Passholders and MagicBands?

[amzking]

Potentially stupid FP+ questions here, sorry! I initially did not like the MB idea because I hate wearing plastic on my wrist. But I understand that the only way to make FP+ reservations in advance is with magic bands, correct? How do I, a passholder, get them for my family? Do I have to schedule a resort stay? And if I do get one by scheduling a resort stay and having my passes added to the MB, do they remain connected to the MBs until the passes expire?

Thank you in advance.

 

[Robo]

Potentially stupid FP+ questions here, sorry! I initially did not like the MB idea because I hate wearing plastic on my wrist. But


1- I understand that the only way to make FP+ reservations in advance is with magic bands, correct?

2- How do I, a passholder, get them for my family?

3- Do I have to schedule a resort stay?

4- And if I do get one by scheduling a resort stay and having my passes added to the MB, do they remain connected to the MBs until the passes expire?

Thank you in advance.

1- Nope. Incorrect. Although you will RECEIVE the MagicBands for staying at a WDW resort,
they BANDS are not how you make FP+ reservations and you don't have to wear them,
nor even carry them to the parks to use FP+. You can use flat plastic RFID tickets.

2 & 3- Yes. Book and stay at a WDW resort for at least one night .

4- You won't "add the passes to a band."
The tickets will be listed in your MyDisneyExperince files.


Just to keep things as clear as possible-

There is no reservation info, or ticket info, or credit card info,
or FP+ info "put onto" a MagicBand.

The MagicBands just contain a unique serial number that is used
to access the information that is stored in your MyDisneyExperience computer file.

So, even if you were to lose a MagicBand, the info stays locked in your file.
Disney can just set up a new band (different serial number)
to access the info in your MDE file.
Disney can also issue ADDITIONAL MB's to a guest and each
additional band can be used for the same purposes as the first band.
So, yes, there can be multiple MB's per person, and each fo them can be used by that person.

The MagicBand works like the combination to a locked safe, or a key to a locked door.

Why does this distinction matter?
Because there is so much fear about losing bands and,
in turn, losing all of a guest's information thought to be on the band.

The MB, itself, is not the file of info or the container of the info.
The MB just unlocks the file of info, allowing it to be accessed when needed.

 

[amzking]

deleted

 

[TDC Nala]

right now the only way to make FP+ in advance is to have an onsite stay.

And if I do get one by scheduling a resort stay and having my passes added to the MB, do they remain connected to the MBs until the passes expire?

Yes. And then you can link a new pass.

Just to be clear - you add nothing to the band, nothing is actually stored on the band. The band doesn't do anything but read your My Disney Experience profile when scanned. If you have a pass linked to your profile, the band should be able to read it. When it expires, and you link a new pass to your profile, the same band should be able to read the new pass.

 

[acc82]

I understand that the only way to make FP+ reservations in advance is with magic bands, correct?

I believe so. Otherwise, you have to go to a kiosk to make FP+ reservations on the day of. Yuck!

How do I, a passholder, get them for my family? Do I have to schedule a resort stay? And if I do get one by scheduling a resort stay and having my passes added to the MB, do they remain connected to the MBs until the passes expire?

.

Yes and Yes. From what I understand, the only way to get magic bands is a resort stay. they plan something in the future for AP holders but nothing is in place yet. I'm an AP holder and I stayed at Pop last year and got mine that way.

I do know that they DO remain connected because I'm going next week and staying offsite; yet, my magic band is still connected and I was able to go online and make FP+ reservations in advance with those bands. Once you have the bands, you can use them again and again.

 

[amzking]

Thank you all for the replies and for the thorough explanation about how the MBs do not store your AP info. That is good news, no worries about losing them and I do not have to wear one all day (yuck.) I wonder when Disney is going to issue MBs to passholders? I have just heard "coming soon", sigh.

 

[taylor3297]

Our AP passes are linked to our current magic bands. We still needed to show our pass and ID for discounts. Disney is giving us new magic bands for our trip in March, so I will deactivate our old bands and make sure our AP is linked to our new band.

 

[Robo]

Our AP passes are linked to our current magic bands. We still needed to show our pass and ID for discounts. Disney is giving us new magic bands for our trip in March,


so I will deactivate our old bands and make sure our AP is linked to our new band.

There is no need to deactivate current bands in order to use newer bands.
All of the bands will continue to be valid, so you can use either set during your upcoming trip.

Your AP will be automatically accessed by any set of bands that have been issued to you.
If you don't want to use the old bands, you can leave them at home, or even destroy them. Your choice.

 

[KristaTX]

My AP expired in December. I decided today to join a friend who already has a DVC reservation for this May. She will be adding me to her reservation in the next day or two.

I plan on getting a new AP upon arrival. My friend and I are linked on MDE.

So what does that mean for me as far as being able to make FP+ reservations in advance?

Thanks in advance for any helpful information.

 

[acc82]

That is good news, no worries about losing them and I do not have to wear one all day (yuck.) .

They really aren't that bad!!! I actually reallly loved the convenience of wearing a band the entire trip instead of keeping up with my lanyard and taking it on and off on the rides, etc..... LOVE the magic bands, just wish they would change the FP+ system a bit and it would be perfect.

 

[maciec]

Has anyone discovered what happens if you have your hotel and your bands, but then cancel your on site reservation to stay off site? Do your fp+ reservations go away?

 

[siskaren]

My AP expired in December. I decided today to join a friend who already has a DVC reservation for this May. She will be adding me to her reservation in the next day or two.

I plan on getting a new AP upon arrival. My friend and I are linked on MDE.

So what does that mean for me as far as being able to make FP+ reservations in advance?

Thanks in advance for any helpful information.

You need to have tickets to make FP+ reservations in advance.

 

[Robo]

My AP expired in December. I decided today to join a friend who already has a DVC reservation for this May. She will be adding me to her reservation in the next day or two.

I plan on getting a new AP upon arrival. My friend and I are linked on MDE.

So what does that mean for me as far as being able to make FP+ reservations in advance?

Thanks in advance for any helpful information.

Order your new AP in March (about 60 days before check-in.) Select the "Will Call" (pick up) option and you can put the AP confirmation number into MDE and make advance FP+ selections. Your AP year will not start until you get to WDW and pick up your new AP.

 

[Robo]

It's also possible that by the time your trip gets closer, AP holders will be allowed to book FP+ without a WDW resort stay.






Or not.

 

[china mom]

For AP holders, you cannot make any FP+ reservations in advance of your first stay but once you have stayed one night on property, you can then make AFP+ reservations in advance of any future trips, 60 out, without having an resort reservation.

I stayed on property Jan 20. I have no resort reservations currently and right now, I can book FP+ for anywhere from today through 60 days from now. BUT, I can only reserve 7 days of FP within that 60 day window.

For example, I can book FP+ for March 3,4 & 5 and also for March 27,28, 29 & 30 but I cannot book any more until after March 3 has passed since I will have 7 days booked. And this is with no resort reservation (I have tested this and it worked).

Now, my big question is (and AFAIK it has not been answered yet) if I have a 10 resort stay booked, will my resort stay trump my AP perk (7 days at a time). Will I be able to get 10 days of FP+. I would hope so.

 

[Robo]

Now, my big question is (and AFAIK it has not been answered yet) if I have a 10 resort stay booked, will my resort stay trump my AP perk (7 days at a time).

Will I be able to get 10 days of FP+. I would hope so.

It's been answered many times.
(But, you have to have read a lot of posts.)

The answer is, "Yes."

 

[china mom]

It's been answered many times.
(But, you have to have read a lot of posts.)

The answer is, "Yes."

Thank you, I must have missed that.

 

[KristaTX]

Order your new AP in March (about 60 days before check-in.) Select the "Will Call" (pick up) option and you can put the AP confirmation number into MDE and make advance FP+ selections. Your AP year will not start until you get to WDW and pick up your new AP.

For AP holders, you cannot make any FP+ reservations in advance of your first stay but once you have stayed one night on property, you can then make AFP+ reservations in advance of any future trips, 60 out, without having an resort reservation.

I've been doing my best to keep up with FP+ updates, and used the system and MagicBands last year. I know the kinks aren't worked out yet and that things are still changing (or possibly so), but are you two saying two different things? Robo's answer sounds like I just have to have the unused-as-yet AP tied to my MDE. But china mom's answer sounds like I have to have stayed a night on property.

 

[ucfknight]

I've been doing my best to keep up with FP+ updates, and used the system and MagicBands last year. I know the kinks aren't worked out yet and that things are still changing (or possibly so), but are you two saying two different things? Robo's answer sounds like I just have to have the unused-as-yet AP tied to my MDE. But china mom's answer sounds like I have to have stayed a night on property.

If you have a MagicBand from an onsite stay last year it should still be active and linked to your MDE account. You can link a new annual pass voucher to your account, which would allow you to book FP+ 60 days in advance (up to 7 days booked at any one time).

China mom's answer applies to AP holders who do not yet have MagicBands. If you don't already have a MagicBand, you have to book and stay at a Disney resort first. You can make FP+ selections from the first day of your onsite stay. You then will always be able to book in a 60 days window from the current date (up to 7 days booked at a time).

 

[FLchick415]

I already have a MB from a previous stay. I plan on buying an AP within the next couple weeks for my stay in April. From my understanding, all I'll have to do is link the confirmation number (or whichever number it is) to MDE and I can start making FP+ reservations? Do I still have to pick up my physical AP when I arrive?

LOL My question was answered in the post above mine before I posted (well, except for the one about picking up my physical AP). Thank you!