Navigating the My Disney Experience (MDE) Web Site and App

[bigAWL]

Look here for descriptions of the My Disney Experience Website and App, as well as reported problems, annoyances, tips, and updates. I'll do my best to keep up.

Newest Updates:

• As of 4/29/2013, both the iOS and Android (4/30/2013) apps have been updated to version 1.3.4.
  What's new: "The app is now faster and easier to use! Enjoy:
  - Quicker launch and navigation to Maps, My Plans and Park Hours;
  - Easier access to Here & Now so you can discover activities near you;
  - Streamlined Search in the Explore section;
  - Fixes that address claiming and sharing Resort reservations;
  - Additional fixes and performance improvements"
• With app version 1.3.4, the "FastPass+ Experience" heading under "My Reservations" -> "View All" that was added in version 1.3.2 has been removed. However, the same heading is still there under the next level, "View Past Items." This is not active, and appears to be a placeholder for future functionality.
• Multiple reports that dining reservations are available at 180 days, but not 180+10 even with a linked resort reservation. This thread appears to have an online workaround. Or calling to the WDW-DINE line should work.
• Added a little more detail about the "Here & Now" feature of the mobile app.
• As of 3/30/2013, Canadian users still do not have full access to the MDE website. Keaster posted this reply from "WDW Online Communications" concerning the problem.
• U.K. users should be able to access the MDE website by using this link: http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/plan/. GoofyGraham also reports that the website may not work well through the Firefox browser, and suggests that Internet Explorer may work better.
• As of 2/7/2013, the website has a new link "Purchase Tickets." There is also a new link here if you are within 60 days of your resort reservation: "Online Check-in Available." After you've checked in, this changes to "Modify Check-in."
• As of 1/24/2013, the "Link Existing Reservations" option on the website has changed to "Link Existing Reservations and Tickets." Unless you have a vacation package, there still does not appear to be a way to link tickets purchased separately from the room. Any one with a package able to link tickets? Please let us know.
• Added a link to the bottom of this post to a July 2012 article suggesting that MDE apps are also expected for Blackberry and Windows phones. No word on release dates.
• The feature for adding FastPass+ Experiences to your account is not yet active.

Website

At the top right corner of the main WDW website, there is now a My Disney Experience link that offers a drop down menu with the following options:

My Disney Experience: Brings you to the welcome page, a countdown of days until your vacation, and a summary of your daily schedule. There are various options here. Below is a list of some of those options and what they do.

• Find Things to Do: New webpage used to explore different Disney World experiences.
• Plan Your Visit: Same as My Itinerary: menu option. See below.
• Get the Mobile App: Same as Get the Mobile App:menu option. See below.
• Link Existing Reservations and Tickets: Allows you to search for an existing reservation using the confirmation number and link it to your MDE account. Unless you have a vacation package, there still does not appear to be a way to link tickets purchased separately from the room.
• Make Dining Reservations: New webpage for booking new dining reservations.
• Discover My Disney Experience Benefits: This is a one-page summary of what you can do with My Disney Experience, along with a "Get Started" link bringing you back to the MDE main page.
• Online Check-in Available: (only visible within 60 days of you resort reservation) Brings you to the online check-in pages for your resort. After you've checked in, this changes to "Modify Check-in."
• Purchase Tickets: Brings you to a new web page where you can order park tickets.
• My Plans: A summary of your currently scheduled and linked reservations.
• My Reservations: Same as My Reservations: menu option. See below.
• My Profile: Same as Profile: menu option. See below.

My Itinerary: Opens a daily view of your plans from where you can choose to Add Plans such as Resorts, Dining ADRs, Parks or Locations, Fireworks, Shows, Character meets, etc. that you plan to do that day. A small disclaimer says "This is not a reservation" so this doesn't seem to be a FP+ thing. It simply displays that event on your daily schedule. You may also add Notes that appear at the bottom of each day's My Itinerary page.
Annoyance: this defaults to a view of todays date instead of the first date of your vacation.
Tip: Click on the date at the top to select another day from the calendar.

My Reservations: A list of your Resort and Dining reservations, including confirmation numbers. Dining reservations include a link to Modify Guests, which brings you to a detail page of the ADR listing the primary guest who has control of the reservation and other guests who are members of the dining party. If this is a reservation that was made prior to or outside of the MDE website or app, then by default these are Unknown Guests, but you may assign members of your Friends and Family to the ADR.
Annoyance: Replacing an "Unknown" adult by assigning a child to the reservation does not change the adult/child count on the summary of the ADR. It continues to count each guest as an adult
Annoyance: When you view all your reservations, and select to view them for "My Family" instead of for an individual profile, it shows multiple copies for each ADR (one for each family member) instead of grouping them. For Example, instead of 5 ADRs for 6 people, it looks like you have 30 ADRs.
Annoyance: In order to assign any Friends and Family, you must fill all slots in the dining party. You cant leave some of them unknown.
Tip: If the other members of your party are not normally travelling with you, and they dont have their own MDE account, simply create dummy profiles for them in your Friends section.

My Wish List: Opens a list of your favorite attractions, resorts, restaurants, shows, etc., that you already added to your wish list while browsing (do this by tapping the little heart next to the description). These are synched with the My Wish List on the app.
Note:Resorts may be added to the webpage Wish List, but not by using the app. Resorts do not appear on the app Wish List display.

Disneys Photo Pass: Links to the official PhotoPass webpage outside of My Disney Experience

Annual Passholders: Links to the official Passholder Program website outside of My Disney Experience.

Get the Mobile App: Lists the basic features of the mobile app and provides links to Apple iTunes, Google Play, and Amazon Apps.

My Profile: Your main Profile page.

• About Me: Edit your Name, Profile Character, Birth Date, and Affiliations (including DVC and Annual Passholders)
  Unknown: it is unclear whether linking your AP affiliation here will have any effect on the Virtualization of the ticket portion of your AP.
• Family & Friends: Lists Family (those whom you identify as normally traveling with you) and Friends (other profiles linked to yours). See more about Family & Friends below.
• Payment Method: Allows you to manage credit cards linked to you account.
• Contact Information: Allows you to manage your e-mail, phone number, and address linked to the account.
• Account Settings: Allows you to manage your password, security questions and privacy settings.

More about Family & Friends:

• Invite: Send an e-mail to the person for whom you created the profile and invite them to create their own MDE account. Then they would be able to see and arrange plans for themselves, as well.
• Edit: For profiles that you manage, this allows you to change information such as Name, Age or Birthday, identify them as Family members by checking the box: "This person often travels with me," and you may also change the Profile Character. If you have allowed another account to make plans for this profile, those accounts will be listed here as well. The Edit Settings page also displays the number of Hotel Reservations and Dining Reservations currently assigned to this profile.
  Update: As of 1/19/2013, the profile pages for family members no longer displays the counters for Virtual Tickets or FastPass+ Reservations.
  Unknown: Currently, the Virtual Tickets and FP+ Experiences features of My Magic+ are not active and cannot be added. It is unclear when this will become active, and where these arrangements may be made when they do become active.
  Annoyance: The character options available for the profiles is somewhat limited and leaves out many very popular characters, such as Sleeping Beauty, Pinochio and Rapunzel.

iOS App
For iPhone (3GS, 4, 4S, 5), iPod Touch (gen 3, 4, 5), and iPad
Requires iOS 4.3 or later
Current version: 1.3.4

Update: As of 4/29/2013, the iOS app has been updated to version 1.3.4.
What's new: "The app is now faster and easier to use! Enjoy:
- Quicker launch and navigation to Maps, My Plans and Park Hours
- Easier access to Here & Now so you can discover activities near you
- Streamlined Search in the Explore section
- Fixes that address claiming and sharing Resort reservations
- Additional fixes and performance improvements"

Home: Main screen options include:

• Guide Map: Interactive map that can show your current location if you are within the WDW Resort.
• Times Guide: Select your park and see schedules for character meets and shows as well as wait times for attractions
• My Plans: shows your reservations for today
• Park Hours: Lists hours of operation
• Whats New: Lists more information about highlighted features
• Here & Now: Only available within WDW. Displays the attractions, restaurants and services nearest to you. This is sortable based on criteria such as proximity to your current location, length of expected wait times, or alphabetically. Lists are filterable based on various categories such as height-restricted attractions, attractions offering FP, attractions for all ages, etc. Attraction listings include wait times (matching the posted wait times at the attractions), and FP return times currently being offered. There is some distance data showing how far away an attraction is from your current location, but there is no directional data or turn-by-turn navigation offered.
  Annoyance: There is no filter that only shows attractions that you have identied as "Favorites." Such a filter would make it much easier to quickly find the wait times and FP return windows for the attractions you are most interested in without having to scroll through a full list of attractions.

Note:Depending on which version of the app you are using (i.e. iPhone, iPod, or iPad), some of the following features may only be found after tapping the "More" icon button.

Explore: Find out more information about Disney World parks, resorts, attractions, characters, dining, entertainment, guest services, recreation, and shopping.

My Plans: This is the mobile equivalent of My Itinerary from the web site.
Annoyance: this defaults to a view of todays date instead of the first date of your vacation.
Tip: Tap on the date at the top to select another day from the calendar.

Profile: Your main Profile page.

• About Me Edit your Name, Profile Character, and Birth Date
  Note: This screen does not include Affiliations like the corresponding website page does.
• Family & Friends: Lists other profiles linked to yours.
  Note: This screen is similar to Family & Friends from the website, but it does not display counts of reservations.
  Annoyance: For adults entered into the website as age 18+ (no birthday given), the age setting does not carry over here. Without and age, the Invite function will not work.
  Tip: Edit the profile on the app to enter an age of 18+ or a birth date.
• Contact Information: Allows you to manage your address and phone number.
  Annoyance: Addresses entered into the website do not carry over here. And why address is included but not e-mail is a mystery.
• Account Settings: Allows you to manage your password, security questions, but not privacy settings.

Park Hours: Same as Park Hours from Home screen above.

Dining: Make new dining reservations.

Notifications: Notifications about accepted invitations, etc., will appear here.

My Reservations: View your existing Hotel or Dining reservations. You may select which Family & Friends members you want to view. If you tap on "View Upcoming," you will see a list of all your upcoming reservations in one list.
Update: With the 1.3.2 update, the "View Upcoming" screen displays a heading at the bottom for "FastPass+ Experience." It is currently not active. But this appears to be a placeholder for listing your FP+ reservations in addition to resort and dining reservations.

Wish List: View attractions, resorts, restaurants, shows, etc., that you already added to your wish list while browsing descriptions throughout the app (do this by tapping the little heart next to the description). *These are synched with the My Wish List on the webpage.
Note:Resorts may be added to the webpage Wish List, but not by using the app. *Resorts only appear on the webpage Wish List, they do not appear on the app Wish List display.

Search: Search the app

Videos: Browse a selection of videos related to different areas of the WDW Resort.

Games: Find out which character is most like you, or solve a slider puzzle.

Android App
Requires Android 2.1 or later
Current version: 1.3.4

For general information about the app, see the iOS App section above.

Update: As of 4/30/2013, the Android app has been updated to version 1.3.4.
What's new: "The app is now faster and easier to use! Enjoy:
- Quicker launch and navigation to Maps, My Plans and Park Hours
- Easier access to Here & Now so you can discover activities near you
- Streamlined Search in the Explore section
- Fixes that address claiming and sharing Resort reservations
- Additional fixes and performance improvements"

Other App Versions

The article linked below suggests that the MDE app is also expected to be released for Blackberry and Windows phones, as well as a Disneyland version.
Link: My Disney Experience app to replace Mobile Magic as Disney parks official app

 

[tinkrebell]

I've had minor trouble trying to add in my own reservations on the app, but as they're not linked to a room reservation (our first time off-site, ever! :-( ), I don't know if it's just having trouble pulling them up. When I did link them individually, by using each confirmation number and my cell phone number, about half of them realized that they were *my* reservations, and the other half told me I couldn't add them because they belonged to that other person who shares my name! LOL

Either way, I've found that by powering through those little difficulties - adding them one at a time, whether or not they say I can - that I have all of mine on the mobile app now. The website still won't have them all show up all of the time, but as I'm using the app in the park and not my computer, that matters less to me!

 

[cheesemouse]

One observation about the App:
It gives me the option to add things to my schedule other than resort ressies and ADRs. I can add fireworks, parades and shows as well. It says "This is not a resevation" so this doesn't seem to be a FP+ thing. it simply displays that event on my daily schedule with the ADRs. But these options don't appear to be anywhere on the website version. And once added from the app, they do not seem to appear on my website schedule.

Exactly! I have this same situation! I am within the 60 day mark, and was hoping that once I reached that point that the parade "event" would then have the option of selecting FP+, but alas, that hasn't happened.

It is WEIRD that the app and the website aren't giving the same thing.

As for your other observations, I second all of it. Was able to link my room and dining reservations but they also list it as 5 adults, when really 3 are kids.

I have also done the on-line check in, hoping that other benefits of the MDE would appear, but none have.

I think it is a great idea to have a central spot to ask questions and share MDE problems.

 

[AppleSister1]

My reservations show up, but our room reservations are screwed up. My room is listed under my sister's name, and her room is listed under an additional profile with her name spelled a different way. I think it's probably fine but I'm going to call to make sure! Would be much easier if I could reassign the ressies to the right people but I can't figure out how to do that.

 

[Ladcassidy]

Would it be useful to have a place for people to ask and answer questions about the website and app as MyMagic+ comes online? People can check in here for the latest changes and updates to the site, and learn from others' experiences.

Here are a few of my observations of the website so far:


[*]I have a room only DVC villa booked for March. I'm still several days away from my 60-day ckeck-in time.
[*]I have been able to set up profiles for each of my family members.
[*]I've been able to link my dining reservations that I made prior to the roll out of the new website (this was a tedious task of copying and pasting each confirmation number one at a time to link each ADR one at a time - I wish they had a page where you could add multiple ADR confirmations at once.)
[*]I can list each family member as a guest for each ADR, but even though some of them are children, the summaty still indicates that all guests are adults.
[*]When I view all my reservations, and select to view them for "My Family" (alternatively you can choose to see the ones for each person individually), it shows multiple copies for each ADR (one for each family member) instead of grouping them. So instead of 5 ADRs for 5 people, it looks like I have 30 ADRs. Annoying.
[*]I have a couple ADRs when we made plans to meet up with another family. I made the ADR for 9 indtead of my family's 6 people. In order to assign my 6 family members to this ADR, I must also name the other guests. I wonder why?
[*]I don't see any way to "virtualize" my existing non-expiring tickets to this account or any indication as to how this might be done in the future.
[*]I don't see any way to select FP+ experiences or any indication as to how this might be done in the future.
[*]Another minor irritation... every time I go back to the reservations page, I get a "Please pardon our dust" pop-up asking me if I want to link any missing ADRs.


One observation about the App:
It gives me the option to add things to my schedule other than resort ressies and ADRs. I can add fireworks, parades and shows as well. It says "This is not a resevation" so this doesn't seem to be a FP+ thing. it simply displays that event on my daily schedule with the ADRs. But these options don't appear to be anywhere on the website version. And once added from the app, they do not seem to appear on my website schedule.

I've gone through the same steps with the same results. C'mon, Disney. Show me the magic.

 

[bigAWL]

My reservations show up, but our room reservations are screwed up. My room is listed under my sister's name, and her room is listed under an additional profile with her name spelled a different way. I think it's probably fine but I'm going to call to make sure! Would be much easier if I could reassign the ressies to the right people but I can't figure out how to do that.

Were your room ressies made recently, or before the changes to the website?

 

[Jennasis]

The problem I ran into was that first when I went and logged on it INSISTED on linking my reservation...from the trip I took last September. Strange. So I let it do that and then added my DVC room only reservation for this upcoming March. It seemed to have a real problem understanding that John Smith (my DH, as his name appeared on our September reservation last year and also on our dining reservations for this March) was the same human being as MR. John Smith as his name was on our reservation for our upcoming DVC stay.

The site is confusing, and unintuitive. I managed to get through it, but trying to picture my parents doing it? Not happening.

 

[Maddysdaddy]

Stupid question... Is the My Disney Experience webpage different from the My Disney Vacation link on the DW webpage? I have the MDE app on my iPhone, but am confused when I see people posting about the webpage.

 

[Lorilais_mommie]

Has any be able to link there room ressie to the app yet?
I was able to link it to the website, but can't find where to link it in the app on the ipad

I keep trying. Can someone tell how how to do it?

 

[BeccaG]

Interested in hearing everyone's experiences.

I have successfully "transferred" my reservations from the old site and linked my DVC reservations. I have even booked an additional ADR with the new site, although a few weeks ago I had to use the old site for it to recognize I was within my ADR window.

I have set up profiles for all 13 folks in my travel party. One of them is my sister's child. In order to allow my sister to mange her daughter's account, I had to set her as an adult and then send an invite to her email. No one I have invited to join the WDW My Experience site has registered yet (at least not to my knowledge)...interesting to see how the reservations show up on their account and how I become notified they are registered, if at all .

Also interested if I can link our BBB reservation to the days plan and if on the app I can select to see just my plan or all the plans and if they will be color coded (like a Google calendar)

Even if I set the site to "remember me" I am re-logging in every 6 clicks or so it seems!

 

[Ds4angels]

Are you supposed to be able to plan your day? Kind of like a touring plan? That would be awesome if that's the case. It finally came up on my android phone today

 

[JKDisney]

Anyone get this to work on a Xoom yet?

It does not show up in Google play when I search for it. If I go to the MDE website and click the 'Download mobile App" button it brings up the app in Google play with a note stating "Your device isn't compatible with this version."

 

[BeccaG]

Has any be able to link there room ressie to the app yet?
I was able to link it to the website, but can't find where to link it in the app on the ipad

I keep trying. Can someone tell how how to do it?

Are you using the most up to date version? There was an updated apple app a few weeks ago. When I sign into it on my husband's ipad, the reservation is there... But my android phone version doesn't even appear to have a place for reservations yet

 

[livingthedream]

Stupid question... Is the My Disney Experience webpage different from the My Disney Vacation link on the DW webpage? I have the MDE app on my iPhone, but am confused when I see people posting about the webpage.

I have seen several reports that Canadians are unable to see this section of the web site (yet?), or NEVER?

Anyone outside of the US experiencing the inability to see the My Disney Experience on the web site?

 

[AppleSister1]

Were your room ressies made recently, or before the changes to the website?

They were made 12/31 from the resort because they are bounce back. I was on the phone for 58 minutes on hold before I gave up. Currently, I've been on hold for 59:26. What a mess.

I'm pretty sure the actual ressies are fine since my sister and I each got emails with the right info on them confirming. But I want to add a night, make a payment, etc...and I can't do it online since my name online is not attached to the right ressie.

Sigh.

 

[AppleSister1]

I will say this...when I first called tonite (an hour ago) I got an actual person about 6 minutes in. I explained my dilemma, she said she had to transfer me, but she DID say the website is going through a huge upgrade and it's having some bumps. (Really? Who knew???)

 

[Mrs Grumpy]

I have the app on my android but there isn't a place that I can find to bring up our reservations. Everything is finally showing up on the webpage for me.

 

[Lorilais_mommie]

Are you using the most up to date version? There was an updated apple app a few weeks ago. When I sign into it on my husband's ipad, the reservation is there... But my android phone version doesn't even appear to have a place for reservations yet

Yup! Loaded it on Monday..

I can see it on the computer, but can not find anywhere to add it on the app...
I click link ressie, and it pops up, "please enter com. Number and phone number.."
But above that it only talks about dinning...

So I type in the numbers and it says unable to find ressies?!?
I know it's there, b/c I have it up on the computer, but not on the app..

The weirdest thing is that when I hit " my plans" go to my dates..
On the computer it has my room ressies and conf. Number,.
On the app... It's missing!!

 

[BeccaG]

Yup! Loaded it on Monday..

I can see it on the computer, but can not find anywhere to add it on the app...
I click link ressie, and it pops up, "please enter com. Number and phone number.."
But above that it only talks about dinning...

So I type in the numbers and it says unable to find ressies?!?
I know it's there, b/c I have it up on the computer, but not on the app..

The weirdest thing is that when I hit " my plans" go to my dates..
On the computer it has my room ressies and conf. Number,.
On the app... It's missing!!

OK, I can see the reservation on the computer too but not on the ipad...in fact I dont even see a place to look for room reservations on the ipad...where are you going? Maybe room reservations are not on the mobile version as a pseudo security measure?

 

[Kaylasmomma]

I too have been able to go in bring up my lodging RSVP

made profiles for the family

ok so on to dining.. it brought two up automatically when i added the lodging
then it asked me to link more I added the 4 more.. only TWO more will show up.. no matter how many times i keep refreshing or trying to link it up.. so frustrating.

I am hoping if this FP+ rolls out before our stay 3/1 that we can use it online
but for now it would be nice to just see all our dining