Puck style MagicBand 2 is official

[Incomudro]

Your MagicBand can absolutely act as a credit/debit card; you don't need to carry one.
If you were expecting your MagicBand to act as your drivers' license, that's an odd request. Were you expecting to store your photo ID on it, and show it to cops when pulled over?

Yeah, really...
When I visit WDW, my family and I leave the room with our MagicBands on - and my wallet stays in the room safe.
I don't think I carried my wallet the entire week when on vacation since the MarigBands debuted.

 

[DisneyJayL]

At this time Apple does not allow access to the RFID chip in the Apple Watch or iPhone, except for ApplePay so while it might be theoretically possible, Apple doesn't allow it yet.

I actually use my Apple Watch with Apple Pay throughout the parks which is super convenient.

I do too. It's a beautiful thing.

 

[MikeyK72]

Only during a stay at a Walt Disney World hotel.

And only for the places that take the Magic Band as payment...here's looking at you Il Mulino!

 

[flynnibus]

I've been a server before, that wouldn't work actually. According to liquor law, you have to present a government issued ID each and every time you purchase (my company's policy was to do that as long as the person looked under 40). Even if you checked at the entrance and attached photo/age to the band, that would be illegal to sell it to them. Also, we do NOT need even more stuff having to be done at the front gate, especially at MK

You mean all those bars that hand out bracelets so the bartenders don't card every purchase are illegal? Fascinating.....


Disney could have added photos to the system just like the ticket+photo system used at Disneyland to your MDE profile...

 

[LukeS7]

You mean all those bars that hand out bracelets so the bartenders don't card every purchase are illegal? Fascinating.....


Disney could have added photos to the system just like the ticket+photo system used at Disneyland to your MDE profile...

True...hadn't thought of that. I'd also consider that a bit different though. I still think there's a big difference between carding at the door to an establishment that's one building and carding at a resort that spans around 10,000 acres (27,000 if you include undeveloped areas) and includes many establishments that serve alcohol

 

[flynnibus]

For those drunk on the dust. Disneyland uses photopass and CMs to take photos of every person who has a multiday ticket before you can use the ticket. The photos are then shown at the gates in an effort to prevent used ticket resale. The concepts not only exist, they are in use.

And no Disney does not need to physically check id on every alcohol purchase, nor does Disney even need to check id at all. Those are liability policies to avoid serving minors - not legal requirements to do so.

The biggest impact is to the point of sale systems... which there are thousands of at Disney.

 

[flynnibus]

True...hadn't thought of that. I'd also consider that a bit different though. I still think there's a big difference between carding at the door to an establishment that's one building and carding at a resort that spans around 10,000 acres (27,000 if you include undeveloped areas) and includes many establishments that serve alcohol

Yet you forget every single person has gone through some level of interaction... and besides Disney springs, gone through entry points etc. we are talking about systems that work with your existing customers... not an open city

 

[LukeS7]

For those drunk on the dust. Disneyland uses photopass and CMs to take photos of every person who has a multiday ticket before you can use the ticket. The photos are then shown at the gates in an effort to prevent used ticket resale. The concepts not only exist, they are in use.

And no Disney does not need to physically check id on every alcohol purchase, nor does Disney even need to check id at all. Those are liability policies to avoid serving minors - not legal requirements to do so.

The biggest impact is to the point of sale systems... which there are thousands of at Disney.

I stand corrected. I failed to realize it's a business' policy due to liability rather than legal requirement.

 

[MrPromey]

I think the move to a circular disk is to make it more obvious for people to align the contact point. It could also make a larger antenna design. Both sacrifices vs the low profile v1 design.

Getting people to properly align the Mickey ears on the band with the scanner has been by my observation, one of the biggest time wasters at the front gates to the parks and at the entrance to fastpass queues.

The castmembers are so used to this problem that they rattle off the instructions completely on autopilot without even really paying attention.

While I preferred the aethstetic of the previous design, if this solves that problem, I'll be thrilled.

 

[DisneyJoe]

Disney could have added photos to the system just like the ticket+photo system used at Disneyland to your MDE profile...

Both my son and I had issues with our finger scans this past trip and they took our photo and stored it somewhere....

 

[flynnibus]

Both my son and I had issues with our finger scans this past trip and they took our photo and stored it somewhere....

you're a marked man Joe

 

[TheGuyThatMakesSwords]

You know, it might be worthwhile to discuss what a "Magic Band" (MB) does, and does NOT do.....

First off - it doesn't hold anything but a wireless "key" . It is not huge, and has little of what would be referred to as memory.

Focus on the KEY part..... just as your house key does not contain your kitchen, bedroom, garage or bathroom(s), an MB is nothing but a TOKEN that gets you access to something.... That "something" is a far LARGER WDW Database - a vast array of information likely contained in house sized mainframe computers from 1971 .

Why does this matter? Because while KEYS may change shape, or even how they work..... all they do is unlock the house. The REAL work is done far away, on far larger machines. That's why this development is trivial.

A REAL development would involve back end DataBase Work.... including:

1) Pulling up a PHOTO of the band holder. This would solve a LOT of Security and monetary issues at WDW. Before anyone yells..... does your driver's license hold a photo of you?

2) Full integration of WDW dataBASES. You see, they have SEVERAL, on different machines, and they don't communicate all that well . Think "ONE House, ONE key".

3) The KEY may change.... but all "keys" will be sub optimum until WDW gets a real, modern, FAST, and MAINTAINED back end database. You are seeing "cute glitz".... the equivalent of painting a rusted 1953 Chevy bright red . It's cute, but it's still a 1953 Chevy with 487,000 miles on it .

All personal opinion - I'm not necessarily right, no one else is necessarily wrong.

 

[Jon81uk]

Pulling up a PHOTO of the band holder. This would solve a LOT of Security and monetary issues at WDW

Guest services CMs st the turnstiles can already bring up a security camera photo of you entering the park for the first time. It's used for verification when the finger scan doesn't work.

 

[flynnibus]

You know, it might be worthwhile to discuss what a "Magic Band" (MB) does, and does NOT do.....

First off - it doesn't hold anything but a wireless "key"

A key analogy is misleading. It doesn't unlock anything. It's just a 'ID Number'... a number that means nothing on its own. Its only when that ID number is used to lookup a profile/identity... and then the system works with that profile/identity to do something of meaning.

But unlike your social security number.. or your driver's license number... this 'id number' has no meaning outside of Disney's databases. It's hard coded into the band at manufacturing, and when the band is associated to your profile, the ID is the element saved.

It is likely this ID is also obscured by a encryption handshake or hash exchange. Then you have the transmitter side of the unit.. which again can add layers to protect the communications... but at the end of the day is just doing the same critical task of 'Hi, I'm band address 36356853848448844' whatever and its all on the backend to map that ID to a profile and then do something.

You could simplify it to even say its a 'Digital Name Tag', but the name on the tag is a code word.. and mapping the code word to your identity is done only in Disney's database.

 

[Tony the Tigger]

Ours just arrived yesterday!
They're the old ones.
Hey, as long as they get us into the parks!!

 

[TheGuyThatMakesSwords]

A key analogy is misleading. It doesn't unlock anything. It's just a 'ID Number'... a number that means nothing on its own. Its only when that ID number is used to lookup a profile/identity... and then the system works with that profile/identity to do something of meaning.

But unlike your social security number.. or your driver's license number... this 'id number' has no meaning outside of Disney's databases. It's hard coded into the band at manufacturing, and when the band is associated to your profile, the ID is the element saved.

It is likely this ID is also obscured by a encryption handshake or hash exchange. Then you have the transmitter side of the unit.. which again can add layers to protect the communications... but at the end of the day is just doing the same critical task of 'Hi, I'm band address 36356853848448844' whatever and its all on the backend to map that ID to a profile and then do something.

You could simplify it to even say its a 'Digital Name Tag', but the name on the tag is a code word.. and mapping the code word to your identity is done only in Disney's database.

Pretty sure we are violently agreeing . You see, the general public does not "get" ID numbers that look up a DataBase profile.... Many do not know what a back end Database IS . They DO get the concept of a House, and a key..... .

The major point remains.... a Magic Band is not some huge vault of information that holds one's life History . Like an AP card, or anything else constituting Admission - it's just one of many ways for the front end systems to interrogate the REAL vault of information in Disney's Database .

 

[flynnibus]

Pretty sure we are violently agreeing . You see, the general public does not "get" ID numbers that look up a DataBase profile.... Many do not know what a back end Database IS . They DO get the concept of a House, and a key..... .

Tell them it's their Employee ID number.. or their inmate number

 

[danlb_2000]

2) Full integration of WDW dataBASES. You see, they have SEVERAL, on different machines, and they don't communicate all that well . Think "ONE House, ONE key".
.

This is an interesting point. When we did the Star Wars desert party on our last trip I was surprised that check in was done with a printed list instead of a tablet that could read the bands which would speed up the check in process.

 

[MisterPenguin]

Of course, Sorcerers of the Kingdom is the big exception to the rule. No checking of the back-end database, each game is linked to that specific MagicBand! If you show up with a different MB, too bad, can't continue the game.

It astounds me.

 

[MACHA100]

I agree. I use my Apple Watch with Apply Pay on the last day when we've already checked-out and can't bill back to the room anymore with the Magic Bands.

Like you mentioned, I think the Apple Watch has all of the technology needed to function as a Magic Band (NFC and WiFi radio) and I wouldn't be surprised given the Disney/Apple affiliation if we see it happen soon. Could be as simple as an Apple Watch component to the My Disney Experience app.

I am an AP who visits 5 to 6 times yearly. I have always been able to charge all my purchases (food and merch) to my Magic Band on my last day after I have checked out of my resort room. My last day charges are billed separately from the charges incurred prior to checkout, but my band has always worked for last day charges.