MB-Check In ?

[melnbil]

Do we have to check in before our bands will be activated??

Scenario:
We are staying offsite on the 24th of May (Hilton Orlando near DTD)
We begin our package at POP on the 25th. I have Pirate's League ressies at 10:20 on the 25th and wanted to hit Jungle Cruise and Magic Carpets before the ressies, therefore needing to be at MK right at park open. Can we just park at POP and get on bus, head straight to MK and our bands work or will we have to check-in? I am sure our rooms won't be ready at 7 AM, so I don't plan on unpacking the car till later in the evening. I didn't want to add the 24th to POP (I have changed ressies about 5 times already ) and we have dxdp so couldn't justify another night since we won't get in till late. This is also the only day PL will fit in with our plans.

 

[ucfknight]

My MagicBand worked for everything except for charging before I checked in.
I used it for park entry, FP+, and photos in the morning, and then went to check in at 4:00 PM.

 

[TDC Nala]

What I'm not sure about is if it will work for a dining plan before you have checked in. I think you may have to check in to "activate" the dining plan.

 

[diskev]

You can check in at any time. Just show up at POP super early, check in and then head to the parks. You'll have your parking pass already if you want/need it and no concerns about the state of the Magic Bands.

 

[melnbil]

Thanks for the answers. If it doesn't activate DP before you check in, I will definitely have to check in first since I have a lunch ressie at Liberty Tree. Anyone had experience with using the bands before check in?

 

[Wanna be Ariel]

Your room may not be ready, but you can check in starting at 7:30 am I believe. I would do that. They will text you your room number when it is ready plus the line to check in will be way shorter that early in the morning. Plus you will have charging privileges right way. Since you are going to park there I would check in too. Less headache later that day.

 

[melnbil]

Anyone else have any feedback or experience with this yet?

 

[tnolan]

We were able to use our magic bands as soon as we landed - we used them to check in for our Magical Express bus trip to the hotel from the airport, and then of course to check into the hotel. But they seemed to be activated by the people at the Magical Express desk coming in. That was our experience!

 

[Luvchefmic]

To have it activated for the dining plan you have to stop at the desk, CMs are there 24/7 so you can go there anytime after midnight the day your reservation starts It doesn't take long at all and you'll be good to go

 

[GoofyMB]

I don't have any experience using them prior to check in. However, when I was there in December they checked the bands I received in the mail when checking in. Mine worked fine but the 2 others on the reservation said they were not activated and they had to do it at the resort then. Had we gone straight to the parks we would have had an issue as those bands were not activated for some reason. Since you are going to drop the car there anyways I would definitely check in and have them check the bands, load cc info and dining plan info.