Tragic Bands, and a bird in our room, great start to this trip!

[nkosiek]

Don't let them "under" compensate you.

I hate compensation but even I have to agree with this one. Your daughter 's clothes may be ruined from the accident due to the issues with the bands and the doors. That itself is worthy of a new outfit. Good luck with all of your issues.

 

[LSchrow]

We had a bird in our Kidani 1bdrm for about 5 seconds. Initial walking in our room we opened the glass slider, walked out onto balcony then back in. Bird flew in landed on end table and flew right back out. I was just glad he didn't stick around because I wasn't walking all the way back to the lobby to get him a room key.

there would be no need if the tag on the bird's leg was actually a mini-MB

 

[Cee]

I'm excited for our first Magic Band adventure in May. If they work...great! If they don't...at least I'll get some exercise walking back and forth to the Front Desk!

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

 

[mjc2003]

Thank you all for the replies. Things have been more "smooth" the last few days , apparently they replaced our key pad on our door. The only additional hiccup to report is that our "compensation", 2 FPs, was supposed to be on our Magic Bands but are not showing up. Honestly I'm not even sure I'm going to pursue it, I'm so sick of the front desk at this point and each issue seems to tie up about 20 minutes. My kids are sick of hearing "we just have to stop by the desk...."!!

What's fascinating is the polarizing opinions on the Bands and FPs. Talked to a family from Ireland yesterday at the pool, they called their trip a nightmare. Problems with tickets, room access, etc., and surprisingly she said they've gotten little help. She said "In Ireland we think of America as the land of great customer service, not anymore". She said the world showcase entrance to Epcot kiosk for ticketing was full of irate people yesterday who were having issues with tickets and only 1 window was open.

At the same time another family chimed I that they couldn't believe how easy the trip was for them because of the bands.

My theory is that they are great until they aren't!

 

[katieandemismom]

I wonder if it's a Beach Club thing. We had a nightmare experience there over Thanksgiving. We had three days of playing 'which band has deactivated now' including the room keys, dh and ydd's annual passes, and my charging privileges. Once we moved to Kidani, we had zero problems.

I hope it gets better, and you can enjoy your trip!

 

[papertraveller]

Your description of the MagicBands is perfect. They are great when they work, and awful when they don't.

Our issues were minor compared with yours, but regardless having to spend time sorting out IT issues is not something we want to do on our vacation.

I can tell you that the compensation offered you is ridiculous.

We had room issues on a recent vacation and Disney fully stepped up with appropriate compensation. Two FastPasses per person for ONE DAY simply would not have cut it.

That said, we didn't come in with an "ask" for what we wanted -- they came to it on their own. We were always polite and candid. Like you we had to make regular trips to the front desk because things weren't working, and I think they finally got tired of us!

 

[DisneyDiana]

I have used MBs twice now and loved them but they have worked perfectly. I hope our good fortune continues. It sounds like your first few days were awful.

 

[ftballfan7]

Sounds like Disney flipped you the bird right off the bat, and things went downhill from there.

 

[jodifla]

You are practicing a lot of restraint in my book.

I think you should detail these incredible problems in written form, and start with the manager, and keep working up the chain until you get satisfaction.

I'd be asking for half my money back. And my daughter's outfit. And dinner at the restaurant of my choice.

 

[chmasy]

We had problems in November with split stay 2.5 hours wasted and the answer is IT'S IN TESTING PHASE

 

[Simba's Mom]

We had problems in November with split stay 2.5 hours wasted and the answer is IT'S IN TESTING PHASE

What bothers me about them giving this answer is if it's still in the testing phase, why are guests being forced to participate now? Last year when we went, we were INVITED to participate in what we were told in advance was a test of the system. There were still FP machines in existence. There were still room key cards given at check-in. If it's still testing, maybe they shouldn't have forced all the guests to participate yet. Just an idea.

 

[Lyndarella]

I was there in Feb. and had trouble with my 2 MBs remembering that I had set my FP+s before I left home. It randomly said I had none set; sometimes off and on in the same day. It was frustrating and embarrassing.

However, I could always get into my room. Since I was there alone for the first time, I think I would have been frightened to feel stranded like that.

 

[Mousewerks]

Just got back from a split stay, one night at OKW and the remainder of the week in a Treehouse. Our Magic Bands worked perfectly the whole time. I used a single Magic Band for both stays and it accessed my MDE account perfectly the whole trip.

The only "issue" we had was that we wanted to give our son access to a single Disney Gift card. Because he does not yet have his own MDE account, this was not possible. Other than that, I was very happy with the magic bands.

 

[tlh]

Have you ever been to a restaurant and couldn't pay?

Well I sure couldn't at Khona cafe a week ago for breakfast, because I could not pay with my magic band. When I switched resorts they did not keep my credit card on file, and I did not know this and had only my ID, DVC card, and my used up Disney visa rewards (and 28 cash). Yet I signed up for both resorts online checkin and put the same card for both with the same pin. Also, I was not asked to at the front Desk to add a card on file, so I did not think to double check to make sure my card was on file since I did online checkin to add it. So there was the husband and I, and no form of payment. I got so upset I started to cry, because I'm a big baby and never ever been in this situation before. Annnnd I could have sworn on the map and paper they give you at checkin it said credit card on file, and well when I got back to the resort there was the slip with the sticker of my name, DVC room only, and credit card on file! So at Khona that day they had to force my credit card to go through and have a manager come over and took an extra 45 minutes or more of my time. So new note to self, always keep a card with you.

...... And it gets better! After I go back and walk to the front desk to add the card (since I had already done it during online checkin), I go to HS to eat at backlot..... Well they run my magic band and I'm over the limit!! I said I just added it to my room and haven't even charged anything at the resort yet. Well I thought I'm ready for this and brought out the actual Disney visa and swipe ... and still over limit!! I said that's impossible! But I pay with that little cash I had and went on. I double check my visa app to make sure there wasn't any fraud charges and nothing and plenty of credit. Well so then I call chase and they said that Disney did not even send that charge to them to either accept or reject, so they saw nothing on their side. ...... So then I call the resort back and guess what..... They did not set a limit on my resort account, so any amount I would have tried to charge would have been kicked out and rejected. What a day!

 

[Ellwood970]

Have you ever been to a restaurant and couldn't pay? Well I sure couldn't at Khona cafe a week ago for breakfast, because I could not pay with my magic band. When I switched resorts they did not keep my credit card on file, and I did not know this and had only my ID, DVC card, and my used up Disney visa rewards (and 28 cash). Yet I signed up for both resorts online checkin and put the same card for both with the same pin. Also, I was not asked to at the front Desk to add a card on file, so I did not think to double check to make sure my card was on file since I did online checkin to add it. So there was the husband and I, and no form of payment. I got so upset I started to cry, because I'm a big baby and never ever been in this situation before. Annnnd I could have sworn on the map and paper they give you at checkin it said credit card on file, and well when I got back to the resort there was the slip with the sticker of my name, DVC room only, and credit card on file! So at Khona that day they had to force my credit card to go through and have a manager come over and took an extra 45 minutes or more of my time. So new note to self, always keep a card with you. ...... And it gets better! After I go back and walk to the front desk to add the card (since I had already done it during online checkin), I go to HS to eat at backlot..... Well they run my magic band and I'm over the limit!! I said I just added it to my room and haven't even charged anything at the resort yet. Well I thought I'm ready for this and brought out the actual Disney visa and swipe ... and still over limit!! I said that's impossible! But I pay with that little cash I had and went on. I double check my visa app to make sure there wasn't any fraud charges and nothing and plenty of credit. Well so then I call chase and they said that Disney did not even send that charge to them to either accept or reject, so they saw nothing on their side. ...... So then I call the resort back and guess what..... They did not set a limit on my resort account, so any amount I would have tried to charge would have been kicked out and rejected. What a day!

. The same thing happened to me in magic kingdom in pouring rain at tomorrow land with tray of food. No credit card on file and there was one on file. They told me i had to go to city hall and straighten it out. You know I do think there is no excuse for so many mistakes. No we are sorry or anything. And it was 8 pm I had just arrived and had not eaten all day. Their system malfunctions OFTEN from what I read. So folks carry cash and or credit card with you and ID. Yes I was asked for ID in tomorrow land store using a magic band and they would not complete the sale. I was told ID is always required. I figured why argue with them over it. I just walked out.

 

[tlh]

I was never asked for my ID for any store purchases, but I was carrying it for my tables in wonderland card which was only asked for at one table service the whole 10 night trip. Disney trying to simplify and say all you need is magic bands is a load of bull based on what I have seen and read now. Still have to carry everything as before.

 

[disney junky]

I'd love an update from the OP. How was the rest of the trip?

By the way, I never put a credit card on file. I'd rather not have it out there. I just carry my wallet and credit cards.

 

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

In the past when you hit your resort limit the charges rolled to the card on file and the limit reset. We were at The Plaza in MK having lunch and the room charge was declined. Luckily DH had a credit card in his wallet so we paid with that. Went to City Hall and they said you must now specifically authorize more charging once you hit the resort limit.

I am not feeling very hopeful about our upcoming trip.

 

[bianca]

We had huge problems with charging to our room during our January trip. It got so bad, that we turned it off mid-stay. We then kept receiving invoices for our trip AFTER we were home. That took a couple of weeks to sort out. All in all, after 30+ trips to WDW using a room charge on our KTTK cards, our future trips will be using only our credit card due to all of Disney's "improvements."

 

[hakepb]

These tragic story's sound a lot like my DSIL who joined us on a trip a month after Magical Express started. She took advantàge of the free airport transportation....but her bags never arrived. Hours were spent every day talking to the front desk, the airline, getting the front desk to comp some vlothes and supplied because, ultimately no one wanted to bring her bags from the airport.

Years later, and now most guests don't think twice about the magicàl express luggage service because it works properly.