OS: Phones, not MagicBands, will be the Future of Disney's MyMagic+

[Jon81uk]

So let me get this straight...

They developed MM and touted the bands as a major selling point and convenience, because it would allow guests to avoid having to go to a pocket or backpack to get out a wallet.

Now they're announcing they're going to move away from the band, and make people go to a pocket or backpack to get out a cell phone.

So rather than carry a money clip or something small for your ticket and FP's, you're forced to carry a very expensive piece of electronics on all the rides and potentially in rain or other water-threatening situations that's depending on battery life lasting for as long as you're in the park that day and it's also dependent on Disney's crack wifi network.

Color me as SHOCKED that Disney would move away from the magic bands, as they're potential revenue.

Leaving dollars on the table is not something I'm occustomed to seeing Disney do. And frankly, I don't believe they'll do it in this situation either.

It's a lot more about finding a solution that is more suitable for the California and Paris parks.
WDW might look to give out less free MagicBands but I don't see the pm moving away from them for many years in Florida.

 

[GrumpyFan]

So let me get this straight...

They developed MM and touted the bands as a major selling point and convenience, because it would allow guests to avoid having to go to a pocket or backpack to get out a wallet.

I don't think that wasn't the primary reason for the development of the the magic bands, it's just a side benefit.
The primary driver was making it quick and easy for guests to buy stuff, which would hopefully drive higher spending.

I would agree though, they are easier to use and the waterproof feature is a big plus. However, most guests now days, and especially the next generation, will be more adept and likely prefer using their phones to do everything.

 

[GymLeaderPhil]

From the get go, they had some really outlandish/ambitious ideas and one of them back in the early xPass/NextGen planning stages was utilizing a cell phone instead of what became the MagicBand. This was before contactless payments were common in the United States.

They even proposed at one point that for International Guests who didn't want to incur roaming charges, they would rent out a cell phone device they could utilize for their visit.

 

[GrumpyFan]

From the get go, they had some really outlandish/ambitious ideas and one of them back in the early xPass/NextGen planning stages was utilizing a cell phone instead of what became the MagicBand. This was before contactless payments were common in the United States.

Yep, they even have a few patents on the concept dating back to 2010.

The method and system further permits a patron of an attraction to use a wireless device in order to gain access to an attraction. The wireless device may for example, be a mobile telephone.

Patent 7720718 - http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PALL&p=1&u=/netahtml/PTO/srchnum.htm&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=7,720,718.PN.&OS=PN/7,720,718&RS=PN/7,720,718

 

[dstrawn9889]

the article says that when MM+ is put in place at the OTHER PARKS that they would not be utilizing the magicbands... it said nothing about getting rid of them

 

[Buried20KLeague]

I don't think that wasn't the primary reason for the development of the the magic bands, it's just a side benefit.
The primary driver was making it quick and easy for guests to buy stuff, which would hopefully drive higher spending.

I would agree though, they are easier to use and the waterproof feature is a big plus. However, most guests now days, and especially the next generation, will be more adept and likely prefer using their phones to do everything.

Oh, I don't think that was their main reason for their development... I'm saying that's the reason they used to sell the idea of MM to the public.

And I abhor the bands.

 

[Buried20KLeague]

What happens when someone drops their phone trying to scan it and it breaks or screens cracks? You know they will blame Disney and march straight to GR demanding a new phone. Or what if phone battery dies? And not to mention the plethora of excuses that foreigners who pretend to not speak English will attempt in an effort to scam a CM. I can see them now, scanning their phone, Mickey head turns blue and they just shrug and look at CM with a bewildered look on their face.

FYI, on my trip last month, I saw COUNTLESS times when a scan came up with a blue Mickey head and the CM just said "come on through".

Also, on most of the rides, the second FP scan wasn't being done at all. So you could walk into the stand by line, then hop over to the FP line when out of view of a CM, and walk straight on.

I wouldn't need my cell phone for THAT...

 

[Jrn14]

I am pretty up on smart phones and my battery would NEVER last a whole day at the parks...This is dumb.

 

[GrumpyFan]

I am pretty up on smart phones and my battery would NEVER last a whole day at the parks...This is dumb.

Off-topic, but there are several ways to extend battery life. I can usually go a whole day, and still have power at the end of the day. If you're using an iPhone, and have the latest OS, they've made the process much easier, simply put the phone in "Low Power Mode". But, whether you have an iPhone or Android, usually switching to "Airplane Mode", will extend your battery life significantly. I usually do this to avoid work calls, and then switch it back on every now and then as needed.

 

[Jaison]

I will say that I DO NOT travel with a smart phone (and never will) as a vacation is to get away from technology, also the price to use a smartphone in another country (Data Roaming) is absurd and not worth it.

The paper fastpass system is far superior as it shows the return times and allows you to easily plan your day on the day. Having to plan months ahead, then printing off sheets of paper to remember what your fast passes were for the day because the band surely doesnt tell you. I can see a smartphone gaining some advantage here with its ability to show what you have selected and times to return.

Heck, with the prices Disney changes nowadays maybe an iPhone should be included with the admission!!!

 

[DisneyDebRob]

If true, what really amazes me is that this is coming from a company that only up to a few years ago was telling people to put away there phones, look at the details of the park and enjoy yourselves.
The band stays in my pocket and my phone is usually not with me. That's the way I try and enjoy the parks now. It's going to really be tough for me in the future.

 

[EthanMagicBands]

I'll put this out upfront, because I most likely have bias, but I run http://www.magicbandcollectors.com/

MagicBands aren't going away in WDW any time soon. This is just an article about other theme parks. Disney is testing the waters with all kinds of different tech in Shanghai, Disneyland, etc, to see what sticks and what doesn't. MM+ costs so much to implement that Disney is seeing if it can find solutions that don't break the bank financially, logistically, operationally, etc.

I think a few people on this post are reading a bit too much into the article. I feel like it made too many assumptions without enough actual facts from interviews. It just took a small quote from Iger at the recent shareholders meeting and extrapolated from that.

I personally think nothing changes with MyMagic+ as a whole in WDW for quite a while. Phone/watch tech just isn't there to replace what we already have (yet), and even if it gets close, many people still use older devices. I'm thinking it will stay in current form for at least a decade.

SIDE NOTE: If anyone wants to see all the FP+ effects that the Limited Edition bands make, they are here: http://www.magicbandcollectors.com/extras/fp-videos/

 

[MonorailCoral]

For example, Shanghai Disney Resort won't distribute the bands when it opens in June.

So...Are they issuing RF cards or just paper tickets?

 

[ANJ]

If the magic bands delivered the results that they were hoping for they would have went world wide. It didn't. Period. Will they disappear? Not in the near future. But if I remember correctly when the whole MM+ system was being rolled out it was touted as the best thing since slid bread. The program will NEVER see a ROI. Never!

I know, the total incurred cost wasn't just the MB's. yada yada yada. Nor were the bazillion unnecessary new locks installed on the resort doors ( the biggest complaint of the bands, they continuously have issues ) , all the new readers at the attractions, new kiosk, extra CM's at said attractions. I could continue but you get the point. You compound this boondoggle with SDL and the results are the cuts we are seeing.

Color me unimpressed ( pun intended ) that the readers change to swirling colors when it reads my band. It just doesn't enhance my theme park visit.

Just asking, do any of think that the theme park experience would be all that bad if none of this existed at all? No MB, no fp, pay for things with cash or a CC like we do in our everyday life? Not make our fp "reservations 60 days in advance? No dinner reservations, maybe you just make them " day of" or just walk up and ask for a table? Can you imagine?

What Disney has done was the continual tinkering of a system that wasn't broke. "back in the day" ( Ok before you all accuse me of being that guy, sometimes things "back in the day" worked ) Disney was able to deliver a incredibly quality experience and still make a huge profit. The Disney difference never included the things I mentioned. The MBs are a turddd and Disney knows it.

 

[CDavid]

Just asking, do any of think that the theme park experience would be all that bad if none of this existed at all? No MB, no fp, pay for things with cash or a CC like we do in our everyday life? Not make our fp "reservations 60 days in advance? No dinner reservations, maybe you just make them " day of" or just walk up and ask for a table? Can you imagine?

It's not that the theme park experience wouldn't be all that bad" without FP and deciding what you want for dinner weeks in advance, but rather that it would be vastly and dramatically improved!

 

[RSoxNo1]

Jurassic World used Magic Bands.

 

[EthanMagicBands]

As a local who wants to GUARANTEE a ride on Toy Story Midway Mania immediately followed by Star Tours with my kids at 4pm after school on a Tuesday without waiting in line, MyMagic+ has been nothing but fantastic for us. We can then head home for dinner. I honestly miss FP+ greatly when going to Disneyland or Universal, and I hear from many others who often feel the same way. It's vastly improved many of our experiences.

As for the negativity surrounding the bands, people far too often equate MagicBands = MyMagic+ or FastPass+, which is entirely not true. At its heart, it's simply just a bracelet that takes the place of you entry card (which has RFID in it as well). Really, you're just wearing you ticket on your wrist... Just like the wrist gift cards at Food & Wine Festival.

In fact, Disneyland, Shanghai, and all the other Disney properties could get ALL MyMagic+ features minus the MagicBands. So if you're anti-FastPass+, this news isn't nessecarily good news for you... It probably will be coming elsewhere, just minus the bracelet part.

 

[DarthMileZ]

not getting the hatred towards them personally, im going for 3 weeks and staying off site and im still buying one, because we are back and forth between UNI, Seaworld, Busche, Disney etc for 3 weeks, having a magic band on will be kinda useful.

besides, Star Wars.

 

[Jon81uk]

If the magic bands delivered the results that they were hoping for they would have went world wide

I don't think MagicBands will ever or have ever been heavily planned for Cali or Paris. The DisneyLAND parks are very different to the resort destination of WDW and requires a different solution. I think DLR will have guests scan their paper tickets at the entrance to rides and do away with paper FPs. Most of the rest of MM+ isn't relevant in Cali as they don't have as many on site resorts.

In fact, Disneyland, Shanghai, and all the other Disney properties could get ALL MyMagic+ features minus the MagicBands

Exactly

 

[ANJ]

I wouldn't say that MM+ doesn't have a useful feature or two. My problem with them is what the program cost vs those few features. As we know now because of the price tag it has contributed to the cuts that we have seen. If you could go back and asked in a survey. Would you be willing to have many cuts in entertainment etc. to have the ability to "reserve" a fp would you like that choice? Other then that alone feature does the band have any real redeeming value? Do people really say " I just love paying for things with my band" Is that much more convenient?. Maybe, but does it really enhance your theme park experience? No doubt it can be helpful. But at what cost? Cuts to expansions? Cuts in food offering quality? cuts to labor? etc. Yes I know that it is reported that SDL has played a part in these decisions, but to what extent did the enormous cost of MM+ play a part? We will never know, but what we do know is that it did.

Will some parts of MM+ be implemented in other parks around the world? Which ones? I don't see readers being installed so which features will be used that are useful? If they don't use the MB then there will be no fancy swirly colors, no attraction calling out your name. Again if Disney got the desired results the thing would go live everywhere. It didn't and it wont. They quickly realized that at the pace of technology advances that MM+ as it was rolled out was DOA.