Package tickets can be activated up to 10 days early at any Guest Relations Location.The only exception to this would be if you have a split stay that is room-only, followed by a package reservation (meaning your tickets are part of a room-and-ticket package for a stay that won't start until sometime after your arrival day). Visits are sometimes structured that way, to take advantage of room discounts or dining specials that are only valid for the latter part of a stay. If that was the case, you would have to go to your resort and have your tickets activated "early" -- up to 3 days before your checked in for the package part of your stay.
Another slight exception would be if you're coming from outside the US and don't have magic bands from a previous trip.
You could go to GS at the park and collect your hard ticket and go straight in.
If you do have old magic bands you can check they are still active in MDE; if so, they will be good to use and you can get your new ones later back at the resort.
On the other hand, in this case (coming from abroad) you're likely to have hand luggage to drop at bell services first, so you might as well just get the bands then.
I was just wondering about that. Does it make any sense to even do the online check-in when coming from abroad and needing to pick up your magic bands at the hotel reception anyways..??
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