Question about DME and Magic Bands

MrsRoyale

Mouseketeer
Joined
Jan 31, 2016
Hello all,

I contacted Disney today with a simple question. I am sad to report that no one was able to help me out, so I figured I would ask here since you probably know better...I'll spare you the details of the conversation but this is the first time that I have been disappointed with Disney's Customer Service...Anyway...

We'll be arriving @ MCO on 5/12. We just received our DME tags yesterday. Also, I received an email a few days ago saying "heads up, we are about to ship your Magic Bands, make sure you customize them if you haven't yet"...We didn't purchase any fancy Magic Bands, we are just going with the standard ones, nothing special...So my question is, when they ship out, do you receive a tracking number or do they just magically appear at your door? Remember, I didn't purchase the Magic Bands, I am just going with the free standard ones that are sent out. One representative told me that they may be sent out to the hotel which makes absolutely no sense considering a)they already sent me the email saying that they were coming and b) we need the Magic Bands for the Magical Express...so, any input on this will be greatly appreciated!
 
You can use the one page letter that came with your DME luggage tags for DME if the bands don't come. You can also just give the CM your resort reservation number - whatever is easier.

Chances are your bands are on the way though - IIRC that "customize soon email" is a standard email so just ignore it.
 
Oh ok, so worst case scenario, if the Magic Bands don't come, I can still get them at the hotel, right? It's our first trip since the Magic Bands were implemented so it's all new to us :)
 
Even the standard MBs can be customized at no extra cost. When you customize MBs on the My Disney Experience web site or using the app, you select a band color and name to be printed on each band. Very convenient to keep everyone’s band separate. There is a deadline for submitting this customization information. The message you received was a reminder that the deadline to complete submission of this information was coming up. Since you did not customize by adding color or name for each band, your bands will be shipped in generic gray rather than a selected color. They are mailed out and usually arrive about a week after being posted, at least to us in the Chicago area. For a 5/12 arrival, you should have the bands in plenty of time.
 


Even the standard MBs can be customized at no extra cost. When you customize MBs on the My Disney Experience web site or using the app, you select a band color and name to be printed on each band. Very convenient to keep everyone’s band separate. There is a deadline for submitting this customization information. The message you received was a reminder that the deadline to complete submission of this information was coming up. Since you did not customize by adding color or name for each band, your bands will be shipped in generic gray rather than a selected color. They are mailed out and usually arrive about a week after being posted, at least to us in the Chicago area. For a 5/12 arrival, you should have the bands in plenty of time.

Wonderful! Thank you so much :) Good news is I did customize them a long time ago adding names and different color bands :) I was just hoping that they would give you a tracking number because we have some serious deluvery issues in my area....
 
Just checked dates on my November reservation. Arriving on 11/6, I have until 10/6 to customize the MBs for me and the connected member of my party, DW. So you might still have time to customize colors and names for a 5/12 arrival.

Edited to add: I was off checking the customize deadline, so I missed your reply. Enjoy your trip.
 
Wonderful! Thank you so much :) Good news is I did customize them a long time ago adding names and different color bands :) I was just hoping that they would give you a tracking number because we have some serious deluvery issues in my area....
We arrive May 7th. Our bands shipped this past Sunday and I did receive an email with a tracking #.
 


Wonderful! Thank you so much :) Good news is I did customize them a long time ago adding names and different color bands :) I was just hoping that they would give you a tracking number because we have some serious deluvery issues in my area....

If you customized them there is no reason to believe you won't get them mailed to you in plenty of time. Like I said upthread that is an email that is automatically generated to everyone, ignore it. Closer to your trip you will get notification when your bands have shipped will all the info you need.
 
We always get ours usually in the general vicinity of 30 days out. I remember the last time because i paint ours, so i remember having a month to get them finished before we needed to wear them. Also, i remember that i got the tracking information email or the shipping email, i cant remember exactly, but the bands arrived the next day. So the shipping email doesn't necessarily mean they JUST shipped, it could just mean that they have shipped recently.
 
Hello all,

I contacted Disney today with a simple question. I am sad to report that no one was able to help me out, so I figured I would ask here since you probably know better...I'll spare you the details of the conversation but this is the first time that I have been disappointed with Disney's Customer Service...Anyway...

We'll be arriving @ MCO on 5/12. We just received our DME tags yesterday. Also, I received an email a few days ago saying "heads up, we are about to ship your Magic Bands, make sure you customize them if you haven't yet"...We didn't purchase any fancy Magic Bands, we are just going with the standard ones, nothing special...So my question is, when they ship out, do you receive a tracking number or do they just magically appear at your door? Remember, I didn't purchase the Magic Bands, I am just going with the free standard ones that are sent out. One representative told me that they may be sent out to the hotel which makes absolutely no sense considering a)they already sent me the email saying that they were coming and b) we need the Magic Bands for the Magical Express...so, any input on this will be greatly appreciated!

Look on your MDE page, I've always gotten a message that "Your magic bands are on the way" and there's a tracking number provided. BTW, you don't "NEED" the MB for Magical Express, you can show the letter if you don't get the bands for some reason (for example: they don't ship them to people outside the US, that's why the CM said they 'may' be sent to the resort (and they may be sent to the resort if your trip is very soon, which yours isn't)

They usually arrive 2-3 weeks prior to your trip,
 
Yes the MBs have a shipping tracking number. Not often given immediately, but close enough.

I’ve gotten on DME with just my ID and knowing what resort I’m going to. You don’t need MBs for it (not everyone orders them and international visitors get them at the hotel).
 
Just for the record, any MBs that you get, automatically through your reservation, will ship at the same time. Doesn't matter if they are 'customized' or not. I really wish Disney would stop wording it as 'customized'....that means only that you get to choose the color and add a name to the back. It's not a huge deal. If you don't 'customize' them, they are grey. Choosing a color/adding a name doesn't have them shipped any later than non-customized ones.

You've gotten good info here.....the MB box will be sent directly to your home address, along with all your other mail. Mine are always in with my other regular mail, so no special delivery thing happening. You should get them a few weeks prior to your trip...some have gotten them a few months prior, others a week prior. I can't figure out the mailing system!!!! There should be a tracking number you can use. But, beware....some have tried using that number and it has stated that the bands were delivered, when they hadn't been received yet! No idea what that was about, but it happens.
 
You've gotten good info here.....the MB box will be sent directly to your home address, along with all your other mail. Mine are always in with my other regular mail, so no special delivery thing happening. You should get them a few weeks prior to your trip...some have gotten them a few months prior, others a week prior. I can't figure out the mailing system!!!! There should be a tracking number you can use. But, beware....some have tried using that number and it has stated that the bands were delivered, when they hadn't been received yet! No idea what that was about, but it happens.

This happens in my neighborhood when the weather's bad. Postal truck turns onto street stops at first cluster of mailboxes, SCANS ALL TRACKED PACKAGES AS DELIVERED, but then fishtails all the way or the remaining boxes weren't easily accessible and has to abandon the delivery but doesn't change the code until he returns to the post office.
 
This happens in my neighborhood when the weather's bad. Postal truck turns onto street stops at first cluster of mailboxes, SCANS ALL TRACKED PACKAGES AS DELIVERED, but then fishtails all the way or the remaining boxes weren't easily accessible and has to abandon the delivery but doesn't change the code until he returns to the post office.

This happens here all the time, most notably when it is raining. I usually give it a day or two and my package has always shown up. You can also sign up for Informed Delivery with USPS, it allows you to see all of the mail and packages coming to you, and if you don't receive something you can mark it right there, it is free to sign up.
 
OP: I booked my reservation at WDW 17 days before arriving. I customized the MBs at 16 days out and received my customized MBs and DME documents all within 12 days.
 
But, beware....some have tried using that number and it has stated that the bands were delivered, when they hadn't been received yet! No idea what that was about, but it happens.

It’s a post office thing and they’ve been doing it since I was watching delivery stuff on a casual basis while working CS at Amazon before I left in late 2002.

Some drivers scan it as delivered when it’s simply at the final P.O. Very frustrating for everyone (but the driver, I assume).
 
You receive the notice of the final day to customize your bands the day before they ship them out. They are probably in the mail as we speak.
 

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