You have your trip booked and you are heading to the Walt Disney World Resort! Now what? There are many moving parts as you plan a Disney vacation. We share some things that you can do to prepare for your Walt Disney World vacation.

You may know about dining reservations and the importance of booking ahead of time. However, did you know that there are things you can practice before you arrive too? Doing this will save you time once you are in the parks and will ease any stress too.

My Disney Experience Mobile App

The My Disney Experience app is a must for your Walt Disney World vacation. Make sure that you have it downloaded prior to arrival. You should also have your park tickets or vacation package linked. There is so much that you can do using this app.

From ordering food to looking at your Disney PhotoPass photos, it will truly be a lifeline throughout your vacation! Check out our list of what you can do with the My Disney Experience mobile app:

• Review your daily plans and future plans
• Complete online check-in at your resort
• Unlock your resort door
• View and link your Disney PhotoPass photos
• Access MagicMobile
• Access virtual queue
• Check wait times
• View show times and park hours
• Use Disney Genie+ & purchase Individual Lightning Lane selections
• Mobile ordering at Quick Service restaurants
• Check Walk-up Availability at Table Service restaurants

Before you arrive, make sure that you are signed in and explore the app. There are several different tabs that you can navigate. On the main page, you will find park hours and show times too. It’s important to become familiar with it because it will save you time once you arrive in Orlando.

Mobile Ordering

There are many quick-service restaurants at the Walt Disney World Resort and most of them offer mobile ordering. Mobile ordering will save you so much time on your vacation! Many of the restaurants get quite busy so it’s very convenient to be able to grab your food and go!

It’s easy to practice mobile ordering before you arrive too! Simply sign into the mobile app and press the “+” at the bottom of the screen.

Then, tap the “Order Food” option.

You will be prompted to select the restaurant and arrival time. You can scroll through the menu and select items. Once you are on site, you can proceed with completing your order. The last screen that you see will be prompting you to press the button to prepare your order.

Joining the Virtual Queue

A virtual queue for the newest attractions at the Disney Parks prevents long lines and gives guests more flexibility in their day. However, the queue is often in very high demand and spots go quickly! Therefore, it’s important to be familiar with how to find and join these queues when the time comes.

Right now, there is a virtual queue for Guardians of the Galaxy – Cosmic Rewind. It is one of only two ways to experience this attraction. The other is to purchase an Individual Lightning Lane return time.

You can practice joining the queue to become familiar with the process. You will not be able to take a spot unless you have a ticket and park pass reservation for that day. In addition, check out all the details about this process here.

Knowing what to do will hopefully help you secure a coveted spot on the day of your visit.

Check Wait Times

One of the things you may be wondering as you prepare for your vacation is what the crowds and wait times will be like. Luckily, you can check this right from home using the mobile app.

To do this, click on the map pin icon at the bottom of your screen. Then, you can filter by the park and even view a list by clicking on “Show List” in the top left corner.

Disney Genie+ Service

The Disney Genie Service launched in October 2021 and has a few different components to it. The Disney Genie+ is the optional paid service that allows guests access to shorter wait times for many attractions.

Since it is relatively new and there is a learning curve, it’s especially important to get familiar with how it works and where to find it in the My Disney Experience mobile app. Checking out the mobile app and working with a travel advisor are two great ways to ensure that you are ready to master the Genie when you are on vacation! Plus, we have a guide with all the details of this service, as well as tips to use it!

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Are you considering a trip? This is a great time to plan your perfect vacation! Having a travel advisor means someone there to have your back in any occurrence. There is no additional cost to you and you have peace of mind knowing that your vacation is in good hands. Click here for a free, no-obligation quote for your next trip.