Hi Tara!
Thank you for trusting our heartfelt advice and for returning to planDisney over the years for guidance on your special
Walt Disney World Resort vacations. I can understand wanting to know what to expect upon arrival so let’s talk through the logistics of this first special day together.
You are welcome to head straight for
Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort to make your dining reservation on time and not yet check into
Disney’s Contemporary Resort. There will be no negative impacts to your breakfast experience at
'Ohana if you haven’t formally checked into your own resort yet. I spoke with a helpful Cast Member today who confirmed that while the
Best Friends Breakfast with Lilo and Stitch remains a fun interactive experience, there are no
PhotoPass photographers available for official photos of this meal. You are welcome to take your own pictures during the experience, and I suggest getting a photo of your breakfast skillet before everyone dives in – you may find a rare type of waffle hiding in the mix!
If your plans have you heading for a theme park after breakfast, you still don’t need to check into Disney’s Contemporary Resort in person to utilize all the great features of your
Memory Maker or other theme park entry methods, Tara. There are
several ways to access your admission media, including a barcode on your
My Disney Experience app to access your park tickets.
Similarly, you can show a barcode for your photos if you happen to encounter a PhotoPass Photographer for a perfectly posed photo before you have a physical card from the resort. Find this by clicking the main menu
(≡) in the My Disney Experience app and then selecting the
Photos tile. At the top of the screen, click on
Link Photos and you will see many options. The photographer can either give you a barcode to scan or you can present a personalized Quick Response (QR) code to connect your new images to your account directly from this screen.
You may begin your
online check-in to your resort at any time on My Disney Experience, where you can indicate your anticipated arrival time, room location preferences, and more. When you arrive at Disney’s Contemporary Resort you can then visit the front desk if you wish to obtain a plastic key card for ease of use throughout your vacation. Sometimes the low-tech way is the easiest, especially with many moving parts of a family vacation! That card will act as your room key, your theme park ticket, and for scanning at any PhotoPass opportunity; whether you choose the app on your smartphone or this physical card, it will all seamlessly connect back to your Disney account.
I hope this helps you imagine what to expect and gives you peace of mind for navigating that first day prior to check-in, Tara. Please let us know how else we can bring clarity to any process (high- or low-tech) to help you make the most of this special vacation.
Wishing you a magical visit,
Amy