Magic bands testing late next week!

[gokenin]

Does anyone know if these bands are elastic in nature or are they like the bands that they strap on you at special events? I have think wrists and have had those bands on the last opening and they are still tight couldn't imagine wearing one of those all day ever day of a trip

 

[Missytara]

Does anyone know if these bands are elastic in nature or are they like the bands that they strap on you at special events? I have think wrists and have had those bands on the last opening and they are still tight couldn't imagine wearing one of those all day ever day of a trip

They are probably pretty similar to the feel of the bracelets everyone wears now for all kinds of causes. It started with Livestrong and went off from there.

You can still ask for the KTTW card, so I would not sweat it if you find it an inconvenience to your entire trip.

 

[Robo]

1- Why?

2- It appears to have stopped rather abruptly.

1- Lots of issues problems with all things RFID at WDW at this point.

2- Yes. Very.

 

[finedice]

I just wonder why everyone who knows something is being so cryptic, and why those who really know are so silent.

I would guess Disney very much wants to see this cash cow get going, and that there is/are some sort of major issues. This whole rollout/change has been so incredibly hush-hush.

People with imminent vacations planned and paid for are completely in the dark, the tech seems to be rolling out rapidly and reportedly buggy (although mine has always worked perfectly), and Disney has been so incredibly quiet when they should be plugging the heck out of this thing.

It all seems a little weird. It's no wonder there are conspiricy theories flying around

 

[CuteAsMinnie]

MyMagic+ MagicBands to begin testing in parks soon!

The final component of the NextGen MyMagic+ experience is set to begin testing in the parks late next week.

MagicBands will be given to a limited number of guests during a small trial period, where the full spectrum of MyMagic+ will be tested in real-world use for the first time. Wearing the MagicBands allows the guest to 'Touch to Enter' at the parks main entrance, 'Touch to Pay' at shops and quick service restaurants, touch for FASTPASS+ access to attractions, and 'Touch to Enter' room access. Test Track will become the first attraction where the MagicBands can be used as part of the experience, in place of the white cards that are currently used in the design studio.

The standard MagicBands are expected to be available in a range of colors, red, black, blue, green, pink, orange and yellow. Disney has also said that special designer MagicBands will be available at an additional cost.

It is expected that once this initial MagicBand test is complete, the rollout will continue in phases to a full deployment of MyMagic+ during the remainder of 2013.

http://www.wdwmagic.com/other/mymag...magicbands-to-begin-testing-in-parks-soon.htm

Notice that article was dated Feb 9 2013? Wasn't it at that time their test was pulled all of a sudden?

 

[mesaboy2]

Notice that article was dated Feb 9 2013?

Notice that the OP was dated Feb 9 2013?

 

[Robo]

I would guess Disney very much wants to see this cash cow get going...

I see virtually nothing that would make this a "cash cow."

 

[Missyrose]

I just wonder why everyone who knows something is being so cryptic, and why those who really know are so silent.

I would guess Disney very much wants to see this cash cow get going, and that there is/are some sort of major issues. This whole rollout/change has been so incredibly hush-hush.

People with imminent vacations planned and paid for are completely in the dark, the tech seems to be rolling out rapidly and reportedly buggy (although mine has always worked perfectly), and Disney has been so incredibly quiet when they should be plugging the heck out of this thing.

It all seems a little weird. It's no wonder there are conspiricy theories flying around

I think everything has gone silent because the tests veered so horribly off course that they may not have a firm window for when the issues will be resolved.

I don't think Disney is holding back simply to mess with people who have trips planned, I truly believe that the people in charge believed they would be much farther along in the roll out by now. And they could possibly be scrambling to make fundamental changes to the system because that last test kicked up so many problems they were unaware of before.

 

[CuteAsMinnie]

Notice that the OP was dated Feb 9 2013?

Maybe read the rest of the post you quoted?

 

[andyman8]

I see virtually nothing that would make this a "cash cow."

Well, knowing Disney, they'll give Resort Guests free standard MagicBands. Then, others who don't stay onsite (and thus don't get them) will have kids saying "Mommy, can we get a band like him?", so mom or dad will go and purchase the MBs for the family or at least the kids. Beyond that, Disney will undoubtedly advertise "custom" MagicBands with PoTC, Star Wars, Princess, and more designs on them. I can picture people now going around with pins attached to their MagicBands.

Then, if you look at this from a Disney Resort Hotel perspective, it seems like guests of these resorts will, at one point or another, receive some sort of FP+-related benefit. As Disney relentlessly markets that through their Vacation Planning DVDs, website, radio ads, and every other advertising platform imaginable, more guests ail stay onsite to get the perk.

Regardless, I'm not defending the program rather just explaining Disney's assumed logic with this. To be honest, though, I wouldn't put it past Disney to be purposely not proving any information and letting everyone speculate. It was just build more suspense causing more attention given to next update or announcement. Just remember how much attention the 1/6 Disney Parks Blog announcement got?

 

[mesaboy2]

Maybe read the rest of the post you quoted?

Maybe don't edit it after I quoted all there was when I posted?

 

[CuteAsMinnie]

Maybe don't edit it after I quoted all there was when I posted?

I didn't but maybe u were just too quick, sir.

 

[Missyrose]

Well, knowing Disney, they'll give Resort Guests free standard MagicBands. Then, others who don't stay onsite (and thus don't get them) will have kids saying "Mommy, can we get a band like him?", so mom or dad will go and purchase the MBs for the family or at least the kids. Beyond that, Disney will undoubtedly advertise "custom" MagicBands with PoTC, Star Wars, Princess, and more designs on them. I can picture people now going around with pins attached to their MagicBands.

Then, if you look at this from a Disney Resort Hotel perspective, it seems like guests of these resorts will, at one point or another, receive some sort of FP+-related benefit. As Disney relentlessly markets that through their Vacation Planning DVDs, website, radio ads, and every other advertising platform imaginable, more guests ail stay onsite to get the perk.

Regardless, I'm not defending the program rather just explaining Disney's assumed logic with this.

You say all this like you're guessing. This is exactly what Disney executives have explained about the bands in interviews, in Disney Files, etc.

Resort guests, AP holders and Photopass customers will get free standard bands (the single color ones). There will be customizable bands that resort guests and offsite guests can purchase.

 

[mesaboy2]

I didn't but maybe u were just too quick, sir.

Weird, that first question is all I saw when I posted. Maybe the DIS app is a little buggy.

 

[CuteAsMinnie]

Or perhaps you beat me by like :01

 

[andyman8]

Weird, that first question is all I saw when I posted. Maybe the DIS app is a little buggy.

Something similar happened to me a couple days ago when I quoted a post. I quoted it and a whole new line appeared when I got to the Message Box to respond to it. There was no edited line. It was probably added before the time window when you can edit w/o the little tagline expired. I guess I'm just that quick! Back on topic, though...

You say all this like you're guessing. This is exactly what Disney executives have explained about the bands in interviews, in Disney Files, etc.

Resort guests, AP holders and Photopass customers will get free standard bands (the single color ones). There will be customizable bands that resort guests and offsite guests can purchase.

I guess its the natural lawyer in me, but when discussing MyMagic+, not much is known so I'm just proceeding with caution.

That being said, not to sound snarky, but nobody (particularly Disney), doesn't spend 1.5 BILLION dollars on something that they don't expect a return investment from.

 

[Missyrose]

That being said, not to sound snarky, but nobody (particularly Disney), doesn't spend 1.5 BILLION dollars on something that they don't expect a return investment from.

I have every confidence that Disney has mapped out many, many avenues for mining revenue from their billion-dollar system (including the customizable bands). But it appears that the larger revenue stream will come from the data collection and targeted marketing that comes with the new system.

 

[forsyth21]

Does anyone know if these bands are elastic in nature or are they like the bands that they strap on you at special events? I have think wrists and have had those bands on the last opening and they are still tight couldn't imagine wearing one of those all day ever day of a trip

DW and I just returned from a weekend trip, when we exchanged our paper APs for plastic they had a setup of the bracelets. They were a neoprene type of material with the scan area raised off of the skin for "better breathability".

 

[finedice]

I see virtually nothing that would make this a "cash cow."

Whether it ends up being so is certainly up in the air, but I see all sorts of ways where it could be used as such. Reading the ToS, it becomes clear that the purpose is for data mining and more specifically targeted marketing than we are used to even today.

Through the use of RFID, Disney computers can track the moves you make very specifically. They can obviously already tell when and where you made a purchase, and what exactly you bought. Now they can also see what you looked at for a while, which displays you found interesting, what themes attract you, whether you drive or take their busses, if you were willing to wait in line with your daughter for 45 minutes to meet Ariel, whether you spend a lot of time at the pool or not, whether you like to walk around DTD (and which areas), which resorts you like to visit when NOT staying at them, and much, much more.

Combine it with the web now. What email offer will you get from the Disney Store at home a few weeks after you return? Which hotel might you get a PIN code for? Today, all we have to do is Google disney, and watch what ads appear on other web pages you visit. Tomorrow, get your magic marketing band near a mickey watch display and see what targeted emails, texts, or coupon offers you get if you don't buy one - or heck, even if you do... While I don't believe it is built to anywhere near this complexity yet, I have little doubt that it is indeed a goal they are working toward.

The whole program is based on that; as others have posted before, FP+ and interactive cues are really just "side effects", and a way to get you to opt in. Eventually, we won't have a choice about that, because it will probably be in the ToS of purchasing a ticket. Magic Bands are meant to bring the use tech to bring demographics and psychographics in marketing to a whole new level.

My guess is that this is not about crowd management, problems with FP, or making guests' time more enjoyable, but about creating sales where there were not sales before. Whether through a targeted hotel and vacation offer, merchandise, restaurant offers, or just putting me in a place where these things exist, it is about increasing revenue and creating 'The Feed'.

 

[Robo]

Whether it ends up being so is certainly up in the air, but I see all sorts of ways where it could be used as such...

Some may look upon these new wrist trinkets as generators
of something that can be exploited to unimaginable heights of irresistible sales opportunities.

I see them as generating yet another form of irritating, unwanted (and easily resisted) sales spam.

Unsolicited ads "targeted" to me?
Nothing new.

I ignore cold sales offers now, I can ignore them in the future.

When I WANT to purchase something, I know how to search and find it.

As far as finding out how I spend my time at the parks...
That changes according to who goes with me and my mood that day.
Not much gold-mining to be discovered that will translate into
increased sales.

There is certainly a lot of "blue sky" projections on the part of those designing these systems.
But, I don't see a solid path to much real return on their extravagant investment.

However, if that's Disney's plan, then full speed ahead.
My sensors are set to "IGNORE."