Magic Bands 101

[karly05]

Here's my "sorry, didn't read all 38 pages" disclaimer.

I got my MB today! But now I have questions about the physical band itself.

1) Anyone worn their band on the same wrist with a watch? Did the watch get in the way of using the MB?

2) I'm sure I've seen posts here about trimming the excess off the band - NOT detaching the color part, but actually cutting the black part. Unfortunately, my wrist is not quite small enough to use just the color part but the excess black strap makes it difficult to get on and not as comfy to wear as it could be. Can anyone give advice on this, or direct me to the right thread?

 

[gschon]

why are there 2 cards next to each name on the "magicband/card" page @ wdw ??
Is one for the room and the other for tickets??

 

[Poly-Anna]

Saw this on another thread

from wdwmagic.com


'MagicBand-only' coming to all remaining Walt Disney World Resort hotels by end of January

Jan 04, 2014 | 8:21pm EDT


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The MyMagic+ 'MagicBand-only' testing is set to expand from the Pop Century and All Star Resorts test to include all Walt Disney World Resort hotels by the end of January 2014.
With 'MagicBand-only', guests will be given a MagicBand in place of the Key to the World Card for all MyMagic+ functions, including park admission, touch-to-pay, touch-to-enter, and FastPass+.

Key to the World cards can still be requested, but are not available for regular FASTPASS use. This means that by the end of January 2014, all Walt Disney World Resort Guests will be using FastPass+, and will not have access to the legacy FASTPASS system.

The rollout for 'MagicBand-only' is as follows.
•Jan. 6 – Disney’s Art of Animation Resort
•Jan. 7 – Disney’s Port Orleans Resort
•Jan. 8 – Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort and Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort
•Jan. 9 – Disney’s Old Key West Resort and Disney’s Saratoga Spring Resort & Spa
•Jan. 10 – Disney’s Wilderness Lodge
•Jan. 13 – Disney’s Yacht & Beach Club Resorts
•Jan. 14 – Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge
•Jan. 15 – Disney’s BoardWalk Inn
•Jan. 16 – Disney’s Contemporary Resort
•Jan. 17 – Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa and Disney’s Polynesian Resort
•Jan. 20 – Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground

Are they expected to implement the bands at the Swan and Dolphin sometime soon? We're going in July.

 

[mollyseven]

So, I called Disney today to do a room request for our trip Jan. 30th. I asked about the Fast Pass + for the magic bands because I just keep thinking how can we only get 3 fast passes per day and you can only get one for each ride. I recall in past trips going in the morning and getting a fast pass for soarin and then a while later one for say test track and then before we went back to the resort for a break we would get more for later that night. Now the new Fast Pass option only allows each person 3 per day.....no more. I thought that when you got to a park you could get more....nope 3 fast passes and then back of the line....be it a 90 minutes line for an evening ride on Splash or whatnot. ugggg.....this seems very un-Disney like to me.....
The Disney person said that people were using the band fast passes and also trying to use the old machines and stuff and finding ways around it so now it's just 3 per person a day and there will be no other old passes come the end of the month. She said it makes it fair for everyone.
Anyone else hear anything different? I guess I will find out in 3 weeks.

 

[SkylarKD]

I'm not sure if this has already been shared, but I found a video on YouTube that shows how to use MagicBands (great for visual people!).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I3ojftUvWWU

 

[Ferrentinos]

Quick question - I haven't paid attention to the way FP+ and MB work/don't work for offsite guests as we always stay on site... but I have a friend who will be visiting in April with a 10 day non-expiration ticket and will not be staying on property. Will he be able to link his ticket to a MB? Does he just need to create a profile on MDE/MDX? Or is he unable to because he will not be staying on property?

Thank you so much! I can't seem to find updated information about this.

 

[ckelly14]

Quick question - I haven't paid attention to the way FP+ and MB work/don't work for offsite guests as we always stay on site... but I have a friend who will be visiting in April with a 10 day non-expiration ticket and will not be staying on property. Will he be able to link his ticket to a MB? Does he just need to create a profile on MDE/MDX? Or is he unable to because he will not be staying on property?

Thank you so much! I can't seem to find updated information about this.

As of right now, a qualifying resort stay is required to advanced book FP+ at the 60 day window. There is currently no utility in creating a MDE account or linking tickets for off site guests YET.

However, no one knows what will happen in April. I'm following this closely due to a offsite stay in June, and my GUESS is that FP- will be gone and FP+ will be available to offsite guests within the next few months. Likely, this will start out as same day availability vis a vis the AK "test" of the last month, where off site guests can show up to make same day FP+'s for that park only. I think it is unlikely that advanced booking will be extended to off site by April, but I could be wrong.

One of the options for your friend may be a short onsite split stay which MAY qualify him for advanced FP+ bookings for the length of his ticket.

 

[rockiesfan]

This seems like an obvious question that lots of people would be asking but I haven't seen it yet: I have a room-only reservation, purchased tickets and linked them on MDE, and will customize my MBs. Do I have to physically go to the resort to activate my family's MBs before going to my first park? Can/should I check-in online ahead of time? Thanks.

 

[ckelly14]

This seems like an obvious question that lots of people would be asking but I haven't seen it yet: I have a room-only reservation, purchased tickets and linked them on MDE, and will customize my MBs. Do I have to physically go to the resort to activate my family's MBs before going to my first park? Can/should I check-in online ahead of time? Thanks.

My understanding is the Magic Band is "active" on arrival to your house for admission/FP+. You need to check-in at the resort only for room key/charging privileges.

 

[napkin]

Do you need to enter the park with your ticket to make FP+ reservations at AK? If not, could I buy a one day ticket and use it for 3 extra FP+ each time I go to AK? (Since you don't need a hotel reservation there)

 

[Ferrentinos]

As of right now, a qualifying resort stay is required to advanced book FP+ at the 60 day window. There is currently no utility in creating a MDE account or linking tickets for off site guests YET.

However, no one knows what will happen in April. I'm following this closely due to a offsite stay in June, and my GUESS is that FP- will be gone and FP+ will be available to offsite guests within the next few months. Likely, this will start out as same day availability vis a vis the AK "test" of the last month, where off site guests can show up to make same day FP+'s for that park only. I think it is unlikely that advanced booking will be extended to off site by April, but I could be wrong.

One of the options for your friend may be a short onsite split stay which MAY qualify him for advanced FP+ bookings for the length of his ticket.

Thank you so much for your information. I thought that would be the answer but I wasn't sure!

 

[ougrad86]

Are they expected to implement the bands at the Swan and Dolphin sometime soon? We're going in July.

Since they are considered offsite, there it is still up in the air - no one seems to be sure what the plans for that are ...we were staying at SOG in April; we have now scrapped that plan and are staying at Coronado.

One of the options for your friend may be a short onsite split stay which MAY qualify him for advanced FP+ bookings for the length of his ticket.

I was reading a thread yesterday which seems to indicate that Disney found that loophole and closed it ...I hope it is wrong...but I'm staying onsite the entire time instead of switching to SOG after one night

 

[SarahD]

Does anyone know definitively whether you need to check in at a resort to "activate" a magic band before heading to parks? I read someone's comments that said they thought MB were active once they shipped. Has anyone tried it?

 

[KaLyn]

Does anyone know definitively whether you need to check in at a resort to "activate" a magic band before heading to parks? I read someone's comments that said they thought MB were active once they shipped. Has anyone tried it?

I've heard that you can go right to the parks too!

 

[connie254]

Can you take the MB off at night and put it back on in the morning?

 

[mesaboy2]

Can you take the MB off at night and put it back on in the morning?

Yes.

 

[Coach81]

very informative post.. appreciate it

 

[mecllap]

I have 4 people staying together on-site. 3 have APs and one has no tickets yet. When my FP+ window starts, will I be able to do FP+ for the three with linked APs and add FP+s (likely not at the same time) for the nonticketed person later?

Also do all guests have to select the same three FP+s initially and then change them "day of" in the park?

 

[SarahD]

We are vacationing in a big group - on site, offsite with MB and annual passes and offsite with Florida resident tickets. My SIL says she was able to make FP reservations for the four kids who have florida resident tickets. They have MB from previous stay but no annual pass and no on site reservation this time. I had not heard this was possible before, so FYI.

 

[ses1230]

I have 4 people staying together on-site. 3 have APs and one has no tickets yet. When my FP+ window starts, will I be able to do FP+ for the three with linked APs and add FP+s (likely not at the same time) for the nonticketed person later?

Also do all guests have to select the same three FP+s initially and then change them "day of" in the park?

There is an option to "copy" FP+ selections from one person to another, depending on availability. I have never done it, so I don't know exactly how that works.

When choosing FP+, you choose the people for each FP+. So everyone does not have to have the same choices.