Magic Band Delivery and DVC

[Sammie]

http://staree.com/attractions/136387833673016735

If they are delivered to your home before your trip, have to wonder who will pay for this in regards to DVC bookings?

Seems like a lot of expense and potential for loss in the mail.

I thought they were going to have them at check in, not mail them.

 

[BWV Dreamin]

One more thing to remember not to forget!! Well I guess it might be even more of a nightmare if the CM's had to track down your bracelet at check in. I just don't know how I feel about these bands.

 

[disneynutz]

I'm guessing that DME will have RFID scanners and maybe the Disney stores at the airports.

Bill

 

[Sammie]

I am fine with the bands, just seems a lot of expense to get them mailed out. I just figured they would have them at the resort just like the cards.

Had not thought about ME, that might be true.

 

[erionm]

I thought they were going to have them at check in, not mail them.

The resorts will only have grey ones on-hand. If you want one of the other 6 colors (red, blue, green, pink, orange or yellow) that will be available, you will want to pre-order once that option becomes available to you. Once they become available, I believe resort guests will be able to order them at 60 days from arrival. They are supposed to last for up to 2 years are all data is stored on Disney's servers, so they are reusable. They will also be made available to annual passholders to order.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

This does seem like an excessive expense - especially for those who do not visit frequently. If it's reused by those who go frequently then not as bad to mail once and use multiple times although it would be less to just give them out at the resort. If it's forgotten - then a complete waste.

Guess the USPS has something to be happy about though! Although I guess they've sent out good sized packets for regular bookings for awhile.

 

[disneynutz]

I am fine with the bands, just seems a lot of expense to get them mailed out. I just figured they would have them at the resort just like the cards

You need to think bigger. Disney is spending a billion dollars on this and other technologies, they expect to make 2 billion from it. The cost to mail will be mitigated by some benefit that they have a plan for.

Picture a airport full of band wearing Disney bound families, on arrival they each wave their band entering the DME queue, a screen directs them to lane 4, as you get on the bus, you scan again and the system fills up the bus. A message is sent to the resort signaling your arrival at MCO. You scan leaving the DME bus at the resort and another screen directs you to check in window 6 if you are missing info from your account, if everything is in order, a CM at curbside hands you your packet, the band is your room key.

So far Mears has reduced their employee head count and Disney has also. Most guests no longer take up a CM's time requesting a different room because they never entered the lobby of the resort or at least they never went to the front desk. Mousekeeping now knows in real time who is waiting for their room and they shift the cleaning schedule on the fly to accommodate.

Bill

 

[Chuck S]

You need to think bigger. Disney is spending a billion dollars on this and other technologies, they expect to make 2 billion from it. The cost to mail will be mitigated by some benefit that they have a plan for.

Picture a airport full of band wearing Disney bound families, on arrival they each wave their band entering the DME queue, a screen directs them to lane 4, as you get on the bus, you scan again and the system fills up the bus. A message is sent to the resort signaling your arrival at MCO. You scan leaving the DME bus at the resort and another screen directs you to check in window 6 if you are missing info from your account, if everything is in order, a CM at curbside hands you your packet, the band is your room key.

So far Mears has reduced their employee head count and Disney has also. Most guests no longer take up a CM's time requesting a different room because they never entered the lobby of the resort or at least they never went to the front desk. Mousekeeping now knows in real time who is waiting for their room and they shift the cleaning schedule on the fly to accommodate.

Bill

Let us hope it will actually work that way, that would certainly be efficient and can be a great enhancement to the Disney experience. But goodness, what a headache if the computers go down. It's bad enough now when the systems go down at the resorts.

I still hope they'll get to the point that the bands (or the database the band links to) will convey all pertinent info to the cash registers, like DVC Discounts, AP discounts and TiW membership...then the register picks the best appropriate discount and charges out to the room.

That would eliminate having to carry a stack of cards with you. All you'd need would be a valid ID, and a credit card (again, in case the system goes down.)

 

[LisaS]

Mousekeeping now knows in real time who is waiting for their room and they shift the cleaning schedule on the fly to accommodate.

I would be happy if they could successfully change my full cleaning or T&T day without me having to make multiple phone calls to mousekeeping who always seem perplexed when I tell them (for the third day in a row) that no one showed up to clean my room.

 

[Sammie]

All I know is I don't want a gray one.

 

[Stitch_lover_Sith]

Trip planned for November then January 2015 if these go live by then and can be really reused up to two years after getting I will defiantly get one.

 

[keishashadow]

One more thing to remember not to forget!! Well I guess it might be even more of a nightmare if the CM's had to track down your bracelet at check in. I just don't know how I feel about these bands.

i'm card-carrying member of the tin-foil hat fan-club. Hoping the option is provided to be able to opt out and just use room key card (even it means loss of FP online ability). We may be headed to national ID cards, but i'm not keen on lite-version at mickey's house. Yes, i do have a passport with a chip embeded, but not expected to carry it on my person at all times when in the US and good with it being used as a security provision.

As i was replenishing my DS's college spending account thought of this...have lost count of how many lost college id's i've paid to replace in a year's time for my kids It will be interesting to see how that plays out if the wristbands are expected to last for two years.

 

[erionm]

i'm card-carrying member of the tin-foil hat fan-club. Hoping the option is provided to be able to opt out and just use room key card (even it means loss of FP online ability).

Disney has said that the MagicBands are optional and you would be able to use an RFID enabled card instead. With the RFID card you will still have access to FastPass+.

You do know that all KTTW cards and theme park tickets (including Annual Passes as of 3/20) are now RFID enabled? There is no personal information stored on Disney's RFID cards, only a unique id number.

 

[disneynutz]

All I know is I don't want a gray one.

That's exactly why Disney is letting guests order the colored bands to be sent to your home pre-trip.

No one will want the gray bands. The result is that Disney won't have to deal with as many people getting the bands from cast members on site, another cost savings.

Disney has some smart psychologists on staff.

Bill

 

[Sur]

I'm guessing that DME will have RFID scanners and maybe the Disney stores at the airports.

Bill

Wow! I was not thinking this broadly! I'd like that!

 

[Sur]

i'm card-carrying member of the tin-foil hat fan-club.

this made me laugh as I had a co-worker that was a member of the tinfoil sports cup club (covered in front of the microwave... very funny to see)! He must've thought they were valuable, though some of us thought a little modifying may be good for his offspring!!

 

[cbnsoul]

I still hope they'll get to the point that the bands (or the database the band links to) will convey all pertinent info to the cash registers, like DVC Discounts, AP discounts and TiW membership...then the register picks the best appropriate discount and charges out to the room.

While I hope for many of the enhancements mentioned previously in the thread, something as simple as this would be a wonderful addition.

 

[BirdsOfPreyDave]

I am fine with the bands, just seems a lot of expense to get them mailed out. I just figured they would have them at the resort just like the cards.

Had not thought about ME, that might be true.

Doubt they'll be mailed from the resort. They might even come from a third-party vendor. I'm sure the resort will have the ability to create them, too, but they won't want the resorts creating them in any great numbers. If the process of printing and programming takes too long per wristband, they may have made the decision to avoid the extra delays at check-in, and the extra time requirement on the cast members. (A way to avoid needing more front desk clerks.)

OMG, can you imagine how long the Front Desk staff would need to spend with each family if kids were shown all the various band colors and options during check-in and asked to pick the one they want?

Also, who knows how expensive the printers are? They may be trying to get away with having to purchase fewer machines for each front desk by centralizing as much of the printing as they can. Mailing out the bands before the trip allows them to do this.

I'm betting, though, that Bill's hit the nail on the head. They want to get the bands onto guests' arms as soon as possible, so they (Disney) can benefit from the technology even before check-in.

 

[BirdsOfPreyDave]

I still hope they'll get to the point that the bands (or the database the band links to) will convey all pertinent info to the cash registers, like DVC Discounts, AP discounts and TiW membership...then the register picks the best appropriate discount and charges out to the room.

I'm hoping for this, too. It would certainly be a service to the guest, but doesn't necessarily do anything to benefit Mickey's bottom line. I'm, therefore, not holding out a lot of hope that they'll link DVC, D23, or TIW discounts onto the bands anytime soon. I'd also be willing to bet a soda that, even if the AP and room charging are on the same band, you'll still need to ask for your AP discount at the POS. Another one I'll keep my fingers crossed for is a tie-in to the Disney Visa discounts. If you've used your Disney Visa as the card on your account, those discounts could also automatically apply at the POS.

I asked a question about these other discounts on the Disney Blog when they made the big MagicBand announcement a few months ago. They deleted my question.

Since we're dreaming... as someone who frequently ships WDW purchases either home or back to the resort, I hope they'll eventually be able to tie the MagicBands into that process, and avoid the need to fill out that green form every time.

 

[granmanh603]

Disney has said that the MagicBands are optional and you would be able to use an RFID enabled card instead. With the RFID card you will still have access to FastPass+.

You do know that all KTTW cards and theme park tickets (including Annual Passes as of 3/20) are now RFID enabled? There is no personal information stored on Disney's RFID cards, only a unique id number.

Ok so you are saying I do not have to wear a band...I can just use my regular room key and annual pass. iIhave no desire to get FP online or make any plans for the future at all. just want to go and have fun... making plans is not fun.