MagicBands - just returned

[monorailrabbit]

The point is if they roll it out too quickly and it still functions like it does now, as indicated by this thread, I don't think many people will be enjoying it too well.

THIS ^^ I really would rather prefer they delay this and make sure EVERYTHING is working PERFECTLY than roll it out and have a super hot mess! Personally, I'm not sold yet on FP+ yet anyway, so bonus for us if it does take another year! I also agree with the PP about the dining issues online! That in itself is enough to make me want to pull my hair out when it isn't working. Can you imagine if you can't make ADRs or FP+ online? Good grief it wouldn't be a fun day to be a CM answering phones!

 

[golf4miami]

But this thread hasn't given any indication as to how they currently work. If I understand the OP, her family was supposed to be part of a test, but it got delayed and they ran into drama getting her family out of the test and back to normal. If the test had gone forward as planned, we would have an idea of how things currently work. As it went, however, we've got nothing about MM+/magic bands/FP+/etc.

OP is saying that they were supposed to be apart of the test which screwed up his reservations and the computer system, which has been somewhat spotty since the introduction of My Disney Experience, just made it worse.

I don't care if you're opting out of the trial or not, it shouldn't have been this big of a fiasco.

 

[carolinamama]

We were part of a test that isn't happening. They couldn't just take us off the test list, nor could someone *wherever* cancel the test for x dates. We stayed in BLT as cash customers with a MYW package. When we were rebooked internally, and they moved everything over, the tickets would not transfer to the new reservation. So the tickets were put on our room account, then the charge immediately removed.

Hope that helps.

What I didn't get was why if whoever was in charge of the test knew that the test was delayed why they couldn't change the dates on some master computer before our arrival. Seems like, in theory, someone would have that ability. For instance, if testing was going to start 2/15, but then changed to 3/15, why couldn't that be changed in the master program?

All hypothetical, of course.

 

[doconeill]

I'm sorry, but I'm finding this amusing, in the sense that if they can't work out the kinks when they AREN'T testing, how well is it going to go when they ARE...

 

[llmowery]

We were there the first day of the meal plan being available for DVC members...what a mess. I spent hours at the front desk because our meals wouldn't save in the system and each time we had to pay cash and take our receipts to the front desk manager and argue it out. All this while I had already paid for the meal plan upon arrival. With that being said, the kinks are worked out and works awesome now. Testing can be frustrating but a fun memory.

 

[cmusschoot]

Funny that I just saw this post..
We were at bwv checking in marathon weekend, the same thing happened to us! I didn't realize it was such a widespread issue.

Lucky for us, we were checking in at 8:00 am and we're the only family in line.

They did have to cancel the reservation and re book, my mom was checking us in as I was running the marathon.

We had rented points, so I am glad it all worked out...as a side note, our room was ready!!

Good luck to all checking in...I cannot wait to hear how it all works.

 

[CuteAsMinnie]

Just wanted to share what happened to us!

We went to check in last Tues (2/27) at BLT. Turns out, we'd been randomly selected as a test family for MagicBands. However, the testing had been delayed. The computer wouldn't cut KTTW for us because of the testing, so the CM had to call someone, cancel our reservation and rebook. The whole process took 30 min. The CM told us everything for MagicBands was on, they were just delaying testing.

FWIW, the CM helping me at the DHS pin store under the hat said there's so many bugs in the program, he thought it would be a year for full implementation.

YAY! A glimmer of hope!

I think that CM impressions are important, but I wouldn't rely on their information any more than I would rely on something told to me by a bus driver.

Oh, but the bus drivers sometimes have THE best info!

This sounds horrible so far....
My only hope is that they delay the release until later in the year.. So we can have our trip, and not have to deal with this madness!

 

[Brave teacher]

This sounds horrible so far....
My only hope is that they delay the release until later in the year.. So we can have our trip, and not have to deal with this madness!

I do not believe the PP was referencing this MagicBand test that was delayed. The poster you quoted was referencing the check in process when Disney switched the computer system.

 

[JimmyV]

What a mess. I hope that this "magic" is only around for a limited time.

 

[disneymagicgirl]

We checked in that day as well!! It was awful. We were at BLT and the entire lobby was full of people trying to check in. We were fortunate enough to already have our park tickets. They were telling people they would not have access to the DDP or park tickets. The best they could do was give out 1 day tickets and tell people to bring receipts for meals and they would reimburse. There were some very upset guests.

 

[bumbershoot]

What I didn't get was why if whoever was in charge of the test knew that the test was delayed why they couldn't change the dates on some master computer before our arrival. Seems like, in theory, someone would have that ability. For instance, if testing was going to start 2/15, but then changed to 3/15, why couldn't that be changed in the master program?

I think that they've shown pretty thoroughly that they don't *have* a master program or computer. As far as I can tell, they do everything LIVE. Which is completely ridiculous. And weird.

But if they had a master computer/program/site a few days in the future, we wouldn't see any of these hiccups, because they could just delay it going live.

But that's apparently something that Disney doesn't do.

 

[doconeill]

I don't think the pre-selection process is controlled that easily - mainly because it is supposed to be temporary, and so it might just be a hack that wasn't easily undone when the test was postponed (especially if it was postponed just before the check-ins). Whereas it might be easy for someone on the IT side to flag the reservations for MagicBand use, it might not be so easy at the resort side to unflag it.

What gets me is that MagicBand/FastPass+ is supposed to be optional at least at this point. Sounds like they didn't account for that.

 

[linzbear]

I don't think the pre-selection process is controlled that easily - mainly because it is supposed to be temporary, and so it might just be a hack that wasn't easily undone when the test was postponed (especially if it was postponed just before the check-ins). Whereas it might be easy for someone on the IT side to flag the reservations for MagicBand use, it might not be so easy at the resort side to unflag it.

What gets me is that MagicBand/FastPass+ is supposed to be optional at least at this point. Sounds like they didn't account for that.

From what I know, it is optional to participate in FP+, and optional to get a MagicBand. But if you are part of a full resort doing the test and don't want the bracelet, you'll still get the RFID key card, and you'll still be part of the test - you just don't have to get FP+, and you don't have to have a band. It's likely they didn't expect a need to opt-out of the test itself due to the fact that an opt-in wouldn't change the user experience at all.

I imagine the bug was that they couldn't modify some types of reservation at check-in. It's usually something obscure that QA doesn't realize exists that messes things up.

 

[mom2rtk]

Seriously folks. Who DIDN'T see this one coming? I think the reason these threads get so much attention is because everyone is waiting for their own trips, hoping they don't come up a loser in this game of "Disney IT New Program Rollout" roulette.

The shock would have been if it had all gone smoothly.

 

[doconeill]

From what I know, it is optional to participate in FP+, and optional to get a MagicBand. But if you are part of a full resort doing the test and don't want the bracelet, you'll still get the RFID key card, and you'll still be part of the test - you just don't have to get FP+, and you don't have to have a band. It's likely they didn't expect a need to opt-out of the test itself due to the fact that an opt-in wouldn't change the user experience at all.

I imagine the bug was that they couldn't modify some types of reservation at check-in. It's usually something obscure that QA doesn't realize exists that messes things up.

According to the Terms and Conditions, if you choose to take advantage of FastPass+, you can't also get Fastpass - it's one or the other - so participating WOULD change the experience. There is supposed to be an opt-out option that allows the guest to still use regular Fastpass (for now), and it shouldn't require rebooking the reservation, which could have additional ill effects...

If you want a MagicBand, you can't really opt-out of FP+ other than just not using it - you won't be able to get regular Fastpasses since you won't have a ticket to scan at the kiosk.

 

[2Tiggies]

The best they could do was give out 1 day tickets and tell people to bring receipts for meals and they would reimburse. There were some very upset guests.

While that would simply be an annoying time waster and inconvenience for some of us, I know plenty folk who don't take much spending money at all if they have the DDP and may not have indefinitely been able to pay OOP for meals until the error was fixed

 

[dadddio]

According to the Terms and Conditions, if you choose to take advantage of FastPass+, you can't also get Fastpass - it's one or the other - so participating WOULD change the experience. There is supposed to be an opt-out option that allows the guest to still use regular Fastpass (for now), and it shouldn't require rebooking the reservation, which could have additional ill effects...

If you want a MagicBand, you can't really opt-out of FP+ other than just not using it - you won't be able to get regular Fastpasses since you won't have a ticket to scan at the kiosk.

I think that you are missing linzbear's point. If the guest was in the test, he would have a magicband and, therefore, could not use the standard FP machines. If they gave him an RFID card, perhaps he could use the machines. If so, it wouldn't matter to the guest whether he was listed in the test group, or not, because his experience would be the same as it would be if he wasn't in the test group.

 

[dadddio]

While that would simply be an annoying time waster and inconvenience for some of us, I know plenty folk who don't take much spending money at all if they have the DDP and may not have indefinitely been able to pay OOP for meals until the error was fixed

I agree. On our early WDW trips, my wife and I used to be on a fairly strict budget and paid using the so-called envelope system. We would not have been able to pay out of pocket for all of our meals if we had prepaid for them through DDP. That being said, I have little doubt that the company would have come up with a solution that worked for us.

 

[doconeill]

I think that you are missing linzbear's point. If the guest was in the test, he would have a magicband and, therefore, could not use the standard FP machines. If they gave him an RFID card, perhaps he could use the machines. If so, it wouldn't matter to the guest whether he was listed in the test group, or not, because his experience would be the same as it would be if he wasn't in the test group.

I don't think I'm missing it, because there are several different things here.

We don't know if they were selected for testing the MagicBand itself, or participate in the latest FastPass+ test. But it's not entirely relevant to my point.

I think the fact that they had to rebook the reservation indicates that they either couldn't just issue the RFID card and have it work in the FP kiosks (which indicates it was a FastPass+ test that would not allow for regular FP use), or it was insisting on MagicBands and the guest couldn't simply opt-out of them and get an RFID card instead (which has been stated would be an option for everyone). In either case, a simple opt-out option is missing, which is my whole point.

 

[erionm]

I think the fact that they had to rebook the reservation indicates that they either couldn't just issue the RFID card and have it work in the FP kiosks (which indicates it was a FastPass+ test that would not allow for regular FP use), or it was insisting on MagicBands and the guest couldn't simply opt-out of them and get an RFID card instead (which has been stated would be an option for everyone). In either case, a simple opt-out option is missing, which is my whole point.

They had to rebook the reservation because when they tried to override the MagicBands and issue KTTW cards, the system did not realize that the KTTW cards were issued and still want to issue KTTW cards. The rebook was the only way to clear the MagicBand flag.