Magic band notice - is this new?

[tlmadden73]

I don’t really think they had to offer money for opting out. We’ve opted out of them for years now because we go so often and have so many. I would have never expected to receive compensation for not taking them. We also love buying new, usually exclusive or limited edition, bands regularly and will continue to do so. But we haven’t taken a free regular band in probably 3-4 years now.

Oh for sure .. I could have opted out without compensation. .but because it was "free" I kept getting them anyway ("hey .. I don't have an Orange one yet!"). But if they had offered me an incentive to NOT take them (like they do if you choose not to get mousekeeping) . .I would have jumped on that.

I think they should have offered the discount to premium bands a lot sooner. What they are doing now is pretty great and I am tempted to get another set of bands for the next trip even though I still have my premium bands unused from my last cancelled trip (due to COVID). I wonder if the premium bands sells better offered this way than in stores (though the shops have better selections).

 

[Disneytrippin']

Yes they want you to use the app and eventually the new Genie service.

I tell all my customers that I am going on vacation. My boss said next time don't do that because when someone takes over your route during that time the customers don't want to buy. I said I have to because my customers have my personal cell phone(I am very available to my customers) they text and call even on my days off and I don't want to even think about work for 2 weeks (can a girl just get a break) there is also a 3 hour time difference. He said well then turn your phone off. I lol'd in my head. I had to explain to him that phones are a life source to your vacation at Disney. Luckily I am second in seniority at my job and have outlasted all the men that were there when I started. Next time he will have me help him with his vacation.

 

[cheryllarsen]

Cost cutting measure!

 

[cheryllarsen]

Complimentary bands are going away!

 

[Best_Vacation_EVER!]

Is there an easy way to find out if the old Magic Bands batteries still function?? I recall reading that the batteries have a finite lifespan of about 3 years.... not sure if this is true though... We have so many old bands but would love to have an easy way to test the band battery.

 

[Fangorn]

Is there an easy way to find out if the old Magic Bands batteries still function?? I recall reading that the batteries have a finite lifespan of about 3 years.... not sure if this is true though... We have so many old bands but would love to have an easy way to test the band battery.

For everything where you touch your MB to a Mickey Head, any band, no matter how old, will work just fine. Those functions (Park entry, FP, room entry, charging, photo pass, ADRs, etc.) do not use the battery in the band, so it doesn't matter if the battery is dead or not. Some ride photos and special experiences - seeing your name on the board as you exit IASW, for instance - need the battery. If you're ok without those functions, any old bands will do.

There is no way to tell from home if a MB battery is dead or not. Battery life is supposed to average about 3 years, but YMMV.

Steve

 

[justhat]

Oh for sure .. I could have opted out without compensation. .but because it was "free" I kept getting them anyway ("hey .. I don't have an Orange one yet!"). But if they had offered me an incentive to NOT take them (like they do if you choose not to get mousekeeping) . .I would have jumped on that.

I think they should have offered the discount to premium bands a lot sooner. What they are doing now is pretty great and I am tempted to get another set of bands for the next trip even though I still have my premium bands unused from my last cancelled trip (due to COVID). I wonder if the premium bands sells better offered this way than in stores (though the shops have better selections).

They got rid of that incentive to skip mousekeeping. Now covid is the excuse for you to simply not get it.

 

[tlmadden73]

They got rid of that incentive to skip mousekeeping. Now covid is the excuse for you to simply not get it.

I figured as much ..

The virus has given a lot of companies the "cover" to pull services they've probably been wanting to pull for years, but haven't had the courage to (or else upset their customers). So now they can cut services in the name of safety and it be seen as a "good" thing. When things go back to "normal" .. most of these services (like daily mousekeeping) simply won't return. Similar to how baggage fees were used to justify the extra cost of jet fuel during the 2008 recession and are now never going away. Similar to using "the environment" to put a PR spin on not giving out straws (and thus saving tons of money by no longer buying straws).

Not saying it is anything nefarious .. just good marketing and perfect timing for it to be a "win win" to cut staff and services. It is just the nature of big business to be constantly looking at ways to cut costs without upsetting the customer base.

 

[afan]

Similar to using "the environment" to put a PR spin on not giving out straws (and thus saving tons of money by no longer buying straws).

Not trying to derail things, but this is a legit environmental product. There's so much plastic and junk in our oceans and other bodies of water. Lots of marine life have issues with it. You'd be surprised the junk they'll find in a whales stomach when they do a necropsy after washing ashore dead.

I get it's a hassle, I live in an going green epicenter being just south of Seattle. Plastic bag bans and bans on plastic straws are becoming laws, it's not just a company trying to save a buck. It's communities trying to do what they can to help the environment and climate change.

I'd also imagine housekeeping will go back to being a normal thing once it can. There's plenty of people that want it and doing it daily generally keeps things cleaner and helps with preventative maintanence.

 

[Polydweller]

Its fascinating to hear all the complaints and arguments again. These same type of complaints occurred when they first brought out magic bands. People resisted having to give up key cards, and some never did. People hate change and the first reaction is to resist. And again, some will never give up magic bands until they have to.

But this is a natural progression and is occurring at time when the majority of people have phones and smart watches that have nfc chips that can do most everything that the bands can. The transition will happen and most people will start using their phones and watches. And Disney is offering two ways for people who don’t want to transition right now, or can’t, to keep using the band By using an old one or buy a new one.

Personally, I’ll be glad to not have to have a band around my wrist when I can do things with the stuff I would carry with me anyways,

 

[Lewisc]

But this is a natural progression and is occurring at time when the majority of people have phones and smart watches that have nfc chips that can do most everything that the bands can. The transition will happen and most people will start using their phones and watches. And Disney is offering two ways for people who don’t want to transition right now, or can’t, to keep using the band By using an old one or buy a new one.

Personally, I’ll be glad to not have to have a band around my wrist when I can do things with the stuff I would carry with me anyways,

NFC chips work even when the phones battery is dead. Disney appears to be using Bluetooth, not NFC, to open resort rooms. DME is a huge battery drain.

 

[Tiki Birdland]

[QUOTE="Polydweller, post: 62442635,

But this is a natural progression and is occurring at time when the majority of people have phones and smart watches that have nfc chips that can do most everything that the bands can. The transition will happen and most people will start using their phones and watches. And Disney is offering two ways for people who don’t want to transition right now, or can’t, to keep using the band By using an old one or buy a new one.

Personally, I’ll be glad to not have to have a band around my wrist when I can do things with the stuff I would carry with me anyways,

NFC chips work even when the phones battery is dead. Disney appears to be using Bluetooth, not NFC, to open resort rooms. DME is a huge battery drain.
[/QUOTE]
NFC isn't available on most phones yet. I believe the latest iPhones have it. But, most Android phones do not. Also, not all phones are waterproof. I'd rather depend upon a chip on my wrist than a phone or even a room key-card. Pushing us to be on our phones all the time while in the park is annoying. Requiring me to open my room with my phone seems silly. The hotel I stayed at a couple of weeks ago had a way to use your phone as a remote for the TV. Hope this isn't something that will be forced on us in the future.

 

[caryrae]

I would love if they could make it work with smart watches too along with smartphones. I have an iPhone and an Apple Watch and think it would be cool to use the Apple Watch just like a magic band.

 

[Boopuff]

I can’t help but wonder if the “throwaway “ room thing added to this decision. How many people got a “room” just to get the bands and other on site perks?

 

[skeeter31]

I can’t help but wonder if the “throwaway “ room thing added to this decision. How many people got a “room” just to get the bands and other on site perks?

I don’t think Disney was upset at losing the 25 cents it cost them to produce a magicband when they were getting at least $100 for a night in one of their rooms when no one was even going to be staying in it.

 

[MithrilMaiden]

I sure hope not smart phones. Its already annoying how much everyone is stuck on thier cell phones.

Yea, and I don't want to rely on always having my phone charged. What if my phone dies in a park, and I can't open my hotel room door because that was my key?

 

[Best_Vacation_EVER!]

So I think that if Disney offered some exclusive and cool magic band options for a minimal extra charge for resort guests --- we'd be fine since we view not having to carry a room key to the pool, a convenience of paying with magic band.... without using my phone.... as very beneficial. While I sometimes carry my phone, sometimes I don't.... my phone is big and a pain to carry at WDW so I really shouldn't have to have it with me at all times... what about kids who don't have phones?

 

[mlggator22]

This is pretty close to how things are run at Disneyland. I personally love it over magic bands. You use the app to do everything, schedule fast passes, food, experiences and now opening your room. At Disneyland, we have been using this method for several years and I have rarely had a problem.
They are not telling you to not use magic bands, just that if you want to use that method, you need to buy your own.
I think once they transition to the app, you will find it to work very well.

 

[Moliphino]

This is pretty close to how things are run at Disneyland. I personally love it over magic bands. You use the app to do everything, schedule fast passes, food, experiences and now opening your room. At Disneyland, we have been using this method for several years and I have rarely had a problem.
They are not telling you to not use magic bands, just that if you want to use that method, you need to buy your own.
I think once they transition to the app, you will find it to work very well.

You can do all of that in MDE, but I've never bothered to use the room opening function because the magic band is much easier. I've usually got Pokemon Go open when walking to my room, I don't want to have to switch apps just to get into my room.

 

[LadyDiznee123]

I just booked for MAY 2021 - the cost of the formerly free PINK MAGIC BAND was 5 dollars. I want a new band as opposed to using an old one, and I don't want to be pulling out my cell phone for everything - except a fastpass. So I prefer the band. I spend 6 dollars at MAGIC YOUR BAND to stick-on a design of my choosing. I don't mind sucking up the 5 dollars. Glad they aren't costing more than that.