first EMH night without wristbands - live report

[Bell30012]

I have seen people exchange room key cards to get arm bands for EMH. While I didn't agree with them doing it and I wouldn't have done it, I also didn't want to be the DisPolice so I left it alone. And when I say people, I mean many people were doing it.

I like the glow stamp using the card reader to get it. I think from a security standpoint it would work very well especially if the stamp was Mickey one day, Donald the next, etc.

 

[Kaler131]

I liked the EMH when I went. But I really do have to wonder what must have happened to make them switch to this system. Seems to me "to go green" sounds like an excuse for something else. But you never know. I don't want an extra charge for EMH when they are already charging extra for everything else.

I agree. If they wanted to still use wristbands they could find an ecologically friendly alternative to do it. I agree that it must be because of other factors that they stopped the wristbands. feel so sorry for those CM's that have to stop each guest and check their cards....and how long will it be before the CM's get tired of checking EVERY CARD and just let them slip by.......

 

[figment74]

i wouldn't mind if they went back to the e-ticket nights...when they charged for admission to EMH evenings...

in the summer, we never bother with EMH anymore...too many people..
but we did go in sept/oct/nov....but as DD describes it, i think i won't bother with it even then...

I agree completely, that this is the best solution for the wrist band problem. E-tickets were inexpensive ($10 - $12 per person) and they were limited. Which meant that the park was empty, and you could literally walk on to any ride that you wanted. Last time we did an EMH in Feb of 2007 the line for Splash Mt. was over 90 min. That never would have happened with an e-ticket.

 

[WaltD4Me]

I agree. If they wanted to still use wristbands they could find an ecologically friendly alternative to do it. I agree that it must be because of other factors that they stopped the wristbands. feel so sorry for those CM's that have to stop each guest and check their cards....and how long will it be before the CM's get tired of checking EVERY CARD and just let them slip by.......

I agree, the eco friendly thing sounds good, but I think this eco stands for ecoNOMIC. They save money on the wristbands, labor on passing them out and they keep people in the parks spending money.

Like Pete was saying today though about Fantasmic and Pochohantas, ect...he is okay with closing/adjusting those things and I am really ok with letting non-resort guests stay in the parks during EMH (I still don't think very many will stay and not for long since they can't do any rides) Disney has to make some cuts and adjustments and I'd rather have them do this, instead of some other budget cuts I can think of. The only thing is, I really think they should have come up with something better than showing your KTTW cards for rides. I still think a hand stamp would be good, the CM's at the ride enterances could have them, then you would only have to get your card checked once, after that just flash the stamp.

 

[miss missy]

They will probably update the key to the world and roll our hardware to make the reading and validating quicker (bar code, swipe or RFID)

What they could do in the short term is harness the fast pass machines to produce EMH passes (which are easily visible as different each day - think a character picture and big number, both changing each day). Once the park closes to regular guests and EMH begins people could use their key to the world to get an EMH pass from any fast pass machine. The fast pass system would know to issue only a single pass per key to the world. Anyone losing their pass could go to guest services and jump through some hoops to get another.

Chris

great idea. but they would have to change all those machines to put the emh passes in

this is DISNEY they should have a system that works

 

[purvislets]

The only problem I see with the possibility of doing the handstamp comes courtesy of my dishonest family members.

My father and brother were once at a football game. There is a special zone in the stadium that you have to pay an additional admission to be able to get in and once you paid they stamped your hand. My father paid, went in for a few minutes then came back out. He lightly wet the stamp on the back of his hand and pressed it up against the back of my brothers hand. Then they both proceeded into the area without a second glance.

Plus as soon as someone knows what the handstamp for the night looks like, I'm sure there'll be some crook in the parking lots replicating it within minutes.

As much as an inconvience that checking the cards is, maybe the dishonest people will get a clue that they aren't going to be able to sneak in and maybe they'll start staying away on the EMH nights. Another case of how a dishonest few ruin things for the rest of us.