Moonlight Magic booking questions

[heathpack]

We are familiar with Moonlight Magic at Disneyland but not at WDW.

We will be at WDW in April when there’s an Epcot Moonlight Magic and in May when there’s a Typhoon Lagoon Moonlight Magic.

Questions:
1. Since we’re staying at a DVC resort for each visit, my understanding is that we get an earlier opportunity to obtain reservations. How do we learn when this earlier opportunity becomes available?
2. How likely is it that we’ll get a reservation as a result of the earlier opportunity?
3. Do we still get the earlier opportunity if we’re staying on an II exchange? (Our May stay is an exchange)
4. What info do we need on hand at the time we’re booking? Do we need anything info beyond “guest” for our guests?
5. In April the MM is on a Wednesday at Epcot. How will this impact Extended Evening Hours at Magic Kingdom (usually also on Wednesdays) that week?

Thanks.

H

 

[nomoretslt]

I’ll try to help. Are you a Blue Card member (either direct purchase or grandfathered in resale). MM is only extended to these members.
for your April trip, you have to be staying on points to get the early reservation opportunity. General registration is usually a week or 2 later. You have to name all of your guests on your DVC reservation by a certain date. If you have a studio that sleeps four, you can invite all four. Some studios sleep 5. Some one bedrooms sleep 4, some sleep 5.
you should log into the DVC member website and search for Moonlight Magic. They will list the rules and dates there. I’m not sure your other reservation will qualify for early registration, but probably general registration since you aren’t staying on points But you are a DVC member.
I will search my email for my invitation and try to cut and paste. They know when and where you are staying and will send you an email directly.

 

[heathpack]

I’ll try to help. Are you a Blue Card member (either direct purchase or grandfathered in resale). MM is only extended to these members.
for your April trip, you have to be staying on points to get the early reservation opportunity. General registration is usually a week or 2 later. You have to name all of your guests on your DVC reservation by a certain date. If you have a studio that sleeps four, you can invite all four. Some studios sleep 5. Some one bedrooms sleep 4, some sleep 5.
you should log into the DVC member website and search for Moonlight Magic. They will list the rules and dates there. I’m not sure your other reservation will qualify for early registration, but probably general registration since you aren’t staying on points But you are a DVC member.
I will search my email for my invitation and try to cut and paste. They know when and where you are staying and will send you an email directly.

We are grandfathered Blue Card members. We‘re staying on points in April. As regards the May stay, I found a Disboards post from 2023 that exchange stays are eligible for the early reservation opportunity but I don’t know if that’s still the case.

I can see Moonlight Magic dates on the website (of course I checked there, and also googled), but there’s no indication of when one can reserve, which is why I’m asking here.

What is the likelihood we’ll obtain a reservation to either event by virtue of the early reservation opportunity- if we’re in the queue right when the window opens, we’ll probably get it? 50% chance? 10% chance?

For example, based on experience with MM at Disneyland, I’d say if you’re in queue at the earliest opportunity, 90% chance you’ll get a reservation.

Maybe I just need to ask on the Dis.

 

[elaine]

I now have phone and laptop in the queue and at least one of them gets in. It's weird because, sometimes when I got a high number (right at opening) I have added phone 5 minutes later and gotten a lower number. You can add random names after the member on your DVC reservation--but it must be before the cut off date (which will be listed in the info page on DVC website). They only check member listed to pick up wrist bands (note-you can usually get bands at your resort or front gate).
We used to be able to enter park 3 hours before event begins. Don't know what 2025 will be, but if you get tickets, it will state in info. Early registration used to be less than the 31 day mark for cancelling that date's DVC reservations. The date will show on DVC website under moonlight info at least a week or two before. We are 3/3, but others who tried got shut out. Lots of info on disboards.com on the day of registration-how long of wait, who got shut out, etc.
Be sure to have your DVC reservation linked to your MDE account that is linked to your DVC account. You have to call DVC MS to get your DVC reservation #; it's not the RCI confirmation #.

 

[nomoretslt]

I did Animal Kingdom October 24. Early registration was September 19 and all guests had to be finalized by September 15. I just looked at the DVC site too…only dates are given….sorry about that. I’ve attended probably 7 MM. it is very competitive. I don’t know if the Disneyland registration is the same…. You click on the “enter queue“ and then get a countdown until registration opens. A trick I use….I will have a queue opened on my iPad, my computer, my laptop and my iPhone. The last time around I was number 100 in line on one device and my worst number was something like 8,500. I didn’t hear too many complaints about people getting shut out because there were 3 dates for AK, and also they were a surprise add on…they announced early September.
i remember in the past confusion about exchanges and also members on property but at regular resorts. You can call members services and ask also, but sometimes that’s a crapshoot….I’ve had really great people and some not so good.
sorry if I didn’t help at all.

 

[noreenkate]

We are grandfathered Blue Card members. We‘re staying on points in April. As regards the May stay, I found a Disboards post from 2023 that exchange stays are eligible for the early reservation opportunity but I don’t know if that’s still the case.

I can see Moonlight Magic dates on the website (of course I checked there, and also googled), but there’s no indication of when one can reserve, which is why I’m asking here.

What is the likelihood we’ll obtain a reservation to either event by virtue of the early reservation opportunity- if we’re in the queue right when the window opens, we’ll probably get it? 50% chance? 10% chance?

For example, based on experience with MM at Disneyland, I’d say if you’re in queue at the earliest opportunity, 90% chance you’ll get a reservation.

Maybe I just need to ask on the Dis.

Much closer to the date DVC will send an email - but keep an eye on social media ect I usually get the emails late.…
Make sure you have everyone is on your reservation as soon as possible - the exchange your gonna need to get the reservation from MS and make sure everyone is on it.
Personally I haven’t gotten in on an exchange- not that it’s not possible I just haven’t trie.
You should have a decent chance for moonlight magic if you jump on immediately- I usually set an alarm, for me it’s been 80% when I have early registration…just set an alarm and hope for the best

 

[nomoretslt]

Elaine and I posted at the same time. You can no longer get your wristbands at your resort. You must get them at the park. The member must also be present along with their guests. I don’t know where your are staying, but the last Epcot one I went to we were able to get our wristbands at the back gate (International Gateway …. You can walk there from Boardwalk and Beach Club or use skyliner from Riviera. You used to get a voucher for a counter service meal, but now you get 3 snack credits….which will work out good if Epcots Flower and Garden festival is going on….

 

[noreenkate]

You used to get a voucher for a counter service meal, but now you get 3 snack credits….which will work out good if Epcots Flower and Garden festival is going on….

The last one we went to at Epcot all the booths were closed. The one at Typhon lagoon they had mickey bars everywhere it was awesome

 

[heathpack]

During the EPCOT MM, we’re staying at BLT which we booked to avail ourselves of Magic Kingdom Extended Evening Hours. If that still happens on Wednesday night despite EPCOT MM also being on a Wed night, we’d probably be just as happy with being in the MK late and walking back to our resort vs being at the EPCOT MM.

The Typhoon Lagoon event seems pretty cool though, we’d like to do it.

 

[nomoretslt]

We went in early…..I can’t remember if it’s two hours or more they allow. The booths were still open but the vouchers were not good at all of them. They were listed in small print on the voucher. This was in January for Farts. Mickey bars too! And ice cream sandwiches and frozen fruit bars. I hope will be reopened by April.

 

[nomoretslt]

Extended MK evening hours is excellent! I believe the whole park was open. Not crowded. Walking back to BLT is such a great perk. BLT is undergoing a complete room refurb. You may get lucky and get a new room. We were there 2 nights first week of December and they were making great progress. We could see them unloading new furniture and cabinets. We will be there in May….hoping they will be done.

 

[DanCali]

We are familiar with Moonlight Magic at Disneyland but not at WDW.

We will be at WDW in April when there’s an Epcot Moonlight Magic and in May when there’s a Typhoon Lagoon Moonlight Magic.

Questions:
1. Since we’re staying at a DVC resort for each visit, my understanding is that we get an earlier opportunity to obtain reservations. How do we learn when this earlier opportunity becomes available?
2. How likely is it that we’ll get a reservation as a result of the earlier opportunity?
3. Do we still get the earlier opportunity if we’re staying on an II exchange? (Our May stay is an exchange)
4. What info do we need on hand at the time we’re booking? Do we need anything info beyond “guest” for our guests?
5. In April the MM is on a Wednesday at Epcot. How will this impact Extended Evening Hours at Magic Kingdom (usually also on Wednesdays) that week?

Thanks.

H

Here's my experience:

You are eligible for the early opportunity if you are staying on DVC points, but I don't believe an II exchange would qualify since they need to see a reservation associated with your DVC membership. We have 2 use years and at time of registration I need to enter the membership associated with the qualifying reservation. To qualify for MM, checkout days also count if they occur on the event day.

I've gotten in both with early and late (no hotel reservation) registrations. But the people who get in during the early registration are in the thousands while in the late registration it might be a few hundred.

At time of booking you will need your membership number and the number of guests (not names). Have the reservation number handy too, but I'm not sure it's required.