mobile vs magicbands

[bd410]

If Genie/G+ does not drop in the next few days:

any recommendations on sticking with magic bands ( we have plenty to resuse) versus using mobileapp?
two adults and two kids (9 & 6). Seems like MB really arent needed anymore other than park entry? or am i missing some key info
that we would need our kids to have them on anymore?
Thanks!!
last minute trip in 18 days!!

 

[bsmcneil]

I will say that my phone (iPhone) had some real difficulties because I use a case (opening door, paying). When a CM asked me to take it out and use it, it worked fine. I enjoyed just relying on my MB.

 

[bd410]

do you know if you need to chose between them?
if i set up our bands but say a kid loses one ( which seems to happen every trip) can I still use phone for his/her ticket?
thanks for the suggestions.

 

[bsmcneil]

I definitely used them interchangeably (so, I didn't use it with kids this trip - but I don't think it'll be an issue). The rest of the people on the reservation used MM solely because they didn't want to buy MB, which I get.

 

[reddog21]

You should not have any issues using NFC with a case unless the case has any metal plating. All my family used there android phones with cases when we went this past summer and had no issues. The only gripes I had were that for android you have to unlock your phone first before you can tap your phone at the turnstile. For people who don't have phones you can load all your passes on one phone but you have to swipe each pass one at a time it's easy but definitely slows down the line. Unless all members of my family have there own phone I would stick to magic bands it's much easier.

 

[Marthasor]

do you know if you need to chose between them?
if i set up our bands but say a kid loses one ( which seems to happen every trip) can I still use phone for his/her ticket?
thanks for the suggestions.

You should be able to. I can see my entire family's tickets on the app. Worse comes to worse and you lose the MB AND the app is glitchy, you can get an RFID ticket card from guest services.

Edited to add: Rule of thumb for me at WDW is always have a back-up for your back-up as you never know what system is going to go down. This is why I always carry my MB, a cc and cash, as well.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

do you know if you need to chose between them?
if i set up our bands but say a kid loses one ( which seems to happen every trip) can I still use phone for his/her ticket?
thanks for the suggestions.

You could bring 8 different bands, your phone, a room key from an old trip, and a new room key from the front desk and change which one you use every five minutes. They'll all work 100% interchangeably.

The band (or the phone, or the ticket) doesn't actually unlock your door or get you into the park. The band (or the phone or the ticket) tells the touchpoint that "@bd410 is here", and your MDX profile is what unlocks your door and gets you into the park.

 

[bsmcneil]

You should not have any issues using NFC with a case unless the case has any metal plating. All my family used there android phones with cases when we went this past summer and had no issues. The only gripes I had were that for android you have to unlock your phone first before you can tap your phone at the turnstile. For people who don't have phones you can load all your passes on one phone but you have to swipe each pass one at a time it's easy but definitely slows down the line. Unless all members of my family have there own phone I would stick to magic bands it's much easier.

This is my case: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07FW4Y5TF/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1. No metal plating. The tap reader for ticketing and purchasing would not work at Epcot on 9/22, until I took my phone out of the case. The 3 CMs who helped me (2 at turnstile as I suspect one was training) and 1 at a cart all suggested that the thickness of the top of the case was the problem. Had it not worked immediately when I took the top of the case off, I would not have given that much credence.

 

[bsmcneil]

Something to be aware of re: MM/dealing with MDE. I found that each day, I had to go through an unlocking process whereby MDE would send a 1-time code to my email and I'd need to enter that to proceed. This was usually when it came to purchases and/or private info (showing room number). I get it and am sure I'm grateful; and, had I known this, I would've tried it 5 minutes before it was time to purchase. But I didn't - so then I felt like I was holding up the line. So then I'd often just rely on the MB as it was easier/faster to deal with.

 

[reddog21]

This is my case: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07FW4Y5TF/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1. No metal plating. The tap reader for ticketing and purchasing would not work at Epcot on 9/22, until I took my phone out of the case. The 3 CMs who helped me (2 at turnstile as I suspect one was training) and 1 at a cart all suggested that the thickness of the top of the case was the problem. Had it not worked immediately when I took the top of the case off, I would not have given that much credence.

Where you keeping any credit cards with chips in the credit card storage? NFC chips are passive and don't produce there own power so there range is only a few inches. My guess is the case was to thick along with having any credit cards in the storage compartment that's a lot to go thru. My wife has an otterbox case which is pretty thick and she had no issues. My son and I both have Spigen cases and we had no problems.

 

[bsmcneil]

I had my license and a card (the case is really thick - I'd be surprised that the thin DL and CC make the difference, but if you say so?)