Unlocking Guest Rooms With Smart Phone - Gimmicky? Or Useful...

[Polydweller]

Gotta comment on all of this...

If YOU can unlock your door with a cellphone (presumably Bluetooth, range limited) - it is just a matter of time before a crack shows up, and someone ELSE can unlock your door in the same fashion.

Just us - not touching this.
Oh - I also spent 27 years in corporate IT Security for a Fortune 500 .
But you will do as you choose....

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

If you look at the pictures above it is not Bluetooth but NFC. You have to touch the phone to the lock or nearly so. I was an IT manager and now also a hotelier. I agree, nothings perfect and some hacks of NFC locks have already occurred. But it’s significantly harder than Bluetooth which would be a poor method to use for this.

 

[Disneyfreak Jen]

I echo what others have said, and I prefer the Magic band. I don’t havevtondosh through my bag for my phone, the battery might be really low or dead. Magic band is so easy. If it ain’t broke....

 

[correcaminos]

Useful. I was parking the car after I had given everyone the bags to go up to the room. I realized then I had forgotten my magic band. Easy peasy, opened the room (WL) with my phone. I rarely leave my phone or tablet whether going to the pool or for a walk so if I left my band, it was another option to me

 

[crxbrett]

Useful. I was parking the car after I had given everyone the bags to go up to the room. I realized then I had forgotten my magic band. Easy peasy, opened the room (WL) with my phone. I rarely leave my phone or tablet whether going to the pool or for a walk so if I left my band, it was another option to me

I think I definitely prefer the ease of using the Magic Bands instead. But your story and Slappy Magoo's kind of proves that this actually is a very good option for us to have as back-up!

 

[communipaw]

If this opens up the ability to use an Apple Watch to unlock your door I'd be interested. I'm not big on having much on my wrists and feel weird wearing my Apple Watch and Magic Band. If I could get away with just wearing the watch to access MDE functionalities (doors, Fastpass, room charges, etc.) that would be awesome.

 

[correcaminos]

I think I definitely prefer the ease of using the Magic Bands instead. But your story and Slappy Magoo's kind of proves that this actually is a very good option for us to have as back-up!

I cannot say I used it a lot but considering I hate wearing magic bands (even had my husband accidentally toss mine in the towel bin that I carried one day) so it's a good other option.

 

[Patcheslee]

Gotta comment on all of this...

If YOU can unlock your door with a cellphone (presumably Bluetooth, range limited) - it is just a matter of time before a crack shows up, and someone ELSE can unlock your door in the same fashion.

Just us - not touching this.
Oh - I also spent 27 years in corporate IT Security for a Fortune 500 .
But you will do as you choose....

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

I was wondering about the security for this. Seems like hijacking someone's BT signal and MDE account would be simple to those that understand the tech. Sure it seems like a nice feature if I lose my MB but that's about it.

 

[Andrew C]

I would imagine in the very near future, they will add in the necessary features so that the phone can replace the MB entirely...if you choose to use it.

 

[MomofPrincessGrace]

I think this will come in handy on our upcoming one night stay at AKL. We wont be going to the park so really no reason to wear the MB (unless going to the pool).