~~**The Official January 2014 Group**~~

[Tinkerbellsmomma]

You sound just like us, arrive on January 18th and plan to upgrade to APs because we have three trips total booked for 2014. Does anyone know how that will work with the Magic Bands? I know when we had APs they were not tied to our KTTW.

Allears has an article http://land.allears.net/blogs/dnews/2013/12/new_characters_coming_disney_j.html
I am hoping for a soft opening/testing for our meal on January 19, 2014. I am also hoping for a soft opening for the Seven Dwarves Coaster. A girl can dream can't she?

Where are you staying? We will be at WL. Planning on going right to DTD to upgrade and buy TIW card too!

 

[Meriweather]

We have AP vouchers to turn in..........we have 3 trips planned (well, 4 for me ) and are exchanging them as soon as we arrive and also getting the TiW card.
We also arrive on the 18th (my birthday)

People have said the AP can be attached to the MB, but still get the actual ticket for discounts.

 

[Wood Nymph]

You sound just like us, arrive on January 18th and plan to upgrade to APs because we have three trips total booked for 2014. Does anyone know how that will work with the Magic Bands? I know when we had APs they were not tied to our KTTW.

We bought 6 day tickets for our last trip which we upgraded to Annual Passes. We didn't have any problems with the process. We didn't lose our fp+ reservations or have any trouble with the MB's working. The most important things are to use the park tickets at least once before upgrading so that the price bridges properly and to make sure that you have a CM that knows what they are doing. We stopped at guest services on our way out of Epcot one night because there wasn't anyone in line at that time. The CM knew exactly how to do it. We received the actual AP cards, too, which you need in order to get the discounts. I also knew how much it would cost to upgrade, so that when he told me the price I knew he had done it right.

The only thing I would have done differently is to do a little research on the annual pass discounts. It turned out that I could have saved 10% on a couple of our ADR's if I had known ahead of time which restaurants took the discount.

 

[mickeyplanner]

We are doing a split stay so we have two sets of MB for this trip. What happens when we add the AP to the first set of bands? Do I use the first set of MB for the remainder of our trip? Then what happens to the second set of MB with our FP+ on them?

I was wondering if our first set of MB become the bands we use for the entire year for all our trip?

We are also getting a TIW card. Our plan is...check in to BWV and then walk over to the International Gateway to upgrade our tickets and purchase TIW. Is this the way we should approach it?

We have AP vouchers to turn in..........we have 3 trips planned (well, 4 for me ) and are exchanging them as soon as we arrive and also getting the TiW card.
We also arrive on the 18th (my birthday)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!

People have said the AP can be attached to the MB, but still get the actual ticket for discounts.

We bought 6 day tickets for our last trip which we upgraded to Annual Passes. We didn't have any problems with the process. We didn't lose our fp+ reservations or have any trouble with the MB's working. The most important things are to use the park tickets at least once before upgrading so that the price bridges properly and to make sure that you have a CM that knows what they are doing. We stopped at guest services on our way out of Epcot one night because there wasn't anyone in line at that time. The CM knew exactly how to do it. We received the actual AP cards, too, which you need in order to get the discounts. I also knew how much it would cost to upgrade, so that when he told me the price I knew he had done it right.

The only thing I would have done differently is to do a little research on the annual pass discounts. It turned out that I could have saved 10% on a couple of our ADR's if I had known ahead of time which restaurants took the discount.

Should we go into Epcot and then upgrade to APs and purchase TIW? We have an ADR at Via Napoli for lunch that we wanted to use our TIW for.

 

[mickeyplanner]

Since we are getting close to our trip, I thought I would share my ADRs in case anyone else out there will be dining with us
January 18th-
12:45 Via Napoli (First Time)
6:50 Garden Grill

January 19th-
11:20 H&V
4:30 Sci Fi
8:10 Beaches & Cream (Kitchen Sink before MK EMH )

January 20th-
11:55 Akershaus
5:35 Coral Reef (First Time)

January 21st-
11:45 CRT
5:30 Chef Mickey's

January 22nd
7:30 Ohana
12:45 Liberty Tree
6:20 BOG (First Time)

January 23rd- We can't decide what we want to do this day
11:20 Plaza (First Time) or 12:30 Marrakesh (First Time)
5:00 Ohana or 6:20 Teppan Edo

January 24th-
8am Tusker House
5pm TRex

January 25th
11:30 Crystal Palace

 

[cjbcam]

Just got my luggage tags and pack in the mail yay !!!!! I just figured we were not getting any we leave in 22 days !!!! So can't wait to tell the kids contemplating telling my oldest because she got the mail and is now asking questions??

 

[jensen]

x

 

[cjbcam]

Are you waiting to tell them right before you leave? That's exciting! Or are you looking for advice on when to tell them?

I've done it both ways and here's my two cents... tell them now!

For us, half of the fun of a Disney vacation is planning. We always go in January about a month after Christmas, so we tell them at Christmas and then we spend the next month counting down and pouring over our plans.

This year it's even more exciting because we are planning out our fastpasses. We've already received our MagicBands and we are wearing them everyday.

I love sharing the anticipation with my kids...

Yeah we were going to wait till about a week before for the older two and the day of for the younger two. I know my oldest would keep the secret not so sure about the younger (of my oldest two). I don't want the teachers slipping and telling them (we are telling the teachers this week) so I'm hoping my DH will agree with me to tell them tomorrow. A Happy New Years gift. Lol I never was good at keeping secrets like this.

 

[stinkpickle]

Luggage tags showed up last Thursday, and the magic bands showed up yesterday. I can't wait to get out of this snow.

 

[songkat]

Magic bands came yesterday. 26 days for us.

 

[jensen]

x

 

[Tulles]

Got our luggage tags today! So excited all I have to do is pack. Won't get our magic bands until we check in on January 22nd. Tags are sitting with our vouchers, photo pass + and other info just waiting to go.

Happy New Years to everyone!

 

[MomofIndigo]

We are so excited! We leave in 25 days!

Last year we drove and took 2 days to get there. We stopped at a zoo (she was 3 and needed a break). So she thought we were headed back home and the zoo was her surprise. We told her to close her eyes right when we were approaching the gate. The look on her face was so priceless when she realized that we were at WDW.

This year we debated and debated about telling her early, possibly for Christmas but then Christmas came and she was WIRED. She would not settle or calm down. So we are going to surprise her again.

It will be her 1st plane ride. We will wake her up that morning and tell her where we are headed. cant wait!

 

[Wood Nymph]

We are doing a split stay so we have two sets of MB for this trip. What happens when we add the AP to the first set of bands? Do I use the first set of MB for the remainder of our trip? Then what happens to the second set of MB with our FP+ on them? I was wondering if our first set of MB become the bands we use for the entire year for all our trip? We are also getting a TIW card. Our plan is...check in to BWV and then walk over to the International Gateway to upgrade our tickets and purchase TIW. Is this the way we should approach it? Should we go into Epcot and then upgrade to APs and purchase TIW? We have an ADR at Via Napoli for lunch that we wanted to use our TIW for.

It doesn't matter which set of MB's you use. Both sets should work. All of the data is stored in a huge databank somewhere and there is a chip in the MagicBands that access the data. If you are buying annual passes then you can just get those and the TIW card at guest services at the International Gateway. Just walk into the park and walk right back out again. The park entrance and guest services are just a few feet away from each other.

 

[iheartbuffy]

Do you get luggage tags even if you aren't using DME? I know I won't get the dme tag but what about the other?
I only booked a week and a half ago and I was worried I didn't get anything yet....but it looks like there is hope since people are just getting theirs lol

 

[cjbcam]

Do you get luggage tags even if you aren't using DME? I know I won't get the dme tag but what about the other?
I only booked a week and a half ago and I was worried I didn't get anything yet....but it looks like there is hope since people are just getting theirs lol

We just got some today and we are not using DME

 

[iheartbuffy]

We just got some today and we are not using DME

Thanks! I hope I get it soon then.

I was also wondering if there is a Jan facebook group? The link on the first page is not working for me.

 

[TIMLEO007]

Raleigh

Same here we leave to wdw on the 20th! Flying this time with our southwest rewards points for the 8 of us

 

[ghtx]

Does anyone know what the timeline is for removal of the Castle holiday lights?

Last time we went, the crane was up our entire trip... so, I'm really hoping that we can get some castle pictures this year without the crane.

Your sig says your trip is in 3 weeks. In 3 weeks the holiday lights and decorations will be long gone. But, there is still construction of the Mine Train that may get in the way of some castle pictures.

 

[inkedupmomma]

Your sig says your trip is in 3 weeks. In 3 weeks the holiday lights and decorations will be long gone. But, there is still construction of the Mine Train that may get in the way of some castle pictures.

Crane was still up at end of January last year! We arrived 1/27/13 and a good portion of our pics have that stinking thing in it!

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