We’re making plans for a 2020 January 7 through January 16 trip from CA to WDW. We’ve already made the phone call and set up reservations for the Old Key West Villas. That seems to be the extent of what we can do now. It looks like park tickets for January 2020 aren’t available yet. And it seems to be too early for flight reservations, etc. So forgive some totally naive questions:
When do park tickets for the following year customarily become available?
Since I’ve already made the resort reservations and put down the deposit, should I still consider using a travel agent?
On My Disney Experience, I’ve already selected the colors of Magic Bands for each family member, and it shows that the band order “has been received.” Not sure what that means. Do I do anything else to actually have the bands shipped to me (as opposed to picking them up at check-in)? Will they be shipped when I finally order park tickets?
Thanks for any feedback. Planning the trip is a bit intimidating.
You came to the right place. I would still maybe go through a travel agent. They may be able to get you deals on room and tickets. If so you can cancel your current room and then link your new room to your MDE account.
I suspect tickets purchased directly through Disney will be available in the next month.
Magic bands you can just get with the resort reservation (you don’t actually have to have tix to get this magic band). Once tickets are linked to your account they will be linked to your magic band. Disney usually doesnt ship the bands until a couple weeks before your stay. You can also decline the resort magic band if you want to purchase your own - you’d just need to link them to your MDE
Thanks, I’ll keep checking… I touched base with a travel agent recommended in the Unofficial Guide, but he said to check back with him a little closer to our trip date.
I’m afraid as a CA Disneyland guy, I’m still wrapping my mind around Magic Bands. You can actually purchase Magic Bands (instead of just getting them as part of your ticket purchase or resort reservation?
Looks like no one answered your latest question. You can buy magic bands separately. People who do not stay at a Disney hotel can opt for this to have their tickets attached to the band. As a person who is staying, you do get the “cheapest” bands complimentary. You can also buy bands too. Some people used to do this to get “nicer” bands. But now Disney is letting you upgrade your complimentary bands to a “nicer” band for a small fee (the difference between the two prices I believe).
So I just realized that the answer to one of my questions (naive as it is) was unclear. On MDE, it shows magic bands assigned to every member of the party in the color selected. And it indicates “Your MagicBand order has been received,” and invites me to “review your order.” Is that it? Will the MagicBands be shipped?