DVC Annual Pass Magic Bands Sent to House after Trip??

[PBB]

For our upcoming trip, we purchased DVC Annual Passes. We are staying a week at Kidani next month. We ordered our MagicBands for the resort stay and linked them to the DVC Annual Passes. I noticed that we could not preorder the Magic Bands that are for the DVC Annual Passes ahead of time. When I inquired about this at Member Services, I was told "that is the way it is" and we need to make sure your eligible to get the member discount. Huh?

The passes were in the name of the members, shipped to the members address and paid for by a credit card in the Members name. The MagicBands for the resorts stay are coming ahead of time and are linked to DVC AP. I assume we will have to show ID and our member card when we use the resort MagicBand,correct?

Why would DIsney give a temporary MagicBand for the DVC Annual Pass and 10 days later send another customized MagicBand after the guest has left the park.

This seems like a complete waste of money (Temp Magicband and shipping) and does not make any sense. Especially since there is no difference in the Resort Magicband and the DVC AP MagicBand........

 

[supersnoop]

You don't get your Annual Pass Magic Bands until after your annual pass is activated. Your pass won't be activated until you use it.

No magic band is "temporary." They are not specific to a particular room, visit, stay, or ticket. Each is simply a key to your MDE profile. You can customize them any way you want. I think I have twelve of them now.

 

[DVC4US]

What snupersnoop said.

Also, just so you are aware. There is not a specific DVC Annual Pass MB. It will just be another MB that you can customize.(pick a color) When you activate your MB you will be given a temporary AP discount card. Once you customize the MBs you will receive your permanent discount card when you get the MBs.

 

[Simba's Mom]

What snupersnoop said.

Also, just so you are aware. There is not a specific DVC Annual Pass MB. It will just be another MB that you can customize.(pick a color) When you activate your MB you will be given a temporary AP discount card. Once you customize the MBs you will receive your permanent discount card when you get the MBs.

Just to agree, because I'm in that position. I got 3 MBs for an upcoming trip, 1 because I activated an AP on my last trip, and the other two because my upcoming stay is a split stay. Which one is for my AP? I have no idea, I can't remember! All I do know is that they're 3 different color bands, so I'll just wear whichever fits my mood that day.

 

[DVC4US]

Just to agree, because I'm in that position. I got 3 MBs for an upcoming trip, 1 because I activated an AP on my last trip, and the other two because my upcoming stay is a split stay. Which one is for my AP? I have no idea, I can't remember! All I do know is that they're 3 different color bands, so I'll just wear whichever fits my mood that day.

Yep, I have all the colors and some in multiples. So I just wear whichever color goes best with my outfit for the day.

On another note - Simba's Mom - looks like we will be visiting F&W at the same time. We will be at BWV 10/15-22.

 

[HereIGo]

The "why don't they just send it" bothered me too until I realized I could hold onto an AP indefinitely before activating it.

As other people mentioned, it's easy to accumulate lots of magic bands. I was very glad to see that we can finally decline magic bands on MDE!

 

[chris springer]

Just so I understand.....I purchased 2 APs last month. I will be in WDW at the end of October, I have already customized my current MBs that were shipped yesterday. After the AP is activated in October I can use any of the 8-10 MB I have? In other words, the MB that was customized for this specific trip is truly not dedicated for this trip?

 

[supersnoop]

Just so I understand.....I purchased 2 APs last month. I will be in WDW at the end of October, I have already customized my current MBs that were shipped yesterday. After the AP is activated in October I can use any of the 8-10 MB I have? In other words, the MB that was customized for this specific trip is truly not dedicated for this trip?

That's correct.

 

[chris springer]

so what about FP? Will all MBs that I have work for FP?

 

[DVC4US]

so what about FP? Will all MBs that I have work for FP?

Yes they will.

 

[DisBuckMan]

Just so I understand.....I purchased 2 APs last month. I will be in WDW at the end of October, I have already customized my current MBs that were shipped yesterday. After the AP is activated in October I can use any of the 8-10 MB I have? In other words, the MB that was customized for this specific trip is truly not dedicated for this trip?

Technically, yes....but, the RFID chip in them is run by a battery that only lasts 2-3 years, and there's probably no way to know when it quits until it doesn't work for a gate, fast pass, room lock, or POS. So, keep that in mind.

 

[Dr Gevil]

Technically, yes....but, the RFID chip in them is run by a battery that only lasts 2-3 years, and there's probably no way to know when it quits until it doesn't work for a gate, fast pass, room lock, or POS. So, keep that in mind.

Actually it will work longer than that for entering parks, FP+, room entry, etc. as the touch points will provide power for the MB.

The battery comes into play for long range scanning for things like ride photos and videos, and interactive screens like the ones they are putting in rides like Small World that will show your name on the "goodbye" screens at the end of the ride.

 

[disneynutz]

DVC doesn't sent admission media or magic bands, Disney Destinations, a Disney company does. DVC is just the middle man order taker.

Bill

 

[Suzabelle]

If I have already customized a magic band for the resort, must I customize the magic band for the AP? Can't I use the same one and have it linked to my resort one. Seems silly to have multiple magic bands; one for the room and one to enter the park?

Suzabelle

 

[Canadian Disney Mom]

If I have already customized a magic band for the resort, must I customize the magic band for the AP? Can't I use the same one and have it linked to my resort one. Seems silly to have multiple magic bands; one for the room and one to enter the park?

Suzabelle

Once a magic band is linked to your MDE account, they are all the same. I have about 20 MBs and I could pick any one off my shelf and it will work just fine.

You do not have to order the AP Magic Band or a band when you are going to a resort if you don't want it. For the AP, just don't go to the site and order one. For the resort, the same thing and when they try to give you a grey one at check in, you can decline.

 

[SuperRob]

Technically, yes....but, the RFID chip in them is run by a battery that only lasts 2-3 years, and there's probably no way to know when it quits until it doesn't work for a gate, fast pass, room lock, or POS. So, keep that in mind.

Yeah, that's not how RFID works. RFID is passive; It's proximity to the reader that powers it up. Don't believe me? If you have an enhanced driver's license or passport that have an RFID chip, where's the battery? Ever played Disney Infinity? Your figures have RFID chips ... it's proximity to the portal that powers it. There are no batteries in those figures.

The battery is actually for the Bluetooth LE transceiver that's in the band, and that isn't even an active feature yet.

So to be clear ... current MagicBand features will work for existing MagicBands indefinitely. Only new features they roll out that use the Bluetooth chip will need a working battery. Now Disney may not tell you how the feature works, so it may be tricky to determine if the something new will work with old bands, but things like FastPasses, park entry, hotel room access, paying for items ... all of that will work with any magic band indefinitely (unless the band is somehow physically broken).

EDIT ...

The battery comes into play for long range scanning for things like ride photos and videos, and interactive screens like the ones they are putting in rides like Small World that will show your name on the "goodbye" screens at the end of the ride.

Yeah, I didn't even see your reply before mine. Has it been confirmed that those features are using Bluetooth? I haven't seen anything about them yet. Theoretically, they could be using directional, amplified antennas to do the same thing. Disney actually does that to do quick counts of the number of guests in certain areas. But given the distance involved in those applications, you could be right.

 

[han22735]

Long range is definitely active on things like ride photos as they just show up on your MDE after you ride without having to tap your band anywhere. Not sure if its bluetooth that's used though.

 

[HereIGo]

PBB, you asked about showing your ID for the resort magic bands...
I tried to read the replies and I didn't notice anyone mention this. The first time you use your AP, you will have to go to the park ticket window with your ID, etc. to activate the pass. You can not do this at the resort (at least when we activated a few months ago). They should give you an actual AP card for each AP also. So you may want to get there early if you are going for rope-drop.

Since you're staying at Kidani, I don't think you'll have this problem. But we actually bought a package for the stay where we activated our APs so we confirmed (multiple times during the trip) that our AP was being used and not the ticket that had come with our package.

 

[bumbershoot]

If I have already customized a magic band for the resort, must I customize the magic band for the AP? Can't I use the same one and have it linked to my resort one. Seems silly to have multiple magic bands; one for the room and one to enter the park?

Suzabelle

You don't need to make one.

You wouldn't use one to enter the room and one to enter the park.

You would make one pink and one green, and wear the pink one on days you wanted to wear pink, and green on the days you wanted to wear green. (or other colors, those are just my fave in general)

 

[Dr Gevil]

Yeah, that's not how RFID works. RFID is passive; It's proximity to the reader that powers it up. Don't believe me? If you have an enhanced driver's license or passport that have an RFID chip, where's the battery? Ever played Disney Infinity? Your figures have RFID chips ... it's proximity to the portal that powers it. There are no batteries in those figures.

The battery is actually for the Bluetooth LE transceiver that's in the band, and that isn't even an active feature yet.

So to be clear ... current MagicBand features will work for existing MagicBands indefinitely. Only new features they roll out that use the Bluetooth chip will need a working battery. Now Disney may not tell you how the feature works, so it may be tricky to determine if the something new will work with old bands, but things like FastPasses, park entry, hotel room access, paying for items ... all of that will work with any magic band indefinitely (unless the band is somehow physically broken).

EDIT ...



Yeah, I didn't even see your reply before mine. Has it been confirmed that those features are using Bluetooth? I haven't seen anything about them yet. Theoretically, they could be using directional, amplified antennas to do the same thing. Disney actually does that to do quick counts of the number of guests in certain areas. But given the distance involved in those applications, you could be right.

SR - I don't know - that's a great question. Either way it will need to use battery power to work. It will be neat to see what interactive features they can/will build into new and existing rides with future upgrade to MB tech. It won't be soon though, as they are still trying to get Small World to work.