Guest Test of Magic Bands (Official Notice)

[whatsarahsaid]

It's too funny being in FP line and using our bands. Everyone looks at us like you have some VIP package or something! Lol! ;-)

 

[d1gitman]

...My Disney Exp app works awesome in the parks and has been a great on the spot planning tool!

this is encouraging

 

[mom2aandj]

Whew...it is H-O-T out! Lol! Back at our room at AKL for some much needed air conditioning!! On our way to our room a CM asked us to participate in a 5 minute survey about our experience so far. While we were taking THAT survey we were invited to take part in a focus group tomorrow afternoon for which we'll get a $100 Disney gift card! Sweet!!

Thanks so much for the detailed updates! Really curious to hear what kinds of things are discussed in the focus group.

 

[whatsarahsaid]

They said they wanted the good, bad and ugly!! Lol! I'll let you know if I get more details out of the experience!

 

[ddrasmus1]

I am at disney right now and have seen a lot of magicbands being used. A few interesting things that I noticed:
-at Be Our Guest, you could select to use your magic band instead of a magic rose
-they have installed fastpass plus kiosks at tower of terror

 

[racinjunkie]

I am at disney right now and have seen a lot of magicbands being used. A few interesting things that I noticed:
-at Be Our Guest, you could select to use your magic band instead of a magic rose
-they have installed fastpass plus kiosks at tower of terror

For those who think that the current FP system is going away, why do you think they are installing more and more FP kiosks for use with magic bands?

 

[linzbear]

For those who think that the current FP system is going away, why do you think they are installing more and more FP kiosks for use with magic bands?

They're not FP kiosks. They're FP+ kiosks, and it's fairly well known that they were putting them in. Not everyone has a smartphone, so this is where they go to adjust their FP+ reservations.

I have hope for same-day FP+, but right now it doesn't look like that was the plan.

 

[ilovemk76]

I can't imagine not wanting to opt-in for the test...you get the best of both worlds right now. I suppose a lot of people don't really know what it is right now. Thanks for the update and have fun!

I would so opt in for a test!!!

I remember when we were able to do the first evening EMHs. We had a blast.

 

[doconeill]

For those who think that the current FP system is going away, why do you think they are installing more and more FP kiosks for use with magic bands?

They aren't installing more and more...they are installing some at select locations to allow those with MagicBands access to their profiles and itinerary, especially if they don't have an smartphone or the app.

Tower of Terror was one of only two locations in DHS. The other was at Star Tours. From an earlier post:

Magic Kingdom: City Hall, Buzz Lightyear FASTPASS distribution, Splash Mountain FASTPASS distribution.
Disney's Hollywood Studios: Tower of Terror FASTPASS distribution, Star Tours FASTPASS distribution.
Disney's Animal Kingdom: Guest Relations and Primeval Whirl FASTPASS distribution.
Epcot: Captain EO FASTPASS distribution and Maelstrom FASTPASS distribution.

whatsarahsaid, have you seen/used the kiosks yet?

 

[doconeill]

I am at disney right now and have seen a lot of magicbands being used. A few interesting things that I noticed:
-at Be Our Guest, you could select to use your magic band instead of a magic rose

Instead of a rose? I haven't completely seen how it works yet, but I thought the rose lit up to help show where the guest was.

I was expecting those that might choose BoG as an experience (I forget, was it an option?) could use the check-in outside that the Concierge guests have been using.

-they have installed fastpass plus kiosks at tower of terror

That was expected.

 

[Marblies]

Instead of a rose? I haven't completely seen how it works yet, but I thought the rose lit up to help show where the guest was.

The (hockey puck)rose has a chip that communicates to the serving staff where you are when you set it on the table, but does not light up.

 

[doconeill]

The (hockey puck)rose has a chip that communicates to the serving staff where you are, but does not light up.

OK, I couldn't remember it. Perhaps the active transmitter in the band is serving the same purpose.

 

[andrewilley]

The (hockey puck)rose has a chip that communicates to the serving staff where you are when you set it on the table, but does not light up.

<Ssshh> ... I'm fairly reliably informed that if you take one of the roses apart, you will basically find a magicband inside. The Rose (or RFID chip) location is read by sensors built into the tables (feel under your BoG table, there's a power supply box there which gets a little warm).

Andre

 

[WillAustin]

For those who think that the current FP system is going away, why do you think they are installing more and more FP kiosks for use with magic bands?

I'm wondering how many same-day in-park FP+s can possibly be available for the headliner attractions once they allow significant numbers of guests to reserve them in advance. We'll see.

 

[whatsarahsaid]

whatsarahsaid, have you seen/used the kiosks yet?

Funny thing you should ask...I haven't seen any kiosks yet and we've been to MK, DHS and AK. But then again...I haven't been looking. I'll seek them out tonight or tomorrow and let you know what I think!

Off to dinner at Artist Point right now and then fireworks, parade and EMH at MK tonight. Sounds perfect to me.

 

[BabyRapunzel]

Glad you are having a great time! Thanks for all the good info on this test phase.

So were you able to make fp+ reservations for everyday you were at Disney?

 

[fflmaster]

Hi folks...in a short line for POTC and thought I would check in with an update. We rode standby on Haunted Mansion and ended up not wanting to use our FP+ for that ride later in the day. So I logged into the my Disney Exp app in my phone and it to a Splash Mtn FP+. It was great cause we already used one FP+ earlier in the day. So we used two FP+ on the same ride which is something I couldn't do when originally reserving them online.

My Disney Exp app works awesome in the parks and has been a great on the spot planning tool!

* sorry for any misspellings or typos since I'm on my iPhone

From your postings the one thing I really like is the system is working as expected. You have had very little issues except the entrance today.

 

[bcrook]

Funny thing you should ask...I haven't seen any kiosks yet and we've been to MK, DHS and AK. But then again...I haven't been looking. I'll seek them out tonight or tomorrow and let you know what I think!

Off to dinner at Artist Point right now and then fireworks, parade and EMH at MK tonight. Sounds perfect to me.

Thank you! Thank You! Your updates are great.

 

[KandyM]

Yes...we got KTTW cards upon check in as well. Using those to obtain regular FP.

I am just wondering how that works? If you entered the parks with the bands, then how does the KTTW work at the FP kiosk if it wasn't activated at the gate turnstile?

 

[whatsarahsaid]

I am just wondering how that works? If you entered the parks with the bands, then how does the KTTW work at the FP kiosk if it wasn't activated at the gate turnstile?

Not sure but I'm assuming they were activated when we checked into our resort. They handed the KTTW cards to us when we checked in and the first time we used them was at a normal FastPass kiosk at Expedition Everest.