Annual Passholders - get ready for Magic Bands

[Networth]

That's a good idea gonna add "AP" to our bands. We already have two sets from a 8 day stay in December.

 

[aubriee]

I've printed my FP+ out also.
I really, really wish I knew there were going to be so many changes and limitations when I booked these trips in August 2013. 3K in tickets I really have to use them wisely. If I can't ride the attractions because all the FP+ are gone and SB lines through the roof the value of my PAP seriously went downhill.

I too really wish we'd been told about the many changes and limitations before we purchased our AP's last May. We had heard the rumors of course and specifically asked the CM at GS in MK before we bought the passes how FP+ would affect our trips. He very specifically said that our trips would not be negatively impacted at all, as APs would of course be among the first to be able to use FP+. Uh, yeah, I was there in May, Sept, and Dec and saw personally how FP+ negatively affected those trips. We are going back down there March 21st-31st (just to get one last trip out of our APs) and were finally, just a few days ago able to book FP+. We were always FP superusers, who grabbed up FPs as fast as we could during the day and then used them all just before we left the park (or gave them away). Now we are being limited to only three per day, they must all be in the same park, the rides are tiered, and no more repeating the same ride in the same day. Uh, no thanks! We feel like we were lied to and that we wasted our money this year on APs. For the first time in almost ten years, we have absolutely no intention of renewing our APs. We also have AP's for Universal and Fun Passes for Sea World. We'll just be taking our money over there.

Anyone gotten tracking numbers for their MagicBands yet?

We'll be there March 21st and I'm scared to death, we may not get our MBs in time. The site still says they are customizing them and that that MBs for annual passholders will begin shipping the middle of March. What happens if we don't get them in time? Will there still be a way we can use the FP+ that I booked the other day?

We noticed that we also finished faster and left. We ate many more meals offsite and were freed up to shop outside Disney. I have to think this was not the intended outcome. Once our FPs were gone and lines were LONG for attractions that were previously walk on, we left to do other things.

This is exactly what our plans are. We know we'll be riding less rides (but found we got to ride alot less rides than usual during our early Dec trip--due to longer lines in both standby and FP. During our Dec trip we got really frustrated with how much less we were able to ride than we normally do and just left the parks early to do other things. As soon as I was able to book FP+ the other day for our March 21-31 trip, I immediately changed the times to as early as I could get them. We'll go to the parks, ride what we can, then get the heck out of there around lunch time. We are not going to stand in long stand by lines to ride a 3 minute ride. We'll just go do something else. We've already made plans to spend a couple of days over at Universal (get two nights express pass with just a one night stay), a day or two over at Sea World (where quick queu can be purchased very affordably), a day at the beach, and a day at Busch Gardens (have $50.00 weekday tickets on sale right now and again quick queue can be very affordably purchased if needed). There are too many things to do in the Orlando area to be stuck in long lines all day at WDW.

 

[delmar411]

I too really wish we'd been told about the many changes and limitations before we purchased our AP's last May. We had heard the rumors of course and specifically asked the CM at GS in MK before we bought the passes how FP+ would affect our trips. He very specifically said that our trips would not be negatively impacted at all, as APs would of course be among the first to be able to use FP+. Uh, yeah, I was there in May, Sept, and Dec and saw personally how FP+ negatively affected those trips. We are going back down there March 21st-31st (just to get one last trip out of our APs) and were finally, just a few days ago able to book FP+. We were always FP superusers, who grabbed up FPs as fast as we could during the day and then used them all just before we left the park (or gave them away). Now we are being limited to only three per day, they must all be in the same park, the rides are tiered, and no more repeating the same ride in the same day. Uh, no thanks! We feel like we were lied to and that we wasted our money this year on APs. For the first time in almost ten years, we have absolutely no intention of renewing our APs. We also have AP's for Universal and Fun Passes for Sea World. We'll just be taking our money over there.

We'll be there March 21st and I'm scared to death, we may not get our MBs in time. The site still says they are customizing them and that that MBs for annual passholders will begin shipping the middle of March. What happens if we don't get them in time? Will there still be a way we can use the FP+ that I booked the other day?

This is exactly what our plans are. We know we'll be riding less rides (but found we got to ride alot less rides than usual during our early Dec trip--due to longer lines in both standby and FP. During our Dec trip we got really frustrated with how much less we were able to ride than we normally do and just left the parks early to do other things. As soon as I was able to book FP+ the other day for our March 21-31 trip, I immediately changed the times to as early as I could get them. We'll go to the parks, ride what we can, then get the heck out of there around lunch time. We are not going to stand in long stand by lines to ride a 3 minute ride. We'll just go do something else. We've already made plans to spend a couple of days over at Universal (get two nights express pass with just a one night stay), a day or two over at Sea World (where quick queu can be purchased very affordably), a day at the beach, and a day at Busch Gardens (have $50.00 weekday tickets on sale right now and again quick queue can be very affordably purchased if needed). There are too many things to do in the Orlando area to be stuck in long lines all day at WDW.

You can use your AP ticket to redeem FP selections. No MB needed.

 

[2binak]

We have AP's but are from out of state so we're staying on-site. I thought you could make FP+selections 60 days in advance of your trip but I seem to only be able to select dates within the next month. Has the 60-day advance feature been decreased to 30-days for on-site guests or is it because we have an AP?

 

[erionm]

We have AP's but are from out of state so we're staying on-site. I thought you could make FP+selections 60 days in advance of your trip but I seem to only be able to select dates within the next month. Has the 60-day advance feature been decreased to 30-days for on-site guests or is it because we have an AP?

From the 'MyMagic+ for Walt Disney World Annual Passholders' page:

For the first time ever, Disney FastPass+ service enables you to reserve access to select attractions, shows, Character Greetings and parade and firework viewing areas. All theme park Guests—including Annual Passholders—can now make same-day, same-park FastPass+ selections at our in-park FastPass+ kiosks.

If you are an Annual Passholder, you are also invited to plan 7 days of FastPass+ selections within any 30-day period—for 1 park per day. You can make your selections up to 30 days in advance of your visit—so you can relax and enjoy the moment with your family and friends, knowing that some of your must-do attractions and entertainment are all set.

If you are staying at a Disney Resort hotel, you can make your FastPass+ selections up to 60 days prior to check-in—for the entire length of your hotel stay.

https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/plan/my-disney-experience/passholder/

 

[Ckania]

We have AP's but are from out of state so we're staying on-site. I thought you could make FP+selections 60 days in advance of your trip but I seem to only be able to select dates within the next month. Has the 60-day advance feature been decreased to 30-days for on-site guests or is it because we have an AP?

Anyone staying onsite can book 60 days in advance of their stay. You will see you can also book 30 days out from today as an AP holder. You will be able to make your reservations 60 days in advance.

 

[faneuil]

lol... 8 days after ordering my MagicBands, I got an E-Mail from Disney saying I could order them.

Still waiting on them to ship.

 

[MaryKatesMom]

I also don't understand why you wouldn't ride standby in the am and save the FP+ for later in the day?

I think a lot of the FP+ dissenters are misdirecting their wrath at the system, and not their inability to change their touring methodology. You see it all the time in the business world....you get a new system at your office and there are always those co-workers who can't adapt.

Admittedly, I didn't like the system at first, and still don't like the tiering and lack of hopping like most people. But we are rope droppers so we plan on just riding as much as we can standby....including the smaller attractions we used to do later in the day when the lines got longer. Since we will already have the big attractions reserved, we can just kind of switch the order we do things in. Its just changing our habits and the way we tour the parks...no more criss crossing and running to FP machines. NO more never doing headliners at night because of the lines/no fast pass. Its a change, but we are going in fully expecting to change.

I can adapt quite well to change for the better, however, I invite you to go to easywdw. They collect and store the wait times for every ride, every 5 minutes, all day, every day.

They looked at the data to get a glimpse into how FastPass+ is affecting standby wait times. To do this, they compared wait times for the first 65 days of 2013 and the first 65 days of 2014. They took the median wait time and the median peak wait time at each attraction over those 65 days in 2013 and 2014 and compared them to each other in a chart.

Overall, FP+ is causing wait times to increase at most secondary attractions, while having a less substantial impact at the most popular attractions with the longest wait times.

We too RD and then spend time in the afternoon doing the secondary attractions. We go during peak season where the difference between 2013 was 2014 is so great that should we put our three FP+ in the afternoon between our lunch and dinner rerservation we've it is impossible to do any other attractions BUT those with FP+ because we are waiting in longer FP lines, criss crossing the park and the SB lines are too long to chance missing the FP+.

Also, because the headliners now start issuing FP+ right at opening 9-10 AM, and more FP+ pre-booking it is quite possible that that during peak days there will be a wait time in the SB at headliners right at opening. Making it much more difficult to do say Soarin' and TT at RD in less than an hour.

I don't get the "people just don't like change". Maybe we are just more informed.

I have been checking online over and over to see if something would come up for us to have MBs shipped since everyone's been posting about it for Annual Passholders. We have a voucher (which is linked and we do have an onsite reservation in July.) I did an online chat with wdw.com (which isn't often very informative,) but this time it seemed to be. My notes are added in with **


ME: Hello! I've been reading online that Magic Bands with a special Passholder slider and a discount RFID card are being shipped out to Passholders. I currently have an Annual Pass Voucher linked to my account. Will I be receiving a Magic Band, or is it only for active Annual Passes?

**He asked me to hold on while he checked.

CM: This is only available for active pass holders, currently.
**I like the word 'CURRENTLY'

CM: Is there anything else I can assist you with? If not, I would appreciate your feedback on the brief survey at the end of this chat. If you have any other questions I would be happy to assist you!

**I felt like he was eager to get rid of me!

ME: Oh, that's such a bummer. So, when my Magic Band is shipped for our July trip I will just receive a regular Magic Band, no slider, and no RFID card to show for discounts? Once I check in and my AP is activated, will I be able to get the slider and RFID card?

CM: Yes, you will then qualify to receive the pass holder set and it will be sent to you.

ME: Ok, so it will be sent to me, but I'll already be IN WDW, so what will I present for AP discounts for dining and souvenirs?

CM: It is possible to get these extras in the park at the guest services counter. They will be able to see that your pass became activated and assist you further with this,

**And then the usual thank yous and magical days!


Just thought I'd share. Sort of bummed that I'll have to wait until we check in, but at least we can still get the Passholder set (or at least that's what's being said as of now.)

Thanks for that! At least I can get them while there. I wonder if GS at the IG will have them.

 

[Suellen]

Thanks for that! At least I can get them while there. I wonder if GS at the IG will have them.

Personally I would expect to be met with the same blank stare as when I asked if I could get an AP car magnet.

 

[Wishes Count]

Personally I would expect to be met with the same blank stare as when I asked if I could get an AP car magnet.

TO CLAIRFY. The only thing you can get at Guest Relations is an RFID card of your AP. You cannot get a replacement MB, you cannot get a replacement "discount card" or one of the 2014 decorative sliders.

The RFID card can be presented with Photo ID for discounts.

Source: I work Guest Relations, and was briefed on this yesterday. Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

 

[LSUfan4444]

I don't get the "people just don't like change". Maybe we are just more informed.

I read Josh's info on the effected wait times, but it is just this simple...some of the shortest wait times of the day are from rope drop till 11 am in recommended parks. Currently, for almost everyone in attendance, the strategy that will yield the least amount of time in line will be to ride via standby times are their shortest and use FP when standby times are their longest.

 

[puffkin]

I can adapt quite well to change for the better, however, I invite you to go to easywdw. They collect and store the wait times for every ride, every 5 minutes, all day, every day.

They looked at the data to get a glimpse into how FastPass+ is affecting standby wait times. To do this, they compared wait times for the first 65 days of 2013 and the first 65 days of 2014. They took the median wait time and the median peak wait time at each attraction over those 65 days in 2013 and 2014 and compared them to each other in a chart.

Overall, FP+ is causing wait times to increase at most secondary attractions, while having a less substantial impact at the most popular attractions with the longest wait times.

We too RD and then spend time in the afternoon doing the secondary attractions. We go during peak season where the difference between 2013 was 2014 is so great that should we put our three FP+ in the afternoon between our lunch and dinner rerservation we've it is impossible to do any other attractions BUT those with FP+ because we are waiting in longer FP lines, criss crossing the park and the SB lines are too long to chance missing the FP+.

Also, because the headliners now start issuing FP+ right at opening 9-10 AM, and more FP+ pre-booking it is quite possible that that during peak days there will be a wait time in the SB at headliners right at opening. Making it much more difficult to do say Soarin' and TT at RD in less than an hour.

I don't get the "people just don't like change". Maybe we are just more informed.



Thanks for that! At least I can get them while there. I wonder if GS at the IG will have them.

I consider myself very informed. I've read the data, and I understand some of the frustration from the mega-tourers (those that ride rides all day, multiple times, collect tons of FP, etc). The reality is, most people do not tour like that. And the Disney parks weren't really set up to be toured like that. I don't know if you fall in this category, but it kind of sounds like that, so yes, I can see the frustration at the changes.

What I don't get is why someone who is informed wouldn't be able to do TT at RD and then Soarin later in the day as a FP+ selection (or vice versa). With tiering, it makes sense to do it that way. And it is mathematically impossible for the lines to be long on everything at Rope Drop. Yes one or two attractions may immediately fill up, but they did long before FP+ too. There should be plenty of "spreading" through the parks for the first 2-3 hours that even though a ride may have a 5 minute longer SB time than at Rope Drop last year, you may more than make up that time by not running to grab a FP for a different ride because you already had it pre reserved and cut down significantly on criss crossing the parks.

The more and more I read things, the more I realize that really the vast majority of issues are from the people who ride things over and over and over. I just don't see that many people who tour like that in actuality.....but apparently they make up a large (or just vocal) part of these boards.

 

[MaryKatesMom]

TO CLAIRFY. The only thing you can get at Guest Relations is an RFID card of your AP. You cannot get a replacement MB, you cannot get a replacement "discount card" or one of the 2014 decorative sliders.

Source: I work Guest Relations, and was briefed on this yesterday.

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

I don't think mine have shipped yet. My voucher is attached to the MDE account. Will the system know to ship the AP stuff also?

 

[MarieA]

My DH and I have Annual Passes and we have a trip scheduled for 5/3 - 5/13. Can we still get a card instead of the Magic Band? Neither one of us wants a MB (my DH gets skin rashes from all different plastics/rubber and I just find them uncomfortable). We have no desire to use the FP+ (we very rarely used FP-) and do not want to choose what parks we are visiting 60 days out. We usually decide what park to visit in the morning at breakfast and go to a different park at night. Most times we will just go on a ride that doesn't have a long wait.

Sorry if this has already been answered but I didn't read every post.

 

[Suellen]

TO CLAIRFY. The only thing you can get at Guest Relations is an RFID card of your AP. You cannot get a replacement MB, you cannot get a replacement "discount card" or one of the 2014 decorative sliders.

The RFID card can be presented with Photo ID for discounts.

Source: I work Guest Relations, and was briefed on this yesterday. Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

Excellent clarification! Guarantee people will still be in there begging for the card and slider!

 

[MarieA]

I am also reading something about a discount card. I've been a passholder for 7 years and in the past we just showed the AP and ID to get a discount. Are they now giving something separate from the AP for the AP discount?

If so, will I get both when I pick up my AP at Guest Services?

 

[Maineiak]

Quick question. Say I call Disney today and purchase APs for the family, but we won't be at WDW until May 4th. Will the AP be in effect starting today or May 4th?

 

[Suellen]

Quick question. Say I call Disney today and purchase APs for the family, but we won't be at WDW until May 4th. Will the AP be in effect starting today or May 4th?

They will be in effect starting May 4th. You will buy an AP voucher.

We used to live in Maine!

 

[Wishes Count]

I am also reading something about a discount card. I've been a passholder for 7 years and in the past we just showed the AP and ID to get a discount. Are they now giving something separate from the AP for the AP discount? If so, will I get both when I pick up my AP at Guest Services?

The discount card is shipped from the factory where the MB are made. The only thing you will get at Guest Relations is an RFID card for your AP. This can be used for a discount if you have not yet received the discount card or had lost your card.

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

 

[Maineiak]

They will be in effect starting May 4th. You will buy an AP voucher.

We used to live in Maine!

Great, thanks! Considering buying some as it looks like we'll be at WDW multiple times in the next year.

Also, I'm assuming the voucher can be used on the MDE website which will allow us to order MBs and select FP+ once we're 30 days out, correct?

Just got ~15 inches of fresh new snow yesterday! Ready to head to warmer weather!