Hi Lauren!
Welcome to planDisney.
It is always a pleasure to answer questions from a fellow UK guest, and I am happy to help you with this as there have been some changes in the way we can purchase our Disney Bands as an International guest.
Unfortunately, guests from the UK cannot now pre-order Disney Bands via the My Disney Experience app. This offer only applies to guests from the USA. I fully understand that you want to have your Disney Bands organised before the start of your holiday, or at least when you check in to your Disney Resort Hotel, so let's talk through some options.
Something I often do is purchase Disney Bands from
ShopDisney.com, to have them delivered to my Disney Resort Hotel before my arrival. They usually have a good selection, and they update their stock often. If you place an order, ensure you enter the delivery address as "Your Name" + "GUEST arriving" - insert your arrival date - then add the name and address of your Disney hotel, (which can be found on the Overview page of your hotel on the
website). On arrival, advise the Front Desk that you have a package waiting for you, and they will link your Disney Bands to your account. I like to place my order around 10 days before I arrive to ensure the package is waiting for me. It should be noted that you will be charged a Resort fee of around $6.00 (subject to change) for any package received for you by the Front Desk.
Alternatively, if you want to make your selection in person on the day you arrive, all the gift shops at Disney hotels usually hold a limited amount of stock of Disney Bands. Have a look around the shop when you arrive, and if you find designs you like, the Front Desk will set them up for you straight away.
If you decide to wait until you can choose from an even larger selection, several places sell Disney Bands - Disney Springs (D-Tech on Demand, and World of Disney), and in the theme parks - the Emporium at Magic Kingdom Park or
Creations Shop at EPCOT both have a good selection, for example. Creations Shop is right next door to Connections Cafe - the largest indoor Starbucks at Walt Disney World. A good excuse to enjoy a coffee or delicious snack while you think about your Disney Band choices!
Before you make your purchase (and it can take a while to decide which designs you want - there are many!!) you can request Key to the World admission cards from the front desk - free of charge - which you can use to access your hotel room, make charges to your room and use for park admission. Alternatively, you can access Disney MagicMobile pass which is available on the My Disney Experience app.
Please come back and visit us if you have any further questions - you can also
send me a direct question if you wish. We will be happy to help you plan your magical holiday, and keep your eye on the
Disney Parks Blog for all the latest official news about events that may be happening during your stay.
Sue