[ADVISORY] WDW - MagicBand-Only Testing Begins at Disney's Pop Century Resort

[Planogirl]

I think it is the thought that they get 3 fastpasses an there is a strong chance offsite guests could get more than that in a day (even with the disconnected machines that they can no longer access for FP-). I just wish there was an easy way to make the old FP- machines only give 3 FP- per day per person. That would put everyone's mind to rest that offsite guests might have the chance to get 5-6 or more FP-.

It sounds like offsite people are lucky to get one FP- for a headliner during busy times. Of course it's different when the parks are quiet but then it's less of a problem for everyone.

 

[wn01aa]

It sounds like offsite people are lucky to get one FP- for a headliner during busy times. Of course it's different when the parks are quiet but then it's less of a problem for everyone.

True. On a slower day, offsite might get 5-6 FP-, a busy day maybe 2. I once heard that 3 attractions at MK are not even connected to FP (Mickey meet and greet, dumbo, barnster). That is at least a guaranteed 3 for those resorts with KTTW cards still that POP guests can no longer get.

 

[myhouseofmouse]

So, did anyone check in to POP today and get working KTTW cards?

No the rumor was incorrect, POP is still doing the Wave 2 testing.

 

[myhouseofmouse]

So Pop guests would prefer that off-site visitors get nothing? That's sad if true.

I can understand their point...If you are paying more to stay on-site then off-site guests, you should not have less opportunities then they are able to get.

 

[myhouseofmouse]

It has been well over a week of testing MagicBands and no KTTW card at POP. I am very surprised that more resorts have not been added (especially if they are doing it to lighten the FP- load during peak times with Thanksgiving coming up). I didn't think they would want to isolate and leave only 1 resort. If this keeps up the next week or so with only POP, I may have to try to move my reservation for Dec 14-23 to another resort. I thought for sure all resorts would be like this before Christmas. Well, hopefully they stop the test soon and restart it in the new year and do all resorts at once (probably not going to happen though).

Yeah I think TheHub said to look for more resorts after the Thanksgiving Holiday. Who now's which resort(s) will be next, you are probably better off waiting...my money is with the other value resorts starting the test next MO

 

[Planogirl]

I can understand their point...If you are paying more to stay on-site then off-site guests, you should not have less opportunities then they are able to get.

I would agree that they shouldn't get less but then offsite also shouldn't get nothing at all. Plus I still argue that someone getting a good deal at a value resort and getting free dining might actually spend less at WDW than an offsite guest paying OOP for dining. Disney should really want them ALL to be happy.

It's such a mess.

 

[mikek]

I think it is the thought that they get 3 fastpasses an there is a strong chance offsite guests could get more than that in a day (even with the disconnected machines that they can no longer access for FP-). I just wish there was an easy way to make the old FP- machines only give 3 FP- per day per person. That would put everyone's mind to rest that offsite guests might have the chance to get 5-6 or more FP-.

they dont need to futz with the old FP- system really. They could just make FP+ so you can add additional FP+ after you use your first 3 under the same rules that FP- has. At least one person reported the system worked that way one day for them during testing- no idea why they dont at least allow that.

that way onsite has same opportunity as offsite with the bonus of guaranteed minimum of 3.

 

[mikek]

So Pop guests would prefer that offsite visitors get nothing? That's sad if true.

I didn't see the original post but the part you quoted said take away paper fp for outsite before taking away paper FP for onsite.

I don't see where that is "nothing"- they just need to hurry up and get offsite to FP+ like they already have with swan and dolphin apparently.

 

[Angel Ariel]

I didn't see the original post but the part you quoted said take away paper fp for outsite before taking away paper FP for onsite.

I don't see where that is "nothing"- they just need to hurry up and get offsite to FP+ like they already have with swan and dolphin apparently.

If done right now, it would be "nothing" as offsite does not have access to FP+ at all and it doesn't seem likely that they will any time soon. Yes, they're testing S&D right now... I would hope they'd move to including Shades of Green (also technically onsite, but not) before or along with other offsite hotels.

 

[mikek]

If done right now, it would be "nothing" as offsite does not have access to FP+ at all and it doesn't seem likely that they will any time soon. Yes, they're testing S&D right now... I would hope they'd move to including Shades of Green (also technically onsite, but not) before or along with other offsite hotels.

yep- but i didn't seen anyone say RIGHT NOW- seemed the gist was basically get everyone off paper FP BEFORE taking paper FP from resort guests. In other words people said 'dont take "ours" away before anyone else, do everyone at the same time.' No need to give anyone an advantage they just didn't want a disadvantage.

Personally i think that despite whatever their contracts say they should just include SoG as an onsite hotel. Spot those folks a little something extra for crying out loud. I haven't been paying attention to be honest but i thought offsite (Swan and Dolphin) where just getting CARDS and same day FP+, nothing in advance?

Anyway- as I posted above- they could probably fix the whole mess by making ALL resorts FP+ ONLY and by making FP+ work like FP-. Use all your existing FP+ then you can get one more based on availability. Use that one more (or wait the 2 hours) and you can book another if it any are available.

If it were me, a week from Monday, right after Thanksgiving, I would do just that so they would have a couple weeks before Christmas to tweak the FP- vs FP+ allocation. (with less people on FP- they could make some of those into FP+ that get released on the day of use.

Now that they are at a stage where they are taking things away and not just adding things they need to move quickly, pull the bandaid, and stop the baby steps.

Would that be the same as FP- of last year? Not exactly. Would it be close enough with some pro's and con's to keep most people from getting upset (and maybe even be happy)? I think so- but just my humble opinion.

 

[pampam]

this is what I found on the disney Help page. I was looking up RFID Disney on a google page, to see how invasive the rfid technology is and found this.

Each MagicBand contains an HF Radio Frequency device and a transmitter which sends and receives RF signals through a small antenna inside the MagicBand and enables it to be detected at short-range touch points throughout Walt Disney World Resort. MagicBands can also be read by long-range readers located at Walt Disney World Resort used to deliver personalized experiences, as well as provide information that helps us improve the overall experience in our parks.
If you prefer, you may elect to use a card instead of a MagicBand. Cards contain a passive HF Radio Frequency chip and cannot be detected by the long-range readers.

https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/faq/my-disney-experience/frequency-technology/

I gotta say, I am uneasy about this. I realize a lot of people will disagree with this, but I don't want Disney or any one else knowing if I'm walking clockwise or counter clockwise. It is no ones business if I go to the washroom or how long I spend in it. I really don't want every move I make to be tracked. I'm all for security, and the cameras and other methods they use are ok with me, but this rfid info is not used for security. It is used to trace traffic patterns and the flow of crowds. I'm sure they think it is ok, but Big Brother is watching, and I don't like it. Since the card does not have the long range capability that the band does, I would much rather get the card, and it says on their own website that I can have this option.

 

[mikek]

this is what I found on the disney Help page. I was looking up RFID Disney on a google page, to see how invasive the rfid technology is and found this.

Each MagicBand contains an HF Radio Frequency device and a transmitter which sends and receives RF signals through a small antenna inside the MagicBand and enables it to be detected at short-range touch points throughout Walt Disney World Resort. MagicBands can also be read by long-range readers located at Walt Disney World Resort used to deliver personalized experiences, as well as provide information that helps us improve the overall experience in our parks.
If you prefer, you may elect to use a card instead of a MagicBand. Cards contain a passive HF Radio Frequency chip and cannot be detected by the long-range readers.

https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/faq/my-disney-experience/frequency-technology/

I gotta say, I am uneasy about this. I realize a lot of people will disagree with this, but I don't want Disney or any one else knowing if I'm walking clockwise or counter clockwise. It is no ones business if I go to the washroom or how long I spend in it. I really don't want every move I make to be tracked. I'm all for security, and the cameras and other methods they use are ok with me, but this rfid info is not used for security. It is used to trace traffic patterns and the flow of crowds. I'm sure they think it is ok, but Big Brother is watching, and I don't like it. Since the card does not have the long range capability that the band does, I would much rather get the card, and it says on their own website that I can have this option.

yes that's one (ok THE) of the major points of the MB's instead of just RFID cards.

Bboth the MB and KTTW and ticket media have RFID like newer credit cards, keycards in office building and the like. They baisclaly require "touch to read" so you have to actively do something like press it against a mickey hear reader.

The Magic bands have that AND a battery and transmitter that works in the Bluetooth/Wifi spectrum. This allows them to read the band at a distance as mentioned in the faq. They can read it passively without your input.

With that, They will track you. And in the future it will allow things like cinderella or talking mickey will be able to great your kid by name becasue their band is read when they walk in the room. You wont need to find your picture and remember a number at the end of a ride- it will just get linked to your band. Thinks like that.

Since some people might not be comfortable with it that's one of the reason that they will ALWAYS allow people to select an RFID KTTW card.


I'm sure there are umpteem threads here as well as piles of news articles that get into the privacy issues of this.

 

[pampam]

But Mikek, this thread is stating positively that chosing the card is not an option at Pop Century. Even though the link I provided says it is possible to have a choice.

 

[doconeill]

But Mikek, this thread is stating positively that chosing the card is not an option at Pop Century. Even though the link I provided says it is possible to have a choice.

Someone did report that they were not given an option. But per the advisory they ARE supposed to have an option - only that the card still won't work in the FP kiosks anyways.

If you've already customized your MagicBands, I think it is too late to opt out...

 

[honeymo78]

I'm thinking to get the card you can't say anything about wanting a back-up to the band. You may have to go through an "opt out" process. It could be all about the language you use.

 

[Vickmeys]

Why was it fair when POP was the first to get FP+ access (WAY before most other resorts), and now it is NOT fair for POP guests to be the first resort to lose FP- access? I don't get it.

 

[One Hit Wonder]

Someone did report that they were not given an option. But per the advisory they ARE supposed to have an option - only that the card still won't work in the FP kiosks anyways.

If you've already customized your MagicBands, I think it is too late to opt out...

If I checked in and they didn't allow me to exchange my MagicBand for a KTTW card (regardless of the fact it wouldn't pull paper FASTPASSES), I would be very upset.

There's no way you should have to wear a bracelet around all day.
For cripes sake a card fits so nicely into my wallet, I can't think of anything more convenient than that.

 

[One Hit Wonder]

Why was it fair when POP was the first to get FP+ access (WAY before most other resorts), and now it is NOT fair for POP guests to be the first resort to lose FP- access? I don't get it.

Probably because most people perceived Fastpass+ as a new privilege while perceiving legacy FASTPASS as an established (Disney Park) right.

 

[FrugalFashionista]

Why was it fair when POP was the first to get FP+ access (WAY before most other resorts), and now it is NOT fair for POP guests to be the first resort to lose FP- access? I don't get it.

Probably bc the people that are going to Pop now aren't the people that got to have MB when it first rolled out. We are one of those people. I could care less about not being able to pull legacy fast pass bc my kids care more about characters than rides. However, I will be requesting a card bc I don't want to risk not being able to use my dining credits bc of a MB malfunction.

 

[doconeill]

Why was it fair when POP was the first to get FP+ access (WAY before most other resorts), and now it is NOT fair for POP guests to be the first resort to lose FP- access? I don't get it.

POP wasn't the first, or the second actually. It was added in the second wave. CR and AKL were first.