RFID wristbands for resort guests

[LilyWDW]

Please no... I HATE wearing anything on my wrists! I don't wear a watch or bracelets because it simply drives me nuts!

Also, this is a rumor... and like many rumors may never come true.

 

[WTP]

I would not like this at all. I don't like the idea of any features in the parks being for resort guests only. EMH is one thing, the characters interacting differently with resort guests and non-resort guests, not at all!

I like things on my KTTW card.

 

[mickey&minnie04]

This is going to sound vain but those things are pretty big big can you imagine the bad tan line you would get from wearting that for a week in the FL sun.

You are not alone!! I was thinking the same thing, plus I'm not sure in the FL heat that I would be comfortable. On really hot days I don't wear a watch because of the heat, so I'm not sure how much I would really like it. Love the concept, just not sure of the execution.

 

[seashoreCM]

Wristbands are used by various parks, carnivals, museums, state fairs, etc. A common purpose is to prevent tranferring the admission to someone else, say when someone leaves partway through the day and tries to hand off the "ticket" to someone else.

A common use is for guests who bought an all inclusive or unlimited rides pass while guests who pay individually for each ride did not have bracelets.

 

[jcemom]

Add me to the "don't like it" camp. I don't want to have to wear a wristband for my entire vacation. Right now it's pretty easy for me to keep the entire family's KTTW cards in my pocket and use them for FP whenever I want. I would not want to have to keep putting on and removing bracelets. Ugh.

 

[tavettava]

I don't like this. Dd who is autistic would not wear this.

 

[chartle]

So if you aren't staying at a Disney resort you wont be able to use FP any longer?

I'm thinking no, they will just add a RFID reader to the current FP machines. Also they could add RFID to all regular tickets and do away with the sometimes troublesome mag strips.

I'm surprised no one has brought up the whole Big Brother thing.

Right now Disney can track most of your moves through a park. They know when you got there, what FP's you get and when and on a KTTW card with DDP and charging where you eat and shop.

With these wristbands and the right readers Disney could track what rides you go on and what shops you go into even if you don't buy anything.

I'm not saying its bad, I'm an IT guy and love data and if it keeps some conspiracy nuts out of the park, less lines for me.

 

[notfrostyjosh]

If the "big reveal" at D23 is a wristband that doesn't do anything you can't already do with a card and a phone then Disney is in trouble.

 

[bret]

If you click on the link and check out the article you will see a picture of the wristbands. They have holes in them so that the bands are adjustable (like a watch) and they can be taken off. So you would not have to wear them all the time. As is see it you would not have to wear it at all, you could put it on a belt loop, purse or lanyard etc. Also, the extra cost would be for optional things, a ride video was one thing mentioned.

 

[chartle]

If you click on the link and check out the article you will see a picture of the wristbands. They have holes in them so that the bands are adjustable (like a watch) and they can be taken off. So you would not have to wear them all the time. As is see it you would not have to wear it at all, you could put it on a belt loop, purse or lanyard etc. Also, the extra cost would be for optional things, a ride video was one thing mentioned.

I though they were like hospital wrist bands that are hard to get off.

That way they could put readers on all the roads leading off property.

If you try to leave before your reservation is up it gives you a shock like an Invisible Fence for dogs.

 

[SuperRob]

I didn't read anywhere where Disney is making you buy the extras. The rise in the cost of a TS meal because of the DDP TS impacts me very little since we only eat one per trip.

As for the cost of the bands, RFID chips are pretty cheap and they won't have issues being "demagnetized".

From the article: "Well some parts are supposedly in the testing stage and Disney is currently doing some heavy market research to see just how much guests will pay for the extras." (Emphasis is mine.) I suspect that the standard wristbands will be rolled into the cost of the stay, while personalization or customization will have a surcharge.

Personally, I'm excited about the possibilities, and I'm only bummed that it likely won't be ready in four weeks.

 

[AmberHeartsDisney]

Id like to have this!

 

[Donalyn]

Some of the concepts sound neat, but in general I'm not very interested in this.

As a mother (and designated FP runner), what would you rather carry around for your kids (and DH) - credit card like tickets or wristbands? No way my kids would want to wear these all day and really, no way that I'd want them to due to risk of loss, etc.

 

[Karlzmom]

Bands make a lot of sense, actually. All the paper tickets is so 20th century.

As for costs...costs will always go up. That is the way of the world.

If done right, the bands could help a lot.

I think its funny that APs are cheap paper at WDW, but they are the credit card style at DL...if they weren't going to be consistent, would have thought it would be the other way around

 

[kerplop]

RFID isn't very secure and people have had credit card information stolen just by walking past someone who has an RFID reader (hacker). Imagine what chaos that would create if someone got a hold of all your information that way, including access to your hotel room. I hate to be dramatic about it, but I would have a really hard time trusting RFID with as much of a target as it's become lately for hackers.

 

[KatieCollette]

I was just thinking about these a couple weeks ago and wondering why Disney doesn't utilize them! I would love it, and I would probably be one of the suckers that pays extra to get it personalized. Even though it would make my DH mad! I think it would be a lot easier, but I would like to take them off at night to sleep. And my DS wouldn't tolerate wearing it either all day, so I would need to be able to loop it around my purse or something.

 

[chartle]

I think its funny that APs are cheap paper at WDW, but they are the credit card style at DL...if they weren't going to be consistent, would have thought it would be the other way around

But AP's are not paper, they are a very tough plastic called tyvek.

In all the Paper vs Plastic threads most people report that they are sturdier then the KTTW cards.

Of course if they go to RFID it won't matter. The only way to kill them unless you really mess them up is to microwave them.

 

[waynesgirl]

Just a different opinion here...

I like technology. It streamlines things a lot for me, as I deal with lots of different things via computer, phone, and such.

I think that the RFIDs, if implemented properly, is not an issue of cost to the guests. It is more of an issue of customer complaints for ticketing (stand behind a group of 20 people deep in each line trying to insert tickets and fingerprints-looooong morning there already), FPs that ends up being 10 people deep and crowded with someone invaribly putting a whole slew of tickets in and jamming the machine, EMHs that sometimes slip through the cracks, etc... I think this is a way to help put all guests on a level playing field as well as help guests control their days in an orderly fashion to make their experience one of happiness. It will also help free up the CMs to do what they do best- make a vacation magical instead of holding down complaints...

With this scan technology/bar code use, you scan the bracelet to get in the park. No paper needed. You scan the bracelet for a FP and scan it again for the entrance to the FP ride. No paper needed. You scan it to get your refill on your mug. No paper needed- or scanning of the cup. You scan your bracelet in front of your room door and you have no keycard to lose in the park. No plastic wasted there or theft issues. Especially if the bracelet is waterproof and thin- everyone can wear it on their wrist and return it at check-out.

It overall keeps things computerized, accounted for, and it keeps things orderly- for the most part. Nothing is ever perfect but I think this will help a lot of people. It can store your ADRs and FPs, as well as keycard information. The only thing you need with you is your i.d. You can't find your ADR-scan it on the ADR "ATM". You scan your wristband on the FP "ATM"- it prints you out a list of all your return times so you have a list of them- on paper that can be recycled.

You cold even have 1 wristband be the active band for a family of 5- like mine. I get FPs for all the rides with the one wristband.

The possibilities are endless and unimaginable. That is what made Disney great and will continue to do so. They have the brightest minds working for them. I think it sets the stage to make it a much Happier Place to be.

But in the meantime...

 

[DeaverTex]

It would seem that the way to make these secure would be to put no data on them at all except an ID code. That would be preassigned when the RFID chip was inserted, and would link to that code in the Disney files. THAT'S where things like room number, credit card, etc, would be stored. There would still need to be something like a PIN, though, to use the wristband to pay for things. Otherwise, if someone picks up your dropped wristband, he/she could run up your credit card by satisfying a craving for Mickey Bars.

 

[ChloroFiend]

RFID isn't very secure and people have had credit card information stolen just by walking past someone who has an RFID reader (hacker). Imagine what chaos that would create if someone got a hold of all your information that way, including access to your hotel room. I hate to be dramatic about it, but I would have a really hard time trusting RFID with as much of a target as it's become lately for hackers.

A very valid concern and one I raised over in the Rumors and News forum thread on this same topic. It's something that'll need to be addressed.