Guest Test of Magic Bands (Official Notice)

[DisneyFanSince71]

We were allowed 3 FP+ per day at one park only. Since we went to AK this morning we just relied on regular FP which worked out great since the park was super slow this morning! Seriously guys...Rope Drop is the best idea EVER! Do it!!!

For our FP+ tonight at DHS we selected RnR Coaster, TSMM and Star Tours. Don't think we needed one for Star Tours but hubby HATES Tower of Terror so we didn't get one for that. To bad cause I LOVE IT!

So when did you request your DHS' FP + tickets?
How spread out where the times to get to each DHS FP attraction?
How did you request them; smart phone/kiosk/some other method?

 

[wilkeliza]

Not sure but I'm assuming they were activated when we checked into our resort. They handed the KTTW cards to us when we checked in and the first time we used them was at a normal FastPass kiosk at Expedition Everest.

I imagine it would be because the KTTW card and magicband link to the same information. So if the magic band is swiped for entry the admission ticket would still show as used so the KTTW card would show used.

 

[g-dad66]

Funny thing you should ask...I haven't seen any kiosks yet and we've been to MK, DHS and AK. But then again...I haven't been looking. I'll seek them out tonight or tomorrow and let you know what I think!

According to wdwmagic.com, these are the locations of the FP+ kiosks:

• Magic Kingdom: City Hall, Buzz Lightyear FASTPASS distribution, Splash Mountain FASTPASS distribution.

• Disney's Hollywood Studios: Tower of Terror FASTPASS distribution, Star Tours FASTPASS distribution.

• Disney's Animal Kingdom: Guest Relations and Primeval Whirl FASTPASS distribution.

• Epcot: Captain EO FASTPASS distribution and Maelstrom FASTPASS distribution.

 

[katdralion]

According to wdwmagic.com, these are the locations of the FP+ kiosks:

• Magic Kingdom: City Hall, Buzz Lightyear FASTPASS distribution, Splash Mountain FASTPASS distribution.

• Disney's Hollywood Studios: Tower of Terror FASTPASS distribution, Star Tours FASTPASS distribution.

• Disney's Animal Kingdom: Guest Relations and Primeval Whirl FASTPASS distribution.

• Epcot: Captain EO FASTPASS distribution and Maelstrom FASTPASS distribution.

This doesn't seem very convenient!

In the past we would walk to whatever attraction we wanted to ride and if the line was longer than about 30 mins we would pull a fast pass. Now we will have to walk to the ride and then walk to the nearest FP+ kiosk to pull a FP ( which may or may not be available since others will already have been booking 60 days out). It is a long walk from Test Track to Captain EO or Maelstrom and it will seem even longer if when we get there FP is sold out.

I don't like this at all!

 

[andrewilley]

This doesn't seem very convenient!

...

I don't like this at all!

This is a trial, not a fully complete implementation yet.

Andre

 

[Marblies]

This doesn't seem very convenient!

In the past we would walk to whatever attraction we wanted to ride and if the line was longer than about 30 mins we would pull a fast pass. Now we will have to walk to the ride and then walk to the nearest FP+ kiosk to pull a FP ( which may or may not be available since others will already have been booking 60 days out). It is a long walk from Test Track to Captain EO or Maelstrom and it will seem even longer if when we get there FP is sold out.

I don't like this at all!

When we did the FP+ trial last Sept. (of course, it was using a separate card not the magicbands) the only reason we would have to go to the kiosk was to change our existing selections that we made online. I do like the option of using my phone while in the park.

 

[doconeill]

I am just wondering how that works? If you entered the parks with the bands, then how does the KTTW work at the FP kiosk if it wasn't activated at the gate turnstile?

The way the system works, the MagicBands/KTTW cards/"paper" tickets are nothing more than keys to information in the database. They don't contain any real relevant info, other than a number, and that number points to the appropriate info in the database.

They've likely simply enabled having more than one "key" to the same data. Normally they wouldn't allow it for security reasons - you don't want to lose a card and then have it still able to be used.

This doesn't seem very convenient!

In the past we would walk to whatever attraction we wanted to ride and if the line was longer than about 30 mins we would pull a fast pass. Now we will have to walk to the ride and then walk to the nearest FP+ kiosk to pull a FP ( which may or may not be available since others will already have been booking 60 days out). It is a long walk from Test Track to Captain EO or Maelstrom and it will seem even longer if when we get there FP is sold out.

Or you can use the smartphone app, if you have an iPhone or Android phone.

They are moving the need to maintain technology away from them and on to the guest...

 

[katdralion]

Or you can use the smartphone app, if you have an iPhone or Android phone.

They are moving the need to maintain technology away from them and on to the guest...

We don't own any smart devices and even if we did, we wouldn't want to use them because of:-
(1) the risk of high roaming charges, we're from the UK.
(2)we don't want to be tied to using them on vacation, we're there to chill out and have fun.

Also I don't see why I should have to fork out extra money to buy something I don't want or need just to be able to get a FP at Disney. These devices are expensive! Surely I'm not the only one that feels this way?

 

[andrewilley]

Also I don't see why I should have to fork out extra money to buy something I don't want or need just to be able to get a FP at Disney. These devices are expensive! Surely I'm not the only one that feels this way?

Which is why (I assume) there will be terminals in the parks - just like there are FastPass machines at present - that will do the same thing.

If I were them, I'd transition away from regular FP by initially putting touch-screens (with RFID ticket/band readers) in place of all the current FP machines which could issue regular FastPasses (for any attraction that's got capacity available) in the meantime, and then they'd be ready for a full switchover just by a software update. But hey, what do I know?

Andre

 

[doconeill]

We don't own any smart devices and even if we did, we wouldn't want to use them because of:-
(1) the risk of high roaming charges, we're from the UK.
(2)we don't want to be tied to using them on vacation, we're there to chill out and have fun.

Also I don't see why I should have to fork out extra money to buy something I don't want or need just to be able to get a FP at Disney. These devices are expensive! Surely I'm not the only one that feels this way?

Thus, they are providing kiosks in the parks and at the resorts.

And there is nothing currently that says those are the permanent locations, or the only ones, in the future.

 

[linzbear]

We don't own any smart devices and even if we did, we wouldn't want to use them because of:-
(1) the risk of high roaming charges, we're from the UK.
(2)we don't want to be tied to using them on vacation, we're there to chill out and have fun.

Also I don't see why I should have to fork out extra money to buy something I don't want or need just to be able to get a FP at Disney. These devices are expensive! Surely I'm not the only one that feels this way?

Disney has WiFi. If you really wanted to, you could go to ebay and buy a 3 year old android smartphone for $20 or less, and just use the WiFi and never hook it up to a phone line.

But we also don't know if they'll put in more kiosks, either.

 

[WillAustin]

But we also don't know if they'll put in more kiosks, either.

Based on the FP+ kiosks I saw in place 2 weeks ago, I'd guess the goal is to ultimately replace all of the FP machines with FP+ kiosks. At Star Tours, the kiosk was right at the end of the FP machines.

 

[doconeill]

Based on the FP+ kiosks I saw in place 2 weeks ago, I'd guess the goal is to ultimately replace all of the FP machines with FP+ kiosks. At Star Tours, the kiosk was right at the end of the FP machines.

Possibly...although I'm not sure they want to necessarily put that many.

They do conveniently have network access there already though...

It seems like the locations they chose were based on only having two, placing them far apart, serving different sections.

Although I can't for the life of me figure out why they chose PW and Guest Relations at AK, when Bugs Life would have been an obvious choice.

 

[WillAustin]

Possibly...although I'm not sure they want to necessarily put that many.

They do conveniently have network access there already though...

It seems like the locations they chose were based on only having two, placing them far apart, serving different sections.

Although I can't for the life of me figure out why they chose PW and Guest Relations at AK, when Bugs Life would have been an obvious choice.

I just can't imagine any reasonable expectation that the number of guests who can't or won't use a smartphone would be so small that they'd only need a couple of kiosks per park for day-of FP+s (if there are any available) and/or rescheduling. Even if they were only for rescheduling existing FP+ reservations, the lines would be long.

 

[doconeill]

I just can't imagine any reasonable expectation that the number of guests who can't or won't use a smartphone would be so small that they'd only need a couple of kiosks per park for day-of FP+s (if there are any available) and/or rescheduling. Even if they were only for rescheduling existing FP+ reservations, the lines would be long.

I didn't say that they were only going to have 2 per park - I expect more, actually. I just don't think at this point they plan on replacing every existing FP kiosk with a FP+ kiosk. Given that they will be more complicated to use, they'll need more CMs available - and I don't think they want to dedicated 4-5 CMs per attraction kiosk collection to help guests. They'll also be more expensive than the existing kiosks, so another reason I think they will have fewer overall.

They are going to have them at the resorts, and likely guests will receive instruction on how to use them there.

 

[lugnut33]

I sure it's just me, but I had a terrible time with Disney WiFi last December while using my HTC Thunderbolt. Talk about slow. I'm not looking forward to having to use my smartphone in the parks.

 

[Robo]

They'll also be more expensive than the existing kiosks...

I'm thinking that (if they are just touch-points) since there will be no moving parts and no need for ticket stock, ink and mechanical maintenance, they will likely be less expensive than the on-going operating cost of the conventional FP machines.

(The new units won't print, will they?)

 

[WillAustin]

I didn't say that they were only going to have 2 per park - I expect more, actually. I just don't think at this point they plan on replacing every existing FP kiosk with a FP+ kiosk. Given that they will be more complicated to use, they'll need more CMs available - and I don't think they want to dedicated 4-5 CMs per attraction kiosk collection to help guests. They'll also be more expensive than the existing kiosks, so another reason I think they will have fewer overall.

They are going to have them at the resorts, and likely guests will receive instruction on how to use them there.

That makes sense. I really meant when the paper FPs were completely gone that there would be more kiosks available, not necessarily every one replaced.

 

[doconeill]

I'm thinking that (if they are just touch-points) since there will be no moving parts and no need for ticket stock, ink and mechanical maintenance, they will likely be less expensive than the on-going operating cost of the conventional FP machines.

(The new units won't print, will they?)

They will need touch screens. I'm betting those might end up requiring more maintenance in general.

Still haven't heard anything about printing capability, but I think it's a good idea especially for those without smartphones or the uberplanning gene

 

[doconeill]

I sure it's just me, but I had a terrible time with Disney WiFi last December while using my HTC Thunderbolt. Talk about slow. I'm not looking forward to having to use my smartphone in the parks.

Same problem, more recently (end of May/beginning of June). First day seemed to work reasonably well, and not problems in the resorts, but atrocious and generally unusable the next two days. Worked better on mobile data (but on my dime).