Changes made since 2012

[AJ Springfield]

My family and I will be going back to the World in June -- our last trip was 2012!!! I have a couple random questions and although I have looked at this and other sites since booking the resort, I can't find the answer to these specific questions. I would appreciate your knowledge if you have a moment! Thanks!!!!

1. I have chosen colors for the Magic Bands and have linked them with our resort and dining reservations. My questions- are the bands mailed to my home address or are they at the resort at check in?

2. I have booked lunch at Be Our Guest and I read that I can pre order our meals... my question is when and how??

3. I would like to try a restaurant at Disney's Boardwalk. Can I take the monorail to Epcot and then take a bus to the Boardwalk??

4. This is the first time I have purchased park hopper tickets. Do you have any advice on how to use them to get the most for my money.

I am floored by the multitude of changes in just 4 years--- even the refillable mugs are different!!

Thanks again!

[KiNg4aDaY]

I will try to answer what I can for you since I am planning a trip right now as well.

1. According to a call I had yesterday with Disney, the magic bands are mailed out to you approx 30 days before your trip.

2. I would assume call the disney dining number? (407)WDW-DINE

3. It is possible to do that...but if you walk back into world showcase there is another park entrance and you can take the friendship boat to boardwalk. This MIGHT be slower...but its a neat boat ride if you have never done that.

4. Park hoppers are great if you use them intelligently. The biggest advice I have is don't plan to be in 3 or 4 parks in the same day. You are going to spend half your day travelling. Try to stick to parks that are close by... MK to Epcot, epcot to studios..studios to AK or vice versa. The biggest issue with park hopping is making the most of your time. I would personally NEVER go to WDW without the park hopper.

[ibelieveindisneymagic]

Yea! The countdown to a new trip is really on!

Great questions! My answers and thoughts are below:

1. As long as you live in the US, the bands will be mailed to you. Otherwise (like for us Canadians), they will be waiting for you at check-in.

2. Yes, pre-ordering can be a great way to make BOG a quick check-in (unless you're like me, and get stuck in a line behind a woman having some MAJOR issues with her order). I'm not sure if it 60-days or 30-days in advance, but when it is time, you'll see the "pre-order" link become active next to your ADR in your MDE account. Click on it, and make your selections.

3. No, I don't believe that there is a bus from the Boardwalk to the front of Epcot. You can take the monorail and then walk over to the Boardwalk (via the "back entrance", the International Gateway) or take a Friendship Boat. (unless the boat is RIGHT there, walking will be must faster).

4. We love the park hoppers. We use them to eat where we want (usually Epcot) while spending the day in a different park. One good way to use them is to start at the park that has EMH, and then hop over to a less busy park later in the day.

(and don't worry about the refillable mugs, they are super-easy, although you have to put the mug on down on the "spot" for it to read the RF chip and fill the drink.)

[sorcerer fan]

and the mugs can be used at
ALL the resorts not just your own!

[Fangorn]

For number 3: Looks like you're staying at the Poly. Taking the Monorail to Epcot and then walking through to the International Gateway, is a long hike. There is no bus from Epcot to any of the Epcot Resorts. It might just be simpler to take the Monorail to MK and catch a bus to Boardwalk from there. Or, you could take the bus from the Poly to Studios and then catch the boat or walk to Boardwalk from there. That walk is a bit shorter than the one through Epcot.

Steve

[faline]

I think most of your questions have been covered. There is no bus from Epcot to Boardwalk. If you want to bus to Boardwalk, you'll need to travel first to either Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom or Downtown Studios and bus from there. Since you'll have a park hopper (and as long as you plan to go to a park on the same day as you go to Boardwalk), you can monorail to Epcot, enter Epcot (so you will use a ticket entry to do this) and walk to the International Gateway located between United Kingdom and France in World Showcase, exit at this location and Boardwalk is just a short walk away, or as someone mentioned, you can take the boat from the International Gateway location.

[Imalismom]

1. I have chosen colors for the Magic Bands and have linked them with our resort and dining reservations. My questions- are the bands mailed to my home address or are they at the resort at check in?

Last time I got mine, they were mailed about 30 prior to me checking in at my resort

2. I have booked lunch at Be Our Guest and I read that I can pre order our meals... my question is when and how??

The window for pre-ordering meals using My Disney Experience will open 30 days prior to the reservation date.

3. I would like to try a restaurant at Disney's Boardwalk. Can I take the monorail to Epcot and then take a bus to the Boardwalk??

Since you have park hopper tickets, I would just walk through Epcot to the back entrance and you are almost right there. It all depends on if you want to walk or ride a bus

4. This is the first time I have purchased park hopper tickets. Do you have any advice on how to use them to get the most for my money.

I usually start at the park with the extra magic hours, and when the crowds start, I park hop to a different park of my choice

[LVT]

Mugs are not good at waterparks yet. I would love that.