Multiple Magic Bands on a trip

[TagsMissy]

... just an observation --- wasn't the point of MB's that you could use them more than once and save on the cost of cards etc?

We have a split stay out of necessity this June and of course we get a new MB at each villa location.

 

[bobbiwoz]

... just an observation --- wasn't the point of MB's that you could use them more than once and save on the cost of cards etc?

We have a split stay out of necessity this June and of course we get a new MB at each villa location.

Yes, I have many MBs and have deactivated all but one. When I check in I just give them the ones we will use. The CM checks the numbers and matches our room to the band.

I have called and asked, but as of now, there is no way to not get a MB for each stay!

 

[Sur]

Yeah, that's the point of magic bands, to save on the cost of plastic cards.

 

[MouseMomx2]

Yes, I have many MBs and have deactivated all but one. When I check in I just give them the ones we will use. The CM checks the numbers and matches our room to the band.

I have called and asked, but as of now, there is no way to not get a MB for each stay!

We have never had to provide any of our MBs at check in and all have worked flawlessly.

 

[bobbiwoz]

We have never had to provide any of our MBs at check in and all have worked flawlessly.

Interesting. We went from VWL to BWV to Kidani. At both BWV and Kidani even though we gave our MBs to the CM at the desk our MBs did not open the door of the villa we were assigned. Those were the only flaws in the over 2 weeks we spent in WDW in January.

 

[tjkraz]

... just an observation --- wasn't the point of MB's that you could use them more than once and save on the cost of cards etc?

I don't ever recall seeing that as an intended benefit of the MagicBands.

The MagicBands are far more functional than KTTW, storing PhotoPass info, FastPasses, personal info for eventual interactive elements. The touch-to-pay and touch-to-enter systems are intended to be more efficient than the old systems. Disney believes that people will spend more money with the bands simply because they are so easy to use and....fun (?)

But I never saw them touted as a replacement for the KTTW. Those plastic cards literally cost pennies each. I've worked with that exact tech before and our material cost was something like $.08 - .12 per card. (I'm sure Disney's bulk prices are lower.)

You could print dozens of KTTW cards for the cost of a single MagicBand.

 

[disneynutz]

Interesting. We went from VWL to BWV to Kidani. At both BWV and Kidani even though we gave our MBs to the CM at the desk our MBs did not open the door of the villa we were assigned. Those were the only flaws in the over 2 weeks we spent in WDW in January.

The new software has problems when you do a split stay. Your old resort isn't releasing your account so the new resort can assign access to your room. We had room access problems during our split stay last December. After 40 minutes, tech support finally closed our VGF account so we could check into BWV.

Bill

 

[bobbiwoz]

The new software has problems when you do a split stay. Your old resort isn't releasing your account so the new resort can assign access to your room. We had room access problems during our split stay last December. After 40 minutes, tech support finally closed our VGF account so we could check into BWV.

Bill

We knew we had to check out of VWL before we could check into BWV, but that didn't help. We definitely went to the desk at BWV to check out before we went to Kidani, and the CM saw that we had checked out of BWV, but still the MBs didn't work.

I am also a bit concerned, because traditionally you get the "right" to resort privileges until midnight of the check out day. If we check out of BLT on December 30th, I think we should be able to still use the lounge at the Top of the World on December 30th, which is a black out day for those not staying at BLT. Since we have to check out of BLT before checking into BWV on December 30, how will anyone know that we had stayed at BLT?

I have sent this question to MS, but have not received a reply yet.

 

[dianeschlicht]

I was told ALL of our bands will work for anything at any trip as long as they are linked to MDE. By the time we get to Disney in December, we will have 3 sets of bands. We have ordered them in different colors each time so we can choose what color to wear on a given day. DH wants one in every color! I'm still holding out for purple!

 

[Msmithmd]

Bobbi- personally I would just do the low-tech backup of printing out your BLT reservation. Then you can show that print out at the elevator to TOWL, if the computer doesn't recognize your access privilege for that day.

 

[disneynutz]

We knew we had to check out of VWL before we could check into BWV, but that didn't help. We definitely went to the desk at BWV to check out before we went to Kidani, and the CM saw that we had checked out of BWV, but still the MBs didn't work.

I am also a bit concerned, because traditionally you get the "right" to resort privileges until midnight of the check out day. If we check out of BLT on December 30th, I think we should be able to still use the lounge at the Top of the World on December 30th, which is a black out day for those not staying at BLT. Since we have to check out of BLT before checking into BWV on December 30, how will anyone know that we had stayed at BLT?

I have sent this question to MS, but have not received a reply yet.

The system showed that we were also checked out in the resort system but not in the new MDE software which would not let them give us room access at the new resort. Only after tech support got involved did the problem get corrected. We were told that this is a known problem that they are working on.

Bill

 

[Meriweather]

We just did a split stay and the 2nd place checked us out of the 1st place.
Never had to show our bands or have them look at numbers.
I took both bands with me to color coordinate with what I was wearing

Hope to get all the colors.

 

[Desnik]

We just stayed at Pop for one night before our cruise, then after our cruise 3 nights at AKV. We had MB for both portions & we had many problems. Our Aug trip for some reason got linked to the new MB on our AKV portion of our stay. We didn't even have MB in Aug!

DS's MB didn't allow him park entry even though we bought our passes at the resort the night before and had them linked to the MB.

DH & DD's MB repeatedly didn't work to gain entry into our room. Multiple times we had issues when trying to pay for something. Then we were told DD's MB wouldn't open our room door when it actually did without any issues.

We spent a lot of time at the front desk at AKV, and at guest relations on our MK day. The CM's at MK felt so bad (the CM that checked us into AKV charged us twice for all of our tickets, so a $783 charge happened TWICE!! & then tried to cancel one set of tickets but he canceled the ones linked to our MB, it was a mess!) they gave us 2 fast passes to use that day. Honestly, we didn't even need or want them, I would've preferred to not have to go through what we did, but I understand the system is new and there will be issues. I just don't get why a company like Disney who has the worst IT would even try to implement this system!

 

[disneynutz]

I just don't get why a company like Disney who has the worst IT would even try to implement this system!

Because it is going to make them billions of dollars.

Bill

 

[Simba's Mom]

That happened to me on a 3-way split recently-I even called WDW tech before I left, and they insisted I needed 3 bands. However, when I got to the second part of my split, I realized that I'd left "that" MB in my suitcase and was still wearing my "first" MB. No problem-the CM at the front desk took my MB for a few seconds, did some Mickey Head to Mickey Head magic and voila! Now it worked. Same thing when I checked in for the third part of my stay. So I wore and used only one band the entire trip. By the way, does anyone want two brand new, completely unused Magic Bands?

 

[bobbiwoz]

Bobbi- personally I would just do the low-tech backup of printing out your BLT reservation. Then you can show that print out at the elevator to TOWL, if the computer doesn't recognize your access privilege for that day.

I was going to keep the BLT parking pass, but having a print out of the BLT should help me too, thank you!

Bobbi

 

[Donna M]

By the way, does anyone want two brand new, completely unused Magic Bands?

Me, me, me! But I'd need your pin number too!

I want a purple one to go with the pink, blue, red and yellow ones I now own.

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

Yeah, that's the point of magic bands, to save on the cost of plastic cards.

Well, that part worked.

Of course I have to think these bands cost more then those cards, but since this whole thing seems to have been thought of by idiots it makes sense that we replaced cheap plastic with costly bands!

But I just activate the band that matches my clothing or wardrobe. Working on a complete set and I am pretty close!

 

[disneynutz]

Well, that part worked.

Of course I have to think these bands cost more then those cards, but since this whole thing seems to have been thought of by idiots it makes sense that we replaced cheap plastic with costly bands!

But I just activate the band that matches my clothing or wardrobe. Working on a complete set and I am pretty close!

The NextGen project is estimated to cost Disney 1.5 billion, and they expect to make more than that with increased POS spending and additional features that will be purchased by the guests. In addition the project will allow Disney to increase park attendance and move the guests around to reduce congestion. The bands have endless possible uses including gaming, guest recognition, transportation management and of course they will have limited edition band themes available for sale.

I also expect Disney to offer additional fast passes either based on a resort package or available for sale.

Bill

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

The NextGen project is estimated to cost Disney 1.5 billion, and they expect to make more than that with increased POS spending and additional features that will be purchased by the guests. In addition the project will allow Disney to increase park attendance and move the guests around to reduce congestion. The bands have endless possible uses including gaming, guest recognition, transportation management and of course they will have limited edition band themes available for sale.

I also expect Disney to offer additional fast passes either based on a resort package or available for sale.

Bill

So the fact that I can now use a MB instead of KTTW is going to make me spend more?

Sorry, but the POS is not any easier then before and actually last visit it was harder since it wouldn't let me charge something that didn't happen with the card, but "it's in test" (and will be for as long as Disney can get away with that lame excuse)

I also spent a lot time one day looking for evidence of the great profit from the accessories. (I know folks thought I was weird, walking around Epcot looking at their wrists, but I was curious how this money maker was working out") Based on my unscientific review of lots of Epcot guests that's another dud. I think I saw about two people all day with covers. Pretty much everyone else had the plain band or the 2013 slider they gave us at check in!

And as for moving us around, well that's working Our next APs will be for Universal so we will be moved around and not creating park congestion at Disney!