Magic Bands at the Fort

[AuburnJen 777]

New process starting in a few days, no more KTTW cards for MB testers. All you will have is the MBs.

ok, so what are they going to do about the comfort stations?  they told us that the "data stream" was too long to fit on the bands

 

i call shenanigans on that anyways, but whatever

[Starbuc71 162]

Giving magic bands to everyone at the value resort when we stayed was just stupid. Did they even check that we were being mailed custom ones for our thanksgiving trip to the fort? NO. We have a whole set of grey ones that will no be a waste. I don't even know why we got ones for our fort trip. We are only going to a MVMCP and they are useless for that. Even though I have not used fast pass+ I think it's crazy and stupid. I feel bad for people like TCD who don't have access to fast pass+ and can't get a reg fast pass til the afternoon. They should have never did this. As Travis said they are good for room keys and charging and I will add putting AP on them but that's it

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

 I feel bad for people like TCD who don't have access to fast pass+ and can't get a reg fast pass til the afternoon.

 

Don't feel bad for me- I'm fine.  I have, and will continue to find, work-arounds.

 

Feel bad for Disney's stockholders and the future guests who will be paying for this fiasco in the form of increased prices.

 

And feel bad for the thousands of poor schmucks who have saved for a once-in-a-lifetime trip to WDW.  Maybe they are scrimping and they are staying off-site.  So no Magic Bands for them.  They aren't AP holders like me who've been a hundred times.  They are hard-working schmucks who are spending their hard earned money to take their family to Disney the only way they can afford to.  They are going to get the shaft big time. Resort guests have their FP+'s reserved.  The non-resort guests are going to show up to parks like Epcot and be shocked to find no regular FP's and lines of an hour plus all day.  Not magical.

 

The waste that you described is unbelievable.  Think about what they are spending on the packaging and shipping costs alone.

 

TCD

[Grumpy and Grandma 740]

New process starting in a few days, no more KTTW cards for MB testers. All you will have is the MBs.

ok, so what are they going to do about the comfort stations?  they told us that the "data stream" was too long to fit on the bands

 

i call shenanigans on that anyways, but whatever

They open the cs doors....at least the Laundry rooms.

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

ok, so what are they going to do about the comfort stations?  they told us that the "data stream" was too long to fit on the bands

 

i call shenanigans on that anyways, but whatever

 

 

They open the cs doors....at least the Laundry rooms.

 

For those of us trying to keep score from home, it appears that Grumpy was told the MB's open the comfort station doors, and his at least opens the laundry room door.

 

Jen, who just checked in one day last week, was told, I assume by a Castmember, that the MB's won't open the comfort station doors.

 

Sounds like things are going well with the testing, and that the Fort CM's are as well trained as always. 

 

TCD

[Grumpy and Grandma 740]

ok, so what are they going to do about the comfort stations?  they told us that the "data stream" was too long to fit on the bands

 

i call shenanigans on that anyways, but whatever

 

 

They open the cs doors....at least the Laundry rooms.

 

For those of us trying to keep score from home, it appears that Grumpy was told the MB's open the comfort station doors, and his at least opens the laundry room door.

 

Jen, who just checked in one day last week, was told, I assume by a Castmember, that the MB's won't open the comfort station doors.

 

Sounds like things are going well with the testing, and that the Fort CM's are as well trained as always. 

 

TCD

They open the gates too! As I posted previously we've had no issues with how they function.

[Katman1356...Jason 1,140]

Mine would not open comfort or the gate. TJs worked at first then stopped

[AuburnJen 777]

For those of us trying to keep score from home, it appears that Grumpy was told the MB's open the comfort station doors, and his at least opens the laundry room door.

 

Jen, who just checked in one day last week, was told, I assume by a Castmember, that the MB's won't open the comfort station doors.

 

Sounds like things are going well with the testing, and that the Fort CM's are as well trained as always. 

 

TCD

I was actually told by two different cast members they would not work on the comfort stations.  I was given two entirely different reasons, but the same result to boot.

[LONE-STAR 370]

Oh progress.

[devores 382]

ok, so what are they going to do about the comfort stations?  they told us that the "data stream" was too long to fit on the bands

 

i call shenanigans on that anyways, but whatever

 

 

For those of us trying to keep score from home, it appears that Grumpy was told the MB's open the comfort station doors, and his at least opens the laundry room door.

 

Jen, who just checked in one day last week, was told, I assume by a Castmember, that the MB's won't open the comfort station doors.

 

Sounds like things are going well with the testing, and that the Fort CM's are as well trained as always. 

 

TCD

Our bands work on everything and have for about a week. Not sure why they told you that, but I have tried it with success. It works on everything the KTTW cards did.

[Starbuc71 162]

Don't feel bad for me- I'm fine.  I have, and will continue to find, work-arounds.

 

Feel bad for Disney's stockholders and the future guests who will be paying for this fiasco in the form of increased prices.

 

And feel bad for the thousands of poor schmucks who have saved for a once-in-a-lifetime trip to WDW.  Maybe they are scrimping and they are staying off-site.  So no Magic Bands for them.  They aren't AP holders like me who've been a hundred times.  They are hard-working schmucks who are spending their hard earned money to take their family to Disney the only way they can afford to.  They are going to get the shaft big time. Resort guests have their FP+'s reserved.  The non-resort guests are going to show up to parks like Epcot and be shocked to find no regular FP's and lines of an hour plus all day.  Not magical.

 

The waste that you described is unbelievable.  Think about what they are spending on the packaging and shipping costs alone.

 

TCD

I couldn't agree with you more. Us Florida people are spoiled living so close to the magic and even more being so close to the fort. With the economy more and more people are scrapping to make the magic vacation come true. You will see later in my trip report say for the money I would take an off-site hotel any day over a Disney value resort. Now that we have bands I can supposedly link my tickets to them. Correct me if I'm wrong but I thought one reason Walt liked the fort was to try and make the magic for all

[AuburnJen 777]

Normally I would agree with you Starbuc about the offsite properties, but lately (and I am using my mother and father's experiences here because I 99 percent of the time stay on property) it just seems like the off properties are nickel and diming you to death.  Take for instance, my parents came to see my son and me this past weekend.  They were "upgraded" to the resort next door (this is the Bonnet Creek Resort System on property I am speaking of here) and told it would not be an extra charge for the room.  What they got socked for is now they lost their breakfast that they had paid for each day (it came as an add on at the resort she booked next door) and they now had to pay 25 dollars a day valet service.  Each time they wanted to go and get the car to go back and forth to the Fort, five bucks tip for the driver and 25 minutes to wait on the car.  I know this is the same at the Gaylord Palms and many of the other places around Disney's outer rim.  I guess I am just spoiled with the Disney experience and I agree that they have gotten WAY OUT OF LINE with the prices at the Fort, however, in the end, the aggravation factor is what ends it for me.  Maybe I am just getting too old and crotchedy.  It very well could be. 

[Discamper 394]

When we were the a few weeks ago Disney gave us a MB and KTTW card both were RFID with all my info. Weid was the guard at the gate scanned my MB and say Todd did you have a good day at EPCOT and the Fort.

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

When we were the a few weeks ago Disney gave us a MB and KTTW card both were RFID with all my info. Weid was the guard at the gate scanned my MB and say Todd did you have a good day at EPCOT and the Fort.

 

Are you saying that the MB's track where you've been?  And that the guard scanned your MB at the gate?  Why couldn't you just open the gate with your MB or KTTW card?

 

TCD

[Discamper 394]

Are you saying that the MB's track where you've been?  And that the guard scanned your MB at the gate?  Why couldn't you just open the gate with your MB or KTTW card?

 

TCD

Yes thay track your MB it all goes into the computer and Disney can tell every where you have been. We stay at the POP resort and had to go by and see the guard were he scanned my MB. We didn't have our KTTW cards with us but we did have our parking pass in the window but he said he still needed to scan my MB. I bet that is so thay can track you

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

Yes thay track your MB it all goes into the computer and Disney can tell every where you have been. We stay at the POP resort and had to go by and see the guard were he scanned my MB. We didn't have our KTTW cards with us but we did have our parking pass in the window but he said he still needed to scan my MB. I bet that is so thay can track you

 

Jeez.  No wonder these things don't work right-Disney is using them as tracking devices.  If they were just for the purposes Disney tells the public- room keys and FP+, there wouldn't be so many errors- they would just be KTTW cards you wear on your wrist.  But, they are also for data mining, and I guess that's where the bugs are.

 

TCD

[Discamper 394]

I bet if thay are not doing it now thay will be doing it soon tracking everyone on the property with MD's just like thay track the kids on there ships

[Starbuc71 162]

Normally I would agree with you Starbuc about the offsite properties, but lately (and I am using my mother and father's experiences here because I 99 percent of the time stay on property) it just seems like the off properties are nickel and diming you to death.  Take for instance, my parents came to see my son and me this past weekend.  They were "upgraded" to the resort next door (this is the Bonnet Creek Resort System on property I am speaking of here) and told it would not be an extra charge for the room.  What they got socked for is now they lost their breakfast that they had paid for each day (it came as an add on at the resort she booked next door) and they now had to pay 25 dollars a day valet service.  Each time they wanted to go and get the car to go back and forth to the Fort, five bucks tip for the driver and 25 minutes to wait on the car.  I know this is the same at the Gaylord Palms and many of the other places around Disney's outer rim.  I guess I am just spoiled with the Disney experience and I agree that they have gotten WAY OUT OF LINE with the prices at the Fort, however, in the end, the aggravation factor is what ends it for me.  Maybe I am just getting too old and crotchedy.  It very well could be.

Jen, don't get me wrong, staying on property makes things easier (most of the time). As I stated before expedia is my friend and I am familiar with many of the hotels off property. Working for Marriott hotels for years I know what to expect and not expect. Transportation aside, which I know is huge, I would much rather stay at the JW Marriott near sea world for a discount expedia rate than for a few dollars less stay at Disney value resort. I guess everyone's perspective is different but I think we can all agree nothing beats sleeping on your own sheets in your own RV even at high fort prices :)

[Travisma 1,317]

Jen, don't get me wrong, staying on property makes things easier (most of the time). As I stated before expedia is my friend and I am familiar with many of the hotels off property. Working for Marriott hotels for years I know what to expect and not expect. Transportation aside, which I know is huge, I would much rather stay at the JW Marriott near sea world for a discount expedia rate than for a few dollars less stay at Disney value resort. I guess everyone's perspective is different but I think we can all agree nothing beats sleeping on your own sheets in your own RV even at high fort prices :)

We have been staying in off site hotels/resorts for the past few years.  My daughter's family lives near Celebration and we have passes to Sea World, plus lots of times we just take a mini vacation and bum around the area, or if we get a resort, just enjoy what they have to offer.

 

My wife is a Priceline name your own price genius.  She has gotten us some fantastic deals over the years... Embassy Suites for $38 with breakfast and happy hour, Omni for $50, Rosen Shingle for $45.  She has noticed that Priceline has changed their areas, and also some of their ratings.  It get too complicated for me, but I guess they will also bump you up from a certain rating to a higher one if your bid is a certain amount, but then you get into the "resort" fees.

 

Resort fees, those mystical charges you get hit with so the hotels make extra $$$$.

 

Don't get me wrong, I can see paying those fees if it's really a resort with the amenities to match.  We've stayed at the Grand Cypress and paid fees, but they have multiple pools, watercraft and bikes, access to their golf club driving range, etc included in the fees which were always reasonable.

 

Now they have jacked up the fees, and added parking fees.

 

Even lower star hotels are now charging for parking.  What's up with that?  I can see if it's a hotel in a downtown core where they have to pay to park the cars in a garage they don't own, but when they have hundreds of acres of property, and you have to walk a 1/4 mile to your room, there's no reason to charge to park.

 

So you get a $40 bid on a nice hotel, and suddenly your total after you accept now has a $15 a day parking fee added on.

 

Like I said in another thread, I hate the higher prices for staying at the fort, but if you look at the fees that hotels nationally are adding on for less then what you get at the fort, it kind of takes the sting out of the $60 a night costs.

[djbogue 1]

Just got my email today to test the magic band for our upcoming trip in December :jumpforjoy . I got my park tickets from undercover tourist. Can you tell me how I link it to the magic bands?

[Judy in Texas 150]

I used my My Disney Experience app.  Tap the three horizontal bars in the top left corner, select Tickets & Passes, Link a Ticket or Pass, then either enter the ID number on the back of the ticket or select Scan My Ticket Pass Instead.  I selected Scan My Ticket Pass Instead and it had me take a picture of the side of the ticket with the bar code.

[Starbuc71 162]

We have been staying in off site hotels/resorts for the past few years.  My daughter's family lives near Celebration and we have passes to Sea World, plus lots of times we just take a mini vacation and bum around the area, or if we get a resort, just enjoy what they have to offer.

 

My wife is a Priceline name your own price genius.  She has gotten us some fantastic deals over the years... Embassy Suites for $38 with breakfast and happy hour, Omni for $50, Rosen Shingle for $45.  She has noticed that Priceline has changed their areas, and also some of their ratings.  It get too complicated for me, but I guess they will also bump you up from a certain rating to a higher one if your bid is a certain amount, but then you get into the "resort" fees.

 

Resort fees, those mystical charges you get hit with so the hotels make extra $$$$.

 

Don't get me wrong, I can see paying those fees if it's really a resort with the amenities to match.  We've stayed at the Grand Cypress and paid fees, but they have multiple pools, watercraft and bikes, access to their golf club driving range, etc included in the fees which were always reasonable.

 

Now they have jacked up the fees, and added parking fees.

 

Even lower star hotels are now charging for parking.  What's up with that?  I can see if it's a hotel in a downtown core where they have to pay to park the cars in a garage they don't own, but when they have hundreds of acres of property, and you have to walk a 1/4 mile to your room, there's no reason to charge to park.

 

So you get a $40 bid on a nice hotel, and suddenly your total after you accept now has a $15 a day parking fee added on.

 

Like I said in another thread, I hate the higher prices for staying at the fort, but if you look at the fees that hotels nationally are adding on for less then what you get at the fort, it kind of takes the sting out of the $60 a night costs.

I totally agree but I'm not comparing any hotel to the fort. I'm comparing off site hotels for the price compared to Disney resorts. A four star hotel for $159 per night can't compare to a night at any Disney value for the same price

[djbogue 1]

Thanks Judy :) 

[The Castle Guy 36]

We got our Magic Bands today!

Sweet!!!!!

Dave

[dblr....Rennie 224]

OK now I got a question, we arrive Dec27th for a Tree House stay till Jan3rd, we bought AP's thru DVC when they offered their great deal and will activate them when we get there. We did get the email about the MB and how to get them, so how will we link our AP's to the MB if they are not activated yet and also we have ressies for July at the Fort will our MB be linked to that trip also. Thanks for any help on this. Also the wife and I do not have a high tech phone will that hurt us in using the MB?