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Disney World MagicBand Support Coming to iPhone and Apple Watch

cmaier said:
It’s nfc. It won’t affect battery at all.
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Reading the article again, I see it’ll use Apple Wallet, so you’re probably right.

If it’s attached to the WDW My Disney Experience app, then I’d expect it to be a drain, because it seems Disney only puts interns & terrible programmers working on that app.
 
I didn’t see this in any details but I assume it’s probably using Express Transit, which means you won’t have to activate it for each use, just tap. If so I’m sure this is why it has taken til now to implement. The old way of activating cards by unlocking your device or double clicking a button first would have slowed the lines way down.
 
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I hope magic bands support express cards... I still want to be able to get into my hotel at the end of a long day at the parks.
 
ArtOfWarfare said:
As I recall, the bands were free. So they're giving up an expense, not revenue.

People had the option of paying more to decorate the bands... I don't recall any of my friends/family doing that but maybe it's more popular with some groups?
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Disney is stopping the free Magic Bands at the end of the year.
 
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Sounds convenient. I think Splash Mountain was the latest attraction at Disneyland the last time I was there. They also had the Time Traveler hologram arcade game. Which I was more interested in than the rides.

All we had then was a paper ticket to get in the park and a hand stamp.
 
Cheesehead Dave said:
Magic Bands also have a battery powered antenna in them that works like the EZPass toll transponder in your car which enables Disney to automatically capture ride photos for a coaster train full of guests, display your name within ride special effects, or (probably) whatever other crowd tracking Disney does to see where people go throughout the day. The Apple Watch doesn't have this feature, so the Mouse wouldn't be able to track you if you used this exclusively.
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That’s a feature that I’d miss.
 
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Cheesehead Dave said:
Snarkiness aside, this actually reduces what Disney can collect. The Magic Bands have two sets of antennas inside them: One is a near-field chip that you have to tap against something to make it work, just like how Apple Pay does, or the plastic cards that you can request from Disney if you don't want to use a Magic Band. That's what this new feature replaces.

Magic Bands also have a battery powered antenna in them that works like the EZPass toll transponder in your car which enables Disney to automatically capture ride photos for a coaster train full of guests, display your name within ride special effects, or (probably) whatever other crowd tracking Disney does to see where people go throughout the day. The Apple Watch doesn't have this feature, so the Mouse wouldn't be able to track you if you used this exclusively.
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I'm glad to seem more stuff going into the Wallet app. Though I'm surprised because I always assumed Disney was using the bands to track you wherever you were in the parks. Based on what you mention it seems that is the case.
 
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I could see using the apple watch as an alternative to the Magic Band, but magic bands are completely waterproof and the silicone band is easily bangable around.
The Apple Watch doesn't seem like a real alternative for those who are in complete vacation mode, probably more useful for Annual Passholders who think Magic Bands are ugly.
 
Joniz said:
Reading the article again, I see it’ll use Apple Wallet, so you’re probably right.

If it’s attached to the WDW My Disney Experience app, then I’d expect it to be a drain, because it seems Disney only puts interns & terrible programmers working on that app.
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The app will probably just populate the wallet, and maybe used for things like ride scheduling, etc, same as always.
 
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cmaier said:
Given current pricing trends, makes sense they only support iOS. Android owners can’t afford Disney World.
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They had planned to make it only available to Edition owners but could not figure out how. 🙃
 
Joniz said:
You can actually pop the “puck” out of the Magic Band and put it into a holder that slips onto your Apple Watch band for some time now. Same result; we just wear our Apple Watches (or any watch for that matter, but our Apple watches are set to Mickey during Disney trips). Buy them on Amazon.

Who’d want to bother getting their phone out?
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Where can you get a band like this? I'd like one until this is actually available.
 
Neat. Now here's hoping I'm not priced out of admission by the time I feel comfortable going to a theme park again.
 
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So how will this work for connecting pictures to your account on rides? It used the magic band to associate you with your picture and attach it to your account. But without that I wonder what they are going to do? For photographers they would scan your band, that'll still work with the phone but the automated connection in rides might be a challenge unless they are going to use facial recognition, but they you would have to associate a photo with your account in order to set it up.
 
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MrMichaelJames said:
So how will this work for connecting pictures to your account on rides? It used the magic band to associate you with your picture and attach it to your account. But without that I wonder what they are going to do? For photographers they would scan your band, that'll still work with the phone but the automated connection in rides might be a challenge unless they are going to use facial recognition, but they you would have to associate a photo with your account in order to set it up.
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When I was there in January of last year they had the magic band scanners under the screens showing the ride pics. I tapped the admission card that was also in the Disney app and that saved my pic. It should work the same way with the phone or Apple Watch.
 
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ArtOfWarfare said:
As I recall, the bands were free. So they're giving up an expense, not revenue.

People had the option of paying more to decorate the bands... I don't recall any of my friends/family doing that but maybe it's more popular with some groups?
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Bands were complimentary for some guests. They have many available for purchase in various colors and designs.
AZMecha said:
Well, I'm sorry 5yrs + too late. We asked and pleaded and nothing. Now they canceled the annual season passes, let go of all their workforce. I was there for the opening of galaxy edge and its garbage... Disney has disrespected the Starwars fanbase with their crap. :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad:
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BuffaloTF said:
You can’t renew or buy a new one at present. It’s temporary, though the timing is currently indefinite.
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WDW has not cancelled their annual (not season) passes (yet). They are only not selling new ones at moment. You can absolutely renew. We just renewed ours last month.
 
Böhme417 said:
WDW has not cancelled their annual (not season) passes (yet). They are only not selling new ones at moment. You can absolutely renew. We just renewed ours last month.
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Sadly, Anaheim obliterated all of their annual passes. Of course, it's a "whole new world" out here, where most of the locals find it as their "bear necessity" to go, so it was most AP holders at the Park. Lines would go "just around the riverbend" to get in here. You'd literally ask "how far I'll go" just to get into Disneyland. And people still will line up without APs here, so I guess this is "part of [y]our world". I know - I sound cheesy AF, but hey, you'll "never have a friend like me". *bows*
 
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BlendedFrog said:
Where can you get a band like this? I'd like one until this is actually available.
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Search for “Magic Band Puck holder” on Amazon. They’re small things that slip onto a watch band and hold the removable puck. Got ours to fit on our Sport Loop bands by twisting one end 90° and threading it through. Set ours to the outside of the wrist and had no problems.
 
aesc80 said:
You Floridians with your "annual pass holder"!!! 🤣

Seriously though, by having an AW this is neat, especially since Disney is starting to sell MagicBands vs. giving them away when you book your travel.
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I don’t even live in Florida. I literally have 100 MagicBands so I’ve started declining them anyway.
 
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