D23 announcements for Disneyland-Magicbands!

[Dory92130]

They have things like this:

View attachment 624824

Yeah two little screws on band can pop out the middle part (grey oval above example). Several different options/pucks/lanyards to attach for those wrist adverse.

 

[Kender]

Yeah two little screws on band can pop out the middle part (grey oval above example). Several different options/pucks/lanyards to attach for those wrist adverse.

Yes. MB2s have this option to remove the pucks and place them in different types of holders.

Several of my CM friends were very excited by this update when they came out.

 

[PirateBrigade]

The last time they tried to close those stores to build a hotel, they backed out and reopened a lot of those places. Without Earl of Sandwich, I have even less reason to ever go to Downtown Disney so I'm secretly hoping they'll change their minds about this.

IIRC, they backed out of the hotel because Anaheim wouldn't give them the tax break they wanted, because the hotel was shifted ~40 feet vs what was "approved." They offered the old lessees their spots back, and Earl took it only because, by chance, they hadn't ripped everything out yet (unlike Rainforest).

I guess it took them this long to figure out what to do with that relatively derelict area (empty ESPN building, empty AMC building, was-mostly-empty-until-recently Rainforest building, etc...). I'll miss Earl's, for sure.

 

[gelatoni fan]

IIRC, they backed out of the hotel because Anaheim wouldn't give them the tax break they wanted, because the hotel was shifted ~40 feet vs what was "approved." They offered the old lessees their spots back, and Earl took it only because, by chance, they hadn't ripped everything out yet (unlike Rainforest).

I guess it took them this long to figure out what to do with that relatively derelict area (empty ESPN building, empty AMC building, was-mostly-empty-until-recently Rainforest building, etc...). I'll miss Earl's, for sure.

I think it was more like 1,000-2,000 feet because my understanding was that the original location was supposed to be the other side of the Downtown Disney parking lot. One of the main arguments made by the city was that the original economic impact assessment assumed the hotel would bring guests further North and would not have led to any closure of businesses in Downtown Disney.

If Disney lawyers overlooked something like that last time, I'm sort of secretly hoping they'll run afoul of a zoning law or something and not kill off Earl of Sandwich. I agree that there needs to be something in that space. I just want a good place to eat just outside the parks where I can get a meal for less than $10 including tax and tip that isn't unhealthy fast food.

 

[CodeGoddess]

Wondering if anyone has seen/heard of any update on this? Was hoping to have MB+ by our trip last week but now *fingers crossed* for Halloween and OBB.

 

[StormyCA]

I haven't heard a peep about when MBs will start up at DL. Just sometime 'this year' but who knows in reality. With Disney it happens when it happens.

 

[DLRExpert]

If I had to guess, it will launch when either the Treehouse or Toontown comes back, as I expect some interactivity to start there when it comes to the MBs.

 

[CodeGoddess]

If I had to guess, it will launch when either the Treehouse or Toontown comes back, as I expect some interactivity to start there when it comes to the MBs.

I would have assumed that any standard magic band/reader that is in the park right now will activate the same way. I'm a software engineer and the additional code needed to do that is kind of minimal to be honest once the infrastructure is there.

 

[DLRExpert]

I would have assumed that any standard magic band/reader that is in the park right now will activate the same way. I'm a software engineer and the additional code needed to do that is kind of minimal to be honest once the infrastructure is there.

Not sure if the current "scanners" at Disneyland read NFC or MB technology as they have an opening at the bottom that scans the guest ticket barcodes for current LL usage.
All LL attractions may need total scanner updates.
Don't know, but keep an eye on Pirates and their scanners if it comes back from rehab with LL access.

 

[CodeGoddess]

Not sure if the current "scanners" at Disneyland read NFC or MB technology as they have an opening at the bottom that scans the guest ticket barcodes for current LL usage.
All LL attractions may need total scanner updates.
Don't know, but keep an eye on Pirates and their scanners if it comes back from rehab with LL access.

Had no idea DLR wasn't using NFC technology already as so many phones have it. Guess I have a lot to learn yet about DLR.

 

[brightlined]

Had no idea DLR wasn't using NFC technology already as so many phones have it. Guess I have a lot to learn yet about DLR.

DLR is still comfortably in the "scanning paper tickets" area of technology. Fortunately, the scanner can also read really expensive backlit paper (ie, phones).

DLR's LL scanner has what looks like the same MB scanner as WDW - it turns green the same way when it accepts the scan - but it's unclear if there's an actual MB scanner there (ie, if it's just covered up). I can't remember for sure - but I believe that former CMs have suggested that the module pops out, and that they'll need to replace them with actual MB readers.

(PS: the entrance gates have no hard scanners. CMs have a "phone" that they use to scan tickets/phones. I'm suspicious that DLR will simply upgrade those "phones" to scan MBs the way the WDW CMs do away from the main scanners. But I'm hoping they'll upgrade the entrance gates to match what WDW does, since it would be so much faster than what DLR does now.)

 

[CodeGoddess]

But I'm hoping they'll upgrade the entrance gates to match what WDW does, since it would be so much faster than what DLR does now.)

Reminds me of when I was kid and we would have paper tickets stamped at the gate for WDW back in the 80s. I was skeptical of the whole MB thing when it came to WDW but wow does it make everything so much faster and easier.

 

[brightlined]

Reminds me of when I was kid and we would have paper tickets stamped at the gate for WDW back in the 80s. I was skeptical of the whole MB thing when it came to WDW but wow does it make everything so much faster and easier.

Oh, if you thought the paper tickets were bad, wait until you get to DLR.

Not only do the CMs have to manually scan each individual ticket/phone, any new ticket or pass requires that a picture be taken of the guest, which the CM has to do with the same device. So you'll be in a line that seems like it's moving, then suddenly, a family of five or six will have to each get their pictures taken. It's worse than that unfortunate moment that you see a WDW gate CM hold up their hand for a manager, and it happens way more frequently.

That's why I'm hoping they'll upgrade the entrance gates when MB arrives. Especially because with WDW - one of the things that make the entrance gates so quick and efficient is that the scanners are doubled up, so you not only can scan in twice as many people in roughly the same amount of time, it's possible to have the next person scan in if one person as an issue. (To be fair, the family of that person usually ends up blocking the entire gate, but, in theory it should be possible.)

At DLR, it's like an old school grocery store - constantly wondering if you picked a winner, and rolling the dice on switching lines if you didn't. (And finding out after you switched that your new line now has a family of five or six getting their pictures taken, and the person behind you in the old line just got into the park.)

Fortunately, it's all worth it once you get inside.

 

[katyringo]

Hoping the magic bands come to Disneyland before our fall trip! We hate using the phone so we always put the paper tickets in the lanyards.

 

[CodeGoddess]

Hoping the magic bands come to Disneyland before our fall trip! We hate using the phone so we always put the paper tickets in the lanyards.

Do you hate the phones due to lack of service in the parks?

 

[katyringo]

Do you hate the phones due to lack of service in the parks?

No- I hate it because it drains the battery and I have to pull up everyone's tickets and such like my kids becauee they don't have phones. With the paper tickets I can put each one in their own lanyard. Then my husband and Carry our own and we can hand off the kids lanyards to who ever is going to be with that kid.

 

[katyringo]

We just find the lanyards to be quicker. The phones hold people up when scanning. They can't get them at the right angle, or the brightness itself high enough, etc. the paper tickets never fail.

 

[CeCe0906]

Oh, if you thought the paper tickets were bad, wait until you get to DLR.

Not only do the CMs have to manually scan each individual ticket/phone, any new ticket or pass requires that a picture be taken of the guest, which the CM has to do with the same device. So you'll be in a line that seems like it's moving, then suddenly, a family of five or six will have to each get their pictures taken. It's worse than that unfortunate moment that you see a WDW gate CM hold up their hand for a manager, and it happens way more frequently.

That's why I'm hoping they'll upgrade the entrance gates when MB arrives. Especially because with WDW - one of the things that make the entrance gates so quick and efficient is that the scanners are doubled up, so you not only can scan in twice as many people in roughly the same amount of time, it's possible to have the next person scan in if one person as an issue. (To be fair, the family of that person usually ends up blocking the entire gate, but, in theory it should be possible.)

At DLR, it's like an old school grocery store - constantly wondering if you picked a winner, and rolling the dice on switching lines if you didn't. (And finding out after you switched that your new line now has a family of five or six getting their pictures taken, and the person behind you in the old line just got into the park.)

Fortunately, it's all worth it once you get inside.

I'm going to be THAT group, sorry. All DL first timers 2 adults (Grandmas) 3 kids ages 5, 7 ,9. And I absolutely am horrible with scanning on the phone. I am keeping my fingers crossed that we might have magic bands by August trip. Then at least it would just be photos. The other grandma barely does anything but texting and facetiming on her phone l. So everyone's tickets, reservations, dining will ge on my phone. I'll be doing all the Genie, mobile ordering, etc. Planning on bringing clear pockets to attach to a lanyard to put everyone's ticket on. At least scanning that will be less stressful for the rest of the trip if magic bands don't happen, and the non smart phone user grandma can have a ticket in case we have to split up.
One of our party is a DAS user. They have to take her picture for that, will she need to do photos at entry again?

 

[brightlined]

We just find the lanyards to be quicker. The phones hold people up when scanning. They can't get them at the right angle, or the brightness itself high enough, etc. the paper tickets never fail.

It was crazy that they didn't include a physical media pass with Magic Keys - basically requiring people to use their phones for everything.

I ended up printing a homemade Magic Key card with my access code on it. Same as what you're describing - it's so much faster than dealing with the phone - I can pull it out of my wallet, scan it, and put it away, all without having to fumble through the app to pull up my access code.

It's especially helpful at restaurants - until relatively recently, servers had to grab people's phones and manually jot down their Magic Key number for discounts. (They've since given some of them devices to take to the table to scan the code off their phones.) I just throw my "MK card" in with the check, and it's like old AP times.

There are a few spots that don't have cell service, too. One of the bartenders at Carthay Circle Lounge noted that the area around the bar is a cell phone dead zone. She said she told her regulars to screenshot their passes so that they wouldn't have to run outside to pull it up.

 

[smartlabelprint]

Oh, if you thought the paper tickets were bad, wait until you get to DLR.

Not only do the CMs have to manually scan each individual ticket/phone, any new ticket or pass requires that a picture be taken of the guest, which the CM has to do with the same device. So you'll be in a line that seems like it's moving, then suddenly, a family of five or six will have to each get their pictures taken. It's worse than that unfortunate moment that you see a WDW gate CM hold up their hand for a manager, and it happens way more frequently.

That's why I'm hoping they'll upgrade the entrance gates when MB arrives. Especially because with WDW - one of the things that make the entrance gates so quick and efficient is that the scanners are doubled up, so you not only can scan in twice as many people in roughly the same amount of time, it's possible to have the next person scan in if one person as an issue. (To be fair, the family of that person usually ends up blocking the entire gate, but, in theory it should be possible.)

At DLR, it's like an old school grocery store - constantly wondering if you picked a winner, and rolling the dice on switching lines if you didn't. (And finding out after you switched that your new line now has a family of five or six getting their pictures taken, and the person behind you in the old line just got into the park.)

Fortunately, it's all worth it once you get inside.

We’ll be a family of 10 next week clogging up the line.