Annual Pass conversion to RFID Cards

[Lou... 3,118]

However, if they take away my paper ticket when they do that, I am SOL on Fast Passes?

 

Why is that?

[alexwyattmommy 181]

You can put your fast pass on your wrist band at the park the same as getting them with the paper tickets?  Are there separate kiosk things for them then?  And maybe I'm a bit slow, but how on earth am I supposed to remember the time if I can't see it?  Keeping a pen and paper is going to be one more thing to carry that I don't want to.

[Lou... 3,118]

You can put your fast pass on your wrist band at the park the same as getting them with the paper tickets?  

 

You can use your smart phone to select FPs.

 

Are there separate kiosk things for them then?  

 

Yes, 

Non resort guests can't obtain FPs ahead of time and some people will not want to use the new system and some people do not have a smart phone.

[alexwyattmommy 181]

Are the kiosks located next to the same Fast Pass machines as the paper ones at each ride offering Fast Passes?  If I go to Space Mountain, I have to have all four of us in line to get the Fast Pass?  No more me holding all the cards and getting them by myself?

 

So even though the pre-booking of Fast Passes is not up and running yet; I can still the the bands and use them to get daily Fast Passes?

 

ETA: I know I was red-head when we me, but I'm a natural blonde.  And it is showing with this new stuff.  Once I get the hang of it, I will be able to help others.  Unfortunately, I'm still needing step-by-step instructions.

[ImDownWithDisney 342]

We don't have AP's, but I have been using the app and the free WiFi this week. The WiFi sucks. They need a lot more bandwidth once this system rolls out. The app is a bit buggy and slow at times, but it's not too bad. It will definitely need some polishing up, though.

[Lou... 3,118]

ETA: I know I was red-head when we me, but I'm a natural blonde.  And it is showing with this new stuff.  Once I get the hang of it, I will be able to help others.  Unfortunately, I'm still needing step-by-step instructions.

 

 

I don't know when your trip is Annie, but you may be jumping the gun. Most NextGen components are still being tested and will not be implemented property wide until that testing is complete.

The first wide spread usage of the MagicBands will be by the usual guinea pigs, the CMs, and I haven't heard any date for that yet.

[alexwyattmommy 181]

They are showing us the magic bands just to get us excited?  ROFL, figures.  I guess I can unwind my panties.

 

2nd week of June is our trip.  I know it is not the best weather or crowd wise, but it is still Disney and a whole year sooner than I was expecting.

[Lou... 3,118]

They are showing us the magic bands just to get us excited? 

 

I agree about them dragging it out? I think I know why they're doing it that way. They're getting a ton of publicity and free advertising out of it.

Just remember that all the gimicky stuff is optional and the rest of the stuff is fairly intuitive.

It's hard to say as it depends on how well the testing has gone and how well it will go in the broader tests and whether or not they have to make changes, but as June is only two months away, my guess is that it's unlikely that you'll get MagicBands by then.

[alexwyattmommy 181]

Thanks Lou.  I will stay to my normal game plan then and worry about that stuff for next year.

[BuckeyeFortMama 43]

We switched them yesterday.

The kids loved that they got to pick their character.

We used them this morning at MK and they are slick as a whistle even with the kids having to give their fingerprint.

If there is any drawback it's that 5 of those new cards take up more space in the wallet than the paper passes do. We still hold all our kids passes and we need to carry all their KTW's too (for EMH-although no one checked this morning) and that takes up a lot of space.

[Lou... 3,118]

for EMH-although no one checked this morning

 

Tell me you didn't wake up your entire family at 6am for a silly 7am EMH. Please tell me that.

[alexwyattmommy 181]

She's from Ohio.  Of course she did rope drop.  It's what we do. :D

 

ETA: She probably woke them up at 5:30.

[GaDawgFan.....Kelly 799]

We switched them yesterday.

The kids loved that they got to pick their character.

We used them this morning at MK and they are slick as a whistle even with the kids having to give their fingerprint.

If there is any drawback it's that 5 of those new cards take up more space in the wallet than the paper passes do. We still hold all our kids passes and we need to carry all their KTW's too (for EMH-although no one checked this morning) and that takes up a lot of space.

I'd love to hear what you got done in that 7am rope drop.

[BuckeyeFortMama 43]

This is our view as we entered the Odyssey Center

 

 

 

 

Then we were ushered over to a table that had 4 people sitting behind it to help 4 different families (there were 5 or so tables set up with 4 people each).  They were ready for the crowds but there weren't crowds when we were there.

 

Here the kids are choosing their characters for their cards.

 

 

Then they ask you to try them out as you leave so that it can record your fingerprint. 

 

 

 

 

 

[Total Joker ... TJ 203]

It will be cool just to get into the old Odyssey restaurant again!

[Judy in Texas 150]

She's from Ohio.  Of course she did rope drop.  It's what we do. :D ETA: She probably woke them up at 5:30.

I didn't know it's in our genes. Although I haven't lived in Ohio for 30 years, I still consider myself a Buckeye. MK rope drop is a must on my first full day at WDW.

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

Good job on the photos and report, BFM!

 

You got a rare TCD up arrow for that!

 

TCD

[Lou... 3,118]

The previous system also used bio-metrics, normally called a fingerprint, it's not, however the number generated by the system based on what it sees in your fingerprint was stored on the ticket/card. RFID technology does not store info on the card, so it has to be stored on the database.

Disney has been trying to find a way to prevent people sharing APs for as long as I can remember, I'm wondering if this makes it less prone to allowing someone's AP to be used by a different person?

 

 

Then they ask you to try them out as you leave so that it can record your fingerprint. 

 

 

 

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

The previous system also used bio-metrics, normally called a fingerprint, it's not, however the number generated by the system based on what it sees in your fingerprint was stored on the ticket/card. RFID technology does not store info on the card, so it has to be stored on the database.

Disney has been trying to find a way to prevent people sharing APs for as long as I can remember, I'm wondering if this makes it less prone to allowing someone's AP to be used by a different person?

 

I always thought biometrics referred to the previous scanners that required guests to insert two fingers into a scanner.  Supposedly, these scanners measured something to do with the configuration of a guest's fingers.  I can tell you for sure that those stupid things didn't work.  Back when they had those, I didn't go to the trouble of handing out the right pass to each kid in our group- the machines let all of us in using any pass.  A few years back, they went to fingerprit scanners.  I have often heard it say that these also are biometric readers, but I think they really do read fingerprints.  I think Disney downplays this because of guest's unease with Disney having a database containing their fingerprints.  These fingerprint scanners seem to actually work- although not very well.

 

I wouldn't be surprised if the RFID readers are using some new technology which I hope works better than the fingerprint scanners they have at the turnstiles now.

 

TCD

[Lou... 3,118]

No, the new or the old system does not read fingerprints.

They stopped using the 2 finger scan system about 7 years ago and like the current system it was a biometric fingerprint scanning procedure and not a finger print recording machine. They will always use the words fingerprint scan, scanner, or reader, not just the word fingerprint. Your fingerprints are not stored somewhere. Below is from the Mouses's mouth.

 

"The reader does not collect fingerprints and takes no personal information from any Guest. The scan does create a numerical value that is associated with the ticket." 

 

[Nicki aka Rebelstand 272]

19 days until i go get my new plastic card!!!  Maybe a cranky schmuck face bus driver will bring his handsome Buddy by to see me too...

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

No, the new or the old system does not read fingerprints.

They stopped using the 2 finger scan system about 7 years ago and like the current system it was a biometric fingerprint scanning procedure and not a finger print recording machine. They will always use the words fingerprint scan, scanner, or reader, not just the word fingerprint. Your fingerprints are not stored somewhere. Below is from the Mouses's mouth.

 

"The reader does not collect fingerprints and takes no personal information from any Guest. The scan does create a numerical value that is associated with the ticket." 

 

That's a typical load of Disney crap.  Of course it collects personal information- how else do they check to see if the guest using the scanner is the correct guest?

 

TCD

[Katman1356...Jason 1,140]

I always thought biometrics referred to the previous scanners that required guests to insert two fingers into a scanner. Supposedly, these scanners measured something to do with the configuration of a guest's fingers. I can tell you for sure that those stupid things didn't work. Back when they had those, I didn't go to the trouble of handing out the right pass to each kid in our group- the machines let all of us in using any pass. A few years back, they went to fingerprit scanners. I have often heard it say that these also are biometric readers, but I think they really do read fingerprints. I think Disney downplays this because of guest's unease with Disney having a database containing their fingerprints. These fingerprint scanners seem to actually work- although not very well.

I wouldn't be surprised if the RFID readers are using some new technology which I hope works better than the fingerprint scanners they have at the turnstiles now.

TCD

We have these scanners at work and I can guarantee it doesn't take fingerprints. It actually measures the distance between the lines in your fingerprints and then uses a mathematical formula to create a number. During the winter we have a lot of trouble with these because as people's hands dry out the lines spread further apart and change the measurements. The same thing happens of you press down real hard when registering. If you don't match the pressure the next time the measurement changes.

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

We have these scanners at work and I can guarantee it doesn't take fingerprints. It actually measures the distance between the lines in your fingerprints and then uses a mathematical formula to create a number. During the winter we have a lot of trouble with these because as people's hands dry out the lines spread further apart and change the measurements. The same thing happens of you press down real hard when registering. If you don't match the pressure the next time the measurement changes.

 

This must be the kind of system Disney uses- as we often have to stand at the stupid machines and have our prints rescanned.

 

And measuring the lines on someone's fingerprint and assigning a mathematical value to it is still mining personal information from that person.  Isn't that what all fingerprint scanners do?  To say they aren't storing people's fingerprints is just a matter of semantics.

 

TCD

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

BTW-

 

I finally got an email from Disney today (March 26th) telling me that passholders can convert their paper passes to the new RFID cards beginning March 20th.

 

Hey, they're just 6 days late.

 

Much better than normal.

 

TCD