Annual Passholders - get ready for Magic Bands

[Wishes Count]

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.

Yes you can still use your RFID cards. You are not required to use the MB. You can also use the cards for FP+ if you do decide you want to.

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

 

[MaryKatesMom]

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.

If you define "Mega users" as twice in one day.

I'll use my upcoming Epcot trip as an example. Resort wide crowd levels are 9 and so is the Epcot for the day. I have my three FP+ lined up for the afternoon. Lunch at 12:30 in WS. All FP+ are in FW at 1-2, 3-4, 4-5 then we have dinner reservations for 6:30 at the Yachtsman.

Past: I have been there at that crowd level before and at RD we could get an AM FP for Soarin, ride Soarin', go to ride TT, then use the Soarin' FP, grab a TT FP to use later. No problem. Then look at the wait times and decide what we want to do and then go to WS grab a times guide and decide what entertainment we want to do in the afternoon. Plan those all around the 12:30 lunch and 6PM dinner. Before we leave for dinner walk on SE which historically late afternoon has short SB lines. Probably grab a FP for Maelstorm. Two Headliners twice in one day is not a mega user and not riding the same ride over and over. Maelstorm is not a headliner to us but we do enjoy it. All this on 3 FP-.

What I am now expecting: RD go to Soarin' with a long SB line at opening delaying my arrival at TT until THAT SB line has gotten longer (As another RD person you know that the latter in the AM it gets the longer the SB line gets) getting off two rides much closer to lunch limiting what we can now because 1) it is later in the AM 2) SB lines have gone up parkwide because of FP+. So now two rides then lunch. Then it is off to FW to use my FP+ There isn't enough time to do much between the FP's and I certainly won't be able to see much or any entertainment in the WS. Because I am now locked into when I can see the secondary rides using FP+ Can't risk missing the FP+'s since that is the only way we will see them.

So I've had to drop one headliner, probably not see SE because the SB line will be too long in the afternoon, I'm not sure how Maelstorms SB line is going to be but any line over 15 min for that is too long. Drop a bunch of secondary rides because I can't miss my FP+ times and not seen any entertainment because I can't leave FW.

I don't understand the mentality of "people are just being backward and don't like change". Not true, I am unhappy my days are being diminished.

Also, not true that I have to change my "touring style" I'll still be there at RD, I'll still have a TS lunch planned, still only use 3 FP's (not tons) and I still won't wait in long SB lines but will not be able to get through the headliners as quickly in the AM and have lost all flexibility after lunch.

Almost by definition the dis boards are made up of people who are planning to go to WDW. A large percentage of them are frequent visitors so they understand the consequences of the changes that will happen as a result of FP+ implementation. I remember pre FP- when all you had was standby lines. I can count myself as a return visitor whose visits were greatly improved and as a result the frequency of my trips went up drastically.

If I am frustrated by long SB lines again and not seeing the headliners I want (Not over and over but twice is not unreasonable) and with a long SB lines I won't see some of my favorite secondary attractions (Maelstrom and SE I'm looking at you), why is that so hard to understand?

If I am wrong and am able to do the AM as effeciently as last year, I'll run right back that night and admit it. But all the data indicates that isn't going to happen and I already know that any entertainment in WS is out. It was always the perfect thing to do because there was never a line regardless of crowd levels.

I've found the most vocal supporters of FP+ are the ones that go during value season which we used to do and loved it. There is a HUGE difference. It is so much more expensive to travel over the holidays that the question will be it worth THAT much for THAT little?

 

[Suellen]

You used to be able to link vouchers - but I'm not sure if you still can. I know you won't be able to order MB's from what someone above said.

15 inches of fresh snow mid-March is exactly why we live here now!

 

[SRUAlmn]

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

Thank you for clarifying!! That's why my post had the disclaimer that the online chats aren't usually very reliable. It stinks that having a voucher means nothing. I live in SC! It's not like I can run to WDW and activate my pass. It sort of feels like passholders are getting the short end of the stick in a lot of ways when they really are the most dedicated customers.

 

[doconeill]

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

So they are sending another card with the bands? I've already _got_ my RFID AP, which as I understood we needed to keep to show for discounts/parking. Is this to replace that?

Still begs the question - why can't they just encode the discount on the band? Every place I could use it can scan the bands now anyways for payment. Unless, of course, the idea is that at least some of the time you might forget to ask for the discount, vs. having it automatically applied...

 

[MarieA]

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

Thanks for the info. I renewed over the phone. I have a confirmation number so I can pick up my new AP at guest services. My old AP expired in November.

 

[aubriee]

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

Thanks, I won't worry then if our magic bands get here before our trip next week. I'm tempted to just call and cancel them. No, on second thought, since this will be our last trip with these annual passes and since we have no intention of renewing our annual passes (thanks to FP+), I may just take the magic bands, hang them up and throw darts at them, or maybe take a hammer to them to release all the frustration we're feeling about this whole FP+ mess.

Our current annual passes expire May 5th, but for the first time in almost ten years, we have no intention of renewing them. In fact, I am actually dreading our trip next week. I saw how much less we got done on our trip this past Dec because of FP+ and now even more people are using FP+, so we can expect both FP and standby lines to be even longer, but my husband insisted he wanted to get one more trip out of our APs. I admit we were some of the so called super users when it came to fastpass, and really miss the days when you could arrive at park opening, ride all the headliners standby, while gathering up fast passes as fast you could to use anytime later in the day. We are also people who like to repeat rides. FP+ has destroyed the way we used to do the parks. Used to we could ride Toy Story Mania three times before lunch (twice standby as soon as the park opened, then a third time with a FP). We really miss those days. They were so much more fair. Everyone had the same chance to get up early, ride before the lines got long, and then had the same opportunity to compete for the same fast passes. Now FP return times are for a lot later in the day, (if they are even available) and you can only get three, which all must be used in the same park and you can't repeat rides with them. No thanks!

 

[staceyeileen]

T In fact, I am actually dreading our trip next week.

Lighten up, you're going to Disney World!!

 

[Wood Nymph]

We have the passholder MB's waiting for us to ship, but since they wouldn't get to us before our upcoming trip, we really can't use them.

I've read that Disney is sending a slider with the AP MB's. Has anyone received this yet?

_____________________

I admit we were some of the so called super users when it came to fastpass, and really miss the days when you could arrive at park opening, ride all the headliners standby, while gathering up fast passes as fast you could to use anytime later in the day. We are also people who like to repeat rides. FP+ has destroyed the way we used to do the parks. Used to we could ride Toy Story Mania three times before lunch (twice standby as soon as the park opened, then a third time with a FP). We really miss those days. They were so much more fair. Everyone had the same chance to get up early, ride before the lines got long, and then had the same opportunity to compete for the same fast passes. Now FP return times are for a lot later in the day, (if they are even available) and you can only get three, which all must be used in the same park and you can't repeat rides with them. No thanks!

I think an argument can be made, and has been made, over whether the old fp system was more fair than the new system. But that is a topic for another thread.

I hope you can still enjoy your vacation. We have discovered that we enjoy our trips more when we do less rides. We've been on them all many times, anyway.

 

[Good Morning Dewdrop]

Update

AP holder with onsite stay coming up in 60 days!

Yesterday it was just showing 30 days out (for booking FP)

This morning my whole trip - all 8 days were available for me to arrange FP+

Did it no major problems (site froze up a couple of times)

I had no trouble getting what we wanted at the times we wanted and I like the way they've changed the way you "edit" a FP selection - much easier than before! This is our 3rd trip with FP+ so I've had some experience playing with the site.

 

[myjourney]

How does FP+ work if part of the family is planning to get their tickets when we get to the resort in May. Is it unlikely that I will be able to make a FP+ for them at the same time as mine?

 

[flatlandcycle]

How does FP+ work if part of the family is planning to get their tickets when we get to the resort in May. Is it unlikely that I will be able to make a FP+ for them at the same time as mine?

Disney appears to hold back FP+'s for "day of" ticket buyers, for the time being. Some have commented that headliners are gone by 9:30-10:00 am. I load up my FP+s and lend my bands to friends, including CM's, who cannot take advantage of the system. Bands are not transferable for park-entrance. Hopefully they won't stop my sharing, because I really would tell people to stay away from the mouse until they fix the system.

This is where Disney has fallen down the most: sharing Disney with friends and family who do not come often. I personally benefit from the way FP+ works now, but when I try to coordinate any park activity with others it becomes a nearly impossible task.

 

[delmar411]

How does FP+ work if part of the family is planning to get their tickets when we get to the resort in May. Is it unlikely that I will be able to make a FP+ for them at the same time as mine?

If they are staying on site and linked to you then I'd try copying over your FP selections to them once try have tickets.

 

[k5thbeatle]

We visited 3-1 and had magic bands and all it's features. Were we just lucky???

 

[doconeill]

We visited 3-1 and had magic bands and all it's features. Were we just lucky???

Not enough context in your post to totally know what you are saying...but if you stayed at a Disney resort, you would definitely get MagicBands.

Annual Passholders will be receiving MagicBands even _without_ staying at a resort now.

 

[aubriee]

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?

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

Thanks, I won't worry then if our magic bands get here before our trip next week. I'm tempted to just call and cancel them. No, on second thought, since this will be our last trip with these annual passes and since we have no intention of renewing our annual passes (thanks to FP+), I may just take the magic bands, hang them up and throw darts at them, or maybe take a hammer to them to release all the frustration we're feeling about this whole FP+ mess.

I just got an email (3/18/14 @ 04:15am CT) sayng our Magic Bands have finally shipped. We fly out this Friday at 0600 CT. Again we are staying offsite eleven days March 21st-31st, so no resort reservation and no ADRs. I made FP+ reservations a week or so ago for the first seven days of the trip. Don't know how many of them we are keeping though. We are leaning toward spending more time over at Universal, Sea World, Busch Gardens, and a couple of beaches.

 

[jimandami]

I didn't get a MB for my AP...I got TWO!! This brings me up to 6 with 2 more coming in the fall!