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

[icc2515]

The holiday shipping challenges didn't appear to get much media coverage, but ALL the USA shipping companies experienced major problems this holiday season.

I wonder what they could have been covering instead?

 

[MickeyLuv'r]

I wonder what they could have been covering instead?

Indeed.

And unfortunately, what media attention the shipping situation did attract was politicized as part of the current events that were more heavily covered. I was trying to skirt around that so as not to trigger a politicization of this discussion, but perhaps I was too vague.

Oh well, I tried!

 

[gorebunch]

There are 5 of us traveling and checking in on January 15th but we only customized 3 bands for the kids and elected to use old ones for the adults. I was surprised when they came in because we had the 3 customized bands and they included standard gray ones for my wife and I. We only paid for the custom bands.

 

[NelleBelle]

I'm not sure how they are being shipped, but USA shipping is a hot mess right now. (Though I really could have used an even more colorful expression there.) I placed an order on December 6 that didn't arrive until December 30. Sigh. Too late.

The holiday shipping challenges didn't appear to get much media coverage, but ALL the USA shipping companies experienced major problems this holiday season.

Wonder if it's company-dependent--we've been ordering from Amazon all through the Holiday season and have received all our orders (a day or two late, but that's been happening ever since Ms. Rona started visiting). The only thing we've not received yet that was ordered in early Dec? Our MB! I hope everyone who has trips scheduled for this month gets theirs soon!

 

[matt9112]

Think bigger. NFC or bluetooth. Just walk up to the reader and if you have your phone on you it detects how many are allowed automatically and the CM lets you in. I would prefer to not have to have magic bands on the whole family. On our most recent trip in Feb/March it is just one more thing to remember to put on the kids on the way out of the room for the day. Also checking their bands throughout the day to make sure they were still there. We found many bands on the ground that fell off of people.

Can always put the puck in many other places though to be fair.

 

[matt9112]

But its a hint of where thing are going. In the not too distant future this type of system will be commonplace and users will have a lot more confidence in it. Hopefully

If only that 2 billion was spend on rides....

 

[jaklgreen]

I generally used - or tried to use my MB - so I'm not a MB hater by any means. In fact, long before WDW had them, Great Wolf Lodge had wristbands, and many times I suggested them whenever I filled out a WDW survey.

That said, many times over my Magic bands didn't work properly. I don't think the problem was the bands themselves, but an error in how WDW had listed my identity in their system. In short, sometimes the bands worked for me, but often they don't, starting with my first MB. I made 3 trips to the front desk to get it fixed, which was time consuming. Our trip ended before it was resolved. My bands would work for park entry and FP, but nothing else.

Having to go to the front desk multiple times to get a problem resolved is rather time consuming, and sometimes = an outsize hassle. It might = missing an ADR or FP, or visiting the front desk while everyone else naps. So they nap, and wake up refreshed.

Sometimes CM's are pretty nice, and they'll even offer some small compensation for the lost time.

Other times though, explaining the problem is a huge hassle. Some CM's think it is impossible for WDW to ever have a glitch. Those CM's make reporting a technical problem a miserable experience: accusing me of theft or something nefarious. And those CM's refuse to try to fix the problem. Another fun experience is a CM hinting I'm too dumb to use a MB. It didn't matter how many times I said my companions' bands worked just fine whenever we traded.
So then what? Wait in line again the next day in the hopes of getting a different CM? Be THAT person, and ask to speak to a manager? Suffice it to say, reporting MB problems have sometimes been a less-than-magical experience.

Mostly, I just gave up and put up with it, because that is less aggravating.

I know some people really had issues with them but I never really did. The one time that I had an issue was with a split stay and at the second hotel, it would not open my door. They did fix it, but that was the only time in all of my trips that the MB did not work like it was supposed to. I guess I would feel different if I always had issues. I wonder if it had something to do with your MDE account.

 

[bpiper]

Wonder if it's company-dependent--we've been ordering from Amazon all through the Holiday season and have received all our orders (a day or two late, but that's been happening ever since Ms. Rona started visiting). The only thing we've not received yet that was ordered in early Dec? Our MB! I hope everyone who has trips scheduled for this month gets theirs soon!

Our shipments always come US postal service. They have been a mess this year. SIL just got a card mailed on Dec 6.

 

[FATHER OF FIVE]

So is there any real advantage to having a magic band at this point?? I may still get them because the kids like having them for the room and park entrance.

 

[jaklgreen]

So is there any real advantage to having a magic band at this point?? I may still get them because the kids like having them for the room and park entrance.

The magic bands do the same thing as they always do. They are just not included with your stay anymore. If you like having them instead of holding onto the key cards, then get them. We plan to still use ours.

 

[MickeyLuv'r]

So is there any real advantage to having a magic band at this point?? I may still get them because the kids like having them for the room and park entrance.

As long as possible, personally, I'd just let the kids keep using the ones you already own.

(As has likely been said many times in this thread, as long as you don't lose them, they'll continue to work as a room key/ park ticket.)

 

[doctornick]

So is there any real advantage to having a magic band at this point?? I may still get them because the kids like having them for the room and park entrance.

The advantages of a magic band over a KTTW card (or phone) are:

1. That is is wearable, if that is important to you. Some people enjoy that aspect and find it more convenient, others find them annoying to have on.
2. The RFID of the bands can be captured at distance allowing for photos and videos from rides to be automatically added to your account. This also is used for some of the easter eggs (like your name being posted at the end of IASW or some of the personalized stuff in the queues where your name will show up).

Someone can correct me, but I don't think you would get the stuff in #2 with a card or phone. To download photos from rides, you'd have to swipe your media at the exit where the photos are on display.

 

[lazyboy97o]

The advantages of a magic band over a KTTW card (or phone) are:

1. That is is wearable, if that is important to you. Some people enjoy that aspect and find it more convenient, others find them annoying to have on.
2. The RFID of the bands can be captured at distance allowing for photos and videos from rides to be automatically added to your account. This also is used for some of the easter eggs (like your name being posted at the end of IASW or some of the personalized stuff in the queues where your name will show up).

Someone can correct me, but I don't think you would get the stuff in #2 with a card or phone. To download photos from rides, you'd have to swipe your media at the exit where the photos are on display.

It is possible to do the automatic tracking with a phone using Bluetooth. Some of the long range readers are also capable of picking up the cards, but this functionality is disabled as the card is provided in part as an opt out of having your location tracked.

Wearable could also be offered to phones if Disney decides to offer any sort of smartwatch support.

 

[Sherry002]

I ordered our magic bands and they shipped 12/3. They arrived at the distribution center in my town on the 12/8. It is Jan 6th and I still haven't received them. I contacted Disney and they told me they are having many problems with MB shipment and I was lucky mine got as far as they did in the system. USPS is really bad if they can't get it across town to my house.

 

[unmitigated disaster]

My father prefers the band because it's easier for him. No more fumbling for a key for his room. Using fast passes.

 

[cinderellafan6]

So I ordered my magic band on Dec 7th and still have not received it. I have ordered many bands before and never had this problem. I Ordered my moms the day after mine and she received hers 2 weeks ago. We are annual passholders but paid for the upgraded bands. Has this happen to anyone before and if so who can I reach out to in order to get my band? Yes they charged me for it and I did not receive a refund. Thanks for your help!

 

[Gillyanne]

I ordered our magic bands and they shipped 12/3. They arrived at the distribution center in my town on the 12/8. It is Jan 6th and I still haven't received them. I contacted Disney and they told me they are having many problems with MB shipment and I was lucky mine got as far as they did in the system. USPS is really bad if they can't get it across town to my house.

It's been a while since I ordered/I didn't pay much attention when I did; Do you know if it's shipped priority or first class? I've noticed my first class packages sit for days/weeks w/o movement, the priority ones seem to move faster, so they're def giving the priority exactly that, priority, at the expense of first class being timely.

 

[bpiper]

It's been a while since I ordered/I didn't pay much attention when I did; Do you know if it's shipped priority or first class? I've noticed my first class packages sit for days/weeks w/o movement, the priority ones seem to move faster, so they're def giving the priority exactly that, priority, at the expense of first class being timely.

Ours have been coming First class mail.... You can try contacting your postmaster and see if they can shake it out of the USPS tree. You would need the tracking number from Disney.

The USPS has had a lot of employees out due to Covid symptoms or quarantining due to exposure. Also, they were swamped at Christmas due there inability to refuse packages from shippers. UPS and Fedex had early cut off dates and enforced them so that they wouldn't be swamped with packages that couldn't be delivered in time. So merchants switched to USPS and overwhelmed them.

I believe the first class packages move via truck while first class envelopes move via airplane. Depending upon the trucking lane, like from Tulsa to Atlanta, or like Albany to Nashville, some were more overloaded than others.

 

[Fable McCloud]

So, is the reason for the bands no longer being complimentary that Disney needs more money? They require magicbands for so much I'm not surprised, but it just seems more annoying this way. Now I have 1 more thing to try and remember.

 

[Jon81uk]

So, is the reason for the bands no longer being complimentary that Disney needs more money? They require magicbands for so much I'm not surprised, but it just seems more annoying this way. Now I have 1 more thing to try and remember.

magicbands are not required for anything except automatic photo linking. A card will do everything else.