AP MyMagic+ Update

[WendyTinkerbell]

If you are an AP holder and already have MagicBands from previous trips, will you be able to get another one with the AP MagicBand roll out (presumably in March)? So, after I order my two additional bands for my next trip, will I be able to get another one and have four linked to my MDE account?

Also, any news on whether they plan on doing anything special for AP MagicBands? Even if it is just something that attaches to the MB, it may help with some of the currently annoyed AP people.

 

[ford91exploder]

If you are an AP holder and already have MagicBands from previous trips, will you be able to get another one with the AP MagicBand roll out (presumably in March)? So, after I order my two additional bands for my next trip, will I be able to get another one and have four linked to my MDE account?

Also, any news on whether they plan on doing anything special for AP MagicBands? Even if it is just something that attaches to the MB, it may help with some of the currently annoyed AP people.

Based on past experience I do not expect Disney to do anything for AP holders besides take their money

 

[JohnD]

If you are an AP holder and already have MagicBands from previous trips, will you be able to get another one with the AP MagicBand roll out (presumably in March)? So, after I order my two additional bands for my next trip, will I be able to get another one and have four linked to my MDE account?

Also, any news on whether they plan on doing anything special for AP MagicBands? Even if it is just something that attaches to the MB, it may help with some of the currently annoyed AP people.

Info on the WDW website: "MagicBands will be provided to Passholders whose passes provide admission to Magic Kingdom Park, Epcot, Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park or Disney’s Hollywood Studios. We’ll let you know more about MagicBands in the coming months."
https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/plan/my-disney-experience/passholder/

I read that to mean, regardless of whether MBs were obtained from previous trips, new MBs will be issued to AP holders.

 

[donsullivan]

Info on the WDW website: "MagicBands will be provided to Passholders whose passes provide admission to Magic Kingdom Park, Epcot, Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park or Disney’s Hollywood Studios. We’ll let you know more about MagicBands in the coming months."
https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/plan/my-disney-experience/passholder/

I read that to mean, regardless of whether MBs were obtained from previous trips, new MBs will be issued to AP holders.

I would caution reading too much into the language of that web page. It may turn out to be exactly accurate but it was posted in April, 2013 and has never been updated despite WDW not delivering on any of its schedule commitments.

 

[JohnD]

I read it into what it said, no more, no less. Unless someone has an inside source, all I can do is answer the question based on the info provided by WDW.

 

[brokedad]

As an Orlando local Passholder, I got tired of waiting for communication from Disney so I paid what I call the Passholder Tax and booked a one night stay at Pop 2 weekends ago. As a result of that stay I now have full access to advance reservations even though I do not have a resort stay.

I now have the ability to book FastPass+ on a rolling 60 day calendar and I can have reservations on any 7 unique calendar days during that 60 day window at any one time. Once you have 7 days of reservations booked, you have to either use a day, let it expire or cancel it before you can book another day. All of the 3FP+ and one park per day constraints are the same as for non-Passholder resort guests. You can link other eligible guests and book shared FP+ as well as copy your reservations to another eligible guest in either the website or mobile app.

I made reservations on Sunday morning from home to go to DHS and ended up riding TSMM for the first time in over 4 years as a result. Once I got there, I was even able to change the time of one of my FP+ just like resort guests have been able to do for months now.

Basically, the ability to do this has been active in Disney's systems since last fall but they have not been able/willing to activate Passholders except after a resort stay.

So what you are saying, a local AP holder, I can book a one night stay in the very near future and be able to reserve fp+ online even after my one night stay?

 

[donsullivan]

So what you are saying, a local AP holder, I can book a one night stay in the very near future and be able to reserve fp+ online even after my one night stay?

That is correct. I booked a one night stay at Pop Century 2 weeks ago using the current Passholder Room Special. My AP was already linked to my MDX profile so as soon as I completed payment for the room I immediately had access to FP+ advance reservation starting on the check-in date of my overnight stay.

From the check-in date forward I have full access to make FP+ advance reservations for any 7 unique days on a rolling 60 day calendar. For example if I log onto the website right now (2/5/14) I actually have FP+ reservations booked for Friday evening at Epcot and I can book FP+ as far into the future as 4/6/14. I only have Friday booked since that's the only date I know I'll be in the parks. This past Sunday, I decided in the morning to go to DHS and was able to book my 3-FP+ reservations that morning before I left home for TSMM, ToT and StarTours all to ride before 3PM the same day. You are subject to all of the constraints others are describing of one park per day, and 3 per park and all but in this scenario currently, once a Passholder completes that resort stay, you have full access to the program just like any resort guest after your resort stay is over.

I'm sort of kicking myself now for having been so stubborn and waiting for it to roll out to Passholders organically. I should have just booked the resort stay last fall and I'd have had this access all through the holidays. It seems that a very large numbers of Passholders did just that, which meant there has been only a relatively small number of them beating up on Disney for a Passholder rollout since so many already had access.

 

[brokedad]

Thank you Donsullivan, fp+here I come

 

[JohnD]

All true. I found that out after staying at All Star Sports over Veterans Day weekend last November. I can see other people's arguments, however, especially locals, as to why they should have to pay for a resort stay. I'm a Florida Resident and live four hours away so a resort stay is needed for me anyway. So, if you live far enough away, then I think there is justification for booking a resort stay to get this AP feature. Your call if you live within "commute" distance.

 

[irnmanjames]

If you are an AP holder and already have MagicBands from previous trips, will you be able to get another one with the AP MagicBand roll out (presumably in March)? So, after I order my two additional bands for my next trip, will I be able to get another one and have four linked to my MDE account?

Also, any news on whether they plan on doing anything special for AP MagicBands? Even if it is just something that attaches to the MB, it may help with some of the currently annoyed AP people.

As part of the AP Magic Band testers, they included a small 2013-2014 Passholder Slider seen below. No idea if anything else will be coming with the official roll out.

 

[mergatroid]

All true. I found that out after staying at All Star Sports over Veterans Day weekend last November. I can see other people's arguments, however, especially locals, as to why they should have to pay for a resort stay. I'm a Florida Resident and live four hours away so a resort stay is needed for me anyway. So, if you live far enough away, then I think there is justification for booking a resort stay to get this AP feature. Your call if you live within "commute" distance.

I'm a bit of a catch 22 really. Live over 9 hours away here in litte olde England and have premium AP's with my wife. However as we have a holiday home in Haines City 40 mins drive away from Disney, we don't want to pay for a nights stay in a Disney room which wouldn't be as comfortable as the place we already have. We return in Sep this year for 3 weeks so I'm really hoping by then our access to MDE FP+ is up and running and that we can at least pick up our magic bands on the first day of our stay (would be great for Disney to post them to us in advance, but we're not holding our breath).

At least the things talked about on this thread have given us real hope that come our trip we can make reservations in advance for FP+ this year. We much preferred the old system where everyone had the same chance of getting FP's on the day of their visit from the machines issuing paper tickets, but accept that times change and things move on. However last October was a nightmare as we couldn't advance book FP+ (or book them at all) and the FP machines in some cases were issuing FP's very late in the day even at 9am when the park opened at times beyond the time we wanted to leave. Like all new systems though, we'll be optimistic and give it a go and if we end up preferring it then we'll happily say "well done Disney, we were wrong to doubt this". Here's hoping that's the case.. .

 

[Anariaca]

I didn't even get that AP email. Disney hates me* ._.

* - may or may not be true.

 

[WendyTinkerbell]

I did not receive an email update either, not have I ever in relation to my annual pass. I don't get a Mickey Monitor 90% of the time either.

If you already have a MagicBand, is it possible to get the slider and the gold AP card at the resort?

 

[MissM]

As of today when I updated my android app (it's only an incremental update, not the full version apple devices got), it's letting me schedule FP+ as an AP for myself and Love (I had linked our tickets in the system already) for this coming weekend. We have NOT had a resort stay and do NOT have magic bands or participated in any tests.

 

[kma71677]

I just checked my new downloaded version, and still nothing. My tickets are linked, but I still do not have an armband either. Hmmm. Congrats- you're lucky!!

 

[Rob562]

As of today when I updated my android app (it's only an incremental update, not the full version apple devices got), it's letting me schedule FP+ as an AP for myself and Love (I had linked our tickets in the system already) for this coming weekend. We have NOT had a resort stay and do NOT have magic bands or participated in any tests.

Do you also have access on the MDE website? Or is it just via the app?

-Rob

 

[MissM]

Do you also have access on the MDE website? Or is it just via the app?

-Rob

Both apparently! Check this out.

AND...apparently, there's an "order" for Magic Bands. I did NOT initiate the order. It was there in my account when I logged in.

 

[MissM]

AH HA! Check it out. I just got this email. (It's funny because I made reservations earlier today thinking it was a lucky fluke it was working. Apparently, the permissions were activated prior to me getting the email.)

Sorry it's so many screenshots. The email was long:

So that's why it's working for me. I don't know if I was selected because I had an existing dining reservation on the books already for the time period or what. I didn't ASK to be part of the test or anything. (i.e. I didn't sign up as someone interested in participating.)

 

[KellyELock]

BearsMom,

I also wondered about the issue of APs being able to reserve endless FP+ times which they may or may not make. If APs could make plans for all 60 days it could totally use up all FP times not letting hotel guests have a chance.

However, what I've heard is that they are going to allow APs to only make up to 7 days worth of FP+ reservations at any one time, so that would help with that potential problem. Some people have worried APs will only be allowed 7 within a period, but I don't think that is the case...I think it's just that you won't be able to maintain more than 7 days worth at a time, but the amount of days you can make FP arrangements will be unlimited.

And lilclerk...the "no one in your party has access to FP+ dates" notice is the exact same message I was getting until just two days ago when I started to see where this actual date of April 8 was then showing as to when I could make FP+ arrangements instead of the "no one in your party...".

I think I have a unique situation. We are APs, and I had also been getting the "In order to select FastPass+ experiences, party members must have a valid ticket and be wtihin at least one party member's FastPass+ selection window" message when trying to make FastPass+ selections, then it would bring me to a page with more info/details about FastPass+. Well, we recently booked a stay at the Art of Animation resort but aren't going until Memorial Day weekend in May. Ever since I've booked that trip, I still get the same message when I go to try to make FastPass+ selections, excecpt now it takes me to a page that says "You may begin making FastPass+ selections for your vacation on April 19, 2014." I never got any date before I booked this resort stay...which I booked at the end of January. I'm just curious as to why I would be getting the April 19th date, instead of the April 8th date like some other people have mentioned here. April 19th is 35 days prior to our May resort stay (we check in May 24th). Maybe they are rolling it out to APs in phases? Who knows! Where's the insiders who know this stuff??? ;-)

 

[MissM]

So for those of you following along, I found out Thursday I had access to FP+ as a Florida resident AP, then a couple hours later, got the email notifying me I was selected for the test. (And later that day, Love also got an email to HIS email saying the same thing though I already have his AP linked to my account so I could manage it for both of us.)

I completed the Magic Band order (though I have no intention of using them and will stick with my card) to ensure I would continue to have access. I got an email today notifying me of shipping. The Magic Bands were shipped next-day air yesterday from Tennessee via UPS and are scheduled to arrive Monday.

Meanwhile, today we are heading over and I'll try out the whole FP+ thing for the first time as an apparent AP tester.