MyMagic + Officially Announced

[HippieChickadee]

And to myself I say...

First world problems...

[sayhello]

This just makes going to WDW less and less attractive. I tried once to do a trip where I set up all my meals as ADR's way ahead of time, and I tried to stick to it, but it sucked all the spontaneity out of the trip. I was at MK, the weather was GORGEOUS, the crowds were low, but I had an ADR at Epcot for lunch. I was at HS, feeling pretty done there, wanted to hop to another park, but I had an ADR at HS in a couple of hours. Stuff like that. I just hated it, and haven't done it since. But the bad part is, I then suffer when I try to get anything beyond quick service for a meal. (Try getting dinner during off season at HS without an ADR...) This sounds like it is just going to make it impossible to ride my favorite rides without waiting forever in standby.

[PainInIL]

What this does for Disney is give them more predictability in their staffing and crowd levels. Frontier Land too crowded - give people instant fast passes to Space Mountain. It will allow them to dynamically drive traffic away from crowded areas of the park.

Disney isn't doing this to help travelers. They are doing it to help them better handle operations and try to get more money from each traveler. You don't invest $1.5 BILLION into something and expect no return.

[WIDisneyFan]

Originally Posted by PainInIL

What this does for Disney is give them more predictability in their staffing and crowd levels. Frontier Land too crowded - give people instant fast passes to Space Mountain. It will allow them to dynamically drive traffic away from crowded areas of the park.

Disney isn't doing this to help travelers. They are doing it to help them better handle operations and try to get more money from each traveler. You don't invest $1.5 BILLION into something and expect no return.

I agree 100%

[tink_n_pooh]

I really like the idea of a wristband, especially now that I have a little one to keep my hands full, it is a lot easier than constantly reaching for my room key, annual pass, debit card, and fast passes.

I hope they leave enough room for spontaneity of regular fast passes and there is always the regular old stand by line.

If they make it so the wristband also links my dining reservations and things like that? Even better for me, less things to keep track of

[Ilyo]

I seem to be the minority here, but I think this is a great idea!

I understand the whole idea of a relaxing vacation and not having everything planned...but in recent years I have found the current system to be the reverse! We just got back from a week at Kidani Village and visited 3 of the parks...essentially if you are not up by 6am..kids fed and in the park by opening you are looking at 120min line-ups for most popular rides...and ones like Toy Story, if you are not in by 10 or 11 all fast passes are gone for the entire day! How is that relaxing?? Luckily as a DVC owner, I get to visit fairly frequently and so any ride we don't hit, we will simply do next time...but for a family that plans for a year or more for one big visit only to find they can't get on many popular rides it must be devastating.

Now they can plan their days at the park, what character breakfast their kids will get to eat at and guarantee themselves at least a few of the popular rides all from the comfort of their home. And then combine that with easy walk in with a wristband, easy payment system at concession stands and stores...combined with a personal experience for their kids with animatronic characters calling them by name! Sounds good to me! Hopefully it all works as intended.

Just my thoughts...hahaha

[roomthreeseventeen]

Originally Posted by Ilyo

I seem to be the minority here, but I think this is a great idea!

I understand the whole idea of a relaxing vacation and not having everything planned...but in recent years I have found the current system to be the reverse! We just got back from a week at Kidani Village and visited 3 of the parks...essentially if you are not up by 6am..kids fed and in the park by opening you are looking at 120min line-ups for most popular rides...and ones like Toy Story, if you are not in by 10 or 11 all fast passes are gone for the entire day! How is that relaxing?? Luckily as a DVC owner, I get to visit fairly frequently and so any ride we don't hit, we will simply do next time...but for a family that plans for a year or more for one big visit only to find they can't get on many popular rides it must be devastating.

Now they can plan their days at the park, what character breakfast their kids will get to eat at and guarantee themselves at least a few of the popular rides all from the comfort of their home. And then combine that with easy walk in with a wristband, easy payment system at concession stands and stores...combined with a personal experience for their kids with animatronic characters calling them by name! Sounds good to me! Hopefully it all works as intended.

Just my thoughts...hahaha

You can't really compare going Christmas week to anyone else's vacation.

[ShesAPirate]

Originally Posted by roomthreeseventeen

You can't really compare going Christmas week to anyone else's vacation.

Agreed. I always go off-peak, and really never have any issues with 2 hour queues. I'm the furthest thing from a park commando, and always seem to get on the rides I want to go on without crazy wait-times.

I don't mind planning my dining in advance, but I don't really want to plan out my rides in advance, too.

[Ilyo]

Well it was the week after xmas haha...but I was just there in August as well (hotter then hell I must say!) and the experience was the same...not as busy of course...but still couldn't get on Rockin Roller coaster, Tower of terror or Toy Story!

I just like the idea of not having to "rush" my vacation away running to get fast passes and into the park first...when I can know walking in that I am eating where I want and getting on a few of the rides...

[Ilyo]

Originally Posted by ShesAPirate

Agreed. I always go off-peak, and really never have any issues with 2 hour queues. I'm the furthest thing from a park commando, and always seem to get on the rides I want to go on without crazy wait-times.

I don't mind planning my dining in advance, but I don't really want to plan out my rides in advance, too.

And that is great if you have the flexibility to go during the slow times...but many families don't have that luxury and end up having to take the vacation during the busy times...again this is not always my experience as I frequent the parks....but I can definitely feel for those that do!

I like it! hahaha

[*NikkiBell*]

Originally Posted by Danibelle

I would like to know if this is onsite customers only who buy a package or if it is for everyone. Many people stay offsite and/or are locals. Some information seems to be missing from this blog.

Originally Posted by ShesAPirate

Call me paranoid, but something about this doesn't sit right with me. I don't know why. I'm nowhere near a conspiracy theorist or someone who's constantly thinking 'Big Brother is watching', but... that was the first thought that came to my head when I read about this. Not that I have anything to hide. It just seems a little creepy to me.

Here is a link to the NY Times article published today. Those staying off-site or who live in Florida can preregister for a wristband to use.

Personally, I think that this is a fabulous idea. I love the fact of having everything organized into one form of media. Before becoming a DVC member, I loved the Key to the World card and how it was both my park pass and room key. The option was also there to charge purchases and use it for the dining plan. Now that I own DVC, there's more media to keep track of and the wristband option would change that. I think it's a good thing. Less to worry about.

As far as the "Big Brother" theory, I did initially think of that while reading the article above. However, what are they really tracking? What attraction I go on and when? If I like one character over the next? What restaurants I eat at? None of that is going to affect me once I return to the "real world" other than the fantastic memories inside my head.

Look at some of the examples listed in the article:

Did you buy a balloon? What attractions did you ride and when? Did you shake Goofys hand, but snub Snow White? If you fully use MyMagic+, databases will be watching, allowing Disney to refine its offerings and customize its marketing messages...

MagicBands can also be encoded with all sorts of personal details, allowing for more personalized interaction with Disney employees. Before, the employee playing Cinderella could say hello only in a general way. Now  if parents opt in  hidden sensors will read MagicBand data, providing information needed for a personalized greeting: Hi, Angie, the character might say without prompting. I understand its your birthday.

The data will also be used to make waiting areas for rides (scene ones in Disney parlance) less of a drag. A new Magic Kingdom ride called Under the Sea, for instance, features a robotic version of Scuttle the sea gull from The Little Mermaid that will be able to chitchat with MagicBand wearers.

How cool would all of this be? It means more personalization of a guest's park experience. Disney has been trying to do this for years now. How much do we like it when a cast member says "Happy Birthday" to us because of a birthday button? I can't count how many times I've read a touching story here on the DIS about something special that was done for a couple's anniversary. It's the little experiences like this that keep guests happy and coming back for more. I'm all for it.

No where does it say that guests will be forced to use the MagicBand. In fact, based on the fact that the article said those not staying on-site could pre-register for a band shows that there will be another option available, the traditional paper ticket media. How long that option will last is another question to ponder.

Similarly, Disney never stated that you are forced to use the band to plan every aspect of your vacation. On the contrary, it publicly stated on the Disney Parks Blog that you can plan as much or little as you like using the new system:

We know that some people like to plan every aspect of their Disney vacation in advance while others like to plan very little, letting their day unfold spontaneously. No matter where guests fall in that spectrum, My Disney Experience gives them the flexibility to plan as much or as little as theyd like to create the exact Disney experience they want.

All in all, I think that this is a great use of technology. Track me all you want, Disney. Make my vacations even better than they already are when I see you.

[AndyPok1]

I don't believe that FP+ will be available 180 days out like dining. Not that there's really a difference between 2-months and 6-months when it comes to spontaneity, but...

[Mike2023]

So I am one of the ones who really likes this idea. Yes, I tend to plan my trips WAYYYYY in advance, so I can see how the "spontaneousness" of it might suffer. But, they are saying you will be able to make changes on the day of.

For those that say this is going to increase standby lines I say, how so? This should have no effect on the stand by line because from what I understand the "FastPass" pool will remain the same. Yes, it will be harder to get a traditional FP, but it should have little effect on the stand by wait time. I guess its possible that the 20 - 40 extra minutes used per day that used to be spent getting FP could now be spent waiting in lines, but I think that would have little effect in overall waits.

I'm also sure that FP as it is now will go away completely in time once this is rolled out fully. There is no reason for Disney to maintain 2 different infrastructures and logistically it makes little sense to keep the Legacy FastPass system in place.

The next 2 to 3 year will be very interesting when it comes to technological changes.

FUN TIMES!!!!!

[Mike2023]

Originally Posted by AndyPok1

I don't believe that FP+ will be available 180 days out like dining. Not that there's really a difference between 2-months and 6-months when it comes to spontaneity, but...

From whats going around it sounds like it could very well be 180 days in advanced.

My guess is different resort class or something will have different timing. So say your staying on property in a deluxe resort, you will have first crack at 180 days out. Then maybe the mods have 100 day out or something.

From what I have read, the 2 months mark will be for magic your way ticket holders and AP holders or something not staying at a disney run hotel.

Disney is going to want to increase bookings and this is a way to encourage people to stay on property for sure.

[OKW Lover]

I'm kind of sitting on the sidelines getting a chuckle out of this one.

On one hand I enjoy the introduction of new technology. I can see how this will help those that are planners. OTOH, it probably won't affect Val & I because we simply don't plan our visits any longer. Perhaps a nice meal one night but that's the extent of our planning. I can't tell you the last time we actually got a Fast Pass - perhaps 10 visits ago?

Some folks are dreading having a wrist band. I haven't seen anything that says you have to have one. I also haven't seen anything that says its permanently attached to your wrist and must be worn there. How about if I just put it through a belt loop? Or my camera strap? Or maybe just leave it in my pocket?

I'm really not worried about Disney tracking me in the parks and resorts. I'm there. They know I'm there. No mystery. Do I care if they know I walked right past the character meet and greet without going in? No, I don't care if they know. Actually maybe its good they do know that. Hmmmm.

But I am enjoying reading the discussion and everybody's "worst case".