Magic Band reader spotted at DCA!

[mom2rtk]

Having used the MBs and FP+ last year, I really don't see what the problem would be in bringing to DLR. We really enjoyed the MBs since you don't have to carry park tickets, hotel keys, and fps it was a breeze, IMO. I can see about the FP+ but with a little bit of planning we got a good use out of them. Just my opinion.

I personally never had a problem carrying my ticket and hotel key.

DLR has very different considerations from WDW. Attractions are much closer together and many don't have room to even add a FP return line.

And as others have pointed out, the massive local AP base would have an much larger impact than at WDW.

I think they have been successful at getting guests to spend a little more with magic bands. But WDW has exponentially more onsite guests. Once again, a pretty substantial difference.

 

[mikedoyleblogger]

I personally never had a problem carrying my ticket and hotel key.

Are you an AP? When you're an AP and stay onsite, having to present your AP, your ID, and your KttM card with every purchase is a total pain. Three cards, every time. MBs would at least replace having to display two of those cards at every register.

 

[JennyN]

Am I the only one who has no idea what apple pay is?

 

[mom2rtk]

Are you an AP? When you're an AP and stay onsite, having to present your AP, your ID, and your KttM card with every purchase is a total pain. Three cards, every time. MBs would at least replace having to display two of those cards at every register.

Yes I have an annual pass. And it didn't bother me to need to present my annual pass and ID with every purchase. Not sure what a kttm card is though. I found the Magic Band to be ill fitting and uncomfortable.

Don't you still have to present your ID with the magic band anyway though? Last I heard that was still the case.

 

[OKW Lover]

Am I the only one who has no idea what apple pay is?

You might be, which would indicate an unusual failing in Apple's PR machine. http://www.apple.com/apple-pay/

 

[Angel Ariel]

Having used the MBs and FP+ last year, I really don't see what the problem would be in bringing to DLR. We really enjoyed the MBs since you don't have to carry park tickets, hotel keys, and fps it was a breeze, IMO. I can see about the FP+ but with a little bit of planning we got a good use out of them. Just my opinion.

I didn't mind MBs themselves, but I hope they keep FP+ far away from DLR. The low key, lack of *needing* to plan ahead is one of the best parts about visiting DLR.

 

[Winnowill]

I would LOVE MBs at DLR. FP+, not so much.

 

[tlovesdis]

I would LOVE MBs at DLR. FP+, not so much.

This!!! I love the MB but DL is not a FP+ type of park so maybe they will do a version of it?!!!

 

[kristabelle13]

Or, what about if they had the current fastpass system without the paper. You touch your band (loaded with admission) and that would allow you to get your fastpass. If you weren't eligible a screen on the FP machine would tell you when you could get your next one (like it does now with the paper ones). I think the problem would be tracking your FP return times. Maybe that would have to be done with an app. Maybe that app could send you an alert that says when you are eligible for another FP.

The MB could also have your payment card of choice linked for purchases.

I think I'd love this - but I'd hate to have to use roaming data to access the app for FP return times - but if wifi in the parks was made available... I'm all in on this

 

[Angel Ariel]

Or, what about if they had the current fastpass system without the paper. You touch your band (loaded with admission) and that would allow you to get your fastpass. If you weren't eligible a screen on the FP machine would tell you when you could get your next one (like it does now with the paper ones). I think the problem would be tracking your FP return times. Maybe that would have to be done with an app. Maybe that app could send you an alert that says when you are eligible for another FP.

The MB could also have your payment card of choice linked for purchases.

I think I'd love this - but I'd hate to have to use roaming data to access the app for FP return times - but if wifi in the parks was made available... I'm all in on this

I don't have any issue at all with making the current system and current rules for pulling FPs paperless. Its the prepLanning that came with fp+ that I can't stand.

 

[kristabelle13]

I don't have any issue at all with making the current system and current rules for pulling FPs paperless. Its the prepLanning that came with fp+ that I can't stand.

I agree - the pre-planning is a real turn-off.

 

[mikedoyleblogger]

Yes I have an annual pass. And it didn't bother me to need to present my annual pass and ID with every purchase. Not sure what a kttm card is though. I found the Magic Band to be ill fitting and uncomfortable. Don't you still have to present your ID with the magic band anyway though? Last I heard that was still the case.

KttM=Key to the Magic card. (i.e. Onsite hotel cardkey and chargeback card.) Staying onsite as an AP and charging back to your room, you need to present KttW, ID, and AP. That's a lot to juggle when you're carrying a tray table. Don't know what else needs to be presented with MBs at WDW.

 

[mom2rtk]

KttM=Key to the Magic card. (i.e. Onsite hotel cardkey and chargeback card.) Staying onsite as an AP and charging back to your room, you need to present KttW, ID, and AP. That's a lot to juggle when you're carrying a tray table. Don't know what else needs to be presented with MBs at WDW.

OK, we stay onsite but don't charge back to the room.

We'll just have to agree to disagree on that. I still don't think it's a lot to juggle. You're still going to have to get out your ID to get an AP discount. I just don't think 1 or even 2 more cards is that big a deal.

 

[mikedoyleblogger]

OK, we stay onsite but don't charge back to the room. We'll just have to agree to disagree on that. I still don't think it's a lot to juggle. You're still going to have to get out your ID to get an AP discount. I just don't think 1 or even 2 more cards is that big a deal.

I don't see why we need to agree to disagree on something you've never actually had to do. My opinion that it's a pain is irrespective of your agreement. Here we go again with others telling others that their experience of DLR or WDW is the "wrong" one. This place never changes...

 

[mom2rtk]

I don't see why we need to agree to disagree on something you've never actually had to do. My opinion that it's a pain is irrespective of your agreement. Here we go again with others telling others that their experience of DLR or WDW is the "wrong" one. This place never changes...

LOL, I've had to pull out my ID and AP many times to get a discount at DL. Not sure how it's different enough from pulling out 3 cards to negate my opinion.

When I "agree to disagree" I'm merely acknowledging that we are each entitled to our different opinions. That's not saying your opinion is wrong.

SHEESH.

 

[ktlm]

Several Disney execs have gone on record to say that magic bands were probably not going to come to DLR so I'm not so sure. With so few onsite guests it really doesn't make financial sense to set up a magic band system in Anaheim.

Oh sure it does. It could be a money maker. At WDW, you get magic bands free if you are staying on property, BUT if you aren't you can buy them for anywhere from $12.99 (plain) to $20 (designed). In fact, even if you got yours free with a resort stay, in the stores they try to entice you to spend the extra $20 to upgrade to things like the really cool Haunted Mansion paper magic band, or villains magic band, or character magic band. Plus, for everyone they sell and market sliders and covers and bandits. Think of all the DLR AP holders they can try to sell all those items to. They are selling you a cool accessory that you can use as your park ticket every time you enter to avoid having to dig around in wallets, pockets, purses.

Plus, I think they have shown that people tend to spend more when they are charging on the band as opposed to pulling out their wallet/cards every time. It is so easy just to put the band up to the register. Sure, right now it is only for resort guests, but I have a feeling at some point in the future they will have a way to attach the credit card to your MyDisneyExperience account and use the magic band to pay like "applepay" even if you are not staying at a resort.

They already spent the big bucks developing the technology for WDW. Sure it will cost them to add the readers at all the registers, but I suspect they think they will make more in sales than it costs.

I REALLY REALLY hope they don't add FP+ and I don't think in its WDW form it is workable for DLR. We have had 3 FP+ WDW trips and we absolutely despise it. We are getting to where we almost prefer going to DLR because of the flexibility of not having to deal with FP+ and the fact that our days without FP+ are so much less stressful and so much more relaxed. That said, I can totally see them doing some form of FP+ at DLR as much as it makes me cringe. Want those AP holders to buy those magic bands- well promise everyone who buys one that they can book 1 FP+ in advance per day. Resort guests- well they can book 2 or 3 FP+ for each day of their stay in advance. If they were to spend the money putting up the readers at all the rides to do something like those, I would have to think there are plans to move to a centeralized kiosk based/MDE type system for all FPs even if it is simply for people to get one at a time the day of (like the current system) in the park. I think the first clue on this is if you start seeing the readers anywhere at a ride as opposed to just at a register.

 

[3TinksAndAnEeyore]

I saw one at the ice cream cart at the hub today. It's not active yet and the CM did not seem to know much about it.

 

[sheetz]

Oh sure it does. It could be a money maker.

Anything's possible, but according to Mary Niven, "the wristband won't work with Disneyland's guest demographics. Many visitors are local residents who do not stay for long periods at the nearby hotels, where the bands would be used heavily."
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-...eyland-but-no-magic-bands-20150521-story.html

What this says to me is that Disney sees onsite guests as the most important market for magic bands, and that according to the data they have the other groups (offsite guests, AP holders) would be less inclined to use them.

 

[texasgingerbread]

Go paperless and charge away...would love to have this option. We loved our mb at WDW. I don't care if we cannot plan ahead, but if we could scan onsite for return time FP and then also for charges that would be awesome.

 

[Mrcobra92]

Yup, that's for NFC payments alright. The four lights above the Mickey logo are the EMV PayPass and PayWave certified payment lights which are seen on every contactless payment terminal in use (mostly). Also, the swipe track for cards is right above that, and the lump of plastic right above the PIN pad looks to be an EMV chip card reader. It all adds up way to perfectly. I also heard from a CM that they would begin taking mobile payments on the 16th of December which I believe is within a few days of a year from when WDW started taking them.