Will I get Magicbands? + Some Other Questions...Thanks!

[Shayan]

Hello!

I'm aware that this topic has been discussed before but I've been researching for many days and can't seem to get my question(s) answered. I've been trying to find answers all around but here it goes...

1) I've booked 2 hotel only reservations at Disney's Pop Century Resort for 3 adults in a Standard Room on Sunday, October 27, 2013 at 8:45 AM and 8:52 AM PST for check in on Sunday, January 12, 2014 and check out on Wednesday, January 15, 2014 and then check in again on Wednesday, January 15, 2014 and check out on Saturday, January 18, 2014 on travelocity.com (the reason it's 2 reservations is because I wasn't able to use 2 different credit cards on 1 reservation). I have also already linked both of the reservations (the same day I booked it) on my disney experience account and booked the magical express airport service (round trip) the next day and have already received the booklet, vouchers, luggage tags, etc.. A customer service representative at disney magical express service was able to combine both of the reservations together so that I would receive only 1 booklet to make everything easier for the transportation part. The hotel reservation can't be combined together but a representative at disney reservations customer service has noted everything on my reservation regarding that I have 2 reservations (all I need to do is check in, check out, check in again, and then check out; no big deal for us, will just do it early morning and the representative also said that I've seen many people do 2 or more reservations for a consecutive stay) and added all of my notes/requests such as early check in, to have a refrigerator in the room (I hope they all will be working by then; please let me know if anyone has info about this), highest floor possible, lake or pool view, close to bus stop/front desk/food court area, and non-smoking room. Just not sure which section I should stay at (50s, 60s, 70s, 80s, or 90s; any suggestions, opinions, comments, etc... would be appreciated.)

2) I've also booked 3 adult disney world tickets (5 days base ticket - one park per day; received a great offer/deal where it said buy 3 days and get 2 days free) on orbitz.com on September 2, 2013 but can't get that linked onto my disney experience account (please help out if anyone knows how to get it linked if booked on a third party website) and I have already called disney customer service including the IT/online services department and they told me that third party bookings for disney tickets can't be linked until the voucher is redeemed physically at the park and then guest services can then help me link it from there and then I can make fastpass selections (I don't know if that is true).

3) I logged onto my disney experience account now and it says "65 days to go" and it also shows/says:

Get Ready to Experience MyMagic+

Customize Your MagicBands Now
Have your MagicBands in hand to enter parks, access your FastPass+ selections and unlock the door of your Disney Resort hotel room.

Start Customizing

Valid park admission required for FastPass+ service.


Start Making FastPass+ Selections
FastPass+ service is the fun, fast and flexible way to select arrival window times for many must-do attractions, Character Meet and Greets, entertainment and more—in advance.

Request FastPass+ Selections


but when I click on the link "start customizing" under the customize your magic bands it says/shows:


MagicBands & Cards
Whether you have a MagicBand wristband or touch to enter admission card—or both—you are seamlessly connected to your reservations, park admission and other plans and purchases. Learn More

Don't See All Your MagicBands and Cards?Unless you have an order currently in process, you may still need to link them to your account.

Link a MagicBand or Card
Please visit MyDisneyExperience.com/privacy for information about our privacy and data collection policies and to learn more about RF technology used in MagicBands and RF cards.


Any idea if my family and I will be getting magic bands to use for our stay so we can customize it, choose our colors, get the name imprinted, etc...? I will use the online check in service as soon as I'm able to for both reservations as soon as it shows 60 more days to go/60 days prior to check in. I know that I can't choose fastpass + selections because of course my disney tickets are not linked yet (I don't know if that is true; please correct me if that is false information) but my family and I are really anxious to know if we will get and can use magicbands. This is our first disneyworld trip, will be celebrating our 25th anniversary, and will be our first time staying on a disney property. We are in Simi Valley, CA. I've just been researching many things to make our stay and vacation as fun, smooth, and stress free as possible. Any information, suggestions, tips, comments, opinions, etc... would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you very much and I hope you have a great day! Hope to hear from people soon haha!

 

[stevehousse]

Did you try and customize magic bands yet? If you are staying on property you should be able to choose your magic bands so if it lets you, your in. Unfortunately, with the type of tickets you have, you will have to wait until they r redeemed.

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe you can go to downtown Disney and have your vouchers transferred or do it at a park. If you have your first vacation day open ( no parks) I would recomend going to DTD and redeeming them as soon as possible. Once you have your real tickets, add them into your MDE account and you will be able to then make FP+ selections! This option, as long as you aren't doing a park on the first day, will give you time to plan everything out. I will say that for me, it honestly took me a good 1 1/2 to plan everything out!

If you are doing a park day your first day, you will have to use your phone to link your tickets and choose FP+ Once you are at the park. Then once you get back to your hotel, you can plan out your FP selections for the rest of your trip.

EDIT:

You might have to wait until the 60 day mark to be allowed to choose you MBs. A lot of testers, including myself, were not able to customize until around the 45-50 day mark. So if it won't let you customize right now, keep checking. But since you are saying on site, you more than likely will be receiving a MB!

 

[Mammymouse]

We are DVC members since 1997, Annual Passholders/Florida residents, and have a Tables in Wonderland card and I'll start by saying I am not a fan of this billions of dollars program/NextGen, so I wasn't surprised about the experience I just had. I booked two separate reservations for this past weekend (Nov 1st and 2nd) about two weeks ago through DVC at Saratoga Springs. The short explanation is this was the only way I could make the two consecutive nights work. Friday night I got a studio for myself and 9 year old granddaughter and Saturday night we got a one bedroom because I was picking up the Hubby from the airport to stay with us Saturday night, as he was flying back to FL. That part went as usual. When I tried to online checkin though on the DVC website, as I usually do, it switched me automatically to the WDW website, which told me I had no reservation. My reservations were clearly on the DVC website though so I knew I wasn't crazy. I had to manually enter my first night reservation info and then it would allow the online checkin. Then I tried to do the second night and it wouldn't allow it, it kept bringing up the first reservation, so I figured I would deal with it when I checked in at the hotel.

Got to Saratoga and gave a brief explanation to the Cast Member of the checkin situation, who English was not her first language. She said I would have to come back to the desk the next morning and checkin the second room and it would be a quick process. It was difficult to have a conversation with her as I couldn't understand her very good. She asked if I wanted to put a credit card on the room and I said no. Then she brought out this box and said here are your magic bands and asked if I knew about them. This was the first I had any idea that I would be getting them ! Actually, if it wasn't for the fact that I am a somewhat frequent visitor to this forum and have read about the Next Gen I would have been dumbfounded as to what they even were. I said I had heard about them. She said I could put reservations and tickets on them. I said I'm not going to. (I don't own a lap top so I don't have internet access when I'm there) She said I don't need to use the bands if I don't want to because there are the key cards if I want to use them instead. Then she said I needed to enter a pin number into the key pad. I asked why, I have never done that before and she said for security. I hadn't put a credit card on it so I don't even know what that was all about. I walked away feeling very aggravated. Got to the room and my granddaughter wanted to use her band. It didn't work. I had to get out the key cards to get in. Later that night when we returned I tried my band and it did work.

Next morning I had to check out and check in again at the desk. They brought out another set of bands for this new reservation plus one for my Hubby. Went through the checkin again and decided to wear the new band. They are very stiff and thick, and were a battleship grey color. Also they want you to were them somewhat tight to your wrist, which created a sweat factor, even though it was cool enough outside to wear a sweatshirt.

So my assessment is I didn't like the look or feel of the band and definitely do not like the fact that I feel connected to something all powerful by this band/tracking device. Sorry. Also the whole system is definitely not enhancing my experience in the Park. The whole Fast Pass situation is becoming ridiculous. Booking a "ride" 6 months in advance is nuts!! Next thing will be booking bathroom breaks.

I just feel the Magic is leaving little by little . I'm 65 and Hubby is 70 and have been going to WDW since the 80's and plan to continue until we leave to hopefully meet up with Walt himself someday. I understand we live in a tech world now but there are just some things that should not be strictly tech. Cast Members are a huge part of the experience - people are not robots and most of us are not computer heads, especially on vacations. I had hoped some of those billions of dollars would have gone for updating attractions that have been closed or very outdated, or perhaps some new attractions (not video screens though). That would certainly help restore the Magic for me. The new Fantasyland is just okay, but I really hope the Mine Coaster is better than Ariel.

I apologize I ventured into Rant territory . Just been disappointed lately.

 

[imagination30]

so its safe to say , even though you get bands , to ask for a key to the world card as back up right?

 

[mickclub1955]

I hit my 60 day mark today for my trip and it let me customize my bands today and pick my fastpass+ selections. It wouldn't let me last night so it is working on the 60 day mark.