The MyMagic+, MyDisneyExperience and Magic Band have been keywords buzzing in the Disney blogosphere for some time now, so what’s the story with all this stuff and how does it effect you?
Change is scary, especially for those annual or bi-annual park goers who have their planing system down pat. We don’t like people to mess with our park schedules and we certainly don’t need any new high-falutin technology messing up the paper and pen plans that we’ve taken years to perfect.
The reality of the situation is that Disney spent $1 billion dollars on this technology, so this is happening, whether you want it to or not. The new RFID scanners have been installed at most of the parks, doing away with the old turn-style entryway.
Disney’s MagicBands making a Debut
Think of the Magic Band as your Key to the World Card, you just wear it on your wrist. It’s far more comfortable than punching a hole in your Key to the World Card and inserting a rubber band to use as a bracelet. More information about the Magic Band system is being released and here is what we know about the bands so far:
- They are made of hypoallergenic material and are flexible and comfortable to wear
- There are ridges on the backside to help circulate air between the band and your wrist
- The band has been designed to withstand hot and cold temperatures and it’s waterproof
- The band is adjustable to fit virtually every guest, even children
- The band will be available in seven colors (most likely green, blue, pink, yellow, orange, black and red) and guests who use the MyDisneyExperience site prior to their vacation will be able to personalize a band and have your name put inside the band. If you choose not to personalize your band, you will get a two tone grey Magic Band
- Accessories will be sold (surprise!) to accent and personalize your Magic Band even further
The concept of the Magic Band is to utilize the RFID technology that has been installed throughout the parks and resorts to make a more enjoyable guest experience. When FastPass machines were installed, it was the next best thing to sliced bread and we couldn’t get enough of those little paper tickets that saved us hours of wait time in lines at our favorite attractions. This is FastPass on steroids, with really advanced technology. Instead of keeping track of those little paper tickets all your “FastPasses” will be encoded in your Magic Band and you can begin customizing your vacation even before you leave home.
The Magic Bands are still in the testing phase but the My Disney Experience website is now fully operational and allowing guests to make dining reservations, link reservations to their Disney account and even check-in online 60 days prior to your arrival date.
Hold on to those old Key to the World Cards folks….in a few years they’ll be considered antiques!
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