Electronic Magic Key...there's some issues

[SherylLC]

I'm at Disneyland for weekend and I am sure missing the plastic Annual Pass!

At sit-down restaurants they have to take your phone with them to the apply the discount to your bill (twice did this) or write down your bar code number. The former situation eliminates the "contactless" transaction, which I thought was the point of no cards, and one of the times the server forgot to return my phone to me.

On to Marceline's. As usual, a 20-25 minute wait for service. When I went to ask for my discount the Disney app gave me an error message that it could not show my pass so I showed the cast member a photo of it which she could not accept. OK, so she called for her manager. He came out and together we refreshed my app, opened and closed it twice at which point I told him I had a photo of it and could also provide my Driver's license to prove it was me. Nope, no discount!

Horrible customer experience! For heaven's sake, I'll pay extra for the plastic card!

 

[Wesley815]

Exactly, I agree 100%

I never give away my phone to someone, I'll walk with the server/Cast Member to scan bar code. It's strange they won't take screenshot, as those even work to ENTER the park! (since it's just the same barcode as app, it doesn't change each time)

Hopefully updated training is on the way. Seems like they would make a profit if they actually sold plastic cards to Key Holders, could even theme them similar to Magic Bands.

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

Thank you for sharing your experience. This is really bad. I wonder if you can take your receipt to a ticket booth and have them issue you a paper ticket (which is what they have now).

 

[Wesley815]

Thank you for sharing your experience. This is really bad. I wonder if you can take your receipt to a ticket booth and have them issue you a paper ticket (which is what they have now).

Yeah, hearing from recent reports they are giving out the paper tickets without charging $20 fee (although that could change anytime).... and seriously $20 for the same style paper ticket that prints at turnstiles is a bit much Lol

All Disney needs to do is print the plastic cards and charge for them, they probably cost less than $0.01 cent actual cost, besides CM pay. Even automated machines could do it. Just came back from Las Vegas and their players club card machines scan your ID, check DOB and print (thick plastic) card.

 

[PirateBrigade]

I'm confused, how can a CM tell the difference between a static screenshot of your barcode vs. having the app up?

Also, does the paper ticket have an expiration date on it? I'd probably get one and laminate it.

C'mon Disney, barcodes are 1950s technology, this isn't that difficult!

 

[DizneyMommy]

Hm, maybe we’ll try printing screenshots of the barcode with the number on it that servers can take with them. Same as writing it down, they can see the pass and verify it’s right. No way my phone is walking away from me; and I don’t want anyone else’s hands on it either!

 

[cruisehopeful]

Unbelievable. Nobody is going to walk away with my phone. I will print out a copy of my MK and they can use that. Anything else is ridiculous if they aren't going to give us cards.

 

[MillauFr]

Disney IT strikes again

 

[SherylLC]

Well, I ended up going to the ticket booth. The cast member says: "I'm going to tell you, just like I explained to the [customer} that just left, I cannot give out paper tickets." She swings her computer screen around and says, "See? The option for it is gray which means I can't do it."

Well, I'm thinking that if the option is there at all, it can be done by someone. I told her that given Covid that I was extremely uncomfortable with people touching my phone and a laminated paper pass would be easier to clean. A manager was called and "pixie dust!" I got a paper ticket.
I didn't really think the snarky, "SEEEEEE? Disney magic" comment from the initial contact person was necessary but what the hey.

I guess my point is, if you want a paper pass don't be turned away because you may have to politely press a little.
I asked if the paper was only good for the day and she confirmed it was good for the length of the pass.

The good news is the lines at the ticket booth were incredibly short. Shorter than I've ever seen. They don't let you buy passes there anymore.

 

[The Expert]

I remembered seeing something in the fine print when Magic Key first came out that said you could get a physical pass for $20. It's still there, in the Terms & Conditions (link) almost at the bottom of the page.



I mean, it wouldn't be the first inconsistency but might be handy to have this ready to show if you plan to go ask for a physical pass.

 

[MonocularVision]

I'm confused, how can a CM tell the difference between a static screenshot of your barcode vs. having the app up?

I was wondering the same. If you have a screenshot, pull it up before you show it to them and they won’t be able to tell.

 

[DLgal]

I used a screenshot all day Saturday to get my discounts as well as to enter the parks. They won't know unless you tell them.

 

[DLgal]

Also, Marceline's is now available on Mobile Order.

 

[Simba001]

From a FB group:

They were just informed yesterday, so it may take awhile for the word to get around. Does this mean that some CMs won’t still accept self made screen cards and screen shots? They might, but they are not suppose to.
Also, be cautious if you get a paper ticket/pass from Disneyland and want to laminate it. If you use a thermal laminator you could potentially end up with an unreadable ticket/pass.

 

[SOCALMouseMommy]

This is just dumb honestly. Disney really refuses to provide a free plastic card or even a paper ticket to people who are forking over large sums of money ($950 to $1400 for one of the top two passes!). I mean seriously! How ridiculous! The fact that people are creating their own physical passes is a clear sign that Disney needs to issue physical passes.

 

[DLgal]

From a FB group:
View attachment 602625
They were just informed yesterday, so it may take awhile for the word to get around. Does this mean that some CMs won’t still accept self made screen cards and screen shots? They might, but they are not suppose to.
Also, be cautious if you get a paper ticket/pass from Disneyland and want to laminate it. If you use a thermal laminator you could potentially end up with an unreadable ticket/pass.

I "laminate" things using heavy duty clear shipping/packing tape all the time. This is a way around using a laminating machine.

I think I'm going to ask for paper tickets next time I go because we had an issue with the DAS return time barcode (mine, specifically) not being scannable and it was a pain on Saturday. The GR CMs didn't know how to fix it, but my barcode has a funky {99 instead of the last 4 digits and when they scanned it, it said "invalid pass" even though my actual ticket barcode scans fine. So, they told me "just scan your actual ticket barcodes rather than the DAS return barcode" but this proved to not be an option at a few attractions because I could not stick my phone far enough into the slot for the barcode to be scannable. This is going to continue to be a problem for who knows how long, so I just want paper tickets to make using DAS return times easier.

 

[Epicnemesis]

I just don’t understand why they are strong arming the app on people.

Not everyone is a phone obsessed 20 year old and this is coming from a phone obsessed guy in his 30s. I like having the OPTION to use the digital pass and the app in general, but you need to have low tech solutions to low tech problems as well.

They keep trying to funnel everything into a disjointed glitchy app. It’s dumb and it’s bad business. “Oh you paid 1300 dollars to come to our parks? Here you can buy this paper card for 20 bucks”is an unacceptable policy.

This whole system seems to be done to get rid of cast members. But you can’t simultaneously charge a premium for a premium experience and then inconvenience customers to cut costs.

 

[Cupcaker]

We were at the parks yesterday and tried to upgrade my ticket to a magic key in the app. The app had some bug that didn’t let me so I was instructed to go to the ticket booth. They were able to handle it there and even gave me paper tickets for the magic keys. The CM told me that I should use the app when entering the park and the paper tickets should serve as a back up in case my phone died, etc. Maybe they’re starting to automatically give out the paper tickets if you go to the booth?

 

[SherylLC]

Hm, maybe we’ll try printing screenshots of the barcode with the number on it that servers can take with them. Same as writing it down, they can see the pass and verify it’s right. No way my phone is walking away from me; and I don’t want anyone else’s hands on it either!

Just make sure your screenshot is from that day. I was there Saturday and Sunday and the bar code changed! Today is Monday and the number in my app is the same as it was on Sunday. I wonder if it resets when you check in at the gate? Anyway, it does appear to reset.

The ticket booth cast member did confirm that the paper ticket I got would be good for the entire year. It was a traditional barcode while the electronic barcode looks more like a series of QR codes.

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

We were at the parks yesterday and tried to upgrade my ticket to a magic key in the app. The app had some bug that didn’t let me so I was instructed to go to the ticket booth. They were able to handle it there and even gave me paper tickets for the magic keys. The CM told me that I should use the app when entering the park and the paper tickets should serve as a back up in case my phone died, etc. Maybe they’re starting to automatically give out the paper tickets if you go to the booth?

I had the same experience, and asked the CM if I would get a plastic card, and of course, she said no, but that I could laminate my paper ticket. I like the idea of using packing tape since I've done that before for my lime-green Mickey heads.