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

[mom2mickeyfan]

Yes, but they can put the stripe on the back and still not have the stripe be active in the FP- machines.

And if you don't use the ticket to enter the park the FP machines won't read it. What I don't know is if using the Magic Band is the same as using the hard ticket for the purpose of activating it for Fastpass. The old fastpass machines do not read RFID.

I would also wonder if you used your hard ticket to enter the park would your MB still work for FP+. I know it has in the past but wonder if this would be something Disney could or would do.

 

[DisneyElite4]

True. I am just going off the posts of others who were able to do so today with tickets like mine and also having MBs.

 

[mjtatman]

anyone know or have an idea as to when this will travel to other resorts? any ideas if it will be days, weeks, months? i know no one has a crystal ball, but many seem to understand the trends better! we are staying at FW in january, so i'm wondering if/how this will affect us? still excited to go…just thinking about plan b

 

[TDC Nala]

I don't work there, but my guess is that they are going to want to get everybody off the old fastpasses as quickly as possible, assuming the new system is working properly enough to do so. And the Disney resort guests will be off first.

 

[clsteve]

anyone know or have an idea as to when this will travel to other resorts? any ideas if it will be days, weeks, months? i know no one has a crystal ball, but many seem to understand the trends better! we are staying at FW in january, so i'm wondering if/how this will affect us? still excited to go…just thinking about plan b

Things will be much clearer in the next few days to a week. They're following a pretty standard implementation plan that closely mirrors what they did during testing. Hub has validated that all resorts will quickly follow POP, and the 2nd Park has been tiered. It's a very safe bet all Resorts will be MB/FP+ when you're there in January.

Remember, they need to get off-site up and running after the holidays and before Tour Group season, followed by Spring Break.

Absolutely nothing wrong with being excited about your trip in Jan. Being informed and having a Plan B is just good common sense for protecting your investment.

 

[WillAustin]

I don't work there, but my guess is that they are going to want to get everybody off the old fastpasses as quickly as possible, assuming the new system is working properly enough to do so. And the Disney resort guests will be off first.

I wonder if once all resort guests are switched to FP+ only, they might enforce a 3 FP- limit on the paper FPs. Interesting times to come in the next several weeks.

 

[goofyfigment]

I thought after the refurb Peter Pan opened FP+ only?

Are you sure it was out of FP- or there just isn't any?

The machines were there but covered so I just assumed they ran out.

 

[goofyfigment]

Just curious, how are the crowds today?

The crowds seemed to be hit or miss. At mk I got fp- for buzz and space mtn but walked on haunted mansion. Wasn't there long. At Epcot (which is the emh park) I walked one spaceship earth, figment, nemo, and the land. TT had a 30 minute wait or 5 for single rider mission had 5 minute wait and soarin had 60. I got to epcot at 5ish.

Hope that helps

 

[summermac]

Wow. My head hurts.

This may have been covered but if you book room only ressie and get tickets elsewhere, how do you take advantage of EMH if you don't link your tickets to the MB?

 

[SoarinSC]

Wow. My head hurts.

This may have been covered but if you book room only ressie and get tickets elsewhere, how do you take advantage of EMH if you don't link your tickets to the MB?

As long as your resort rez is linked would that be an issue? Trying to think that through is giving me a headache too. I would think once they confirmed you were onsite they'd have a way to confirm your non-MB ticket, but that's just me assuming they've thought out that scenario.

 

[lugnut33]

Wow. My head hurts.

This may have been covered but if you book room only ressie and get tickets elsewhere, how do you take advantage of EMH if you don't link your tickets to the MB?

If you have magic bands you're let in. But you're right, how will they ever know if you're staying on site for evening EMH? Once we go on our trip in Nov. and get our bands, I could just wear them into the parks for a later visit and not be staying on site.

 

[summermac]

One word comes to mind CLUSTER-F---!

 

[SoarinSC]

If you have magic bands you're let in. But you're right, how will they ever know if you're staying on site for evening EMH? Once we go on our trip in Nov. and get our bands, I could just wear them into the parks for a later visit and not be staying on site.

But wouldn't the scan not clear you because you're offsite at that point?

 

[lugnut33]

But wouldn't the scan not clear you because you're offsite at that point?

Only if you tried to enter the park for a morning EMH or tried to enter during an evening EMH. However, if you're already in the park when EMH begins they would never know because as far as I know there are not mickey heads in the regular standbye lines.

 

[SoarinSC]

Only if you tried to enter the park for a morning EMH or tried to enter during an evening EMH. However, if you're already in the park when EMH begins they would never know because as far as I know there are not mickey heads in the regular standbye lines.

Aaaaah true...though I think that'll come in time just to insure that only on site guests are riding.

 

[Sammie]

If you have magic bands you're let in. But you're right, how will they ever know if you're staying on site for evening EMH? Once we go on our trip in Nov. and get our bands, I could just wear them into the parks for a later visit and not be staying on site.

Because when you try to ride something, it wont work.

 

[lugnut33]

Because when you try to ride something, it wont work.

Do you have to scan your band to get on a ride during an EMH? Like if you go through the standby line for Haunted Mansion during EMH, do they make you scan your band to get into the attraction?

 

[AuroraRora]

Do you have to scan your band to get on a ride during an EMH? Like if you go through the standby line for Haunted Mansion during EMH, do they make you scan your band to get into the attraction?

When we were there a few weeks ago, they just made everyone hold their wrists up to show the bands. I thought the same thing... what's to stop someone with a previous even one-night stay from using the band for EMH from then onwards.

 

[SoarinSC]

When we were there a few weeks ago, they just made everyone hold their wrists up to show the bands. I thought the same thing... what's to stop someone with a previous even one-night stay from using the band for EMH from then onwards.

Okay well that's stupid, Disney.

 

[The Hub]

If you have magic bands you're let in. But you're right, how will they ever know if you're staying on site for evening EMH? Once we go on our trip in Nov. and get our bands, I could just wear them into the parks for a later visit and not be staying on site.

Do you have to scan your band to get on a ride during an EMH? Like if you go through the standby line for Haunted Mansion during EMH, do they make you scan your band to get into the attraction?

When we were there a few weeks ago, they just made everyone hold their wrists up to show the bands. I thought the same thing... what's to stop someone with a previous even one-night stay from using the band for EMH from then onwards.

This will no longer be the case, as well. Starting Monday, November 18, Magic Kingdom Park (and possibly the others) will be issuing an iPod touch with an RFID scanner to the greeter Cast Members at every attraction. Hollywood Studios has been periodically testing this now for a few weeks. The CastApp that we will be using will show us what resort you are staying at, how long your stay is and if you are authorized to use Extra Magic Hours this evening. If you are staying at WDW Swan/Dolphin, Shades of Green or Hilton on Hotel Plaza Blvd, you will still present your room key and we will check valid dates.