my last comments about magic bands

[dissupermom]

I subscribe to many sites and discussion boards about WDW. I was there in October 2013 for 9 nights, May 2014 for 11 nights , and will be there again in December 2014 for 10 nights. yes, WDW has my money, but they also have my heart! I enjoyed the MB for both previous trips and had ZERO issues with it. I loved planning my FP, though the lines were short enough where their usage made no difference! I had a great time.
while most are complaining, I just want to remind people that the MB and FP+ are for convenience. you do not have to use the bands to charge anything! you have the choice to use whatever payment method you want. WDW has not taken that away. WDW is not forcing you to use FP+ either. you don't want to plan your day? DON'T!!
just like an ATM card, you don't have to use it? you can go to the bank and get your money if you so choose. you can pay with cash everywhere you go, if you so choose. the ATM card is a convenience, so you don't have to stand in line at the bank when they are open. but you can if you want!! I remember how people pushed back when they came out with ATM cards! no everyone has them.
the same thing with cell phones! you don't have to have one. but it's for convenience. people complained hard about that as well. but no one is forcing you to have one. you can wake your phone calls from a landline.. you still have choices.. you exercise yours , and I'll do mine!
now back to my regularly scheduled program!! lol

 

[Robo]

I have read very little negative about MagicBands.

As such, MB are not what many guests find problematic with the overall MyMagic+ system.

 

[surferdave]

just like an ATM card, you don't have to use it? you can go to the bank and get your money if you so choose. you can pay with cash everywhere you go, if you so choose. the ATM card is a convenience, so you don't have to stand in line at the bank when they are open. but you can if you want!! I remember how people pushed back when they came out with ATM cards! no everyone has them.

Good analogy. My bank cut back their business hours drastically after installing ATM machines and now I pretty much have to take time off work anytime I need to do something at the bank that I can't do with the ATM card. Whatever the positives and negatives associated with automatic banking are, they can't be summarily dismissed by saying that if you don't use the card & ATM then the changes don't affect you because it's simply not true, the impact of the change is more widespread than that. Very much the same thing with MM+ and the RF bands & cards.

 

[JimmyV]

Meh.
Opens the door of my room---my KTTK card did that.
Allows me to pay for purchases---my KTTK card did that.
Works to get me into the parks---my KTTK card did that.
Has Dining Plan information coded onto it---KTTK cards did that.

Which is not to say anything negative about MBs. But the "benefit" of them is often overstated.

 

[flicx]

I'm glad your bands have worked for you. There are countless others who have to stand in line at guest relations due to problems with the bands and other IT issues with the system as a whole. If you pay close to 100 bucks a day and lose valuable time trying to get things straightened out I totally understand the frustration!

 

[Alicatt]

My family really enjoyed their magic bands. My 5 year old would take his off for a week after we got home. I was glad that the kids could use them for FP+ and tickets. They thought it was fun and I didn't have to worry about trusting them with a card. All our photos were put on them. I didn't have to did out a card or wear a lanyard. Even my non-techie parents thought they were great. We'd go to the pool or the hotel restaurant with no wallet.
Now I realize that if they do not work correctly, that is a big issue. No one wants to waste valuable vacation time. But that's true of everything. A great ride isn't great if you're the one stuck in line when it breaks down. I think they've worked out a lot of the initial MB bugs though. When it works, it's pretty great.

 

[elyse43230]

I think what is missing from your analogy is the fact that if you choose to not use FP+, you make a sacrifice, when before, everyone had the same opportunities to get FP-'s without having to stay onsight or buy a magic band.

So it's not just a new convenience. It really is something you must consider if you want to ride headliners at prime time or see Anna/Elsa.

 

[DisneyFive]

Regardless of how they work, (FP+ is getting better by the day) I don't like the MB's for a few reasons:

1) I feel like a Disney "lemming" wearing one. I don't know, kind of a weird thing, but I feel like Disney has me shackled.

2) They are in all of our photos from Disney. Kind of weird having us all wearing these colored bracelets in ALL of our photos

3) I tried not wearing mine during our Sept '13 stay, but it got so annoying digging it out of my pocket each time I needed to use it that I reluctantly gave in an wore it all the time. Plus it doesn't feel good in your pocket either. I didn't like wearing it though, for the reasons above.

Dan

 

[Grumpy Nenny]

My 2 year old has found out that is does not work when he gets back home. It will not get him out of the door at daycare...lol

 

[Meech Loves Mickey]

My 2 year old has found out that is does not work when he gets back home. It will not get him out of the door at daycare...lol

 

[awilliams4]

I have read very little negative about MagicBands.

As such, MB are not what many guests find problematic with the overall MyMagic+ system.

I have read more negative MB comments before they were even rolled out than stars in the sky.

 

[Robo]

I tried not wearing mine during our Sept '13 stay, but it got so annoying digging it out of my pocket each time I needed to use it that I reluctantly gave in an wore it all the time.

Plus it doesn't feel good in your pocket either. I didn't like wearing it though, for the reasons above.

There's no need to wear or even carry a MB with you to use as a "ticket" or for FP+
or for opening your WDW resort room door or for charging your various purchases.

Just request a standard plastic RFID ticket, which will work in place of the MB for all of the above.

 

[summerskye]

My 2 year old has found out that is does not work when he gets back home. It will not get him out of the door at daycare...lol

Could it be because he did not schedule his FP+ for the daycare???

 

[surferdave]

Could it be because he did not schedule his FP+ for the daycare???

Did he have to spend a couple of hours at daycare guest services getting it straightened out before he could leave?

 

[summerskye]

Did he have to spend a couple of hours at daycare guest services getting it straightened out before he could leave?

If he did, I hope he got a Mickey ice cream or a tv: or clothes or a flower or a moped or a banana or a boat or a new car

 

[ajwolfe]

Meh.
Opens the door of my room---my KTTK card did that.
Allows me to pay for purchases---my KTTK card did that.
Works to get me into the parks---my KTTK card did that.
Has Dining Plan information coded onto it---KTTK cards did that.

Which is not to say anything negative about MBs. But the "benefit" of them is often overstated.

Yes they did, but you had to wear a lanyard or have pockets to carry the card around. And if you wanted your kids to be able to get in and out of the room you had to trust them to take their card with them.

We loved the MB because it was so easy and convienent. The kids could get their own snacks and get in and out of the door to visit our family a couple rooms down easily. I didn't have to worry about having pockets to carry my card in all the time. Especially loved being able to go to the pool and not having to worry about your stuff laying around.

 

[georgina]

Good analogy. My bank cut back their business hours drastically after installing ATM machines and now I pretty much have to take time off work anytime I need to do something at the bank that I can't do with the ATM card. Whatever the positives and negatives associated with automatic banking are, they can't be summarily dismissed by saying that if you don't use the card & ATM then the changes don't affect you because it's simply not true, the impact of the change is more widespread than that. Very much the same thing with MM+ and the RF bands & cards.

You should look into switching banks. My branch of a large bank is open until 6 PM every weekday and 3 on Saturdays.

 

[Robo]

MagicBands can be like electric car windows.

They can be convenient, and some people love them.
Some people would never again be without them.
Others don't care if they have them or not, as it is very easy to
get along without them.

Also, if they stop working, they are a MAJOR pain.

 

[maryj11]

I love the Magic bands, I think it makes it so much easier ! I also love fastpass +. I'm glad Disney came up with these ideas.

 

[surferdave]

You should look into switching banks. My branch of a large bank is open until 6 PM every weekday and 3 on Saturdays.

You're complicating and overextending the analogy. But if you must know, that was about 25-30 years ago, and I did.