Can a Magic Band be used without being scanned at entry?

[quest4dl]

My DH will go into the parks on a limited basis and definitely not go on many rides. I'd like to be able to use his FP+ reservations. I know this is possible if he has entered the parks with us but what if we just take his magic band in? It can't be scanned at entry because he won't be with us all the time. Does this mean the FP+ reservations are not 'activated'? He may join us later in the day in which case we would exit with his band so he could enter.

He will still have a magic band for a room key because my older son is not joining us until the last night so DH could use his band for room entry.

 

[JanaDee]

My DH will go into the parks on a limited basis and definitely not go on many rides. I'd like to be able to use his FP+ reservations. I know this is possible if he has entered the parks with us but what if we just take his magic band in? It can't be scanned at entry because he won't be with us all the time. Does this mean the FP+ reservations are not 'activated'? He may join us later in the day in which case we would exit with his band so he could enter.

He will still have a magic band for a room key because my older son is not joining us until the last night so DH could use his band for room entry.

That is a good question. I'd be interested in hearing the answer.

Unfortunately, I don't have the answer.

 

[Minniesgal]

This wouldn't have worked before with tickets and older fastpass so I see it as highly unlikely it will work now.

 

[mydisneykids]

We know that it didn't work with the old system as the ticket needed to be used for entry but I read on another thread that someone said they were able to use a band of a family member that stayed at the resort for their FP+.
We are hoping to do that during this summer as I know there will be days my DH will stay at the resort and swim/relax with one of the kids and I will go to the park with another one of the kids.
I can also think of past trips where one of our kids ended up sick and in the room for a day with one of us, it would be a shame to have those precious FP+s go to waste.....
If anyone has first hand experience it would be great to hear!!

 

[kcajl]

It worked in December. Our last day there we went to MK before catching the ME to the airport, but my parents who drove down decided to get an early start on the drive home so we took their bands with us and were able to use them for extra FP+. With some careful scheduling we were able to have 5 FP+s for the 3 of us.

 

[baler31]

It worked for us in November but did not work for us last week. Furthermore, we were at parks for the last days of FP- and previously (since the advent of FP+ I know it was not supposed to work) we had been able to pull FP- with AP's that had not been used for entry. This time when those AP's were scanned it spit out a not valid for fastpass ticket. I know that that used to happen but our last two trips with magic bands we had been able to get FP- even for the AP's that were not in the park.

So something may have changed and I would not count on being able to use the band without him using it for entry.

 

[sharonabe]

I'm not sure I understand how it would work for you anyway. His magic band would only give you one person's FB+, so only one person would be able to ride with FB+. What is the other person or persons going to do while that one person rides?

 

[quest4dl]

I'm not sure I understand how it would work for you anyway. His magic band would only give you one person's FB+, so only one person would be able to ride with FB+. What is the other person or persons going to do while that one person rides?

My brother is also going - he will be at the parks with us but won't go on the rollercoasters so my younger ds and i could potentially ride twice if we used his FP+ and my dh's.

 

[jensen]

My DH will go into the parks on a limited basis and definitely not go on many rides. I'd like to be able to use his FP+ reservations. I know this is possible if he has entered the parks with us but what if we just take his magic band in? It can't be scanned at entry because he won't be with us all the time. Does this mean the FP+ reservations are not 'activated'? He may join us later in the day in which case we would exit with his band so he could enter.

He will still have a magic band for a room key because my older son is not joining us until the last night so DH could use his band for room entry.

Yes. It worked for us. DH got sick one day and went back to the room after the first park. DD never rides TOT. So, we booked FP+ for each of us (four total). Then DS and I rode TOT twice.
The caveat here might be that DHs MB had been scanned that morning at another park. But, it wasn't scanned to enter DHS where we used it to ride TOT.

This was two days ago.

 

[staceyeileen]

I'll be testing this next week and will report back.

 

[psquared21]

Somewaht similar question. Don't have the option to book FP+ in adavance. Family planning to do one park in morning, take break for the little ones, then a different park in the evening. Could I go to the evening park during the break and set up FP for everyone even though their ticket had not entered that park yet?

 

[11290]

If the MB has not been scanned at a park for that day, technically, the ticket attached to that band has not been "validated" (used) for that day, therefore, that MB's FP's do not exist (they do exist - just not active) because that MB is "not in the park". I see that a lot when I work a FP entry.

Really no different than the "old" legacy FP. If your ticket had not been used for that day, the FP dispenser would not allow a FP to be issued for that ticket.

 

[quest4dl]

Since we are staying at Boardwalk, I guess one option would be to scan it at the IG entrance to Epcot. If we use our FP+ for our later afternoon park that would work. What time does the IG entrance open?

 

[JanaDee]

If the MB has not been scanned at a park for that day, technically, the ticket attached to that band has not been "validated" (used) for that day, therefore, that MB's FP's do not exist (they do exist - just not active) because that MB is "not in the park". I see that a lot when I work a FP entry.

Really no different than the "old" legacy FP. If your ticket had not been used for that day, the FP dispenser would not allow a FP to be issued for that ticket.

People have reported being able to use FP+ on bands that haven't been validated at the park entrance, though.

 

[TinkerBelle_325]

During the September testing I was able to use DDad's MagicBand for extra FP+ one day when I went to DHS. I had planned all our FP+ together, yet DDad decided he didn't want to join us in the parks that morning. I was able to use my FP+ (with my MagicBand that WAS scanned for park entry) and then after I had ridden with that FP+ I returned and used DDad's MagicBand 9which had NOT been scanned at park entry) to ride again.

At that point the park entry system and the FP+ system were not linked. However, I have no idea if this is still the case.

 

[Robo]

What time does the IG entrance open?

The IG opens approximately in sync with the Epcot front gates.

 

[quest4dl]

I thought the bakery in France opened earlier?

 

[Robo]

I thought the bakery in France opened earlier?

Opens with park hours.

(BTW, for over a year, the Epcot gates have been opening to guests 15-30 minutes, or so, earlier than posted.)

 

[staceyeileen]

People have reported being able to use FP+ on bands that haven't been validated at the park entrance, though.

Yes, exactly. I've read several reports of this as well. Wondering if it is still the case.

 

[delmar411]

My DH will go into the parks on a limited basis and definitely not go on many rides. I'd like to be able to use his FP+ reservations. I know this is possible if he has entered the parks with us but what if we just take his magic band in? It can't be scanned at entry because he won't be with us all the time. Does this mean the FP+ reservations are not 'activated'? He may join us later in the day in which case we would exit with his band so he could enter.

He will still have a magic band for a room key because my older son is not joining us until the last night so DH could use his band for room entry.

Yes it works. It does not have to be activated at the gate. FP+ has nothing to do with actual park entry if you schedule them online.

It has worked this way since the very first time we used them in July and has continued to work this way every day since.

HTH!