Magic band plus- confirmed news from Disney.

[brightlined]

Won't DL only work with Magic Band+ , not the other 2 generation bands? I'm pretty sure I read that.

The tap and broadcast tech should be the same between the MB and MB+.

I'm not sure that Disney has said anything official about MB usage at DLR. All of the official blog posts just say that the functionality would differ between WDW and DLR without specifics. (Unless I've missed something?)

That makes me wonder if MB+ will mainly do its work at DLR through phones and the app. That would solve some of the tech concerns, specifically the differences in how WDW and DLR handle accounts. At WDW, an MB connects to a person's individual profile - there isn't really an equivalent of that at DLR, since everything is attached to the ticket.

Have they even said that DLR will have tap points at all? If they're only implementing MB+, it's unlikely the parks would go full RFID. They wouldn't have a reason to install tap points at the front gates, for example - I doubt enough people would buy MB+s to warrant that. Just use the current handheld devices to read the MB+, et voila. (And that's if they decide to implement that.)

There's a cynical part of me that wonders if they'll just implement MB+ at DLR as a Disney version of the Harry Potter wands at Universal, and just do the enhanced/interactive stuff.

 

[DLgal]

The tap and broadcast tech should be the same between the MB and MB+.

I'm not sure that Disney has said anything official about MB usage at DLR. All of the official blog posts just say that the functionality would differ between WDW and DLR without specifics. (Unless I've missed something?)

That makes me wonder if MB+ will mainly do its work at DLR through phones and the app. That would solve some of the tech concerns, specifically the differences in how WDW and DLR handle accounts. At WDW, an MB connects to a person's individual profile - there isn't really an equivalent of that at DLR, since everything is attached to the ticket.

Have they even said that DLR will have tap points at all? If they're only implementing MB+, it's unlikely the parks would go full RFID. They wouldn't have a reason to install tap points at the front gates, for example - I doubt enough people would buy MB+s to warrant that. Just use the current handheld devices to read the MB+, et voila. (And that's if they decide to implement that.)

There's a cynical part of me that wonders if they'll just implement MB+ at DLR as a Disney version of the HP wands at Universal, and just do the enhanced/interactive stuff.

I agree with you. They would need to retrofit a LOT in DL to approach the same functionality that they have at WDW. And they have not even started any of that kind of work.

The entrance gate CMs literally use iPhones that have a barcode scanner built in. They probably COULD use NFC and have a tap based capability but they already have to toggle something between scanning Magic Keys and regular tickets. I can't imagine how much slower the lines will go if there is a third option.

 

[CeCe0906]

I agree with you. They would need to retrofit a LOT in DL to approach the same functionality that they have at WDW. And they have not even started any of that kind of work.

The entrance gate CMs literally use iPhones that have a barcode scanner built in. They probably COULD use NFC and have a tap based capability but they already have to toggle something between scanning Magic Keys and regular tickets. I can't imagine how much slower the lines will go if there is a third option.

But the beauty of the magic band is that there doesn't have to be a dedicated CM. At WDW, you literally just walk through the security scanner, no bag check, then tap your magic band and move on. When I was there last summer they had the fingerprint scanner disabled due to covid, so there is an extra step now, tap then scan finger.

But none of that requires a CM, just a few roaming, monitoring if there is an issue. They could speed things up by having dedicated lines in busy times for regular ticket, MKeys, and Magic bands. Then no switching required.

I'm going with 3 kids ages 9, 7, and 5, and an adult who barely uses a smart phone. I can't imagine home many dirty looks I'm going to get scrolling through 5 tickets to enter, and at all the LL. I was praying they would have the magic bands ready for our trip next week. Especially at the LL, having everyone just tap a magic band would have been so much faster. I'm going to put our tickets in plastic sleeves on a lanyard after our first use, so it will be faster to park hop and enter on our other park days.
But if I understand Genie + correctly, we HAVE to use the app on my phone to redeem a LL, ILL, or DAS return time.

 

[DLgal]

But the beauty of the magic band is that there doesn't have to be a dedicated CM. At WDW, you literally just walk through the security scanner, no bag check, then tap your magic band and move on. When I was there last summer they had the fingerprint scanner disabled due to covid, so there is an extra step now, tap then scan finger.

But none of that requires a CM, just a few roaming, monitoring if there is an issue. They could speed things up by having dedicated lines in busy times for regular ticket, MKeys, and Magic bands. Then no switching required.

I'm going with 3 kids ages 9, 7, and 5, and an adult who barely uses a smart phone. I can't imagine home many dirty looks I'm going to get scrolling through 5 tickets to enter, and at all the LL. I was praying they would have the magic bands ready for our trip next week. Especially at the LL, having everyone just tap a magic band would have been so much faster. I'm going to put our tickets in plastic sleeves on a lanyard after our first use, so it will be faster to park hop and enter on our other park days.
But if I understand Genie + correctly, we HAVE to use the app on my phone to redeem a LL, ILL, or DAS return time.

Scanning multiple barcodes for LL on the phone is super fast. You can just leave the phone inserted and swipe right to scan in succession. Takes like 10 seconds to scan 4 tickets. We do it often since we use DAS. My son with the DAS actually does the scanning.

And at Disneyland, there is an additional security layer that WDW doesn't have...the entry photo. There is a problem at DLR with people trying to share tickets or sell partially used tickets, so now everyone using a multi day or hopper ticket has their photo taken on first use and then the CM at each entry gate has to verify the person entering matches the picture, so there will never be entry gates like WDW with only a few roaming CMs.

 

[brightlined]

When they first announced that MB was coming to DLR, the front gate situation was the thing I was most excited about.

I unrelentingly hate the current process - to the point that I don't rope drop because I can't stand the start-and-stop when entire families need pictures taken. And iPhones are so bad for this - an iPhone camera has to be the least efficient barcode scanner in existence. Even Cedar Fair has computers/tablets with handheld barcode readers - a quick click and the picture shows up; you're in. And DLR could easily cut some staffing if they improved their tech.

But, yeah, it's hard to imagine them spending the money to do what they'd need to do to make all of that work. Especially if they haven't even hinted at the possibility of using standard MBs at DLR.


I remember some folks got excited on Reddit because someone found a "Disneyland MagicBand2" at WDW and thought it was an accidental release of a future DLR product. Turned out it was just a "Disneyland-themed" WDW band.

 

[DLgal]

When they first announced that MB was coming to DLR, the front gate situation was the thing I was most excited about.

I unrelentingly hate the current process - to the point that I don't rope drop because I can't stand the start-and-stop when entire families need pictures taken. And iPhones are so bad for this - an iPhone camera has to be the least efficient barcode scanner in existence. Even Cedar Fair has computers/tablets with handheld barcode readers - a quick click and the picture shows up; you're in. And DLR could easily cut some staffing if they improved their tech.

But, yeah, it's hard to imagine them spending the money to do what they'd need to do to make all of that work. Especially if they haven't even hinted at the possibility of using standard MBs at DLR.


I remember some folks got excited on Reddit because someone found a "Disneyland MagicBand2" at WDW and thought it was an accidental release of a future DLR product. Turned out it was just a "Disneyland-themed" WDW band.

View attachment 687268

Disney contracting with Apple for their in park tech was a TERRIBLE decision. Those iPhones and iPads they use are constantly having issues.

 

[CeCe0906]

Scanning multiple barcodes for LL on the phone is super fast. You can just leave the phone inserted and swipe right to scan in succession. Takes like 10 seconds to scan 4 tickets. We do it often since we use DAS. My son with the DAS actually does the scanning.

And at Disneyland, there is an additional security layer that WDW doesn't have...the entry photo. There is a problem at DLR with people trying to share tickets or sell partially used tickets, so now everyone using a multi day or hopper ticket has their photo taken on first use and then the CM at each entry gate has to verify the person entering matches the picture, so there will never be entry gates like WDW with only a few roaming CMs.

I apologize in advance for being one of the families that has to have 5 pictures taken. Too bad there's not a way to load that up in advance, it seem like it would be feasible to at least have the option of associating a ticket with a photo in the app.
I'm starting to feel old with the tech stuff. I'd probably do better to hand my 9 yr old granddaughter the phone at the LL.

 

[DLgal]

I apologize in advance for being one of the families that has to have 5 pictures taken. Too bad there's not a way to load that up in advance, it seem like it would be feasible to at least have the option of associating a ticket with a photo in the app.
I'm starting to feel old with the tech stuff. I'd probably do better to hand my 9 yr old granddaughter the phone at the LL.

It is absolutely possible.

A new waterpark just opened up in our area. We bought season passes. We had to upload a photo (just a close up of head) to the website (our logged in portal) prior to our first visit. Each person assigned a QR code. On first visit, QR code was scanned, and a RFID wristband for the season was linked to each QR code. On second entry, a handheld scanner tapped to our bands, our photos came up and we walked through. Easy peasy.

If a local waterprk with a $60M build budget can pull this off, so can Disney.

 

[Disturbia]

That's great. My husband doesn't want to download the app so I will manage it all on my phone.

You want to download the app on your husband’s phone just in case your phone charges out

 

[MonocularVision]

Disney contracting with Apple for their in park tech was a TERRIBLE decision. Those iPhones and iPads they use are constantly having issues.

Was there word of Disney contracting with Apple to develop their system? I think the problem lays with Disney’s software engineering team and not the choice of device to run their software on. Plenty of companies successfully use iOS and Android as the basis for their systems.

 

[PalmettoPath]

It seems that you’re right, unfortunately.

These should have the battery life of a Fitbit, not an Apple Watch as what they do is more similar to a Fitbit,

Just one more puzzling thing about them. It will be interesting to see if they become a hit or a dud. It's a lot of work, cost, limited battery etc. right now for essentially a few little bells that really don't amount to much value at all. I'll be watching the evolution of this for sure.

 

[MonocularVision]

I remember you giving information on how you did this and what it resulted in, but I forgot it! Would you mind detailing it again?

FWIW the WDW release blog info 'teased' that there will be a way to 'link' MDE to a smart watch but didn't provide any details. I'm assuming/hoping that means it'll give haptics/sounds for ADRs/LLs/ILLs directly from MDE. I doubt if it'll allow room opening capabilities. I wonder if the DL version of MB+ will provide a similar link to the DL app?

I actually haven’t tried this yet. I will be going to WDW early next year for the first time and will probably trying this with our family.

Here are the “old” directions if they help:

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT212870

 

[DLgal]

Was there word of Disney contracting with Apple to develop their system? I think the problem lays with Disney’s software engineering team and not the choice of device to run their software on. Plenty of companies successfully use iOS and Android as the basis for their systems.

They use physical iPads and iPhones. We deal with Guest Relations CMs frequently as DAS users, and they are ALWAYS having issues with the hardware, and frequently needing to borrow each other's devices when the one they are using stops working. They are always complaining about them too.

 

[MonocularVision]

They use physical iPads and iPhones. We deal with Guest Relations CMs frequently as DAS users, and they are ALWAYS having issues with the hardware, and frequently needing to borrow each other's devices when the one they are using stops working. They are always complaining about them too.

The WiFi could be down? Spotty? The software they are running on could have problems connecting with intermittent software connections.

Ultimately: things not working on specific hardware is usually a problem with software and not the underlying hardware. Do things contantly not work on your personal phone? There’s nothing fundamentally wrong with the hardware of iPhones and iPads. There are over a billion of them out there being used every day.

 

[DLgal]

The WiFi could be down? Spotty? The software they are running on could have problems connecting with intermittent software connections.

Ultimately: things not working on specific hardware is usually a problem with software and not the underlying hardware. Do things contantly not work on your personal phone? There’s nothing fundamentally wrong with the hardware of iPhones and iPads. There are over a billion of them out there being used every day.

The devices literally blackout and won't turn on. I've seen it happen over and over again. They are like, 2015 versions of the iPhone. Big and clunky and slow. It's absolutely a hardware issue when they swap it out and another one works perfectly.

 

[MonocularVision]

The devices literally blackout and won't turn on. I've seen it happen over and over again. They are like, 2015 versions of the iPhone. Big and clunky and slow. It's absolutely a hardware issue when they swap it out and another one works perfectly.

Fair enough. If Disney won’t keep their devices updated, they’re gonna start to have hardware issues. Dedicated devices are usually more serviceable (battery replacement, etc) than iPhones.

 

[Disney0010]

I love the Magic Bands. Used them at WDW with no issues. I will be glad to not have to pull a phone out. They work great. The quicker that they implement them the better IMHO.

 

[KalamityJane]

Any ideas on if the MB+ will work between DLR and WDW (so you only have to buy 1 band?)

Wondering because we have a WDW trip in August this year and planning DLR next year. I don’t want to buy them twice!

 

[shosh1530]

I have never been to WDW and have no experience with Magic Bands. Can someone tell me what they are typically made of? I'm allergic to most metals and rubber. I can't wear most watches or jewelry. Just curious if these would even be feasible for me.

 

[StormyCA]

I actually haven’t tried this yet. I will be going to WDW early next year for the first time and will probably trying this with our family.

Here are the “old” directions if they help:

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT212870

Hey thanks! We aren't going to WDW til late next year, so please post your experience or PM me and let me know how it went.

The Apple page was updated December 10, 2021 so not super 'old'. Sounds as if 'MagicMobile' is for LL/ILLs to me and you'd still need to use the MB to scan into the parks and for photo pass and ride photos.

Pretty cool that (apparently) you can still use MagicMobile if your battery dies. I didn't do 'deep research' into the hows and whys of that, though

"Depending on the model of your iPhone, you can use your MagicMobile Pass even after your iPhone battery runs out"