Just returned 12/18/2013 -12/22/2013 and FP+:(

[siskaren]

Implying her MB's didn't work as room keys and park tickets because of her reluctance about using them is unnecessary and ridiculous.

Where did she say that? : She pointed out that the MBs worked for the most part, indicating that her reluctance was mostly unfounded.

 

[disnut1149]

Sorry you had problems on your trip. It' expensive to go and you want everything to be problem free. I cancelled my Dec trip and decided to go this summer instead,hoping for a lot of kinks to be worked out.

 

[bumbershoot]

FWIW OP, we had those same room-entering problems with the RFID cards back in February. It's awesome fabulous super fun to walk from forever-away in Kidani down to the lobby. (because NONE of our cards could get in so we couldn't even call the call center known as "front desk", so we *had to* walk all the way back each time)

 

[spodie]

Sorry to hear that your Magic Band experience wasn't great. We had a similar issue with one of our bands not allowing us to get into the room, but seeing as we still had three functioning Magic Bands, it wasn't a big deal.

I, personally, loved the Magic Bands, and didn't think I would. However, you just can't beat the convenience of the things. Once they work out all the kinks (which is inevitable with such a huge project) and completely make the transition, I think everyone will come to accept it. Hey, you can't make progress without a few mistakes and set backs (although it does suck that it sometimes puts little wrenches in people's vacations).

 

[wdwloverz]

I was a bit concerned about how well the bands would work on our last trip but I was also excited that they might be cool.
Yes, we had to go down to the front desk a few times throughout our different resort stays because sometimes one or both of our bands wouldn't open the door, but we always had the backup card. Did you try to get these and they wouldn't give you them? As a pp said, this can happen with the regular room key cards also.
Were the magic bands cool? I thought so. Did my head explode when the bands didn't open my door, ummm no.
Am I going back, ABSOLUTELY.
Sorry you feel the way you do, I truly am. The thought of being so upset with Disney that I wont go back makes me want to cry

 

[bumbershoot]

People keep talking about the cards also given...wasn't POP completely refusing to do that, though? (despite what it says in the MB info, that RFID cards will be issued)

 

[mom2rtk]

People keep talking about the cards also given...wasn't POP completely refusing to do that, though? (despite what it says in the MB info, that RFID cards will be issued)

I believe they will issue RFID cards, but they won't work in the legacy FP machines like cards issued at other resorts.

 

[honeymo78]

FWIW OP, we had those same room-entering problems with the RFID cards back in February. It's awesome fabulous super fun to walk from forever-away in Kidani down to the lobby. (because NONE of our cards could get in so we couldn't even call the call center known as "front desk", so we *had to* walk all the way back each time)

This. The same RFID tech that lets you in the parks and opens your room door with your magic band is also in the KTTW card. A card may not have solved the problems. I too had issues with my RFID KTTW card in Jan 2013.

Also, I doubt you would have had a whole lot of luck with FP- availability during the busiest time of the year even if there were no FP+. They were going to run out early either way. At least with FP+ you had some guaranteed shorter wait rides.

 

[Jennasis]

Heck, my KTTW card didn't work to open our room back in March. I was pretty ticked...it was almost 1am by the time we got back from MK and we were TIRED. The front desk was supposed to have texted us with our room number since we had checked in at 7am and it wasn't ready yet and of course that text never came. So I had to stop at the desk at that late hour to get the #, only to trudge all the way to our room to discover it didn't work...so back to the desk, wait for them to figure out why we never got texted (they never figured it out and frankly I didn't care WHY), then new cards, trudge back yadda yadda.

Ruined our trip? No. But I was exhausted and REALLY annoyed (also I had requested not to be near the scary clown pool at BWI and guess what we could see staring right back at us from the balcony?).

 

[wdwloverz]

People keep talking about the cards also given...wasn't POP completely refusing to do that, though? (despite what it says in the MB info, that RFID cards will be issued)

Pop was the first resort we got them at and they did work in the legacy FP machines BUT this was early Nov..

 

[Rosco1]

My husband and I visited for the Wine and Dine Half Marathon weekend. We were blessed that our Magic Bands worked perfectly. We were super happy they let us back into the room after running 13.1 miles.

Sorry you had issues. I hope you find a new favorite vacation spot for your family.

 

[wen8jr]

I personally feel that when you are on vacation you shouldn't have to deal with these types of issues and just "come on down to guest services" to get it fixed...multiple times.

Usually guest services isn't conveniently located right outside your door and every minute spent going back and forth trying to resolve an issue like this takes away from paid vacation time.

At the very least, they should send someone to your room to pick up the bands, take them back to fix them, redeliver them when done and test them to ensure they are fixed before leaving. The resort guest should never have to do all of that. I've been amazed at how many people have had to go to guest services to fix an issue that is Disney's, not the guests.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Implying her MB's didn't work as room keys and park tickets because of her reluctance about using them is unnecessary and ridiculous.

Rereading the original post, she went expecting a negative experience.
Because she expected negativity, she focused on the negativity.
Ergo, self-fulfilling prophecy.

Most of the trip sounds great:
Some Magic Bands worked to get them into the rooms every time once 'the girl' on the phone fixed/reset them.
Five people were able to use the MBs for park entry every time except one person at one park one time - and that was easily resolved.
Their Dining Plan credits worked, if I'm reading that correctly.
MVMCP was amazing and uncrowded.
Despite all the great things, she's so anti-Magic Band, she's not going back.

She didnt have to use Jedi mind tricks. She started with a negative attitude.

 

[Mousemommy1]

Rereading the original post, she went expecting a negative experience.
Because she expected negativity, she focused on the negativity.
Ergo, self-fulfilling prophecy.

Most of the trip sounds great:
Some Magic Bands worked to get them into the rooms every time once 'the girl' on the phone fixed/reset them.
Five people were able to use the MBs for park entry every time except one person at one park one time - and that was easily resolved.
Their Dining Plan credits worked, if I'm reading that correctly.
MVMCP was amazing and uncrowded.
Despite all the great things, she's so anti-Magic Band, she's not going back.

She didnt have to use Jedi mind tricks. She started with a negative attitude.

I read it the same way. It's too bad.

 

[ilovemk76]

I personally feel that when you are on vacation you shouldn't have to deal with these types of issues and just "come on down to guest services" to get it fixed...multiple times.

Usually guest services isn't conveniently located right outside your door and every minute spent going back and forth trying to resolve an issue like this takes away from paid vacation time.

At the very least, they should send someone to your room to pick up the bands, take them back to fix them, redeliver them when done and test them to ensure they are fixed before leaving. The resort guest should never have to do all of that. I've been amazed at how many people have had to go to guest services to fix an issue that is Disney's, not the guests.

It is usually easier to go down and work with a person face to face then over the phone, if you can call them.

 

[Bluestars]

I am sorry you had so many issues with the bands. It would be very frustrating to have to deal with them not working.

It sounds like you have some great memories from the trip in spite of the frustrating bands. I'll bet everything is beautiful that time of year. We went to DL once in November and the lights were very pretty, although it was crazy busy.

 

[fla4fun]

I personally feel that when you are on vacation you shouldn't have to deal with these types of issues and just "come on down to guest services" to get it fixed...multiple times.

Usually guest services isn't conveniently located right outside your door and every minute spent going back and forth trying to resolve an issue like this takes away from paid vacation time.

At the very least, they should send someone to your room to pick up the bands, take them back to fix them, redeliver them when done and test them to ensure they are fixed before leaving. The resort guest should never have to do all of that. I've been amazed at how many people have had to go to guest services to fix an issue that is Disney's, not the guests.

While I agree with this in theory, in practice they would have to have a lot more employees around if they were sending them door to door to resolve issues.

I can sympathize with the OP, because my first MB trip in October was nothing but headaches as far as the band working was concerned. Out of four days, it opened my room door one time (fortunately I had a KTTW to use as a backup). Going into the park it also worked one day (Disney loaded my AP without my knowledge or consent, and really messed things up to the point I had to get a new AP card issued as well). Granted, the rest of the trip was great - but those little annoyances do take away a lot, especially when the trip is short like that one was and you're spending an hour or so a day trying to get the band to work like it should.

However, I've been back twice since then, and on both of those trips, my MB has worked flawlessly. So I don't know if the first band I received was a lemon (I have been too chicken to take that one back to try) or if it was just glitches in the system, but I'm glad I didn't just throw in the towel and say I wasn't returning to WDW.

 

[Jennasis]

What I don't understand, is that if both the bands and the KTTW cards have RFID chips that are presumably attached to the same portfolio, why do the bands not work but the backup KTTW card they give do?

 

[Disneylover99]

While I agree with this in theory, in practice they would have to have a lot more employees around if they were sending them door to door to resolve issues.
.

This comment struck a chord with me.

When both our bands and cards did not open the door one evening (for the fifth time and after numerous trips to the front desk where they kept saying the problem was resolved) returning from the parks, I went to the front desk of my resort for help. I encountered many happy employees waiting around with their iPads eager to help people with their arrivals and there were plenty of employees standing behind the front desk smiling at me. When I told them we were locked out, yet again and my kids were falling asleep on the ground outside our door, they told me they would send a runner right away to let them in.

20 minutes later......no runner. Back to the front desk I went to see all the shiny, happy employees eager to help answers questions and no other resort guests around.

Well, as it turned out, the one runner they had was on a break. I completely lost it. It was not one of my finer moments. There were at least 20 employees standing around and not one of these employees could help me get into my room.

So they do have a lot of employees around they just need to allocate them better or train them to troubleshoot the real problems that the bands are creating.

 

[afnaechiquita]

aside from everything else, the one thing i see that added to OP's stress is booking a FP+ on arrival day (i'm assuming it was arrival day). much like a dining reservation, i would not book a FP+ on arrival day so close to the actual time of arrival. the only difference is you're not out $10 if you miss this one, but you are out of 33% of your FPs. maybe make it later in the evening so you have one less thing to stress about.