News Disney will be ending complimentary MagicBand distribution to Disney Resort hotel guests and moving to smart devices

[donsullivan]

Personally, I'm pretty happy to see them making this transition. It gets rid of all the waste and expense of shipping millions of magic bands every year. I understand not every member of your party has a smartphone or watch, but this transition (at least initially) doesn't require that. It just enables personal technology a very large portion of guests already carry to become the access tool for their purchased entitlements at the resort replacing the MagicBand.
It seems like an inevitable evolution of the platform. Everything else in our world has already moved to this access method, Disney is just now catching up with the outside world with this.

 

[aaronml]

still waiting for a place to enter your own RFID number... so i can have a chip installed

Technically speaking you can dissolve a card in acetone and implant the chip..... there are guides online for it, though none specifically for MagicBands but the process is the same for most of not all RFID tags.

 

[The_Jobu]

This is a confusing move, I dont really see the motivation.

I also live outside the US so I never got my magic bands shipped, had to pick them up at the front desk. I think they could easily maintain that and add a token charge of a dollar or two.

 

[peter11435]

This is a confusing move, I dont really see the motivation.

I also live outside the US so I never got my magic bands shipped, had to pick them up at the front desk. I think they could easily maintain that and add a token charge of a dollar or two.

Magicbands (manufacturing and shipping) costs money and shipping are environmentally wasteful.

 

[The_Jobu]

Magicbands (manufacturing and shipping) costs money and shipping are environmentally wasteful.

Exactly, shipping them all to the hotels instead of around the US is win-win.

 

[DisneyJayL]

I’m ecstatic about everything but those Tennessee Volunteer canned pictures that were used with the article.

 

[lazyboy97o]

This is a confusing move, I dont really see the motivation.

I also live outside the US so I never got my magic bands shipped, had to pick them up at the front desk. I think they could easily maintain that and add a token charge of a dollar or two.

The announcement says resort guests will still be offered MagicBands at a discounted price.

 

[The_Jobu]

The announcement says resort guests will still be offered MagicBands at a discounted price.

Yeah, I noticed they're keeping the part where they get money.

 

[peter11435]

Yeah, I noticed they're keeping the part where they get money.

Which is why this shouldn’t be a confusing move

 

[bpiper]

Which is why this shouldn’t be a confusing move

So your saying this is primarily a money grab with a side dish of environmentalism thrown in?

 

[HoustonHorn]

So your saying this is primarily a money grab with a side dish of environmentalism thrown in?

Yes, exactly like getting rid of plastic straws while virtually simultaneously introducing Ziploc bags (paid for by Ziploc) at Splash Mountain (RIP).

 

[peter11435]

So your saying this is primarily a money grab with a side dish of environmentalism thrown in?

I wouldn’t say money grab exactly. A lot of money is being put into upgrading infrastructure across the resort to allow magicband capabilities to transfer to guests phones. It will save money on one end but cost money on another. There are many factors going into this decision. Money is one of many.

 

[bpiper]

I wouldn’t say money grab exactly. A lot of money is being put into upgrading infrastructure across the resort to allow magicband capabilities to transfer to guests phones. It will save money on one end but cost money on another. There are many factors going into this decision. Money is one of many.

Not buying it. If they were totally discontinuing the Magicbands, then yes, I could see it.

Yes they are spending money on upgrading infrastructure to support this, but what is the ROI on the project? 1 year? After that, they are making money..... Disney always makes money nowadays.

 

[peter11435]

Not buying it. If they were totally discontinuing the Magicbands, then yes, I could see it.

Yes they are spending money on upgrading infrastructure to support this, but what is the ROI on the project? 1 year? After that, they are making money..... Disney always makes money nowadays.

If this were only about saving money they would have simply discontinued providing “complimentary” magicbands and would not Be investing in additional infrastructure. This project began long before 2020 and Covid and ultimately will lead to magicbands being a thing of the past someday.

 

[jeanericuser001]

I prefer the Busch Gardens approach to the passes through the app. Their system right now is so efficient its scary.

 

[Jon81uk]

The biggest positive of the MagicBand is not needing to carry something else if I leave my room. For example, if I go to the pool, I don't need to bring my phone/key/other object with me. Or if I decide to go for a walk around my resort. Or if I go to the gym at my resort. It is very convenient. I know I can still buy a MagicBand, but I'm guessing this is the first step in a phase out completely of MagicBands.

On a related note, I usually don't bring my phone to the parks. My wife brings hers and does all of our FP+, dining, etc. It is very liberating!

When I've been to a hotel pool elsewhere I just put the plastic keycard into my flipflop under the lounger.
Although most of the time I'm also taking a book, sunscreen, water etc down to the pool so have a small bag anyway the keycard can go into.

 

[Jon81uk]

Exactly, shipping them all to the hotels instead of around the US is win-win.

The band itself still costs money, Disney are now making you pay for it instead of giving it for "free". You can still get a plastic card for free, or use a smart device.

 

[Nottamus]

Its a really good day when the Magicbands show up in the mailbox. I'm a kid again. I will miss that.

Guess I COULD just mail my Apple Watch to myself for the same kind of reaction....

 

[todd23]

When I've been to a hotel pool elsewhere I just put the plastic keycard into my flipflop under the lounger.
Although most of the time I'm also taking a book, sunscreen, water etc down to the pool so have a small bag anyway the keycard can go into.

I agree that there are workarounds. I do like the convenience of not having to carry something, especially if my shorts don't have pockets, though. Or if I don't bring anything else to the pool, I don't have to worry about someone swiping my card/phone, etc. (I wish that didn't happen at Disney, but I'm sure it does occasionally!)

 

[RememberWhen]

Its a really good day when the Magicbands show up in the mailbox. I'm a kid again. I will miss that.

Guess I COULD just mail my Apple Watch to myself for the same kind of reaction....

It would be better if you could get someone else to steal your watch and mail it to you. One year, when I was a kid, my sister found my dad’s glasses about a week before Christmas. He frequently misplaced them. She wrapped them up and gave them to him for Christmas. He was sooo happy! Best present ever!