Are Magic Bands REQUIRED?

[JimmyV]

Consider the following scenario:

• Guest buys MYW 5 day pass from Disney and receives plastic cards in the mail.
• Guest sets up MDE account and links those tickets to the account.
• Guest makes ADRs in advance and they are all linked to the account.
• Guest books off site lodging for 5 nights.
• Guest makes "phantom" room reservation for first night only and links reservation to MDE account.
• Guest makes 5 days worth of FP+ reservations all linked to MDE account.
• Guest checks in to on site resort on first night, arriving very late, close to midnight.

Now, what are the guest's options for using their tickets that they already have in hand? Can they:

1. Decline a MB at check in and use their plastic ticket for admission and FP+ returns, or
2. Must exchange their plastic card for a MB with the front desk agent able to do that right then and there, or
3. Must exchange their plastic card for a MB but the front desk agent won't be able to do that and the guest will have to go to Guest Services in the morning.

Is there a definitive answer to this?

 

[vicki_c]

Under what circumstance would the check in CM not be able to give the guest a Magic Band? I can't think of one, so I don't know what would require choice #3.

The guest would possibly have gotten their MB in the mail ahead of time (unless they booked on short notice).

 

[Prose]

Maybe it's because I have only booked packages, but I never have received plastic tickets via mail....

 

[siskaren]

Maybe it's because I have only booked packages, but I never have received plastic tickets via mail....

The OP is talking about ordering tickets separately from a room reservation.

 

[crostorfer]

Consider the following scenario:

• Guest buys MYW 5 day pass from Disney and receives plastic cards in the mail.
• Guest sets up MDE account and links those tickets to the account.
• Guest makes ADRs in advance and they are all linked to the account.
• Guest books off site lodging for 5 nights.
• Guest makes "phantom" room reservation for first night only and links reservation to MDE account.
• Guest makes 5 days worth of FP+ reservations all linked to MDE account.
• Guest checks in to on site resort on first night, arriving very late, close to midnight.

Now, what are the guest's options for using their tickets that they already have in hand? Can they:

1. Decline a MB at check in and use their plastic ticket for admission and FP+ returns, or
2. Must exchange their plastic card for a MB with the front desk agent able to do that right then and there, or
3. Must exchange their plastic card for a MB but the front desk agent won't be able to do that and the guest will have to go to Guest Services in the morning.

Is there a definitive answer to this?

The resort room doors are all MB now aren't they? You can't get a plastic key card anymore. I think they may make you get a Magic Band, but other than to get into the room I don't think you HAVE to use it in the park, as long as you carry your web enabled phone with you at all times to prove that you have your FP+ reservation, since you won't have the band to tap at the mickey head.

 

[n2mm]

We just got home last week. While at the BW I asked if I could get a plastic card for ease when dining. I was told by the front desk that it was no longer available. While dining at several locations the server did not have a reader and would actually take my MB and a card would've been easier. Btw we did not like the change to the FP now. We found ourselves being forced into long standby lines because we park hop each day. So we choose to skip many of our favorite attractions because of long lines and considering late January is a quieter time I don't see it getting any better.

 

[dansyr2514]

so...in this hypothetical situation, would the guest actually stay at the resort or waste at least $100 to get a magic band?

 

[crostorfer]

so...in this hypothetical situation, would the guest actually stay at the resort or waste at least $100 to get a magic band?

"waste" is a relative term.

 

[dansyr2514]

Your undercover tourist ticket can be linked from the website to your reservation...you would receive magicbands before you left home. Basically you wouldn't need your tickets because they would be on your magicband. However, once you check out...all onsite privileges cease. You will need to pay for parking, and will not be able to access extra magic hours.

You're correct that waste is a relative term. To me however, it would be. Unless you are going during a very busy time of year, fast passes seem to be readily available in the parks. If it's during a busy season, you;ll be paying a premium for even a value room.

 

[JimmyV]

Under what circumstance would the check in CM not be able to give the guest a Magic Band?

I guess that's what I'm trying to figure out. If the guest bought park passes and received them in the mail and has the hard plastic cards in their possession, I think that the content of those cards is supposed to be transferred over to the bands. Suppose someone just walked in to a Disney Resort and didn't have a reservation, and simply said: "Got a room available?" If the answer is yes, and the person then shows the desk clerk his plastic 5 day pass, does the desk clerk transfer the content of that card over to the MB, or does that get done by guest relations at a park? In that situation, there is no MB mailed to the guest, and there is no reservation in the system, so the MB cannot be pre-built. So can the guest simply say, "I'll take the MB to use as my room key, but I'll stick with the plastic card to get into the park. Not everyone books full packages a year out. If you book last minute, they don't mail you a MB and you get it when you check in. So the question is, can the desk clerk build you a MB right there and then by transferring over the content of your card, or do you have to waste a half an hour at the gate in the morning?

The resort room doors are all MB now aren't they? You can't get a plastic key card anymore.

The hypothetical assumes that the guest already has the plastic cards in hand. For example, no expiration cards with unused days from last year.

I think they may make you get a Magic Band, but other than to get into the room I don't think you HAVE to use it in the park,

Makes sense that you would need a MB to open your room.

as long as you carry your web enabled phone with you at all times to prove that you have your FP+ reservation, since you won't have the band to tap at the mickey head.

But off site guests don't get Magic Bands and can't tap Mickey on the head. So the plastic admission cards that off site guests use (either bought from Disney or Undercover Tourist) have to activate the FP system somehow, no?

so...in this hypothetical situation, would the guest actually stay at the resort or waste at least $100 to get a magic band?

Can't see how this makes a difference, but assume that the guest is staying on the Disney resort for that first night.

 

[dayvewc]

I guess that's what I'm trying to figure out. If the guest bought park passes and received them in the mail and has the hard plastic cards in their possession, I think that the content of those cards is supposed to be transferred over to the bands. Suppose someone just walked in to a Disney Resort and didn't have a reservation, and simply said: "Got a room available?" If the answer is yes, and the person then shows the desk clerk his plastic 5 day pass, does the desk clerk transfer the content of that card over to the MB, or does that get done by guest relations at a park? In that situation, there is no MB mailed to the guest, and there is no reservation in the system, so the MB cannot be pre-built. So can the guest simply say, "I'll take the MB to use as my room key, but I'll stick with the plastic card to get into the park. Not everyone books full packages a year out. If you book last minute, they don't mail you a MB and you get it when you check in. So the question is, can the desk clerk build you a MB right there and then by transferring over the content of your card, or do you have to waste a half an hour at the gate in the morning?

There is nothing "transferred" or "built into" the bands. They simply work as a "key" to access your account on MDE. If you have tickets linked to the MDE, then, when you get to the parks, it will access your MDE, verify you have valid tickets, and let you in. The only thing on the MD is an RFID chip that has a unique code that has been assigned to you and linked to your MDE account. What the desk clerk can do, is issue you a gray MB and link it to your account. The advantage to pre-booking your room is that you get to choose the color of you MB. (and reserve FP)

The hypothetical assumes that the guest already has the plastic cards in hand. For example, no expiration cards with unused days from last year.

If they are the "new" cards, it doesn't matter. If they are the "old" Tyvek (?) cards, they will have to be exchanged for the new ones before you enter the parks.


But off site guests don't get Magic Bands and can't tap Mickey on the head. So the plastic admission cards that off site guests use (either bought from Disney or Undercover Tourist) have to activate the FP system somehow, no?

They do. The "new" cards also have an RFID chip embedded in them. You "tap" the card to the Mickey to access admission to the parks and the FP system.

Hope that answers the questions.

 

[DoughR]

This is basically just an AP holder scenario. The ticket and the MB that it is tied to are interchangeable as long as the ticket is RFID-enabled. AP cards can open resort rooms and make room charges too and I wouldn't be surprised if all RFID tickets did the same. Everything is simply tied to your MDE account. I think split-stay reports were saying that you will receive a MB for every room reservation made but you only need the one active MB to access each room because it basically pulls the info from MDE.