Rumor- Magicbands will be required for some character meet n greets

[flynnibus]

I have to admit... I honestly have not really been following this whole magic band thing since the beginning(becuase I am in the camp that thinks this is dirty and creepy) so I really do not know anything about it.

Can someone please answer me these few questions:
1) The magic band is a replacement for the room key of the past, correct?
2) Is this already in use? If I am going this summer do I and staying at a DVC resort, are these bands given to us at check-in or is this now an extra cost? for my extra " magic"?
3) Or can we continue to use the room key card and just not be able to have Mickey call my name and such?

1) it appears to be an optional upgrade to it... paid or not might depend on who you are and where you are staying. Disney hasn't laid that all out yet
2) No its not in use yet. No exact dates when. Only small testing periods have been done
3) Most likely... but note your room key is also RFID enabled now too and what services may be offered with that are still up in the air too. We know you will have 'touch to pay' room charging available to you.. and new touch to open hotel room locks.. but that's most of it right now

 

[articos]

At least initially, Disney has indicated MagicBands will be available to offsite guests for a small fee. A price has not been confirmed but it's gotta be less than staying onsite.

Disney has been advertising MagicBands rather heavily. They appear to be one of the cornerstones of MyMagic+. So far, every MagicBand application that Disney has made public can be accomplished with basic RFID cards. Therefore, there must be a strong business case for Disney to incur the extra cost of MagicBands. Possibilities:

• MagicBands for onsite guests improve occupancy rates. - This largely depends on MagicBands' price point and could succeed if MagicBands become "cool" or there are unique "MagicBand only" experiences.
• MagicBands increase theme park attendance. - This could succeed if "MagicBand only" experiences have a WOW factor. Will, for example, Cinderella being to speak to children by name be enough to bring in more guests? What other "MagicBand only" experiences are planned? Will they be able to draw as many new guests as traditional attraction additions?
• MagicBands improve food & merchandise sales. - Possibly a great idea here. Put a credit card in the hand of everyone in the party only don't make it feel like a credit card.
• Data collected from MagicBands improves Disney's advertising effectiveness. - With a $2B annual advertising budget, data collected from MagicBands should allow for more effective use of that tremendous advertising budget.
• Disney sells data collected from MagicBands. - It probably doesn't make sense for Disney to sell away this potential advertising advantage but for the right price ...
• MagicBands allow for more effective deployment of resources. - Possibly but Disney already has a highly effective crowd control systems already in place. Further small gains might be possible, help locating lost children, etc.

Disney's MagicBands strategy almost certainly includes a combination of the above, as well as other factors.


In order for MagicBands to succeed, Disney needs to give its guests reasons to wear them. If all MagicBand vs. RFID card experiences were the same, many guests are sure to wear MagicBands simply for the fun and convenience. However, other guests won't like wearing plastic wristbands all day long in the Florida sun. Disney clearly wants people wearing MagicBands. As more MagicBand information is made available, expect to learn of more "MagicBand only" experiences.

You can charter a private jet from Chicago to Disney for less than staying onsite during peak or holiday in some cases. I'm not joking.

You've hit it dead on, again. Will it improve occupancy rates? Marginally, probably, on the surface. Due to the convenience and coolness factors, but mostly on people who see other guests wearing them and have kids or their own bit of envy and go "I want to be able to do that." If it gets out that you need the band to do specific experiences, then it will absolutely improve occupancy rates. Will it improve theme park attendance? Yes. For a while. Would it make a huge difference between what the normal attendance ramp would be year over year without them? Hard to say. It's a new thing that affects the entire experience across the parks. People will want to come try it out when they hear about it. Will they come specifically because of it when they wouldn't have before? Probably not. But they might come sooner to check it out than they were going to. Is it a big deal in the larger scheme with regards to increasing attendance? Not really. Improve F&B and Merch sales? Absolutely. Here's one of the major reasons for this. You are making it easier to spend, and it doesn't feel like spending. This is one of the top reasons, if not THE top reason, for doing this. Disney isn't the only vendor out there exploring this, and it's well-known it does end up increasing revenue. I'm expecting that in Disney's case, it will generate a significant bump in ancillary spend. Data collection? Yup, it's good for the company. And the guest, for personalizing experiences and targeted marketing. Selling the data they collect? Probably not. They'll spread it within the Disney family with permission and use it to target you for specifics. (Disney Jr, Teen Disney, etc.) Effective deployment of resources? Yes. Another major reason to do this as far as the company is concerned. It could allow for cost savings behind the scenes. Possibly significant savings. Add those to the fact they can personalize the experience even more, and say they're being technology-forward and environmentally conscious with giving out personalized bands - this is now your band, for years to come - no new tickets each time you go, or a new annual every year - and everything about this makes sense to Disney.

 

[ParentsOf4]

I have to admit... I honestly have not really been following this whole magic band thing since the beginning (because I am in the camp that thinks this is dirty and creepy) so I really do not know anything about it.

Can someone please answer me these few questions:
1) The magic band is a replacement for the room key of the past, correct?
2) Is this already in use? If I am going this summer do I and staying at a DVC resort, are these bands given to us at check-in or is this now an extra cost? for my extra " magic"?
3) Or can we continue to use the room key card and just not be able to have Mickey call my name and such?

1. Once available, MagicBands can be used as room keys. In addition, Disney is offering credit card sized cards with embedded RFID tags that also can be used as room keys. Initial reports are MagicBands will be free for onsite guests.
2. MagicBands are not in use at this time. There were plans to trial them at the Boardwalk Inn but this appears to have been cancelled due to the number of bugs in the system. Consequently, this was scaled back to a CM trial at the Animal Kingdom Lodge, where additional issues were identified. There is no public word when the next test of MagicBands will occur but it's likely to be in the next few months. At this time, it's unclear what will be available this summer. The original intention was to allow for check-in from home. Guests then could proceed directly to their rooms without having to check-in at the Front Desk, using MagicBands that would be mailed.
3. The rooms at most (all?) the resorts have been updated to RFID technology. Upgraded room doors have been updated to include RFID readers, capable of reading MagicBands or RFID tickets.

 

[DABIGCHEEZ]

Thank you to Flynnibus and Parentsof4 for the info.

 

[articos]

Once available, MagicBands can be used as room keys. In addition, Disney is offering credit card sized cards with embedded RFID tags that also can be used as room keys. Initial reports are MagicBands will be free for onsite guests.

Don't quote me on this, but last I heard, I believe the current Value (lower price-point) resorts will continue with RFID key-cards as standard, and have bands avail as a nominal upcharge. Nothing is in stone yet, though.

 

[PhotoDave219]

Don't quote me on this, but last I heard, I believe the current Value (lower price-point) resorts will have bands avail as a nominal upcharge, not included.

Have we heard anything new on the rumor about changing from value-moderate-deluxe to area-specific resort pricing?

 

[articos]

Have we heard anything new on the rumor about changing from value-moderate-deluxe to area-specific resort pricing?

No news, but I am expecting the change to occur. Not until after summer, though.

 

[shannon12]

Have we heard anything new on the rumor about changing from value-moderate-deluxe to area-specific resort pricing?

Is there a thread discussing that? I can't wrap my head around how that would work...

 

[articos]

Have we heard anything new on the rumor about changing from value-moderate-deluxe to area-specific resort pricing?

Also, I wouldn't go with area resort pricing, it's just resort pricing, on a per-location basis. The area-specific is more just referring to lumping the resorts for general classification without regards to pricing. I.E., the Epcot resorts won't be more or less than the MK resorts. (I know you know this, just clarifying for others who may be new to the topic.)

 

[PhotoDave219]

Also, I wouldn't go with area resort pricing, it's just resort pricing, on a per-location basis. The area-specific is more just referring to lumping the resorts for general classification without regards to pricing. I.E., the Epcot resorts won't be more or less than the MK resorts. (I know you know this, just clarifying for others who may be new to the topic.)

So is it more along the lines of Deluxe at MK is one pricing scale, Deluxe at Epcot/DHS is another.... etc?

 

[articos]

So is it more along the lines of Deluxe at MK is one pricing scale, Deluxe at Epcot/DHS is another.... etc?

Nope. Really, nothing is changing aside from how they currently categorize and name the resorts. I expect pricing to stay pretty similar to what it is now, and the parity in pricing between various properties will likely stay similar too. Even now, "deluxe" rates at DAK are different from "deluxe" rates at MK. Pricing and categories should stay the same, just instead of being called Value Resorts, Moderate Resorts and Deluxe Resorts, it will just be "Do you want to stay closer to Epcot, the Magic Kingdom or Animal Kingdom, and what type/theme of resort do you want to stay at?" Or, what's your price point, and here are the resorts that meet those prices. Make sense?

 

[articos]

So is it more along the lines of Deluxe at MK is one pricing scale, Deluxe at Epcot/DHS is another.... etc?

The change allows more flexibility for the company to make rate changes later, but in the short term, don't expect many changes aside from categorization.

 

[PhotoDave219]

The change allows more flexibility for the company to make rate changes later, but in the short term, don't expect many changes aside from categorization.

Thanks for clearing that up. It almost seemed like they were doing away with the three-tiered pricing.

 

[flynnibus]

Thanks for clearing that up. It almost seemed like they were doing away with the three-tiered pricing.

I think the point is the 3 tiers don't really mean much as it relates to pricing anyways... within the tiers every property is basically priced differently anyways. Its only been ways to lump the descriptions together.. pricing still has been unique per site.

 

[Rob562]

No, thats perfectly on topic. But god forbid Disney actually communicate anything to the passholders. Instead we have to find this out through third party sites?

I shall quote from the "Spring 2013" Mickey Monitor I got in the mail a couple weeks back.

There is a two-page spread talking about MyMagic+ in which it mentions My Disney Experience apps, FP+ and the MagicBand. At the bottom it says this in a blue box:

More Info to Come for Passholders!
In the coming months, we will share more information on how MyMagic+ will enhance the Passholder experience. Look for details (via mail or email) on how you can start using FastPass+, how to get your MagicBand and much more!

-Rob

 

[articos]

Thanks for clearing that up. It almost seemed like they were doing away with the three-tiered pricing.

They most likely are...this is just the first step in that process, which will be an evolution over time. That doesn't mean the pricing will change drastically, though, as the resorts are already pretty much at the highest price points that guests will tolerate without a major change in the hard and/or soft product itself. Also, even though there's 3 official tiers, the actual room rates are all over the map with the add ons, so it doesn't change that much when they make a change like this.

 

[All Disney All The Time]

I wish that we lived in the Orlando area and therefore could be Annual Passholders and go to WDW EVERYDAY!! Imagine this: Getting up and having the banana stuffed French toast at the Polynesian for breakfast, then heading off to whichever park was on that day's list and doing just the favorites. Then off to lunch at the California Grill at the Contemporary. After that do the faves at the next park on that day's schedule and then off to Downtown for some shopping and supper at either Planet Hollywood or the Rainforest and home again to get up the next day and start again with breakfast at either Starring Rolls or the French bakery at Epcot and then the other 2 parks with lunch at the Sandwich of Earl and supper at the Coral Reef. Then instead of shopping, finish that day with FIREWORKS. A parade everyday, a Meet and Greet everyday and a houseful of DISNEY. Pinch me, I'm dreaming.

 

[PhotoDave219]

I shall quote from the "Spring 2013" Mickey Monitor I got in the mail a couple weeks back.

There is a two-page spread talking about MyMagic+ in which it mentions My Disney Experience apps, FP+ and the MagicBand. At the bottom it says this in a blue box:




-Rob

That's not really conveying any information now is it? That doesn't tell me anything.

Ijust want Disney to come out and say that all of these really cool things they are doing for the day guests Will be available for the passholders as well.

Instead, they tell us to wait all the while taking away what few passsholder discounts we have left.

This rant goes far beyond MM+ and has more to do with how Disney chooses to treat the Florida passsholders in comparison to the California passsholders.

 

[PhotoDave219]

I wish that we lived in the Orlando area and therefore could be Annual Passholders and go to WDW EVERYDAY!! Imagine this: Getting up and having the banana stuffed French toast at the Polynesian for breakfast, then heading off to whichever park was on that day's list and doing just the favorites. Then off to lunch at the California Grill at the Contemporary. After that do the faves at the next park on that day's schedule and then off to Downtown for some shopping and supper at either Planet Hollywood or the Rainforest and home again to get up the next day and start again with breakfast at either Starring Rolls or the French bakery at Epcot and then the other 2 parks with lunch at the Sandwich of Earl and supper at the Coral Reef. Then instead of shopping, finish that day with FIREWORKS. A parade everyday, a Meet and Greet everyday and a houseful of DISNEY. Pinch me, I'm dreaming.

Damn son, even I don't go that often. Also, that's a lot of food & You forgot the backscratchers at the Polynesian.

 

[Rob562]

That's not really conveying any information now is it? That doesn't tell me anything.

Ijust want Disney to come out and say that all of these really cool things they are doing for the day guests Will be available for the passholders as well.

Instead, they tell us to wait all the while taking away what few passsholder discounts we have left.

This rant goes far beyond MM+ and has more to do with how Disney chooses to treat the Florida passsholders in comparison to the California passsholders.

But you're acting like Disney has given out concrete details and information to the resort guests, when they haven't. They've given out *no* concrete details because they aren't ready to (or perhaps in some cases they don't even know the details yet themselves).

99.9% of the guests in the parks right now would have *no* idea what the heck a "Magic Band" was if you walked up and asked them. Yes, Disney has mentioned that these things are coming, and that further information will be given at a future date. Would you prefer that they kept silent, didn't even *mention* the MagicBands', etc existence until they had every detail worked out?

Though I guess perhaps that might've been a better option, given all the people coming here to WDWMagic and asking "will there be MagicBands for my trip on such-and-such date? how do I get one?" when not even the most thoroughly-informed members know the answer...

-Rob