Magic Bands coming to DL?

[dweezil78]

I'm pretty sure Peter Pan is DOA because there is zero queue space to dedicate to FP.

Do you know what the deal is with the Castle Heraldry Shoppe? I don't think that place is even owned by Disney, eh? It doesn't even show up on the official map... I doubt most people even realize it's there -- they run right past it on the way to Peter Pan! If the tenant ever vacates that space, that easily leaves them with a nice size space to accommodate a FP queue.

 

[Californian Elitist]

Do you know what the deal is with the Castle Heraldry Shoppe? I don't think that place is even owned by Disney, eh? It doesn't even show up on the official map... I doubt most people even realize it's there -- they run right past it on the way to Peter Pan! If the tenant ever vacates that space, that easily leaves them with a nice size space to accommodate a FP queue.

I like that shop. Went in there one day and got some neat information on my last name.

Adding FP to Pan would make the wait times longer.

 

[NobodyElse]

I'm pretty sure Peter Pan is DOA because there is zero queue space to dedicate to FP.

That makes sense. (PS: If they really wanted to add FastPass to Peter Pan, they would probably have to try the "FastPass Only" grand experiment.)

 

[George Lucas on a Bench]

Do you know what the deal is with the Castle Heraldry Shoppe? I don't think that place is even owned by Disney, eh? It doesn't even show up on the official map... I doubt most people even realize it's there -- they run right past it on the way to Peter Pan! If the tenant ever vacates that space, that easily leaves them with a nice size space to accommodate a FP queue.

Hmm...weapons store or Fastpass queue. Tough choice!

 

[dweezil78]

I like that shop. Went in there one day and got some neat information on my last name.

Adding FP to Pan would make the wait times longer.

Hmm...weapons store or Fastpass queue. Tough choice!

Don't get me wrong -- it's a very cool store! My thoughts on this are not about whether or not FP on Pan would work or which of the two (FP queue or store) is better. Just strictly observing the neighboring real estate. If Disney really was serious about wanting to add a FP queue or even just a more elaborate extended queue ala WDW, they certainly have the space to do it assuming there's not some long-locked contract with the owner they're unable to get out of, which seems unlikely.

And more than anything, just noting that it's kind of weird that an outside company has such a prime spot within the park right next to one of the busiest attractions. It's not something I've really given much thought about until now and I'm curious about the backstory!

 

[Phroobar]

Does that store actually sell stuff? Why would a collector of movie sword props actually buy something from a store in Disneyland? It seems to be a little to high end for Disneyland. Of course there is the jewelry store in NOS. Someone has to be buying that stuff because I bet the rent is not cheap.

 

[Californian Elitist]

Don't get me wrong -- it's a very cool store! My thoughts on this are not about whether or not FP on Pan would work or which of the two (FP queue or store) is better. Just strictly observing the neighboring real estate. If Disney really was serious about wanting to add a FP queue or even just a more elaborate extended queue ala WDW, they certainly have the space to do it assuming there's not some long-locked contract with the owner they're unable to get out of, which seems unlikely.

And more than anything, just noting that it's kind of weird that an outside company has such a prime spot within the park right next to one of the busiest attractions. It's not something I've really given much thought about until now and I'm curious about the backstory!

Oh yeah, for sure! I wasn't they shouldn't get rid of the store, or anything like that. I rarely go in myself, everything in there is neat, but too expensive for me. The information they printed for me cost me something like $40, just for a piece of paper.

It wouldn't bother me if it went bye-bye. Not sure when that'll happen, since it's never really been popular and I know it's been around at least since I was a kid in the 90's.

 

[Curious Constance]

Does that store actually sell stuff? Why would a collector of movie sword props actually buy something from a store in Disneyland? It seems to be a little to high end for Disneyland. Of course there is the jewelry store in NOS. Someone has to be buying that stuff because I bet the rent is not cheap.

My husband bought a pair of ornamental scissors there on our first trip in 2006.They had to ship them to us, they wouldn't allow him to carry those around in the park. I thought I had heard that place closed. We haven't been back in there since.

 

[dweezil78]

My husband bought a pair of ornamental scissors there on our first trip in 2006.They had to ship them to us, they wouldn't allow him to carry those around in the park. I thought I had heard that place closed. We haven't been back in there since.

Looks like it's still open -- but apparently most people who shop there have not had great experiences. Yelp/FB reviews all say how terrible the service has been and that they end up taking way more time to ship stuff than they estimate. Really intrigued as to why this place is even open in the first place! I kinda love that it's there and is such a unique thing to the park, harkening back to DL's early years when Main St. was all outside vendors -- but I also have to wonder why it's been allowed to reside there as long as it has. So conflicted!

 

[Curious Constance]

Looks like it's still open -- but apparently most people who shop there have not had great experiences. Yelp/FB reviews all say how terrible the service has been and that they end up taking way more time to ship stuff than they estimate. Really intrigued as to why this place is even open in the first place! I kinda love that it's there and is such a unique thing to the park, harkening back to DL's early years when Main St. was all outside vendors -- but I also have to wonder why it's been allowed to reside there as long as it has. So conflicted!

Next time you're at the park, go in and start asking all kinds of personal questions. How they can afford the rent in the castle, why Disneyland hasn't kicked them out, what they think about all the negative reviews online about their business, etc.

 

[jrlbc06]

They were testing this at Space Mountain today. Fast Pass Machines were closed, but the attendants handed out fast passes that contained what I'm assuming is an RFID chip. Upon return, had to scan this fast pass at a post that looked just like what's been installed all over WDW. There were a ton of managers and people in suits hanging around at the fast pass entrance all day taking notes on clipboards and schmoozing with each other and observing.

I attached a picture of my fast pass today and after I ripped it to check out the chip inside.

IMG_3542

• jrlbc06
• May 4, 2016

IMG_3540

• jrlbc06
• May 4, 2016

 

[FerretAfros]

Looks like it's still open -- but apparently most people who shop there have not had great experiences. Yelp/FB reviews all say how terrible the service has been and that they end up taking way more time to ship stuff than they estimate. Really intrigued as to why this place is even open in the first place! I kinda love that it's there and is such a unique thing to the park, harkening back to DL's early years when Main St. was all outside vendors -- but I also have to wonder why it's been allowed to reside there as long as it has. So conflicted!

I ordered an embroidered coat of arms as a wedding present for my brother and his wife many years ago, and definitely had some problems. I ordered it in late April/early May for a wedding in mid-July. According to their original estimates, it should have arrived by the beginning of July, but didn't end up getting there until September

That said, it's a really nice piece and looks great in their home. In the long run, it didn't really matter that it showed up late since they were so distracted by the wedding preparations followed by the honeymoon, but it was still disappointing that it took so much longer than they had estimated

But given the price that I paid, I suspect they only have to sell a couple things a day to cover their costs, which could explain why they've lasted for so long. Like the former jewelry shop in New Orleans Square, I assume they've been with Disney forever and have pretty favorable terms on their lease, which would make it easy to stay in business for minimal effort. It's the type of shop that really adds to the depth of the park experience even if you don't buy anything, and DLR is really lacking them

And from Disney's perspective, there's no reason to get rid of them. The space is too small to amount to anything meaningful (even queue space), especially since substantial ADA modifications would be required if they were to alter it in any way. It's easier to just keep collecting rent money than to change it into something else

 

[SpaceMountain75]

In addition to what @jrlbc06 posted, these pictures from this morning posted by @DisneyBySteph on Twitter have been making their way around.

 

[Jahona]

I wonder if it's actually an NFC chip in the ticket or not. It seems like a waste to have it on a system that utilizes bar codes.

 

[mickEblu]

Wait, does this mean I won't be able to show up to my fast pass appointments late anymore? Or does anyone think they will program the system to accept fast passes as long as they are not early?

 

[No Name]

Well the readers don't look as magical as WDW's, but the whole thing looks and sounds like it works better.

One downside of DL's system is that they can't have storymaker features. Some here would consider that a positive, but really, storymaker could be a great behind-the-scenes thing to make any day better. They just haven't used it to its full potential.

Another downside is the aesthetics. The whole process of scanning your magicband at WDW is kind of cool and, well, magical. My eyes lit up the first time I did it. That moment was among the most excited and "oohed" I've ever been by technology. I hope DL's system has the spinning color thing (it looks like it does). But no Mickey face? Why, is that signature to magicbands? And the circle parts are more flat. Oh well. Overall, I don't think it looks as great as WDW's readers do.

Also, a downside for Disney is that they don't get that data they get from WDW guests. At least I don't think they do. You can't track disposable fastpasses like you can a magicband.

A big plus, though, is the option for someone to still use paper tickets. I feel like WDW's system went too "all-out" in this area, to the point where it kind of upset some long-time visitors (and it doesn't consistently work anyway). My opinion on using cell phones in the parks has changed over time, but I still think it's great to be as unattached to your electronic device as possible. So the paper option is good. And I think this'll work better.

We'll see how it all plays out, I guess. I don't totally understand it and haven't been following too closely, so if I said anything incorrect, please let me know.

 

[dweezil78]

Wait, does this mean I won't be able to show up to my fast pass appointments late anymore? Or does anyone think they will program the system to accept fast passes as long as they are not early?

Have you had much luck showing up late over the past few years or so? They've been cracking down hard on FP windows ever since Magicband went live in FL to prep CMs out here. For the most part, based on my experience, they've been pretty strict on enforcing it but I'm sure there's always exceptions.

 

[dweezil78]

I wonder if it's actually an NFC chip in the ticket or not. It seems like a waste to have it on a system that utilizes bar codes.

I think it was in another thread on here maybe (or earlier on this one), but someone did, in fact, remove an RFID chip from their ticket. These chips are literally paper thin these days and you barely can tell they're in there. Those scanners being tested are definitely not visual code scanners.

Well the readers don't look as magical as WDW's, but the whole thing looks and sounds like it works better.

One downside of DL's system is that they can't have storymaker features. Some here would consider that a positive, but really, storymaker could be a great behind-the-scenes thing to make any day better. They just haven't used it to its full potential.

I'm guessing the scanners in these pics are just temporary for testing and anything that's permanently installed will look much better. Also, no reason why they can't embed chips within APs and even single/multi-day passes which you can personalize via an app or kiosk to activate the storymaker functionality ala WDW.

The CM main entrance guest passes (plastic cards like APs) at WDW, for example, have the chips embedded right inside of them and behave just like the magicbands.

 

[Californian Elitist]

The no storymaker thing sounds good to me. Seems very corporate.

Definitely don't care about fancy-looking readers. I'd be fine with scanning my own pass, and I would most likely stick with the paper passes. No need to waste my phone battery.

 

[No Name]

Also, no reason why they can't embed chips within APs and even single/multi-day passes which you can personalize via an app or kiosk to activate the storymaker functionality ala WDW.

The big problem with that is that many (probably most) parents keep their childrens' tickets. No parent wants their young child responsible for holding onto something like that.

Magicbands are different because they usually stay on the child's wrist, but tickets might not be with the person riding. If Dad has all of the tickets in his pocket, but the family is split up into two or three seperate ride vehicles... it aint gonna work.

I'm guessing the scanners in these pics are just temporary for testing and anything that's permanently installed will look much better.

Those ones do appear temporary, but I feel like the design is final. I hope you're right though.

I think the circle part is more flat so that it doesn't block that top piece from reading the object placed on the bottom piece. Though if it really does have an RFID chip (which is surprising to me), then is there even a need for anything different than WDW's scanners. I really don't get it and that's part of the problem.