Originally Posted By plpeters70 <<That they will tweek the system and prepare for a general release at the beginning of 2014. >> They're probably getting a lot of pressure from upper management to roll this thing out. They've spent a lot of money on this system, and I'm sure management would like to show some return for all this investment very, very soon. I really wish they'd put this amount of work and funding into maintaining and updating the actual attractions that the guests are actually paying to see...
Originally Posted By sjhym333 So Bob Iger said this week that MyMagic+ will fully roll out fairly soon. Over 200,000 guests have tested the Bands and the reservation system and it ready to be brought online. He also said he is excited about the new Avatar Land, though he gave few details. Here is the article in todays Orlando Sentinel: <a target="blank" rel="nofollow" href="http://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/os-disney-mymagic-avatar-20130924,0,3588532.story">http://www.orlandosentinel.com...32.story</a>
Originally Posted By Dr Hans Reinhardt >>Giving visitors the ability to guarantee they will experience their favorite attractions without hour-plus standby lines "is a big deal and a game changer, we believe, in terms of the park experience," Iger said.<< Game changer? Hmmm.... I've been saying this, but I believe this is the first time I've heard anyone from Disney make this claim. >>He said the plan is to eventually expand MyMagic+ to Disney's other theme-park resorts around the world. "It's a complex project," he said. "We're starting with Florida because of the scale that Florida gives us."<< Uh oh. Here we go.
Originally Posted By dizneed After spending a week in the parks at the beginning of this month and using/testing the Magic Bands, I have to say that in my opinion, I feel this has been the most innovative and updated program that Disney has done in years!! My experience and my family’s experience with the Magic Bands and the My Disney Experience web application were very good and positive. No wallets, tickets, Fast Passes, or credit cards (if you choose the option of charging to your Magic Band) to carry around. >>Giving visitors the ability to guarantee they will experience their favorite attractions without hour-plus standby lines "is a big deal and a game changer, we believe, in terms of the park experience," Iger said.<< I agree it is a game changer, but tipping the balance more towards the house. I am a very experienced with visiting the Disney World parks and I found that if I followed the FP+ suggestions given to me by Disney, I am not able to complete all I normally do in one day, even with Magic Hours. I noticed that the choices given for FP+ on My Disney Experience stagers you from one end of the park to the other in order to be on time for your FP’s. Even with Magic Hours, I had a hard time completing what we normally do in a day without Magic Hours at MK, DHS, EPCOT. I decided to not follow the FP+ that I had chosen for DAK and was able to complete the park save Conservation Station, Primeval Whirl, Triceratop Spin, Finding Nemo, which we normally don’t do anyway. In short, what’s being presented as choices for FP+ will have you spending more time in the parks it seems. A quick note, I was told by a Cast Member who is actually part of the My Magic Plus and Magic Band integration that in a very near future Fast Pass as we know it (kiosks at popular attractions) will in fact disappear making way for the web based choices.
Originally Posted By dagobert According to the Magicforum-Twitter-Account, DLP plans to bring elements of the Magic Band to Paris.
Originally Posted By Dr Hans Reinhardt "A quick note, I was told by a Cast Member who is actually part of the My Magic Plus and Magic Band integration that in a very near future Fast Pass as we know it (kiosks at popular attractions) will in fact disappear making way for the web based choices." Thank you Jesus. The kiosk system they have now is so convoluted and creates some crazy bottlenecks. At DL at least.
Originally Posted By dizneed The same bottlenecks occur at WDW. I was also told that cast members will be re-educated on FP to Standby ratios. FP and standby line ratios will be revised as there have been too high a number of FP guests going through vs. standby guests which has been creating longer delays for the standby line. FP times will be reinforced, if you do not present yourself within the time of your FP you will not be allowed to pass. It makes sense because you have to use your Magic Band or plastic park ticket to access the attraction FP line......the machine knows......
Originally Posted By Disney Joy I just called WDW reservations to question Magic Bands. I am going Dec. She said they just extended the testing thru Nov 30. My question is I will be purchasing my tickets end of Nov and arriving 2nd week of Dec. She said no problem, I can just link them together BEFORE I arrive. So more testing..... just fyi
Originally Posted By DouglasDubh Theoretically you can link them, but in actuality it doesn't always work. Since I reserved the rooms for my upcoming trip through DVC and bought annual passes back in January, it has been a pain in the butt to get mydisneyexperience to link all my family's information. Then we were selected to test magic bands, but only for part of the trip, and when the bands arrived they weren't correctly customized. I called to get it fixed and they said there is nothing they can do. I have spent hours on the website and on the phone so my family can have fast pass plus on two days out of 10, and my wife and daughter won't even get the colored bands they wanted. I think this will be our last trip to WDW for a few years. Hopefully they get the system fixed before they try it at Disneyland.
Originally Posted By DouglasDubh And as far as Universal being right up the road, my family spent three days there in January and were pretty much ready to go after a day and a half. There are very few rides at Universal that don't make my wife sick, and even my kids only want to ride Harry Potter or Spider-Man once a trip. Universal is seriously lacking in family rides.
Originally Posted By sjhym333 Soooo...I ran into an old friend last night who is high up in the company and is currently working on the MyMagic+ stuff. In the past they have not talked about the rollout of NexGen but last night had a lot to say...a couple of drinks helped I think. Here is what they said: 1) Testing is over and has been since late summer. There will not be an "official" rollout. Currently 70-75% of the resort hotels are now completely on the new system with the remaining 25% slated to be online before the beginning of November, barring any problems. There are no plans to take a break at the resorts and roll it out later, they said the system is online and the rollout continues daily. 2) Barring any issues with the remaining resorts going live with MyMagic+, AP holders will begin hearing from Disney in early November with AP holders getting My Magic+ access and wristbands starting Nov 18. Again, as long as there are no unforeseen problems. 3) Once AP Holders are online then they system will basically be in a holding pattern until after the Christmas holiday. Beginning in early January non-resort guests who purchase tickets will begin getting access to the system. There are questions on how that rollout will begin (park hoppers first perhaps) but by the end of January or the beginning of February every guest will have access to the system. 4) Once all guests are on the system, Cast Members will be the final group of people to gain access to the system. The source is very reliable and is very in the know. They stressed that the time line is in constant flux. Everytime they add a group they watch to see how it will affect the system but they also said that Disney is beginning to understand what to expect as each group comes into the system.
Originally Posted By FerretAfros That's interesting that they're working toward rolling it out fully, but still without any firm date or big announcement. As someone who is currently planning a couple trips to WDW, it's good to know to expect it, but I still feel like they're very slow in telling us what to expect For one, people aren't finding out if they're a part of the system until right around the 2 month window for booking FPs. To me, it seems like it might make sense to alert them earlier, so that the hotel room, park tickets, and dining reservations are all obviouly linked together from the consumer side. The big trip that I'm planning is being done through one of WDW's official group travel agents, so I'll be interested to see how NextGen works for that. When I traveled with them last year, I got the DME packet in the mail about a week before the trip, and everything else was waiting at the hotel when we checked in. So far, there has been no indication that Disney will coordinate with them for FP+, but I assume that's part of the process since they are an official travel agent (though there are slightly different rules with the group discounts). Not knowing how it will apply to my trip is one of the most frusterating parts of this whole roll-out
Originally Posted By sjhym333 I am not surprised that there is no firm date or announcement. I think Iger's statement that it will be ready soon is all you are going to get until it is fully done. Disney isn't stupid, why announce things knowing that potentially you may hit unforseen snags? By not announcing there are no expectations from guests who are instead pleasantly surprised to find that they are being given wristbands and FP+ access. I can understand your frustrations. I think one of the bigger problems that Disney is currently facing in the interface between various departments and groups. I know that AP holders who are staying at resorts using the MagicBands have had trouble getting their AP's and Bands connected.
Originally Posted By dizneed <<I am not surprised that there is no firm date or announcement. I think Iger's statement that it will be ready soon is all you are going to get until it is fully done. Disney isn't stupid, why announce things knowing that potentially you may hit unforseen snags? By not announcing there are no expectations from guests who are instead pleasantly surprised to find that they are being given wristbands and FP+ access.>> LOL! You took the words right out of my mouth.
Originally Posted By sjhym333 WDWMagic.com has posted the following about the remaining rollout of MyMagic+. It kind of follows what I was saying earlier. My understanding is that the plan is still to add AP Holders in November. If you are staying at a Walt Disney World Resort and looking forward to participating in the MyMagic+ MagicBand testing, here is the full schedule for the remaining resorts to rollout. As it stands now, all resorts will be participating by October 23 2013. The following testing is expected to run through until November 30 2013. Resorts currently participating in MyMagic+ testing: Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort Disney’s All-Star Music Resort Disney’s All-Star Movies Resort Disney’s All-Star Sports Resort Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge – Jambo House Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas – Jambo House Disney’s Art of Animation Resort Disney’s Beach Club Resort Disney’s Beach Club Villas Disney’s BoardWalk Inn Disney’s BoardWalk Villas Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort Disney’s Contemporary Resort Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa Disney’s Old Key West Resort Disney’s Polynesian Resort Disney’s Pop Century Resort Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – French Quarter Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – Riverside Disney’s Yacht Club Resort Disney’s Wilderness Lodge Villas at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge From October 21 2013 Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort and Spa From October 23 2013 The Villas at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa
Originally Posted By FerretAfros If I'm not mistaken, that's nearly any place on property, other than the Swan, Dolphin, Kidani Village (DVC), or Saratoga Springs. I'm staying at Riverside in mid-November under a reservation made by a CM, so it will be interesting to see whether or not our group gets Magic Bands. I've heard that they are among the last to get enrolled in the system, but the hotel is on the list Also, that list just seems to prove how meaningless it is to add the title "Disney's" before nearly everything on property. I know that they want to tell guests that the extra benefits will be available to them, but it begins to look pretty tacky after a while.
Originally Posted By dizneed When we stayed at the Pop Century last month, our personalized Magic Bands were waiting for us at check-in. It was my understanding at the time, that if your stay had been paid in full and your on-line choices of FP+ and such were made early enough, your Magic Bands would be mailed to you.
Originally Posted By sjhym333 MagicBands are mailed if you make reservations that are 15-30 days out from your arrival or more. Disney says that it takes 10 days to arrive to your house. Anything less then that the MagicBands will be waiting for you at checkin
