Magic Bands, Room Keys and Smartphones, OH My!

[kverdon]

Arrived at DLR today and had to sort out what does what at the Disneyland Resort. Here is a short synopsis:

Magic Band +
Works for: Park Admission, Fast Pass Entry (Genie+/ILL), Virtual Queue Return and PhotoPass photographers (not ride Photos)
Does NOT work for: Room Entry or food or merchandise charges or Early Entry verification.

Room Key
Works For: Room Entry and Early Entry Verification.
Does NOT work for: Anything else.

Smart Phone Disneyland App:
Works for: Park Entry, Fastpass Entry, Open Room, Early Entry verification, Virtual Queue Return, charging Food and Merch to room. This is the ONLY way to charge to your room.

The one problem with the Disneyland App is you have to have a good wifi signal or be on the Disney WiFi network to open up where your room charge card is located in the app. The Guest Services CM advised us to take a screen shot of the room charge card in case we could not bring it up in the app but with the caveat that some CMs will not accept it if they think it’s a screen shot.

It was so much easier when your room key worked for everyrhing.

 

[crystal1313]

Agreed. Not sure why magicband doesn’t work the same at DLR as it does at WDW. Seems odd. Also on our trip earlier this week, we hardly saw any magic bands for sale anywhere. There used to be large displays of them but we only saw a hand full here and there of them. Seemed weird to me.

 

[LKing]

Magic Band + at Disneyland can be used with Photo Pass photographers. It does not automatically recognize you for a ride photo.

 

[kverdon]

Magic Band + at Disneyland can be used with Photo Pass photographers. It does not automatically recognize you for a ride photo.

Thanks! I’m add to the original post.

 

[irlandaise]

Also on our trip earlier this week, we hardly saw any magic bands for sale anywhere. There used to be large displays of them but we only saw a hand full here and there of them. Seemed weird to me.

Uh-oh. I was planning on going to World of Disney soon after my arrival to buy a MB+. Do they really not have many?

 

[kverdon]

We have seen a small rack at Ellis and Co, they have a full wall of them at World of Disney and a small rack of them at the Disneyland Hotel gift shop. So they are available, you have to hunt a bit for them.

 

[irlandaise]

We have seen a small rack at Ellis and Co, they have a full wall of them at World of Disney and a small rack of them at the Disneyland Hotel gift shop. So they are available, you have to hunt a bit for them.

Okay, whew. I thought I'd heard about there being a full wall of them at WoD, so thanks for verifying that.

 

[soniam]

Arrived at DLR today and had to sort out what does what at the Disneyland Resort. Here is a short synopsis:

Magic Band +
Works for: Park Admission, Fast Pass Entry (Genie+/ILL) and PhotoPass photographers (not ride Photos)
Does NOT work for: Room Entry or food or merchandise charges.

Room Key
Works For: Room Entry
Does NOT work for: Anything else.

Smart Phone Disneyland App:
Works for: Park Entry, Fastpass Entry, Open Room, charging Food and Merch to room. This is the ONLY way to charge to your room.

The one problem with the Disneyland App is you have to have a good wifi signal or be on the Disney WiFi network to open up where your room charge card is located in the app. The Guest Services CM advised us to take a screen shot of the room charge card in case we could not bring it up in the app but with the caveat that some CMs will not accept it if they think it’s a screen shot.

It was so much easier when your room key worked for everyrhing.

Where is the room charge in the app? I thought we did it in March, but I couldn’t find it when looking tonight. Thanks

 

[kverdon]

Where is the room charge in the app? I thought we did it in March, but I couldn’t find it when looking tonight. Thanks

It’s under your hotel reservation.

 

[crystal1313]

Uh-oh. I was planning on going to World of Disney soon after my arrival to buy a MB+. Do they really not have many?

They used to have a big area in Elias and co and I don’t see that this trip and was really surprised! (It’s where we bought ours last year)

 

[SFMommy]

I would add that the room key also works for opening the Pixar Place Entrance gate for the new-ish DCA entrance and for the gate into GCH in that same area.

 

[LarsoftheJungle]

I would add that the room key also works for opening the Pixar Place Entrance gate for the new-ish DCA entrance and for the gate into GCH in that same area.

Just PPH & GCH room keys or DLH room keys as well?

 

[LKing]

They used to have a big area in Elias and co and I don’t see that this trip and was really surprised! (It’s where we bought ours last year)

Are you talking about the front of the store, closest to the turnstiles? They have added so much holiday merchandise, that they might have moved MB to a different store or to a different section of Elias & Co. WOD definitely has them, as do the hotels. Are you looking for a particular character or design?

 

[crystal1313]

Are you talking about the front of the store, closest to the turnstiles? They have added so much holiday merchandise, that they might have moved MB to a different store or to a different section of Elias & Co. WOD definitely has them, as do the hotels. Are you looking for a particular character or design?

Yes. The door closest to Oswald’s. I was just surprised not to see a big display. I already have a magicband but I like to look at the new designs.

 

[Tinkaboo]

Magic Bands : Emporium on Main Street has a wall similar to WOD. Also there is a little tech shop over in Tomorrowland left of the exit for Buzz that had quite a few. It’s small but they had a lot of cool stuff there, buttons, lanyards,etc.

I’m always looking for new unique ones, too. If you find one you like, better grab it. So glad I bought my chessie cat when I did cuz I get asked about it all the time and I’ve never seen it again.

 

[kverdon]

Magic Band Band + does work for virtual queue. Does NOT work for early opening room verification.

 

[laugard]

The back area in Julius Katz & Sons/Kingswell in DCA usually has a pretty good selection of magic bands as well. I always see the newer and limited bands there.

 

[LKing]

I think Radiator Springs Curios might also have them.

 

[SFMommy]

Just PPH & GCH room keys or DLH room keys as well?

The DLH room keys also open those gates. At least they did for us in January.

 

[LKing]

The one problem with the Disneyland App is you have to have a good wifi signal or be on the Disney WiFi network to open up where your room charge card is located in the app. The Guest Services CM advised us to take a screen shot of the room charge card in case we could not bring it up in the app but with the caveat that some CMs will not accept it if they think it’s a screen shot.

I go to the Disneyland Resort at least once a week (sometimes more). I always screenshot my ticket. Before I had a MB, I screen shot the QR code for Photo Pass. I use my ticket for MK discounts every time I go to the parks. Only once in the past three years has a CM asked me to pull up my original ticket. It was in Rushin River Outfitters and I was buying a Sip & Savior pass with a MK discount.