UPDATED: MagicBands will NOT be coming to Disneyland

[Astridia]

This post is sponsored by a man who likes hats. He digs girls named Alice and pink-striped cats. Hooka-smoking caterpillars are the only plus... but FP- is better; disagree if you must.



We checked in, then "checked out" and took in the view from our room. We'll have little sleep because we will be in there soon...



After "suffering" libations from old Trader Sam, our hearts swelled as we "walked" back...a sucker, I am...






Some like to sleep in but we like to go. First at the Gate is something we know...






Straight to the FP and then to the line...we had one in hand and were close to riding at 9...




Off to pull FP for World of Color...some say the show is unlike another...



After our smoke fix it was then off to TOT. To not pull a FP?...Oh, certainly not! Ride it in Standby and then off to Story...who needs an elbow...it's all about Glory!






To some, I understand this isn't your pace...but pardon us now as we head off to Space...



Ride it in Standby then what should we do? Let's take a picture...4 is greater than two...


5 is greater than 4...or so I am told. But to pull such a move is certainly bold. Easy to do, it's certainly not...but I'm not a baker and neither are you.



We used the first three and were off to find more. "Collecting" them, no, as some would say, "whoa!" We smoked and we ate and enjoyed the sights.




But due to location we might as well ride. We are ride junkies, it's not easy to hide. We then stopped to smoke by waterfront's side...Damn, Haunted Mansion...we might as well ride (huge HM Mansion FTR)!



Now back to Cali where some call it "Screamin". We've pulled 8 freaking passes, some call it Dreaming.


Because we like short re-rides on our favorite ones....let's pull another...but wait, we aren't done.


Frozen we're not and we choose to ignore. Can't we all feel the same? Do you really want more? Sometimes you walk by, not sure what you'll find...we crushed a kids's dreams...life's not always kind.




With time to kill it's time to drink swill...Nachos and Funwheels...we certainly will.




Enjoying our ride with no wait at night....when life comes together it feels oh, so right...



We've used all our passes, with this the last one. But the night is not short...surely not done. We high five each other and with a tip of a hat....we kiss and we know that we have just killed that...

this is fabulous. Thanks for sharing your amazing experience. I wish our last trip to WDW had been this productive! glad the DLR is in our future.

 

[HydroGuy]

Hmmm, apparently the wait times posted on the Touring Plans site are not accurate.

As of now (12:41 PDT) they show the wait at BTMRR at 15 minutes, with a FP return time of 1:10, and Space at 20 minutes with a FP return time of 1:40. If those were accurate anyone could do lot of repeat riding , with or without FP. And this is with Indy, Peter Pan, and the Matterhorn all closed.

My bias is still towards legacy FP and we will be trying FP+ in a couple weeks for the first time. No doubt I see disadvantages in FP+ but in being honest with myself and reading posts from some of the cooler heads on the WDW forum I am able to see some of the advantages of FP+ for the way we tour.

Even so, my first thought was to agree with the PP that DLR crowds should not be that bad right now (except for weekends which are almost always crowded). Getting all those FPs on a weekday in offseason, I fail to see how it helps much. For a weekend at DLR, absolutely. RSR always needs a FP - as does WOC and F! now - but other than that FP is just not that helpful. FWIW, I did not take time to re-read the PP's and figure out if the discussion was about a weekday or weekend. So I am trying to cover my bases.

 

[Tamalyn]

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/trav...-disney/os-disney-mymagic-20141225-story.html

http://www.ocregister.com/articles/disney-646893-mymagic-disneyland.html

It's my understanding that the are NOT going to go with Magic Bands now.

 

[figment_jii]

There have been rumors both indicating elements of My Magic+ are coming to DLR and other rumors indicating they aren't coming in the near future. About the only consistent thing is the guess that at some point, DLR will get some elements of My Magic+, but that it won't be a carbon copy of the WDW version. Many think that there might be a formal announcement (of something) at the D23 convention later this month.

 

[jina]

I was just checking out the new Disneyland app (see related post) and see it as step 1 for FP+. Based on what I've seen, my *guess* on how FP+ will work is:

-AP's will already be on your app profile (I see mine and DD5's)- it will probably allow you to also link to other family members as the WDW app allows and also scan in bar codes from regular tickets
- When you click on an attraction on the app, currently it says whether "fastpass service is available". I can totally see that changing to say "get a fastpass" *if* the app can detect (via location services) you are in the vicinity of the parks (in the Anaheim area) *and* have had your tickets/AP's scanned already for the day. Then you can click to get a FP+ and select your return time.

I am also guessing that similar to WDW, if you have a confirmed reservation and tickets (or AP in profile) at a DL resort you'll also be able to schedule a fixed number of FP+'s ahead of time but I'm assuming similar to WDW they will limit those so all the on site guests don't take them all up.

Here's hoping they are fair with how we can use FP+ while park hopping. As a regular FP runner I really liked taking advantage of FP running/hopping between parks when the mood hit. Clearly I will not miss the actual run and will prefer to just click on my app but don't want to have FP+'s "connected" between parks- one would think that will greatly decrease the number of folks who choose to buy hopper tickets as well as local AP holders.

Exciting stuff. I'm bummed (for many reasons) that our AP's expire in 3 days but oh well. We had a great year (18 park days) and someday we'll be back! Next stop Aulani.

 

[mom2rtk]

I was just checking out the new Disneyland app (see related post) and see it as step 1 for FP+. Based on what I've seen, my *guess* on how FP+ will work is:

-AP's will already be on your app profile (I see mine and DD5's)- it will probably allow you to also link to other family members as the WDW app allows and also scan in bar codes from regular tickets
- When you click on an attraction on the app, currently it says whether "fastpass service is available". I can totally see that changing to say "get a fastpass" *if* the app can detect (via location services) you are in the vicinity of the parks (in the Anaheim area) *and* have had your tickets/AP's scanned already for the day. Then you can click to get a FP+ and select your return time.

I am also guessing that similar to WDW, if you have a confirmed reservation and tickets (or AP in profile) at a DL resort you'll also be able to schedule a fixed number of FP+'s ahead of time but I'm assuming similar to WDW they will limit those so all the on site guests don't take them all up.

Here's hoping they are fair with how we can use FP+ while park hopping. As a regular FP runner I really liked taking advantage of FP running/hopping between parks when the mood hit. Clearly I will not miss the actual run and will prefer to just click on my app but don't want to have FP+'s "connected" between parks- one would think that will greatly decrease the number of folks who choose to buy hopper tickets as well as local AP holders.

Exciting stuff. I'm bummed (for many reasons) that our AP's expire in 3 days but oh well. We had a great year (18 park days) and someday we'll be back! Next stop Aulani.

It's premature to be putting guesses into a thread titled "It's official".

 

[kylie71]

My heart DROPPED when I saw this post at the top of the board!!!!!!!
Please no Fast+ or Magic Bands nonsense at Walts Park!! Please!!!!

Who is with me????

--Lori

 

[figment_jii]

I would just remind everyone, that this thread was started in January, when there were the first rumors that My Magic was coming DLR. It was "active" until April and then went dormant until revived this morning. So it's not that it's a new announcement saying My Magic is officially coming.

 

[HydroGuy]

My heart DROPPED when I saw this post at the top of the board!!!!!!!
Please no Fast+ or Magic Bands nonsense at Walts Park!! Please!!!!

Who is with me????

--Lori

Asking nicely here, but have you tried either personally yet?

In answer to your question, I do not see a problem with Magic Bands at DLR. They would be no significant issue as I see it and in many ways an upgrade over the current system.

FP+ is a different story. Putting aside the significant issue of whether DLR rides have space for FP+, I cannot see how FP+ would work at DLR if the 60 days/30 days used at WDW were used at DLR. If they changed the way reservations worked then maybe it could work at DLR. But I think there would be a huge uproar. So it would surprise me if DLR did FP+ at DLR and I hope they do not.

 

[BrianL]

I think DLR should get a form of FP+ but it should definitely be modified to better fit with the parks and guests. The 60/30 plan would definitely not work there. Also, I think one thing they messed up on at WDW was giving FP to nearly every attraction, even when some don't warrant it and it has only made waits longer at those attractions. DL should keep FP to only those rides that use it now, but allow for some FP+ capabilities. Overall I really like FP+ in WDW and think that a version of it could work out West.

 

[jina]

I want to be able to request a fastpass from my phone instead of having to run across the park. If they can do that, I'll be a happy camper.

 

[mom2rtk]

I think DLR should get a form of FP+ but it should definitely be modified to better fit with the parks and guests. The 60/30 plan would definitely not work there. Also, I think one thing they messed up on at WDW was giving FP to nearly every attraction, even when some don't warrant it and it has only made waits longer at those attractions. DL should keep FP to only those rides that use it now, but allow for some FP+ capabilities. Overall I really like FP+ in WDW and think that a version of it could work out West.

Prior booking of attractions requires a lot of capacity. It's easy to turn on a computer and click on a few spots to reserve something. It's much harder to be in the park and get yourself to the FP machine and get an actual ticket. When you remove that extra barrier and it's easier to use, you get...... more use. That's why they added FP to everything they could at WDW.

I can't even imagine what the huge local AP base could do to the pool of FPs available at DLR with prebooking.

 

[BrianL]

Prior booking of attractions requires a lot of capacity. It's easy to turn on a computer and click on a few spots to reserve something. It's much harder to be in the park and get yourself to the FP machine and get an actual ticket. When you remove that extra barrier and it's easier to use, you get...... more use. That's why they added FP to everything they could at WDW.

I can't even imagine what the huge local AP base could do to the pool of FPs available at DLR with prebooking.

Yeah, the pre-booking could definitely be a problem for DL. They need to keep that much more limited, maybe 1 only and only a day or two out. Then once in park, you can make another at the appropriate window. The still don't need to add to rides where it won't work well as long as they don't give out more passes than before. That AP pool could definitely be a problem.

 

[StormyCA]

I liked FP+ at WDW when we were there in April (but I like DL FP better). I think I'd be OK with it at DL since my trips are planned way in advance and I stay onsite, which at WDW gives you a 60 day window. That said, I'd bloody HATE it if I were a local (AP or no) who was used to just dropping in orif I was limited to the 30 day window.

 

[3TinksAndAnEeyore]

I was not a huge fan of FP+ on a fairly recent visit to WDW, but my entire family was enchanted with the Magic Bands. They were so convenient and fun! A definite winning combination. I would love to see a Magic Band option at DLR. They weren't mandatory at WDW. People could choose to use hard tickets instead.

 

[mom2rtk]

Maybe they're working on adding wifi to the parks right now and we just don't know it?

But man, I'm not sure they could be quite so stealth about adding FP returns to all those rides that don't have it now.

 

[Winnowill]

We loved the MagicBands last year at WDW, and we made FP+ work - and this was when it was limited to three per day, period. I like the flexibility of the standard DLR FPs, though.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

What they could do is to make the FP's electronic. You would still go to the ride FP distribution but then tap your MB or AP or RFID ticket to the terminal and get your FP electronically rather than paper. In essence it would operate identically to the current system except no paper.

 

[Angel Ariel]

They've already said magicbands aren't coming to DLR. They could still make the FP system digital without magicbands, of course. For those who loved magicbands (and we liked the bands themselves also),though, I wouldn't count on those coming to DLR given the statements made by Disney execs.

 

[kylie71]

Asking nicely here, but have you tried either personally yet?

In answer to your question, I do not see a problem with Magic Bands at DLR. They would be no significant issue as I see it and in many ways an upgrade over the current system.

FP+ is a different story. Putting aside the significant issue of whether DLR rides have space for FP+, I cannot see how FP+ would work at DLR if the 60 days/30 days used at WDW were used at DLR. If they changed the way reservations worked then maybe it could work at DLR. But I think there would be a huge uproar. So it would surprise me if DLR did FP+ at DLR and I hope they do not.

Thanks Trey for asking Nicely....
No, I have not tried either as I have never been to WDW, and have no desire to do so....
Just old school Disneyland Park person..
I could probably be convinced for the Magic Bands, verses having to make ressies 6 months out to ride a favorite ride ...
If you think it would be a benefit however Trey, I respect your opinion.

Thanks,

--Lori