14 Awesome Ways to Use MyDisneyExperience
When you visit Walt Disney World, one app will act as your lifeline.
Since the modest inception of My Disney Experience, it has evolved into the most vital phone app for a park day.
Why, this program does so much that you might not even know about some of its features.
Here are 14 ways you should be using My Disney Experience to improve your park visit.
Book Advanced Dining Reservations
During the pandemic, Disney allows guests to book Advanced Dining Reservations up to 60 days in advance.
Given the tighter booking window and restaurant capacity limits, demand is higher than ever.
So, you need to schedule a reservation to dine at your preferred restaurant. Otherwise, you might get shut out.
On My Disney Experience, you can hit the + button to Check Dining Availability. It’ll show you what’s available on your preferred date.
Pro tip: Check back every few hours if you don’t find immediate availability.
Booking Boarding Groups
Only one Walt Disney World utilizes virtual queuing. However, it’s the most important one.
On your Disney’s Hollywood Studios park days, you must use My Disney Experience.
Otherwise, you won’t get to experience Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance.
To access this page, hit the three bars on the bottom right menu. It’ll display a page with several menu options.
You want Virtual Queues. Then, you’ll choose Join Virtual Queue at either 7 a.m. or 2 p.m. to book your Boarding Group.
Buy Stuff
On the Three Bars menu, another option suggests that you can Shop Merchandise.
This selection is actually a bit misleading. When you choose this button, it’ll load your smartphone browser of choice.
Specifically, your browser will load ShopDisney, which you could have done yourself. Still, it’s a quick way to check inventory for that special item that’s sold out at the park.
Check the Bus Schedule
Okay, this menu item doesn’t work right now for an interesting reason. The Disney resorts are running buses so frequently that they’re not updating the system.
However, in the Before Time, I used My Disney Experience regularly at the hotel. Specifically, I selected “Resort Hotel.”
When you’re at the hotel, an option will appear to check Bus Times. It’s invaluable because you’ll know how much time you have in your room before you can hop a ride back to a Disney park.
Check Your Itinerary
At Disney, you’re always making plans, whether you’re aware of it or not.
During a normal stay, you’ll book a Disney hotel room, buy admission tickets, and schedule Park Passes. You also may set up some Advanced Dining Reservations, too.
On the three bars menu, one button says My Plans. When you click it, My Disney Experience will display all the information about your hotel stay.
You can even check your current hotel bill to avoid any surprise charges!
Get Help
What happens if you receive some surprise charges? Or you fail to schedule a Boarding Group after several park visits? Or you cannot get the restaurant reservation you need?
You will want to speak with Disney to find out whether someone can solve your problem.
During the pandemic, this process is easier than ever.
My Disney Experience now includes Chat With Us, a helpful service that will put you in contact with a Disney cast member.
Since their job is crisis resolution, they’ll do everything they can to make your vacation more magical!
Hotel Check-In
The Resort Hotel menu features several pleasant additions, none of which were initially part of the app.
So, Disney’s passion for improvement benefits you in many ways. For example, you can now perform Hotel Check-In from the app.
When you click Resort Hotel, a button says Start Check-In Now. Impressively, you don’t need to be at the hotel to do so.
In fact, I’m several weeks away from my next visit, yet I could check in right now if I wanted.
Disney discourages unnecessary interactions between customers and cast members.
Thanks to Hotel Check-In, you can (and should) skip the lobby and head straight to your hotel room. My Disney Experience will display your assigned room number once it’s ready.
Learn Park Hours
On My Disney Experience’s home page, you can scroll to the middle. There, you’ll notice icons for all your favorite Walt Disney World parks. It’s pretty self-explanatory.
The Cinderella Castle is Magic Kingdom, the giant ball is EPCOT, the tree is Disney’s Animal Kingdom, and the Chinese Theatre is Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
Click the park you’d like to visit, and it’ll display operating hours. You can also choose Today’s Showtimes to learn when various shows will start.
Also, you can select All Hours to check park hours for the next several weeks. It’s an extremely useful display that packs a ton of information into a small space.
Look at Your Photo Gallery
This one’s pretty self-explanatory. When you buy PhotoPass at the parks, Disney automatically uploads all applicable videos to your account.
On My Disney Experience, you can check your pictures from the home screen. Scroll down until you notice the words, Disney PhotoPass. Then, select My Photos.
The next page will show all the pictures and ride videos you’ve accumulated during your visit.
Better yet, they’ll stay in your account until 45 days after the date they were taken.
You’ll have plenty of time to download them for personal use. Plus, you’ll get happy each time you pull up My Disney Experience after your trip.
PS: Annual passholders keep their photos throughout the year, a lovely benefit. I’ve still got some pre-pandemic photos in my account, which feel like they’re from a different era altogether.
Mobile Dine Walk-Up Waitlist
Sometimes, you won’t get the Advanced Dining Reservations that you want. The pandemic has wreaked havoc with availability, and park officials know it.
So, Disney introduced a new My Disney Experience feature to address the problem.
One menu option — and I must admit I always have to search for it — is Mobile Dine Walk-Up Availability.
By using this service, you’ll put your name down on a waiting list, just like you’ve done many times at restaurants over the years.
The sole difference is that this tactic’s digital on My Disney Experience. You sign up online, and the system will tell you how long you must wait to get a table.
Mobile Ordering
We have covered Mobile Ordering repeatedly over the past few years.
Disney added this service a couple of years before the pandemic. Then, it became absolutely essential in 2020.
By now, you know how Mobile Ordering works. Still, Disney has streamlined the process even more.
You hit the + button and then choose Order Food. Then, you…order food.
I’m not overstating the issue when I say that Mobile Ordering has revolutionized Walt Disney World visits. You control the entire process now, which is magical.
Opening Hotel Doors
Be honest. Did you know this one?
Last year, Disney introduced digital pass technology on My Disney Experience.
That’s fancy computer terminology that describes something basic. By using My Disney Experience, you can unlock your hotel room door!
I feel like I’ve joined Starfleet whenever I use this futuristic technology. I mean, I wave an electronic device and a door opens! It’s like I’m Merlin!
Park Directions
This one’s a lifesaver, especially when you need to find a bathroom.
When you select the pin button, the one beside the home button, My Disney Experience with display a park map.
You can select several menu options including Entertainment, Restrooms, and Dining.
You will choose your desired location and then pick Get Directions.
The app will lead the way so that you can take the most direct path to your destination.
Once you start using Park Directions, you’ll grow addicted. It’s the Disney GPS you didn’t know you needed but desperately do!
Research Ride Wait-Times
The same steps will allow you to check ride wait-times. In fact, it’s the default display when you hit the pin icon.
You can check wait-times for the current park, your next destination of all parks simultaneously.
I would suggest that you choose the Show List option.
This way, you can read an ordered list of rides based on how long the estimated wait is. It’s a terrific way to plan your next attraction.