AP and magic bands

[dtum]

How do I get the magic bands for our AP? Do I wait until they come and then use MDE to order them?

 

[Robo]

How do I get the magic bands for our AP? Do I wait until they come and then use MDE to order them?

Disney does not send out "live" AP's… just vouchers.

Reports are that you can then customize order your MB via MDE, then Disney will send you a MB and an AP ID card.

Other reports are that you use first use your (activate it at WDW) new AP, then Disney will send you a MB and an AP ID card.
(But, the latter method seems that it would be for guests who waited to actually purchase a new AP at WDW.)

 

[dtum]

So I guess these vouchers have the code on them? Maybe when I get them I'll have to call and have them help me.

 

[lizard1]

Other reports are that you use first use your (activate it at WDW) new AP, then Disney will send you a MB and an AP ID card.
(But, the latter method seems that it would be for guests who waited to actually purchase a new AP at WDW.)

This is how it worked for me. I bought an AP voucher at the Disney Store in March. I linked it to my account. I made a trip to WDW in June and activated the AP. AFTER I activated it, when I logged into MDE I then had the option to customize the AP magic bands. I customized them and they mailed them along with a yellow discount card.

 

[dtum]

This is how it worked for me. I bought an AP voucher at the Disney Store in March. I linked it to my account. I made a trip to WDW in June and activated the AP. AFTER I activated it, when I logged into MDE I then had the option to customize the AP magic bands. I customized them and they mailed them along with a yellow discount card.

So you can't get magic bands until you use the AP?

 

[Robo]

So I guess these vouchers have the code on them? Maybe when I get them I'll have to call and have them help me.

Set up your MyDisneyExperience file.
When you order your AP(s) as "Will Call/Pick-up," it/they will show up in your MDE account.

 

[kittylady1972]

So it sounds like, based on the last post, that you won't get Magic Bands until AFTER your first visit. I have to admit...I don't want to wait. Here is my current plan.

We have pre-purchased our APs and the voucher is listed on my MDE account. We have a trip planned for Thanksgiving...staying onsite...so the Magicbands for that trip have been customized but won't ship I guess until October.

Just scheduled another trip. This one in September. We are planning to stay at Shades of Green, HOWEVER I did book a room at POR for us. So I have customized those bands. I expect they will ship in September.

Since I am only booked on Room Only, I have until 5 days before to cancel. I plan to cancel the room AFTER I get my Magicbands. Hoping when I arrive at WDW in September, even though I am staying offsite, I can visit Guest Services and have them link my APs to the bands once I activate them. I hope I'm correct.

My only concern is with FP+. I was going to try to book some ride reservations ahead of time but am guessing when I cancel my room ressie at POR the FP+ will also be dropped? That's my thinking.

Hoping I will still be okay waiting until after my room reservation has been cancelled to then RE-book my FP+. I understand I'm taking a chance on not getting stuff, but I am sure hopeful. Heading there during a low crowd time so here's hoping we at least get to try 7DMT while there. Hoping on a FP+ but if we have to do an early rope drop day there, so be it.

 

[Robo]

1- So it sounds like, based on the last post, that you won't get Magic Bands until AFTER your first visit.

We have pre-purchased our APs and the voucher is listed on my MDE account. We have a trip planned for Thanksgiving...staying onsite...so the Magicbands for that trip have been customized but won't ship I guess until October.

Just scheduled another trip. This one in September. We are planning to stay at Shades of Green, HOWEVER I did book a room at POR for us. So I have customized those bands. I expect they will ship in September.

Since I am only booked on Room Only, I have until 5 days before to cancel.

2- I plan to cancel the room AFTER I get my Magicbands. Hoping when I arrive at WDW in September, even though I am staying offsite, I can visit Guest Services and have them link my APs to the bands once I activate them. I hope I'm correct.

My only concern is with FP+.


3- I was going to try to book some ride reservations ahead of time but am guessing when I cancel my room ressie at POR the FP+ will also be dropped?

Hoping I will still be okay waiting until after my room reservation has been cancelled to then RE-book my FP+. I understand I'm taking a chance on not getting stuff, but I am sure hopeful. Heading there during a low crowd time so here's hoping we at least get to try 7DMT while there. Hoping on a FP+ but if we have to do an early rope drop day there, so be it.

1- Others have said that they have gotten AP MagicBands before arrival at WDW (although they may already have activated APs in their possession.)

2- The idea of obtaining MagicBands by intentional room-booking and pre-planned cancellation is a bit shaky, too,
as MB are being SOLD to off-site guests at this time for $12.99, plus tax.

3- Count on it.

 

[kittylady1972]

1- Others have said that they have gotten AP MagicBands before arrival at WDW (although they may already have activated APs in their possession.)

2- The idea of obtaining MagicBands by intentional room-booking and pre-planned cancellation is a bit shaky, too,
as MB are being SOLD to off-site guests at this time for $12.99, plus tax.

3- Count on it.

Yes I think the cases I've read of getting the MBs before arrival are those with APs that have been activated.

I'm not sure what you mean by shaky. Yes I know I *COULD* certainly buy them...but why? I already KNOW I'll be getting them for my November trip, since we are staying on-site for SURE then. I just know I won't get them in time for my September trip. I don't see why the ones I get for my reservation, even if the reservation has been cancelled, can't be activated to be used with the APs as that is what would have happened ANYWAY.

The real question is this though. By the time I cancel my on-site reservation I will most likely be well within my 30 days to be able to book the FP+ already. So even though the initial FP+ may have been booked outside of the 30 days but within 60 days, will only those be cancelled? What IF I book some FP+ reservations WITHIN 30 days of arrival (which I could have done anyway) and THEN I cancel the on-site reservation AFTER booking those FP+ ressies. Will THOSE also be cancelled...since they would been bookable without the on-site ressie anyway?

 

[Meriweather]

We had active APs before the AP magic bands started, so as soon as I customized them, they sent them out.

DD only had the voucher before her trip. She could not customize and order her AP magic band until she activated it.

 

[Disney-Kim]

We had active APs before the AP magic bands started, so as soon as I customized them, they sent them out.

DD only had the voucher before her trip. She could not customize and order her AP magic band until she activated it.

so if we have vouchers we won't get the AP bands until after our trip? what bands will we use on the trip? will we have to use paper passes?

thanks I am clueless on this

 

[Robo]

1- so if we have vouchers we won't get the AP bands until after our trip?

2- what bands will we use on the trip?

3- will we have to use paper passes?

1- That's what appears to be the case, at least at this time.

2- You can purchase MBs at WDW (if you choose to) for $12.99, each, plus tax.

3- There are no longer any "paper passes."
All tickets issued at WDW are now plastic with an internal RFID chip that
works (most of) the same functions as a MB.
If you have any older tickets, you can exchange them for new RFID tickets
free-of-charge at any WDW ticket booth or Guest Relations.

 

[Meriweather]

turn you voucher in and you get a card to use........if you are staying onsite you get them ahead of time.

 

[hydrotony]

You get a magic band as part of your WDW resort reservation but this is not the Annual Pass magic band. You get the AP MB after you activate the AP and go on MDE to customize and ship it to you. It comes in a AP-holder special box with a slip on rubber tab that says Annual Passholder on it.

Some people have a dozen MBs from resort stays and one from being an AP holder.

 

[starbound25]

I was just going to post a similar question!

this was very confusing. we didn't get a voucher for our AP
we got our magic bands for our hotel stay
went to park and had to go to customer service window for them to look up our AP and link them to our MB

Now when we go back IDK what's going to happen
my AP is on my MDE page and shows active

I'm thinking the same thing will happen
we'll get MB's for our hotel stay and then have to add the AP to them at the park ticket window.....

???? confusing!

 

[Cap'nJack'sMum]

So if we have MB from a previous, expired AP, can we bring them along with the voucher from our new AP and have them linked?

 

[lizard1]

I was just going to post a similar question!

this was very confusing. we didn't get a voucher for our AP
we got our magic bands for our hotel stay
went to park and had to go to customer service window for them to look up our AP and link them to our MB

Now when we go back IDK what's going to happen
my AP is on my MDE page and shows active

I'm thinking the same thing will happen
we'll get MB's for our hotel stay and then have to add the AP to them at the park ticket window.....

???? confusing!

I know they scanned one of our bands when we activated the APs. Maybe it is how they link the actual AP to the account so that you don't lose any of your reservations (versus deactivating the voucher and linking the AP, which would probably cancel all FP reservations).

You shouldn't have to go back to GS for your next stay, though. We did a split stay on the trip where we activated our APs. We only took one band to the park with us the day we activated our APs. We were able to use both bands interchangably for the entire trip without needing them to 'link' anything to the second band.

Everything is in your account and your magic bands just access that information. As long as a magic band is linked to your account, it should be able to access the information, including the presences of an AP.

 

[lizard1]

So if we have MB from a previous, expired AP, can we bring them along with the voucher from our new AP and have them linked?

You should be able to use any magic band that is active on your MDE account with your new AP.

 

[Robo]

You should be able to use any magic band that is active on your MDE account with your new AP.

Ditto.