Why doesn't Disney link your discount to your MB?

[LYSE]

So often times they could use the magic band if they wanted to, a CM actually showed us her magic band scanner and it had a list of things like AP and DVC with a check box next to each one you had.

She showed it to us and said "they want to make it hard for you to get your discount" (and skipped asking to see the pass/id since she was busy)

 

[Carlos A Cabrera]

ok so DL has it, but not WDW....maybe it will be an update in the future.

 

[LYSE]

ok so DL has it, but not WDW....maybe it will be an update in the future.

Wdw already has it they just choose to nickel and dime you.

APs at Disneyland would probably throw a giant fit if they couldn't use mobile ordering and get the discount.

 

[Carlos A Cabrera]

Gotcha, I wonder why the double standard between DL and WDW.....

 

[AngiTN]

Gotcha, I wonder why the double standard between DL and WDW.....

There's a WHOLE LONG list of those. Who knows why. Park demographics are very different. So that could be one reason

 

[disneydreamer1980]

Right, in order to save you the "hassle" of pulling your card out when you eat or purchase merchandise (maybe 0-3 times a visit on average), they're going to spend the huge amount to update their systems, and install finger print scanners at each restaurant and store.

I’m just sayin, whose “average” is 0-3 purchases per visit?

 

[Carlos A Cabrera]

It depends on how long im at the park.....sometimes its 2-3 times, some times its 5-8 times per day.

 

[bfost87]

I’m just sayin, whose “average” is 0-3 purchases per visit?

Nice catch, I actually meant to say 'Park Visit', I guess Park Day, or even Day, would have been more of an apt description

 

[ninafeliz]

Alright after 16 posts im the only person that thinks they should link the discount. ok, I take it all back. It's perfect as is.

Just scrolling through older posts killing some time and came across this. I wanted to add that I completely agree with you, and have often had that thought myself!! So you aren't alone .

I do agree that it isn't exactly awful to have to pull out my yellow card and ID, and I keep them fairly handy in the outer pocket of my backpack, but it seems completely unnecessary when they can see my AP when I scan my band to pay. Plus it's one more time there is a chance I drop something out of my bag when rummaging for the cards. I assume it is so you can't give your magic band to someone else, which I know would happen. However, if you then pay with your MB you have to enter your PIN, and I know I wouldn't give my pin out to anyone as I would then be paying for their purchases unless we then arranged payment, and then it's just getting too time consuming for me to mess with anyway! So you would have to pay cash to avoid that. So how about no card needed if you pay with your band? I'm sure too many people pay cash for them to do it that way. They are very vigilant about asking for ID though, very rarely do they not. On my last trip they not only asked for ID and my yellow card, often the CM would take the yellow card and look at both sides - I'm not completely sure what they were checking for, but they had to hold the actual card. My current one doesn't even have the expiration date written on it in sharpie like my previous ones did, so they can't be checking that. They could easily ask for just ID and not the yellow card, and I could see them doing that, but that really doesn't help much since I still would have to dig something out of my bag.

A long winded way to say I completely agree with you, but I doubt they will switch to avoid giving people discounts that don't actually have an AP (and I also completely agree with the people who say it's to avoid giving the discount if you don't ask! They don't want you to get it automatically, its more money for them if you forget).

 

[ravenclawtrekkie]

The vast majority of merchandise and food service locations don’t use a computer system that will display the type of ticket a MagicBand is linked to, and the ones that do mostly don’t have access to guest demographic information that would allow them to validate ownership of that pass. Disney uses at least four different internal computer systems that I’m personally aware of, and I’m sure there are others. Most of them don’t talk to one another in any meaningful way.

I’d personally like to see a “digital membership card” in the MDX app, the same way that DVC members can access a digital card via their member services website. (I’d also like that card to be in the app, while we’re at it...) This way people could show the digital card plus an ID for discounts just like DVC. Some CMs already allow guests to show their pass via the app anyway - it’s not official policy, but it would be an easy modification to the app to do this for real.

Also, since the FL Resident Monthly Payment Plan contract was mentioned - nothing in that contract guarantees a guest’s right to any discount. That contract exists to protect the company, not the guest, if you read the language in it.

 

[jaysmom4285]

Once, in MouseGear, I couldn't find my AP card for some reason . The CM had me pull up my MDE and show that I had an annual pass linked in my name to my account. That, with my ID to prove who I was, got me the AP discount.

I agree about the digital "membership card." It would make things simpler.

 

[ninafeliz]

The vast majority of merchandise and food service locations don’t use a computer system that will display the type of ticket a MagicBand is linked to, and the ones that do mostly don’t have access to guest demographic information that would allow them to validate ownership of that pass. Disney uses at least four different internal computer systems that I’m personally aware of, and I’m sure there are others. Most of them don’t talk to one another in any meaningful way.

I’d personally like to see a “digital membership card” in the MDX app, the same way that DVC members can access a digital card via their member services website. (I’d also like that card to be in the app, while we’re at it...) This way people could show the digital card plus an ID for discounts just like DVC. Some CMs already allow guests to show their pass via the app anyway - it’s not official policy, but it would be an easy modification to the app to do this for real.

Also, since the FL Resident Monthly Payment Plan contract was mentioned - nothing in that contract guarantees a guest’s right to any discount. That contract exists to protect the company, not the guest, if you read the language in it.

Thanks so much for this firsthand explanation, that makes sense and helps me understand why they ask for the card and ID. I like your idea of a digital membership card, but if I have to pull my phone out I really might as well pull my card out, it's kind of six of one/half dozen of the other to me - but I can still appreciate that would be a big improvement and a nice option!

 

[fla4fun]

It’s always a good idea to have your ID with you (especially if you want any adult beverages) and I don’t have a problem with showing it to get my discount. But I do wish the option was there to use the MB to indicate I am an AP holder. When I am at WDW I just keep the AP card in the same place with my ID so I can just grab them at the same time. Since I usually don’t pay with my MB most of the time, I have my wallet out anyway. But I can see that if a person wants to travel as light as possible, having the ability to do everything with the band would be nice. Disney would have to do a lot to make that happen though.

Sometimes it’s not that it all has to be one or the other - but the ability to have options makes it easier for a larger number of people. So I won’t begrudge the OP for wishing things were different. I can remember when there was a photo on the AP so we didn’t have to show ID for the discount, just the card.

Perhaps in the future they will figure out an easier way to do it. For now, it is what it is.

 

[Carlos A Cabrera]

DAP's could just have their picture assigned to their accounts, and when the MB is scanned, its displays. Yes they would have to upgrade, but at this point you wouldn't even have to take a purse of wallet to the park. everything would be on your MB, and no one could use it but you.

 

[AngiTN]

DAP's could just have their picture assigned to their accounts, and when the MB is scanned, its displays. Yes they would have to upgrade, but at this point you wouldn't even have to take a purse of wallet to the park. everything would be on your MB, and no one could use it but you.

How would the local people get to the park? Or those who are in the resorts but drive? I mean, if you are driving you have your ID on you, I'd assume any way. Not everyone there is staying at a resort and riding the bus. So you are going to have an ID somewhere. I can't see that ever going away. You always need it in case there is an issue with your pass.

And how would you pay for things when the MB system goes down. And it does go down. Constantly.

 

[ninafeliz]

How would the local people get to the park? Or those who are in the resorts but drive? I mean, if you are driving you have your ID on you, I'd assume any way. Not everyone there is staying at a resort and riding the bus. So you are going to have an ID somewhere. I can't see that ever going away. You always need it in case there is an issue with your pass.

And how would you pay for things when the MB system goes down. And it does go down. Constantly.

I would always have my ID and credit card (so I could have my AP ID also) just in case- I agree you should always have them. I would just like to not have to dig them out. Not a huge deal, just would be nice.