New Here! So many questions.

[YoJDew]

Hi Everybody!

Going to WDW 12/19/14-12/23/14. Staying on-property with husband and 3-year-old, meeting up with family members who are staying off-property. I'm using MDE but I'm finding it rather confusing and difficult to use. Here are my questions:

1) When adding plans to My Itinerary on MDE, it says the park hours for MK on 12/19 are 9-7 and 7-12. And I can't select any attractions after 7pm; they are all listed as closing at 6:30pm. Is the park going to close and reopen immediately? We are arriving in the afternoon and I was hoping to head straight to MK but if it closes at 7 we'll just go straight to Epcot.

2) There are no available times for the Welcome Show from end of October on. Do they just not post those times more than two weeks in advance, or are they not doing the Welcome Show anymore?

3) Is Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party worth the extra cost?

4) I saw on another thread that someone went online at 12:02am 60 days out to book FP+ for A&EM&G and didn't get them. Is that true?? What do you have to do to meet Anna & Elsa, go to actual Norway? Any suggestions on how to get these FPs? My 3-yr-old girl is an Elsa fanatic. OK OK fine... I am ALSO an Elsa fanatic. )

5) I understand that our family members who are staying off-property will not have access to EMH. Has anyone been in this situation before? What do you do, just ditch your family? Can you "loan" Magic Bands? So for example if my husband took the kid to bed could he give his band to my sister so we could hang out during EMH?

TIA and sorry for all the questions which probably have been addressed elsewhere... but I'm a bit overwhelmed with all this technology!!

 

[Dads 2 Boys]

Welcome and I hope I can help (as will many others).

1) This is most likely due to Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party on that night.
2) The welcome show at MK is done every morning....I've never seen times listed for it but it's still done each day.
3) Varying opinions. Seems it's 60% no and 40% yes regarding it's "worth".
4) This is accurate as it happened with my friends. My suggestion is be in MK during an evening extra magic hours night and be there late. My friends did this a few weeks ago, went over about 11pm and waited about 20 minutes. This might be very difficult with a 3 yr old but perhaps you can leave, have her take a nap and go to MK around 8-ish. I know from having 2 kids of my own this may not be feasible but...... Also, the Norway M&G isn't available.
5) I don't believe your plan will work but others may offer a differing opinion.

 

[wdwmagic]

Hi Everybody!

Going to WDW 12/19/14-12/23/14. Staying on-property with husband and 3-year-old, meeting up with family members who are staying off-property. I'm using MDE but I'm finding it rather confusing and difficult to use. Here are my questions:

1) When adding plans to My Itinerary on MDE, it says the park hours for MK on 12/19 are 9-7 and 7-12. And I can't select any attractions after 7pm; they are all listed as closing at 6:30pm. Is the park going to close and reopen immediately? We are arriving in the afternoon and I was hoping to head straight to MK but if it closes at 7 we'll just go straight to Epcot.

Welcome to WDWMAGIC!

The 7pm closing is due to http://www.wdwmagic.com/events/mickeys-very-merry-christmas-party.htm

From 7pm onwards a party ticket is required.

 

[YoJDew]

One more... Is it necessary to make a reservation at a Disney restaurant if you're just going for dessert? I would hate to take up an entire table just to have a dessert. Is there a better way?

 

[YoJDew]

Thank you, @Dads 2 Boys!
@wdwmagic Thank you, too! If I'm in the park after 7 without a ticket, will they kick me out?

 

[wdwmagic]

Thank you, @Dads 2 Boys!
@wdwmagic Thank you, too! If I'm in the park after 7 without a ticket, will they kick me out?

Yes unlike EMH, party nights are wristbands only. So they will be going person to person asking to see bands.

 

[wdwmagic]

One more... Is it necessary to make a reservation at a Disney restaurant if you're just going for dessert? I would hate to take up an entire table just to have a dessert. Is there a better way?

Yes you need a reservation, unless it is a location that does not get busy and you are OK with gambling it. With reservations, they don't differentiate between those looking for a full meal vs desserts. The only exception would be where there is bar seating, such as California Grill or Ragland Road. You could walk up there, take a seat at the bar (assuming space), and grab a dessert without taking up a table.

 

[CAPTAIN HOOK]

5) I understand that our family members who are staying off-property will not have access to EMH. Has anyone been in this situation before? What do you do, just ditch your family? Can you "loan" Magic Bands? So for example if my husband took the kid to bed could he give his band to my sister so we could hang out during EMH?

As there is no way of proving who owns which MagicBand then yes, you can swap an onsite guests band with an offsite (just make sure that your husband is happy to do this )

 

[DManRightHere]

One more... Is it necessary to make a reservation at a Disney restaurant if you're just going for dessert? I would hate to take up an entire table just to have a dessert. Is there a better way?

regarding EMH. If everyone is already in the park, you can pass along bands (we used the inlaws bands for FP's, I never met a cast member that cared about sharing, but we also didn't tell them). During EMH's everyone scans their band at the beginning of each attraction, and it gives you a green light to move into the attraction. Whoevers magic band it is, their name appears on a screen the cast member can see. This is the only information I think they see. I never actually see cast members look at the screen anyways, they just look for the green light. I think passing off magic bands will be ok.

 

[DisneyRoy]

The only thing with the Magic bands is if your husband gives your sister his magic band, then he has no room key to get back in his hotel room.

 

[DManRightHere]

One more... Is it necessary to make a reservation at a Disney restaurant if you're just going for dessert? I would hate to take up an entire table just to have a dessert. Is there a better way?

Just table service restaurants will require reservations. I've never really found any great desserts at a table service anyways. There are tons of great bakeries and such throughout the entire resort though.

If you really want a nice dessert, I would suggest the Magic Kingdom Fireworks Dessert Party (like $25 a person with a dessert buffet) or go to beaches and cream for ice cream (it is table service but I think a lot of people say stand by isn't usually to long).

 

[JillC LI]

4) I saw on another thread that someone went online at 12:02am 60 days out to book FP+ for A&EM&G and didn't get them. Is that true?? What do you have to do to meet Anna & Elsa, go to actual Norway? Any suggestions on how to get these FPs? My 3-yr-old girl is an Elsa fanatic. OK OK fine... I am ALSO an Elsa fanatic. )

My sister showed up before rope drop this past Friday without a FP for the Anna & Elsa M&G, and she and her husband were able to forge their way in with the crowds, carrying the kids against others pushing and shoving, and be about the 30th person on line to meet them. Took only 15 minutes to get to the front of the line. Then again, she was there during a less busy week than you will be there, so can't say for sure if that will work for you.

 

[YoJDew]

Thanks, everybody! I got some great tips from a cast member on the phone today about booking FP+ that I wanted to share. He suggested that we start with the last day of our trip and work backwards, as others with longer stays would have already grabbed a bunch of the available FPs when their windows opened up days earlier. He also said that if I don't see A&E as an option right away, book something else, then go back right away to Modify Experience and try it again.

Yay!