Are magic bands coming to DLR?

[paintingoncelluloid]

While there hasn't been any official announcement that I have seen about this (and I don't have any special information), it seems pretty clear to me that magic bands are on their way to DLR.

First, the way that MaxPass is being implemented seems like a clear stepping stone towards magic bands. With all fast passes linked electronically to tickets, the fast pass behavioral change necessary for magic bands has already been accomplished. And the scanners that they're using look suspiciously like the RFID scanners at WDW, only with barcode readers also attached. (And they look similar to the RFID scanners that were used a year and a half ago during the brief RFID paper fast pass testing that happened on DLR's Space Mountain.)

But the major reason I'm convinced magic bands are coming is the personalized experiences being touted for Star Wars land. In order to tie your interactions with characters to your ride performance and to create an individual story line for each guest, they have to be able to track everyone. Magic bands are the clear way to do that. (And we know that they've already been trying for years to create more personalized magic band-enabled experiences at WDW.)

What are your thoughts?

 

[DDhunter]

I would be happy if they went with magic bands. It seems so much easier than having to scan your card/ticket a million times a day, so I hope they do go that way.

 

[Lyn-CA]

We spoke with a Guest relations CM at DCA who told us that they will NOT be using Magic Bands at DL resort because it is too cost prohibitive what with training and implementation, etc. It sounded more like he was giving his personal opinion though so I most definitely did not consider it as the gospel truth. Only time will tell I guess.

 

[squeezle]

With fewer Disney resorts and more local pass holders, I'm not sure that magic bands would be the all incompasing solution they are for WDW. I would be very surprised to see a book-ahead fast pass in DL. That said, I would love to have fewer cards to keep track of when I am in the parks.

 

[ashley0139]

With fewer Disney resorts and more local pass holders, I'm not sure that magic bands would be the all incompasing solution they are for WDW. I would be very surprised to see a book-ahead fast pass in DL. That said, I would love to have fewer cards to keep track of when I am in the parks.

They could implement the use of magic bands without book ahead fastpasses.

I for one would be happy to have magic bands come here. I don't like wearing a lanyard, but I also don't like having to dig my wallet out of my bag every time I get on ride. I'd love to just have it on my wrist.

I don't really see it happening though.

 

[STLstone]

They have said the new Star Wars Land will have interactions tailored to your experiences on rides or other encounters. Presumably, Magic Bands are how they will keep track of this and differentiate you from everyone else.

So, either this feature will only be available at Hollywood Studios in Florida, or DL will need to get magic bands.

 

[sturner324]

As a WDW vet, I wish I had the option to even pay for a magic band for my upcoming Disneyland trip. Maxpass is an upcharge, why couldn't they offer magic bands for an additional cost as well? No one would be forced to use it, but they might be surprised how many people choose to for convenience sake.

I think it will come eventually (in some form at least). They just may take the long route getting there.

 

[Delilah1310]

I love the Magic Band.
I wish I had one for life ... scan to pay for lunch, scan to pay for groceries, scan to open my front door.

 

[mom2rtk]

Management already said magic bands are not coming to DLR.

 

[disneychrista]

Management already said magic bands are not coming to DLR.

This is my recollection as well.

 

[jrjankowski8]

MBs would make sense to me now that the legacy system is gone. If they forgo the a

We spoke with a Guest relations CM at DCA who told us that they will NOT be using Magic Bands at DL resort because it is too cost prohibitive what with training and implementation, etc. It sounded more like he was giving his personal opinion though so I most definitely did not consider it as the gospel truth. Only time will tell I guess.

They can't be saying it's cost prohibitive when they're charging people $10 a day to use it. Regardless of if they said it's coming or not, it is silly if they don't use it. I get that people are protective of being spontaneous in DL so then don't include the 60/30 days feature. But what they have now implemented is two separate systems (paper/MP) that don't "talk" to each other, one that gives an advantage to those who pay, the inconvenience of either having to take your groups tickets out or phones out again and again, one that doesn't have a proper way to link parties (I'm sorry but scanning tickets then scanning passes and everyone having access to each other's passes is not efficient).

With the basics of FP+, you can link everyone's passes together online in advance, allow/approve access to some, you don't have access to someone else's park ticketing, allow viewing on phone by simply logging in to your personal account, access to add, change, update, cancel passes individually or as a group and use Magic Bands with or without your phone. Why are people so resistant to that? Your basically doing it already but with a disjointed system.

 

[mom2rtk]

MBs would make sense to me now that the legacy system is gone. If they forgo the a


They can't be saying it's cost prohibitive when they're charging people $10 a day to use it. Regardless of if they said it's coming or not, it is silly if they don't use it. I get that people are protective of being spontaneous in DL so then don't include the 60/30 days feature. But what they have now implemented is two separate systems (paper/MP) that don't "talk" to each other, one that gives an advantage to those who pay, the inconvenience of either having to take your groups tickets out or phones out again and again, one that doesn't have a proper way to link parties (I'm sorry but scanning tickets then scanning passes and everyone having access to each other's passes is not efficient).

With the basics of FP+, you can link everyone's passes together online in advance, allow/approve access to some, you don't have access to someone else's park ticketing, allow viewing on phone by simply logging in to your personal account, access to add, change, update, cancel passes individually or as a group and use Magic Bands with or without your phone. Why are people so resistant to that? Your basically doing it already but with a disjointed system.

I'm sure they'd rather keep the $10/day as profit rather than invest it in the infrastructure that would be required to implement MBs.

 

[disland7]

I love the Magic Band.
I wish I had one for life ... scan to pay for lunch, scan to pay for groceries, scan to open my front door.

Haha. It's called the Apple Watch and it really is awesome to pay for your groceries and such. So convenient. I wish more stores used it.

 

[Winnowill]

I would definitely pay for MagicBands at DLR. I don't want anything to do with FP+, but MagicBands, yes!

 

[22Tink]

I'd love for MagicBands to come to DLR! I loved the convenience of it on our last WDW trip. I know they're saying it won't happen, but one can always hope...

 

[Lyn-CA]

We're big fans of magic bands as well. DH, DS, and I have 2 each from our last trip to WDW since we did a split stay. We'd all love to be able to use them again.

Hmm, maybe we could bring them on our next trip to DLR next month and just try them out? Ha, wishing thinking. Imagine the pandemonium that would cause.

 

[sturner324]

Hmm, maybe we could bring them on our next trip to DLR next month and just try them out? Ha, wishing thinking. Imagine the pandemonium that would cause.

You should just wear them as a fashion statement. A few months ago we went to a local zoo in Alabama, and there was a kid (looked like a teenager) working with the giraffes. As we watch him feed the giraffes we notice he's wearing a WDW magic band!

I can't blame him. I pretend to be at Disney while I'm working sometimes too...

 

[grnflash]

I'm sure they'd rather keep the $10/day as profit rather than invest it in the infrastructure that would be required to implement MBs.

Disney is genius really. They figured out how to monetize FP's without serious infrastructure costs and without causing a fanbase uproar. Genius.

 

[jrjankowski8]

I'm sure they'd rather keep the $10/day as profit rather than invest it in the infrastructure that would be required to implement MBs.

I can't imagine how much more money they would make selling Magic Bands when releasing all the different varieties. They cost $19.99 and up. And if you have a local crowd at DL, they'd want to have the newest bands to go with each season. They'd probably use it more than people who make a once in a lifetime trip to WDW. Plus they would make money off those people that don't have a phone to use to scan.

 

[PatMcDuck]

Magic bands might be helpful, we just got back from DL 2 weeks ago. Instead, almost everyone wears a lanyard now, including kids.

While some people hold up the lines, digging for their passes, or presenting the "reminder FP tickets" first, scanning the cards IS faster than scanning magic bands (line up that Mickey head!)

It still seems like a good idea, even if they did not implement the book ahead FP part of it. I always stay at the Disney resorts there, so I would enjoy it opening my room door, and for pool access. But they do not even have a DL version of MDE, where you can link members of your party(?) yet. I am most surprised they do not find a way to use Magic bands, because of all the great bands they sell. Like others said, they could offer NO free ones at all, just sell them, and I think many would buy them.