DAS & drawing attention

[scrappinmom]

This will be our first trip with the new electronic system. I guess I'm more than a little concerned. My dd has extreme anxiety - the old system would allow us to discreetly get a return time & enter when it was time. I'm worried the whole when she scans her mb & Mickey turns blue as she waits for the cm to check her picture is going to be tough - especially if other people are backing up behind her (us) waiting to go in. Has anyone's child been upset by this? & do you have any strategies to make it easier? We definitely won't be using the DAS unless we absolutely have to as I can see it increasing her anxiety rather than accommodating it.

 

[OurBigTrip]

Unless the DAS system itself is having problems, I can't see it taking more than a few seconds more than it takes for a regular FP+ return.

And I would imagine that not having to wait in a long line with tons of people is much more accommodating to someone with anxiety than waiting in the long standby line.

 

[SueM in MN]

We definitely found the new system with Magicbands to attract much LESS attention than the old system with a card.
The card was really not discrete at all - you had to get the card out to show to a CM to get the Return Time in the first place.
The CM had to figure out the Return Time, write that, the current time and the attraction name on the card, then initial the card and stamp it. Every time we did that, we noticed people watching us, wondering what the card was.

Then, when we returned with the card, we had to show it at both the Fastpass entrance and the merge point. The CM at each of those places examined the card, looking at all the entries in that line. They usually also looked at their watch, compared DD's face to the picture on the card and sometimes asked us which of us was xxxxx.
Again, we could see people watching us every time we used it; even though we tried to be as private and discrete as possible, it was noticed by multiple people every time we used it.

I personally considered that whole process somewhat anxiety producing (and don't have an anxiety disorder).

So, if your daughter considered that discrete and using the paper DAS did not increase her anxiety, she will do very well with the new process. It is much more discrete than using paper.

 

[SueM in MN]

The new way with the DAS on Magicbands takes only a few seconds and is VERY discrete.
The DAS holder has to scan their Magicband first. The blue glow of Mickey is not that noticeable and is 'aimed' so the CM at the Fastpass machine sees it, not everyone else. In the times we used DAS, I didn't see that anyone noticed.
And, if they did, there are many reasons that the Mickey might blow blue. It could be the guests are a few minutes early, didn't scan straight or any other of many reasons.
The screen that the DAS holder's picture shows up on is visible to the CM at the station, but not to anyone else. In fact, except for the first time we used it when I asked to see, OUR group didn't even see it. Because it is a large picture and the DAS holder scans their Magicband first, it is very quick for the CM to look at it and authorize. After that, the rest of your group scan their Magicbands and get green Mickeys.
VERY MUCH faster than the paper DAS and much, much closer yo what other guests scanning Magicbands are doing, so much more discrete.

At the Fastpass merge point, with the paper DAS, you needed to get out the paper DAS and have it examined again by a CM, who crossed off your time.

With DAS on the Magicband, you scan your Magicbands at the merge point exactly like all other guests. ALL of the Magicbands of guests in your group make the Mickey head glow green once you have cleared the first check and get to the merge point. After the Fastpass entrance, guests using DAS do exactly the same thing as other guests in the Fastpass line and do not have any other screening.

 

[gap2368]

I am with the other with the magic band it is less desecrate I think it was easer when returning to ride the only thing was a little harder when getting the time to come back as the wifi would not works in some places

 

[scrappinmom]

Thanks everyone

 

[TheRustyScupper]

We definitely won't be using the DAS unless we absolutely have to as I can see it increasing her anxiety rather than accommodating it.

1) Obviously, anxiety over any new system is justified.
2) But, I think you will be happy how easily and quickly the system works.
3) It might not put you totally at ease, but rest assured you will enjoy the experience.

 

[cmwade77]

Really, this new system just makes it look like you have a FP+ like anyone else, so ultimately it makes it a lot more discrete. It would be even more discrete if you could get return times from the kiosks and/or your phone in addition to each attraction though.