2013/2014 Beach and Yacht FAQ, Fun & Friends ~ Aug, Sept, Oct, Nov, Dec & Jan ~

[Best Aunt]

Hi,

I looked into the photographers months before we went based on comments on UK and US forums. I looked at work, compared prices and thoughts of others. I went with Vicki and David Arndt after being very impressed with their work and follow-up conversations after i made initial contact. I booked with Vicki over e-mail and FB messages. We will get a CD of all the shots taken once they have had a chance to edit, plus sneek peeks online for us to see before we get the full CD

They took us all over the resort for a variety of different shot, they knew their way around which hepled as we didn't know the best spots. I had booked 2 hours for $300 but it was more like 2 1/2 hours. Not sure how many photos they took but it was a lot. I sure we got most if not all of the photos we asked for, I had provided them with a list of photos and groupings I wanted and an album of their work that I liked. Some shots they tried didn't work and the boys did not always co-operate but they worked around that.

We had a great time, I would recommend them and i haven't even seen the photos yet.

Interesting. Thanks.

 

[HubbDave]

Hope you are doing better NM!!!

I'm in Disney Depression mode right now

 

[HelenParr]

OK...Nannette...(and any others more in the know than me...read pretty much EVERYONE!)...regarding the MagicalBandAid-Thingamajigs...I have an AP EXCHANGE certificate purchased last year that I was planning on activating upon arrival this December. Apparently, it's not possible under the new MagicStuff. Am I up the creek without a FP+ linkable ticket? (at least until activated?)

On theme parks section, there is a thread that includes good explanation of how to do this. Many have been successful either entering the number on the back of the hard card exchange certificate, or scanning it. Also, some have called IT and been helped, a couple have been told by IT it can't be done...but that does not seem universally true. Good luck!!

 

[PNO4TE]

I have a question that I'm hoping y'all can help with. At CL can you get whole milk? I know they have skim, but my son can't have that it has to be whole milk. TIA

They seemed to regularly put out 2% last week. At breakfast, they also added skim as an option. I never saw whole milk out, but that doesn't mean they couldn't necessarily get for you. I never asked, so can't say for sure whether it's available.

Thank you. I will ask for sure. I hope they can help us out. It'll give him a chance to eat what he wants, cereal lol.

How about contacting IPO and asking them. Our younger DD is lactose intolerant and AKL IPO contacted the CL staff before we arrived and there was soy milk available for her during our stay. I would think that would be possible for every CL stay but I have to admit we have not stayed BC/YC CL with younger DD. At least worth a try!

 

[PNO4TE]

Call or email IPO and ask for it. My grandson has to have almond milk. We emailed them and asked if they could get it. They emailed us back and wanted to know how much we needed and said they would have it waiting for us when we arrive.

That was good customer service.

I should have kept reading!

 

[PNO4TE]

Lol! Glad I can help you out with all the Magic band stuff!! i think it's gonna be really very cool once all the kinks are worked out of it!! Also I just sent Buzzy an invite to MDE since we'll be hanging out in December to help plan the trip!! Magic Bands could be in Buzzy's future....



Not ignorance at all!! I wouldn't wait for them to contact you... I received September's Magic Bands and am already setting up for Oct/Nov Magic Bands this trip is at AKL CL... today I received a Fedex delivery.. inside was a formal letter from Disney telling me I've been chosen to participate in the Magic Band testing for Oct/Nov.

What I did was just go to MDE website signed in and linked all my information... credit card info, hotel reservation info and my AP. Then one day I would say it was about 75 days out I was able to customize the bands and confirm the mail to address and then this morning 60 days out I am able to chose fast passes and it says I have until 9/28 to choose. So if you really want them then you just have to keep checking your MDE site and if there is testing going on during that time. I will be visiting Disney the same time as you and I just added the resort reservation number, but Magic Bands aren't available yet, but says I can begin to make Fast Pass selections as of 9/18... so I'll keep checking! The December trip is a split SSR and then POP so who knows if they will even be available for those resorts.

Good Luck!! Ask if you have any questions and if I can help you I will

~N

OK...Nannette...(and any others more in the know than me...read pretty much EVERYONE!)...regarding the MagicalBandAid-Thingamajigs...I have an AP EXCHANGE certificate purchased last year that I was planning on activating upon arrival this December. Apparently, it's not possible under the new MagicStuff. Am I up the creek without a FP+ linkable ticket? (at least until activated?)

Try linking the certificate number as an old pass... I've heard that works and that's how you have to link the Undercover Tourist ticket, so maybe that will work for the certificate as well. No promises it will work!!

~N

And besides linking it as an old pass, I have read some people are calling IT support and they are figuring out a way to do it...

I, like Scott, have been reading along with interest. Our experience with MDE and the Magic Bands has not been as... hmmmm.... magical as Nannette's!

Between my DH and me our MDEs are so messed up it is not funny. Our 2 resort reservations are on both our pages, but he is arriving two days ahead of me according to MDE's countdown. Some of our ADRs show up and some do not. My AP and his UCT Hopper are linked on MY MDE but not his, and the Magic Bands became available under his MDE. I am not sure that even if we set up FP+ that they will be available to us when we finally get to WDW!

It has been hilarious to deal with. I had an hour and fifteen minute phone call with IT support on Thursday and they have fixed some of it. They are not certain they can fix the rest but told us not to worry. We have "hard" tickets and the reservation dates are correct so we should be fine.

I agree that you should call IT support if there are any problems. Those phone calls let them try to work out the kinks before our arrival and I was told by the outstanding CM I was talking to that they really appreciate the opportunity to do that.

 

[Wood Nymph]

I have a question for all you MagicBand experts. Do you have only one MDE account for your family, or do you and your spouse or other travel companion have separate MDE accounts? The reason I'm asking is because I am reading about problems that some people are having when they travel with other families. My husband and I each have our own MDE profiles and we have had no problems with the resort reservations and the dining reservations linking up automatically. As soon as I made them, they were already linked to each account.

What I am curious about is what happens when we try to make our FP+ reservations. Can one of us make the reservations for both of us?

 

[nannette]

I have a question for all you MagicBand experts. Do you have only one MDE account for your family, or do you and your spouse or other travel companion have separate MDE accounts? The reason I'm asking is because I am reading about problems that some people are having when they travel with other families. My husband and I each have our own MDE profiles and we have had no problems with the resort reservations and the dining reservations linking up automatically. As soon as I made them, they were already linked to each account.

What I am curious about is what happens when we try to make our FP+ reservations. Can one of us make the reservations for both of us?

I have 1 MDE account and have my husband listed there so I control his pass as well as his Magic Band. It never occurred to me for him to have his own account. It's just easier to manage everything on one account at least for me it is.

~N

 

[chamonix]

I have a question for all you MagicBand experts. Do you have only one MDE account for your family, or do you and your spouse or other travel companion have separate MDE accounts? The reason I'm asking is because I am reading about problems that some people are having when they travel with other families. My husband and I each have our own MDE profiles and we have had no problems with the resort reservations and the dining reservations linking up automatically. As soon as I made them, they were already linked to each account.

What I am curious about is what happens when we try to make our FP+ reservations. Can one of us make the reservations for both of us?

We traveled with another family and I was able to "control" their MDE accounts. This was before MB, but it works the same way...meaning if you have the ability to control their reservations, you will also have control of the FP+. However, to have "control" we had to do something to link us together--pretty sure the friend got an email asking her to give my app those privileges. It sounds like you and your husband probably already did that process if your accounts are already linked.

I think the only reason we had to do that step though was because we were staying in different rooms. I don't think you will have to do that if he already is in your room and in your MDE, and it all appears in his MDE too.

 

[pamkat1820]

We're back home after a great first stay at Yacht Club! It was so sad to leave today I'll write up a full report on a few days. My kids have already informed us we HAVE to stay at YC again next time because the pool is too awesome!

I feel the same way! I could never go back to a moderate let alone try anywhere else. We are already talking about next year! Lol

 

[chamonix]

We are super excited, just made reservations for a trip to the BC CL September 12-15! DD was dying to do the Villain Party at HS, so we decided to squeeze in a quick trip.

As you can see from my signature we often stay at the Poly, but we really really enjoyed our trip to the BC last time; and it was winter with a freakish super cold snap so we didn't even get to swim in SB! I'm really looking forward to that too!

Just thought I would post on this thread to say Hi and thanks for all the great information posted on here.

 

[PNO4TE]

I have a question for all you MagicBand experts. Do you have only one MDE account for your family, or do you and your spouse or other travel companion have separate MDE accounts? The reason I'm asking is because I am reading about problems that some people are having when they travel with other families. My husband and I each have our own MDE profiles and we have had no problems with the resort reservations and the dining reservations linking up automatically. As soon as I made them, they were already linked to each account.

What I am curious about is what happens when we try to make our FP+ reservations. Can one of us make the reservations for both of us?

I have 1 MDE account and have my husband listed there so I control his pass as well as his Magic Band. It never occurred to me for him to have his own account. It's just easier to manage everything on one account at least for me it is.

~N

I think this is probably true... unfortunately, our second reservation (at BC) was made by a CM friend with her discount and is my DH's name. MDE would not let me put that in my account initially but I bet that is a quirky thing they have fixed now.

 

[pamkat1820]

I have a question for all you MagicBand experts. Do you have only one MDE account for your family, or do you and your spouse or other travel companion have separate MDE accounts? The reason I'm asking is because I am reading about problems that some people are having when they travel with other families. My husband and I each have our own MDE profiles and we have had no problems with the resort reservations and the dining reservations linking up automatically. As soon as I made them, they were already linked to each account.

What I am curious about is what happens when we try to make our FP+ reservations. Can one of us make the reservations for both of us?

My mom was traveling with us she has her own account. What I did was "friend" her all her tickets where added to my account. (She had to first accept the request) I was able to make FP+ selections for all of us including her. If it doesn't work IT department can help add them to your account

 

[Tinkerbell's mama]

Call or email IPO and ask for it. My grandson has to have almond milk. We emailed them and asked if they could get it. They emailed us back and wanted to know how much we needed and said they would have it waiting for us when we arrive.

That was good customer service.

Thank you. I emailed them and they told me they currently have whole milk. So I guess if its not out I will ask for it. Thank you all for the help.
Jen

 

[Scott MC]

Lol! Glad I can help you out with all the Magic band stuff!! i think it's gonna be really very cool once all the kinks are worked out of it!! Also I just sent Buzzy an invite to MDE since we'll be hanging out in December to help plan the trip!! Magic Bands could be in Buzzy's future....

Not ignorance at all!! I wouldn't wait for them to contact you... I received September's Magic Bands and am already setting up for Oct/Nov Magic Bands this trip is at AKL CL... today I received a Fedex delivery.. inside was a formal letter from Disney telling me I've been chosen to participate in the Magic Band testing for Oct/Nov.

What I did was just go to MDE website signed in and linked all my information... credit card info, hotel reservation info and my AP. Then one day I would say it was about 75 days out I was able to customize the bands and confirm the mail to address and then this morning 60 days out I am able to chose fast passes and it says I have until 9/28 to choose. So if you really want them then you just have to keep checking your MDE site and if there is testing going on during that time. I will be visiting Disney the same time as you and I just added the resort reservation number, but Magic Bands aren't available yet, but says I can begin to make Fast Pass selections as of 9/18... so I'll keep checking! The December trip is a split SSR and then POP so who knows if they will even be available for those resorts.

Good Luck!! Ask if you have any questions and if I can help you I will

~N

Ahhhh. I've linked everything up, but I'm still 96 days out. Maybe I have to wait until the 75 day or 60 day mark. Hmmm....

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

 

[HBGdancermom]

We are super excited, just made reservations for a trip to the BC CL September 12-15! DD was dying to do the Villain Party at HS, so we decided to squeeze in a quick trip.

As you can see from my signature we often stay at the Poly, but we really really enjoyed our trip to the BC last time; and it was winter with a freakish super cold snap so we didn't even get to swim in SB! I'm really looking forward to that too!

Just thought I would post on this thread to say Hi and thanks for all the great information posted on here.

Awesome!!'

 

[Wood Nymph]

I want to thank everyone for the answers to my questions about the MDE accounts.

My mom was traveling with us she has her own account. What I did was "friend" her all her tickets where added to my account. (She had to first accept the request) I was able to make FP+ selections for all of us including her. If it doesn't work IT department can help add them to your account

This is what I am hoping will happen to us. It looks like my DH will be ordering his own MagicBand, since the option is listed in his profile. We'll see what happens when I try to buy tickets.

We are debating whether or not to buy annual passes. Our two trips are 5 months apart. Does anyone know if there is an advantage to having one of us getting the annual pass on our first trip and the other one waiting until the second trip to buy it?

 

[PrincessInOz]

I, like Scott, have been reading along with interest. Our experience with MDE and the Magic Bands has not been as... hmmmm.... magical as Nannette's!

Between my DH and me our MDEs are so messed up it is not funny. Our 2 resort reservations are on both our pages, but he is arriving two days ahead of me according to MDE's countdown. Some of our ADRs show up and some do not. My AP and his UCT Hopper are linked on MY MDE but not his, and the Magic Bands became available under his MDE. I am not sure that even if we set up FP+ that they will be available to us when we finally get to WDW!

It has been hilarious to deal with. I had an hour and fifteen minute phone call with IT support on Thursday and they have fixed some of it. They are not certain they can fix the rest but told us not to worry. We have "hard" tickets and the reservation dates are correct so we should be fine.

I agree that you should call IT support if there are any problems. Those phone calls let them try to work out the kinks before our arrival and I was told by the outstanding CM I was talking to that they really appreciate the opportunity to do that.

Wow! I hope it works out.

I have a question for all you MagicBand experts. Do you have only one MDE account for your family, or do you and your spouse or other travel companion have separate MDE accounts? The reason I'm asking is because I am reading about problems that some people are having when they travel with other families. My husband and I each have our own MDE profiles and we have had no problems with the resort reservations and the dining reservations linking up automatically. As soon as I made them, they were already linked to each account.

What I am curious about is what happens when we try to make our FP+ reservations. Can one of us make the reservations for both of us?

I have one MDE account under my name. I was thinking of getting DH to set up an account for himself so that he could change FP+ when we're at WDW; but now I'm not so sure. It might be easier to have one account....

 

[beebeeryan]

Wow! I hope it works out.

I have one MDE account under my name. I was thinking of getting DH to set up an account for himself so that he could change FP+ when we're at WDW; but now I'm not so sure. It might be easier to have one account....

I was scared having DH have an account would mess things up so I handled everything on mine. I'm the Disney planner and techie of the 2 of us anyways. It worked great.

 

[chamonix]

My mom was traveling with us she has her own account. What I did was "friend" her all her tickets where added to my account. (She had to first accept the request) I was able to make FP+ selections for all of us including her. If it doesn't work IT department can help add them to your account

Yes, that's the thing I was trying to explain. You just add other people and their accounts through a "friending" type process. They do have to have an account of their own, and have to accept the request. Seriously, it wasn't difficult at all and worked like a charm.