new blog: Disney MagicBand Styles Begin to Surface

[LeahZ]

http://blog.wdwinfo.com/2013/03/02/disney-magicband-styles-begin-to-surface/

 

[roomthreeseventeen]

OK, those are pretty damn cute.

 

[PinkBudgie]

My big question: If we purchased a more expensive band, would we be able to re-use it the next trip? Seems like you would, but I'd want to know that first.

 

[andrewilley]

Yes, the bands will be re-usable. You will even be able to own more than one, although only one of them can be your 'active' band at any given time (you will be able to change the currently active band for yourself via My Disney Experience). I've heard they are meant to last for two years, but I have no idea why that time limit (unless there's more inside there than just an RFID chip? A battery for something?).

When you check in at a resort (assuming you've pre-registered via My Disney Experience) a rather neat little presentation box will have been delivered to the front desk the night before, containing all of your MagicBands for the room, pre-packed and name-printed for each family member. Each person can choose in advance from the basic set of colour choices.

Apparently in the future, it will even be possible for US-based guests to have their MagicBands posted out to them in advance, potentially at some stage allowing guests to skip regular resort checkin completely and head straight to their room (which would be notified to them as ready by text or email).

If you don't pre-register, the resort can still program up a generic band for you at the front desk, but I'm guessing it will just be a plain grey unprinted one.

I rather suspect Disney would really like these things to turn into the next Vinylmation-style craze, so expect a lot of purchasable options in the future.

Andre

 

[doconeill]

The first image came from the FCC filing, and appears to simply be a mockup, use to show how the required information will be presented.

The second image was also an early version. They look extremely stiff in that one.

Yes, the bands will be re-usable. You will even be able to own more than one, although only one of them can be your 'active' band at any given time (you will be able to change the currently active band for yourself via My Disney Experience). I've heard they are meant to last for two years, but I have no idea why that time limit (unless there's more inside there than just an RFID chip? A battery for something?).

Yes, they have a non-replaceable battery embedded within the plastic, which powers a short-range transmitter. This is reportedly meant to enable some experiences that need to be triggered at a longer range than typical RFID use (which is generally less than a meter and usually much less), and thus they have a limited life at least in that regard. I hadn't heard an expected lifetime before though.

 

[PinkBudgie]

The first image came from the FCC filing, and appears to simply be a mockup, use to show how the required information will be presented.

The second image was also an early version. They look extremely stiff in that one.



Yes, they have a non-replaceable battery embedded within the plastic, which powers a short-range transmitter. This is reportedly meant to enable some experiences that need to be triggered at a longer range than typical RFID use (which is generally less than a meter and usually much less), and thus they have a limited life at least in that regard. I hadn't heard an expected lifetime before though.

Ok, I couldn't figure out why on earth they would need a battery. That makes sense, but too bad you couldn't replace the battery. That would limit me in how much I spent on a band. I might spend a little extra to get princess band for example, but I wouldn't get a Dooney and Burke one. Especially for people who only go every year or every few years. It wouldn't make sense.