Monthly Archives: January 2014

Disney’s MyMagic+ – Part 2 – The Box

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Note:  This is part 2 in a 3 part series.  Part 1 is here.

IMG_2480Right now, when you make your first Disney World reservation under the My Disney Experience / MyMagic+ system (either on your own or through your favorite travel agent), you will receive a nifty package in the mail – a pretty big box for what it contains.  Inside the box you will find an Incredibles-themed multi-media extavaganza to help you adjust to the MyMagic+ vacation experience.  And every member of the Incredibles family is pictured wearing a Magic Band!

The box contains a flash-drive, information cards, and a booklet.  Of particular interest was the card that says, “As an upcoming Disney Resort hotel Guest, you can take part in a new dimension of magic at Walt Disney World Resort.  It’s called MyMagic+ and it makes the entire experience yours like never before.  This is an exciting time and we hope you’ll pardon our “pixie dust” as we make the adjustments that come with any new IMG_2528experience.  The enclosed booklet not only includes great information on your upcoming trip but details on how to make the very most of MyMagic+, too.”  Intentional on Disney’s part or not, this card gave me a bad feeling about what kinds of systems glitches may be going on out there.

The booklet again – just like the videos and website – explains MyMagic+, Magic Bands, FastPass+, and My Disney Experience.  Basically – however you’d like to learn about how you will now vacation at Disney World be it on paper, via video on your PC, at the website or on your smartphone the information is given to you in every possible form save billboard!  At the very back of the booklet there is even a removable magnet – Dumbo! (an elephant never forgets) – with reminders for your trip – the date you can begin making dining reservations, the date you can begin selecting Fast Pass+ attractions and the date to begin online check-in.  Darn you stainless steel refrigerator!

Insert flash drive now.  Remember yesterday in Part 1 I mentioned that at the My Disney IMG_2484Experience website you could watch a movie starring Edna Mode that helps explain how to use the MDE resources?  Well, the flash drive shows you a different movie (also starring Edna) that focuses more on Magic Bands and how all of the MyMagic+ elements will work together once you arrive at Disney World.  The initial screen says there’s a “special message” parts one and two.  I could never get to part two and after watching the first video – it would not let me see it a second time.  Raymond used the flash drive first and never saw either “message” – it just took him straight to the website.  Not sure what the deal is with that.

Other than the video, the purpose of the flash drive is to show you how to use the web site.  If IMG_2482you’re like us and you’ve already found the site and app, the flash drive is unnecessary, but still a pretty cool prize to receive in the mail since it gets you excited about your trip.

If you’re still with me after parts 1 and 2, tomorrow we’ll talk Magic Bands!

Disney World’s MyMagic+ An Overview

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Note:  Today’s Post is Part 1 in a Three-Part Series discussing various aspects of MyMagic+

IMG_2534One of, if not THE hottest topic among Disney World fans in 2013 (and still going strong) has been MyMagic+.  Technologically advanced and seemingly complicated (at first glance) – MyMagic+ is the way the Walt Disney Company expects guests to vacation at Disney World.  MyMagic+ includes a website and smart phone app called My Disney Experience, RFID-equipped wrist-wear called Magic Bands, and the new, paperless Fast Pass Plus (FP+) system for rides and attractions.  All these components work together to create a new vacation experience that, for some, may seem anything but magical.  Change is difficult and scary for most people and if the change in question seemingly involves negatively impacting your vacation to the Happiest Place on Earth then it may seem like a very poor move for Disney indeed (there are a lot of haters and nay-sayers out there).  I’m keeping an open mind and hope you will too.  I love Disney World and this is not going to change my feelings,

Maybe I’m being ridiculously ambitious, but I’m going to try my best to give you a good overview of MyMagic+ – there’s a LOT to cover.  If you, like many of my friends, are planning a Disney World trip during the next 12 months and will either be going for the first time or haven’t been there in quite a while, this post is for you.  I’ll include some links to articles and information I found helpful, and offer suggestions on ways you can make MyMagic+ and all its components work best on your Disney World vacation.  Let’s face it, you cannot just show up at Disney World with no prior planning and expect to have the best experience!

Today in Part 1:  My Disney Experience – the Site and Smartphone App

The My Disney Experience site is the place to start planning your vacation.  Begin by registering as a user and navigate through the options – it’s very user friendly!  Ultimately, all your plans for a Disney World vacation go into My Disney Experience.  Edna Mode is there to give an instructional video that sums it all up nicely.  The website and the smart phone app work together.  Think resort reservations, dining plans/reservations, park tickets, daily plans, Fast Pass+ selections, etc.  Carrying your smartphone around on vacation goes against the grain for a lot of folks who want to vacation stress- and intrusion-free, but having all your reservation and Fast Pass+ info handy in case of a system glitch is probably a good idea.  Also – if you want to make changes to dining reservations or add/change Fast Passes – much easier to do it on your phone than wait to use a computer at one of the parks’ kiosks (installed just for this IMG_2532purpose).

The free My Disney Experience app opens to an interactive guide map of Disney World – touch the map to zoom in on a particular park or area – Mickey icons allow you to quickly find park hours and extra magic hours (if available).  Touch an arrow on the park hours info and you’ll go to the Attractions section for that park – the best feature on this page is “Wait Times” (more on that in a minute).  Newbies will appreciate the “Location” tab for quick and easy reference.

Clicking on the menu (upper left corner) will reveal a list all the app’s bells and whistles.  The MDE App has many features – not all features will be used (or appeal) to everyone.  I’ve just started using the app myself in preparation for a couple of upcoming trips and so far have my resort reservations, advanced dining reservations, and links to each member of my party entered into the appropriate sections.  Info can be entered into either the website or app and will update both places.

IMG_2473Once a ticket or pass as been purchased, it can be added to the app by either scanning the ticket’s barcode or manually entering the ticket’s ID number.

60 Days in advance of a park visit, guests will be allowed to choose Fast Passes (Fast Pass+) for rides and attractions.  For newbies – Fast Passes allow you to bypass an attraction’s stand-by line and, basically, go straight to the front with little or no waiting.  Singularly, this is currently the most controversial part of the new system.  Until all testing (still underway) is completed and the final form of the next gen Fast Pass program is completely understood, taking a wait-and-see stance is probably advisable (take a deep breath and keep calm – the final results of testing are still unknown).

Podcasts, blogs, Disney discussion boards – everyone is discussing this particular aspect of the My Disney Experience as potentially having the biggest (possibly negative) impact on how vacationers will tour parks and enjoy attractions.  Those of us who have visited many times have become used to the paper fast pass system giving us the ability to ride headline “e-ticket” attractions (in more than one park per day) without spending a huge chunk of valuable vacation time waiting in line.  Current testing has a three per day, same park limit on Fast Passes – Disney World is also testing a tiered Fast Pass system that allows guests to select only one major attraction per day – believe me when I tell you that this is VERY upsetting for many people (myself included).  I’m optimistic that Disney will not continue this practice in FP+’s final structure.  I believe the amount of negative feedback Disney is receiving over this will be impossible for them to ignore.  IMG_2476Personally (yes, I’ll eat my words if necessary) – I don’t think they intended the tiered system or the FP+’s one-park-per-day restriction to be permanent – but that’s strictly my own opinion.

Back to the App’s wait times.  At each park, rides, shows and attractions are grouped like this: No Waiting, Short Wait Times, Moderate Wait Times, Long Wait Times, Open Throughout the Day, and Closed.  This will make selecting plans in the absence of a Fast Pass much easier!

FAQ’s From the Disney World web site has a lot of good “official” information.

Come back for Part 2 and find out what happens after you book the trip!

Why Watch the Parade at Disney World’s Magic Kingdom?

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IMG_51972014 is bringing about lots of changes at Disney World.  One of these changes is to the afternoon parade at the Magic Kingdom – it’s out with the old and in with the new!  I, for one, am totally stoked about this.  I liked the old parade well enough – Celebrate a Dream Come True (final performance was January 4th) – we managed to catch it several times during its almost-5-year run.  Once, in 2012 we were even pixie dusted into VIP seating.  Okay – I probably could have lived without the parade’s theme song which, like the tune in It’s a Small World,  wormed its way into my brain for the rest of the day (or longer), but I love a good parade nonetheless and Magic Kingdom’s has never IMG_5216disappointed.  It’s a great way to see many different characters – some you don’t usually get to meet & greet – at one time.

Now it’s time to make way for the Festival of Fantasy Parade which will debut this spring.  This means, unfortunately, no afternoon parade for guests to enjoy between now and then, but the Move It! Shake It! Celebrate It! street party will still go on (3 times a day right now) as will the Main Street Electrical Parade in the evenings.  The most exciting part is that the theme of the new parade is so appropriate –  It will incorporate the characters and stories from the new Fantasyland and include completely new floats and costumes.  Rolling to both a new theme song (oh, thank goodness) and well-known songs from our favorite Disney movies, the Festival of Fantasy Parade is sure to be a spectacular addition to the 2014 excitement at Disney World.

IMG_5219TIP:  If you happen to watch the parade in the vicinity of a newly minted little princess who has visited the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique.  You’ll see the parade characters, princes, and other princesses acknowledge the “royalty” in the audience in many special ways – bowing, winking, waving, blowing kisses – just another way Disney makes memories for guests that last a lifetime.

Disney World’s Nighttime Shows

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IMG_5038Visitors to Disney World have wonderful opportunities to experience amazing, truly magical nighttime shows in three of the four parks.  (RUMOR:  Animal Kingdom may be getting a nighttime show of its own in the next couple of years.)  Most people, after seeing them all, tend to have a favorite and may argue strenuously over which is the best – but everyone will agree on one thing:  These shows are spectacular and for Disney fans, remarkably touching – the embodiment of all that we love about Disney World.

If you’re headed to Disney World for the first time, please make sure to see at least one (if not all) of these major events included with the price of your park admission.  TIP:  If your child is frightened by loud noises it would be worth the effort to try to work through that prior to attending a show with fireworks at Disney World.  Disney goes all out – spares nothing for the sake of amazing and thrilling visitors.  Unfortunately, this means some very loud BOOMs sprinkled throughout the displays.

Epcot’s Illuminations: Reflections of Earth –  While this one is my least favorite (don’t judge – it can be your favorite and I won’t think less of you), it is unique (sorry, I don’t have a picture of the action).  Disney’s description is “Behold the past, present and future of Earth at this stunning fireworks show that celebrates the spirit of humanity.”  That’s pretty deep for the young ‘uns among us – so, here’s my take:  The show is IMG_2971actually in the middle of the World Showcase Lagoon, so position yourself strategically well ahead of show-time.  Guard your spot zealously or a family with small children will infiltrate your camp by squeezing their smallest members between you and the fence – the parents will eventually follow and block your view completely – beware!   Officially, the show is divided into three parts.  Part 1:  The Earth is Born.  Part 2:  The Triumph of Life.  Part 3:  Hope for the Future. – all played out on and around a 350,000 lb. Earth Globe – the “world’s first spherical video display system”.  You kinda do need to see it at least once to understand how this all works – it’s worth the effort and while small children my not understand the deeper meaning, they’ll enjoy the special effects.  The show is narrated by Jim Cummings (voice of Pooh, Tigger, and more).

DSCN2620Fantasmic at Disney’s Hollywood Studios – This show uses a multitude of special effects in the most creative, unbelievable way and incorporates live and projected (on water) characters to enchant and thrill spectators. Oh, you’ll hear whining here and there from people who don’t like the fact that this show is so popular, you’ve got to arrive for a seat at least 90 minutes before show-time.  Those whiners are also complaining that the show is tired, the same-old-thing and needs a re-fresh.  I say Oh, puh-leeeze.  If you think this Studios sensation has lost any of its shine, just take someone with you who’s never seen it before.  Fantasmic is fantastic and if you just cannot stand the idea of “wasting” so much time to get a seat, the solution is the “Fantasmic Dinner Package” – info here and here.  You should know – the reserved seating area for the dinner package guests is on the far right of the action.

IMG_5031Magic Kingdom’s Wishes:  My personal favorite!  The voice of Jiminy Cricket over the park’s speakers kick this show off (cue goose bumps).  Then, weather permitting, Tinker Bell will actually fly down from atop Cinderella Castle before the most amazingly beautiful fireworks show begins.  Get a spot down Main Street toward the front of the park (not too close to the Castle) and prepare to be amazed, astounded, and awed – you will say “ahhhhh”!  Sentimental sorts, prepare to be teary-eyed – this show gets me every time.  Watch carefully as the pyrotechnics will be unlike any you have ever seen (sappy me – getting choked up while I’m typing this – I’m not even there!).  You go see Wishes and tell me you are not profoundly touched…the only thing that will ruin it for you is the guy blocking your view by filming the show on his Smartphone/mini-cam/iPad (devices vary) – which he holds up, right in the way, the entire time.  Move away from that guy.  Give him the stink-eye as you go.

TIP:  If your little one just can’t stand loud noises – the fireworks are still enjoyable from afar.  Some restaurants at resorts on Bay Lake/Seven Seas Lagoon often offer Wishes-viewing-while-dining options.

There is actually one more show I need to mention, but you can only see it if you’re staying at a Magic Kingdom resort (Contemporary, Polynesian, or Grand Floridian, Wilderness Lodge, Fort Wilderness).  It’s the Electrical Water Pageant.  This little light-parade-on-water makes its way around Bay Lake and the Seven Seas Lagoon.  It’s like a bed-time story – a little something special at the end of the day to say good-night and wish you sweet dreams.  Starts around 9pm (visible at the Poly) and goes to around 10:20pm (passes the Contemporary last) – viewing depends on where you are.  Note the cheerfully snappy musical accompaniment!

Time to weigh in – which nighttime show at Disney World is your favorite?