New Bracelets/Disney Shows off New Magic Bands

[cynzilla]

Does anyone have any info if the RFID bracelets that Disney is rolling out, if can also be incorporated to have GAC info on it? Very difficult to constantly pull that card in and out of my holder, worry about it getting wet and torn and or loosing it and plus ( I feel, and this is ONLY MY OPINION) would offer a bit more anonymity which would equal less stress and less dirty looks or comments. (I know I shouldn't care, but sometimes it just breaks my spirit on a bad day)

 

[jmartinez1895]

That is a neat idea. I think it might be a long time before they get that far tho. If they could come up with a way for the CM to be able to tell what accommodation is being requested and how many are in the party I think it would be a step in a good direction.

 

[SueM in MN]

There has been nothing at all from Disney about any possibility of doing that.

There has been some discussion on various threads on this board about how it would be a nice possible use of the technology.

IF they do anything about tying GAC (Guest Assistance Cads) into it, my thought is it would not be happening for a while. Current rumor is that the RFID technology will start to roll out sometime in February. I expect that they would want the initial parts of it up and running for a while before adding other parts/features to it.

There area lot of possibilities, even though there are no facts (or even rumors) to connect the dots.
The RFID doesn't contain any information - it just contains the numbers to access a file on the WDW computers that contains your information. So, it would be very possible to put the information that is now written on a GAC into the computer, including how many are in your party and what accommodations are needed. It could even be location specific, so it knows that at Peter Pan, there is no accommodation available for the particular needs on yor GAC, but at Small World, there is.

CM wouldneedto have some kind of scanner to read theRFID code and a screen to read what the guest needs. A screen could even show a picture of the person the GAC was issued to so that grandson could not try to use it for Space Mountsin in Grandpa's place.

So, I can see a lot of potential, even if we don't know anything about when (or even if) they will do it.

 

[SueM in MN]

FYI - for preserving and protecting a GAC, we have used a piece of clear contact paper on one side or placed it inside a 1 quart plastic freezer bag. Both have helped a lot.

 

[pegrad1]

Cynzilla, I read about the bracelets on another site today. All Ears I believe. I searched it for something that said when it will begin but I got nuttin'. I completely feel your pain when it comes to "looks or comments" from people when your child is using a GAC. My son has Asperger's, is 20 but mentally more like 12 or 13 on a good day. Dil jumps out of his skin when physical contact is made that he doesn't see coming. (ex: people bumping him in line or for that matter getting too close). He is fully capable of waiting. This is the first time taking he & my 16 year old daughter to DW. It has been my dream to take them & I worry if we use the GAC that some will make comments to the effect of, "he looks perfectly normal to me!"..etc. Because I want this to be magical for them, I don't want to risk someone else tainting both of their well-deserved piece of the magic. Although we shouldn't care what others say, sadly, it still affects us, especially when it affects our kids.

 

[disney david]

here some info on magic band it will soon become your room key park ticket and way to pay for things and your fast pass. Not sure when it will come out but it should be soon. I hope they come out with one for aps soon after but you can still access the fast pass plus with standard ticket.

This in no way will effect gac right now this will not replace it or change it you still be able to do everything you can now.So don't panic or listen to cms that don't know the whole story. in the future yes they could put the gac on the band but not change how it works just change from a card to putting info on the band.

http://www.cfnews13.com/content/news/cfnews13/on-the-town/article.html/content/news/articles/cfn/2013/1/7/disney_magicband_wri.html?hpt=us_bn8

 

[CDolacki2003]

While I like the idea of the band and all it can possibly do, we are all going to be sporting the "Disney band" sunburn look on our wrists, LOL.

 

[deakam]

I am going to hold off on this until I know more, but truthfully right now I am a thinking this is just a little creepy.

 

[disney david]

here a video on how it works and showing off the magic band in blue

http://www.wesh.com/themeparks/disney/Disney-may-make-lines-unfashionable-with-new-bracelet/-/14183226/18033852/-/v01jy3z/-/index.html

 

[SueM in MN]

There were 2 recent threads about the new Magic Bands. I am combining them and would ask for people to post any further questions or comments about them on this thread.

That will keep all the information together and avoid people feeling like they have to post on multiple threads.

 

[disney david]

There were 2 recent threads about the new Magic Bands. I am combining them and would ask for people to post any further questions or comments about them on this thread.

That will keep all the information together and avoid people feeling like they have to post on multiple threads.

Thank you sorry about that

 

[SueM in MN]

Thank you sorry about that

That's OK. There was good information in both threads and I don't want to lose any.

 

[KPeveler]

I wonder what they will do about people who cannot wear the "band" for whatever reason... allergy, sensory problem, brace, cast, etc. For example, I know people who are allergic to some plastics, and I have to constantly be able to put on or off different braces, clothes, wraps, etc on my hands and wrists. I know every situation is different and it is difficulty for Disney to plan for it, but there will be a lot of people out there who cannot have a larger band or bracelet on for whatever reason (the disposable paper ones were bad enough - I can't imagine a thicker or heavier plastic one while pushing a manual wheelchair!)

 

[disney david]

I wonder what they will do about people who cannot wear the "band" for whatever reason... allergy, sensory problem, brace, cast, etc. For example, I know people who are allergic to some plastics, and I have to constantly be able to put on or off different braces, clothes, wraps, etc on my hands and wrists. I know every situation is different and it is difficulty for Disney to plan for it, but there will be a lot of people out there who cannot have a larger band or bracelet on for whatever reason (the disposable paper ones were bad enough - I can't imagine a thicker or heavier plastic one while pushing a manual wheelchair!)

I would like to think in that they will issue you a card id you cant have the bracelet. I think their going to get people who don't want to wear it just because they don't. And they will have to do something else or keep it in a bag and just take it out when need. I would hope Disney would do something that won't cause someone to have an allergic reaction but sometime things get over looked. I don't see them being that heavy but we won't know until we get to try them.

 

[SueM in MN]

Nothing I have read says people would be required to wear a bracelet. A bracelet could be attached to a belt loop or someplace else or put in a purse or pocket and just brought out when needed.
Things I have read have also not said that bracelets would be the only things that could have the RFID card put in. It sounded like they would still offer cards, but the bracelets are more interesting and they can sell upgrades - like fancier or more personalized bracelets and ornaments to attach to them.

RFID tags themselves are actually very small and lightweight. They are already built into credit cards and my ID card at work (which is the size and thickness of a credit card). At our last trip to WDW in October 2012, our rom card did have an RFID card. It was no different than previous cards, but all you had to do to open the door was place the card up to the sensor.

 

[pegrad1]

I hear you can even loop them around a lanyard! I'm pretty sure that's how I'll do it. (If they have it up & running by April anyway!)

 

[clanmcculloch]

I wonder what they will do about people who cannot wear the "band" for whatever reason... allergy, sensory problem, brace, cast, etc. For example, I know people who are allergic to some plastics, and I have to constantly be able to put on or off different braces, clothes, wraps, etc on my hands and wrists. I know every situation is different and it is difficulty for Disney to plan for it, but there will be a lot of people out there who cannot have a larger band or bracelet on for whatever reason (the disposable paper ones were bad enough - I can't imagine a thicker or heavier plastic one while pushing a manual wheelchair!)

I plan to loop mine around my purse strap. In my case it's more that I don't want the tan line from it (yes I'm that vain, though it doesn't stop me from wearing my sunglasses all day and getting a tan line on my nose LOL). I'm not sure how my 14yo will feel about wearing it sensory-wise but she does typically carry a purse at WDW so I figure I'll get her to loop hers around her purse strap as well.

 

[SueM in MN]

I plan to loop mine around my purse strap. In my case it's more that I don't want the tan line from it (yes I'm that vain, though it doesn't stop me from wearing my sunglasses all day and getting a tan line on my nose LOL). I'm not sure how my 14yo will feel about wearing it sensory-wise but she does typically carry a purse at WDW so I figure I'll get her to loop hers around her purse strap as well.

There are quite a few possibilities with a bracelet that don't exist with a card, so I'm sure people will come up with ways tht work for them.

 

[disney david]

I don't see in the future why they couldn't come up with let's say key rings or lanyards with it on the bottom.

 

[Mom2six]

Does anyone have any info if the RFID bracelets that Disney is rolling out, if can also be incorporated to have GAC info on it? Very difficult to constantly pull that card in and out of my holder, worry about it getting wet and torn and or loosing it and plus ( I feel, and this is ONLY MY OPINION) would offer a bit more anonymity which would equal less stress and less dirty looks or comments. (I know I shouldn't care, but sometimes it just breaks my spirit on a bad day)

We get self-adhesive laminating sheets. When we get the GAC, we laminate it right there. We take a little pair of kids scissors in the back pack, that have the sort of rounded tips so I won't have to worry about poking a hole in the back pack or anything. It's quick and easy and protects it for the whole trip. I know there are a lot of different types available, and they are easy to find at walmart or other similar types of stores.

I really hope that the new technology doesn't have a negative effect on the GAC's, though I can see how it could be helpful!