Magic Bands info for the new test dates in August

[delmar411]

Similar to the above... I have a question about adding a room only at the end of Aug... to carry over into our Sept. trip.

We are currently booked at POR 9/2 thru 9/8 (Free Dining, upgraded to DLX, 6 day tix + hoppers). Everything/everyone is linked in MDE already. So far, we are obviously not included in the MB test group.

If I were to add 2 days at POP (8/31 & 9/1) do you think that would increase our chances of being able to participate in MB testing?

And if that does happen, would we be able to make FP+ selections for the entire length of our stay? I think the answer is *yes* since I know they are reuseable, and we would have valid park admission for the entire length..

I've read all the threads, but it seems there is conflicting info.. which is expected since this is a *beta" test still..

Thanks for your help!

A)you would participate
B) yes it would then become useable for your entire length of stay.

 

[nuzmom]

If I were to add 2 days at POP (8/31 & 9/1) do you think that would increase our chances of being able to participate in MB testing?

We have reservations at AKL-Jambo for Aug 31 (before our AKL-Kidani ressies through Sept 14) and we have not been selected for the testing (yet). They are room only reservations as we are AP holders and DVC members - the DVC point reservation may be what has kept us from being selected.
But, I would recommend that you try to see how many people have been selected with an August 31st check-in date. There was a lot of discussion as to whether the test ends August 25th/28th/31st. I'm not convinced that adding August 31st would prompt being selected.

 

[WisconsinDad]

I think I remember reading somewhere that this test is for room only reservations, or am I totally nuts on that one? We are staying at Pop, arriving 8/26. As of right now we have a passholder room only reservation, but are thinking about adding the dining plan, but I don't want it to jeopardize being a part of the test group (we already received our magic bands and made FP+ reservations... Anyone know? (Sorry if this has been asked, I tried to search but came up with nothing)

We have booked a MYW package and we are testers next week.

 

[doconeill]

We have reservations at AKL-Jambo for Aug 31 (before our AKL-Kidani ressies through Sept 14) and we have not been selected for the testing (yet). They are room only reservations as we are AP holders and DVC members - the DVC point reservation may be what has kept us from being selected.
But, I would recommend that you try to see how many people have been selected with an August 31st check-in date. There was a lot of discussion as to whether the test ends August 25th/28th/31st. I'm not convinced that adding August 31st would prompt being selected.

DVC reservations on points are specifically excluded. Points reservations are handled differently, and they only just recently tested MM+ with DVC reservations. No further word on more testing.

 

[lovedonaldduck]

We are seasonal passholders and were issued Magic Bands for our August stay at Pop. We did not visit the parks due to our black out dates so we did not use FP+.

We are renting DVC points for a September stay at Animal Kingdom Villas - Kidani and my parents will be joining us - they did not join us at Pop but are passholders as well.

Since we are staying on points, does that mean my parents have no shot of being in a test program and getting their Magic Bands for this trip?

If they don't get their Magic Bands - can we use our APs to pull regular fastpasses at the parks? If this is our plan, do we need to use our APs at the front entrance so they will be active for fastpasses? I've read that since the FP+ isn't tied to regular fastpass currently we will essentially be able to double dip - how true is this?

I'm not looking to abuse the system, but I do want to take advantage of our FP+ when we can. For something like Kilimanjaro Safari or Toy Story Midway Mania that we all enjoy riding together, I'd still like to be able to do that, too. So maybe I kind of am trying to abuse the system. How I wish my parents would have gone to Pop with us!! It would make the September trip so much easier to plan.

Thanks for your help!

 

[doconeill]

We are seasonal passholders and were issued Magic Bands for our August stay at Pop. We did not visit the parks due to our black out dates so we did not use FP+.

We are renting DVC points for a September stay at Animal Kingdom Villas - Kidani and my parents will be joining us - they did not join us at Pop but are passholders as well.

Since we are staying on points, does that mean my parents have no shot of being in a test program and getting their Magic Bands for this trip?

Who knows when the next test will be or at what resorts? But as of right now, I only know of rumors of another test, and not with DVC resorts still.

If they don't get their Magic Bands - can we use our APs to pull regular fastpasses at the parks? If this is our plan, do we need to use our APs at the front entrance so they will be active for fastpasses? I've read that since the FP+ isn't tied to regular fastpass currently we will essentially be able to double dip - how true is this?

Don't know if you'll for certain be able to use the MagicBands...may depend if there is a test taking place. From other reports I believe that if they are allowing them to be used, you will be able to use either the MagicBand or the AP to enter the park, and the AP will work for regular Fastpasses.

 

[lovedonaldduck]

I am able to schedule FP+ with our Magic Bands for the September trip and the IT support person I talked to a couple of weeks ago said that if I could schedule them I could use them - although I see what you are saying too - if there are no September tests there probably won't be anywhere to read the Magic Bands that we have.

I guess I'm just trying to have my cake and eat it too! I'd love to schedule FP+ for later in the day on rides we'll only need 3 fastpasses for but still be able to pull regular fastpasses for the things we can all enjoy as a family.

Any suggestions on how to plan this fast approaching trip? Just pretend FP+ isn't available to us? Schedule away and hope we'll be able to pull Fastpasses for TSMM and KS?

Has it been confirmed that you can use an AP (or KTTW) to get in and pull fastpasses and still access FP+ with your Magic Band? Wouldn't only one show you as having entered the park, thus you could only use one for fastpasses?

Thanks for the help. I hate that all our travel party isn't on the same footing.

 

[gometros]

What's the link for the BOG FP again? I scrolled back a bunch of pages, but haven't located it yet.

And, don't be mad, but I'll have a KTTW, AP, and Magic Band to test on my trip. In the interest of testing, I'll be trying them all. I promise if I end up with extra FP's that I can't use, I'll give them to a family that I see approaching the dreaded standby line. Deal? I do that all the time anyway, so this will be nothing new!

Beourguestlunch.disney.go.com

Sent from my Nexus 7 using DISBoards

 

[diskids2]

I hope that they will include this important aspect in their follow up about the system afterwards.

I am sure they will!

 

[Suzanne74]

We had RO but added the dining plan but nothing changed. Pretty much everyone they can rope into using the bands is a the tester group.

How do you become a tester? I wasn't offered and I have a RO reservation.

 

[doconeill]

How do you become a tester? I wasn't offered and I have a RO reservation.

You need to be staying at a test resort and within the window of the test. From what is in your signature, you aren't staying at a test resort (AKL, CR, YC and POP)

 

[Suzanne74]

You need to be staying at a test resort and within the window of the test. From what is in your signature, you aren't staying at a test resort (AKL, CR, YC and POP)

Got it - thanks!

 

[Aljo]

I hope that they will include this important aspect in their follow up about the system afterwards.

I just finished doing a survey Disney emailed me about my FP+ experience and I think the survey is flawed. I wish there was an "other" box and a chance to explain what or why it worked or didn't work. Some of the options they offered were not answers I would have chosen but I had no way of explaining myself, just had to choose one of the choices they are giving you or you're not able to go on to the next part of the survey.

I was hoping there would be a "comments" section at the end, but there wasn't.

3 FP+ (+ 4th at MK) are definitely not enough. We were able to pull regular ones at MK and in addition to my scheduled FP+ we pulled a total of 7 for MK. We gave away a set for Space Mtn. One of the questions on the survey is " do you feel 3 FP+ are enough" so hopefully they will add more than the 3 when this rolls out permanently. We also pulled out regular FPs at Epcot, we did not need to pull them at AK or HS.

We also had two reservations which complicated things a bit, (we went to Uni/IOA) checked out of Disney and went back to Disney a few days later. I had a problem with this because I originally scheduled all my FP+ from home for the entire stay, good thing I printed out all the selections. My first reservation - had no problem, all my FP+ selections registered, but when I checked out of Disney I realized it wiped out all my FP+ selections for the 2nd portion of my Disney trip.

It was very frustrating and difficult to remake those FP+ selections on my smartphone and finally I was able to make them, but it wouldn't take any FP+ for the day I was leaving Disney even though I had paid for that day to be in the parks. The CM at my resort (POP) was very helpful and told me right now that is a glitch and it won't allow anyone to make FP+ selections on the day they check out but to go to the attraction and explain and they would make us ride.

So on our last morning, we went to AK, (expedition was down on night of arrival and lost my FP+ for it) and when we tried to Ride EE, the CM told me we didn't have a FP+ for it, so i pulled out the printout and explained that was because we had already checked out of the hotel and CM didn't give us any problems. I could have also said the ride was down days before when we were scheduled to ride it and according to the CM at Pop, we would have been able to ride it for that reason as well.

 

[Aljo]

I'm wondering if she meant you can use FP on days you don't use FP+.

People have reported that you can do both right now but I've read somewhere the FP machines are not supposed to work if you didn't use your KTTW card to enter the park. My question with that though is do the Magic Bands work for FP+ if you use your KTTW card to enter the park?

Yes they work, our magic bands worked for every park but MK, on that day, we had to use our KTTW cards eo enter MK and our magic bands registered our FP+ selections without any problems.

I have to give credit to the CMs at the turnstiles, they moved everyone in fairly quickly and very orderly.

 

[Disneylover99]

We also had two reservations which complicated things a bit, (we went to Uni/IOA) checked out of Disney and went back to Disney a few days later. I had a problem with this because I originally scheduled all my FP+ from home for the entire stay, good thing I printed out all the selections. My first reservation - had no problem, all my FP+ selections registered, but when I checked out of Disney I realized it wiped out all my FP+ selections for the 2nd portion of my Disney trip.

It was very frustrating and difficult to remake those FP+ selections on my smartphone and finally I was able to make them, but it wouldn't take any FP+ for the day I was leaving Disney even though I had paid for that day to be in the parks. The CM at my resort (POP) was very helpful and told me right now that is a glitch and it won't allow anyone to make FP+ selections on the day they check out but to go to the attraction and explain and they would make us ride.

Hmmmm, so you lost your fastpass+ selections when you checked out and then checked back in. That would be frustrating!

Fastpass+ did not work on your check out day. Yikes! Hope they get that glitch fixed soon!

Good information to know! Thanks for posting!

 

[shawy1269]

Yesterday I received both my email and UPS invitation to take part in the MB test for my stay at Yacht Club 8/30-9/1. So it is official! I had already booked FP+ and received my bands weeks ago, but I was still waiting to get the official word. I am very excited to take part in the test. I believe there are still issues with my APs, as they actually expire this week, and I cant renew my wife's until we arrive because it is a paper ticket and she doesnt have a wdw account. I linked her ticket to our reservation but its under her former name and we just got married...anyway I think it might be an obstacle. We will see! Anyway, just excited to get to take part in the test!

 

[Aljo]

Hmmmm, so you lost your fastpass+ selections when you checked out and then checked back in. That would be frustrating!

Fastpass+ did not work on your check out day. Yikes! Hope they get that glitch fixed soon!

Good information to know! Thanks for posting!

I advise everyone who is selecting FP+ to bring a printout with you. You just never know, I honestly doubt we would have been allowed to ride EE without that printout.

 

[bethbuchall]

We have our MagicBands and are testing FastPass+ when we get to AKL next week. I made the FastPass+ reservations a couple of weeks ago. The other night, the FastPass+ reservations "disappeared" for two of our party members for our last night there. The next morning, all of our FastPass+ reservations for that night were "gone." I've tried to get back in to make them again, but I keep getting a message that "valid tickets are needed to use FastPass+." We check in on August 19th and check out on August 22nd. I can use FastPass+ for August 19th and 20th but not August 21st or 22nd. I tried e-mailing, and I was told to call. I guess I'll try to get it sorted at check-in.

I'm annoyed, because I had the times picked out perfectly. It's our last day/night in the parks and my daughter's birthday. We're planning to start the day in Epcot and hop to the Magic Kingdom that evening. I made the FastPass+ times for the Magic Kingdom. Now, I don't know if we'll get Space Mountain or Splash Mountain FastPasses. They may be out by the time we get to the Magic Kingdom.

Unfortunately, I didn't print any of this out. I did copy them all down, but that doesn't prove anything.

 

[Aljo]

We have our MagicBands and are testing FastPass+ when we get to AKL next week. I made the FastPass+ reservations a couple of weeks ago. The other night, the FastPass+ reservations "disappeared" for two of our party members for our last night there. The next morning, all of our FastPass+ reservations for that night were "gone." I've tried to get back in to make them again, but I keep getting a message that "valid tickets are needed to use FastPass+." We check in on August 19th and check out on August 22nd. I can use FastPass+ for August 19th and 20th but not August 21st or 22nd. I tried e-mailing, and I was told to call. I guess I'll try to get it sorted at check-in.

I'm annoyed, because I had the times picked out perfectly. It's our last day/night in the parks and my daughter's birthday. We're planning to start the day in Epcot and hop to the Magic Kingdom that evening. I made the FastPass+ times for the Magic Kingdom. Now, I don't know if we'll get Space Mountain or Splash Mountain FastPasses. They may be out by the time we get to the Magic Kingdom.

Unfortunately, I didn't print any of this out. I did copy them all down, but that doesn't prove anything.

Keep checking, perhaps they will reappear. If not, I would definitely tell them at check in and explain your situation about wanting those specific times. I found the CMs were bending over backwards to help people with their FP+.

On our first night I had scheduled EE for early evening and it was down the entire evening and was told that I could go back to EE whenever I wanted and to let the CM know that it was originally down when we were scheduled to ride it and they would allow us to ride it. I didn't have to do that as I had it scheduled again for our last day (but as I stated above that ressie was lost)

Good luck! Don't stress over it too much.

 

[bethbuchall]

Keep checking, perhaps they will reappear. If not, I would definitely tell them at check in and explain your situation about wanting those specific times. I found the CMs were bending over backwards to help people with their FP+.

On our first night I had scheduled EE for early evening and it was down the entire evening and was told that I could go back to EE whenever I wanted and to let the CM know that it was originally down when we were scheduled to ride it and they would allow us to ride it. I didn't have to do that as I had it scheduled again for our last day (but as I stated above that ressie was lost)

Good luck! Don't stress over it too much.

Thanks! I'm not stressing too much anymore. I did when I first realized that they disappeared. I just had a thought as to the problem...we have 10-day passes and planned two break days into our schedule. So, we started using the passes 12 days out from our last day. The system probably thinks that our passes are only good for 10 days and doesn't take into account the fact that we aren't going to the parks on two of the days in between. I'll definitely try to work it out at check-in.