Notes from Neverland
Well-Known Member
As much as I like Disney giving options, I really hope this doesn't cause future issues at tap points with guests who struggle with technology.
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News Disney MagicMobile Service coming soon beginning with Apple devices
- Thread starter wdwmagic
- Start date
donsullivan
Premium Member
Parks Blog just released some more details.
Disney MagicMobile Option Launches on Apple Devices – How to Get Started for Contactless Walt Disney World Park Entry
Beginning today, guests at Walt Disney World Resort will be able to enjoy a convenient and contactless new option for entering the theme parks and more, as part of the rollout of Disney MagicMobile service!
disneyparks.disney.go.com
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GrumpyFan
Well-Known Member
IT'S ALIVE!Parks Blog just released some more details.
Disney MagicMobile Option Launches on Apple Devices – How to Get Started for Contactless Walt Disney World Park Entry
Beginning today, guests at Walt Disney World Resort will be able to enjoy a convenient and contactless new option for entering the theme parks and more, as part of the rollout of Disney MagicMobile service!disneyparks.disney.go.com
DrewmanS
Well-Known Member
Is this even part of the future strategy of the technology? With facial recognition and RFID scanners as you board vehicles, is there a need for bluetooth within the parks? Significant cost reduction if they can eliminate bluetooth receivers and improved reliability if the technology does not require batteries (magicband) or minimal power for a device.
This might be of interest
Unannounced MagicMobile Feature in Testing at Hollywood Studios - Linking of On-Ride Photos Directly to Phone
Walt Disney World news, photos, and reviews! We provide you with daily news from the Walt Disney World theme parks and beyond
blogmickey.com
donsullivan
Premium Member
The Bluetooth receivers are necessary to sync the camera with your ride vehicle for on-ride photos on attractions such as haunted mansion, Pirates, Slinky Dog Dash and many more. the RFID requires direct touch which would not sync you when in motion on the attraction the way the active Bluetooth radios in the bands can today.
jaklgreen
Well-Known Member
I think that the people who like this, just want to show off their Apple watch. LOL 
I don't wear a watch nor do we use Apple products. I won't be using it on my Android, if it comes to that. I don't want yet another app on my phone. I like the magic bands. I like that it is always "ready" and convenient. I like that you can just wear it the pool and not have to bring anything else or worry about someone stealing your phone or room key(which is great for someone like me that travels solo). I have no issues with them expanding ways to get into the park. I just hope that they have reminders to people to have it "ready" before they get to the tapstyle. And how will it work for a parent having their kid's ticket? Will they have to switch over to another ticket option in the same app? Does everyone need their own app?
I don't wear a watch nor do we use Apple products. I won't be using it on my Android, if it comes to that. I don't want yet another app on my phone. I like the magic bands. I like that it is always "ready" and convenient. I like that you can just wear it the pool and not have to bring anything else or worry about someone stealing your phone or room key(which is great for someone like me that travels solo). I have no issues with them expanding ways to get into the park. I just hope that they have reminders to people to have it "ready" before they get to the tapstyle. And how will it work for a parent having their kid's ticket? Will they have to switch over to another ticket option in the same app? Does everyone need their own app?
I can't speak for Android, but on Apple devices it uses the inbuilt native Wallet app, so does not require any additional apps to be installed. (You obviously do need My Disney Experience, but that is a given these days)I think that the people who like this, just want to show off their Apple watch. LOL
lazyboy97o
Well-Known Member
This has been answered. Multiple passes can be added to the Apple Wallet which can be accessed with a double tap of the power button.
DrewmanS
Well-Known Member
My point was, could the future use of the "system" eliminate the need for bluetooth. A picture of the ride vehicle before it leaves the station can link guests to the vehicle through facial recognition. Allow guests to tap devices on gates before entering vehicle. Passive RFID tags can be read from 3 feet or more, current touch points require an NFC device to be within inches to confirm it is reading the intended tag. When boarding a vehicle or passing through a specific area, the reader only needs identify the tags, not isolate them. So if devices could be used as passive RFID instead of just NFC, then it could also eliminate the need for bluetooth.
donsullivan
Premium Member
There are lots of things that are theoretically possible but the infrastructure for the Bluetooth model is already in place throughout the parks and is also used to access hotel rooms, so it’s not going away any time soon.
TrainsOfDisney
Well-Known Member
I do. I like having a physical ticket to hand to TSA and the gate agent.
Indeed. I haven’t been using magic bands this whole time. I like the idea of having my AP and resort info in my phone / watch though.
durangojim
Well-Known Member
I wonder if the bar code comes into play with that
Yes it works for a period of time when the phone has exhausted the battery (around 5 hours)
drnilescrane
Well-Known Member
Except for hotel door locks. But that's really on Apple to fix - we need "HotelKey" in the vein of "CarKey". Also pool gates (such as the Poly) and common doors typically lack the bluetooth module so won't work there either.
donsullivan
Premium Member
But the Bluetooth access for door keys in the hotels is pretty much an industry standard model used by countless hotels around the world. It wouldn’t make financial sense for Disney to create a proprietary room access system and then need to have all new door locks created again.
drnilescrane
Well-Known Member
Yeah - agreed. That's why I said Apple needs to fix it. Support it natively in wallet via NFC. Apple's the only reason hotels went with BTLE as a workaround.
donsullivan
Premium Member
But making such a change would require millions of hotel door locks to be changed around the world which isn’t a practical reality. My understanding was that BT was selected by the industry for door locks because of power. For the door lock to be an active devices (required for NFC reader) the power requirements would be completely different vs the accessing device (phone) being the powered device. BT is extremely low power which is what makes this all possible.
lazyboy97o
Well-Known Member
Bluetooth came after the advent of RFID cards and you can buy new modules that add the Bluetooth to existing RFID hardware. As stated, Bluetooth was an added workaround when Apple didn’t open up their hardware.