MagicBands coming?

[wassinps]

Hey y'all,

So my family just got back from a quick DL/DCA trip before my and my husband's APs expire, and we noticed something at a couple of the stand alone food carts throughout DCA. They seem to now have the magicband scanners at the place where the Cast Members swipe your card! My Dad asked the CM at the second cart and she said they were hand-me-downs from Florida, and she suspects that the resort will be getting the bands soon.
Anyone else notice these/talked to the CMs about them? We were speculating they'd be used for Galaxy's Edge a while ago and with MaxPass it seems even more likely. It seems like they're starting to roll out the support equipment to make the transition, and I'm excited if they do!

 

[midnight star]

What are magic bands? I’ve heard of them, but don’t understand the concept. I haven’t been to WDW since 2000.

 

[Marcus A. Jordan]

I’ve wondered this myself. They look like the Magic Band touch points at WDW.

 

[mamapenguin]

They've been like that. They want you to scan your ticket not the paper "reminder". I don't think they are headed for MB anytime soon, although I do like them because at WDW they automatically link photos and ride videos. Those scanners were there last June....on my last trip to DL.

 

[wassinps]

Magicbands are basically a RFID chip that has your ticket, room key (if staying on property), fastpasses, and if you want credit card info on it so it's basically one wristband that you can use for everything in the parks.
And Mamapenguin, I'm not talking about the fastpass return points, you're right in that those have been there for almost a year. I mean the Magicband Touch points on registers. It looks like a raised Mickey face button next to the keypad where you'd enter your pin. We've been going monthly and this is the first time we've noticed them.

 

[tiffjoy]

I despise Magic Bands, so I really hope not. I hope that the sheer number of locals at DLR will keep them from going that route. I'm fine using my ticket or phone. But every member of my family hates those stupid plastic bands. We just got ours in the mail for our WDW trip, and it elicited a collective groan when I opened the box.

 

[Kender]

I despise Magic Bands, so I really hope not. I hope that the sheer number of locals at DLR will keep them from going that route. I'm fine using my ticket or phone. But every member of my family hates those stupid plastic bands. We just got ours in the mail for our WDW trip, and it elicited a collective groan when I opened the box.

You don't have to use them. Even at WDW. You can use your ticket/pass still at all the scan points. Speaking from experience since some tickets I've used there I couldn't use MB. They all have RFID in them.

I would personally love MB at DLR. All it would be is a different way to scan in addition to scanning from the app or from a ticket/pass and one that would work with my touring style better.

 

[Princess_Iliana_of_Avalor]

I LOVE the Magic Band system! It would be so amazing if they brought those over. It's honestly a really convenient system and I love being able to collect the bands!

 

[Niltiac]

I have vague memories of someone noticing them at some of the snack carts a while back, like maybe a year ago. I've never been to WDW so I wouldn't know what to look for, and I can't tell you if they were there and then removed and recently brought back, or if they were there the whole time. I just remember reading a thread at one point with speculation that they were setting them up to begin testing Magic Bands. Maybe I'll try to find the old thread (if I'm not imagining it).

I'm not an expert on any of this, but I've seen discussion about how Magic Bands use RFID but Max Pass uses bar code scanners. The suggestion was that Magic Bands are probably not coming to DLR anytime soon because if they were planning to start using RFID they would have done that before Max Pass so they wouldn't have to replace all these bar code scanners. That's just something I read, I don't know enough about the hardware to say. Personally I'm wondering if it's possible that Max Pass scanners have both RFID and bar code scanners, and they're just not using the RFID yet.

 

[Tinkerbell19672]

Magic bands are easier than keeping track of tickets or using my phone, so I’d be glad if they get them. As much as I like old school DL and hated the idea of Maxpass, but I changed my mind on that

 

[Kender]

I'm not an expert on any of this, but I've seen discussion about how Magic Bands use RFID but Max Pass uses bar code scanners. The suggestion was that Magic Bands are probably not coming to DLR anytime soon because if they were planning to start using RFID they would have done that before Max Pass so they wouldn't have to replace all these bar code scanners. That's just something I read, I don't know enough about the hardware to say. Personally I'm wondering if it's possible that Max Pass scanners have both RFID and bar code scanners, and they're just not using the RFID yet.

There was speculation/some very sure that RFID is already a feature on the scanners. But because our passes/tickets don't have this yet (only scannable bar code), it's not activated yet. Just an option.

Someone on here who had a Premier said that a Photopass CM at DLR showed them a new trick their scanners could do: scan RFID. That was a few months ago I think?

 

[deedubb]

DLR seems like it's in the dark ages compared to WDW. I would definitely welcome MB there. Different strokes I guess, because unlike the person above, I love MB and despise the cards!

 

[tlovesdis]

I would love it if DL got the magic bands!!!

 

[StormyCA]

MB in and of themselves would be great! But not the FP+ system they have at WDW. It worked great for us and I loved it, but the advance ressies for FP just wouldn't work at DL. Keep the MP system and convert to MB.

 

[Malcon10t]

I didn't expect to, but I loved the MagicBands at WDW (not the FP+ part.)

 

[ashley0139]

I would LOVE for DL to get Magic Bands as an option. I hate having to constantly get out my phone or ticket to scan either once or twice to get on a ride. I would love if they keep the same fast pass system they have but just have magic bands as an option if people want them.

 

[GrrArrgh]

Oh man, I would love magic bands. Yes, we have lanyards, but I had one snap off on a ride, so I no longer trust them. And it's a hassle to take out my phone, open up the disneyland app, and scan everybody's fast passes for each ride. I would even be fine with an apple watch app, just anything so that I don't have to constantly pull out my phone.

 

[tiffjoy]

You don't have to use them. Even at WDW. You can use your ticket/pass still at all the scan points. Speaking from experience since some tickets I've used there I couldn't use MB. They all have RFID in them.

I would personally love MB at DLR. All it would be is a different way to scan in addition to scanning from the app or from a ticket/pass and one that would work with my touring style better.

How? We don't receive tickets any longer. We get mailed the magic bands (not tickets) or asked if we already own some to use. My inlaws purchase one day tickets, and yes, they use their tickets. But they are not staying at the hotels, which is why they get paper tickets.

 

[BayouQueen]

I wonder...
I'm planning a WDW trip and one thing I noticed is that the WDW and DL apps really are almost identical now, though they offer some different features. I don't recall the apps being so similar before. Maybe they are working toward getting the resorts more synced up.
I do like the ease of using magic bands, and FP+ is okay, but really too much planning for my tastes. I mean, do I know 30 days ahead if I'm gonna want to go on a water ride??!!

Anyhow, interesting post, OP. Maybe they're getting ready for the big Star Wars chaos.

 

[tzeitel]

I would LOVE for DL to get Magic Bands as an option. I hate having to constantly get out my phone or ticket to scan either once or twice to get on a ride. I would love if they keep the same fast pass system they have but just have magic bands as an option if people want them.

This! Would love MB at DLR, loved them at WDW. Was just thinking about this the other while planning our trip in May. I hate taking our tickets out every time we have a FP or for DD's DAS pass.