NextGen / FP+ / Magic Band. The official truth starts to appear

[GrumpyFan]

I thought FP+ was going to only be for hotel guests. I am reading that non-hotel guests can buy Magicbands. Was this a change?

According to Tom Staggs on the Disney Parks Blog, "Guests who stay at non-Disney hotels will receive a ticket with features of touch to enter the park, touch to redeem FastPass+ and touch to pay. These guests can participate in My Disney Experience and purchase a MagicBand if they wish."

Whether this was a change or always intended is unknown. Everything about this is still being revealed little by little and I suspect will even be tweaked and changed once they go-live. The ideas for this have been out there for several years, a lot of them have been patented too.

 

[Clamman73]

How about a MagicHeadBand. You would see people trying to touch their head to the RFID turnstiles and the like...That would be entertaining at least.

 

[DocMcHulk]

According to Tom Staggs on the Disney Parks Blog, "Guests who stay at non-Disney hotels will receive a ticket with features of touch to enter the park, touch to redeem FastPass+ and touch to pay. These guests can participate in My Disney Experience and purchase a MagicBand if they wish."

Whether this was a change or always intended is unknown. Everything about this is still being revealed little by little.

This makes me feel a little better about the whole situation. I was very worried that they were going to create a big disparity between Disney hotel guests and non-Disney hotel guests. This seems to level it out.

 

[GrumpyFan]

How about a MagicHeadBand. You would see people trying to touch their head to the RFID turnstiles and the like...That would be entertaining at least.

Implants maybe?

Seriously though, I think I read somewhere that they might offer a lanyard option as well, for guests who don't want something on their wrist.

 

[GrumpyFan]

This makes me feel a little better about the whole situation. I was very worried that they were going to create a big disparity between Disney hotel guests and non-Disney hotel guests. This seems to level it out.

That doesn't mean there won't be a disparity though. Notice he said the magic words, "These guests can participate in My Disney Experience and purchase a MagicBand if they wish."
I seem to remember reading in one of the patents they filed on this, that third party hotels/ticket providers would be able to subscribe to this as well by paying Disney for access. It really kind of highlights one of the advantages of the new FP+ in that its something they can up-sell. None of these details have yet to emerge publicly though.

 

[wdwmagic]

Woah. Seriously? I had no idea that was part of it. No Fastpass machines at all, and every Fastpass reserved in advance via computer or phone?

or in park kiosk

 

[marni1971]

On the same day a 10% reduction in company workforce is announced?

 

[wdwmagic]

I thought FP+ was going to only be for hotel guests. I am reading that non-hotel guests can buy Magicbands. Was this a change?

FP+ is going to be for everyone, but the band will be for WDW resort guests and APs only - at least for a while. The non resort guests or non APs will have an RFID encoded ticket. Perhaps there will be an option to buy a band.

 

[DocMcHulk]

FP+ is going to be for everyone, but the band will be for WDW resort guests and APs only - at least for a while. The non resort guests or non APs will have an RFID encoded ticket. Perhaps there will be an option to buy a band.

ok, that actually makes me a little happier. I was worried FP+ was going to be ONLY for WDW resort guests.

 

[GrumpyFan]

Woah. Seriously? I had no idea that was part of it. No Fastpass machines at all, and every Fastpass reserved in advance via computer or phone?

That's speculative. It's hard to know how many FP+s will be made available online in advance. The beauty here with the system, if they choose to do so, would be the ability to know ahead of time what the crowd levels might be for a given park. For example: They could provide some kind of feedback system to let you know that a park has an unusual amount of guests reserving FP+s for the day and suggest that you visit a lesser crowded park. Now, whether that's part of the system or not, is again, still an unknown, but it's conceivable that they could do something like this. Also, with the way the system is designed (all electronic-based), they could also offer you alternative options. I believe I remember reading/writing about just such a feature in one of the patents for this. Again, whether they implement it, is another unknown.

 

[flynnibus]

This makes me feel a little better about the whole situation. I was very worried that they were going to create a big disparity between Disney hotel guests and non-Disney hotel guests. This seems to level it out.

They still can through various means... but the system will be for everyone. What you can do with it may still vary. Be it # of experiences, advanced booking windows, etc.

There are ways to tier the service - but this will mean those saying 'disney is gonna charge for it..' will always claim they were still right.

 

[cba]

Yes, all the machines will be removed.

When will this happen?

 

[wdwmagic]

When will this happen?

In phases during 2013

 

[alissafalco]

There is no actual data stored on the braclet, just an ID number.

Ok, so an ID # that gets access to all that information.

 

[Virtual Toad]

So pretend I decide to buy an AP and stay onsite for a week.....do I get my daily allotment of FP+ for staying at the resort plus my 20 per quarter for being an AP holder?

Wait, is the 20 FP+ per quarter for AP holders an actual, confirmed allotment or just a hypothetical??

 

[the.dreamfinder]

On the same day a 10% reduction in company workforce is announced?

Good luck with all those angry customers Disney.

 

[GrumpyFan]

Ok, so an ID # that gets access to all that information.

Most likely an encrypted ID# only accessible via a terminal inside Disney parks.
It would be difficult to duplicate, not entirely impossible, but probably quite difficult.

 

[SirLink]

Most likely an encrypted ID# only accessible via a terminal inside Disney parks.
It would be difficult to duplicate, not entirely impossible, but probably quite difficult.

Unless some group attacked the database servers ya know and posted it on the web...

 

[wdwmagic]

Unless some group attacked the database servers ya know ...

But those databases already exist, and have done for a long time.

 

[ChrisM]

So what will the FP+ benefits be for those staying on site? More "fastpasses" per day? The ability to book FP+ reservations further in advance, tiered by resort level?