Magic Bands Arrived. Now what?

[famsen]

I've been to WDW numerous times but not since the implementation of Magic Bands and FastPass+. We arrive late on a Tuesday night and are taking Magic Express to AKL. We have our FastPass+ times and dining reservations set. So what to we do when we arrive at AKL? Do we go to check in any more? Are our Magic Bands activated as soon as we get on property? Do we get a text with our room number and go straight to it with the Magic Band as our key? I've been so many times yet I seem completely lost now. I'm sure these questions have been asked and answered a million times before but I can't find the answers. Thank you

 

[uccats97]

You can skip the check-in counter if you want to and you do online check-in instead. They will text you a room alert with the number and a link to the resort map when it's ready. MagicBands become active at the resort once you've accessed your room at least once. They do work as your key, theme park ticket, FP+, dining credit (if applicable) and can be used for charging purchases if you link it to a credit card. They are so easy to use and very convenient. Have fun!

 

[uccats97]

You'll also scan your MagicBand to board Magical Express.

 

[dansdad]

I've been to WDW numerous times but not since the implementation of Magic Bands and FastPass+. We arrive late on a Tuesday night and are taking Magic Express to AKL. We have our FastPass+ times and dining reservations set. So what to we do when we arrive at AKL? Do we go to check in any more/

It depends. Did you do online check in? If you did, you have 3 possibilities.

1. Streamlined Check In - If you're eligible for this you would have seen a message once you completed Online Check In informing you of this. If so, when you arrive at AKL look for the Streamlined Check In kiosk and head over there. The CM there will check your ID and then give you your room number. You can then go directly to your room.

2. Bypass the Front Desk - If you're eligible for this, you will receive an email about 2 weeks out telling you that you can skip going to the front desk. Before you arrive at AKL you will receive a text with your room number. Once you get off ME you can go right to your room.

3. If neither of the above, you will go to the Online Check in desk.

If you didn't do online check in you will go to the normal check in desk.

Are our Magic Bands activated as soon as we get on property?

Your Magic Bands are activated when they are shipped to you. Once you are checked in at AKL, then they are able to access your entitlements in your MDE account. Such as your room, dining credits, memory maker, etc.

Do we get a text with our room number and go straight to it with the Magic Band as our key?

Maybe, see above.

 

[famsen]

Thanks so much for the excellent explanations. I did do online check in and gave my cell number. I said I would like a text message when my room is ready. Again, we are arriving very late so the room will be ready before we get there.

 

[sbeets]

What if we arrive before our room is ready? Can we get into the parks even though we haven't been to our room yet?

 

[dansdad]

What if we arrive before our room is ready?

You can drop your carry-ons, etc with Bell Services and head to the parks.

Can we get into the parks even though we haven't been to our room yet?

As long as you've been checked in at your resort via one of the ways listed above, yup!

 

[Jadyreen1282]

If the room's not ready and you have DDP go directly to the QS at your resort and have a Mickey bar or cheesecake. You will feel the magic.

 

[Spoiledraf]

I always enjoyed going to the counter to check in. It's kind of a welcome to Disney experience for me. And they tell me where my room is so I don't have to read a road map. Unfortunately this year is our first off year in a while. Next year, kids and grand kids. Hope I hit the lottery in the mean time! LOL.

 

[Pmlocke]

What if we arrive before our room is ready? Can we get into the parks even though we haven't been to our room yet?

We always arrive hours before our room is ready. We either go straight to the pool (I'm from Michigan and we travel in February) or we go to the parks. Once you check in at the front desk you are active. Actually, I tell a mistruth. This past February I walked into the lobby off of the Magical Express from the airport and was greeted by name by the manager at the door. They must have a way to scan and inform so that would mean the bands were already active.

 

[Imamom2]

Ours arrived last week and you all just answered my questions!! We did online check-in and since we rented a car we were going to go right to MK then BW but I'm thinking we should go to BW and leave bags with bell service (Ipads in a hot car - just realizing as I type this that would have been a problem) and take bus to MK. Thanks all!

 

[DISNEY1975]

Your Magic Bands are activated when they are shipped to you. Once you are checked in at AKL, then they are able to access your entitlements in your MDE account. Such as your room, dining credits, memory maker, etc.

Ive seen so many mixed comment over this. I am staying off property my first night. The next day, I have an 11:20 reservation in the MK, using the dining plan. I have been told I can go directly to the MK, get in, go to lunch and use the dining plan for my meal without ever going to the resort first.

I have also seen posts such as your stating the entitlements are not active until after check in at the resort.

Can anyone confirm 100% which is correct?

TIA

 

[chrisn]

I have a question relating to check-in, magic bands and park hoppers. We booked a room only, and always purchase our tix through UT. Will the front desk need to link our ticket media to our magic bands upon check-in? Everything is on my MDE..and I love doing the regular checkin..just not certain how this works.

 

[Pmlocke]

Ive seen so many mixed comment over this. I am staying off property my first night. The next day, I have an 11:20 reservation in the MK, using the dining plan. I have been told I can go directly to the MK, get in, go to lunch and use the dining plan for my meal without ever going to the resort first.

I have also seen posts such as your stating the entitlements are not active until after check in at the resort.

Can anyone confirm 100% which is correct?

TIA

If you want to be 100% sure, I would call 407-939-5277. They will tell you right out what the policy is. As I have stated, it seemed the last two trips we took that the bands were active before we got checked in because we used them to get onto the Magical Express at the airport. Call the number and they will be able to help you.

 

[DISNEY1975]

If you want to be 100% sure, I would call 407-939-5277. They will tell you right out what the policy is. As I have stated, it seemed the last two trips we took that the bands were active before we got checked in because we used them to get onto the Magical Express at the airport. Call the number and they will be able to help you.

I called. You must go to the resort first. They are activated for the ME bus, which drops you off at your resort, where you need to activate your band. Although the bands shipped have certain info activated in them, the entitlements are not. If there is a reason you can not get to the resort prior to going to a park/dining, you need to call the resort the morning of your check in date for assistance.

Since I am renting a car and staying at the Poly, Ill play it safe and check in before my lunch ressie. Was hoping to sleep in that morning, maybe swim at the hotel we'll be at then go straight to the MK, but we can leave a little early to make sure things go smoothly for the rest of our trip. Taking the monorail to the MK will probably end up more convenient anyway.

 

[threeboysmom]

MagicBands become active at the resort once you've accessed your room at least once.

Your Magic Bands are activated when they are shipped to you. Once you are checked in at AKL, then they are able to access your entitlements in your MDE account.

Like OP, I haven't had a trip since magic bands and FP+ came into play, and I'm totally confused.

I've already done my online check-in so does that mean my magic bands are activated NOW?

I plan on dropping my bags off at bell services once we arrive at AKL (early morning so I doubt room will be ready) and heading straight to the park.

I'd really hate to get to the park to find out my ticket/magic band hasn't been activated yet.

To be safe, should I check in when dropping off my bags even though I've already checked in via online? I've given cell # to receive text alerts to bypass the front desk... but now I'm thinking that probably isn't a good idea.

 

[threeboysmom]

I called. You must go to the resort first. They are activated for the ME bus, which drops you off at your resort, where you need to activate your band. Although the bands shipped have certain info activated in them, the entitlements are not.

OK, so perhaps park tickets are not considered an "entitlement"? Sounds like there's only a problem if you're wanting to use dining credits but haven't check in yet?

 

[DISNEY1975]

OK, so perhaps park tickets are not considered an "entitlement"? Sounds like there's only a problem if you're wanting to use dining credits but haven't check in yet?

No. She specifically told me if I wanted to go to a park OR dine before going to the resort, I would have to call the resort directly, the morning of my date of check in, for assistance. Im not sure what assistance I would get......maybe directions to the resort ? !!!!!

Im not even going to chance it. Ill check in. Last time our flights arrived around 9:30am, got the Poly by 11ish (picked up luggage/car rental). We checked in and were given our "Cards". Room wasnt ready, but we had lunch at noon at the Grand Floridian. Wouldnt you know as soon as we stepped into the monorail to go to GFC, we got a call/text that our room was ready!

 

[georgina]

I think it is different if your tickets are part of a package or if you have a room only reservation and bought your tickets separately. I have tickets linked to a magic band that I could use even if I was staying off-site, so it doesn't matter if I have checked into a resort or not, at least for park entry. I couldn't charge to my room on them until I had a room assigned though.

 

[uccats97]

I honestly haven't tried going to a park or using dining credits prior to my room being ready. I've done online check-in and bypassed the desk since that has been an option. The MagicBands worked for Magical Express. They did not work to unlock the gate at the pool because our room was not yet ready. I would imagine I could have gone to the desk to get that taken care of, but someone else opened it for us (we were only going to the bar). Another trip we drove our car and tried to scan our MagicBands at the gate into the resort parking lot and they did not yet work. That's when the cast member said it would start working after it had unlocked the room at least once. Our room was ready so we bypassed the desk, unlocked our door and it worked the next time we needed to open the gate.