Magic Bands/FP+ and Legacy FP (Rumor)

[dstrawn9889]

Yeah...I was kind of surprised at how "relaxed" the park entries were...especially MK. It seriously looked like you could just walk right past the RFID readers if you wanted to and it was crowded enough to distract the CMs. For example...DW had issues getting past the finger scanning...so the CM would always have to come try to assist her before handing her off to the CM with the iPad. While those CM's were distracted by my DW...I could have easily walked right past them and into the parks. Now maybe they have security watching for that kind of stuff but maybe they don't at all times.

I agree on the ROI...not sure when it will start being worth the investment they have in it. I'm sure there's some kind of long term strategy that we don't know about.

One thing about FP+ with regards to touring times...it is probably likely that some people will not get to the parks at rope drop if they have FP+ reservations for the attractions they want...and those times are later in the morning or after. Before you would have needed to get there at rope drop to get a FP for TSMM or Space Mountain/Splash/etc...so you could get other FP's that same day. The only major downside is that the attractions are tiered in every park except for MK...and you only get one FP+ reservation in the first tier...meaning you have to choose between Soarin' or Test Track...TSMM or RnR...EE or Safari...etc.

since they have med-range powered RF chips in them as well, i suspect the gates also have a failsafe halo reader to pickup people passing without tapping the mickeyhead. the system would also pick up the band while on the rides, and run a parallel check to make sure guest entry has been noted.

[theBIGyowski]

The RFID readers were not very powerful at all. If you didn't line up the Mickeys just right they wouldn't read correctly. That was probably the most frustrating thing while in the parks.

[jderoche5]

I noticed them to be temperamental at best too. Some days my band and finger combination worked fast and then other days it didn't. I image it is all about the reader, but the lines would easily get backed up. The CM's also seemed to be right on top of anyone who tried to walk through the line without getting a "green mickey". This was back in October, so things may have changed since then.

[Wizzard419]

Even though the bands are powered, that battery (and the amount of copper in them) doesn't likely give enough juice for 3 years lifespan and broadcast range. Plus, the creep factor and all.

With the FP return lines, do they have multiple points at which you need to scan your band? Similar to how you would show your FP at the entry point, then surrender it later on to prevent line jumpers.

I do not think this system will ever have a positive ROI, even the new media is sort of a bad idea since it is more expensive than the traditional cards because there just isn't anything interesting for the guests now, and even the stuff promoted/promised wasn't getting anyone hard. So mickey can call you out by name... and what? Is he going to try to start something, do I have to give him a curb party?

[theBIGyowski]

Yes...there are readers at the FP return area...and at the other point where you used to surrender your paper FP. There are two readers at each point...allowing more people to get through. Of course if you have a large group or family with small kids...each person has to scan their own MB...instead of a parent handing over 4-6 tickets and letting everyone through.

In a way...the new system really just enforces the FP return window more than a CM could looking at the times printed on the paper tickets. If Mickey turns green...you get through. If not...sorry.

[Wizzard419]

But without a physical barrier that will not open, a red mickey is the green light to beg/bribe/yell at the flesh puppet until they either relent or call security.

[theBIGyowski]

But without a physical barrier that will not open, a red mickey is the green light to beg/bribe/yell at the flesh puppet until they either relent or call security.

Yep...I doubt anything like that would happen if other guests are around...obeying the rules. Plus you'd have to go through two rounds of begging and bribing.

Short term...this is a move by Disney to get more people to stay onsite. Long term...it gives them more data to use for different things...all ways to help them make more money. Get people using the apps and Wi-Fi...and you can possibly put ads in there...ways to get sponsors to give them money. Perhaps they create ride technology that is built off of the MBs...already kind of being done on Test Track.

Once the "cool" factor wears off...Disney will have to show guests why the MBs are going to make their vacation experience better...not just a novelty.

[Wizzard419]

I don't think it gives them any more data than the previous system, but with the re-build it would allow them to streamline the gathering process. Other than being able to pinpoint when people return to use their FPs and percentage of passes that are taken but not used, all the data will have them chasing pennies rather than dollars. Yes, it can add up, but the operating cost alone may make it a very slow growth which most companies would find unacceptable and may smother the project in it's crib.

The app itself won't likely have ad space (hell, they don't even try to monetize) because you're already spending money to come in, and it looks bad when you throw a hard ad up at a guest. They may lean heavy on a "what's nearby" feature to promote eating options when asked. Though, the days of sponsorship are mostly dead, they just can't do anything interesting enough to merit the cost and only have their brand featured as a whisper. The TT upgrade is... interesting, but it doesn't really add to the ride itself. That is actually a good thing though, since single riders and some other group (I forgot which) don't get to use the system anyway. The rides probably won't change based upon what bands are registered in it since it would be very costly to implement and no one would come just for that experience.

They are, unfortunately, just a novelty, and a bad one at the moment since they don't do anything interesting yet. Plus with recent attitudes towards monitoring by large groups, I am sure that did not do much for the image of the bands.

[theBIGyowski]

Can't disagree with you right now, Wiz.

[Wizzard419]

Any money saved, right now at least, with the new system is probably being eaten up by the app since (even though Disney pays terrible) the submission fees, paying for the eng, interactive specialists, coordinators, QA, etc. eats up any benefit. This isn't even counting if they wasted their money on doing the Amazon one (which has a terrible appstore userbase and very spotty release schedule). They will be lucky if they can break even.

[Amy]

I'm kind of late to this discussion, but I have to agree with dstrawn9889 that the gates are being watched a little more closely than you would expect. I wonder if they will raise the strength of the RFID chips so the precise lining up of band and the Mickey head isn't quite so necessary?
It will definitely be interesting to see where this Magic Band technology leads over the next few years. I imagine they have more things planned than they have rolled out at the moment though.

[Wizzard419]

If they want to boost the power (turning them into broadcasting bands) that would be a bigger security risk, accidental reading, and also they would have to throw out all the ones built already and also figure out a way to keep them powered for the months in storage and your visit.

[Amy]

If they want to boost the power (turning them into broadcasting bands) that would be a bigger security risk, accidental reading, and also they would have to throw out all the ones built already and also figure out a way to keep them powered for the months in storage and your visit.

Oh, so you can't tweak the reader instead of the band?

[Wizzard419]

From the looks of it, they are like oyster cards, office keycards, and the like where all components are sealed within each band, so modifying it isn't an option. Even if it were, it would probably be more expensive to open the band, replace components, and reseal the band for distribution.