MyMagic+/FASTPASS+ How it Works, Attractions and Experiences

[devores 382]

Before anyone gets up in arms about this, remember, there is no information stored on those MBs. Zero. The only thing a MB has on it is a 12 digit number. That is it.

 

That number is registered in the computer system and linked to an account. So simply reading the MB will only tell them that a MB is an area. Not who the MB is attached to.

 

For photos, the photo is not assigned to you as a person. It is assigned to a number. The MB number. Then, the MB is linked to an account. There is a separation of information. Only certain systems can read certain information.

 

For example, when a MB is scanned at one of our view stations, the only thing we can see is the photos associated with that particular number. No other info is shown. Same with FPs. The system will only see the FP information for that MB. No other info can be revealed at a FP kiosk.

 

So yes, technically the bands can be tracked. But its just a number.

[devores 382]

The picture taken on Buzz Lightyear was not a fast pass so we at no time used a touch pad so if MB was used to id us it was without our knowledge. The touch pads would not be able to id us in a ride vehicle as they are too fare from the loading point to know which car we would be in. I don't have a problem with this use I think it's great but I can see where it could cause someone great grief. If I had been there with someone I shouldn't be with and if Disney does as they did in my case send the info to my wife with the day and time stamp of the picture. I don't have those kind of issues but I bet it happens.

 

This was during the testing of the auto add of ride photos. It apparently worked. This is why it was only the one time. The test is over now.

 

The photo was not added to "you" and it did not identify you.

 

It read the number from the MB and associated the photo to that number. That number is registered to you in MDE, therefore, the photo shows up on your account. The reason your wife got the e-mail was because, that's most likely the e-mail address of the account the MBs are registered under or the lead on that particular trip.

[GaDawgFan.....Kelly 799]

Honestly, the only thing that bothers me about MBs and FP+, etc. is that I can only get 3 FP+ in the MK and to a lesser extent the tiering. I was ALWAYS able to (and did) get more than 3 FPs in the MK. I was ALWAYS able to get FP for both TSM and RnR (and did).

 

I really don't care that much that Disney is tracking me in the parks because they could have already done that to some extent through Photopass and my credit card. I DO think, however, that they are going to look at us all as dots on a screen and look at crowd habits and patterns. That isn't necessarily a bad thing. I suspect they will use that information both to make extra money AND to alleviate crowd issues when possible.

[Seals 111]

Same thing happened to us. On 12/30 I got an email that our Photopass photos were about to expire. We hadn't had any Photopass photos taken that I knew of. The photos show all 5 of us on both our rides on Buzz Lightyear on the night of 11/24 (standby line) and my 15 yr old son on Space Mountain that he rode by himself (standby line) later that night. Nothing else from the rest of our visit which covered 3 days and all 4 parks. It doesn't really bother me. In fact I was a little disappointed that there weren't more photos.

What was a little freaky was the promotional piece I got listing my kids' school vacations for the rest of the year and encouraging me to take a vacation those dates. But my kids go to public school, so it's not hard to find the vacation dates for our district.

[devores 382]

Honestly, the only thing that bothers me about MBs and FP+, etc. is that I can only get 3 FP+ in the MK and to a lesser extent the tiering. I was ALWAYS able to (and did) get more than 3 FPs in the MK. I was ALWAYS able to get FP for both TSM and RnR (and did).

 

I really don't care that much that Disney is tracking me in the parks because they could have already done that to some extent through Photopass and my credit card. I DO think, however, that they are going to look at us all as dots on a screen and look at crowd habits and patterns. That isn't necessarily a bad thing. I suspect they will use that information both to make extra money AND to alleviate crowd issues when possible.

My recommendation to EVERYONE who has participated in the MyMagic+ testing is to fill out the surveys Disney asks you to. Make mention of the FP+ concerns and make reasonable recommendations on how to fix it/make it better.

 

Disney takes the no news is good news to heart. If they don't get any feedback they assume all is good.

[GaDawgFan.....Kelly 799]

My recommendation to EVERYONE who has participated in the MyMagic+ testing is to fill out the surveys Disney asks you to. Make mention of the FP+ concerns and make reasonable recommendations on how to fix it/make it better.

 

Disney takes the no news is good news to heart. If they don't get any feedback they assume all is good.

 

My guess is that since people can still pull traditional FP, this hasn't been much of an issue.

 

PS- WHY DID I THROW AWAY ALL MY OLD KTTW CARDS?!?!?!?!

[Lou... 3,118]

It's apparent after having watched the recent video made by the president of WDW regarding the status of the MyMagic program, that Disney is well aware of the problems, and any short comings in the program. It's also apparent that they are addressing them.

 

Based on the response I received from a manager in the department responsible for implementing the program, they are cognizant of the privacy concerns that surfaced as a result of the PhotoPass test. He mentions it specifically in the email to me.

[BradyBzLyn...Mo 2,023]

LATEST UPDATE: By late January, all resort Guests will be using issued MagicBands only and using Disney FastPass+ exclusively.  This move forward is as a result of the success of recent MagicBand only testing at Disney’s Pop Century Resort and Disney’s All-Star Resorts.

 

In other words, by sometime in late January, no more KTTW cards and regular FPs.

[MandMandMandMandM 31]

We were told in the beginning, and through a congressional questioning, that we would have the ability to 'opt out' of the magicbands and continue to use kttw cards and our regular tickets/passes.  So in other words, Disney lied about this.  I don't mind using a mb when I'm on property but I'll be d$J$J$ if they think I will carry those things with me each time I'm in Orlando 'just in case' I decide to 'touch & go' a park.  I've done that before & storing an AP card in wallet is easy for those quick stops.  No way will I carry a MB around all the time.

 

Also, when you enter the parks and you enter rides the cm can see your name on their screen, or so I was told.  And I have been addressed by the name on the MB as I entered the park.

[Lou... 3,118]

Disney lied about this. 

 

Disney did not lie.

What you were told from the beginning is that you can opt out of the MagicBand and get an RFID enabled card instead, not a KTTW card.

 

No way will I carry a MB around all the time.

 

 

Sounds like you should get the RFID card.

 

 

 

Also, when you enter the parks and you enter rides the cm can see your name on their screen, or so I was told. 

And I have been addressed by the name on the MB as I entered the park.

 

If you use either the MB or the RFID enabled card at a touch point, then yes, they can see your name on their screen.

[Katman1356...Jason 1,140]

Also, when you enter the parks and you enter rides the cm can see your name on their screen, or so I was told.  And I have been addressed by the name on the MB as I entered the park.

 

This is true. As you scan you Magic Band or RFID enabled card it will access the system and return the personal information to the Cast Member. The only thing on the card or band however is the unique identifier number. 

[Katman1356...Jason 1,140]

My first hand review of using the Magic Bands and Fastpass+ during Christmas week. 

 

When we headed down we had made our FP+ selections ahead of time for the parks we believed we would be attending each day. 

 

We broke a some of the "rules" for going to Disney Christmas week. We tended to sleep in and we park hopped almost every day. 

 

Here are some of the things I found through using the system. For clarity purposes I was sometimes using a Laptop in the hotel room to make adjustments, usually when we slept in, and at other times I was making changes on my iPhone. 

 

Several days we woke up after our first time had started and in some cases had already completely passed. I was able to move the FP's to later in the day generally with almost no issue so we could make our times with out and issue. 

 

When we started a day knowing we were going to Park Hop we set up the FP+ selections for the second park. That way we could use the lighted wait times in the first park and the FP+ when we hit the higher times in the second park. 

 

I also found that if we hit a park and wanted to work through our FP+ selections faster as soon as we used one I could go on my phone and move the next one up to just 10 minutes from the present time. This let us ride Toy Story, Star Tours, and Muppets(I know not a great choice but it was slammed earlier in teh week and SIl really wanted to ride it) Then have dinner in the Bar area of 50's Prime Time and see the Osbourne lights all in about 2.5 hours starting at 3:30 or so. As that was all we really wanted to accomplish at that park that day we were quite happy with that. 

 

If anyone has any questions for me on something specific on using the system while there feel free to ask. I will answer as best I can. I was trying my best to test it in as many ways as possible so I could thoroughly understand it. 

[BradyBzLyn...Mo 2,023]

Thanks Jason.  That was definitely the week to put FP+ through it's paces, so good to get an account of how it worked for you.

[Katman1356...Jason 1,140]

Thanks Jason.  That was definitely the week to put FP+ through it's paces, so good to get an account of how it worked for you.

 

Thats what I was thinking Mo. I figured i would play with it as many ways possible at the busiest week of the year. 

[Lou... 3,118]

That's well and good for you lucky people that have the luxury of having to pay an arm and a leg to get in, but what about us poor schmucks that get in for free.

I'm assuming that CMs, and their guests, can get FPs only after they enter the park.

I may have missed it, but I haven't seen anything yet about CMs obtaining FPs in advance.

I don't do the parks much, so maybe TJ or Dave can enlighten me.

[GaDawgFan.....Kelly 799]

My first hand review of using the Magic Bands and Fastpass+ during Christmas week. 

 

When we headed down we had made our FP+ selections ahead of time for the parks we believed we would be attending each day. 

 

We broke a some of the "rules" for going to Disney Christmas week. We tended to sleep in and we park hopped almost every day. 

 

Here are some of the things I found through using the system. For clarity purposes I was sometimes using a Laptop in the hotel room to make adjustments, usually when we slept in, and at other times I was making changes on my iPhone. 

 

Several days we woke up after our first time had started and in some cases had already completely passed. I was able to move the FP's to later in the day generally with almost no issue so we could make our times with out and issue. 

 

When we started a day knowing we were going to Park Hop we set up the FP+ selections for the second park. That way we could use the lighted wait times in the first park and the FP+ when we hit the higher times in the second park. 

 

I also found that if we hit a park and wanted to work through our FP+ selections faster as soon as we used one I could go on my phone and move the next one up to just 10 minutes from the present time. This let us ride Toy Story, Star Tours, and Muppets(I know not a great choice but it was slammed earlier in teh week and SIl really wanted to ride it) Then have dinner in the Bar area of 50's Prime Time and see the Osbourne lights all in about 2.5 hours starting at 3:30 or so. As that was all we really wanted to accomplish at that park that day we were quite happy with that. 

 

If anyone has any questions for me on something specific on using the system while there feel free to ask. I will answer as best I can. I was trying my best to test it in as many ways as possible so I could thoroughly understand it. 

 

I have a question.... since you're my TA, it one of your services to lend me 3 old KTTW cards?

[devores 382]

That's well and good for you lucky people that have the luxury of having to pay an arm and a leg to get in, but what about us poor schmucks that get in for free.

I'm assuming that CMs, and their guests, can get FPs only after they enter the park.

I may have missed it, but I haven't seen anything yet about CMs obtaining FPs in advance.

I don't do the parks much, so maybe TJ or Dave can enlighten me.

Ummm,

 

right now, we cant use FP+ as CMs. Even with a MB. We must use legacy FPs or "make" FP selections when we enter the park at one of the kiosks. Once they decide that the employees who manage the process should actually have some first hand working knowledge, we as CMs will be able to make FP+ selections like everyone else.

[Lou... 3,118]

 as CMs will be able to make FP+ selections like everyone else.

 

Are you saying that we'll be able to select FPs in advance, or is it that you hope we will be able to?

[devores 382]

Are you saying that we'll be able to select FPs in advance, or is it that you hope we will be able to?

Once we get our super secret cm magic bands and can link our main gate to them, we can make FP+ selections like everyone else. The only thing not sure right now is how your guests will be making FP selections.

[Lou... 3,118]

 super secret cm magic bands

 

Will we get a secret decoder ring to go along with it?

Are they different than the guest MBs?

[AC in A2......Aaron 693]

Will we get a secret decoder ring to go along with it?

Be sure to drink your ovaltine.

[h2odivers...Ray 952]

LATEST UPDATE: By late January, all resort Guests will be using issued MagicBands only and using Disney FastPass+ exclusively. This move forward is as a result of the success of recent MagicBand only testing at Disney’s Pop Century Resort and Disney’s All-Star Resorts.

In other words, by sometime in late January, no more KTTW cards and regular FPs.

I just got back from ASsports and had the MB. I wouldn't call it a success.

I had purchased enough Disney gift cards and I had my Disney visa rewards to purchase our AP and the front desk told me to have them put on my account at the concierge. After doing this is was told I had to purchase AP at guest relations. Because they cant sell us AP anymore since the MB started. FAIL!

Next day at HS i was told that you can't purchase tickets or AP on my MB and asked for my KTTW. Which the AS resorts don't give out anymore. I asked if I could just charge it to my CC and they told me that if I don't use almost $2,000 I put on my room account I wold lose it. They won't return the unused portion. 1.5 hours later we had our AP. FAIL!

it stinks that once our Fastpass + were used we couldn't get another Fastpass. Not even from the Fastpass machines at the attractions. FAIL!

Three separate times we purchased merchandise with MB and it didn't give us our AP 10% off and had to spend extra time at the register waiting for the manager to correct the problem. Make sure you tell the cashier that you have AP before they are done ringing you up. FAIL!

Trying to buy a beer at AK reader didn't work. Trying to buy a beer in England reader didn't work. Buying us a CS lunch at Pinocchios in MK reader didn't work. Don't waste your time waiting until the manager comes over and asks you for your KTTW, like the cashier did, because they don't know that the AS resorts don't give them out anymore. Just pay cash or with a CC. Trust me it took forever for me to get my beer. After that it was cash the next two times. FAIL! FAIL! FAIL!

I was told that they are working the bugs out and it should be a great system when they do. I hope they do and I'm sure they will.

I just hope they allow us to get more fast passes once we've used our three fast pass +.

[devores 382]

Will we get a secret decoder ring to go along with it?

Are they different than the guest MBs?

Rumor is there are special MBs for CMs.

 

Something similar to these.

 

[BradyBzLyn...Mo 2,023]

...was told I had to purchase AP at guest relations. Because they cant sell us AP anymore since the MB started. FAIL!

 

I seem to recall having to get my AP at guest relations last year actually.  But maybe that was because I was upgrading from another ticket?

Next day at HS i was told that you can't purchase tickets or AP on my MB and asked for my KTTW. Which the AS resorts don't give out anymore.

 

Well that's super lame! 

 

... if I don't use almost $2,000 I put on my room account I wold lose it. They won't return the unused portion.

 

Whoa... that's good to know (and also pretty lame)

it stinks that once our Fastpass + were used we couldn't get another Fastpass. Not even from the Fastpass machines at the attractions. FAIL!

 

I think that was always to be the norm for all this anyway once it's officially rolled out.  3 FP+ per day, and that's it.  It's been a bit of a loophole during the testing that people were able to still get regular FPs on top of the 3 FP+

 

Not saying it's still not lame, but it will be the case for everyone by the end of January.

Three separate times we purchased merchandise with MB and it didn't give us our AP 10% off and had to spend extra time at the register waiting for the manager to correct the problem. Make sure you tell the cashier that you have AP before they are done ringing you up. FAIL!

 

Good to know. We've always had to show our AP and a photo ID to get the AP discount, regardless of how we're paying.  Of course you would think that if the MB "knows" you're an AP holder that wouldn't be necessary anymore, but you apparently you would be wrong. 

Trying to buy a beer at AK reader didn't work.

 

That's probably the most frequent complaint I've heard - that the readers don't work sometimes.  Note to self: always have another payment method available, just in case.

I was told that they are working the bugs out and it should be a great system when they do. I hope they do and I'm sure they will.

I just hope they allow us to get more fast passes once we've used our three fast pass +.

 

As of now it doesn't sound like the FP+ situation is going to change, and that's a big complaint I've heard also, in addition to the whole "tiering" of FP+.  Frankly I'd just be happy if you didn't have to use your daily 3 FP all in the same park.

[BradyBzLyn...Mo 2,023]

Rumor is there are special MBs for CMs.

 

Something similar to these.

 

Darn you Disney and your snazzy packaging!!