Hi Charmaine,
Welcome home and welcome to planDisney! As a fellow DVC member, I love that we always have a Disney vacation to look forward to! You’re so close to your trip; I can almost smell the churros!
It’s a great idea to have all of your reservations linked to your MyDisney account. I personally like to link my
hotel reservations and my
park reservations through the Disneyland website, but you can also do this on the app. When you launch the Disneyland app on your phone, click the three bars in the bottom right corner. Then, click the “My Tickets & Passes” box at the top left. You’ll be taken to a page where you can link tickets (click the plus sign at the top). Be sure to link every ticket in your party. This will be really helpful if you decide to purchase Lightning Lane during your visit.
Since you’re staying at a Disneyland Resort Hotel, be sure to take advantage of your
Early Entry. Typically, the parks open at 8:00 am, but with Early Entry, you can start getting on rides at 7:30! Sometimes I use this time to ride popular attractions like Peter Pan or Radiator Springs Racers, but sometimes I use it to take my castle photo with minimal people in the background. To Use your Early Entry, you’ll just need to scan your room key with a Cast Member to move past the hub of the park. Disneyland has Early Entry on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday, while California Adventure has Early Entry on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday. Always check the app or the Disneyland website for the most up-to-date information and times.
As a DVC member, don’t forget to utilize some of your discounts and perks. Check the DVC website to see your
Member Benefits like 10% discount on your meal at the listed restaurants. There are a few restaurants where you can get a 15% discount. If you’re visiting Disneyland, be sure to stop by the
Member Lounge, Star View Station. The lounge is located on the second floor of Star Wars Launch Bay. I love popping by here to rest my feet and grab a snack. Also, if you go down to the
GCH Craftsman Bar at Disney's Grand Californian Hotel & Spa, there’s a member-exclusive drink called the “Membership Magic Martini.” There’s also a member drink at
Palm Breeze Bar at The Villas at Disneyland Hotel called the “Welcome Home.” Be sure to give them a try!
I hope this information is helpful, Charmaine. If you have any other questions or need help planning, feel free to write back to me or one of my fellow panelists. We’d be happy to share our thoughts.
Hope you have a magical vacation!
– Melinda