Editor’s Note: The My Disney Experience app’s functionality may have changed since this article was published. Merchandise Mobile Checkout may be working when you attempt to use it.
The My Disney Experience mobile app is currently experiencing significant issues that prevent guests from using select features.
Is the My Disney Experience App Facing Issues for Disney World Guests?
Merchandise Mobile Checkout at Walt Disney World is reportedly unavailable in the My Disney Experience app, disrupting a shopping option available at participating stores. The reported issue surfaced on October 27, but its current scope and restoration time remain unknown.
Inside The Magic reporter Emmanuel Detres confirmed the technical issue when opening the app, showing the official message from Walt Disney World. At this time, it seems to be only affecting Merchandise Mobile Checkout.
You can see a screenshot from the mobile app below, taken by Inside The Magic:
What the My Disney Experience Checkout Issue Means
According to reports, guests cannot complete merchandise purchases through the feature, although people inside the parks may be able to do so, while those outside cannot. That distinction has not been independently verified, and it should not be taken as proof that every participating shop or every guest is affected.
For shoppers, the practical consequence is straightforward: If mobile checkout isn’t working, ask a cast member where to pay at a regular register. The app’s merchandise feature is separate from food and beverage mobile ordering; a problem with one does not establish that the other is down.
Disney has not provided a cause or an estimated restoration time in the information supplied. The absence of a pop-up also isn’t proof that the feature has been fixed; the checkout process itself needs to be tested to confirm its status.
How Merchandise Mobile Checkout Normally Works
Disney’s official checkout instructions explain that guests select Merchandise Checkout in the app, choose a store and scan items as they shop. After paying, they show the resulting QR confirmation to a cast member at the designated checkout podium; Disney says a receipt is emailed.
The feature is available at select merchandise locations, rather than every shop. Disney says eligible discounts for annual passholders, Disney Vacation Club members, and Disney Visa cardmembers can apply automatically when applicable account and payment requirements are met.
Inside the Magic previously covered how shoppers use mobile checkout, including scanning items and showing a confirmation code before leaving. If a guest switches to a register, they can ask the cast member about any discount eligibility and required identification rather than assuming the app’s automatic process applies.
A Shopping Shortcut With a Longer History
Inside the Magic reported on the early rollout of mobile shopping in December 2020, when the feature was being tested at EPCOT’s Mouse Gear. That test doesn’t establish today’s affected locations.
The service later became part of the shopping experience at other locations. In 2025, for example, Inside the Magic reported that signs at Magic Kingdom’s Emporium encouraged mobile checkout during changes to the store’s checkout area. That report describes conditions at the time, not the current arrangement.
The appeal of the service is that shoppers can scan and pay using their own phones. When it is unavailable, that convenience may disappear, but the available information does not establish how long register lines are or whether stores have changed their staffing.
What Guests Should Know About Other App Features
My Disney Experience also supports functions beyond merchandise purchases. Disney’s vacation planning guide lists mobile food ordering, virtual queues, and Lightning Lane planning among its tools, alongside merchandise checkout. Their inclusion in the same app does not mean they share the same problem.
Some guests mentioned on social media that they were experiencing issues with other features on the mobile app, but at this time, those issues could have been remedied by Disney.
Guests who cannot see a wait time can check the posted information at the attraction or ask a cast member. Inside the Magic’s guide to managing Disney World wait times discusses using the app to monitor attraction waits; its general advice should not be read as confirmation of a current outage.
What Happens Next at Walt Disney World
For now, guests planning a purchase should check the app in-store and be prepared to pay at a register if needed. If a payment appears to have gone through but no confirmation is available, ask a cast member for help before attempting another purchase.
A previous Inside the Magic report examined a separate mobile ordering issue; it does not establish a connection to this checkout report. The common concern is practical: Visitors use the app to coordinate different parts of a day at the park, so knowing which feature is affected matters.
Before publication, check whether Disney’s notice is visible, whether purchases can be completed at participating stores, and whether the company has issued an update. Until those details are confirmed, the duration, cause, and full extent of the reported disruption remain unknown.
