Dining Rotations Will No Longer Be Shown on DCL Key To The World Cards

[Husker Mike]

If Disney's plan is to move away from the printed card to waterproof, wearable technology, I'll accept this tradeoff, because while the dining rotations are going to be a PITA, a MagicBand like solution is an overall upgrade to the experience. But I don't think this is the case, because Disney appears to be moving from wearables in the parks in favor of phones. Which is a net negative for me because it adds to the demands on technology that already is strained by Disney in a move to save Disney a few bucks. If my battery dies, I'm stuck. And locked out of my room, where my charger is. Or if it falls in a pool. And for kids who don't have a phone yet (a sizable Disney audience), a complete PITA because parents have to monitor that. I haven't seen the justification for it, other than "most people have a phone with them anyway" ... in which case, it's now simply become "lets save a few bucks."

 

[MomOTwins]

I'm SO GLAD we don't have to show KTTW cards when buying drinks, etc. anymore. It was such a pain to pull them out of the lanyard. I never understood why they needed to scan them and couldn't just process our room number.

I liked having the dining room info on the card, but I carry my phone with me all the time so it doesn't bother me. I love being able to see the navigator and menus for the entire trip on the app, and seeing your bill will be super convenient for budgeting purposes. My phone is my camera, and also a distraction for my toddler when all other options fail.

I’ve had some smart Alec rack up thousand dollar liquor bill on my room charge by making up a fake name and room # at a hotel bar enough to know, the requirement to show a KTTW card for charging purposes is there for the customer’s benefit.

This is not a happy change. I upgraded my phone last November and was finally successful at downloading the navigator. I am always concerned about being charged for using the internet. My spouse responded to a text that came thru once from our daughter and it cost $20.

This sounds like something my DH would do. You do have to put your phone in airplane mode—once you do that, you can use the DCL app but there is no possibility of incurring phone, text or internet charges.

 

[katmigordon]

I mean, you're not wrong - but that judgment seems to flow both ways.

That's your opinion just because you chose not to use a phone on vacation shouldn't matter if other people want too. A lot of people seem to be very judgemental about other people using a phone on vacation.

 

[katmigordon]

Which might almost be worth it if any of those bucks were going to go back into the guest experience, but we all know that not only will those bucks not go into guest experience - they're going to keep raising prices. So they take convenience with one hand, and keep grabbing our wallet with the other.

If Disney's plan is to move away from the printed card to waterproof, wearable technology, I'll accept this tradeoff, because while the dining rotations are going to be a PITA, a MagicBand like solution is an overall upgrade to the experience. But I don't think this is the case, because Disney appears to be moving from wearables in the parks in favor of phones. Which is a net negative for me because it adds to the demands on technology that already is strained by Disney in a move to save Disney a few bucks. If my battery dies, I'm stuck. And locked out of my room, where my charger is. Or if it falls in a pool. And for kids who don't have a phone yet (a sizable Disney audience), a complete PITA because parents have to monitor that. I haven't seen the justification for it, other than "most people have a phone with them anyway" ... in which case, it's now simply become "lets save a few bucks."

 

[Disneyland_emily]

I realized why, that despite non issue of DCL going digital to us on board it still saddens me on the digital front is that the cruise now exists only on the cruise.
In the past we’d come home with navigators, autographs, handouts, receipts, other papers, KTTWcards all that ‘proved’ it happened and looking back can trigger memories-

What I have ‘physically’ from my Sept cruise? The envelope our cards came in and the KTTW cards. Everything else was ‘left digitally behind’ at disembarkation.

It’s an end to an era I’m not really ok with despite being ok with using my phone

 

[John VN]

Technology is great much of the time but can also be a pain in the buttocks. Prefer rotation on the card.

Same with my old man eyes. Normally my phone spends the cruise locked up in the safe. Safe from theft. Safe from getting wet. Ugh

DW knows me very well so she replaced the old Military Grade Flip phone with the same grade Smart Phone. Already been dropped many times, in the water AND managed to put it in the clothes dryer . Didn't know what that thumping was until I retrieved the phone.

 

[mamamia2005]

So do we think with DCL moving more towards wearable tech, the new Magic band + will be able to be used on the ships?

 

[BadPinkTink]

So do we think with DCL moving more towards wearable tech, the new Magic band + will be able to be used on the ships?

Its possible

I found this very recent cruise review video. Its a UK Cruise Vlogger who recently did a Princess UK Staycation cruise. Princess are using a wearable tech called Princess Medallion. It replaces the plastic room card and also many functions of the phone App

 

[Ikaikalani]

So do we think with DCL moving more towards wearable tech, the new Magic band + will be able to be used on the ships?

If it moves more money out of my wallet into Disney's, then I'd say the answer to your question is yes.

 

[hrhdhd]

Fortunately, Princess allows people to opt out of many features of the Medallion.

 

[daedelus]

I think it's ironic that people get all bothered by something like a wrist band that tracks your movement on board a ship when virtually everyone carries a smartphone with a GPS unit that's accurate within 3' of your current location and that is constantly triangulating with cell towers.

Get over it - **someone** always knows where you are. Privacy is an illusion people cling to in this society.

You're on vacation - forget about that stuff and relax!

 

[hrhdhd]

I think it's ironic that people get all bothered by something like a wrist band that tracks your movement on board a ship when virtually everyone carries a smartphone with a GPS unit that's accurate within 3' of your current location and that is constantly triangulating with cell towers.

Get over it - **someone** always knows where you are. Privacy is an illusion people cling to in this society.

You're on vacation - forget about that stuff and relax!

Clearly DCL knows I am on the ship. The issue is whether I want to carry my phone around to be able to access menus, activity schedules, order drinks, etc. And I don't.

 

[Cheburashka]

I think it's ironic that people get all bothered by something like a wrist band that tracks your movement on board a ship when virtually everyone carries a smartphone with a GPS unit that's accurate within 3' of your current location and that is constantly triangulating with cell towers.

And some people actually know how to turn off location services & related settings to avoid tracking, and choose to do so.

 

[DonnettaR]

LOL. Having to carry my phone with me on the ship is anything but super convenient. KTTW card and paper Navigator in a pocket is all I normally carry.

can you use your Ipod?

 

[EastYorkDisneyFan]

can you use your Ipod?

I think the app is available for pretty much any iOS or Android device there may be some requirements about up to date versions of the operating system.

 

[MickeySwirl]

We just got off the Wonder and the kids didn’t like not having the dining rotation on their cards. They thought the cards looked “sad” because they are mostly blank now. It was only a 3 night cruise so it was pretty easy to remember which restaurant we had each night, but I could see how that could be more annoying on 7 night cruise.

Overall, the app is now the center of the experience. Tips were on the app and were easy enough, once we realized there is a delay before they post. It felt weird to get my drink, give them my room number, and then walk away. I made sure to go in and add an extra gratuity but I wonder how many people end up forgetting to do so. I worry that the staff may miss out on some extra gratuities because of the app.

 

[Kwami]

We just got off the Wonder and the kids didn’t like not having the dining rotation on their cards. They thought the cards looked “sad” because they are mostly blank now. It was only a 3 night cruise so it was pretty easy to remember which restaurant we had each night, but I could see how that could be more annoying on 7 night cruise.

Overall, the app is now the center of the experience. Tips were on the app and were easy enough, once we realized there is a delay before they post. It felt weird to get my drink, give them my room number, and then walk away. I made sure to go in and add an extra gratuity but I wonder how many people end up forgetting to do so. I worry that the staff may miss out on some extra gratuities because of the app.

Well, they already charge an 18% gratuity. I'm not sure how much more they need for making drinks. I don't really remember leaving extra tips on previous cruises. But now that it's in the app and I have to actually choose to say "no", I found myself adding a few extra dollars to every transaction. So, I guess it's a win for the servers that get more tips out of me. I just don't like the double tip system. It's too complicated.

 

[tvguy]

can you use your Ipod?

I don't have an Ipod. And why would I want to when just carrying the KTTW card solves the whole problem?

 

[Snowwhyt]

Well this should be interesting. My phone ran out of power an hour ago(2pm) I got up kind of early today. Normally my phone runs out before MDR even opens for early dinner. My phone is kind of heavy because I have a battery pack phone case, so I guess I’ll just have to carry a heavy extra charger every day in my pockets.
OH RIGHT! I’m a woman and my clothes don’t come with pockets! And IF they did, they are only big enough to carry a KTTW card. Love when any elastic waistband is hanging lower on the phone-side pocket for the few outfits that have a pocket. I’ll call it Cruisewear asymmetrical chic.

 

[DonnettaR]

I don't have an Ipod. And why would I want to when just carrying the KTTW card solves the whole problem?

I thought you couldn't use the KTTW card? I don't want to use my phone either. I was wondering if I could use my Ipod instead.