UPDATED: MagicBands will NOT be coming to Disneyland

[figment_jii]

Wow did not realize they cost the normal people at WDW $12 if not staying at the resort, I have my WDW ones, and a package booked Dreams ffor Disneyland in June at a good neighbor hotel. Hopefully I will not have to buy a Disneyland one

The newspaper article indicated that MyMagic+ and associated features are not likely to show up at DLR until after 2015 (so, 2016 and beyond).

 

[CAmommy]

This is depressing. We visited WDW (onsite) for the first time in November and really disliked the bands. Way too much pre-planning required, ridiculous obstacles if you want to change plans at the park or add more fastpasses aftee the original ones were used, etc. blah. I sure hope they overhaul it befor putting it in at Disneyland.

 

[Eclectic Goddess]

While I know I'm in the minority, I really liked the Magic Bands when DF and I were in WDW earlier this year. We didn't have any trouble with them working, and found them to be very convenient compared to digging out park tickets, fast passes, and room keys.

We didn't mind the FP+ system, either, though we aren't as FP oriented as some. We didn't find it too restrictive, and several times changed our FPs on-the-spot when we discovered they could be better used on another ride. The only change I feel like they should make for DLR is the ability to park-hop.

That said, I know a lot of people don't like MB or FP+. I'm going to be skipping a lot of Dis threads when they do roll it out!

 

[figment_jii]

This is depressing. We visited WDW (onsite) for the first time in November and really disliked the bands. Way too much pre-planning required, ridiculous obstacles if you want to change plans at the park or add more fastpasses aftee the original ones were used, etc. blah. I sure hope they overhaul it befor putting it in at Disneyland.

Did you dislike the MagicBands or the FP+ system? Those are two different (albeit linked for most folks) things. The MagicBand is the actual band that store your park ticket, room key, etc. information. The FP+ system is the one that requires you to pre-plan and use the in-park kiosks. You don't need a MagicBand in WDW to use FP+ and you don't have to use FP+ even if you have a MagicBand. I'd actually be okay with DLR adding MagicBands, but I'm more hesitant about FP+

 

[DahliaRW]

Wow did not realize they cost the normal people at WDW $12 if not staying at the resort, I have my WDW ones, and a package booked Dreams ffor Disneyland in June at a good neighbor hotel. Hopefully I will not have to buy a Disneyland one

But they can have an rfid park ticket for free (card). So you don't HAVE to buy a band.

 

[Speechphi]

While I know I'm in the minority, I really liked the Magic Bands when DF and I were in WDW earlier this year. We didn't have any trouble with them working, and found them to be very convenient compared to digging out park tickets, fast passes, and room keys. We didn't mind the FP+ system, either, though we aren't as FP oriented as some. We didn't find it too restrictive, and several times changed our FPs on-the-spot when we discovered they could be better used on another ride. The only change I feel like they should make for DLR is the ability to park-hop. That said, I know a lot of people don't like MB or FP+. I'm going to be skipping a lot of Dis threads when they do roll it out!

Just curious...the Magic Band serves as a room key? So would DLR have to retrofit all of the hotel doors for this to work? We've only stayed at PPH, so I only know what those doors look/work like, but I don't know how a wristband could open a door that I need to swipe a card in?

 

[figment_jii]

Just curious...the Magic Band serves as a room key? So would DLR have to retrofit all of the hotel doors for this to work? We've only stayed at PPH, so I only know what those doors look/work like, but I don't know how a wristband could open a door that I need to swipe a card in?

At WDW, the MagicBand can serve as a room key. They used to have swipe cards, but converted to RFID a while ago. So now you just tap your MagicBand on the door reader and it opens your room door. Before they instituted MagicBands, you used to get a Key to the World card, which used the same RFID technology to open doors (so WDW went to swipe-less entry a while ago). Yes, if DLR was to institute MagicBands the same way that WDW did, they would need to modify the keypads/entrypads to the hotel rooms. While it wouldn't be cheap, I don't think it would necessarily be cost-prohibitive (compared to instituting FP+ at DLR, which seems tougher).

 

[mom2rtk]

Just curious...the Magic Band serves as a room key? So would DLR have to retrofit all of the hotel doors for this to work? We've only stayed at PPH, so I only know what those doors look/work like, but I don't know how a wristband could open a door that I need to swipe a card in?

Yes, the doors all have to be retrofitted with magic band readers.

I can't fathom for the life of me though how this is supposed to make much difference with such a small percentage of guests staying onsite compared with WDW.

 

[Suvadoo]

Just curious...the Magic Band serves as a room key? So would DLR have to retrofit all of the hotel doors for this to work? We've only stayed at PPH, so I only know what those doors look/work like, but I don't know how a wristband could open a door that I need to swipe a card in?

Yes all doors would have to be retrofitted. At WDW they installed WiFi throughout the parks, retrofitteed the doors, and installed the new RFID readers at park entrances and cash registers throughout the resorts before they started testing the Magic Bands. I may have missed some other step, but someone else will correct me if I'm wrong

 

[Lauren in NC]

How would FP+ even work at DL? I haven't been to WDW since the changeover, but did they add FP to more attractions there before starting it? There's only, what, 6 or so FP attractions each at DL and CA as opposed to 20 at MK.

I wonder how much it would cut down on locals just deciding to stop by after work on a whim. I'm guessing they don't spend as much as a tourist like me, but they're still probably eating dinner or grabbing a Mickey bar or something while at the park, right?

I think the MagicBand part sounds cool, though, assuming it actually works!

 

[Redcon1]

I'm just happy I'm visiting DL in 2015 and not 2016.

 

[Suvadoo]

How would FP+ even work at DL? I haven't been to WDW since the changeover, but did they add FP to more attractions there before starting it? There's only, what, 6 or so FP attractions each at DL and CA as opposed to 20 at MK.

I wonder how much it would cut down on locals just deciding to stop by after work on a whim. I'm guessing they don't spend as much as a tourist like me, but they're still probably eating dinner or grabbing a Mickey bar or something while at the park, right?

I think the MagicBand part sounds cool, though, assuming it actually works!

At WDW they added FP+ to rides like HM, IASW, POC, Captain EO. They already had it for Peter Pan and Pooh(I think). The thing that I find so objectionable is they added it to continuous loading rides and now the SB for those rides is ridiculously long!

 

[figment_jii]

How would FP+ even work at DL? I haven't been to WDW since the changeover, but did they add FP to more attractions there before starting it?

Yes, they added FP+ to almost every attraction at WDW at this point, including many that previously did not have it. There are a few in each park that do not have FP+ (e.g., Peoplemover), but the vast majority of attractions now accept FP+. The net effect (supposedly) is shorter waits for the big ticket attractions (e.g., Space, Big Thunder), but the flip side is that the standby lines are now longer for the other rides (e.g., Haunted Mansion, PotC, etc.).

There's only, what, 6 or so FP attractions each at DL and CA as opposed to 20 at MK.

If they took the same system as WDW and applied it to DLR, then they would be adding FP+ to almost every attraction at DLR (they'd probably skip some things - like the rafts to Tom Sawyers Island, the train, etc.).

I wonder how much it would cut down on locals just deciding to stop by after work on a whim. I'm guessing they don't spend as much as a tourist like me, but they're still probably eating dinner or grabbing a Mickey bar or something while at the park, right?

It all depends on how they implement MagicBands and/or FP+ at DLR. I don't think the addition of MagicBands would have much affect, but FP+ could. I suppose if we start to see significant increases in stand by wait times for most attraction, then it might impact AP visitors. It also depends on how far in advance you have to book your FP+ reservations. If it's WDW's 60-days/30-days, then that would impact a lot of spontaneous visitors. If it's something shorter (like day-of), then it might not make that much of a difference.

 

[disneyobsessed808]

At WDW they added FP+ to rides like HM, IASW, POC, Captain EO. They already had it for Peter Pan and Pooh(I think). The thing that I find so objectionable is they added it to continuous loading rides and now the SB for those rides is ridiculously long!

This is what I'm afraid of.

FP+ might be what causes me to not renew again.

 

[ktlm]

UGH! After our first FP+ trip to WDW, we went to DLR and appreciated our DLR trip so much more because we had so much more flexibility and were not constantly connected to our smart phone either. Since then we have been back to WDW for our 2nd FP+ trip, and that whole trip we kept talking about how nice it was that we could go back to DLR and not have to deal with FP+. It did make the standby lines significantly longer for rides that traditionally were not FP+ lines. At WDW we were used to walking on Small World, POTC, Figment, and Nemo almost any time of the day, and with FP+ we found 25 to 30 minute lines at those attractions instead. It also caused the single rider lines to increase because of tiering in 2 of the parks ( At Epcot with your initial 3 allotted FP+ you can only get a FP+ for Soarin or Test Track, but not both. You can only get a 4th FP+ after you have used your first 3, and by then Soarin and TT are not available. It is the same at DHS with Toy Story Mania and Rock N Roller Coaster).

The Magicbands themselves are nice, it is FP+ that is a nightmare. I had really hoped that because DL has an entirely different dynamic than WDW- with all the day guests and regular AP holders, we might avoid MBs and FP+ there. I don't know how they make it workable with the number of day guests they have in the park.

I don't see them implementing MBs just for those staying on property as I don't see how that would be a worthwhile proposition for DL, as it has such a large number of off property guests. I don't see how they implement the 60 day in advance for onsite and 30 day in advance for offsite guests for FP+ booking, with the large number of day guests either. I'm guessing one aspect of this is the ability to make revenue off MB sales. FP+ totally replaces FP. So, if you want any FPs at all and you aren't staying on property, then you have to buy a MB at about $15 (that is assuming you don't decide to buy one of their special edition/limited edition magic bands which they roll out here and there for $29.95). Then that battery is only good for a year or two and is not replaceable, so you have to keep buying MBs. I think they will probably still have the 60 and 30 days, but the FP+ will probably not fill up as fast as at WDW. It will probably be something like dining reservations. They can be impossible to get for some WDW restaurants if you do not book them months in advance, but not too hard at all to get at the last minute at DL.


So not looking forward to this! DL was our place to get away from FP+ and have a more relaxed vacation!

 

[Suvadoo]

UGH! After our first FP+ trip to WDW, we went to DLR and appreciated our DLR trip so much more because we had so much more flexibility and were not constantly connected to our smart phone either. Since then we have been back to WDW for our 2nd FP+ trip, and that whole trip we kept talking about how nice it was that we could go back to DLR and not have to deal with FP+. It did make the standby lines significantly longer for rides that traditionally were not FP+ lines. At WDW we were used to walking on Small World, POTC, Figment, and Nemo almost any time of the day, and with FP+ we found 25 to 30 minute lines at those attractions instead. It also caused the single rider lines to increase because of tiering in 2 of the parks ( At Epcot with your initial 3 allotted FP+ you can only get a FP+ for Soarin or Test Track, but not both. You can only get a 4th FP+ after you have used your first 3, and by then Soarin and TT are not available. It is the same at DHS with Toy Story Mania and Rock N Roller Coaster).

The Magicbands themselves are nice, it is FP+ that is a nightmare. I had really hoped that because DL has an entirely different dynamic than WDW- with all the day guests and regular AP holders, we might avoid MBs and FP+ there. I don't know how they make it workable with the number of day guests they have in the park.

I don't see them implementing MBs just for those staying on property as I don't see how that would be a worthwhile proposition for DL, as it has such a large number of off property guests. I don't see how they implement the 60 day in advance for onsite and 30 day in advance for offsite guests for FP+ booking, with the large number of day guests either. I'm guessing one aspect of this is the ability to make revenue off MB sales. FP+ totally replaces FP. So, if you want any FPs at all and you aren't staying on property, then you have to buy a MB at about $15 (that is assuming you don't decide to buy one of their special edition/limited edition magic bands which they roll out here and there for $29.95). Then that battery is only good for a year or two and is not replaceable, so you have to keep buying MBs. I think they will probably still have the 60 and 30 days, but the FP+ will probably not fill up as fast as at WDW. It will probably be something like dining reservations. They can be impossible to get for some WDW restaurants if you do not book them months in advance, but not too hard at all to get at the last minute at DL.


So not looking forward to this! DL was our place to get away from FP+ and have a more relaxed vacation!

I agree with your whole post except the bolded. You can use an RFID card to make FP+ reservations at WDW instead of the band and you do not have to pay for the card.

 

[KCmike]

This is depressing. We visited WDW (onsite) for the first time in November and really disliked the bands. Way too much pre-planning required, ridiculous obstacles if you want to change plans at the park or add more fastpasses aftee the original ones were used, etc. blah. I sure hope they overhaul it befor putting it in at Disneyland.

Had the complete opposite experience in December at WDW. Everything went flawless and we changed it up on them when we arrived with our magic bands in our hands by adding days and making other reservations. Everything went so smooth.

There was one time where Splash Mountain went down and my wife and I were getting ready to enter the fast pass que and the CM notified us it just went down and we then got an email on my iphone stating to go visit a list of six other attractions to use a fast pass on and we still could use the Splash one for later. That is darn COOL!

They also make for pretty cool souvenirs!

 

[Blue32]

Yes, the doors all have to be retrofitted with magic band readers.

I can't fathom for the life of me though how this is supposed to make much difference with such a small percentage of guests staying onsite compared with WDW.

It will make a difference(potentially) because of the way you can link your credit card to the band. Can offsite guests do this? Not sure. Will they ever be able to? If so, the potential for people to spend more money in the parks is there. I just hope they leave alone the many attractions that don't need FP.

 

[GatorChris]

Disney is getting dumber by the minute.

 

[Pucka1378]

We really enjoyed FP+ at WDW when we went last year. We are not planners and it worked great for us. We did a little bit of preplanning took about 5 mins and we had it all set up and then when we were in the parks and discovered wait lines that were short for those rides we had passes for we jumped on the app and changed them around or kept them for 2nd ride.

I currently do not use the fast pass system at DLR at all. I hate it and I get on all the rides I want with reasonable waits.