10 things I learned on my recent trip - PREP 412

We traveled to Walt Disney World over Memorial Day weekend. Here are 10 things we learned on this trip.

In this article

1. You can now connect your MagicBand to your room in My Disney Experience

If you have multiple MagicBands or have a split stay, sometimes your Magic Band will not automatically connect to your room. In the past, you would have to go to the front desk to connect your Magic Band to your room.

Now you can go to the resort section of your My Disney Experience and connect your current Magic Band with your room.

2. Dreams that Soar Drone show is worth it

The first few days were chaotic but Disney figured out how to manage the crowds and the show is completely worth it.

By the 3rd night of the show, the senior cast members had a plan and organized the crowds. It is very well managed.

If you want to avoid the crowds and skip Disney Springs, you can watch it from Saratoga Springs but the words will be in reverse and the music will be quieter. You can do this by walking from Disney Springs.

3. Shiki Sai is not worth it

Being a sushi fan and enjoying Japanese food, this was a big disappointment. The presentation and quality was subpar. The Miso soup was very bland and the sushi was not good.

The food was bland and had small portions.

4. You can take drinks in Frozen Sing Along now

You were previously not allow to take drinks into indoor theaters, but now you can take drinks into the Frozen Sing Along theater. This is a wonderful addition.

5. H20 Glow is still worth it

The tickets are about the same price as going to the water park during the day, but you don’t have to worry about sunscreen and there are great perks!

Shannon and Jennifer at H2O Glow Nights with Phineas

There are character meets, a DJ with a dance party, glow sticks, and certain included snacks. This includes Mickey Bars, popcorn, and unlimited fountain drinks.

It was more crowded than in previous years, but most of the wait times were reasonable and there wasn’t a problem finding chairs.

6. 1900 Park Fare is fun, but expensive and loud

This is one of the last things to come back since the closure. The whole experience is centered around the characters being wish-makers and a wish ceremony. The character interactions were wonderful.

The characters for this restaurant are Tiana, Aladdin, Mirabel, and Cinderella. They are wonderful and less random than the previous characters.

The price is high and the restaurant can be very loud during peak times.

7. Talking Dug is adorable

Talking or interactive characters can always be an interesting experience. Talking Dug is very cute and is roaming at Discovery Island.

The entrance where characters come in and out is near Flame Tree Barbecue. You can wait there to see when they come and go.

The technology of how Dug talks is also very interesting. It’s a unique experience at Animal Kingdom

8. Page to Stage is amazing but unnecessary

This is a wonderful VIP experience but not necessary if you are going to see Drawn to Life. We do recommend seeing it but because of the theater, even the least expensive seats are good.

We did enjoy this experience, but it is very expensive and not necessary at all. The whole experience is very VIP from start to finish.

We were able to meet actors, had a back stage tour, and were able to ask questions about the show.

9. Online check-in room request usually not enough

While we do recommend online check-in, we do not recommend simply making room requests in this way. When you do online check-in you can select a few options for room requests.

However, the choices offered don’t necessarily have anything to do with your room. There are no longer options to be near transportation in the drop down menu.

The chat feature on the website or app is a great way to make a room request.

10. Traveling during summer and holidays still favors planners

People that travel during the summer are often first timers and do not plan as much as planners. For example, mobile ordering is often not busy at all.

First timers do not know the things that planners know. Even if it is busy, you will often be better off because you are planning.

Day 1

This is Shannon’s first trip in 3 months to Walt Disney World. It’s hot and crowded, but great to be back. She left Dallas around 5 a.m. and had an easy flight.

She was the first person to be at baggage claim and her bag was the first one to come out. She got some lunch and waited for her room to be ready at Pop Century.

Prior to this trip, Shannon made park reservations for Magic Kingdom because of the anticipation that Tiana’s would be opening. All other park reservations were booked for today, so Magic Kingdom was the place to be.

She did some shopping and got a drink before going to Fronteerland to see the parade.

Shannon and Jenny have H20 Glow Nights tonight. This was the first time attending in 2 years. It is much more busy than previously. The tickets are about the same price as a day pass, but you don’t need to worry about the sun.

They met characters, got drinks and snacks, and had fun.

Day 2

Shannon and Jenny had a 9:30 a.m. 1900 Park Fare reservation. This was the first time visiting since it reopened. It was good experience, but it was an expensive breakfast.

The dining room was very loud at the beginning of their meal. There was a full dining room and it was loud. After breakfast they went to the Magic Kingdom for a few hours.

Then they did the VIP package for the Drawn to Life. They had 4 p.m. tickets with the Page to Stage packages. They had a voucher for a drink and snack. With this, you don’t even need to wait in the regular concession lines.

The preshow begins prior to the show and it is very exciting to see. The VIP section is at the front and after the show they were able to meet some of the performers. They went on a tour to the backstage and that was very interesting.

The VIP package also includes a 20% off in the gift shop. This was a really great experience.

Then they went to Summer House on the Lake. It was very crowded and they ended up getting seats at the bar. It was very good.

The first drone show at Disney Springs was canceled and the crowds thinned out a bit. They ended up near the Aerophile Balloon to see the show. It happened and it was incredible.

They were on the right side to catch their bus right back to Pop Century after the show.

Day 3

After sleeping in, they went to Nomad Lounge at Animal Kingdom in hopes to catch talking Dug. They had an easy time getting into Nomad Lounge, thankfully.

The characters come in and out near Flame Tree Barbeque so they were able to see some walking characters entering and exiting in that area. They were able to see talking Dug.

After leaving Animal Kingdom, they went to Epcot. They went to Shiki-Sai: Sushi Izakaya and while the atmosphere was calm and relaxing, the food was not good.

They checked out the Annual Passholder lounge. Everyone who goes in needs to be an annual passholder. It is open from noon-8pm until June 18th. There are restrooms, charging stations with lockers, and snacks.

This is located in the Morocco pavilion in the previous Restaurant Marrakesh. From there, they went to the Patron meet-up in a lounge in the Beach Club.

From there, they were able to see Luminus from the Skyliner on their way back to Pop Century around 9 p.m.

Day 4

They didn’t have any plans today so they opted to go to Hollywood Studios. They hoped to catch the extended preview of Inside Out 2.

Shannon posted on Instagram asking what they should do while they are there. This is a fun way to try out new things and do some random things.

They did see the 10 minute preview of Inside Out 2 and it was really cute. Crowds are fairly moderate today. They had an early lunch at ABC Commissary and by noon it got crowded.

They went to Toy Story Land and then saw the Frozen Sing-along. They were able to bring a beer into the show. This used to not be allowed, but now it is, which is fun.

It was so hot and they hopped on the skyliner and went to the pool bar at the Riviera. They really liked Bar Riva. Shannon says this is the best pool bar in all of Disney World. Dinner, drinks, and dessert were all incredible.

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