Welcome back to planDisney, Jason. It is good to see you again.
I am a big fan of all the tech Disney has rolled out over the years.
MagicBand+,
MagicMobile, the
My Disney Experience app, mobile ordering, you name it. When everything is talking to each other the way it should, it makes a trip feel smooth and simple. But like with any technology, there are times when things hiccup a bit. No worries, though. We can walk through what might be going on.
When a ticket shows as Not Valid For Park Entry, it usually points to one of a few common issues. Some tickets still
require a Theme Park Reservation, so if your ticket type needs one and you have not booked it yet, the system may continue to give you that message. Certain tickets require activation in person before they can be used.
Military Salute Tickets and
Florida Resident Tickets are the two big ones. Those must be activated with a Cast Member by showing the required ID. If that applies to you, you can still purchase your Lightning Lane selections in advance. You would just stop by Guest Relations before entering your first park to activate the ticket, and you will be good to go.
Another thing I see from time to time is a ticket linked to the wrong person in the Family and Friends list. In the My Disney Experience app, tap My Tickets and Passes and swipe through each ticket assigned to you. If you see your ticket with the error, it is worth checking with the others in your Family and Friends list to confirm no one accidentally has it sitting under their profile.
If you send me another question with a little more detail about the ticket type you purchased or how it was linked, I can help narrow it down even further. You can also call the Tickets and Hotel Reservations line through the
Help Center, and a Cast Member can look at your account directly.
Since you also mentioned wanting to secure your
Lightning Lane selections seven days out, let me give you a quick strategy that has worked well for me. I usually save Disney’s Hollywood Studios for later in my trip and make that my first purchase when my window opens. It has some of the toughest return times to grab, so prioritizing that day early helps. Then I work through the rest of my park days in order. There is no perfect formula, but if you want help crafting a plan that fits your itinerary, just send another my way.
I am happy to help anytime.
Thanks,
Brent