Annual Pass holders and Magic Bands

Killnme

Killnme

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
My neighbor's family and my family are annual pass holders and make a lot of weekend trips to The MK.

He went online and made a hotel reservation so they could get magic bands for their annual tickets. He received the bands a few weeks ago. Well last night he called to cancel his hotel reservation, but asked if he could still use the magic bands and the lady said yes. So he went online to fast pass stuff for this weekend. And his account didn't show his bands anymore. He called back and found out the only way right now for an annual pass holder to have magic bands that work is by staying at least once in a Disney hotel.

And here comes the worst news annual pass holders won't get bands any other way until testing is done and Disney just extend testing through March. You would think they would want to test the system with some of their most loyal customers instead of random people on vacation.

It seems like the annual pass holders are getting pushed down the list even more now a days.
 
JohnD

JohnD

Well-Known Member
Not sure about the MBs but I think you still have access to FP+ on MDE anyway. You can certainly tap your AP to get into the park and at the readers of individual rides.
 
Cmdr_Crimson

Cmdr_Crimson

Well-Known Member
I'm a passholder and I was told that even tho I am a AP I will get a card and I'll get the Magic Band for my room only..Now I just have to get the new card..
 
Mukta

Mukta

Well-Known Member
Why would AP holders need bands if they aren't staying at a hotel? They are used to enter the park, open your hotel door, charge back to the hotel, dining plan credits.
 
Hobnail Boot

Hobnail Boot

Well-Known Member
I renewed my AP during my trip last month and got a Magic Band beforehand. I still have full access to everything on MDE. I just checked and I can make FP+ reservations. I don't think they will ever fully figure this system out.
 
skimbob

skimbob

Well-Known Member
I will be getting a magic band for my January trip but will not have access to FP+ because my Premier pass expires in December and I am not allowed renew it online or over the phone. They can only be renewed in person. Disney's IT Department has documented this as yet another fix that needs to be made to the Magic Bands. The worst part is this is not helping me out for my trip. I pay the most for that pass and I get the least amount of service. Thanks Disney I am feeling the love.
 
s&k'smom

s&k'smom

Well-Known Member
This is interesting info as I hope to purchase an AP by February, as we are planning almost yearly trips for the next few years. Thank you!
 
R

rangerbob

Well-Known Member
Mukta said:
Why would AP holders need bands if they aren't staying at a hotel? They are used to enter the park, open your hotel door, charge back to the hotel, dining plan credits.
Click to expand...

You said the magical statement, they are used to enter the park. I made a reservation with some friends in January partly so we can get the bands and start to use them. I doubt we will be able to make FP selections after the stay though but at least we can use them to enter the park.
 
J061112C

J061112C

Member
rangerbob said:
You said the magical statement, they are used to enter the park. I made a reservation with some friends in January partly so we can get the bands and start to use them. I doubt we will be able to make FP selections after the stay though but at least we can use them to enter the park.
Click to expand...

We just stayed at all star movie resort and are AP holders. We are still able to use the bands for FP+, entry into the park and even paying for stuff. Many AP holders with a prior resort stay have reported the same.
 
Mukta

Mukta

Well-Known Member
rangerbob said:
You said the magical statement, they are used to enter the park. I made a reservation with some friends in January partly so we can get the bands and start to use them. I doubt we will be able to make FP selections after the stay though but at least we can use them to enter the park.
Click to expand...
When you have an AP, you use that to enter the park, not a KTTW card or magic your way ticket.
 
skimbob

skimbob

Well-Known Member
s&k'smom said:
This is interesting info as I hope to purchase an AP by February, as we are planning almost yearly trips for the next few years. Thank you!
Click to expand...

Some passes can be purchased online or over the phone so it will depend on what you are getting. i would call the passholder phone number and ask. My pass is very rare as few people have this pass which is good for all of WDW and DL. Obviously we Premier passholders got forgotten when they rolled out the new technology. Now that they know I feel they should do something for me and the others that have this pass to give us access to Fastpass plus since it is their rule that limits us from buying our pass or renewing our pass until we get to the parks. I will be paying $969 for the pass in 2014 so it is not cheap and I stay on property on both coasts.
 
luv

luv

Well-Known Member
skimbob said:
Some passes can be purchased online or over the phone so it will depend on what you are getting. i would call the passholder phone number and ask. My pass is very rare as few people have this pass which is good for all of WDW and DL. Obviously we Premier passholders got forgotten when they rolled out the new technology. Now that they know I feel they should do something for me and the others that have this pass to give us access to Fastpass plus since it is their rule that limits us from buying our pass or renewing our pass until we get to the parks. I will be paying $969 for the pass in 2014 so it is not cheap and I stay on property on both coasts.
Click to expand...
You should stop in at Guest Services (or call them from your room) when you get there and explain your situation. It doesn't seem right to be penalized for buying the most expensive pass.

I wonder if they'll be able to do more for you when you're actually there.
 
skimbob

skimbob

Well-Known Member
I have been on the phone again with them today with no luck. One CM told me to buy a lower pass and then upgrade once I get there. I spoke with Guest Relations this morning as well and I told the person I spoke with that I shouldn't have to do that just to have access. I am not feeling the Disney love right now.
 
RonAnnArbor

RonAnnArbor

Well-Known Member
Um -- again, lots of misinformation in here.
For the timebeing they are still using the paper ticketed fastpasses like they always have -- in fact, as a season ticket holder you have unlimited fastpasses (probably through march) unlike the 3 in one park per day with your wristband.
Second, you will NEVER have to use a wristband if you dont want to-- just your RFID enabled seasonpass card. If you haven't converted your paper pass to the plastic RFID card, you should do so at your next trip.
Third -- you can use your RFID card inside the park to select fastpass+ Passes at any Kiosk (they are all over the parks now). You tap it, select your fastpasses, and they are programmed in, and off you go.

As a seasonpass holder myself, I can tell you why they aren't doing the wristband rollout with us -- the last thing they want is OUR feedback -- I was on a focus group about 8 months ago during testing and had nothing but negative things to say about it, as did anyone else who was a seasonpass holder --- frankly, they weren't interested in our feedback. With the over a million seasonpass holders, they know they have a captive audience. Not the people they are worried about.
 
photoflight

photoflight

Well-Known Member
RonAnnArbor said:
Third -- you can use your RFID card inside the park to select fastpass+ Passes at any Kiosk (they are all over the parks now). You tap it, select your fastpasses, and they are programmed in, and off you go.
Click to expand...

Ron - Maybe this has been addressed somewhere else but I probably missed it: I go to WDW on a pretty regular basis with my RFID AP. I also have a linked MagicBand for an upcoming vacation... the only reason I've been interested in the MagicBand was to try Fastpass+ (which I'm not sold on, but that's another story).

Anyway, are you saying that I can just use my regular old RFID AP for Fastpass+ access when I'm not staying on property?

Really curious about that. Thanks!

-Scott
 
Rob562

Rob562

Well-Known Member
photoflight said:
Ron - Maybe this has been addressed somewhere else but I probably missed it: I go to WDW on a pretty regular basis with my RFID AP. I also have a linked MagicBand for an upcoming vacation... the only reason I've been interested in the MagicBand was to try Fastpass+ (which I'm not sold on, but that's another story).

Anyway, are you saying that I can just use my regular old RFID AP for Fastpass+ access when I'm not staying on property?

Really curious about that. Thanks!

-Scott
Click to expand...

You'll still have access to FP+ on dates *after* your resort reservation (though with the ~7 days of active FP+ reservations limitation). Since both the Band and your AP RFID card are just "pointers" to your profile, where your tickets and FP+ reservations are actually stored, the card and the Band can be used interchangeably. (If the system works as I presume it does, you might even be able to use your AP card to enter your hotel room)

-Rob
 

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