AP + MagicBand = easy pay?

[JonUK]

Hey all,

So I'm an annual passholder, and have a couple of MagicBands from previous trips, when I stayed at Disney Hotels.

I'm lucky to be able to squeeze an extra weekend at WDW in August, but I can't spend much so I'm staying offsite. I normally use my magicband to pay for EVERYTHING when I'm there, so I don't carry cash or anything.

But now that I'm not staying at a Disney Hotel, can I still use my magicband to pay for stuff, or is that simply not available to me anymore and I have to whip out my wallet every single time? Thanks!

 

[ravenclawtrekkie]

Paying by MagicBand works by charging to the room. You have no room to charge to. Ergo, you can't pay by MagicBand.

I wish they would offer it for AP holders, at least - it's probably in the top 5 of things I get asked about on a daily basis.

 

[ajfd]

You have to dip into the wallet every time, sorry to say.

Last year we stayed "semi-offsite" (Swolphin) and not having charging privileges on my Magic Band was annoying enough that it is definitely something I would take into consideration in the future if the topic of an on or off site vacation comes up.

 

[OKW Lover]

This may not be applicable to the OP, but those with iPhones and AppleWatches should be aware that ApplePay is accepted at any WDW location that also accepts MB payments. Saves having to whip out the wallet all the time even if not staying on site.

 

[rcraw45425]

Always have some cash with you! We experienced a kiosk at EPCOT during a rainstorm that said that their MB reader was down. They actually wanted to haggle with me over a penny for the two ponchos I was buying until their supervisor said to forget it. SO remember, two ponchos cost $10.01 (and she wouldn't take the fact that we were pass holders to give that discount!)

 

[HopperFan]

Paying by MagicBand works by charging to the room. You have no room to charge to. Ergo, you can't pay by MagicBand.

I wish they would offer it for AP holders, at least - it's probably in the top 5 of things I get asked about on a daily basis.

What an untapped wallet that Disney should program in to their system. Many AP holders are local or stay offsite and can keep their spending in check. Allowing charging to MB is likely to increase spending due to ease just like it has with onsite guests. If you have an AP and a CC linked to your MDE, no reason they can't set up a category for charging.

This may not be applicable to the OP, but those with iPhones and AppleWatches should be aware that ApplePay is accepted at any WDW location that also accepts MB payments. Saves having to whip out the wallet all the time even if not staying on site.

This is correct and could be the reason that charging on MB is not happening for APs. Disney and Apple do partner on things and maybe there is an agreement that Disney won't allow it to hopefully push the Apple Pay among offsite.

 

[OKW Lover]

This is correct and could be the reason that charging on MB is not happening for APs. Disney and Apple do partner on things and maybe there is an agreement that Disney won't allow it to hopefully push the Apple Pay among offsite.

What I'm waiting for is the ability to use my iPhone or AppleWatch in place of a MB.

 

[HopperFan]

What I'm waiting for is the ability to use my iPhone or AppleWatch in place of a MB.

That would be nice especially the watch. I pulled my iPhone out enough already.

But I wonder do you think that by having your everyday band on you would forget that it has all the MB capabilities and therefore your "without thought" charging might slow down.

And if they could do it, would it also track you in the parks like the MB does? If it's not a plus for Disney plan, I don't see it happening.

 

[ars0525]

I'm an AP holder & don't stay on site either. I always carry into the park my ID, phone, hard card AP (you need to show that for any discounts) & Disney VISA (needed for the photo spot & to charge all purchases). I just put those 3 cards in a pocket since I don't usually carry a bag or purse.

I just got an iPhone so I'll have to add my Disney VISA for charging. Although I'll still need it to show if I go to the picture spots.

 

[HopperFan]

I'm an AP holder & don't stay on site either. I always carry into the park my ID, phone, hard card AP (you need to show that for any discounts) & Disney VISA (needed for the photo spot & to charge all purchases). I just put those 3 cards in a pocket since I don't usually carry a bag or purse.

I just got an iPhone so I'll have to add my Disney VISA for charging. Although I'll still need it to show if I go to the picture spots.

The rest of my gang has cell phone covers with a small slide pocket on the back that they slide them in to, makes it easy and safer than pocket.

 

[wilkeliza]

That would be nice especially the watch. I pulled my iPhone out enough already.

But I wonder do you think that by having your everyday band on you would forget that it has all the MB capabilities and therefore your "without thought" charging might slow down.

And if they could do it, would it also track you in the parks like the MB does? If it's not a plus for Disney plan, I don't see it happening.

I'm pretty sure you could make an apple watch work exactly the same as the MB does and even above and beyond. Take for instance my MLB Ballpark app. I allowed it to use my GPS and location. With my phone it has never once autochecked me into a game. I've always had to go into the app and still check myself in. I wore my apple watch to a game the other week and went to check another teams score on the at bat app. I realized I had already been checked into the game and was receiving offer notifications. I don't think it was a fluke that I don't get autochecked in if I'm not wearing the watch.

Same goes for glances and offers on both apple watch and iphone. If you have that turned on and constantly let the GPS be running on your device certain apps will be on the lock screen for ease of use. Most notably for me is Starbucks. When I had the feature turned on if I was with in a half block of a Starbucks the app would pop up on the bottom of the lock screen. I could launch it from the lock screen to pay for my drinks. I have since turned that feature off as I found it a little too big brother.

With MDE we give it permission to use our location (well most people do) when the app is launched. If the app could be always be launched on the apple watch and thus always pulling GPS information Disney would get even more information from it. They honestly wouldn't even need the apple watch to do the same as the MB as I wear both my MB and my apple watch at the parks. If they just would make an apple watch app for MDE they could collect all that information on a much more specific level then the long range RFID allows for.

 

[bumbershoot]

Allowing charging to MB is likely to increase spending due to ease just like it has with onsite guests.

This is theist mystifying thing to me. How does a plastic bracelet make people charge more? The budget (or, let's be honest about some, the room on the CC) is the budget. I have never once bought more than intended because of HOW I pay. I don't understand how people would. I get buying more than expected because you're having fun, are hungrier than usual, you forgot your sweatshirt and are cold (a Disneyland experience), etc. but for me the actual placing of the band on the reader is seriously awkward to the point of pain, so there's nothing easy about it.

And the band still doesn't change the fact of the budge or cc balance.

 

[wilkeliza]

This is theist mystifying thing to me. How does a plastic bracelet make people charge more? The budget (or, let's be honest about some, the room on the CC) is the budget. I have never once bought more than intended because of HOW I pay. I don't understand how people would. I get buying more than expected because you're having fun, are hungrier than usual, you forgot your sweatshirt and are cold (a Disneyland experience), etc. but for me the actual placing of the band on the reader is seriously awkward to the point of pain, so there's nothing easy about it.

And the band still doesn't change the fact of the budge or cc balance.

There is a psychological disconnect for some based on how they pay. Even between credit and cash. With cash you have to pull out the bills and actually see the money so it is tangible. For cc or debit card you never see the physical money so for some it doesn't register the same. Add to that not even needing to take out a wallet and it can add to an ease of spending. For me it happens when I don't even have to pull out my wallet. In that split second my brain does not have to "process" the transaction so I'm less likely to stop and think Do I need this? Is it of value to me at this moment? Will I actually use this item past this trip? or any other question I might ponder if I actually think through the transaction.

 

[linzbear]

And if they could do it, would it also track you in the parks like the MB does? If it's not a plus for Disney plan, I don't see it happening.

Not currently - the long range rfid used for ride photos and storymaker isn't on any smart device on the market. They theoretically can program the software to also use MDE and GPS, but the market for that is still niche.

It'll happen eventually, but not until the pay by watch/phone feature is being used so frequently that they're losing money by not offering it as a MB alternative.

 

[OKW Lover]

It'll happen eventually, but not until the pay by watch/phone feature is being used so frequently that they're losing money by not offering it as a MB alternative.

...and how would they measure that?

 

[linzbear]

...and how would they measure that?

They have an R&D team that's very good at their job.