[ADVISORY] WDW - MagicBand-Only Testing Begins at Disney's Pop Century Resort

[rebbyparker]

Watch the masses flee from Pop.

 

[ls1jt]

Not that it matters, but I just got back from Pop and we only used the Magic Band.

They gave us cards Friday night, and said keep these on you because the Magic Band system is new. Basically - Magic Bands aren't reliable yet.

I understand peoples gripes, but I honestly think it is the coolest thing. Once it gets perfected it will be super convenient - I got a crazy pic though of a guy wheeling in what looked like 500 magic band boxes into Pop around 2am Friday while waiting to check in. He had a golf shirt with the MDE Mickey logo on it... Two massive carts with Elastigirl boxes on em.

 

[FLchick415]

Not me. I'll take whatever life throws at me and work around it. I'm determined to have fun no matter what.

 

[rebbyparker]

I agree about the MB's. The technology and what they plan to do with them looks amazing. That part will fit into the Disney experience rather nicely.

 

[jimmysmom74]

Okay, I don't know if I buy this, but here is a link to a thread I did when MBs came out for the resort MB release dates http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=3169181&highlight=current+list. Anyone who wants to know where their resort fell on the coming out party. Hope this helps.

 

[Autumnslight]

Oh boy. If anyone thinks there have been a lot of complaints about FP+ already, I'm betting they haven't seen anything compared to what's about to happen!

We used Magic Bands and FP+ on our trip in September, and we actually loved them and think FP+ is awesome. But while FP+ is great in addition to legacy FP, it's not ready to be a complete replacement. I was really thinking that they'd fix the "one park per day" thing, as well as increase the number of FP+ per day before taking legacy FP options away. Guess not. Yikes!

 

[wisblue]

So, does anybody still say FP- isn't going away? Anybody?

Who has been saying that it wasn't going away? The only question has been when.

 

[wisblue]

If this advisory is indeed true, I'm pretty upset by it. Just because I'm staying at Pop, I get limited to 3 FP+ selections per day and they have to be in the same park? While other Disney resort guests can get their 3 FP+ selections AND FP- selections in any park they care to hop to in a single day?

And non-Disney resort guests can get more than 3 FP- passes (if they know how to use the system wisely) while I, who is likely paying more money for my room than they are, get none?

Is Disney kidding me?

That would upset me too if I was counting on using FPs.

If I were in your position, and had already received MB's with the expectation that I would be able to use both FP+ and FP-, I would bring that up at check in and ask to talk to a manager if they won't give you an RFID enabled KTTW card. It can't hurt.

 

[rebbyparker]

Originally Posted by ArwenMarie
I dunno...I think this part can go much more quickly.

So what do you think, maybe 1-2 resorts a month added?

 

[pigletto]

Agreed. I think they can add resorts to this process really quick.

I agree. I think this will be an accelerated process. I am guessing we'll see every resort doing this by Christmas crowds.

 

[chartle]

By staying at a Walt Disney World Resort hotel, you have the benefit of reserving access to some of your favorite attractions ahead of time with Disney FastPass+ service.



This statement makes me think that off site guests will be able to use the service but just not ahead of time so they would do it when they arrived at the park.

Not completely. Its doesn't say they have an exclusive benefit to pick early.

There also used to be a statement (now made clearer) talking about how On site guests got complimentary transportation. Some took that to mean off site guest were not allowed to use Disney transportation but we all know Off site guests also got the same transportation.

 

[pdg123]

If this advisory is indeed true, I'm pretty upset by it. Just because I'm staying at Pop, I get limited to 3 FP+ selections per day and they have to be in the same park? While other Disney resort guests can get their 3 FP+ selections AND FP- selections in any park they care to hop to in a single day? And non-Disney resort guests can get more than 3 FP- passes (if they know how to use the system wisely) while I, who is likely paying more money for my room than they are, get none? Is Disney kidding me?

It's not because you're staying at Pop. This is tier plan for all of there resorts, and ultimately removing legacy FP paper tickets entirely. Pop is the first resort to get this test, but certainly won't be the last. I imagine you'll be surveyed on your experience with this development, where you can voice your opinion. In the future id imagine you will be able to use MDE for more than 3 FP+ a day, but still on a tier system of some sort, allowing for hoppers to book at two or more parks if they wanted to. If you, or anyone else gets surveyed for MDE and you want more than 3 FP+ per day, make sure you tell them. See how your vacation goes and give them honest feedback. They will appreciate it and do what they can to improve the next experience.

 

[vinotinto]

Was Pop one of the first resorts that started testing and started rolling out MBs and FP+?

 

[wisblue]

Was Pop one of the first resorts that started testing and started rolling out MBs and FP+?

I think it was. One of my daughters stayed there in August and she participated in the test.

 

[KapBoy77]

K can someone confirm this!? I can't find any info anywhere except for this thread.

 

[Praying Colonel]

Oh boy. If anyone thinks there have been a lot of complaints about FP+ already, I'm betting they haven't seen anything compared to what's about to happen!

We used Magic Bands and FP+ on our trip in September, and we actually loved them and think FP+ is awesome. But while FP+ is great in addition to legacy FP, it's not ready to be a complete replacement. I was really thinking that they'd fix the "one park per day" thing, as well as increase the number of FP+ per day before taking legacy FP options away. Guess not. Yikes!

What you see as a glitch, Disney sees as a feature.

 

[MooskaMinnie]

Was Pop one of the first resorts that started testing and started rolling out MBs and FP+?

I believe so. Sounds like they're coming full circle with round 2 of the testing.

We're pretty nonplussed about all of this but I understand the frustration.

 

[redsbe]

It's not because you're staying at Pop. This is tier plan for all of there resorts, and ultimately removing legacy FP paper tickets entirely. Pop is the first resort to get this test, but certainly won't be the last. I imagine you'll be surveyed on your experience with this development, where you can voice your opinion. In the future id imagine you will be able to use MDE for more than 3 FP+ a day, but still on a tier system of some sort, allowing for hoppers to book at two or more parks if they wanted to. If you, or anyone else gets surveyed for MDE and you want more than 3 FP+ per day, make sure you tell them. See how your vacation goes and give them honest feedback. They will appreciate it and do what they can to improve the next experience.

But for those going to Pop in November and only having access to 3 FP+ for one park per day, will put them at a big disadvantage to other visitors. I know this is part of the testing and in time all resorts and visitors may have same restrictions, but for those in Pop in November are getting shafted.

 

[Praying Colonel]

Who has been saying that it wasn't going away? The only question has been when.

Even though it seemed pretty clear to most (like you), there have been many responses in the many FP+ threads by people who said they doubted FP- would ever truly go away. IMHO it was wishful thinking at best.

 

[rebbyparker]

Well, you could switch it around and say since Pop started the FP+ process, they had extra access in the beginning so everyone else got the shaft?