Loved the Magic Bands and oly one glitch...a warning to those with AP vouchers

[Wedgeh]

my husband had a NEW will call voucher, purchased during the promotion, but was turning in to activate a new PAP ticket. Like most I did link it to his MDE account. and then choose his FP selection.

Argh that's exactly the situation DW and myself are going to be in, sounds like I might as well prepare myself for a lengthy visit to guest relations

 

[LvsTnk]

Is this a problem for the DVC PAP special that people purchased or regular DVC AP's or mainly renewals??

I am already going to have so many issues now that KTTW cards are being phased out for some guests on Oct. 27th and the GAC for my special needs son has changed if a CM gets onto me about a linked voucher I may loose it. I am traveling alone with him and I thought no worries when I made all the intial plans but I have spent so much time trying to have everything in order I still think I am going to be pushing my son's wheelchair back and forth to GR or the front desk when my magic band won't open the room door.

Okay sorry just a little vent

 

[ScottOKW2K]

I wish our transition would have gone as "smoothly" as yours.

I too attached my voucher to my magic band prior to our trip last weekend. Everything worked as planned for ME, room key, and FP+.

We tried to use our magic bands to get into Epcot (our first park of the trip). We were pulled off to the side...and told our Magic Bands were not valid with the voucher so please go visit a ticket counter at the entrance. We were told our tickets had already been used (even though we had not used them) but since we tried to get into the park with them 5 minutes prior, it caused their system issues. Then when we told her that these were vouchers and needed to be converted to the PAP (we took advantage of the promotion going on last year for the renewal voucher) they were VERY confused!!! They told me that in order to convert the voucher to the PAP it would BACK DATE IT to the expiration date of our AP's NOT the first day of use.

We explained to her that is NOT how it was explained to us when we purchased our voucher...and that we had until Dec. 31, 2013 to convert them to PAP's and that they would be good starting on the day we converted (Oct. 16th 2013) and not the end date of our expired annual passes (Feb. 2013).

It took them a hour to finally get it all straightened out...but they said we were misunderstood on how the vouchers worked...and that it was only good starting Mar. 2013 and NOT Oct. 2013. At this point, we had missed fast pass reservations. I am fuming because the "manager" on duty is the one telling us the voucher had a start date of March and NOT October. We would have never bought the voucher if that had been the case. I feel like I have been totally ripped off with no one to escalate to!!! They also told us NOT to link our annual passes to our magic bands because there is a known glitch in the system with magic bands and annual passes. They told us to continue to use our plastic cards instead of the magic bands.

It's times like these where I miss the old days when there were no magic bands, fast passes, or RFID technology!!!

Is the wording highlighted above correct ? If you purchased the PAP at a renewal price instead of the DVC discounted price of the new PAP then the CM was correct - the pass became active at the expiration of the previous AP. Do you happen to remember how much you paid for the DVC PAP? I remember the price being $399 plus tax. If you paid less than that you renewed your previous pass to the DVC PAP special.

 

[disfanforlife]

No vouchers here - missed that chance. But, I am planning to upgrade my 5 days MYW tickets while at WDW to AP's. I hope that I won't have any issue. I do have my tix linked to my MB's and have FP's booked for the whole week. We have a split ressie and I was going to wait until the second have of my ressie to make the upgrade.

 

[ParrotBill]

Know that it will take about an extra five minutes per ticket for processing the hard ticket and another 5 minutes per person for the band/ticket issue to get straightened out.

From an IT perspective, 20 minutes for a simple fix for a family of 4, TWO TIMES, is inexcusable and a disaster in labor. Not to mention an ever growing long line and wait behind you.

We explained to her that is NOT how it was explained to us when we purchased our voucher...and that we had until Dec. 31, 2013 to convert them to PAP's and that they would be good starting on the day we converted (Oct. 16th 2013) and not the end date of our expired annual passes (Feb. 2013).

It took them a hour to finally get it all straightened out...but they said we were misunderstood on how the vouchers worked...and that it was only good starting Mar. 2013 and NOT Oct. 2013. At this point, we had missed fast pass reservations. I am fuming because the "manager" on duty is the one telling us the voucher had a start date of March and NOT October. We would have never bought the voucher if that had been the case. I feel like I have been totally ripped off with no one to escalate to!!! They also told us NOT to link our annual passes to our magic bands because there is a known glitch in the system with magic bands and annual passes. They told us to continue to use our plastic cards instead of the magic bands.

It's times like these where I miss the old days when there were no magic bands, fast passes, or RFID technology!!!

Inexcusable that any Guest Relations did not understand the DVC PAP vouchers. Sounds like they could not get past the idea that you were buying a NEW one, not renewing last year's. And an hour to fix it? Even more inexcusable. And that thing was nonsense... you don't link your band to your AP! Both are linked to your MDE account. When I bought my AP in August it was guest services to automatically linked it to our MDE accounts on purchase! Next resort reservation is December, and the bands show up automatically in your MDE account.

The only known glitch is between his ears.

 

[bbluvsdis]

How does guest relations at DTD rate on handling this problem? On our arrival date (in the evening) we are planning to go to DTD to get our DVC PAP that was purchased in Dec. 2012. I have will call numbers but no vouchers and it is linked to our MBs.
The weird thing is in the MDE it shows one of our passes as a renewal. Our other passes expired on Oct. 20th. I'm not sure whether to call now and see if they can fix that before our arrival. I am not looking forward to fighting with them.

 

[Firepath]

We also upgraded a couple of two-day passes to DVC AP and that part of the transaction was very quick. The delay for us was all due to the fact I had linked the DVC AP vouchers (not renewal). During our last week's trip, every time I walked by Guest Services in every single park, the line was well out the door or several persons deep. I'm not sure what all the different issues were, but it seemed to be way beyond just the DVC AP vouchers. While waiting in line (twice) for just under an hour each time, you get to know the people around you. Our first attempt was at Epcot the afternoon of our 1st day. It was completely in the sun and miserable. The DVC members ahead of us were really unhappy with check in problems and DVC AP issues. The gal behind us was ranting the entire time about having had to get new cards EVERY time they tried to enter a park and this was their 5th time. She was so frustrated when she finally got up to the window all she could do was cry. Unfortunately the same CM got both of those unhappy guests one after the other. The CM who helped us was great and knew exactly what needed to be done to fix our issue, but he warned us it would take a while. When it was all done, he gave us each a fastpass to make up for our time spent there, about 15 minutes once he got started.
I recommend you plan for a wait and try to be patient. Hopefully they will have this all worked out before everyone's upcoming trips!

 

[disfanforlife]

We also upgraded a couple of two-day passes to DVC AP and that part of the transaction was very quick. The delay for us was all due to the fact I had linked the DVC AP vouchers (not renewal). During our last week's trip, every time I walked by Guest Services in every single park, the line was well out the door or several persons deep. I'm not sure what all the different issues were, but it seemed to be way beyond just the DVC AP vouchers. While waiting in line (twice) for just under an hour each time, you get to know the people around you. Our first attempt was at Epcot the afternoon of our 1st day. It was completely in the sun and miserable. The DVC members ahead of us were really unhappy with check in problems and DVC AP issues. The gal behind us was ranting the entire time about having had to get new cards EVERY time they tried to enter a park and this was their 5th time. She was so frustrated when she finally got up to the window all she could do was cry. Unfortunately the same CM got both of those unhappy guests one after the other. The CM who helped us was great and knew exactly what needed to be done to fix our issue, but he warned us it would take a while. When it was all done, he gave us each a fastpass to make up for our time spent there, about 15 minutes once he got started.
I recommend you plan for a wait and try to be patient. Hopefully they will have this all worked out before everyone's upcoming trips!

Hopefully since I don't have vouchers I won't have the same issue. But, I think I will wait until the last day of my 5 day ticket to do the upgrade. We are there for 6 days so I don't "need" to do it before then. Or I will just keep an eye out for a day without a huge line to take care of it!

 

[n2mm]

Wanted to mention that after you get your AP at guest relations make sure your AP is linked to your magic band. After our 30 minute visit getting the linked will call converted we asked the cm to link it to the magic band and he said it was done. After a day or so when I couldn't make any new FP selections I logged on to my husbands MDE account and it wasn't linked so I did it myself. Since them his MB worked better when changing times and selections.

 

[bom_noite]

Maybe this is off-topic - maybe I am wrong.....

We don't buy AP's! Does not make sense for our 5-day annual DVC visits (especially when you consider I have had 2 kids in the College Program and have gotten free entry the last two years....).

So, we buy the 10 day MYW PH Tickets. 3 Years ago, we needed to get a new one - so - I bought a 10-Dayer and they put it on my room card. The next year, the family decided to go to the park, and, I felt the Golf Course needed my attention more then the MK! My wife's 10-day had run it's course - so I gave her mine.

Well, the card was confiscated at the Gate as it was in my name! The folks at GR at the MK were very rude to her (though she provided DVC Membership Card, Drivers License, etc!). They asked her: How do we not know this is a stolen ticket? She replied, maybe because the ticket has the same last name as my Drivers License, all of my Credit Cards and I am even showing you my Husband's DVC Card - which she had!

They told her would they would only release the pass if I came with my ID to retrieve it! Since I was extremely busy with my buddy missing putt's (followed by drinking beers and shaking my head regarding said putt's) - I never got the message! My wife bought a 1 day pass.

We complained to the OKW staff - not so much on the rules! More so how rudely my wife was treated! My son is a pacifist and said he was close to creating a scene after listening to the CM and how she treated his mother! As I am not a Pacifist, and, most likely would have made a scene at GR, we decided it was best to talk with OKW Management! The folks there were very sympathetic and very helpful. The GM at OKW said: "If you ever run in to this again - don't get mad - call us first! Let us try and help!" Lesson learned. OKW reissued the card with no Resort or Guest Name on it. Anyone can now use the remaining days. Kudo's to the OKW staff - fantastic Customer Service!

To the point: I took the card and went to the MK this year. They now have the Chip Reader thingy - and - since my MYW card is now 3 years old it had to be read manually by a CM. He read it, let me in, then asked me to go to Guest Relations where they would issue a new card with a Chip Thingy.....

I said: "FANTASTIC - going to Guest Relations NOW to get my new card with Chip Card thingy and/or wrist band!". Then I thought - why would I possibly want to do this (and have them put my name on it) only to recreate the problems of a few years ago? I skipped blissfully past Guest Relations and on down Main-Street! I skipped so blissfully that Photo Pass people were scrambling and Security pulled my aside and asked me questions - story for a different day.......

The moral: A day at the MK is better then any Golf Course - you miss less Putt's!

 

[disfanforlife]

Maybe this is off-topic - maybe I am wrong.....

We don't buy AP's! Does not make sense for our 5-day annual DVC visits (especially when you consider I have had 2 kids in the College Program and have gotten free entry the last two years....).

So, we buy the 10 day MYW PH Tickets. 3 Years ago, we needed to get a new one - so - I bought a 10-Dayer and they put it on my room card. The next year, the family decided to go to the park, and, I felt the Golf Course needed my attention more then the MK! My wife's 10-day had run it's course - so I gave her mine.

Well, the card was confiscated at the Gate as it was in my name! The folks at GR at the MK were very rude to her (though she provided DVC Membership Card, Drivers License, etc!). They would only release the card if I came with my ID to retrieve it and ok her getting in. Since I was extremely busy with my buddy missing putt's (followed by drinking beers and shaking my head regarding said putt's) - I never got the message! My wife bought a 1 day pass.

We complained to the OKW staff - not so much on the rules! More so how rudely my wife was treated! My son is a pacifist and said he was close to creating a scene after listening to the CM and how he treated his mother! So, instead of going back to GR, we spoke with OKW Management - they were very sympathetic and very helpful. The GM at OKW said: "If you ever run in to this again - don't get mad - call us first! Let us try and help!" Lesson learned. OKW reissued the card with no Resort or Guest Name on it. Anyone can now use the remaining 7 days. Kudo's to the OKW staff - fantastic Customer Service!

To the point: I took the card and went to the MK this year. They now have the Chip Reader thingy - and - since my MYW card is now 3 years old it had to be read manually by a CM. He read it, let me in, then asked me to go to Guest Relations where they would issue a new card with a Chip Thingy.....

I said: "FANTASTIC - going to Guest Relations NOW to get my new card with Chip Card thingy and/or wrist band!". Then I thought - why would I possibly want to do this (and have them put my name on it) only to recreate the problems of a few years ago?

I understand how you feel. We usually only go to WDW for 5-7 days a year. This will be our first year ever to make two trips, so we are buying AP's for the first time. Our oldest DD is seriously considering appling to the DCP in the fall for spring 2015. So, we may have some free tix when we visit her too. I also have 2 10 day no exp tickets that I have yet to activate along with some other 5, 6, and 7 day MYW tickets that I bought before the price increase last year. I decide to stock up a little bit since I knew we would be going for years to come. Sorry for your wife's problem. Glad OKW treated you well though.

 

[mikek]

I think we did the exact same thing you did but we didn't have any problems.

We linked the AP vouchers (the green things) about 6 weeks before our trip while at home. We set up all the FP+'s and then when we arrived swapped out the AP vouchers for the hard tickets. Our MB's worked right away that night and - knock on wood - have had no problems. Maybe it's a random thing or we somehow did something differently but linking the vouchers and staying linked once we got the hard tickets has not been a problem.

can you please post where you converted your vouchers to real AP's?

That's where i want to go.

In the past we've frequently used the back door at epcot- never any crazy sized line. But I'm not sure if they can handle such things now?

 

[bom_noite]

I understand how you feel. We usually only go to WDW for 5-7 days a year. This will be our first year ever to make two trips, so we are buying AP's for the first time. Our oldest DD is seriously considering appling to the DCP in the fall for spring 2015. So, we may have some free tix when we visit her too. I also have 2 10 day no exp tickets that I have yet to activate along with some other 5, 6, and 7 day MYW tickets that I bought before the price increase last year. I decide to stock up a little bit since I knew we would be going for years to come. Sorry for your wife's problem. Glad OKW treated you well though.

Thoughts:

You are BRILLIANT! I was shocked when the 10 day PH I bought had doubled in price (in 2 years)! Buy em now - buy them in bulk!

ixiedust: I would not let them rope you in to getting the Chippy or Wristy thing! Until they expire - that is their issue not yours!

I do not think we, as DVC members, have any entitlement. With that said, we have invested 10's of thousands to the Disney bottom line. With that said, we have reaped the benefit of that investment - and - would do it again. With that said, no paying customer should be treated rudely. OKW management were the stars here!

Good luck with your daughter and DCP! After two kids (one Alum and one Current) I think it is a great program! My kid's friends were so jealous that 5 other's applied. Two are in it now - and - 3 others start in January.

 

[disfanforlife]

Thoughts:

You are BRILLIANT! I was shocked when the 10 day PH I bought had doubled in price (in 2 years)! Buy em now - buy them in bulk!

ixiedust: I would not let them rope you in to getting the Chippy or Wristy thing! Until they expire - that is their issue not yours!

I do not think we, as DVC members, have any entitlement. With that said, we have invested 10's of thousands to the Disney bottom line. With that said, we have reaped the benefit of that investment - and - would do it again. With that said, no paying customer should be treated rudely. OKW management were the stars here!

Good luck with your daughter and DCP! After two kids (one Alum and one Current) I think it is a great program! My kid's friends were so jealous that 5 other's applied. Two are in it now - and - 3 others start in January.

Thanks, although maybe not brilliant. Actually, I did it five times the past five years (since becoming members) - I bought tickets before the price increase each summer. Each time wishing I had bought more! I know what you mean about the 10 day no exp. The first time I bought them in 2006 - we used 5 days and saved 5 days. It seemed expensive then but we weren't members yet. Two years later bought them again and they had gone up a bit - still have that set. Since then, they are much more expensive - don't know if I would buy again. It is still hard to predict how often we will visit, but we know it will be at least once a year!
That is great that two of yours kids got to do the DCP! My other younger daughter is interested - maybe after her sister does it - she will want too also.
I had a ticket issue one year when we were staying at BCV and the staff there was fantastic and helped me alot. I found the staff at the DVC resorts always very friendly and helpful. Can't wait to go back in - only two weeks!!!!

 

[fortheloveofminnie]

I was in WDW over Columbus Day weekend. I had purchased regular APs with a DVC discount online in the Spring before the prices went up (not a renewal). So I had a Will Call receipt I printed from Disney's website, not a paper voucher. I had a little trouble linking it so I could participate in the FP+ test with Magic Bands, but I finally scanned the barcode with my iPhone from the MDE app and it worked great. I assigned the APs to the appropriate people, made FP+ reservations, and just hoped for the best. On the first day we planned to go to a park, I arrived before rope drop at MK and went directly to Guest Relations. The wait was around 10-15 min at this point. I handed the CM my Will Call receipt, explained I needed to have my APs activated and linked to my MBs. She first issued me the hard plastic APs so we could get our discounts, etc then spent a few minutes at her computer making sure the bands were linked correctly. I was a little worried because I came early by myself and only had my MB, but she was able to get everything linked properly without the other MB even being there.

It took a total of about 20 - 25min. Our MBs worked as a room key, for room charges, for FP+, and entrance into the park for the whole trip without incident.

I realize my experience may not be typical, but I actually enjoyed the whole system very much. I wasn't sure if I would like it, but it was very convenient.

My advise is to come prepared and expect a few glitches.

 

[mikek]

Maybe this is off-topic - maybe I am wrong.....

We don't buy AP's! Does not make sense for our 5-day annual DVC visits (especially when you consider I have had 2 kids in the College Program and have gotten free entry the last two years....).

So, we buy the 10 day MYW PH Tickets. 3 Years ago, we needed to get a new one - so - I bought a 10-Dayer and they put it on my room card. The next year, the family decided to go to the park, and, I felt the Golf Course needed my attention more then the MK! My wife's 10-day had run it's course - so I gave her mine.

Well, the card was confiscated at the Gate as it was in my name! The folks at GR at the MK were very rude to her (though she provided DVC Membership Card, Drivers License, etc!). They asked her: How do we not know this is a stolen ticket? She replied, maybe because the ticket has the same last name as my Drivers License, all of my Credit Cards and I am even showing you my Husband's DVC Card - which she had!

They told her would they would only release the pass if I came with my ID to retrieve it! Since I was extremely busy with my buddy missing putt's (followed by drinking beers and shaking my head regarding said putt's) - I never got the message! My wife bought a 1 day pass.

We complained to the OKW staff - not so much on the rules! More so how rudely my wife was treated! My son is a pacifist and said he was close to creating a scene after listening to the CM and how she treated his mother! As I am not a Pacifist, and, most likely would have made a scene at GR, we decided it was best to talk with OKW Management! The folks there were very sympathetic and very helpful. The GM at OKW said: "If you ever run in to this again - don't get mad - call us first! Let us try and help!" Lesson learned. OKW reissued the card with no Resort or Guest Name on it. Anyone can now use the remaining days. Kudo's to the OKW staff - fantastic Customer Service!

To the point: I took the card and went to the MK this year. They now have the Chip Reader thingy - and - since my MYW card is now 3 years old it had to be read manually by a CM. He read it, let me in, then asked me to go to Guest Relations where they would issue a new card with a Chip Thingy.....

I said: "FANTASTIC - going to Guest Relations NOW to get my new card with Chip Card thingy and/or wrist band!". Then I thought - why would I possibly want to do this (and have them put my name on it) only to recreate the problems of a few years ago? I skipped blissfully past Guest Relations and on down Main-Street! I skipped so blissfully that Photo Pass people were scrambling and Security pulled my aside and asked me questions - story for a different day.......

The moral: A day at the MK is better then any Golf Course - you miss less Putt's!

rude is never cool.

But aren't all tickets at this point "officially" linked to one person and non-transferrable?

Never mind their story about security and stolen cards- I thought/assumed it was just another way for them to make the rules more difficult and benefit them. But they probably don't want the CM's saying "listen you can't share a card becasue that allows you not to have to buy a current way more expensive ticket. We need you to spend more $$$ today. So take your husbands card back to him and give me some cash." So instead they official line is it's an attempt to stop trafficking in stolen tickets.

Whatever the rule may or may not be- that's just crazy that they are/were rude about it. Seems less and less the CM's realize (or are taught) that being nice/magical makes people gush and tell their friends how great a WDW vacation is and have the people spend more themselves.

The intelligent move would have been for them to say "I'm sorry maim but for a variety of reasons all park admission media is only allowed to be used by the original user. Please bring this card back to your husband. Here's a free ticket for today so you aren't rushed to figure out what to do, but tomorrow when you come back we'll expect you to buy your own new ticket"

One time years ago we were staying at BWV. 10-11 of us. We walked, with my dad in a wheelchair all to the back door of epcot and half of us swiped in then we realized that part of the group left their tickets at the room (was a pile of "I thought you had them"). We probably said something about going all the way back to the room. Without us asking the gate CM just pulled a pile of comp tickets out of her pocket and gave one to each of the people that forgot the ticket. It was so cool that I tell everyone about it all the time, and I'm typing it here again. That's the sort of thing the CM should have done for your wife and instead of having a story about their money-grubbing policy you would have been telling us all how one day after you mistaking gave your wife your ticket they gave her a freebie.

good luck with your putts!

 

[mikek]

do current RFID AP's have a barcode on the back so you can scan them into the MDE app on a smartphone if need be?

 

[bom_noite]

rude is never cool.

But aren't all tickets at this point "officially" linked to one person and non-transferrable?

I think you may be very well correct. But, the managements remedy was to "De-Link" it. Just like the old Paper 7-day tickets or the tix I have purchased at AAA.

Maybe we were 100% wrong that we felt she could use it - but - I guess we were looking at the old paper tickets.

While we may have been wrong - there were two important points:

1) Don't be a rude CM - my wife has never raised her voice in her life (this is my job - and I do it quite well when I feel it is needed!).

Note: My son was a College Program CM (or CP as it is called) at the time! He got himself in for free, and, by rule could get 3 others in. Since some of his friends went on the trip with us we gave them the free tickets and opted to have my wife enter on our paid ticket. The college friends of my sons were fantastic and said - look - let us pay for the Ticket (as we are getting in free!). My wife said: "No - we told you this was our treat - it will be our treat!" The kids kept on about it and we finally settled on them buying us ice cream at the BC one night.

My son was totally embarrassed as a CP on how my wife was treated. He is a great kid - rarely get's mad - but he was really mad at how these CM's handled the matter. As you suggested - there were 100 ways without confronting the guest as a liar and cheater.

2) While DVC does not equal entitlement - I do think it means something. As a family we have "Invested" in WDW.

If you add up the Membership, Dues, Food, Drinks, Tickets, Shopping, etc., etc. Our investment would have bought us a new car with Insurance added.

Maybe I am wrong.

 

[LisaS]

I handed the CM my Will Call receipt, explained I needed to have my APs activated and linked to my MBs. She first issued me the hard plastic APs so we could get our discounts, etc then spent a few minutes at her computer making sure the bands were linked correctly. I was a little worried because I came early by myself and only had my MB, but she was able to get everything linked properly without the other MB even being there.

It took a total of about 20 - 25min. Our MBs worked as a room key, for room charges, for FP+, and entrance into the park for the whole trip without incident.

I realize my experience may not be typical, but I actually enjoyed the whole system very much. I wasn't sure if I would like it, but it was very convenient.

My advise is to come prepared and expect a few glitches.

We just got home and our experience was similar. I linked our bands using the will call number I got when I bought our DVC PAPs last December. I also booked several fast passes before we left for our trip.

We were staying at BWV so we turned in our will call confirmation for the actual PAPs at the IG. It took the CM about 15 minutes to issue our plastic PAPs. He asked for both of our bands as part of the process. I'm not sure if he had to link the new PAPs or just test that everything was set up properly. The whole process took longer than I expected but then I remembered that I always felt that way whenever I exchanged a voucher/will call number for an AP, even before Magic Bands.

We had no problems using the bands other than occasional problems entering our 4-digit code with those tiny buttons when making purchases. (My DH joked that next trip, he's bringing a stylus.) All of our fast passes worked. The bands worked everywhere we used them including to open the parking lot gate, the stairwell doors at the resort, to pay for table service meals, etc. We enjoyed using them, especially at the pool and the water park.

 

[CarolMN]

We just got home and our experience was similar. I linked our bands using the will call number I got when I bought our DVC PAPs last December. I also booked several fast passes before we left for our trip.

We were staying at BWV so we turned in our will call confirmation for the actual PAPs at the IG. It took the CM about 15 minutes to issue our plastic PAPs. He asked for both of our bands as part of the process. I'm not sure if he had to link the new PAPs or just test that everything was set up properly. The whole process took longer than I expected but then I remembered that I always felt that way whenever I exchanged a voucher/will call number for an AP, even before Magic Bands.

We had no problems using the bands other than occasional problems entering our 4-digit code with those tiny buttons when making purchases. (My DH joked that next trip, he's bringing a stylus.) All of our fast passes worked. The bands worked everywhere we used them including to open the parking lot gate, the stairwell doors at the resort, to pay for table service meals, etc. We enjoyed using them, especially at the pool and the water park.

Thanks for sharing your experience. It sounds exactly like our situation will be for our late November/early December trip. I'm feeling more confident.