Confused re WDW Magic Bands, fast passes etc etc!

[Astrid]

Hi Guys

Well, I've been to Orlando and all the Parks on numerous occasions but not for 4 years and things have changed so much I am mighty confused so hope someone can help me out?!

My Best Friend and I are going for one week next month, staying at the Hard Rock in Universal. Our Universal tickets are all bought and sorted.

However, we would also like to visit Disney for one or two days - park hopping so we get to see all our favourite bits. So, I've now found out the cheapest place to buy the tickets will be direct through Disney using the worldwide option on the US site.

Next problem is I have no clue re. Magic Bands, MDE, booking fast passes before we go etc etc etc. Disney don't half make it complicated these days!

So, can anyone help me out please. Once I've bought our tickets what should we do - if anything? There are a few things we'd really like to see/go on but looks to me like everything now gets all booked up with fastpasses months in advance so doing what you want to do is difficult unless you're super organised?

Help me please! I know nothing!

Thank you

[Guest]

fast pass booking open 30 days out for offsite guests so you stand same chance as others if you have your tickets by then. You need to link your tickets to your "My disney experience" account (online is better as the app can be funny for putting tickets on)
The 30 days before each of your days visiting the fast pass optiion will open up at 12 midday (may be 11am if US clocks have gone forward by then until UK clocks change)
If you want magic bands you would need to buy them out there and link them

[Divy]

Unless you buy them separately then you won't have to worry about Magic Bands, as you'll just get a credit card style park ticket to gain entrance to the park.

My Disney Experience is easy to set up on the WDW website and once you've done that, you are able to link your park tickets using the ticket numbers that will be on you confirmation email (or the tickets themselves if you've already been sent them). Once that's all done, you'll be able to book three fast passes for however many days you have park tickets for.

Once you've used them on the day, further fast passes will open one at a time after each use to continue to make fastpasses throughout the day for whichever rides are left. The further FPs after the first three aren't restricted to the park you're at, so you could have 3 at MK in the morning and then book another at a different park once the last one is used up (although the headliners are likely to be gone day-of).

If there's specific things in one park you want do then rope dropping those first and then using the fast passes to start a couple of hours later is a good way of making most of the FPs when park hopping.

[Nimbus]

Have a look at the DIBB Guidebook pages regarding fastpasses, magicbands, and the like...

Disney's MyMagic+

MagicBands

Fastpass+

Fastpass FAQs

If you're only visiting for 1 or 2 days and not staying in a Disney hotel, then I wouldn't worry too much about MagicBands. Instead, I'd just use the plastic tickets you'll pick up from the ticket desks.

Regarding Fastpasses, you first have to create a Disney account and then link your tickets (or create a Disney account, log in, and then buy your tickets from Disney website - it'll link the tickets automatically).

You can still book fastpasses on the day or the day beforehand. It's only the popular rides that get all booked up. You may find it difficult to book fastpasses for the Pandora rides or the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, but you'll still be able to book most of the rides (and something is better than nothing).

[Astrid]

Many thanks for all of the replies. I've set up a MDE account and have now linked it to my tickets and managed to pre-book an evening meal which I've also linked. I'll look at fastpasses once we're at the 30 day window.

Thanks Guys