Risk Losing your AP over FP+?

[jahber]

When we linked our magic bands to our APs, it was after our resort stay had ended. If they didn't want is to USE the MB, wouldn't the guest relations CM have told us we couldn't do that? She also said technically she's "supposed to void the RFID card," whatever that means, but she didn't because people have had problems with the bands. If she "voided" our AP card, how would we pull FP-? Anyway, we can book FP+ now, although we haven't because I prefer FP-. Except now, we can't even do THAT in two parks. Oh, yes, Disney. This is much, much simpler. Sigh.

 

[Robo]

When we linked our magic bands to our APs, it was after our resort stay had ended. If they didn't want is to USE the MB, wouldn't the guest relations CM have told us we couldn't do that?



She also said technically she's "supposed to void the RFID card," whatever that means, but she didn't because people have had problems with the bands. If she "voided" our AP card, how would we pull FP-?

Here again, the CM was making up her own rules.
Very likely due to lack of adequate training and total
misunderstanding of the "new system" both in and out of the parks.

CM's are NOT supposed to "void the RFID AP card."
The reason is simple.
Even if AP guests have an active MagicBand, AP guests still NEED the AP card for all of the other perks/uses of AP's, besides park entry and FP (+ or -)
like discounts on meals and merchandise, and parking, etc.

 

[fla4fun]

Here again, the CM was making up her own rules.
Very likely due to lack of adequate training and total
misunderstanding of the "new system" both in and out of the parks.

CM's are NOT supposed to "void the RFID AP card."
The reason is simple.
Even if AP guests have an active MagicBand, AP guests still NEED the AP card for all of the other perks/uses of AP's, besides park entry and FP (+ or -)
like discounts on meals and merchandise, and parking, etc.

Totally agree. Disney loaded my AP onto my MB without my knowledge or permission way back in the testing phase. When I got to the gate and tried to use my card, the CM with the handheld swiper told me that the card had been inactivated by mistake and to try the band. When the band worked, she told me that I would need to go to a ticket window to get a new card activated because AP holders were supposed to have a valid card in addition to the MB access. I've actually ended up replacing the AP card three times during the testing process.

 

[Disney_Princess83]

That is absolutely not true unless the rules have changed between November and now. We had a Magic Band connected to our AP and we were told by countless CM's, both at resorts and parks, we could prebook FP+, even though we didn't have a current resort stay.

Please fellow dis'ers help me out! I made the silly mistake of commenting on an unofficial Disney Facebook page on a post about legacy FP leaving MK. A moderator of the page told me that technically passholders are not allowed to use their MB from previous stays to book FP+ unless they are staying on site. She also said your AP can be taken away for doing so.

Seriously? I received my band during a Sept. stay and a tech CM told me I could book my FP+ a week out every time I go to the parks. Has anyone seen this "rule" anywhere? If this is the case, why on earth would MDE allow me to keep booking FP+ if I'm not supposed to?

 

[AmyB2006]

Could you imagine the uproar if Disney confiscated someone's pass because they were using the system as Disney designed it?

Uh, yeah. I kind of have to agree with this. This kind of goes hand in hand with the whole FP+ combined with FP- usage IMO. Disney designed this system, whether it's a loophole or not. They're not making any announcements about it.

I think someone is just too big for their britches on that message board, whatever it is. LOL

 

[eangel12]

I made the mistake of calling a CM to ask about annual passes and feel more confused than ever. It is very frustrating when you are attempting to purchase $2600.00 worth of annual passes to have people who don't know the rules.

I called to ask if everyone needs to be present when we exchange our vouchers at guest relations. I was told that I do NOT have to go to guest relations. I simple have to link my annual pass to my magic band and I am good to go. The CM told me it "saves annual pass members a step". I said, "great" and then she told me that if I link my voucher to my magic band that the annual pass begins on that date. I tried to clarify by asking if I link the voucher to the magic band in June that means my voucher expires the following June even though I'm not stepping into the parks until August and she said yes.

She then asked if I wanted to buy the vouchers with her and I said, NOPE...not until I see if that is true. Ugh!!

Can Disney get their stuff together and figure out the AP?? They aren't cheap and it isn't a great feeling to be left hanging out to dry here.

 

[AmyB2006]

I made the mistake of calling a CM to ask about annual passes and feel more confused than ever. It is very frustrating when you are attempting to purchase $2600.00 worth of annual passes to have people who don't know the rules.

I called to ask if everyone needs to be present when we exchange our vouchers at guest relations. I was told that I do NOT have to go to guest relations. I simple have to link my annual pass to my magic band and I am good to go. The CM told me it "saves annual pass members a step". I said, "great" and then she told me that if I link my voucher to my magic band that the annual pass begins on that date. I tried to clarify by asking if I link the voucher to the magic band in June that means my voucher expires the following June even though I'm not stepping into the parks until August and she said yes.

She then asked if I wanted to buy the vouchers with her and I said, NOPE...not until I see if that is true. Ugh!!

Can Disney get their stuff together and figure out the AP?? They aren't cheap and it isn't a great feeling to be left hanging out to dry here.

So frustrating, isn't it?

I'm like 95% percent sure that it's not activated until you go through the gate. You can link the voucher and it will say under your profile that it hasn't been activated yet. You won't have to "activate" it in the traditional sense that someone would if they didn't have a magic band, it can be activated at the gate. But I think the expiration date is a year from the date you go through the gate.

Not to worry, though. Someone else will come along that knows for sure

 

[Robo]

I'm like 95% percent sure that it's not activated until you go through the gate. You can link the voucher and it will say under your profile that it hasn't been activated yet. You won't have to "activate" it in the traditional sense that someone would if they didn't have a magic band, it can be activated at the gate. But I think the expiration date is a year from the date you go through the gate.

The above is correct.

However, with "Glitches Galore" with the MDE site and ill-trained CM's, it is POSSIBLE that someone might have their AP activated at the wrong time.

But, it that should happen, Guest Relations can reset the correct date, so
there would be no permanent damage.

Always check things like this.
Stay informed.

 

[jahber]

Here again, the CM was making up her own rules. Very likely due to lack of adequate training and total misunderstanding of the "new system" both in and out of the parks. CM's are NOT supposed to "void the RFID AP card." The reason is simple. Even if AP guests have an active MagicBand, AP guests still NEED the AP card for all of the other perks/uses of AP's, besides park entry and FP (+ or -) like discounts on meals and merchandise, and parking, etc.

It doesn't make any sense, of course, but she was THE MM+ contact person at AK that day. Not just a random CM on the phone. If she doesn't know how it works, who does? You know what I mean? Now, the card doesn't have to be magnetized for parking and discounts, but I still would have insisted on keeping the magnetic strip active. Even if only because my kids weren't on the reservation that activated FP+ for me. Not being able to pull FP- with them would make both FP- and FP+ unusable. How's that for innovation?

 

[Stini228]

Today, my brother who is a passholder tried to use one of the kiosks in Epcot to make FP+ reservations. A CM nearby saw him, and, with a panicked voice asked, "do you have a magic band???". My brother does not, so he replied with a no. The CM then says "magic bands only. I don't know what this could do to your AP, it might erase everything on the card." He was very adamant about it and oddly stressed with the situation. We gave up and walked away. It was SO odd, and Im pretty sure the CM had no clue what he was talking about. They wouldn't resort to scare tactics would they? lol. Has anyone else used the kiosks with an AP?

 

[CassieF]

Today, my brother who is a passholder tried to use one of the kiosks in Epcot to make FP+ reservations. A CM nearby saw him, and, with a panicked voice asked, "do you have a magic band???". My brother does not, so he replied with a no. The CM then says "magic bands only. I don't know what this could do to your AP, it might erase everything on the card." He was very adamant about it and oddly stressed with the situation. We gave up and walked away. It was SO odd, and Im pretty sure the CM had no clue what he was talking about. They wouldn't resort to scare tactics would they? lol. Has anyone else used the kiosks with an AP?

I'm sure people have in AK, as it is FP+ only, so there shouldn't be a problem in any of the other parks either.

 

[AuroraRora]

I really can't imagine Disney cancelling people's paid-for AP's for something as trivial as booking FP+ and not using it.

Besides, how do they know that you're intentionally wasting FP+. Maybe you're local or staying offsite, and you change parks at the last minute or the standby line doesn't warrant needing a FP. When we were there last October - admittedly there was paper FP then - we barely used the FP+ we'd booked. Half the time we didn't even remember them until we pulled up the Disney app and realized "oops, it's 3pm and we had two FP's for this morning!"

 

[LaurenT]

Exactly. The website has the ability to recognize the checkin date and not allow you to make FastPass+ selections before then. If they wanted to, they could easily change the system so it recognizes your checkout date as well and not allow selection after that date. Disney has chosen not to do this, and has even setup the system such that AP holders can book up to 7 days of FP+ at any given time.

So, I really am not looking to open a can of worms, those who know me know my views. But I do find tho post eerily similar to the ones "back in the day" when we were all arguing about why Disney would put an end time to the FP window and then not enforce it....
I think the bottom line is that revoking people's AP's for doing something they weren't explicitly told not to would be very bad for business, and Disney doesn't like to do things that are bad for business.... I really wouldn't worry about it.
I'm off site next month, so I'll deal with the system however it is at the time, but in August I'm at AKL and I will certainly be prebooking my FP+ from then on if the system lets me... Whether I'm on site or not. I do think they want to be nice to AP holders / we so spend quite a bit of our discretionary income with their company....

 

[kaybird]

We had no trouble using the kiosks with our AP magic bands. Our most recent stay was Dec 31-Jan 6. Didn't book until Dec 31, FP+ worked beautifully at what was arguably one of the busiest times ever.

 

[AmyB2006]

Today, my brother who is a passholder tried to use one of the kiosks in Epcot to make FP+ reservations. A CM nearby saw him, and, with a panicked voice asked, "do you have a magic band???". My brother does not, so he replied with a no. The CM then says "magic bands only. I don't know what this could do to your AP, it might erase everything on the card." He was very adamant about it and oddly stressed with the situation. We gave up and walked away. It was SO odd, and Im pretty sure the CM had no clue what he was talking about. They wouldn't resort to scare tactics would they? lol. Has anyone else used the kiosks with an AP?

Epcot is not set up for day visitors or AP holders without magic bands to make FP+ reservations at those kiosks. Only AK is, and MK as of tomorrow.

So, where I don't think that it would have erased his AP, I guess anything is possible. But as "just" an AP holder, we can't use those kiosks yet in all parks. But that is soon to come.

And I don't think it's scare tactics, I think the CMs honestly don't know what's going on, it's all moving so fast.

 

[Stini228]

Epcot is not set up for day visitors or AP holders without magic bands to make FP+ reservations at those kiosks. Only AK is, and MK as of tomorrow.

So, where I don't think that it would have erased his AP, I guess anything is possible. But as "just" an AP holder, we can't use those kiosks yet in all parks. But that is soon to come.

Isnt his AP essentially the same as a magic band though? If it is linked to his MDX account? The CMs just seem to be so ill-trained. If you dont know what would happen, dont suggest things like "erasing" or "invalidating" your pass.

 

[pampam]

I thought the fast passes were reserved through My Disney Experience. My understanding was that the bands were to help you use your fast passes, but the KTTW card could be used too. I don't think you really have to use the magic bands but you will have to use MDE to make and use the fast passes.

 

[Robo]

I thought the fast passes were reserved through My Disney Experience. My understanding was that the bands were to help you use your fast passes, but the KTTW card could be used too. I don't think you really have to use the magic bands but you will have to use MDE to make and use the fast passes.

Mostly true.
But, not 100% and things are changing every few days.

 

[ethanwa]

WRONG plain and simple.

We use our MagicBands ALL of the time with our AP's months after our stay. Book FP+ all of the time. It's totally OK.

Don't listen to whatever B.S. that Facebook "moderator" is saying.