I will state that I have had now 41 trips under my belt. Starting in 1975 and all the way to the last trip on Jan 7 to 17 in 2015. Yes, I can be a fan boy at times, and other times I can be a very vocal critic. This post is a mixture of both. Do not take this as bashing Disney, as a point of fact I have a large amout of praise and a small amount of criticism. But with that criticism will come suggestions.
Magic Bands: You use them for everything. Entry into the parks, entry into your hotelarea, entry to your room and pool. You can buy stuff with them. Pay for your dining and tips and finally for memory maker. TIP: There are right and left readers at all FP+ locations as well as two to the left and right per turnstile location. The MB scan and finger scan take up a few seconds especially for people who never seem to be able to take directions as simple as they are.
Yes Disney can know where you are at any given time because they utilize long range readers. Honestly I could care less if that helps them make the flow of the park better. They see me as a number, know what I buy, where we like to look at merchadise, what time we come in and leave, and what attractions we frequent more than others. Some people may be up in arms about it, but it is not like they track me when I go home. And hey, if they want to offer me goodies based on our habits, or change stuff in the park or add stuff in the park like more snack locations, FP+ kiosks or even UPGRADE their slow systems, then fine.
My wife and I loved them. No cards to keep on a lanyard or in a wallet. We linked our credit card to the band for emergencies and for putting tips to our servers while on the Deluxe dining plan. We had a very structured spending plan going into the trip. Souveniers were bought with cash, tips were on Magic Bands as was emergency money, like for ponchos on an unexpected rainy day.
The bands are comfortable, easily asjustable for larger or smaller than normal wrists. The material is a very soft supple rubber like material that is hypoallergenic. We were surprised by the comfort of these.
The bands usually scanned without a problem at turnstiles, with photopass photographers, in stores snack loactions. There was a consistant problem at restaurants when scanning in for the dining plan. It was not an issue with the bands, but with the readers and sometimes the parks wifi network itself.
Criticism: Not all security checkpoints used them when coming into resort where you were not a guest. Grand Floridian and Beach Club did, all others required you to pull out a photo ID which really does absolutely nothing. Suggestion: If people are entering a resort they are not staying at, they most likely will have the Magic Bands on. It is a hassle to get out a drivers license when you don't need to. Step it up security, you are not securing anything this way. Do not use the excuse like I got at the Poly, “License only, we don't use Magic Band readers when it is bad weather.” Gimme a Break.
Suggestion:
1. Speed up the touch and scan at the turnstiles. Update the hardware, software and network. If it was touch and go, there would be no lines.
2. Increase touch range to 2 inches so the mickey on the band does not have to be exactly centered on the reader. This slows the line down to a crawl at times no matter if at turnstile or at an attraction.
Fastpass Plus: Use this to get on rides at a pre-determined time window.
Overall, better than we expected. We noticed confusion more than a few or even several times during our stay at Disney. We chalk it up to people simply not reading, or being oblivious to what they need to do and to what is going on around them. First, there are right and left. Anyone can use either side. Second, you will have to search out the FP+ kiosk locations via map. They are far and few between. I know they cost money, but come on, in the MK there should be at least one per land.
Once fatpasses were used or expired you have to go to a kiosk to get another one. Why you cannot do it from your phone is a quandry at this point in time. For all the go online hub bub, you might think that the FP+ could be done from the convenience of your phone.
Criticism: Not much here. I won't bring my personal thoughts into the FP+ review. We were able to use it to its fullest, including using several strategies to accomplish more things between and during a FP+ window, then enjoying the attraction we had a FP+ for. I would like to re-state the issue as above and be critical about it. Not being able to gain another FP+ after using all of yours by phone is a pain. You plan online, reserve ADRs online, do FP+ online, why not getting another FP? We also found with the slowness of the internet and Disney's website, that we needed to use the kiosks or even seek CM assistance. Their is also a delay between last FP use and when you can get another one. Sorry that doesn't cut it. Old system was use one then get another one right away.
Suggestion: Be able to get another FP+ online for after the last one is used. Get rid of the delay in using and getting another fastpass. Add at least a kiosk per land in MK, and one every other country in World Showcase and have at least one on each side of Future World. One FP+ kiosk per area in AK, and one in every area of the Studios. And put bigger and better signage up for the Kiosks. Ground signage is not enough.
Magic Bands: You use them for everything. Entry into the parks, entry into your hotelarea, entry to your room and pool. You can buy stuff with them. Pay for your dining and tips and finally for memory maker. TIP: There are right and left readers at all FP+ locations as well as two to the left and right per turnstile location. The MB scan and finger scan take up a few seconds especially for people who never seem to be able to take directions as simple as they are.
Yes Disney can know where you are at any given time because they utilize long range readers. Honestly I could care less if that helps them make the flow of the park better. They see me as a number, know what I buy, where we like to look at merchadise, what time we come in and leave, and what attractions we frequent more than others. Some people may be up in arms about it, but it is not like they track me when I go home. And hey, if they want to offer me goodies based on our habits, or change stuff in the park or add stuff in the park like more snack locations, FP+ kiosks or even UPGRADE their slow systems, then fine.
My wife and I loved them. No cards to keep on a lanyard or in a wallet. We linked our credit card to the band for emergencies and for putting tips to our servers while on the Deluxe dining plan. We had a very structured spending plan going into the trip. Souveniers were bought with cash, tips were on Magic Bands as was emergency money, like for ponchos on an unexpected rainy day.
The bands are comfortable, easily asjustable for larger or smaller than normal wrists. The material is a very soft supple rubber like material that is hypoallergenic. We were surprised by the comfort of these.
The bands usually scanned without a problem at turnstiles, with photopass photographers, in stores snack loactions. There was a consistant problem at restaurants when scanning in for the dining plan. It was not an issue with the bands, but with the readers and sometimes the parks wifi network itself.
Criticism: Not all security checkpoints used them when coming into resort where you were not a guest. Grand Floridian and Beach Club did, all others required you to pull out a photo ID which really does absolutely nothing. Suggestion: If people are entering a resort they are not staying at, they most likely will have the Magic Bands on. It is a hassle to get out a drivers license when you don't need to. Step it up security, you are not securing anything this way. Do not use the excuse like I got at the Poly, “License only, we don't use Magic Band readers when it is bad weather.” Gimme a Break.
Suggestion:
1. Speed up the touch and scan at the turnstiles. Update the hardware, software and network. If it was touch and go, there would be no lines.
2. Increase touch range to 2 inches so the mickey on the band does not have to be exactly centered on the reader. This slows the line down to a crawl at times no matter if at turnstile or at an attraction.
Fastpass Plus: Use this to get on rides at a pre-determined time window.
Overall, better than we expected. We noticed confusion more than a few or even several times during our stay at Disney. We chalk it up to people simply not reading, or being oblivious to what they need to do and to what is going on around them. First, there are right and left. Anyone can use either side. Second, you will have to search out the FP+ kiosk locations via map. They are far and few between. I know they cost money, but come on, in the MK there should be at least one per land.
Once fatpasses were used or expired you have to go to a kiosk to get another one. Why you cannot do it from your phone is a quandry at this point in time. For all the go online hub bub, you might think that the FP+ could be done from the convenience of your phone.
Criticism: Not much here. I won't bring my personal thoughts into the FP+ review. We were able to use it to its fullest, including using several strategies to accomplish more things between and during a FP+ window, then enjoying the attraction we had a FP+ for. I would like to re-state the issue as above and be critical about it. Not being able to gain another FP+ after using all of yours by phone is a pain. You plan online, reserve ADRs online, do FP+ online, why not getting another FP? We also found with the slowness of the internet and Disney's website, that we needed to use the kiosks or even seek CM assistance. Their is also a delay between last FP use and when you can get another one. Sorry that doesn't cut it. Old system was use one then get another one right away.
Suggestion: Be able to get another FP+ online for after the last one is used. Get rid of the delay in using and getting another fastpass. Add at least a kiosk per land in MK, and one every other country in World Showcase and have at least one on each side of Future World. One FP+ kiosk per area in AK, and one in every area of the Studios. And put bigger and better signage up for the Kiosks. Ground signage is not enough.