The band is also used to get into the pool areas of the resorts. Basically, anything you used to be able to do with a KTTW card, you can now do with a magic band. Just like with KTTW, you can decline associating a credit card with the band if you do not want to have charging privileges on it. If you put a card on it, most places you just scan your band at the register and enter a pin code. Also for the
DDP, they just scan your band.
Now you are limited to 3 FP+ a day and they must be in a single park. If you are staying onsite, those can be booked through the computer or app up to 60 days in advance. (If you are staying offsite you can not book your FP+ until you walk into the park the day of and go to a kiosk- which means offsite is on an unlevel playing ground because onsite people have had 60 days to fill up all the good FP+ attractions or times). Once you have your reservation in place as you go up to the ride;attraction; parade area etc- instead of having a piece of paper you get the band scanned.
As far as parades and fireworks, they are now FP options- as are many other attractions that were not previously FP, or that you never needed a FP for because the lines are typically short. You can't get into a special spot for a parade or fireworks just because you have a band- you can get a FP+ for a parade or fireworks- but then you only have 2 left for rides for the rest of the day as you have burned one. The reason for this is the only way the system is even remotely workable is if they get people to spread things out over a large number of attractions- as such, they have to entice people- or get novices who don't do their research- to pick FP+ they wouldn't need anyway. In that regard, currently EPCOT and DHS have tiered the FP+ selections. In those parks, you can only pick 1 of what they call LEVEL 1 attractions to FP. Your other 2 attractions must come from level 2. At EPCOT, you can not pick both Soarin and Test Track as they are both Level 1. Illuminations is also a Level 1, so if you pick that, then you can not have a FP+ for Test Track or Soarin. At DHS you can not have FPs for TSM and RNR as they are both Level 1.
As far as parades and fireworks, the question is whether they are worth burning a FP+ on. There is ZERO way, I would give up a FP+ for Test Track or Soarin, just to FP Illuminations. We did the Illuminations FP+ before tiering. The spot is on the FW side between the 2 shops. The night we were there it was pretty empty and it was great. If it was crowded, it would be worthless and you could easily get a better spot elsewhere. That said, I suspect it will be pretty empty nowadays since if you use it you can not FP Test Track or Soarin.
As far as the MK parades and fireworks, we did both the 3:00 p.m. parade and ELP on our trip. Again, whether it is great depends on the number of people FP+ing it on any given day. For the 3:00 parade, the area was very empty- we walked in 15 minutes before the parade and got a front row spot. The front row never filled up that day and we had plenty of room to spread out or move around. It was great. For ELP we got there 20 minutes ahead of time and wound up in the 2nd row where I could barely see it (I'm short), there were people behind us too that came in after us- at least one row and maybe two or even three in spots. I would not be happy now that FP- is gone if I had burned a FP+ and ended up 3 or 4 people back trying to see the parade.
Memory Maker is just the new photopass. Well, technically it is the new Photopass+ and there is no longer a regular photopass- as it does include ride and restaurant photos. It basically is just another one of WDW's little tricks of charging more for less, and then calling it something else in hopes that no one complains. Now, instead of needing photopass cards- the photographers can scan your band. They still have cards too though if you want one. The differences between Memory Maker and Photopass/Photopass Plus, are that 1) now they no longer send your photos on a CD/DVD so that you can download them to any computer you want- pass them around your family etc. You now must download them to your computer- OR you can pay the EXTRA charge for them to send you the CD/DVD that came with it in the pass; however, I do believe you are allowed to download them to more than 1 computer -so anyone you give your log in information can download them too 2 now you no longer get hard copies of the photos at the restaurants. Supposedly at some point they are going to put in some technology that will add little videos to your band from some places that will be part of memory maker- don't know when or if that will actually happen. Also- there is no more 30 days to claim them and then 30 days to edit. Now the time starts running from the minute they are taken. They expire 45 days after they were taken (so instead of a maximum of 60 days, you have a maximum of 45). You can purchase one 15 day. They claim you can not purchase any further extentions after that.
