No More EMH Wristbands

[Disneychix]

Another thought ...

MK is probably the only park where EMH evening is a real factor. And since many nights at MK is occupied by a party of some sort since P&P seems to be almost year-round these days (I hate this by the way), then there really isn't much point in having EMH evenings, is there?

Epcot WS is already open until 9:30 (or whenever people get done with dinner). DHS is basically a wasteland in the evenings, and AK isn't even open most evenings ... until the Night Kingdom (or whatever such crap) opens. So honestly, what IS the point of having EMH evenings. It's barely in effect as it is, right?

I don't agree with this. I've been to EPCOT EMH evenings and the line for Soarin is still 1 hour long!!

 

[dogodisney]

We will be at WDW when this goes into effect. I hope they don't do away the evening EMHs. I have our vacation days planned around a couple of them.

 

[zippy doo dah]

I personally don't see how this is going to be enforced. It will take too long to take out and put away your resort ids and like a PP, I'm not a big fan of having things hanging around my neck and I certainly don't feel comfortable having my KTTW card hanging there, where it could fall off and get lost - and there I would be with no room key or park ticket

I truly hope that Disney doesn't get rid of the night EMH - maybe they can give a UV handstamp for resort guests when entering the park and then that way all the CMs would need is a hand held black light and guests can pass their hand under. If we're good, we can pass , if not then maybe have a booth established in a few locations where you can just show your resort ID and get a stamp and then go back to the attraction. This way you're not being told to leave the park, the CM is giving the guest the opportunity to their hand stamped and come back, while enforcing the EMH policies and allowing on-site guests to have the privilege of the night EMHs.

 

[exwdwcm]

yeah, i see big problems with this change. not a big fan of the idea. it's hard enough to herd people out or monitor/enforce with wristbands as it is. now without that, i doubt we will see much enforcement at all. i hope i am wrong. we usually do morning EMH the most, but we do typically do at least one evening while there.

 

[Stacy's a freak]

- maybe they can give a UV handstamp for resort guests when entering the park and then that way all the CMs would need is a hand held black light and guests can pass their hand under. If we're good, we can pass

This sounds like a great alternative. And the stamps aren't a "throw away" like the wristbands (being all green and such).

I don't agree with this. I've been to EPCOT EMH evenings and the line for Soarin is still 1 hour long!!

Good point - I always forget about the rides in FW since I'm alway boozin' it up in WS

 

[cathie1327]

This seems soooo dumb to me. I see no reason to get rid of the wristbands. Like several other people have pointed out, how on earth are they going to enforce this? Unless they check EVERY SINGLE CARD....then they'd have to check the dates on the back to make sure it's actually valid, since people might be able to just buy an expired one on Ebay or something along those lines....the point of EMH is to get on site-ers shorter waits at the rides.....yeah...this doesn't make them any shorter!!! And pardon me for being greedy, but I don't want other patrons there for fireworks or shopping either!!! It is crowded enough trying to watch fireworks and shop, during normal hours, just imagine if everyone gets to stay and do those things for EMH.

Not good. Not good at all. Disney-what are you thinking.

 

[karibritt01]

Guests will need to show their applicable resort ID to gain admittance to attractions during EMH. I wonder how well the resort ID policy will be enforced at the shopping and dining locations in the parks?

EMH was never intended to keep non-resort people from being in the park to eat or shop. It is to shorten the wait time at rides. The hard ticket events are intended to keep everyone out except those with a ticket. I never had a problem with non-resort guests eating or shopping, or even watching the parade... they weren't in line for the rides, so who cares if they were there.

I think people are seriously jumping the gun on the evening EMH being dropped. From what I have seen, they are more popular than ever. And why would WDW waste all the time and energy to come up with a new system, only to turn around and dump EMH all together.

 

[dpuck1998]

I might have missed it, but how will they handle the parties now? Will they still use wristbands for the P&P Party and MNSSHP, etc??

 

[firemanx]

Like said above Universal makes you use your Resort Card, and there isnt much complaint about it. Maybe people just dont like the idea of change until they get used to it. Not trying to start a riot, but is it really needed to use extra plastic when you can just pull out ur room key. How long would it honestly take? If Universal can use this system and have it work Im sure WDW can use it and make it run even smoother.

 

[karibritt01]

It is crowded enough trying to watch fireworks and shop, during normal hours, just imagine if everyone gets to stay and do those things for EMH.

Not nit-picking... but what fireworks during EMH? Fantasmic is shown at park closing, but they have never said it was for EMH guests only. In fact, I know people who have asked and been told it was for anyone. MK and Epcot (unless this is very new, then I apologize) have the one fireworks show a night during regular hours. The only "private" fireworks are for the hard ticket events.

 

[ADP]

EMH was never intended to keep non-resort people from being in the park to eat or shop. It is to shorten the wait time at rides. The hard ticket events are intended to keep everyone out except those with a ticket. I never had a problem with non-resort guests eating or shopping, or even watching the parade... they weren't in line for the rides, so who cares if they were there.

I think people are seriously jumping the gun on the evening EMH being dropped. From what I have seen, they are more popular than ever. And why would WDW waste all the time and energy to come up with a new system, only to turn around and dump EMH all together.

For what it's worth here is the official description of Extra Magic Hours from Disneyworld.com

Each day one of the Disney Theme Parks opens an hour early or stays open up to three hours after regular Park closing, so Disney Resort Guests* can enjoy easy access to select attractions — even the most popular ones! With Extra Magic Hours, you can make the most of your vacation time and see and do everything at an easy, relaxed pace.

If you want to take advantage of this benefit and have a Magic Your Way Base Ticket, your Theme Park selection must be the Park offering the Extra Magic Hours benefit that day. Remember, you can only visit one Theme Park per day with the Magic Your Way Base Ticket. To get the most out of the Extra Magic Hours benefit, just add the Park Hopper® Option to your ticket. Then you can go from Theme Park to Theme Park on the same day, including whichever Park has Extra Magic Hours.

To take advantage of Extra Magic Hours at the Water Parks, you must have a Resort I.D. and the Water Park Fun & More Option on your Magic Your Way Ticket or a One Day Water Park Ticket for the Park offering the Extra Magic Hours benefit that day.

 

[eeyoresnr]

this sounds terrible to me.
who wants to walk around with their resort key in their hand - that's horrifyingly inconvenient....
lots of people are going to end up losing them...

I agree... the chance of these room keys getting lost multiplies tenfold... and since many have your tickets attached as well as your Dining Plan credits, and even credit cards wow...just the thought of this is scary I hope they change their mind and come up with something different

 

[LeesyUD]

Like said above Universal makes you use your Resort Card, and there isnt much complaint about it. Maybe people just dont like the idea of change until they get used to it. Not trying to start a riot, but is it really needed to use extra plastic when you can just pull out ur room key. How long would it honestly take? If Universal can use this system and have it work Im sure WDW can use it and make it run even smoother.

If I am not mistaken the system that Universal uses is like fast passes with a separate line. That system is not used for a special event like EMH for resort guests. Universal doesn't have the kind of attendance that WDW gets and no where near the amount of resort guests Disney has. The number of people using the express lines each day would probably pale in comparison to the number of people going to the EMH nights that would need to present their room card. The point of EMH is to reduce the wait times, but in my opinion this is going to make it worse bc people are going to be holding up the lines trying to get their cards out and get them back in wherever they are holding them. You would like to think that everyone would have their cards out and ready but I feel that that is going to be far from what happens. I liked the fact that I could get my card swiped the one time and then go on with the wristband. I personally do think it is an inconvenience to pull out your card every time and I think their is going to be a huge problem with people losing their cards and such. On another note, the swiping of the cards ensured that the card was valid. If they are not going to be swiping the cards I think that is going to create more issues with the off site guests trying to get cards to use to get on the rides. I know there are always going to be ways around things like that, but I see much more of an issue with the change they are making.

 

[Stacy's a freak]

I think people are seriously jumping the gun on the evening EMH being dropped. From what I have seen, they are more popular than ever. And why would WDW waste all the time and energy to come up with a new system, only to turn around and dump EMH all together.

Again, I was not saying that EMH evenings (or EMH in total) are being dropped. I was just wondering ... coming up with theories as to why the change in wristband policy.

Forgive me if I've missed something, but what "new system" has WDW come up with? Is there some new system in place or being put into place? I was under the impression that the wristbands were going away - and that's it.

 

[sanapunk]

Ugh, if they need to recoup money, go back to e-ride nights and charge people for night EMH.

 

[CheriePenguin]

I thought they tested this a number of months back (no wristbands - showing resort ID) and it met with a very poor reaction. I had hoped they learned it didn't work and would go back to wristbands or come up with something else.

I agree that it will greatly increase the chance of losing the resort IDs. Not looking forward to this hassle on our upcoming trip.

 

[karibritt01]

Again, I was not saying that EMH evenings (or EMH in total) are being dropped. I was just wondering ... coming up with theories as to why the change in wristband policy.

Forgive me if I've missed something, but what "new system" has WDW come up with? Is there some new system in place or being put into place? I was under the impression that the wristbands were going away - and that's it.

I didn't mean your specific comment, but many on here mentioning it. And the "new system" being put into place would be the showing of resort IDs. I did not say improved system of doing things, only new.

I personally do not tie my credit card to my KTTW, because I am always worried about my card being lost or stolen. If my credit were hooked, we could possibly go hours before knowing it were missing. I really don't think people taking out/putting up cards will terribly slow the lines. After a few days of the new system, people will know what to expect, and will begin to keep cards in easily accessible places. I do think actually reading the cards will slow the line, but what is the difference in waiting a minute outside the line verses inside... the wait is still there. The easiest thing would be for them to swipe cards as guests walk up, and let the computer accept or deny the card. BUT, that does open up a whole new set of problems because of cards being cut off early when people check out of the resort. 2 summers ago, my DH card was cut off early in the AM, so he had to get a paper ticket through guest services for park entry, and had no access to DDP credits. We were told they see that quite often, where the computer locks out KTTW too early. That would be a big issue if they did try scanning cards for EMH.

 

[robind]

After a few days of the new system, people will know what to expect, and will begin to keep cards in easily accessible places.

The only problem with that theory is that the population will almost completely turn over every 5 -7 days - so the people that know what to expect will be gone and new people who don't know what to expect would now be filling the park.

The easiest thing would be for them to swipe cards as guests walk up, and let the computer accept or deny the card.

I've seen this mentioned a few times - but I'm lost on what hardware exists to swipe a card as you walk up to a ride. There isn't anything there - like a turnstile. Are you suggesting some type of hand held devise for the cast members? If so that sounds alot more expensive than handing out wristbands.

 

[disneyholic family]

I agree... the chance of these room keys getting lost multiplies tenfold... and since many have your tickets attached as well as your Dining Plan credits, and even credit cards wow...just the thought of this is scary I hope they change their mind and come up with something different

i forgot about the dining credits

DD will be there when they supposedly are going to put this into effect..
she's not going to have a credit card on her KTTW, so i thought it wouldn't be a problem if she loses it....
but i forgot about the dining credits...
that she WILL have on the card..

how completely stupid an idea this is...
wristbands are soooooooooooooo much more user friendly.....

 

[karibritt01]

The only problem with that theory is that the population will almost completely turn over every 5 -7 days - so the people that know what to expect will be gone and new people who don't know what to expect would now be filling the park.

Except that it will now be publicized that way. People who have used the old system will have problems at first. New people coming in will be expecting the new system, and never know the difference.

I've seen this mentioned a few times - but I'm lost on what hardware exists to swipe a card as you walk up to a ride. There isn't anything there - like a turnstile. Are you suggesting some type of hand held devise for the cast members? If so that sounds alot more expensive than handing out wristbands.

Not actually suggesting it, so much as saying it would be the easier than reading cards. The scanners are already in the parks. They have 2-3 handheld scanners at each wristband station as it is, and several stations per park. It would simply be a matter of distributing the scanners to the EMH ride entrances, and updating the software.

Don't get me wrong... I still like the wristbands. But I don't feel this is quite a castastrophe. This is only a short-term system anyway. Before long they will just scan your government implanted microchip!