MagicBand+ announced

[HauntedPirate]

I think you're thinking too much like a posts-on-the-boards-and-goes-all-the-time-frequent-visitor. Most people don't go to WDW all of the time. They don't have drawers full of MB2s. Or they do have some MB2s but just like to collect them. People were already paying $50+ for Limited Edition MB2, so I don't see this as the shocking "price increase" that everyone seems to be describing it as.

I don't know, I think they're fine. A minor upgrade with a minor price increase, on average. They're not Earth-shattering, but they weren't promised to be and they're not priced to be.


These bands are probably number 98 on the list of the 100 most blinky-flashy-paterny displays in the parks. They're not going to trigger any seizures.

I was coming more from the standpoint that MB's used to be included with your room, and now they start at $10/each (I think, I haven't needed one for a while. I continue to use the last one I had to buy, a plain blue MB). Bob used them to create a revenue stream.

Update: According to ShopDisney, even plain MB's are now $20. Good grief...

 

[Fido Chuckwagon]

My issue with this & I tried to send information to Disney about this over a year ago is for people with a seizure disorder. This type of color changing patterns can induce a seizure. I sent a neurological study & received the thanks for your e mail standard cut & paste. I have to leave the parks before fireworks and everyone's bands start lighting up or my husband will have a seizure. Hopefully no one gets hurt having a seizure in the crowd

Can't you just go indoors or on an indoor ride during the show?

 

[dreday3]

I was coming more from the standpoint that MB's used to be included with your room, and now they start at $10/each (I think, I haven't needed one for a while. I continue to use the last one I had to buy, a plain blue MB). Bob used them to create a revenue stream.

Update: According to ShopDisney, even plain MB's are now $20. Good grief...

But the plain magic bands are only $10 for resort stays - at least they were last week.

I never really understood buying a band if you aren't staying at a resort though. We only get through our resort stays and mostly for convenience of fast pass/room key/charging back to hotel.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

Bob used them to create a revenue stream.

They were always a revenue stream. Most people who visit WDW stay off property and have been paying full price for MagicBands for a decade. Yes, you can lament the loss of complimentary bands included with resort stays, but that's separate from the merchandising side of things. They've always been a product.

Update: According to ShopDisney, even plain MB's are now $20. Good grief...

The crappy old MB1s opened at $15 in 2013. From $15 to $20 in 10 years is an inflation rate of about 3%. I'm not offended by that.

 

[HauntedPirate]

But the plain magic bands are only $10 for resort stays - at least they were last week.

I never really understood buying a band if you aren't staying at a resort though. We only get through our resort stays and mostly for convenience of fast pass/room key/charging back to hotel.

If you had an AP, you could buy one MB and use it for the entire year regardless of where you stayed. It will also automatically link to your room if you stayed on-site.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

I never really understood buying a band if you aren't staying at a resort though. We only get through our resort stays and mostly for convenience of fast pass/room key/charging back to hotel.

Some people just think they look fun, and they can buy a character or theme they enjoy. I assume you don't think twice about a seeing a Chewbacca t-shirt or Minnie Mouse earrings or an Orange Bird backpack? Why is a Big Thunder Mountain Railroad MagicBand any different?

 

[HauntedPirate]

They were always a revenue stream. Most people who visit WDW stay off property and have been paying full price for MagicBands for a decade. Yes, you can lament the loss of complimentary bands included with resort stays, but that's separate from the merchandising side of things. They've always been a product.


The crappy old MB1s opened at $15 in 2013. From $15 to $20 in 10 years is an inflation rate of about 3%. I'm not offended by that.

I am almost positive they were less than $15.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

If you had an AP, you could buy one MB and use it for the entire year regardless of where you stayed. It will also automatically link to your room if you stayed on-site.

You could and still can do all of those things, and you don't need an AP for it. You could pull out your band from 2015 and it will work to enter Epcot tomorrow as long as you're still using the same e-mail address.

 

[HauntedPirate]

You could and still can do all of those things, and you don't need an AP for it. You could pull out your band from 2015 and it will work to enter Epcot tomorrow as long as you're still using the same e-mail address.

I'm aware. I was just answering the "why would anyone buy a MB if not staying on-site?" question with an example.

 

[dreday3]

I look at them as more of a functional device rather than a souvenir like Minnie ears.

I dont care who buys one, just always thought of it as more of a resort stay thing.

 

[DisneyDreamer08]

Not so much out of outlet, more just having stuff piled on. I don't have the issue but I can see those with large families that do.

Also:

MAGICAL

I still can’t take these seriously Yes let me stare at my glowing magicband during the fireworks.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

I really want you to walk me through your logic here.

MB+ has some blinks and buzzes. It has a rechargeable battery. It starts at $35.

MagicBand 2 is... wait for it...

View attachment 655631

Disney has released a new product with some minor feature upgrades at a relatively stable price point... what the hell is everyone upset about?

I'm not upset, I was just hoping for more .... But as soon as it was announced they would only be $35 my expectations went way down so these videos sort of fit my (lowered) expectations

Just from the start I was expecting them to do more but also cost like $75

 

[DisneyDreamer08]

What happens if the battery dies during the day? Can you not scan into lighting lanes? Can you not open your hotel room door?

 

[DCBaker]

What happens if the battery dies during the day? Can you not scan into lighting lanes? Can you not open your hotel room door?

You can.

10. Can the MagicBand+ still work with an empty battery?​

Partially. With a depleted battery, you can still use the MagicBand+ for:

• Park entry
• Lightning Lane entry
• Disney Resort room entry
• Disney Resort folio charging
• Disney PhotoPass photographer interactions

Everything you need to know about Disney's new interactive wearable in our MagicBand+ FAQ

Get answers to frequently asked questions about Walt Disney World's new MagicBand+ wearable.

www.wdwmagic.com

 

[dreday3]

I look at them as more of a functional device rather than a souvenir like Minnie ears.

I dont care who buys one, just always thought of it as more of a resort stay thing.

I will say with the new Magic Bands and the things it can do, that would make it more enticing for me to buy if I weren't staying at a resort. Because then it would be for more than just scanning into the parks/rides.

But maybe not enticing enough for me to purchase while staying at resort.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

What happens if the battery dies during the day? Can you not scan into lighting lanes? Can you not open your hotel room door?

1. It won't.

2. It'll still work fine, just like MB2 works just fine on a dead battery.

 

[DisneyHead123]

I really want you to walk me through your logic here.

MB+ has some blinks and buzzes. It has a rechargeable battery. It starts at $35.

MagicBand 2 is... wait for it...

View attachment 655631

Disney has released a new product with some minor feature upgrades at a relatively stable price point... what the hell is everyone upset about?

I try not to get on the Disney negativity train too much (my frustration has been high recently, but I try to remind myself we’re in difficult times all around.) It’s easy to nitpick what they do wrong and ignore the impressive amount of things they do right.

I do think this was a misstep though. Why? Because talking this up as a “plus” product and then not delivering makes it seem like, well, Disney is the kind of company that can’t deliver on premier products. Kind of like Genie+, and the 50th celebration, and Enchantment. There’s a little bit of a sense that they’re losing their touch.

If they had marketed this as a regular line Magic Band “With light features!” that would have been totally different, IMO. The same way you might market a Magic Band that has glitter or glows in the dark or whatever.

 

[dreday3]

I try not to get on the Disney negativity train too much (my frustration has been high recently, but I try to remind myself we’re in difficult times all around.) It’s easy to nitpick what they do wrong and ignore the impressive amount of things they do right.

I do think this was a misstep though. Why? Because talking this up as a “plus” product and then not delivering makes it seem like, well, Disney is the kind of company that can’t deliver on premier products. Kind of like Genie+, and the 50th celebration, and Enchantment. There’s a little bit of a sense that they’re losing their touch.

If they had marketed this as a regular line Magic Band “With light features!” that would have been totally different, IMO. The same way you might market a Magic Band that has glitter or glows in the dark or whatever.

I agree with the sentiments that it offers more than a regular band for a very modest price increase.
It's not just lighting up. There's some park interactions, other stuff you can read about.

With the amount they are charging, I think it successfully meets "plus" criteria.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

If they had marketed this as a regular line Magic Band “With light features!” that would have been totally different, IMO. The same way you might market a Magic Band that has glitter or glows in the dark or whatever.

They haven't marketed it much at all. What have we seen, one press release and a couple of blog posts? Any hype about MB+ being the most amazing, spectacular, life-changing thing ever was generated by the fan community, not Disney marketing.

 

[Armerius]

lol lots of karens in this thread/forum. its simple if you dont like it you dont have to buy it. you think its waaaaay to expensive, dont buy it, you dont want another device you have to charge? dont buy it. you can do everything you do with a magicband just with your cellphone so for the life of me i fail to see the issue here.