Checking Magic Bands at check-in

[tzolkin]

Two questions:

1. When they scan your Magic Bands at check-in to make sure they work are they just checking them for the ability to open the hotel room door or can they check to see what's linked (tickets) in your MDE account?

2. If you do online check-in, do they still scan the bands at the desk?


I'm sure I'm just being paranoid, but we purchased tickets through the YES program and I just want to make sure they are linked correctly and ready to go. We will not be going to the parks on arrival day, so our first time trying to enter will be before park opening for the class.

 

[bumbershoot]

We only ever have ONE MB scanned. Not sure what they are doing at all.

If your tickets are linked to MDE and the MBs are on the same MDE, it should all work just fine. If there's a glitch then there's a glitch, and you can't check for impending glitches. If you're worried, get to the park extra early.

There are different levels of checking in; online checkin at its most basic is just giving them info like when you'll be there, your CC info, etc. If you meet certain qualifications and they feel like it, they seem to be offering, to some, a way to not have to go to the front desk at all. But even if you get that level, you could still go to the front desk. I'm just not sure it'll tell you anything or make sure of anything.

 

[tzolkin]

The only time we have used Magic Bands was a weekend trip where we only went to the Christmas party. At check-in they scanned each one of our bands. One of them didn't work, so she did something to "reset" it. I just assumed they did that with everyone and that's why I was curious what info they could see at the resort scanners.

The YES program gave me a confirmation number to use in MDE to be able to book FP, but their email still says to pick up your tickets the day before the class. I am assuming that's just left over from before they started using Magic Bands (last time we took a class we had to go to the TTC to pick up our tickets). I would rather not go to a park gate or DTD on arrival day to pick up tickets if I don't have to, which is why I was hoping they could just verify on the bands.

 

[patty57]

We've only had one trip with MBs, and none of them were scanned at the desk.

 

[Dean Marino]

A note for you - scanning that MB at check in has nothing to DO with "will the MB open your hotel room door".

How we know: On our recent 4-2015 visit to the WL, we went thru the ritual of the initial MB scan. Took us about 4 hours with the WL Clerks to get those things to work with the WL door locks. We brought TWO SETS with us - our Passholder Bands, as well as our "current vacation" bands. Note that we had JUST USED these at Whispering Canyon to pay for lunch - as far as "the main park" was concerned? They were fine.

Eventually, we just request hard cards for our door locks. It was then that someone spilled the beans - EACH HOTEL'S LOCAL Computer system needs to be synchronized with the main "MB SYSTEM". When this breaks down? No degree of "scanning" is going to get you into your room.

So - a bit of advice... if someone wants to "scan" your band at a hotel? Great, lovely, have a perfect day. The very INSTANT that MB refuses to open a room door lock? Go to the Front Desk, and demand room key cards (which are keyed to the LOCAL HOTEL Computer System). Do NOT let the Hotel play "deactivate MB - REactivate MB"... they will try (always try to blame corporate ). This is not a problem with you MB - it's a problem with the "MB Shell Game" - disjointed back end computer systems from 1992 trying DESPERATELY to intercommunicate - and failing.

 

[MouseLover]

Although my MB was linked to tickets & would open room, it didn't work at turnstile. I had to go to Guest Relations to have it re linked. Took a few minutes but they were very nice. Not sure how it could have been checked ahead of time. It was showing up in MSE. Dh & dd worked fine.

 

[AngiTN]

A note for you - scanning that MB at check in has nothing to DO with "will the MB open your hotel room door".

How we know: On our recent 4-2015 visit to the WL, we went thru the ritual of the initial MB scan. Took us about 4 hours with the WL Clerks to get those things to work with the WL door locks. We brought TWO SETS with us - our Passholder Bands, as well as our "current vacation" bands. Note that we had JUST USED these at Whispering Canyon to pay for lunch - as far as "the main park" was concerned? They were fine.

Eventually, we just request hard cards for our door locks. It was then that someone spilled the beans - EACH HOTEL'S LOCAL Computer system needs to be synchronized with the main "MB SYSTEM". When this breaks down? No degree of "scanning" is going to get you into your room.

So - a bit of advice... if someone wants to "scan" your band at a hotel? Great, lovely, have a perfect day. The very INSTANT that MB refuses to open a room door lock? Go to the Front Desk, and demand room key cards (which are keyed to the LOCAL HOTEL Computer System). Do NOT let the Hotel play "deactivate MB - REactivate MB"... they will try (always try to blame corporate ). This is not a problem with you MB - it's a problem with the "MB Shell Game" - disjointed back end computer systems from 1992 trying DESPERATELY to intercommunicate - and failing.

We had the opposite situation on a split stay 5-15. The front desk did have to scan, and activate our bands to open the room door. The bands worked great and did everything else needed, allowed purchases, allowed entry to the parks but didn't open the room door at 2 of our 3 resorts. A quick scan with an iPhone looking device by the CM at the front desk fixed them and they did open the door. Both instances were fixed within minutes. Maybe CR and YC use a different system than WL. Our 2 stays at WL did go off without a hitch but they were before we had an AP and they were not split stays.

 

[ChrisJG]

I had a never fixed problem in January that I couldn't charge to my room. (3 tries going to get fixed.) I really didn't need to charge to the room but the free extra fastpasses were nice as payment for my time.

 

[Figmentmommy]

On our first trip with magicbands in Nov 2013 (during the testing phase) the cast member scanned all of our bands at check in and we were told to tap each band at the room door in order to activate them for the room. On our trip one year later in Dec 2014 they didn't scan any of them and we didn't need to do anything at the room door.

 

[Figmentmommy]

I had a never fixed problem in January that I couldn't charge to my room. (3 tries going to get fixed.) I really didn't need to charge to the room but the free extra fastpasses were nice as payment for my time.

On our 2013 trip my band had on and off issues with opening the room door and with charging privileges. Luckily there weren't any issues with admission. I stopped at the desk one night to see if they could fix the door issue and they said they were afraid to try because they didn't want to mess up my FastPasses. No biggie. The manger then came over to apologize for any inconvenience and entered something on the computer. He gave us extra FastPasses and applied a $50 credit to our account. Now that was a nice surprise!

 

[Dean Marino]

..... I stopped at the desk one night to see if they could fix the door issue and they said they were afraid to try because they didn't want to mess up my FastPasses......

! I LOVE that reaction . Good choice by the Hotel - even THEY realize how delicate & easily broken that "system" is .