Magic Bands for friends ...

[jlw3535]

Hi all - I've tried to find this answer in previous threads ... but hoping this will give us some clarity.

We are being joined for one day during our trip by my husband's (VERY) tech-phobic aunt and uncle. They will be purchasing their tickets at the gate.

In order to secure some fast passes for all of us together once we're in the park, I purchased them magic bands for Christmas through the Disney store, and we will give them to them when we all meet up inside the park. Since I won't have tickets to connect to the bands prior to the day we visit, will those bands be active when we go to a FP kiosk, or will we have to bring them to be activated at Guest Services? I tried adding them onto my MDE account (not onto our reservation), but there is no way that I can find to connect the magic bands to their names.

Can anyone provide some guidance?

 

[robinb]

I'm wondering why you bought tech phobic people magic bands that track their every movement. It's not like you can get FP+ and they will freak out the first time they see their name somewhere.

I *think* you might be able to connect their passes to the MB at guest services. I don't know how you get them on MDX. I would call technical support and ask.

 

[kmb584]

Hi all - I've tried to find this answer in previous threads ... but hoping this will give us some clarity.

We are being joined for one day during our trip by my husband's (VERY) tech-phobic aunt and uncle. They will be purchasing their tickets at the gate.

In order to secure some fast passes for all of us together once we're in the park, I purchased them magic bands for Christmas through the Disney store, and we will give them to them when we all meet up inside the park. Since I won't have tickets to connect to the bands prior to the day we visit, will those bands be active when we go to a FP kiosk, or will we have to bring them to be activated at Guest Services? I tried adding them onto my MDE account (not onto our reservation), but there is no way that I can find to connect the magic bands to their names.

Can anyone provide some guidance?

Do the aunt and uncle have an MDE account of their own? If so, it's easy to link the bands. Just have them sign in, navigate to the Magic Band portion of MDE, and type in the code on the back of the band. It will ask who you want the band assigned to. If they don't, guest services should be able to link the ticket for them.

 

[hiroMYhero]

The easiest thing to do is list Aunt and Uncle on your MDE and link the MBs via the MagicBands and Cards area of your MDE Profile.

As soon as they purchase their tickets, link their tickets to them in your MDE.

Then, go to each of that day's FPs and "Change Party" to add them to your already booked FPs.

 

[tjmw2727]

They really don't need a magic band - but
You can add them as guests to your MDE account now and have it all set, then then when they purchase the tickets link the tickets their profile. Then "hopefully" you can add them to your already booked FP+ selections or make them all day of. If you do want them to have magic bands then you would link the MB the corresponding profile as well, you could even do this now. Go to Magic Bands and Cards, and then scroll to the bottom and it should give you an option to link a new band.

They can either use the park ticket or the MB at the tap style to access the FP+ you booked.

 

[jlw3535]

Thanks for the help, folks - I added them into MDE and linked the bands.

Next question - We're meeting them at MK in the afternoon after we use our FPs in the morning at HS.

If we arrive at MK before they do (we're using the express service, so will be inside the park already) - we should be able to book our fourth FP at a kiosk, as well as using their bands to book the same one, correct? Even though we wont have their tickets attached to the band yet?

 

[Accident]

Next question - We're meeting them at MK in the afternoon after we use our FPs in the morning at HS.

If we arrive at MK before they do (we're using the express service, so will be inside the park already) - we should be able to book our fourth FP at a kiosk, as well as using their bands to book the same one, correct? Even though we wont have their tickets attached to the band yet?

you can book it from the MDE app as soon as you've scanned you bands for the last one you have. Kiosks aren't as plentiful anymore and many times not even opened since it was added to the app and you can do it from your phone. If you do need a kiosk, usually the one in with customer service right after you get into the park (left side after tunnel in MK) has a working one and if not, it's guest relations so you can get someone to help you if needed.

 

[cigar95]

Since you've linked their bands to a MyDex account, same day FP you'll be able to book even before you link the tickets. (It's perhaps the most famous "insider trick" of the new system.) Since they're "friends" on your account, and sounds like they don't have separate accouts of their own, you'll be able to book their passes along with your own.

Plus, you can use the app rather than the kiosks for the same-day passes. Much easier now.

 

[bumbershoot]

In order to secure some fast passes for all of us together once we're in the park, I purchased them magic bands for Christmas through the Disney store, and we will give them to them when we all meet up inside the park.

Fps require tickets, not MBs, right? Did getting them
MBs do anything that just linking their tickets, once they get them, wouldn't have done?

 

[tjmw2727]

Fps require tickets, not MBs, right? Did getting them
MBs do anything that just linking their tickets, once they get them, wouldn't have done?

I think you can make same day FP+ with just a MB (and without a ticket) if you do it in the park at a Kiosk

 

[cigar95]

I think you can make same day FP+ with just a MB (and without a ticket) if you do it in the park at a Kiosk

Yup. The band does have to be associated with a MyDex profile, but it sounds like that's already done in this case. An since they're linked as "friends" to someone with full access, their FP can be scheduled via the app, not restricted to kiosks.

 

[bumbershoot]

I think you can make same day FP+ with just a MB (and without a ticket) if you do it in the park at a Kiosk

But they'll have tickets, so why bother to buy the mb?

Yup. The band does have to be associated with a MyDex profile, but it sounds like that's already done in this case. An since they're linked as "friends" to someone with full access, their FP can be scheduled via the app, not restricted to kiosks.

Since they'll be in the parks with people with tickets I just don't see the reasoning.

 

[supersnoop]

Just to be clear, you're paying for Magic bands to get a ~4 hour head start on some fastpasses for them?

Why don't you want to buy their tickets in advance so you can get a 30-day head start?

 

[tjmw2727]

But they'll have tickets, so why bother to buy the mb?



Since they'll be in the parks with people with tickets I just don't see the reasoning.

I must say I agree with you and don't really see the reasoning myself -I was just answering the questions

I would have skipped the MB and suggested the friends purchase tickets in advance, link the tickets, make FP+ for everyone and have the friends just use the tickets to access the FP+ especially for a one day trip. But it looks like that ship has sailed !

 

[jlw3535]

I understand all the confusion on what seems like overkill - they are a bit set in their ways and are a bit older, so the process of setting all this up in advance (for them) is "too much", and they would never allow us to pay for their tickets, even if they did pay us back. I thought (too late) about adding them to our room reservation to get the free MB's, because it would have cost us about the same - so spending the $25 on a pair of bands that we can load up with a couple of FP's before we meet up with them is about all I could do in advance. Its not something that I wanted to "bully" them into, but with the crowds what they are this week, i wanted to make sure that they were able to do *something* with us with relatively short lines. If they decide to add a second day, I can get their tickets linked and do some FPs through the app, it sounds like.

I don't expect people to understand some of the quirks of the husband's extended family ... but i greatly appreciate the tips that allowed me to get this up and running with as much ease (on me) as possible, and I learned a couple of things along the way! Thank you!

 

[robinb]

I understand all the confusion on what seems like overkill - they are a bit set in their ways and are a bit older, so the process of setting all this up in advance (for them) is "too much", and they would never allow us to pay for their tickets, even if they did pay us back. I thought (too late) about adding them to our room reservation to get the free MB's, because it would have cost us about the same - so spending the $25 on a pair of bands that we can load up with a couple of FP's before we meet up with them is about all I could do in advance. Its not something that I wanted to "bully" them into, but with the crowds what they are this week, i wanted to make sure that they were able to do *something* with us with relatively short lines. If they decide to add a second day, I can get their tickets linked and do some FPs through the app, it sounds like.

I don't expect people to understand some of the quirks of the husband's extended family ... but i greatly appreciate the tips that allowed me to get this up and running with as much ease (on me) as possible, and I learned a couple of things along the way! Thank you!

I still don't understand. Are you using these MBs for same day fast passes before they arrive?