Welcome back, Minnie, to planDisney! I'm so excited you're bringing your questions to us. Keep them coming!
While I always side with the heroes of the Disney stories, I have to admit that the Disney Villains often have a better wardrobe. And sometimes, they are just misunderstood and cast as the villain for simply saying no. That being said, I hope you won't cast me as the villain if I say no to a few of your questions. But don't worry. As the Disney Princesses teach us, there is always a silver lining, especially because if you keep believing, the dream that you wish will come true.
I promise I’m not channeling Maleficent here, but this is one of those "hard no" moments. Even the Evil Queen would confirm that not all
Walt Disney World Good Neighbor Hotels can be magically linked to your My Disney Experience account. As I confirmed with a friendly Cast Member, currently, the Margaritaville Resort Orlando is not one of them. This hotel is also not eligible for
Early Theme Park Entry at this time. Furthermore, Minnie Vans only provide service to and from Disney-owned accommodations. When it comes to advanced dining reservations, when staying at this resort, you will be able to make them one day at a time at 6 a.m. EST, 60 days before each date you'd like to dine. If Ursula could rewrite the contract, she would, but unfortunately, this one is ironclad. After all, Scar would recommend that you be prepared, and it's good to know these things before going in.
But don't fret. There's still magic ahead. Let's look to those princesses, who have been very busy creating magic with
Bath & Body Works, to find those happily ever afters.
- Cinderella is all about timing. While you won’t be able to ride attractions during Early Theme Park Entry, you can often enter some of the parks during this time and explore the front areas, like Main Street, U.S.A. Grab a coffee from the Main Street Bakery, soak in the atmosphere, and you’ll already be inside when the metaphorical rope drops. That head start lets you dash straight to your first attraction.
- Mulan is all about strategy, so channel her when it comes to determining your plans for your park days. Prioritize the most popular attractions for park opening to ride with some of the shortest waits. Or invest in Lightning Lane Single Pass for those, and at park opening, knock out some of the less popular attractions first thing, while everyone else is flocking to the most popular ones.
- Jasmine is an expert at stepping beyond the palace gates, so channel her when looking at options for getting to and from your resort. You can look into the shuttle service your hotel may provide, or you can use other rideshare services like Uber or Lyft. Just note that only Minnie Vans and Walt Disney World buses will be able to pull up to the main entrance of Magic Kingdom Park. All other shuttles and rideshare services will drop you off at the Transportation and Ticket Center, so plan for some extra travel time to take a monorail or boat to get to the gates of that particular park.
- And if at first you don't succeed in getting the advanced dining reservations you want, channel Rapunzel. She's optimistic and persistent, so look for off-peak times to dine and check back frequently to see if reservations open up as your trip approaches.
Minnie, don't let those pesky but well-dressed villains get in your way. The Princesses have got your back, and I'm sure you'll have a wonderful time at the resort. If you have any other questions, come on back!
Dream big, plan smart, and let the princess energy lead the way,
Matt