Thank you Bob Iger and gang for Magic Bands!!!!!!!

[rteetz]

I have pics from the construction in November 2011.

Yes but it was pretty much a whole in the ground nothing major it was prep work then there was no mountain or metal frame.

 

[rteetz]

I must not be understanding FP+ then. I thought the entire point was to "reserve" rides you want at a specific time 60 days in advance. Then, from what I've heard, once you're there it's really hard to change anything because FP+'s are not available so close to the actual time. If what you said were in fact the case, it might not be that bad. That's what I hate. While I like to plan ahead, I don't like to commit to something as specific as a ride that far out. Much more stressful than walking around the parks and deciding that day what you'd like to enjoy a little later on. FP- always worked like a charm for us. And just so you know - I have absolutely no desire to go to Toy Story Mania, so I'm going to have to disagree with your thought that it's the only attraction worth planning in advance.

You can change your ride times once your there but it does get risky the day of or hours before you want to go on the ride. Usually a day or two before you have a good range of times. But if you wait until an hour or so before you want to ride then you might be out of luck. Most people that I have heard from say you only have these problems on the major rides. I myself will most likely never plan 60 days out for a ride but a week away thats different.

 

[rteetz]

Am I the only one that thinks this plan is horrible? Why continue to pay the high price of a disney vacation when in fact they are offering less of a service. We used to hit the parks running in the morning and keep going all day long, riding as much as we could as often as we could. The new system sounds like you can't do that. It just doesn't sound fun at all.

It's still in testing disney has not seen the full out come of its finished product and I think once its finished it will offer more of a service than legacy FP did. The whole mm+ system is to make everything you do on property simpler and easier to use and do. Tap to enter room, tap to enter park, make dining reservations, tap to buy merchandise, book a fastpass weeks in advance, use fastpass for parades, fireworks and shows. All of that is more than there was before, the problem right now is the glitches that haven't been worked out yet.

 

[ChipnDale79]

It's still in testing disney has not seen the full out come of its finished product and I think once its finished it will offer more of a service than legacy FP did. The whole mm+ system is to make everything you do on property simpler and easier to use and do. Tap to enter room, tap to enter park, make dining reservations, tap to buy merchandise, book a fastpass weeks in advance, use fastpass for parades, fireworks and shows. All of that is more than there was before, the problem right now is the glitches that haven't been worked out yet.

I want to make this clear, I think the overall project of MDE is fantastic, I love the idea of the magic bands, the ease of use for everything else, and the "key less" entry to your room. I just don't like the FP+ aspect of the entire thing.

It's too much planning, but that's my opinion.

 

[manning]

The mystery to me is...

What is the big deal of putting a band next to the door lock vs inserting a card. Basically the same motion.

 

[rteetz]

I want to make this clear, I think the overall project of MDE is fantastic, I love the idea of the magic bands, the ease of use for everything else, and the "key less" entry to your room. I just don't like the FP+ aspect of the entire thing. It's too much planning, but that's my opinion.

I agree with you to an extent I think with the addition of shows parades and fireworks they should add more than three fast passes but I think they have to stick withy the tiered option as well.

 

[Drfate102]

I want to make this clear, I think the overall project of MDE is fantastic, I love the idea of the magic bands, the ease of use for everything else, and the "key less" entry to your room. I just don't like the FP+ aspect of the entire thing.

It's too much planning, but that's my opinion.

QFT. I really do like the RFID tickets. I need to test to see if it would still work while in my wallet, but when AP holders finally get bands, then that issue is gone. And MDE is great, I love how easy it is to make reservations and check for when they are.

FP+ is a big question since they haven't said anything about passholders and what we will get yet. When we go to the parks, we never get that many fast passes anyway. Line too long, we will get it next time.

 

[Vidia2]

By their own admission, the bands are simply an easier way for Disney to collect data, get you to spend more money, and control your time and actions. End of story.

This is something ppl should remember when Bob Iger runs for public office after he retires from Disney in 2015, 2016ish.

Just sayin'.

 

[Little c Travel]

Granted I have not been to the park yet but I loved booking my FP+. We are going down to run the 1/2 marathon in January and will spending 4 days at the World but most of the days are 1/2 day.

1/2 day on Friday, just the afternoon at DHS.
1/2 day on Saturday, late afternoon evening at Epcot.
Full day on Sunday, at MK.
1/2 day on Monday, just the morning at AK.

We were able to book FP+ for all of our must does at each park. Most likely we would not have been able to get a FP for TSM or Soarin' because we are get to the parks so late but now we get to ride both of those rides. We are also hitting all of the headliners at AK, in a 4 hour period.

We thought the booking process was simple and painless.

Now granted this is changing how we are touring the MK, I expect that we typically use 5 to 6 FP in the MK when we visit so this will be an adjustment.

I'm still holding judgment until I actually visit the park but so far I'm very pleased.

I also cannot wait to see what else they come up with surrounding the MB. They are testing some pretty cool things at the All Star Resorts and Brown Derby with your picture showing up on magazine covers and posters. I know a lot of people will poo poo on those items but I think it is great.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

The mystery to me is...

What is the big deal of putting a band next to the door lock vs inserting a card. Basically the same motion.

The old locks were cumbersome, expensive, and prone to failure...

They may have saved money there.

Personal experience

 

[beer dave]

FP+ is a big question since they haven't said anything about passholders and what we will get yet. When we go to the parks, we never get that many fast passes anyway. Line too long, we will get it next time.

Hey. I am a pass holder and after my trip in october, having received a MB, I am able to reserve FP+ for any day that my passes are good.(we have some black out dates) It is the same -- 3 a day. I haven't tried to reserve a week of passes, but I know I can make the reservations.

 

[Bob Roberts]

The old locks were cumbersome, expensive, and prone to failure...

They may have saved money there.

Personal experience

I like how my KTTK card worked with the new locks. Really easy, way better then using an awkward Magic Band that doesn't even work.

Bob Roberts ( Old School OKW DVC Member, from an era when Disney gave out free passes to the park during your DVC stays. Seriously that really happend)

 

[Vidia2]

They are testing some pretty cool things at the All Star Resorts and Brown Derby with your picture showing up on magazine covers and posters. I know a lot of people will poo poo on those items but I think it is great.

How does this work? Do you just walk by and see your picture on a poster as surprise pixie dust?

 

[Little c Travel]

How does this work? Do you just walk by and see your picture on a poster as surprise pixie dust?

Not sure,just heard about it on another podcast. It like everything else in the testing stage. I expect this technology is going to let them keep rolling out pixie dust situations. No doubt, they are going to hope to cash in on these pixie dust situation. Like the pick of you on SI at All Star sports you can buy it for 9.95 on my photo pass plus. However, you don't have to buy it and it is fun to see those things happen.

 

[Vidia2]

I expect this technology is going to let them keep rolling out pixie dust situations. No doubt, they are going to hope to cash in on these pixie dust situation.

The pixie dust really is to Disney's benefit as it's really incentive for guests to keep the bands on our wrists the entire day instead of sticking them in a bag that may have blocking capabilities. They know companies are working on stronger blocking protection though it may not exist yet.

I'm not really one of those people who is overly concerned about tracking and being herded around the park but I don't think we should lose sight of the fact that this is all to Disney's benefit, not for our convenience, enjoyment, or real pixie dust.

 

[Mr Stoat]

One of the old film safe x-ray proof pouches shoud do nicely!

No more free data from me.

 

[Vidia2]

One of the old film safe x-ray proof pouches shoud do nicely! No more free data from me.

Oooo! Thanks for the tip!

 

[manning]

Tacking and collecting data. Let's play with their minds.

Find some squirrels, remove personal data from bands, put the bands on them and turn them loose. If this could be done it would drive the bean counters nuts.

 

[beer dave]

The pixie dust really is to Disney's benefit as it's really incentive for guests to keep the bands on our wrists the entire day instead of sticking them in a bag that may have blocking capabilities. They know companies are working on stronger blocking protection though it may not exist yet.

I'm not really one of those people who is overly concerned about tracking and being herded around the park but I don't think we should lose sight of the fact that this is all to Disney's benefit, not for our convenience, enjoyment, or real pixie dust.

Well, technically nothing any company does is for the customer-- everything is geared around making a profit, masked as customer benefits. This idea is not new for Disney-- Walt started it many years ago.

 

[Vidia2]

Well, technically nothing any company does is for the customer-- everything is geared around making a profit, masked as customer benefits. This idea is not new for Disney-- Walt started it many years ago.

Oh no! Not Walt. He meant the whole thing to be non-profit! LOL I refuse to say anything negative about Walt, especially on his birthday. He did it all for us, to fill our hearts with joy.

I don't have a problem with big corporations making big profits. I just hate the "idea" of being tricked. The reality is, though, that while complaining about it is big fun, it's much too hot in Florida to wear a tinfoil hat.

They could start branding us like cattle and tagging our ears and most of us could eventually be convinced that it's somehow a perk. Free Disney tattoo, right?