May I ask what your reason for not wanting the MB is? We absolutely love them.
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Declining Magic Band
- Thread starter CDavid
- Start date
Deranged Hermit
Active Member
My first thought as well. I honestly don't see a downside to them other than the whole 'big brother is watching you' theory.
Seanual757
Well-Known Member
I honestly do not see what the big deal is it's just a band. Do you have a cell phone? yes you are being tacked, do you not see the cameras all around you are being tracked.
I will honestly say I would be very disappointed if WDW did away with the bands we love them very easy to use and I never have to worry about losing a key card or forgetting it when going to the pool, or the parks.
I will honestly say I would be very disappointed if WDW did away with the bands we love them very easy to use and I never have to worry about losing a key card or forgetting it when going to the pool, or the parks.
Mukta
Well-Known Member
I didn't use FP on a few rides and I didn't have memory maker. When I came home there were photos from rides in my MDE account for rides I didn't use FP on.
donsullivan
Premium Member
There is no factual data out there that anyone other than Disney has access to that data and their policy of what they do with it is clearly documented in their Privacy Policy on the topic:
https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/faq/my-disney-experience/privacy-policy/
There was a lot of fear mongering when this all started a couple of years ago including by a couple of misinformed US senators and Disney made it absolutely clear what their policy was and how they were using the data. Disney has been tracking your activities on their property for years and years, long before Magic bands. They had CRM systems that knew where you had lunch, where you stayed, where you made merchandise purchases all from matching your hotel reservation together with credit cards and similar data.
There is a practical issue here that should be clear to everyone. If Disney ever used the data in a way inconsistent with that, it would be front page news all over the place. No matter what you think of them personally, they are not fools and will not compromise the brand in that fashion. The cost to them is just too high to do otherwise.
And on a side note, there are 2 different communications methods in the bands and people mix them up all the time.
1- RFID is close proximity (touch) and is used for admission, Fastpass, Purchases, Room Access, etc.. This is a passive technology (as applied here) and requires no battery but very close proximity to the reader to work.
2- BlueTooth LE is used for the long range things like Memory Maker on-ride photos and other items discussed for the future. This is an active service and requires the small battery in the MagicBand to work. Over time that battery runs out and this part of the device no longer works. That's part of why they always send you new ones for each reservation because on normal visit patterns every few years, that battery would expire.
lazyboy97o
Well-Known Member
The issue was with who at Disney had the data. Cast Members were supposed to "magically" know who was in a party and their plans.
That Senator Markey was seriously discussed on a theme park web site is just embarrassing.
RonAnnArbor
Well-Known Member
THIS IS NOT TRUE --- and I went so far as to confirm this with Disney's Front Office and posted about it a few months ago...
If you do not want to use the band (and more than 25% OF VISITORS choose not to) you may request a KTTW card instead. It works EXACTLY like they always used to with Fastpass+ added to it. You can not decline the magic band being mailed to you. You can refuse it at Disney. They will issue a blank white card with your name on it. It works the same as it always has. Use it wherever they ask for your magic band.
I have 18 magic bands of various colors sitting at home in a big linked chain that have never been used and will never be used and have been using the cards all along.
If ANY person checking you in tries to use the "We don't issue cards anymore" story at check-in demand to talk to the manager -- and if not, you can tell them to call Elise in the front office who will clarify it.
I threw such a stink about this a few months ago that they actually did RETRAINING for the resort staff to teach them that they can NOT decline someone's request not to use a magic band. That should not be happening anymore.
Also, I don't think the major concern people have is being "tracked"...its that they don't want to wear those piece-of-garbage rubber bands on their wrists. I pop my card in and out of my wallet as I need it. No rubber bands. No sweaty wrists.
There are whole forums and groups online talking about how "not" to wear the bands...lots of people cut them down completely and just use the central "hub" and keep it in a pocket or a wallet. Others cut it down to just the central hub and drill a hole in the top and wear it on a necklace. I saw someone build one into an iPhone case and tap the case as needed to the readers.
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G00fyDad
Well-Known Member
Why does anyone care if "Kathy" in guest services, "Bob" in costuming, or "Shelly" the street performer knows if I am in MK, EPCOT, DHS, or AK, buying a turkey leg, or in bed for the night? What are they going to do with that info?
lazyboy97o
Well-Known Member
You don't think it would be weird if someone you don't know starting asking about the details of your day?
RonAnnArbor
Well-Known Member
The general idea is that they can deploy more employees to a particular area in the park if they need to -- or reduce staffing levels if the flow changes. At least that is the theory...example, if more people are for some reason flowing to Tomorrowland at 8pm, they can deploy two employees to work at Mickey's Star Traders and open up two additional cash registers. Its all about money flow.
Jon81uk
Well-Known Member
Yep the long range RFID (Bluetooth) in the band records what rides you've been on (as there as detectors on the ride somewhere) and automagically adds photos to your photo pass. As they want to sell you more photos.
G00fyDad
Well-Known Member
Not particularly. No.
donsullivan
Premium Member
Please show me where this is actually happening. This feels like fear mongering without any factual basis.
lazyboy97o
Well-Known Member
It is not happening because the plan was scrapped. Having the characters know names still seems to be of interest. A lot of forward facing components were cut.
Jon81uk
Well-Known Member
The CMs often asked me about my day or my celebrations anyway. If I noted on my reservations it's my birthday and the computer tells a CM that, surely that's the whole point of me adding the note in the first place.
lazyboy97o
Well-Known Member
Yes, but that it information you intentionally shared for such a purpose by placing it on the reservation or by wearing a button. That is different than your waiter knowing you just rode Splash Mountain without a FastPass+ reservation.
Because some people will always scream "invasion of privacy" etc whilst shopping on Amazon (other sites are available) with their credit card of choice ...
Why, why, why does anyone who has a problem with - or simply doesn't like - Magic Bands almost universally get labeled a tinfoil hat wearing conspiracy theorist who is afraid of being tracked by "big brother" (the Mouse)? Most objections to the bands have nothing to do with tracking or other privacy issues; Personally, I really don't care if Disney knows how long I browse in Mouse Gear to spend $12.95 or that I take frequent restroom breaks.
I'm a 46 yr old man; I am not going to wear a silly colored plastic bracelet. As noted previously, I have something called standards and self-respect. Some people get a bolt stuck through their nose or tongue, but that doesn't mean I need one.
The biggest downside to the bands is that if you're not going to wear it on your wrist - and as noted in previous posts, many guests do not - it is less convenient than the old Key-to-the-World (KTTW) card. It is bulkier to carry around and (when not on wrist) not as easy to tap to sensors as the card. Where the card fits neatly in a shirt or pants pocket, wallet or wherever else the band is really only ideal for the wrist (and many of us don't want that). Again, it's not a 'big brother' issue.
Disney, reported some time ago in the 'spirited' thread I believe, is apparently aware of the objections, and was stated to be working on alternative form factor(s) rather than a band or nothing.
It is not a big deal, or at least it shouldn't be. However, if guests are being told - or perhaps just led to believe or 'suggested' - that they can't have a KTTW card anymore then that is very much a big deal. I strongly suspect more Walt Disney World resort guests would indeed opt for cards if they knew they were readily available. Even on this forum, where people generally possess far greater WDW knowledge than is typical, we have (well meaning - for certain - but misinformed) posters stating Disney will soon do away with cards or you have to have a legitimate reason to request one. I just returned and getting a card was not a problem at all, yet I still saw people pulling bands out of their pockets.
First, Thank You for your informative post.
Second, people cutting the Magic Band down to size are ahead of Disney on this. It is (roughly) the size of a car key FOB; Why limit options to a band so many people don't like? The "core" (hub) component could be attached/carried any number of ways - lanyard, key chain, band, or just in your pocket.
Andrew C
You know what's funny?
G00fyDad
Well-Known Member
But why does it bother you if the waiter knows that you just rode Splash Mountain?
The specific comments from people here negate your entire argument. They ARE in fact concerned with people knowing where they're gone and where they're going. Read some of them.
Too cool for school!
I am also a man. But have no standards or self respect.
Add me to the over 40 and no standards