Magic Band Disaster Averted!

luvthemagic

luvthemagic

Active Member
Original Poster
My husband and I booked a trip the first week in February for our 35th wedding anniversary. Yikes!

well, our daughter and son in law want to go so they were added to our package. This is where the disaster starts.

Husband and I received our magic bands in Texas, no problem.
I have tried 3 times to get the other 2 shipped to Virginia and they continue to ship them here. Four days on the phone and now I'm receiving another package from Disney. REALLY??? How hard is this??? and the MDE app??? Horrible!! Doesn't show all the tickets or magic bands. They said "they are aware" of the issues.

Our option now? DD and SIL arrive before us , so they will be given generic grey bands and we will bring their color bands with us. I was told then they will deactivate the grey ones and activate the color ones. Problem is, I have heard numerous stories of this procedure not working as planned. Leading to not being able to get into the parks, room, etc.

I have been going to WDW since 2001 for a total of 17 times. I know how things should work. I am SOOO disillusioned by this I was thinking about cancelling the trip all together.

No magic for me :(
 
ImagineerDude

ImagineerDude

Well-Known Member
luvthemagic said:
My husband and I booked a trip the first week in February for our 35th wedding anniversary. Yikes!

well, our daughter and son in law want to go so they were added to our package. This is where the disaster starts.

Husband and I received our magic bands in Texas, no problem.
I have tried 3 times to get the other 2 shipped to Virginia and they continue to ship them here. Four days on the phone and now I'm receiving another package from Disney. REALLY??? How hard is this??? and the MDE app??? Horrible!! Doesn't show all the tickets or magic bands. They said "they are aware" of the issues.

Our option now? DD and SIL arrive before us , so they will be given generic grey bands and we will bring their color bands with us. I was told then they will deactivate the grey ones and activate the color ones. Problem is, I have heard numerous stories of this procedure not working as planned. Leading to not being able to get into the parks, room, etc.

I have been going to WDW since 2001 for a total of 17 times. I know how things should work. I am SOOO disillusioned by this I was thinking about cancelling the trip all together.

No magic for me :(
Click to expand...
NO NO NO. Don't cancel your special trip over a couple of stupid magic bands. Yes there are definitely issues with the new system and Disney is "aware" of them, but 9 times out of 10 the cast member AT WDW will go above and beyond to try and help you. Once you get there it will be magical and you'll have a blast even if you daughter has to change bands. I heard lots of horror stories of FP+ and the whole new system, but it worked out fine for us once we got there. Sure it might be stressful now but you will have a great time.
 
ford91exploder

ford91exploder

Resident Curmudgeon
ImagineerDude said:
NO NO NO. Don't cancel your special trip over a couple of stupid magic bands. Yes there are definitely issues with the new system and Disney is "aware" of them, but 9 times out of 10 the cast member AT WDW will go above and beyond to try and help you. Once you get there it will be magical and you'll have a blast even if you daughter has to change bands. I heard lots of horror stories of FP+ and the whole new system, but it worked out fine for us once we got there. Sure it might be stressful now but you will have a great time.
Click to expand...


Where are these mythical helpful MB CM's Two trips to Disney and they STILL can't link premier passes to MDE and CM attitude is 'suck it'.
 
minniemickeyfan

minniemickeyfan

Well-Known Member
Keep both sets of bands! We had issues with 3 sets of bands just a week ago with only some of the bands opening the room. When we tried to have it fixed multiple times some bands that were working, wouldnt work later. We ended up carrying all 3 for each of us, you never knew what you were going to get. Very frustrating when you decide to carry 1 and you're by yourself and the room won't open, I found by carrying 3 I had more chances of getting in the room.
That was just the beginning for me.
 
Rob562

Rob562

Well-Known Member
FYI, I have never heard of Disney sending *any* vacation reservation material to any address other than the one that the reservation is under. This isn't something new with Magic Bands. Magical Express tags, vacation package extras (coupons, decorative luggage tags, etc), everything has *always* gone to the person under whom the reservation is made. It's then simply a matter of mailing them out yourself.

I had Magical Express tags for a group trip where we had five people in a DVC villa, flying in from four different cities. After I got them I had to mail the tags and stuff out to each of them. Was it a pain? Yeah, maybe a little. Would I expect Disney to do all that? Nope.

Heck, the CMs you've been talking to on the phone probably *are* trying to go above-and-beyond to meet your request of mailing the Bands somewhere else. But both you and they are finding out the long and more-expensive (for Disney) way that it probably is impossible to be done.

-Rob
 
sweetpee_1993

sweetpee_1993

Well-Known Member
Rob562 said:
FYI, I have never heard of Disney sending *any* vacation reservation material to any address other than the one that the reservation is under. This isn't something new with Magic Bands. Magical Express tags, vacation package extras (coupons, decorative luggage tags, etc), everything has *always* gone to the person under whom the reservation is made. It's then simply a matter of mailing them out yourself.

I had Magical Express tags for a group trip where we had five people in a DVC villa, flying in from four different cities. After I got them I had to mail the tags and stuff out to each of them. Was it a pain? Yeah, maybe a little. Would I expect Disney to do all that? Nope.

Heck, the CMs you've been talking to on the phone probably *are* trying to go above-and-beyond to meet your request of mailing the Bands somewhere else. But both you and they are finding out the long and more-expensive (for Disney) way that it probably is impossible to be done.

-Rob
Click to expand...

Before MBs we had luggage tags and other info sent to a person on our reservation that lived in a different state. Just sayin'. We've done that before with success.
 
epcotisbest

epcotisbest

Well-Known Member
:):)
luvthemagic said:
My husband and I booked a trip the first week in February for our 35th wedding anniversary. Yikes!

well, our daughter and son in law want to go so they were added to our package. This is where the disaster starts.

Husband and I received our magic bands in Texas, no problem.
I have tried 3 times to get the other 2 shipped to Virginia and they continue to ship them here. Four days on the phone and now I'm receiving another package from Disney. REALLY??? How hard is this??? and the MDE app??? Horrible!! Doesn't show all the tickets or magic bands. They said "they are aware" of the issues.

Our option now? DD and SIL arrive before us , so they will be given generic grey bands and we will bring their color bands with us. I was told then they will deactivate the grey ones and activate the color ones. Problem is, I have heard numerous stories of this procedure not working as planned. Leading to not being able to get into the parks, room, etc.

I have been going to WDW since 2001 for a total of 17 times. I know how things should work. I am SOOO disillusioned by this I was thinking about cancelling the trip all together.

No magic for me :(
Click to expand...
If this is your idea of a disaster big enough to consider canceling a 35th anniversary trip, I can only imagine what would happen if you find a bug in the room, or if it rains, or the lines are too long for your liking.
A simple call to FedEx would have prevented the four days on the phone and DD would already have the bands in hand. Over stressing is not necessary. Disney could do a much better job with this whole FP+ mess but please don't let it ruin a wonderful trip.
I don't mean to sound unsympathetic and do hope you have a wonderful trip. There is still plenty of magic for you. We celebrated our 30th there a couple of years ago.
I used to feel planning for Disney was kinda like dreading going to the dentist...the dread and worry and stress were much worse than the actual time in the chair.
This past Sept., our tickets we just purchased at the lobby of the resort before walking over to MK did not work and would not let us in...a CM was right there, did a quick scan and a bit of looking on her handheld device and all was well in about three minutes.
Happy 35 to you!
 
kondjott

kondjott

New Member
epcotisbest said:
I used to feel planning for Disney was kinda like dreading going to the dentist...the dread and worry and stress were much worse than the actual time in the chair.
Click to expand...

Now there's a tagline Disney's marketing team should snag: "Disney World: just think of it as going to the dentist!" :)
 
luvthemagic

luvthemagic

Active Member
Original Poster
It's only a disaster because Disney has always been exceptional with their care and service. Not so much this time.

Update: I received yet another email this morning stating that "your Magic Bands are on the way!"
To Virginia!!! /fingers crossed

Still have no idea what the package contains that is being delivered here.

I'll let you know
 
disney4life2008

disney4life2008

Well-Known Member
As someone else mentioned - it would have been alot easier to fedex the package to them - it would have costed you some dollars but if you want to streamline that would have been best. I would not cancel in no way - but because your initial experience has not been good - I suggest you work out your ADRs and FP+ reservations perfectly so that no problems arise during your trip.
 
Rob562

Rob562

Well-Known Member
luvthemagic said:
It's only a disaster because Disney has always been exceptional with their care and service. Not so much this time.

Update: I received yet another email this morning stating that "your Magic Bands are on the way!"
To Virginia!!! /fingers crossed

Still have no idea what the package contains that is being delivered here.

I'll let you know
Click to expand...

Well I will admit, that (shipping something elsewhere) is a first for me. Good to know for the future.

-Rob
 
luvthemagic

luvthemagic

Active Member
Original Poster
They told me it would be no problem, at least it ha been resolved:D

Yes it is our 35th, we let it slip at Christmas we were going and BOOM! Can we go?? lol As we love our family, it will be nice to have them there to help celebrate.

Oh, and I received an updated MYW package today..................................Jan 31st let's GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
 
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