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

[Kaelorian]

The paper ticket will still get FP fine, but getting in to the park is a bit more difficult as they have to manually scan it.

Converting at Guest Relations (or any ticket booth) should not get you a stripeless card at this time...but I expect they may all be stripeless eventually...when it won't matter as there won't be regular FP.

Getting a ticket at POP during this test might result in a stripeless ticket.

Thanks!

 

[doctornick]

I wonder what happens if you have Undercover Tourist tickets linked to MDE? Think the actual tickets themselves would still pull paper fastpasses as part of this test???

Or, for that matter, physical APs.

 

[asmit4]

I arrive on saturday. Im not even staying at PoP and I'm p*ssed off by this! If I had a ressie there I'd call and DEMAND a move or simply flat out cancel and stay offsite. What a RIPOFF! 3FPs for 1 park per day while everyone else doubles up? NO freakin WAY!.

 

[Giz1026]

I purchased hoppers with our package. Seeing that I will now be unable to pull FP at a second park, can I downgrade my passes? I check in on Nov. 14.

Or can I change resorts at this late notice?

I am not exactly sure what to do now. Honestly, my head is spinning because if I stay at Pop I will now have to change our FP+ selections at MK as I picked Princess waits. But now I would switch to headliners. Not to mention, we have friends staying at WL who we were going to tour with, but unless we want to watch them pull FP's and then watch as they ride without us I'm not sure this will work.

 

[asmit4]

CALL. Call DW right away and tell them your issue and switch resorts if you can. Totally ridiculous and unacceptable.

 

[lilpooh108]

Disney no longer issues "paper" tickets for one - it's all plastic RFID cards now (unless you get them from a reseller who hasn't exhausted their stock yet). But if they get a package from Disney, it's all going to be linked into the MagicBands/KTTW card, and they may no longer offer to split it to separate media (and if they do, it could still be on "stripeless" cards).

If they get tickets independently, then they should still have a physical ticket.

More than likely future cardstock will likewise be "stripeless" once they have everyone enabled, etc.

Thank you so much for explaining this! I've been on Disboards all day today and I'm still so confused and very overwhelmed by all the new stuff.

We had our tickets (purchased directly from WDW) mailed to us, and I just checked and they have stripes on the back.

We are staying DVC but have Magic bands attached. Do you think we'll still be able to pull FPs? We don't ever do any of the big rides but my kids still nap and so I'm guessing we'll be missing our FP+ times anyway so paper FPs will work better for us.

 

[nugov2]

I purchased hoppers with our package. Seeing that I will now be unable to pull FP at a second park, can I downgrade my passes? I check in on Nov. 14.

Or can I change resorts at this late notice?

I am not exactly sure what to do now. Honestly, my head is spinning because if I stay at Pop I will now have to change our FP+ selections at MK as I picked Princess waits. But now I would switch to headliners. Not to mention, we have friends staying at WL who we were going to tour with, but unless we want to watch them pull FP's and then watch as they ride without us I'm not sure this will work.

I'm sorry that is awful. I would be calling and insisting they switch my resort. You can't tour with your friends b/c of the resort you are staying at. This is worse than offering more FP based on level of resort you are staying at. This is saying you are getting the shortest end of the stick out of all the visitors and you are paying to stay on site. You can't get more FP, you can't ride with your friends unless you do SB. Horrible way to do this roll out. I would either insist on a resort change(and fast before too many others do it) or somehow be refunded for the basically pointless hoppers. I think the Disney Magic is going to be missing for a lot of people and that just sucks

 

[Giz1026]

I am currently on hold. The first rep transferred me to Internet Help (I believe that is what he said?) after I explained my situation twice. Clearly and without mincing words.

The rep said, Ma'am you are mistaken and I do not want you to have misinformation which is why I am transferring you. If it is not the correct department they will transfer you back to me.

This already sounds fun.

 

[nugov2]

I am currently on hold. The first rep transferred me to Internet Help (I believe that is what he said?) after I explained my situation twice. Clearly and without mincing words.

The rep said, Ma'am you are mistaken and I do not want you to have misinformation which is why I am transferring you. If it is not the correct department they will transfer you back to me.

This already sounds fun.

That is the other big problem with WDW. Nobody knows what the other is doing. I would insist on a switch even if they say this isn't the case. Because what do you do once you are there and it is in fact the case. They will just say sorry miss, the person you spoke with on the phone was wrong...have a magical day and enjoy your 3 and only 3 FP a day

 

[Camiandcarson10]

I called and talked to several people including the computer department?? Basically I was told that pop guests would have option to choose- magic bands or cards. But not both! So I went ahead an switched resorts because we will be meeting up with friends. This seems totally unfair and I am glad I happened to stumble upon a post about it today. I would have been very upset to get there next week and found out.

 

[DavidNYC]

I find no reference to such organization.

The RFID chip in the cards is OLD technology. If it even needed FCC approval, it was given years and years ago. I used such cards in the late 80s. Only the MagicBands are a bit different - and we're not talking about them here.

ANSI is a voluntary standards organization - they'd only be interested in standardizing for interoperability.

The IEC is an international organization similar to ANSI for technology-specific items.

Neither would have any say in any sort of "testing" and monetary value.

There is no legal issue here. Whether this is good business or not is one thing. But you paid for a hotel room. You paid for tickets. You got tickets. You got your hotel room. The terms and conditions by which they offer the Fastpass service which is a completely free service is subject to change at any time by Disney.

You have no legal recourse - I think many people may have some good arguments as to why Disney should find a way to allow you to "opt" out but that will be at their discretion. The best arguments I think will come from those who may be touring with others who only can pull regular FPs.

 

[kandb]

And to think this cost Disney millions of dollars!

 

[TIGGER'SFRIEND]

I'm here at Pop now- checked in on 11/10. My magic band has not worked consistently since we came. Both park entries have not worked even after I was told it was fixed. Several occasions it didn't open the room. I can see what a hassle it will be without the card. I love the fast pass + but even that works sporadically. The other issue is the slow, and I mean slow loading DME website. I don't see this system going full for awhile. There are plenty of CM's to help and any issue is quickly resolved. It's all good though because I'm at WDW!!!

 

[Magicalcarpetride]

Pop people are getting the short end of the stick on this! If they are going to take away fast pass- from magic band users, it should apply to ALL users. It would help make the situation less upsetting knowing it was being fairly implemented. And those who say it's fair to start with Pop because they started testing first are not making any sense. The people visiting today are not the same ones visiting when Pop started the testing.

 

[FrugalFashionista]

So in theory if I request a card I have a back up for my tickets, room, and dining plan. Though I will be ticked if it causes me to not be able to use my FP selection, my main concern is being able to access my dining credits when I need them!

 

[Mad Hattered]

And to think this cost Disney millions of dollars!

Try more than a Billion and then you'll be getting close.

 

[metzgardesign]

Disney is crapping all over its bed with this roll-out. Amazing that such a large, innovative (maybe "formerly" is a better description of its innovative capabilities) organization is doing such a horrible job of all this.

Wow.

 

[famy27]

Pop guests, no need to freak out. I have the solution for you. Now available for rent or loan, a very adorable toddler*. You can use her for baby-swapping passes and can double-dip all day long. In essence, you will receive 6 FP+s per day. An excellent value. She is sometimes ornery, but that is the price you pay for extra FPs.

*Note: Offer includes toddler's charming mother (older sister optional).

Seriously, this makes me sad. First, the tiered attractions, now the end of double-dipping. I did't double-dip during my October visit, but I wasn't stuck with picking between Soarin' and TT. I just don't see how tiered attractions and removal of paper FPs can be considered an "enhancement."

 

[Giz1026]

One hour and thirty minutes, 3 reps...

After giving my reasons why this change was ridiculous: when I reserved AND purchased this package I was told I would be able to opt out of FP+, the fact that now not only are those staying off site able to pull more FP's, or FP's at different parks per day but other Disney resorts were as well, we would no longer be able to tour with friends staying onsite, the countless hours HOURS!!, I have put in researching a hotel/how to use FP+/etc, the fact that I was informed of this decision by finding it myself and not by Disney- especially when you have to make resort changes within 48 hours and employees were notified TODAY of changes taking place in 48 hours which would effect my stay

and the ONLY resolution I wanted was to have a KTTW that is being issued at all other Disney resorts issued to me on Thursday Nov. 14, the same cards being issued tomorrow at POP and the same cards being issued on Nov. 20. That's it. No refund, no extra FP+, no free tshirt!

I was told no. Disney is unable to comply with my request. The rep I spoke to, I have to say was on my side and seemed to understand. I think his hands were completely tied. He placed me on hold twice to call POP and speak to management there, both times no. Disney is unrolling this phase and they are not going backwards. Not for 5 regular KTTW cards.

My options were to: Switch resorts to either AS Music for a small refund in price and no change fee or upgrade to PO-Riverside for $384.35. Oh yeah did I mention I have two rooms reserved?

I was so upset and really after researching hotels and their pros and cons and everything else I felt under the gun to make a decision in 5 minutes at 11:30pm. I told him exactly what I thought about that and he said he will change anything tomorrow for no fees, so at least there is that.

Not sure what I am going to do. Probably switch resorts. Guess I will be looking at AS Music tonight. Cannot believe I have spent hours researching and planning over the last 6 months to have to do it all over again.

 

[Finally08]

I've been to WDW a dozen times in the last 5 years and all of these changes have me feeling clueless and hopeless.
I am supposed to hanging out with a CM friend and meeting up with another local there, but it sounds like thanks to Disney, we have no hope for riding any decent rides together since we aren't all on the same stupid ticket scheme.