Magic Bands info for the new test dates in August

[TIME4DIZ]

I don't know this for certain, but I suspect that they are customized at an off-site location, would need to be shipped to the resorts anyways, so not much different than shipping direct to customers (probably lose some economy of bulk shipping), they'd need storage at the resorts for all the bands they need to give out, and keep it organized so they can be found and given to the correct guests, etc.

They only need to ship the ones that are customized well enough in advance. Wait too long and they will be shipped to the resort. Wait really too long, and you'll get the generic "iconic gray" bands kept on hand.

And they only need to ship to any given person once (at least every so many years). Those that customize are probably not the guests that are only ever going to use these once (although it is possible for them to do)...Disney is betting on them being re-used multiple times.

Great response. According to the UPS tracking the bands have been shipped from Memphis, TN.

 

[DisMom1981]

When did you customize your bands? I'm arriving to YC on the 17th and mine have shipped, but I ordered the very second that I realized I could on Tuesday afternoon. Also, they may just be shipping them out in batches based on any number of other things (locations, colors, resorts, etc).

What do you see when you log into MDX and click on "manage MagicBands"?

Oh wow it says we have active bands and there is a button to deactivate them. DS is missing from the list though and last I checked when trying to make FP+ ressies the kids were 'in eligible'

Also we 'invited' my parents via email to have their accounts linked since we are traveling together and my dad accepted and we got an email stating that but he is missing from the bands manage area as well.

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[TIME4DIZ]

I don't know about that. We arrive August 16 and have not received an email about our bands shipping as I read someone arriving on August 17 has...... We are at Pop. I ordered and customized the bands....

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Did you verify the shipping address?

 

[DisMom1981]

Just as a side note, in MDE, under the status of the magic bands it says both my sons and my magic bands are "active" and they give an ID number along with both. Maybe the people who haven't received their shipping notices can check to see if there band is active.

Just discovered this with PP help. But members of our party are missing. Will call Dis later.....again although I'm afraid they will tell me the same old if you didn't get an email.......blah blah blah.

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[DisMom1981]

Did you verify the shipping address?

Yes I thought I did when customizing and hitting done. I do t recall anything else except a button to change the address.

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[delmar411]

Oh wow it says we have active bands and there is a button to deactivate them. DS is missing from the list though and last I checked when trying to make FP+ ressies the kids were 'in eligible'

Also we 'invited' my parents via email to have their accounts linked since we are traveling together and my dad accepted and we got an email stating that but he is missing from the bands manage area as well.

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He has to check a button saying you can manage his stuff. He likely didn't check that off.

 

[rt2dz]

A lot of those reasons make a lot of sense, especially the Magical Express, but I'm still not so sure.

We decided to skip 2013 because, way back when, FP+ was supposed to roll out in spring and I wanted to see how it all played out. I'm not a fan of the idea or the Magic Bands. Final judgement is being reserved though. I do have a January 2014 trip planned. I received, before my ADR date, all my Magical Express info. Triple checked it all, everything is correct. When do they plan on starting to use MB with ME? And, what about those who don't buy tickets until they get there? How are they going to get their ME ticket? What if bands don't arrive in time? Not all who go get a package. It just seems like a lot of money in shipping. I'm assuming here also bands for a family of 6, or even just 1, are going to cost a lot more than an envelope for ME documents. Then, if coming from an offsite manufacture, they still need to mail, probably from a different location, those luggage tags. No way to use the band for that. Keeping you onsite or not, means nothing here. Still need to go to the resort from airport pick up to drop luggage.

Now, the storage thing also makes a lot of sense, but I'm assuming that to be minimal. Disney will still have to have quite a few on hand. There will be those that do last minute trips--maybe stop on their way elsewhere on the spur of the moment. Those that forget their bands at home. Those that wait to get tickets for other reasons until they get there--maybe picking up from an authorized reseller at their office/will call. We did that the last trip. Or those that are just not trusting Disney's IT to link their tickets via the website. Not everyone minds gray either. Storage is a good reason why the resorts would have only one color, but I honestly think it is for simplicity sake. I can't really imagine that that much storage is needed. A cabinet at each resort? I'm sure Disney has the warehouse space. Since many won't get the bands until they get there (see above), I'm sure programming isn't complicated. Just grab a band, program and go. No need to match in advance. Or with advance online check-in, have it ready to go in the packet.

Now, as far as Disney thinking people will use the bands multiple times. I'm betting not. I'm betting the way prices keep increasing, Disney is losing more and more annual visitors have more once-in-a-lifetime visitors, or regular visitors that only go every 3-5 years. Bands expire at the 1 year mark. I'm also guessing many people will (a) toss because it is just clutter if the admissions have expired, (b) many will lose them, or (c) they will grab another just because they can and they feel they've "paid" for them anyhow in the price of a ticket--no discount for reusing. Truly, I think only those with some type of AP will hang on to them. I think more will customize to make them easy to distinguish between other family members.

Again, I know it's OT, just think it is waste of money being rolled into MY costs and quite odd. Makes no sense *to me*.

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[potatoes]

Looks like you can only see and "manage" the bands that actually belong to you or your managed friends after they ship. If you don't see bands for everyone in your group, ask those people to log in to MDE. I bet they will see their active bands but not yours on their profile.

Everyone in the group gets the fun of customizing everyone's bands, but once the bands are "real" it seems that the permissions get more strict...which I think is a good thing!

 

[doconeill]

Now, the storage thing also makes a lot of sense, but I'm assuming that to be minimal. Disney will still have to have quite a few on hand.

It's one thing to have a large number of "generic" bands stored in bulk...they can just go back, grab one, scan it, and associate it with a person.

It's a different thing to have to store customized MBs for everyone, have to have it organized so they can go and retrieve the correct box(es) with the correct MBs for the guests checking in, etc. - and do it so that it doesn't take them tons of time to find them. That takes a LOT more space.

 

[DisMom1981]

He has to check a button saying you can manage his stuff. He likely didn't check that off.

He did bc I received an email saying he accepted my invitation and I see him in our regular fast pass schedule but when I go into the manage bands section he is not.

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[doconeill]

Looks like you can only see and "manage" the bands that actually belong to you or your managed friends after they ship. If you don't see bands for everyone in your group, ask those people to log in to MDE. I bet they will see their active bands but not yours on their profile.

That is correct. I "manage" my two kids, so I see their bands/cards and can manage them, but my wife is "linked". We can book for each other, but she only sees her bands/cards, and I cannot see hers.

 

[DisMom1981]

That is correct. I "manage" my two kids, so I see their bands/cards and can manage them, but my wife is "linked". We can book for each other, but she only sees her bands/cards, and I cannot see hers.

Oh ok this makes sense.

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[niccikatie]

That is correct. I "manage" my two kids, so I see their bands/cards and can manage them, but my wife is "linked". We can book for each other, but she only sees her bands/cards, and I cannot see hers.

Yes. Go to this link: https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/profile/family-friends/ and see what it says. Mine says "You manage this account." next to everyone. I can see all the bands, fp+, and hotel reservations for everyone that I manage.

 

[KELLY]

I don't know this for certain, but I suspect that they are customized at an off-site location, would need to be shipped to the resorts anyways, so not much different than shipping direct to customers (probably lose some economy of bulk shipping), they'd need storage at the resorts for all the bands they need to give out, and keep it organized so they can be found and given to the correct guests, etc.

They only need to ship the ones that are customized well enough in advance. Wait too long and they will be shipped to the resort. Wait really too long, and you'll get the generic "iconic gray" bands kept on hand.

And they only need to ship to any given person once (at least every so many years). Those that customize are probably not the guests that are only ever going to use these once (although it is possible for them to do)...Disney is betting on them being re-used multiple times.

My bands were shipped from Tennessee.

 

[fflmaster]

Yes. Go to this link: https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/profile/family-friends/ and see what it says. Mine says "You manage this account." next to everyone. I can see all the bands, fp+, and hotel reservations for everyone that I manage.

Does anyone know how I can BECOME the manager for my sister's account?

She has an account and traveling with us, but she doesn't like to plan so I would setup her FP+ and magic bands for her family.

 

[KELLY]

Does anyone know how I find out if my bands have shipped or when they'll arrive?

Yesterday the WDW website said that my bands were being processed and were shipping soon. Today it just says "choose a magic band and check its status" and when I click on a band it says "this band is active" but doesn't give any shipping info.

Maybe because you are so close to check in date they mailed them directly to the resort. You can call IT and they can tell you were they shipped to.

 

[prune1977]

Yes. Plus the testing is only for certain resorts AKL, POP, Yacht and Contemporary.

BC isn't included, well that stinks that's how i was hoping to reveal the surprise to the kids when we got to the airport.

 

[chrispeto]

I am from Canada and my e-mail said my magic bands has been shipped to my resort.

Disney only ships Magic Bands to addresses in the US. If you live outside the US the Magic Bands are shipped to the resort.

 

[doconeill]

Does anyone know how I can BECOME the manager for my sister's account?

She has an account and traveling with us, but she doesn't like to plan so I would setup her FP+ and magic bands for her family.

I don't believe you can manage someone else who has their own profile.

If she NEVER wants to manage her own profile, I believe you could just add her to your profile as a friend, but DON'T link to her actual account.

 

[KELLY]

So far, we haven't heard from anyone staying at the August test sites that have said they won't be getting the bands from Disney? I understand some will turn them down, but Disney is opening it up to everyone at all the test buildings?

I know some have called IT and they were told if they didn't get the email they weren't eligible. But I never got the email and my bands have shipped. My guess is It is wrong at this point. I have heard the email only going on 17 days. But to me that just seems wrong. When I logged in on the first day it went live I had 2 days to customize my bands. If I would have got the email that late I would of not been able to customize my bands.

I will see if I get the email in a couple of week. I will report back. I really think still no one really know for sure. But this is just my guess. I think if you have access than you are part of the test group that is my 2 cents.