Good journey, Christine!
Welcome to planDisney, the most magical place on the internet! I am so glad that you stopped by to ask us your question, and as a fellow international Guest, I understand how booking your trip from outside of the USA can get a bit confusing. But that's what I am here for!
Firstly, there are two ways you can check into your Disney Resort hotel room:
digitally and in person upon arrival. The first method is through the
My Disney Experience mobile app and can be done in advance. In your My Disney Experience app, click on the three-line menu at the bottom right of your screen and then on "Future Plans." You should then see your Resort hotel reservation with a blue "Start Check-In Now" banner. If you do not see your reservation, make sure it has been linked to your account by going back into the three-line menu and clicking on "
Link to Account" towards the bottom. There, you will be able to enter the confirmation number for your Resort hotel reservation and link your theme park tickets or other plans you may have. However, if you are having issues with the application, don't worry, as you can still check in at your Resort's front desk in person. If you have selected
MagicBands to be included in your stay, you will also be able to pick them up at the front desk at your convenience since they cannot be shipped internationally.
Secondly, if you want to secure your spot on your favourite rides, you can use the
Disney Genie+ service and/or
Individual Lightning Lanes. The Disney Genie+ service can be purchased on the day of your visit on the My Disney Experience mobile app in the "My Genie Day" section of the three-line menu. This service allows you to select return times for your favourite rides and skip the standby lines. Ride selections start at seven A.M. Eastern Standard Time, so make sure that you have booked your
theme park reservations and plan extra time to buy it. At this time, Disney Genie+ costs $15 US (price is subject to change) per person per day, so make sure to buy it for everyone in your party who would like to use it. In addition, you can also purchase Individual Lightning Lanes for some of the most popular rides. Individual Lightning Lane prices vary per ride and can be used simultaneously with Disney Genie+ to truly make the most of your vacation. You will not need to use either of these services or check-in early while on board the
Halcyon Starcruiser.
I hope this was helpful, Christine, and that you and your fellow recruits will have the best day ever on your next Disney vacation. If you have any other questions in the time leading up to your intergalactic visit, please don't hesitate to reach out. We are always happy to help friends of the resistance!
As they say on the
Halcyon: ba ma' shay! May you journey boldly, Christine.
Ariane