Walt Disney World Archives

Quick Service Mobile Ordering from Your My Disney Experience App

Walt Disney World Quick Service dining locations now require mobile ordering on the My Disney Experience app or by using a QR Code. We wanted to provide you with step by step instructions as well as some useful tips.

First, make sure you have downloaded the My Disney Experience app and set up your account.

Step #1: Open the app, click the (+) at the bottom of the screen and then click “Reserve Dining”

You will want to have your phone setting to allow the app to use your current location. This will populate restaurant options that are close by.

Step #2: Select the restaurant time frame you want to pick up your food.

Step #3: You can click the “View Menu” for options and then order your food.

Step #4: Review your order or modify If you need to make changes.

Step #5: Click the “I’m here, Prepare my Order” so they will begin to prepare your food. Remember, your food is prepared fresh.

You will see this screen next. You should receive a notification on your phone letting you know the order is ready for pickup. However, we have found notifications are not always initiated.

Tip: We recommend you keep the app open so you can see when the order is ready or keep checking the status.

Step #6: Once your order is ready, see the cast member at the front of the food court. There is one entrance in the food court and one exit so you will have to follow the directions of the cast member and the arrows. This is for your safety.

Step #7: Look for the number on the floor that matches your pickup number. You will see a bag with your name and order information on it. Pick up your food and then move to the next counter for drinks (bottled water will be in your bag), napkins, condiments, and silverware.

We hope you found this beneficial and please let us know if you have any questions.

We would be honored to help you plan your next Magical Disney vacation. Email us at [email protected] for a complimentary quote!

Travel Day or Park Day?

Should we visit a Theme Park on the day we arrive and/or the day we travel home? It’s a question we are asked quite frequently. We understand you want to get the most of out of your money and your trip. So, do you hit the ground running or do you pace yourself?

I have found through both personal experience and listening to my client’s testimonials, unless you are local to Walt Disney World Resort or Universal Orlando, I would recommend declaring both your first and last days at the destination, a travel day.

To put it simply, travel days are hard at any age. In most circumstances, you have an early flight to catch. Then you have the hustle and bustle of getting through TSA and your flight to your destination. With family in tow you know that someone is bound to be hungry as well. What should the plan be when you finally arrive at your resort?

I find this is the best time to take a rest, then explore your resort and see all they have to offer. Take a swim in the pool to refresh and rejuvenate the tired eyes, grab a bite to eat at one of the restaurants on site to keep yourself and your family full and happy. Perhaps enjoy a movie under the stars to unwind and relax from your day of travel if your resort has that feature.

You can also choose to visit Disney Springs at Walt Disney World Resort or CityWalk at Universal Orlando. Both of these are shopping/dining districts where you do not need a ticket to visit. There are many entertainment venues built in as well that you can visit to keep the family happy.

Once your trip is over, most everyone in the family is exhausted. You will have walked what will seem like a million miles. You may just be looking forward to getting back home and seeing your family pet that you’ve had to leave behind. Some choose to make this last day a travel day so that they can slowly begin the “back to reality” routine.

However, there are many of you that still want to squeeze in those last-minute items that you either didn’t get to or would like to revisit. If you decide to make a go of it, please be sure you factor in the following things. Your transportation to the airport from your resort will pick you up anywhere between 2-3 hours before your flight home. Also, think of everything after you land at home, grabbing bags, getting home and settled.

In conclusion, you as a family have to decide what is right for you. Only you know your family and what they can handle. If you are rockstars and can keep going without skipping a beat – more power to you! If you’re the average family, like mine, I think leaving your travel days as such are the way to go!

Christine Ruszkay has over 3 + years specializing in all Disney destinations, Cruises, and Universal Orlando. Her joy of planning your vacation comes from her passion to help others experience the happiness and excitement while making memories on your AMAZING trip! Her concierge services offer insider tips and tricks, plus helping you maximize your time with your family to experience what matters most to you!

What You Need to Know about Walt Disney World’s Reopening

We stayed onsite for the reopening of the Walt Disney World theme parks. There are so many things we want to share with you. First, my walk down Main Street U.S. A. in Magic Kingdom was overwhelmingly emotional. The cast members clapped us in the park like a pep rally and shouted welcome back and welcome home. Being a part of this was truly Magical and heartfelt! If you want to view those videos, click here!

Here are the most important things we learned:

Face Masks are required in all areas of Walt Disney World, including the resorts. You can stop to eat or drink and remove your mask as long as you are social distancing. Find a spot away from everyone.
Before entering the theme parks, you must go through the temperature screening tents and have your temperature checked.
You can leave the park and come back in the same day. However, you will have to have your temperature checked each time you return. Remember, no park hopping is allowed at this time.
Security checkpoints are different. Currently, the only thing you place in the bins are umbrellas, metal drink containers, and aerosol cans. Everything else you keep on you and walk through the screening point.
You scan your Magicbands but you do NOT use the finger scanner anymore.
Check your park maps for “relaxation stations” in each park. These are mask free zones and are cool comfortable areas to take a break.
There are hand sanitizer dispensers throughout each park, plus at the entrance and exit of attractions and shows.
Be patient please. They must stop certain attractions and clean them. If you are waiting in line, this is a fast-thorough process. Remember, there are no FastPass+ for rides or attractions currently.
There is only one entrance and one exit at the food courts, attractions, and stores. Follow the flow for safety and physical distancing.
There are Disney PhotoPass photographers. You will have to wear your mask for photos. You will also not receive Memory Maker photos if you remove your mask during any ride.
You MUST use the My Disney Experience app to order food at quick service locations or use the QR code. I find the My Disney Experience app is easiest.
All restaurants, quick service locations, and snack kiosk are running on limited menus. Not all snack and quick service locations are open as well. We will have more on the dining situation in another blog post for you.

We hope this helps all of our great travelers! Let one of our travel designers plan your next Magical vacation! Get your quote here:

When should you book your Walt Disney World Vacation?

Have you ever been curious about how far in advance you should consider booking your Walt Disney World vacation with us? We suggest at least seven months before your vacation start date. Why? This gives you a better advantage for the best room category, dining reservations, and FastPass+ selections.

We suggest the following tips to help you decide on when you should book your next Magical vacation with Fairytales and Sunsets Travel.

We suggest you book at least seven months in advance.
When you book your Disney vacation in advance, you can book your dining reservations 180+ days in advance. This is a significant part of your vacation planning, especially if you are searching for character meals.
As a Disney onsite guest, you can book your FastPass reservations 60 days in advance before you ever leave home. This is crucial for those hard to get FastPass+ selections!
Layaway Plan! Yes, you can book your Walt Disney World vacation using the layaway plan! How? You can confirm your Disney reservation with us for a minimum down payment of $200.00 per room. You can make payments of any amount at anytime as long as you are paid in full at least 30 days in advance before your vacation start date.

We hope this helps you decide on when to book your next Magical vacation!

Contact us for a quote for your next Walt Disney World vacation and enjoy our complimentary concierge planning services. Simply click the “Ready to Discover Your Vacation Dreams?” below.

Rainy Day at Disney

One of the commonly asked questions when it comes to Disney is “What do you do when it rains at Disney?” The answer is quite simple, “you still go to the park!” Rain drives many people away from the parks, so this is a prime window for you, The Rain Warrior, to suit up and enjoy the short wait times.

This exact scenario happened to me and my family last December, only it wasn’t just rain, it was a Tornado warning!! Luckily, we were still at the resort and waited the warning out but it left us to think – what do we do? We put some bags over our socks, stuffed them in our sneakers (to keep our feet dry), put on our rain ponchos and made our way to Epcot.

Was it not the ideal weather conditions to be walking around outside? Of course not, but did it ruin our fun?

Nope!

Disney Vacations

As a Disney travel expert, I want to help you plan the most Magical experience for your family. Walt Disney World is among the most sought out destination among families of all time. There isn’t a time of year that is off limits to the Magic that Disney can offer. The busiest times of year are during the holiday periods, school breaks, summer breaks, and weekends year-round. The least crowded times are during the winter months. These are the best pricing months as well!

Did you know that Disney vacations are more than just Walt Disney World and Disney Land Theme Parks? Disney offers so much more!

Disney Cruise Line
- Caribbean
- Mediterranean
- Northern Europe
- Alaska
- London
- New York
- Southern California
- Barcelona
- Copenhagen
- Rome

Adventures by Disney
- Asia, Africa & Australia
- Central & South America
- Europe
- North America
- River Cruises

Resorts
- Aulani, A Disney Resort & Spa – Hawaii
- Disney’s Hilton Head Island Resort – South Carolina
- Disney’s Vero Beach Resort – Florida

There is one thing that is for sure, you won’t have a Disney vacation without it being Magical! If you are ready to book your next Disney adventure, call me. I am ready to help you create memories that will stay with your family for a lifetime!

Should You Experience Extra Magic Hours?

Should You Experience Extra Magic Hours?

Our clients often ask what are the Extra Magic Hours and should we use them on our next Walt Disney World vacation?

What are Extra Magic Hours? This perk is offered each day at one outof the four Walt Disney World theme parks. The park will either open one hour early or remains open up to two hours after the park’s regular scheduled closing time.

It is important to note that Magic Kingdom is typically only scheduled for the Early Extra Magic Hours at 8:00am on select days each week. However, Magic Kingdom and Disney’s Animal Kingdom are operating with 7:00 AM openings beginning on August 29^th through November 2^nd, 2019.

Who can experience the Extra Magic Hours? They are offered to clients that stay onsite at a Walt Disney World Resort hotel or some select Walt Disney World Hotels. There is no additional charge for this opportunity. You will have to use your Magic Band at the turnstile for early access into the park that is participating in the Extra Magic Hour for that day.

So now for the most asked question about this feature, should our family participate in Extra Magic Hours? Most onsite guests will use this wonderful perk, which can cause the park to be crowded on the same day. However, if you are park hopping, this is an excellent opportunity to ride a few rides and head to another one of the four theme parks at Walt Disney World. We also like the idea of the availability to enter the parks early in the morning while everyone else is still sleeping. Yes, other guests may sleep in so park openings are a huge bonus to ride your favorite rides.

The parks tend to get busier from 1:00pm and throughout the remainder of the day. Also, the evening Extra Magic Hours are great also because some guests will leave the park earlier than planned.

You will want to decide what fits your family’s vacation style. If you prefer to sleep in or cannot stay up late, this perk may not fit your family’s needs. You can also utilize the Extra Magic Hours on any one certain day of your vacation. We hope this helps you decide what works best for your vacation.

As always, we are here to help our clients with all of the fun planning so feel free to ask us at Fairytales and Sunsets Travel any questions about this onsite perk.

Extra, Extra Magic Hours News!

We are excited for the opening of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. We also realize the new land will be popular with large crowds. Disney has just announced they will offer Extra, Extra Magic Hours at Walt Disney World for three of their theme parks with specific dates and new times (Magic Kingdom, Disney’s Animal Kingdom, and Disney’s Hollywood Studios). This will include Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disney’s Hollywood Studios!

Here is what you can expect this Fall:

Disney’s Hollywood Studios — Each day beginning on September 1^st through November 2^nd, 2019, the park will have Extra, Extra Magic Hours from 6:00am to 9:00am. Yes, this includes Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, Toy Story Land attractions, and select other attractions. August 29^th through August 31^st, 2019, Disney’s Hollywood Studios will open at 6:00am for all guests. This means there will not be any Extra, Extra Magic Hours during this time.
Disney’s Animal Kingdom Each day beginning on August 29^th through November 2^nd, 2019, the park will have Extra, Extra Magic Hours from 7:00am to 8:00am. This will includePandora – The World of Avatar and other attractions throughout the park. You can experience the same attractions that are offered now with Extra Magic Hours.
Magic Kingdom Park Each day beginning on August 29^th through November 2^nd, 2019, the park will have Extra, Extra Magic Hours from 7:00am to 8:00am. You can experience the same attractions that are offered now with Extra Magic Hours. (Fantasyland and Tomorrowland).
Epcot will continue as normal with Extra Magic Hours on select days. There are no changes being made to Epcot’s Extra Magic Hours.

Please note these important requirements:

Requires a valid theme park admission and hotel identification.
If you want to visit more than one park in the same day, you must have the Park Hopper Option.
Times and offerings are subject to Walt Disney World schedule and attractions changes, without notice.

Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge and its experiences are subject to availability and capacity.

Our agency specializes in all Disney Destinations. We would love to help create Magical moments for your next Disney vacation.

When Should I Book My Walt Disney World Vacation?

When Should I Book My Walt Disney World Vacation?

Clients often ask how far in advance they should consider booking their Walt Disney World vacation with us. The answer is simple, sooner is better for the best room category, dining reservations, and FastPass+ selections.

We suggest the following tips to help you decide on when you should book your next Magical vacation with Fairytales and Sunsets Travel.

We suggest you book at least seven months in advance.
When you book your Disney vacation in advance, you can book your dining reservations 180+ days in advance. This is a significant part of your vacation planning, especially if you are searching for character meals.
All Disney onsite guests can book their FastPass reservations 60 days in advance before you ever leave home. This is crucial for those hard to get FastPass+ selections!
Layaway Plan! Yes, you can book your Walt Disney World vacation via layaway! You can book your Disney reservation with us for a minimum down payment per room of $200.00. You can make payments of any amount at any time as long as you are paid in full at least 30 days in advance.

We hope this helps you decide on when to book your next Magical vacation! Contact us for a quote for your next Walt Disney World vacation and enjoy our complimentary planning services.