A comprehensive guide to the My Disney Experience app, including everything that’s included and what you can do for your Disney World trip.
Whether you are experiencing your first Disney adventure or planning your next one, Disney has made it simple for you by putting many of the tools you need into one easy-to-use platform. The My Disney Experience app is simple to set up, and once you have it, you’ll wonder what you ever did without it!
This Disney World app is an absolute must-have, and once you’ve taken a few simple steps to set it up, you’ll be playing with it every chance you get as you plan, wish and daydream your way to the Disney adventure of your dreams
My Disney Experience Overview
My Disney Experience is the key to your Disney account that Disney has made just for you, to unlock every stage of this magical journey. You can access your Disney account online at DisneyWorld.com, on your mobile device through the My Disney Experience (a.k.a. Disney World app), or both! You’ll definitely want to have the mobile version handy when you’re in the parks, as it lets you see all of your plans in one place, including:
- View Theme Park Tickets
- View Disney Resort Hotel Reservations
- Use Mobile Ordering for Quick Service Restaurants
- Use Mobile Check-in for Table Service Restaurants
- View your Photo Pass photos
- Use the Lightning Lane Multi Pass System
- Book Virtual Queues and receive updates
- See Changing Ride Wait Times throughout the day
- Even use your phone as your Disney Resort Room Key!
Setting Up Your My Disney Experience App
Once you’ve completed setting up your My Disney Experience login, you’ll never need to worry about it again. No matter how many times you return (and you will), it will be waiting for you!
First things first – create your Disney account at DisneyWorld.com. You may even be surprised to discover that you already have a Disney account linked to your email address, as Disney tries to use one account throughout the Disney group of companies. Don’t worry about this at all; it just means you’re already on your way!
Once your account is made and your character avatar has been selected (I’m always Goofy in life, so why not here, too?), you’ll also set up your travel party of friends and family, including names, avatars and ages at the time of travel. If you are traveling with (or meeting up with) friends or family who have their own accounts, you may wish to link to their accounts by sending a request by email or with a QR Code in the app. Don’t worry, it’s very simple, and you’ll be set in just minutes! You can also always leave that step until later if you’re not ready for that just yet.
How to Link Tickets and Hotel Reservations in My Disney Experience
Once you have purchased theme park tickets, you’ll want to link them in your Disney account. You can do this in a browser or within the app, but you don’t need to do both… your account will update automatically (though not necessarily immediately, but don’t panic!)
To link to your tickets in the My Disney Experience app, click the three horizontal lines in the bottom right-hand corner. Then click “My Tickets and Passes” and select the little blue “plus” sign on the top right side. You will then choose “Link Tickets and Passes”.
Linking Tickets Online
Getting started linking your tickets in a browser is a little bit different. Start by hovering your mouse over “My Disney Experience” and choose “My Plans.” Hover over the ticket icon, then click “Link Tickets.”
Whichever method you use to get started, at this point, you will use your reservation number to link your tickets to your account so you can stare at them lovingly while you wait for vacation to roll around (or maybe that’s just me).
Linking your Hotel Reservations is also simple. From the main page of the app, again select the 3 horizontal lines in the bottom-right corner. From there, scroll down a little until you see the subheading “My Visit” and scroll a little further until you are offered the option “Hotel Reservations”. You will then provide the last name on the reservation and the confirmation number, and your process is complete (although it can sometimes take a little while for the system to update – don’t worry about it; everything is all right!).
Trip Planning with My Disney Experience
One of the My Disney Experience features you will use before you arrive at Disney World is booking your Advance Dining Reservations (or ADRs), which you can do as early as 60 days before your desired reservation (or 60 days before the length of your stay if you are staying in a Disney resort hotel). You can find a terrific look at tips and strategies for your Advance Dining Reservations here, but for the moment, let’s get where we are going with the Disney World app!
To use the mobile app to make reservations, select the plus sign in the middle of the main task bar, then select “Check Dining Availability”. To use the browser page, go to the top navigation bar where you will find “Things to Do,” and then choose “Make Reservations.” Select your date, time and party size, and you’re off into the wonderful and deeply competitive world of Disney Word dining.
You can also set up your MagicBands prior to your arrival. Just head back to those three horizontal lines, then choose “My Profile,” followed by “MagicBands and Cards.” Then, select “Link a MagicBand or card.” Then just enter the ID code from the MagicBand and select which member of your party the MagicBand belongs to, and repeat if necessary.
Using My Disney Experience at Disney World
As useful and fun as the My Disney Experience app has been to this point, it really comes into its own once your Disney Trip begins in earnest, with options that include:
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- Mobile Order: Select the “plus” icon, then “Order Food”,then select the “View My Order” button at the bottom of the page and check out. Go to the restaurant, select “I’m Here” and pick up your food.
- Hotel check-in: You’ll receive a text notifying you that your room is ready, so you can bypass the front desk. Your app can even function as your room key!
- Maps: Select the “location” symbol on the main page taskbar. The app will show you a map based on your current location.
- Attraction wait times: Pulling up a map of a theme park will display the current estimated wait times for every attraction on the map. This is also excellent for between-trips daydreaming
- Lightning Lane Multi Pass: Dad’s Guide has detailed articles on cost and value of Lightning Lane. To manage your selections on the app, select the “plus” symbol from the main page, then select “view my Genie day and tip board”
- PhotoPass: Click the three horizontal lines in the bottom right corner and scroll down to the heading “Disney Photo Pass,” then select “photo gallery” to view your photos. Choose “Link Photos” to add photos from Photo Pass locations or from attraction cameras to your account.
