Welcome Home, Barbara! Thanks so much for paying us a visit at planDisney. It's always a treat when I get to chat about all things
Disney Vacation Club with a fellow Member--and a fellow Michigander, to boot! I see you're making final preparations for a magical Disney adventure starting in just a few days, so let's get down to business. I certainly don't want to make you late for your very important date!
MagicBand+ is always helpful when you're visiting
Walt Disney World Resort, and the many fun designs make them a perfect accessory for any Disney ensemble! However, you can certainly navigate your vacation without one. We visited earlier this year and ended up with an unexpected free day to visit the parks. I hadn't packed MagicBands, and instead, we used
Disney MagicMobile Service, which transforms your humble cell phone or smartwatch into a magical key to the fun! It was really simple to use this feature, and since then I've chosen to use MagicMobile regularly on our trips. You can also add your digital DVC Membership Card so you don't miss out on any discounts during your trip!
Here's how it works. If you haven't set up a MagicMobile pass before, it's easy to do with the
My Disney Experience app--be sure you have updated to the most recent version. From the home screen, tap the three lines at the lower right (the "hamburger menu"), then scroll down to "Set Up MagicMobile Entry". This will guide you through the steps to create your pass--you can even customize it with a fun Disney design! Save the pass to your digital wallet, and you'll be ready to rock!
To show your Disney Vacation Club status at any shops or restaurants, pull up the pass on your phone and tap the information icon to show details. Under "Affiliation", you should see "DVC Y" if you are a Member eligible for Membership Extras. Be sure to take a peek at the
Member Benefits page so you're up to date on all of the latest and greatest deals!
To make your arrival a breeze, you can complete
Online Check-In via the My Disney Experience app. Guests can enter their expected arrival time and make some requests during this process, such as a room on a higher floor or something close to the lobby. There is an option stating, "Please prioritize having my room ready early over these room requests," and I recommend choosing this if you are hoping for an early check-in. Keep in mind that check-in time is officially 4:00 PM--while you may get a bit of extra pixie dust in the form of your room being ready, an early check-in is not guaranteed.
Barbara, I hope this information is helpful as you're packing those bags for a most magical trip to Walt Disney World! Thank you again for reaching out to planDisney, and please don't hesitate to come see us again if we can help with any other questions.
Stay Magical!
Susan