FP+, Magic Bands, Memory Maker - My experience in BUSY JUNE!

[Stinasmom]

Ok, I went into this new Fast Plus + thing kicking and screaming a bit.
I was that person who would "run" to get FPs for everyone the old way...

But, with LOTS of learning, studying on these boards, listening to podcasts, and almost daily checking in and planning our every day...

We managed to have a VERY successful, fun, and "worth every penny" experience at WDW during the busy --just out of school-- third week of June.

What did I do?

Set up My Disney Experience in advance. Make sure all people in your party are there... we had Me (mom), DH, DS13, DD17 and her DBF18. Made sure even the boyfriend showed up on my account.

When we got our tickets in the mail (ordered from this site's recommended seller), I entered the ticket number from the back to associate a ticket (which, BTW, really is more of a credit card type item) with each person.
This included Typhoon Lagoon tickets for the teens.

I also preordered Memory Maker for our group. This was automatically associated with all on my account.

We stayed offsite, so at 30 days out I began selecting our 3 FP+s.
This means you need to decide which park you are going to be in on which day. We did not park hop.

These selections needs thought. For example --
Day one- we "rope dropped" Expedition Everest so we could use our FP+ on three other attractions.
Day two - We "rope dropped" Toy Story MWM - again so we used the 3 FP+ on other attractions
Day three we "rope dropped" Test Track and got FP for Sorin'
etc.

Advice:
1) We did "rope drop" 7 Dwarves Mine Train but it was still almost 25 min by the time we and our 500 closest friends got back there... Maybe FP this one and "rope drop" BTTR?

2) Star Tours does NOT need a FP in the early morning

3) Make your three FP for the morning hours so you can then get another by early afternoon (and another once you've used that... and so on, and so on)

4) Magic Bands! Do It! Even if off site... We had so much fun with these...



They worked everytime to get into the park, to get into the Fast Pass line, and the WEIRD thing that I still am confused by, when we went on rides that had photos... they automatically were added to our Memory Maker account!

Speaking of Memory Maker - Do it!
We found photo pass photographers often with short or no lines at the best locations. They can also to the "Magic" photos like this one:



After I got home, I was able to add boarders and stickers.

If anyone has any questions, please ask!
I am sure there is lots I am forgetting to mention.
All in all, we had a really great time, saw and did most everything we wanted, and were quite happy with how FP+ worked for us.

P.S. One other way to make things go smoothly: Take 3 cooperative teens!
They were up and ready to go in the mornings trusting that my plan would result in lots of fun, and frankly, the best use of our $$$$$$$$!

 

[MommaPeel]

Sounds like you had a good plan and figured out the system!

Makes me wonder if my brother won't be able to use my memory maker, he has his own account but is linked to mine.

 

[kastoney]

Thanks for the insights. Glad everything worked out so well for you.

 

[OB1]

Great info. Thanks for sharing.

 

[BudgieMama]

Lovely to hear such a positive report

We have bought MM for our first trip (just me and my husband), and I'm looking forward to having photos of the two of us on holiday! (Every holiday we've been on, the people we've given our camera to take photos with have been awful!) I love the Magic Shots!

 

[Jennasis]

Good to hear another positive review...gives me hope! I am contemplating buying Memory Maker for our trip in September, but it's DH and I traveling with another couple who are listed on MY MDE account (as if they were our kids). If I purchase MM, will I be able to link it to the four of us so any of us can have our band scanned by the photographer for the picture or will only MY band be the active one? I;d like us to be able to split up occasionally and as this is the other couple's first trip, I am positive they want some pics of just them.

 

[CyndyDan3girls]

Sounds like you had a good plan and figured out the system!

Makes me wonder if my brother won't be able to use my memory maker, he has his own account but is linked to mine.

Cassie - your brother should be fine and you should be able to see each others' pictures. We were there in June with another family - they booked their own tickets, had a different kind of ticket, etc., and we were only linked on MDE as "Friends". All of hers showed up on mine and mine on hers.

Good luck!!

 

[CyndyDan3girls]

Good to hear another positive review...gives me hope! I am contemplating buying Memory Maker for our trip in September, but it's DH and I traveling with another couple who are listed on MY MDE account (as if they were our kids). If I purchase MM, will I be able to link it to the four of us so any of us can have our band scanned by the photographer for the picture or will only MY band be the active one? I;d like us to be able to split up occasionally and as this is the other couple's first trip, I am positive they want some pics of just them.

Following up on the post I did to answer Cassie - you shouldn't have any problem. The other family we were with were there a day earlier than us and we were linked in MDE so I got all of her photos as well as mine. There were times we were not together and anyone in our party could have their bands scanned. Going into this, I was so worried that I'd have to be there for every photo but that wasn't the case. It worked for anyone in our party! Have fun.

 

[Jennasis]

Yay! Thanks!

 

[dreamit]

Thank you for sharing! I'm happy you had a successful trip!

 

[marialexus35]

Thanks for the info. I am also the one who ran to get fast passes in the parks while everyone else hit the first attraction. We are also considering the memory maker. Can you download all the pictures into your computer to keep after you got home?

 

[CocosMeme]

Did you find it easy to book the additional FP's after using the 1st 3?

 

[JJsmama]

Great review, glad you had a great trip. Can you name a few good spots for photopass photographers which you wouldn't have expected/ or were particularly good backgrounds? For instance, your background in a dinoland is great and I wouldn't have even looked for a photographer there.

 

[lizzyb]

Thanks for sharing!

 

[Stinasmom]

about the use of Memory Maker:

Any of our Magic Bands could be used by the Photographers to put pictures on our MM account. There were times when the kids went on a ride without us (Tower of Terror -- not my kind of ride!) and their ride photo automatically loaded to my account.

Also, the pictures they had taken while at Typhoon Lagoon (we weren't even there) also were on my account without any trouble.

Getting the 4th FP was easier than I expected --
You do need to go to the kiosk area, so know where they are in each park.
Magic Kingdom's is across from Buzz Lightyear and was NOT convenient one time when we needed to make an ADR, so missed out. There is also one over by Pirates?

The one at Epcot is central to Future World, I was able to go there and get a 4th for Malestrom for an almost immediate time... enough to walk to it and ride.

We did get an evening one for 7DMT but that was in late morning, then they were not available.

Once we got one for BTTR and it went down when we were close, so they gave us traditional paper FP that were good for any "thrill" ride. We used them on Space Mtn.

I guess the skinny on getting that 4th FP is to know where to go, (The Cast Members are very helpful once you get there), don't wait to late into the day for the big headliners- some will be very limited or run out.

Also -enjoy the park during the times between your FP appointments. Even if you stack your 1st three, they are in 1 hour time blocks, so you will have time between.

 

[Stinasmom]

Great review, glad you had a great trip. Can you name a few good spots for photopass photographers which you wouldn't have expected/ or were particularly good backgrounds? For instance, your background in a dinoland is great and I wouldn't have even looked for a photographer there.

The Dinoland picture was a queue... we waited for a bit to get that one while Pluto and Goofy had to take breaks as it was quite hot out.

The Photographers are already stationed at the good spots and tend not to roam. There may be a couple families waiting, but it's usually worth the wait!

One more MM answer:
YES, you download the pictures from your account into your iPhoto or similar application and can then do whatever you want... I uploaded to snapfish and printed them out for an album.

But - if you want to add borders and stickers, do that before downloading.
Also - we were able to access the pictures each day from our smart phones by just getting onto My Disney Experience account.

 

[MaryKatesMom]

Really excited about MM. Added it for our trips.

How was rope drop? That's where we felt we lost out.

Glad you had a great trip!

 

[trara1375]

Our vacation is planned for next spring and I'm curious about the Magic Bands...my first question is what kind of cost is there for these for off site guests? Secondly, my DH has Pooh Sized wrists...are they large enough to accommodate and be comfortable for that? He has trouble with almost all disposable wrist bands (paper/sticky glue).

 

[jimjenkids]

The Dinoland picture was a queue... we waited for a bit to get that one while Pluto and Goofy had to take breaks as it was quite hot out.

The Photographers are already stationed at the good spots and tend not to roam. There may be a couple families waiting, but it's usually worth the wait!

One more MM answer:
YES, you download the pictures from your account into your iPhoto or similar application and can then do whatever you want... I uploaded to snapfish and printed them out for an album.

But - if you want to add borders and stickers, do that before downloading.
Also - we were able to access the pictures each day from our smart phones by just getting onto My Disney Experience account.

thanks for all the info and ideas. I have been a bit overwhelmed by all the "new" this trip, and I realize this will most likely be one of our last trips with all our kids I still feel a bit lost with the whole downloading of pictures as I finally figured out the best ways to do it last trip. we have our favorite spots for pictures both from the Disney photo people but also ourselves-shows how they have changed-even try to pose them in the same positions!

the FP+ still has me confused, but hope to figure it out before our Dec trip. I will definitely be watching and reading up so I can make some decisions before we can make ours. tried to convince the DH to do the Illuminations dessert Party, but he isn't convinced-then again it took me snatching up the DDP for free for him to say yes that is a bit easier than carrying cash and cards and budgeting for all the meals.

 

[Stinasmom]

Really excited about MM. Added it for our trips.

How was rope drop? That's where we felt we lost out.

Well, I decided it was the best way to hit that one extra attraction so as to use the 3 FP+ selections for the longer wait attractions.

It was busy, no doubt. We'd get there 30-40min before opening (in the line, not just into the parking lot), and wait with everyone else. But the number of people waiting with you quickly dispurses into the park once it opens.

The exception to this was MK getting to 7DMT since it is SO new, everyone headed there. It was still worth it (to be early and wait outside the park) because the stand by line was 90 min within 30 min and only got longer.
Of course, this is a good use of FP, but with so many other things at MK, one had to give!

Also, watch the lines, sometimes when the Cast Members start letting people in, they can work their right and left side, creating two lines where people thought there was just one. There are two "mickey heads" on each side so conceivably 4 people can scan at the same time at each Cast Member.

Our vacation is planned for next spring and I'm curious about the Magic Bands...my first question is what kind of cost is there for these for off site guests? Secondly, my DH has Pooh Sized wrists...are they large enough to accommodate and be comfortable for that? He has trouble with almost all disposable wrist bands (paper/sticky glue).

We paid $12.95 each for the MB. Got them at Downtown Disney the night before so we could be ready to hit it the next morning. It was very worth it to us. There was a certain "power" associated with how well they work!

It was surprising how few people had them... I would actually estimate 2%!
Yes, only TWO percent. I am sure that will change as people start figuring it out.

As for size - I just measured the inner circumference of one at the loosest setting and would say that if your DH's wrist is more than 8 1/2 inches around, he wouldn't be able to wear it. Guess it's one of those "one size fits most" things. Maybe they've come up with extensions?