Celebration, disappointment, and a question....

[Suprize2017]

Celebration - We are two weeks and two days away from leaving for Florida! Yay! It's currently -11 degrees and snowing, again, so sunny skies and warm weather (and seeing the ground!) is right around the corner for us! Yippee!! So excited! Second celebration is that we got our Magic Bands today. Yay!! Finally! The whole family was pretty excited to get them. Makes the trip all that much more real.

Disappointment - A bit disappointed in the packaging though. This is just our second trip. Our first was exactly two years ago. Those magic bands were shipped in a really nice little "Incredibles" box that we still have. These magic bands came in a plain brown box that we had to tear into to get the bands. Nothing nice to save. I realize it sounds silly to be disappointed in the packaging, but I am. It was all those little things that made our first trip so incredibly special. So, as silly as it sounds, the icky box is my disappointment. I hope that's where my disappointment begins and ends though!

Question - The above mentioned box also contained our luggage tags. Just the tags though. Nothing to use to attach the tags to the luggage. Is that really how it's supposed to be? What do I use to attach the tags?

 

[Suprize2017]

Ok, I'm an idiot! Lol! As I was typing all that out, and thinking of the first box compared to this box, it occurred to me they may have stuck the tag attachments (do those little doohickeys have an actual name?) somewhere in the box. Sure enough, they were slipped into the center part the bands are wrapped around. Pretty sneaky!

Still bummed about the plain, boring box. I know. I'm a dork!

 

[adisneyaunt]

Cutbacks and more profit.??
Yup I have those pretty boxes!
Silly, the things we enjoy, keep make momento's.
If that's the worst disappointment for a Disney vacation I'd say it's a win, lol.

The luggage tags used to come with that little plastic thingy to attach. Did they cut that out too?

Hope your trip is a great one....pixie dust ur way!!

 

[adisneyaunt]

Glad U found them cause I was like... huh, really Disney? Too funny!

 

[subtchr]

I am honestly not discounting your disappointment -- everyone's perception is valid. But as a tree-hugger, I'm glad they have gone to more eco-friendly packaging.

 

[No.1000]

I recently got the new box too. Boo! I love my old Incredibles boxes!

 

[bumbershoot]

I am a tree hugger AND a pack rat AND we have DVC so I am awash in old MB boxes.

I actually quite like the new boxes.

 

[Klayfish]

I am unquestionably not a tree hugger, but I do understand the concept of your disappointment because I do agree that it can be the little things that help make a trip magical. Personally, I don't care if they wrap the magic bands in old newspaper and ship it to me. That's not one of the little things that excites me, but I definitely understand why it might be for you. Well...here's hoping that you'll find all kinds of other little things on your trip to make it magical. We always do...and it's typically the CMs!

 

[Suprize2017]

I tried to do the quote thing last night and couldn't get it to work, which is why I have the quote a couple responses above, with no added comment by me! So, back to the "tree hugger" comment in regard to the new packaging. Thanks for the reminder. I do tend to be a tree hugger and am usually very aware of packaging and excess waste. It's interesting that I never even considered that in this case. Suddenly the packaging isn't so important! Thanks for the reality check!

So, let's focus on my excitement. Two weeks and one day!! I have awakened to several more inches of snow, and slightly even colder temps than last night, and love thinking of being in warm, GREEN, Florida in a couple weeks!!! I think we will start packing a little this weekend. I know we won't be needing any of those short sleeve shirts, shorts, or capris around here any time soon!

 

[ellbell]

I'm sorry that you're disappointed but hey it could be worse. If you were Canadian you wouldn't even get your magic bands and luggage tags until you got to your resort and sometimes they don't even have the matching luggage tags for you.

 

[cel_disney]

We have many of the old boxes and a Passholders box or two..they are too high quality for this recycler to recycle so I try to reuse...I will be a little bummed to get a plain box...but maybe there is a middle ground - Eco friendly packaging (which I do agree would be a good thing!) can look amazing thanks to modern technology!

 

[georgina]

I've always thought what a terrible waste that packaging was. Even for 1 magic band they used that huge box. Always goes straight in the trash, and I was sad it was too tough to collapse easily for the trash.

 

[loves to dive]

I've always thought what a terrible waste that packaging was. Even for 1 magic band they used that huge box. Always goes straight in the trash, and I was sad it was too tough to collapse easily for the trash.

This was me too. Of course, I go twice a year and half the time refuse the MBs any way because you don't really need two of each color now do you? I do still get my AP MB, sill because it's no different than the regular one but I like the slider. I always threw the boxes away and every time I fussed about the waste of sending those huge boxes. It is sort of magic when they come in the mail though, I'll agree with you on that.

 

[vicb]

I have a basic question.... last trip I went was when Magic Bands were super new... we had to buy ours there first night in HS (we were staying at S/D).... anyway..... can we reuse those same bands when we go later this year or do we need new ones??

 

[Klayfish]

Yes, you can reuse them, just make sure they're linked to your account.

 

[subtchr]

I have a basic question.... last trip I went was when Magic Bands were super new... we had to buy ours there first night in HS (we were staying at S/D).... anyway..... can we reuse those same bands when we go later this year or do we need new ones??

If they are still showing as active in your MDE profile, they will still work on this trip. The short range (touchpoint scanning) function will always work. After a period of time (3-4 years is the guess), the long range (mostly ride photo) functions may not.

 

[AngiTN]

I am honestly not discounting your disappointment -- everyone's perception is valid. But as a tree-hugger, I'm glad they have gone to more eco-friendly packaging.

This is the first place my mind went to with the new boxes. Though we did recycle both the old and the new

 

[wilkeliza]

Just a heads up OP the luggage tags are for a souvenir and are not needed. I personally don't put them on my check luggage as they have a habit of disappearing. Luggage tags easily get caught in the machinery (conviery belts, luggage carts, etc) and they will just rip it off if it does get stuck. I never use a luggage tag that I'm not willing to lose on a trip.

 

[Stephiehun]

As someone who is trying to surprise her daughter with a Disney trip, I'm glad the MB box will be less conspicuous. We booked through a local Disney agent so I already arranged to have them shipped to her to avoid DD seeing them. This will make it easier to hide them in our luggage.

 

[bumbershoot]

Always goes straight in the trash, and I was sad it was too tough to collapse easily for the trash.

The *trash*? Recycling would have been nice. And no matter what bin you out it in it takes but a minute to take that box down to flat. It just all dismantles.