictures on our Facebook page of your meet and greet with Elsa and Anna!!

MyMagic+ - MAJOR Changes!!

Hi everyone!! 

So as I shared on my Facebook page today, there are some BIG changes coming to Fastpass+ starting Monday, April 28th!

We won't know all the ins and outs until the changes actually take effect, but here is what Disney has to say about it:

Today we are excited to share that starting on Monday, April 28, 2014, all Walt Disney World®Resort Guests will be able to make additional FastPass+ selections at in-park kiosks after they have redeemed their original (up to three) selections.

• Guests will be able to make one additional selection at a time, based on availability. After they redeem that additional selection, they can go to a FastPass+ kiosk to make another selection, and so on. (The additional FastPass+ selections must be made at a kiosk only.)
• Guests will be able to make their additional selection(s) for an experience at which they already redeemed a FastPass+ selection earlier that day.
• Guests with valid park-hopping privileges will be able to make their additional selection(s) at another park. Those selections must be made at a kiosk in the park where the desired experience is located. 

I for one am VERY excited about these changes and I will be paying very close attention to all that comes out of this over the next week or two.  We arrive in just 20 days and I can't wait to give it all a try.  I am happy to be able to get to test all of this hands on for all of you and share my experiences with it.  I may actually be able to get on board with all this Fastpass+ nonsense!  

Have a magical evening everyone and stay tuned for more details!!  I will be sharing as I get them.  Please follow the Facebook page and twitter as that is where you will most likely see it first.  :-)

MyMagic+ - More changes...for the better!

Hi there everyone!!

Well spring is in full swing and life is crazy with two kids in TOO many activities!!  But I just had to share so exciting MyMagic+ enhancements are hopefully on the way and fast!!  (Really crossing my fingers for before our May trip!!)

Here is the latest information as stated on the Disney Travel Agents page....they never share with us unless it is going to happen!!

As we announced earlier this week, MyMagic+ is now available to both Walt Disney World Resort hotel Guests and Day Guests (those who are not staying at Walt Disney World Resort hotel).

Now all of your Clients have the ability to reserve access to some of their favorite experiences with Disney FastPass+. And coming soon, your Clients will have the ability to add and enjoy additional FastPass+ selections on the day of their visit, after they have redeemed their first three selections. In addition, your Clients will be able to use their FastPass+ service at more than one park per day. Please note these features will be available soon. Stay tuned to Disney Travel News for more information.

It was also posted in a more detailed article on the Disney Parks Blog.  If/when this does happen it will completely change my opinion of Fastpass+.  Right now I am not it's biggest fan, mainly because I do not like only getting 3 per day in ONE park and I definitely dislike the tiers set in place at some parks.  However if they make these changes and continue to listen to guest feedback to make it better, then I would definitely be on board!!  If/when this happens I already have an idea of how I will tour the parks and tips for you too!!

Stay Tuned!!!  :-)

MagicBands and Fastpass+ for offsite guests

Good morning!!

On Monday, March 31st, Disney continued there expansion of the MyMagic+.  Now guests staying offsite can enjoy some of the same privileges of MyMagic+ as onsite guests do.  I say some because there are some differences.

Difference number 1 - onsite guests can book their Fastpass+ reservations at 60 days out from checkin.  Offsite guests have to wait until 30 days out.  While this will not hugely impact most selections, popular attractions may be long gone by the time their window opens - think meet and greet with the Frozen characters Anna and Elsa!

Difference number 2 - onsite guests get a MagicBand for FREE with their resort reservation, whether it be a room only and they buy their tickets separately or have them from a previous trip or as part of a package.  Offsite guests have to purchase their MagicBand for $12.95 plus tax per band.  If they chose not to purchase a band their park ticket will work the same as a MagicBand would.

Difference number 3 - obviously just as before when staying offsite your MagicBand or ticket would not have any charging abilities.

Here's the media sent to travel agents from Disney:

As part of the test-and-adjust process for MyMagic+, Day Guests (those Guests who are not staying at a Walt Disney World Resort hotel) are now able to make FastPass+ selections 30 days in advance of their trip and can purchase MagicBands to link to their plans in My Disney Experience.

Day Guests may make FastPass+ selections for each day they have admission linked in My Disney Experience starting 30 days in advance of their visit.

While day Guests are not issued MagicBands, they may use their RF-enabled theme park admission to enter the theme parks and redeem FastPass+ selections, or they may purchase a MagicBand and link their theme park admission to the MagicBand.

MagicBands will be available to purchase for $12.96 plus tax at Walt Disney World Resort Park merchandise locations and atDowntown Disney®. They will be available in all seven colors – pink, blue, red, green, orange, gray and yellow.

After a MagicBand is purchased, Cast Members will link the Guest’s admission media (or other RF media such as an existingMagicBand or Memory Maker card) to the retail MagicBand. If the Guest’s ticket is already linked to his/her My Disney Experience account, all of the plans, such as tickets, dining reservations and FastPass+ selections, will be seamlessly linked to their new MagicBand.　

Touch to pay is not available for day Guests. Only Guests staying at Walt Disney World Resort hotels who establish charging privileges upon check-in are able to touch to pay using MagicBands or RF-enabled theme park tickets.

As a reminder, MagicBands are available to all Guests staying at Walt Disney World Resort hotels.

Magical Monday! (Late)

Good Evening everyone!!

Yes it is Tuesday and not Monday, but hey, at least I am posting something, right?  LOL

Promotion News:

So yesterday ended the springtime promotion for up to 30% off your room and discount on your park tickets once you purchased 4 days or more, BUT that doesn't mean you still can't go to Disney this spring on a discount!!  The Intro to Magic offer is going strong through April 20th.  This great deal includes the Memory Maker for free as well as a room discount!!  Dates available - 4/27 to 6/15 AND 8/15-9/27!  While the discount is not quite as good as the spring promotion it still is there and a savings!!

If a spring trip just isn't in the cards for you this year, but you want to head there this summer, well there is a great summer promotion going on as well!!!  This promotion can be booked through 6/15 and is good for dates from 6/15 to 8/28!  It includes a room discount AND a deal on tickets if you book for 6 nights or more.  The room discount is there for 5 nights or less too, just better when you add that sixth night!  Be sure to check it out here!


Around the World News:

Yesterday also marked the start of Magic Bands and Fastpass+ PREbooking being available to off site guests.  I plan to write up a blog post on this, so stay tuned for more information on how this will effect your offsite trip.  Key points - off site guests can book their fastpass+ up to 30 days out, onsite guests keep the advantage here with a 60 day booking window.  If offsite guests want a MagicBand it will cost them $12.95 plus tax, where it is FREE for onsite guests.



Parking fees went up yesterday in WDW as well.  The second increase this year.  It is still less to park in WDW then it is a local sporting event though, so that is saying something.  AND onsite guests as well as Annual Passholders still enjoy FREE parking.  Parking is now $17/day at Walt Disney World parks.  It is transferrable from park to park, so if you park hop you will not have to pay the fee again. When pricing out an offsite vacation to WDW, be sure to include parking fees in your budget.

What's New With Me:

Well.....we are going to Disney World!!  That's right, this May my kids and myself, along with my mom are headed to Disney!  I am so excited to test out all the newness that has happened since our trip last June, less than one year ago.  Since then Legacy Fastpass has left, fastpass+ is all the rage, no more room keys, just Magic Bands, hopefully a ride on the Dwarf Mine Train, new parade and I am sure more that I am not even thinking of!  We are taking part in BOTH Star Wars dining experiences and will get to enjoy Star Wars Weekends for the third year in a row.  Look for regular posts via twitter and Facebook and definitely some fun reviews when I get back!!

That's all for today guys!!  Have a great night and make this week Magical!!

PS - Starting Friday at midnight I will be participating in 5 minutes for Mom's Ultimate Blog Party 2014!  Look for my post and join in the fun!!

Favorite Rides - Soarin'

This next ride has to be one of the best rides (in my opinion) in all of the Walt Disney World Resort!!  Get ready to "soar" over California.....

Some Info:

• Park:  Epcot
• Land/Area:  The Land
• Height Requirements:  Yes - must be 40 inches
• Best Suited For:  Great ride for the whole family!
• Warnings:  This is a flight simulated ride.  If you get motion sickness this could bother you.  Those with vertigo or a extreme free of heights may not want to ride. 
• Fastpass:  Yes.  Also you can utilize the rider switch program with this ride.

What I like about it:
What's not to like!!!  The first time you ride this will be the best because the initial thrill you feel "soaring" over the San Franciso Bay will never quite be the same!  I love all the little extras - the feeling of the wind blowing through you hair, the swinging sensation one can only assume you would feel if you were hang gliding, the scents of the evergreens and oranges!  All of it is just amazing!  I don't want to give too much away, but be ready to SOAR over California and see all there is to see.  It is truly an amazing experience!


Random Facts:

• Original ride opened in 2001 in Disney's California Adventure.  It opened in Epcot in May of 2005. 
• Lasts for almost 5 minutes.
• Best seat - middle section (B) top row (1).  No feet hanging down and you are in the center or the theater!
• Screen measures 80 feet!  
• Ride was originally designed using an erector set!  :-)

Next ride.....Dumbo!

Favorite Rides - Kilimanjaro Safari

I cannot say enough about how much I enjoy this next ride!!!  Our featured ride this week - Kilimanjaro Safari!

Some info:

• Park: Animal Kingdom
• Land/Area: Africa
• Height Requirement: No
• Best suited for: Fun for the whole family
• Warning: Very bumpy at times - people with back issues, or pregnant women be warned.
• Fastpass: Yes

What I like about it:
This is by far one of the best rides in Disney!  First of all, it is never the same ride.  The animals are in different spots with each ride.  Try to ride first thing in the morning as this is when the animals are the most active.  We have ridden this ride and had to sit and wait for a giraffe to move from the "road" - kids found this very exciting!  We have seen baby elephants and baby giraffes and even learned a few things.  The hippos are pretty cool as well!!  It is a longer ride - about 15 minutes.  As for wait times, they tend to pick up as the day goes on, so if there is a wait of say over 30 minutes I would get a Fastpass and come back later.  Don't look for the stroller parking!  They even do that for you!  You start out in the line with your stroller and will get to a spot where they take them for you!  Nice and easy!!  All in all we always enjoy this attraction and sometimes try to get on it twice in a day!

Random Facts:

• Kilimanjaro Safari is the largest attraction in ANY Disney Theme Park!  
• It provides animals with a 100 acre savanna to roam, while guests ride through in safari vehicles with a guide.  The tour guide of your safari will point out animals and ask you to help locate them as well.  Some are more entertaining and knowledgeable than others. 
• The ride typically runs until sundown, so if there are evening extra magic hours and it is dark the safari will not run.  Normally there is a sign at the entrance to the park or the ride that will tell you what time the last safari will run.
• It was recently announced (July 2010) that "guided treks" through the savanna would be made available to guests.  This would focus on areas of the savanna that are not part of the ride.

Next ride.....Soarin'

A New Home for Mickey!! Fastpass for Princesses too!!

With Toon Town gone the Imaginears at Disney have come up with a fabulous new home for Mickey!  I wrote previously about the Fastpass to meet Mickey Mouse.  Well here are more details about his new home as well as the temporary new home for the Disney Princesses.  The Princesses will eventually move back into Fantasyland after the massive expansion is complete!

Mickey Mouse has moved to a new location in Magic Kingdom® Park to meet and greet his friends at Walt Disney World® Resort. You now can go backstage at Town Square Theater for photos and autographs with Mickey – without waiting in a standby queue thanks to the first-ever use of Disney's FASTPASS Service for a character meet-and-greet experience.

The Town Square Theater, located just inside the Magic Kingdom entrance, was previously known as Town Square Exposition Hall. The venue has been re-imagined as a turn-of-the-Twentieth-Century theater where posters proclaim Mickey Mouse as the star of a magic show. It is here that you can enter a queue to meet Magician Mickey Mouse, or a queue to meet the Disney princesses – for whom Town Square Theater will be a meet-and-greet location during New Fantasyland construction.

The meet-and-greet experience begins when magical posters featuring Mickey's various magic acts come to life, enhancing your journey through queues into the backstage corridors of the theater. Mickey greets guests in a rehearsal-room environment amid posters, steamer trunks and stage props. It’s a classic backstage area with a wood floor and ceiling. One wall is brick, the others are papered in red and black – Mickey colors.

During the Princesses' limited engagement at Town Square Theater, they are greeting guests in an area fit for royalty – replete with plush carpeting, lush velvety-blue drapes with gold tiebacks, and a large mural backdrop of a chateau amid green, tree-covered hills and fields.

If you are wanting to meet Mickey or the Princesses you can either obtain a Disney's FASTPASS ticket or get in standby queues. FASTPASS tickets, which are available near Town Square Theater, designate an hour window of time during which the guest can return to the theater and have their "magic moment" with Mickey or the Princesses without joining the standby queues.

A Fastpass to Meet Mickey Mouse?!

Sounds too good to be true, but it's not!  No longer will you have to wait in a LONG line to meet Mickey!  I know we have been many times and the line for Mickey is always so long.  We never stand in it, we just see Mickey at a character meal.  But to be able to have a Fastpass and meet him would be so fun for the kids...and yes me too!!  :-)

Later this spring, face-to-face meetings with Mickey Mouse will move into a permanent new location at Town Square Theater, located inside the current Exposition Hall area at the entrance of Magic Kingdom® Park.
You will be able to obtain a Disney's FASTPASS® ticket specifying a one-hour window when you can return to see the popular character for hugs, photos and autographs -- without waiting in the standby queue. This marks the first time the complimentary, computerized service has been utilized for a character meet-and-greet at any Disney Park.

Inspired by animated shorts such as The Nifty Nineties and Mickey's Grand Opera, this building befits Mickey's stardom -- with a grand-Victorian-theater elevation, including a marquee that glistens with gold-leaf trim and sparkles with lights. Inside, there's a mosaic floor, lush curtains with gold rope tie-backs and polished-brass chandeliers.

Imagineers are creating new elements and surprises for you, including an interactive queue -- with an extra touch of Disney magic -- and highly themed retail shops.

Ohhhh.....I cannot wait until September!!!

Rider Switch

Going to Disney with a little one and think that means you won't be able to go on the "BIG KID" rides? Think that you have to wait again after the other adult you are traveling with has gone on with the child that is tall enough for you to get to experience the fun of Splash Mountian? Well think again!!! Disney has a great program called Rider Switch. I am always amazed at how few people know about this handy tool and I find myself making sure to tell everyone I help book a trip that I know it will benefit. So how does it work....
Well basically you go up to the entrance with the child that is too small for the ride in question. (This works only for height requirements as far as I know, not for children that are simply too scared to ride.) There will be a cast member there, tell them you are in need of a rider switch ticket. This is what you will receive:
As you can see it says the ride it is for, the date (it is only good on the date it is issued) and that it is good for up to 3 guests! That's right you don't have to go on alone or wait in line again. Nor do you have to go on as soon as the rest of your party gets off. Simply get your ticket and arrange a meeting place with those in your party that are going to ride then and off you go. Head on over and do some shopping if you are lucky enough to have the little one sleeping in their stroller, or if they are up take them on some rides that they can do.
This is a great way to make the most of your time in the parks too rather than sitting and waiting for your group. I have to say it will be a sad day when we no longer have a little on in our party that we can get a rider switch pass for! It is something we have been using for the past 8 to 10 years at least! And the older kids love it too because they get to ride again without waiting in the long line or waiting for a new fast pass to become active. Remember if you are in a large group with several kids that are too small and more than one person sitting and waiting then be sure to get more than one rider switch pass. Each person waiting will have to walk up with the child they are waiting with, but it is so worth it!!
So there is a secret, although it isn't meant to be one, so I guess a better way to describe it is a little known fact about making your Disney touring a little easier and more fun! Oh and it takes the argument out of who is going to sit out and wait!!

Lesson: How to use Fastpass!

Fastpass is a great tool to help you maximize your time in Disney! It was introduced in 1999 and allows guests to avoid long lines at the attractions on which the system is installed, freeing them to enjoy other attractions during their wait. The service is available at no additional charge to ALL park guests. You will see I bolded that section and capped ALL, why you ask? Because I cannot tell you how many times I have been there and heard people ask how much it costs, think it is only for resort guests, or so many other things. I have had people waiting in the regular line give me dirty looks and make comments as I zip by with my fastpass ticket in the fastpass line and they continue to slowly move through a LONG line!

So now you know what Fastpass (FP) is and that you can use it as long as you have a park ticket, which everyone in the parks should have one. Well what attractions have FP? FP is designed for the most popular rides. Mission Space in Epcot was the first ride designed with a seperate FP waiting area. All other rides before were modified to make a FP line available. Rides where you can use FP are:

Magic Kingdom
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin
Jungle Cruise
Mickey's PhilharMagic
Peter Pan's Flight
Space Mountain
Splash Mountain
Stitch's Great Escape
The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh

Epcot
Honey, I Shrunk the Audience
Living with the Land
Maelstrom
Mission: SPACE
Soarin'
Test Track

Disney's Hollywood Studios
Rock 'n' Roller Coaster
Star Tours
The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror
Toy Story Midway Mania
Voyage of the Little Mermaid

Disney's Animal Kingdom
DINOSAUR
It's Tough to be a Bug
Kali River Rapids
Kilimanjaro Safaris
Primeval Whirl
Expedition Everest

Here is a look at a FP for Splash Mountain, they all look the same, minus the ride logo of course!

When you get into the park have a plan of what rides you want a FP for. Then assign a FP runner - give this person the tickets and send him/her off to get the groups FP for that ride. Trust me you all don't want to trek back to Splash Mountain if you have just entered Main Street. No need to all run aorund! Pick a meeting spot for the FP runner to meet back up with you and now ride some rides.

You can see from the picture that it will give you a one hour window when you can go back, don't let that effect whether or not you get it. Lets say you get one and during that window you are scheduled for a meal at Cinderella's Table. It's ok! You can go after the time period is up, just not before! :-)

Now wait until your time is ready and then right at the start time - send that runner out for another FP, this is when you will be able to get another one (unless there is a significant - usually over two hours from when you received your FP - wait, then you will be able to get one before the start time.) Have the runner meet you with the next set of FPs in hand and go ride your first FP attraction.

FP runner - here is a look at the machine: When you walk up to a ride equipped with a FP, you will see the area that houses the FP machines, above that area it will tell you the window for the ride times. It will be a one hour window. Enter the tickets in one at a time into the machine. It will give you your ticket back and print out a FP. If you get a FP printed that says "Fastpass NOT available at this time" and you do not currently have a FP see FP cast member for help. Otherwise this has printed because you already have a FP and you are not allowed another yet, see your current FP for when you are allowed to get a new one. If a FP won't print or it just keeps spitting your park ticket back out - see the Cast Member, your park ticket may be demagnatized and you may need to have it replaced, the CM will give you a ticket for getting FP for the rest of the day in the park you are in. Now once you have gotten all your FP go meet up with the rest of your party!

Ok it is time to ride - where do you go? Well when you approach a ride with a FP, you will see two lines - one is marked Standby entrance and one is marked FP entrance. They are usually within a few feet of each other, but not always - The Safari in Animal Kingdom is a good example the entrances being far from each other. Take your FP up and show them to the Cast Member at the Fast pass entrance, he/she will check to be sure you are there at the right time and then let you by. You now get to zip right by all those people waiting in line! Once you get to the front there will be another Cast Member waiting to collect your FP, so be careful and don't lose them from point a to point b! Now go ride and have fun!!

Fastpass is a great invention and if used correctly will really benefit you, especially at busy times!