11 Best My Disney Experience Tips and Tricks for Your Disney World Vacation

Getting ready to visit Walt Disney World and looking forward to making the most of its app, My Disney Experience? Or maybe you just want to know the ins and outs of the app? Either way, I’ve got you covered. From dining to resorts to photos, here are the 11 best My Disney Experience tips and hacks. 

1. Order Quick Service Meals
2. Find Your Favorite Character
3. Current Ride and Attraction Wait Times
4. Memory Maker Purchases and Viewing
5. Unlock Your Resort Room Door
6. Bus Wait Times
7. Play Disney Parks
8. Add or Update Fastpass+ Reservations
9. Add Dining Reservations
10. Buy Official Merchandise
11. Early Resort Check In

I love the timelessness of Walt Disney World, but I also love it when something new lands in my hands, literally. And while My Disney Experience (MDE), WDW’s official app, has been around for a few years, its updates are pretty frequent. I love its ability to do so many things that make vacationing in the parks a breeze, too. Of course, learning about the app through a My Disney Experience user guide you should never discount, but I know I’m always in a time crunch and want to know the highlights. 

Make sure you’ve downloaded the MDE app and created an account – then get ready to know the best My Disney Experience app tips below. 

Know how to use MagicBands? Here are five things NOT to do with Disney MagicBands. 

1. Order Quick Service Meals Via Mobile Ordering

Mobile ordering via the My Disney Experience is at the top of my list for good reason. Once you’ve linked your theme park ticks or Disney World Annual Pass you’ll be able to use Quick Service mobile ordering if you have a linked credit card or Disney Dining Plan. Mobile ordering comes in very handy when park attendance is high or during peak dining times.

Personally, I like to use it even when crowd levels are low. If I’m waiting in an attraction queue, it’s super easy to browse the menus, lock down what I want to eat, and order ahead of time. Don’t worry about having to eat cold food, either: make sure to let the app know that you’ve arrived to the restaurant. It will wait until you confirm before your meal is made. 

How to Access Mobile Ordering on My Disney Experience: My Plans – Order Food

or

Three hash lines (AKA the hamburger) at bottom of home screen – Mobile Food Orders

For reference, here’s a list of the best Quick Service Restaurants at Disney World straight from the experts. 

2. Find Your Favorite Character

Sometimes WDW throws a wrench into the mix and changes up where its character meet and greet locations are. So, instead of wandering aimlessly around the park, you can find where each character is meeting. Here’s how:

Home – Click on partial map at top – Wait Times drop down arrow – Characters – Filters – Choose Park (s) – click apply

3. Current Ride and Attraction Wait Times

Remember the days of running across the park to hop on a ride, only to realize the wait time had skyrocketed? No more for me, thank you. This feature comes in very handy when you’re in between Fastpass+ selections. By filtering your results, you’ll also be able to choose rides based on age, thrill factor, height, interest, and physical considerations.

Check the MDE app for current wait times this way: 

Home – Click on partial map at top – Wait Times drop down arrow – attractions – filters – Choose Park – click apply

Looking for the best Fastpass for Magic kingdom (and the other three parks)? Here’s my guide to Best Fastpasses at each park in Walt Disney World.

4. Memory Maker Purchases and Viewing

Years ago, we all had to jump on a computer to check out our Disney trip photos. These days, the MDE app has almost-instant viewing privileges. If you didn’t purchase Memory Maker, you can also do it in the app, too. Tip: If you’re planning on purchasing Memory Maker, make sure you do at least three days in advance. You’ll save some cash. 

How to view Memory Maker photos in the My Disney Experience app: Home – Scroll down to my photos – See All Photos

To Purchase Memory Maker in the My Disney Experience app: Home – Scroll down to My Photos – Buy Memory Maker 

5. Unlock Your Resort Room Door

This feature just rolled out last year and, for me, it has come in handy. You’ll have to set up access in the My Disney Experience app, but that’s very easy to do.

Once setup is complete, here’s how to unlock your resort room door: Home – Unlock Door -Hold phone against door lock 

6. Bus Wait Times

Yet another useful app feature. While I have been known to ask a Castmember, it’s just as easy to hop into the app and look for myself. 

How to access resort bus wait times on My Disney Experience: Home – Resort Reservation – Next Bus Times

7. Play Disney Parks App

Play Disney Parks is a fun app for making the most of your time while waiting in line. In addition to playing games, going on specific rides lets you gain achievements. Once you meet certain qualifications, you can purchase a special Disney pin. 

While you can’t actually play the app in MDE, you can access it if you’re already in it.

How to access Play Disney on My Disney Experience app: Home – three solid lines at bottom (hamburger) – Play Disney Parks 

8. Add or Update Fastpass+ Reservations

Some days I schedule my Fastpass+ selections at 60 days out, especially when I want to lock down a popular ride. Other days, I let my family wing it and wait until we hit the park to decide. Yes, there are in-park FP+ kiosks, but it’s easy to do it via the My Disney Experience app, too. 

To Add  FastPasses with My Disney Experience app: Home – My Plans – FastPass+ 

To Change FastPasses in My Disney Experience app: Home – Scroll to FASTPASS+Click on blue arrow at right – click on FP+ selection you want to change

9. Make or Change Advanced Dining Reservations

Some folks wait until the last minute to cancel popular dining reservations, so it’s always a good idea to keep checking the MDE app. We’ve grabbed last-minute Be Our Guest and ‘Ohana reservations this way, no kidding. You can also secure advanced dining reservations at 180 days out from your visit, so keep that in mind. 

Here’s how to make new dining reservations in My Disney Experience app: Home – My Plans – Reserve Dining – Click dark circle at bottom to filter locations.

Tip: Make sure you have a credit card on file ahead of time. You’ll need it to hold the reservation. 

10. Buy Official Merchandise

LOVE this! Sometimes, even at home, I like to buy official Disney Parks merchandise. Or maybe I didn’t pull the trigger on purchasing something when I saw it and then changed my mind. Or maybe I’m looking for a particular item at one park but need to know where it is in another park. Bingo! MDE can hunt it down for you. 

Here’s how to access Shop Disney on the My Disney Experience app: Home – three lines at bottom (hamburger) – Shop Merchandise – Search

11. Early Resort Check-In

Lastly, you can check in to your on-property WDW Resort early. With early check-in you can request things like floor level and section, time of arrival, and text messages when your room is ready. 

Here’s how to make an early Disney World Resort check in via My Disney Experience app: Home – Scroll down to Resort Reservation – Start Check In

What’s your favorite tip for using My Disney Experience app? Leave me a comment and let me know!