In 42 days, or 6 weeks, I’ll be flying off to Walt Disney World to run in the inaugural Walt Disney World 10K and the Walt Disney World Marathon! The past few days have featured fun things from Disney Parks and Resorts as well as runDisney to fuel the excitement for my first race-cation. I’ve really got to hand it to Disney. They truly know how to get you excited about a trip that is still more than a month away. On Saturday, I found this in the mail…

Now, I had seen a few other runners in the Team #runDisney Facebook group I’m in post that they had received them on Friday and Saturday as well. So, I was super excited when mine arrived. I opened the box to see what was inside…

Up first, the box within a box.

Here is what I saw inside this box. As you can see, in the box was a My Magic+ Flash Drive and my vacation details booklet.

This is a more fully fleshed out view of what was inside the package. As you can see, there is a card that tells me that I get to be among the testers of the My Magic+, a booklet with information about the Walt Disney World trip I’m about to take and the flash drive.

I must admit, I love that the booklet is personalized to my trip. Disney could have just as easily mass-produced this to just say “your” or “my” Incredible Vacation! However, they did take the time to personalize it. Nice touch. The booklet is truly put together to reflect my trip. They have information on the resort I will be staying at, as opposed to just generic resort information, as well as information about each theme park, water park, and Downtown Disney. In addition to that, they have information about the MagicBand that I will be receiving in the mail before I go.

I’ll actually be receiving a red MagicBand like the one in the picture. My wife will have a blue one. If you were curious about what the MagicBand is, here is some information…

The hub for this information is found on the My Disney Experience web site. From there, you can link your resort reservation, theme park tickets, dining reservations, create a favorites list for the attractions and shows you want to experience in the theme parks (and any other Disney experiences), all in one convenient place. There is an app for both the iPhone and Android smart phones that can be linked to your My Disney Experience account. One thing that I’m loving about this is the web site really is helpful in organizing your itinerary for your trip. The app is free to download so you can have all the information you need to stay organized for your trip. Before smart phones, on my honeymoon, I would have printed all this information out and had it with me in a backpack I carried around the parks. Now, on this trip, I won’t have to use as much paper!

The flash drive that comes in the package basically contains links to two web sites with videos to get you excited about the My Magic+ elements (MagicBand, FastPass+, etc.). Even though the drive will open up with two separate things to click on, you will find that links to both videos are seen on the web site you’re directed to on the first one. Actually, even when you click on the second link in the drive, it takes you to the exact same web page as the first link did. The first video is one you will have already seen. Disney sent me an email not very long ago to let me know I needed to order the MagicBand. In that email, there was a link to the same video that’s first up with this flash drive. If you’d like to see that video, click here.

Here is what my home page for the My Disney Experience looks like today. As you can see, it not only keeps track of one vacation, but links other Disney experiences as well. As I mentioned, on December 22nd, my wife, her two sisters and I will be going to Disneyland and California Adventure. We have our World of Color dining reservation at Ariel’s Grotto that night. So, that shows up here. However, you also see Tuesday, January 7, 2014 (when my trip to Walt Disney World begins). Also, you can see some of the things you can use this website to do…link existing reservations and park tickets, order your MagicBands, make FastPass+ selections, etc.

What is FastPass+?

I think that about explains it. Basically, the FastPass+ allows you to get up to 3 FastPasses per day before you go to the theme parks. As I’ve read various reviews around the internet, people seemed mixed on this. The downside to the FastPass+ is that you only get 3 FastPasses per day. In order to qualify for a FastPass+, you must have linked your theme park ticket/annual pass to the MagicBand for your trip. Since you’re doing that, you won’t have any paper ticket to put in a regular FastPass machine at the theme parks. So, there is no way of getting FastPasses outside of the three you’ve already selected. Depending on the theme park, this could be fine or it could be a negative. On the positive side, you won’t have to worry about showing up at rope drop in order to secure a FastPass for those attractions that sell out of FastPasses quickly. I’m personally happy about that for Toy Story Mania at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. I’ve already got a FastPass for that attraction. So, I’m really stoked about the FastPass+. To learn more about FastPass+, click here.

If you want to know how it was for folks who have already used the MagicBand and the FastPass+? Just today, Patty from Margaritas, Miles & the Mouse posted her review. You can read her opinions here. Also, Heather from Through Heather’s Looking Glass posted her review here. I’m sure that there are others who have reviewed either the MagicBand, the FastPass+, and/or the My Magic+ online. These are just two from bloggers I regularly read and thought they had fantastic information.

As if the package didn’t get me hyped enough, runDisney sent their latest checking on you email. There was nothing too new in the email. From what I remember of previous emails from runDisney, the only new item in the email was a link to the Virtual Goodie Bag. At the bottom of the email, they mention that the next email from them will be the one that has our bib numbers and links to print out the waivers for the races we are in! Yep! It’s getting oh so close. I can’t wait!

Have you used the MagicBand, FastPass+, and/or the My Magic+ web site? If so, what was your experience like? What was good? What didn’t you like? Anything I should know about them before leaving for Florida in January? Please let me know in the comments below.