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View Full Version : D23 Magic Bands Coming



Berry Princess
11-20-2021, 09:36 AM
They found their opening to push them this way now. So Magic Bands+ for Disneyland Resort next year was announced at D23. Fantasmic and World of Color coming back as well. Which I know people love Fantasmic but its so nice to be able to walk in that area without all that mess right now. They did announce the return of MSEP as well for its anniversary.

Sounds like DTD is getting a makeover of sorts. Bye AMC building, which is about time since its just sitting there collecting dust. So new shops and restaurants to come at some point.

olegc
11-20-2021, 04:26 PM
They found their opening to push them this way now. So Magic Bands+ for Disneyland Resort next year was announced at D23. Fantasmic and World of Color coming back as well. Which I know people love Fantasmic but its so nice to be able to walk in that area without all that mess right now. They did announce the return of MSEP as well for its anniversary.

Sounds like DTD is getting a makeover of sorts. Bye AMC building, which is about time since its just sitting there collecting dust. So new shops and restaurants to come at some point.

I was amazed that so many Disneyland fans (at least the ones posting on several sites and FB groups) were very happy MBs were coming. They say so they dont have to use their phone. Well maybe for entry - and paying if you stand in line to buy food - but for mobile order, wait times, etc - you still need your phone.

olegc
11-20-2021, 04:28 PM
Sounds like DTD is getting a makeover of sorts. Bye AMC building, which is about time since its just sitting there collecting dust. So new shops and restaurants to come at some point.

This also means the demolition of the entire building. Goodbye Earl, Sugarboo, and Starbucks West. And no announced plans to bring them back. Wow - they REALLY want to do something with this area. My guess is there will be newer trendy brands tucked in there. and with such a large swatch of (fake) grass they can now hold concerts better (though it wasnt clearn where the new stage would go).

Berry Princess
11-20-2021, 05:13 PM
I was amazed that so many Disneyland fans (at least the ones posting on several sites and FB groups) were very happy MBs were coming. They say so they dont have to use their phone. Well maybe for entry - and paying if you stand in line to buy food - but for mobile order, wait times, etc - you still need your phone.

I am surprised as well. To me that is all its good for and nothing else. Most of us aren't going to need it to open a hotel room and buying food even might be questionable. Otherwise the rest is all phone. Which is beyond annoying how much the app is needed as it is. This is another thing that just comes off as them trying to WDW us here. SMH I'm sure the only reason they aren't getting rid of MBs as it is is because of the money they make off them. I'm sure they will make a pretty penny here as well. And yes I did say to my husband how the only good this would do is not having to pull my phone out and swipe for us all to get in the parks.


This also means the demolition of the entire building. Goodbye Earl, Sugarboo, and Starbucks West. And no announced plans to bring them back. Wow - they REALLY want to do something with this area. My guess is there will be newer trendy brands tucked in there. and with such a large swatch of (fake) grass they can now hold concerts better (though it wasnt clearn where the new stage would go).

You know the whole fake grass stuff is just silly. I'm not a fan of Earl or Sugarboo so no biggie to me. I like Starbucks but we have one in each park and still in DTD so no biggie to just have one location if that is what happens in the end. Honestly I can't remember the last time I walked through DTD at this point. I don't care for it at all. The food is not for me and most the shops are eh. So shall see how it comes out and if something pops up to lure us over that way or not ever. Concerts in that kind of environment won't do it for me either. I am sure it will be great for some though. I wonder how much that is in Disney Springs is what they will try to put in over here.

NickP
11-20-2021, 08:40 PM
I enjoyed using our Magic Bands when we went to WDW earlier this year. Doubt they will be as useful here. We'll see
About time they do something with all that unused space at DTD.
They really need to address Tomorrowland soon

Dave1313
11-21-2021, 08:36 AM
It seems this was only a matter of time (the MB part, not the side conversation on DTD, but I hope that works out well too) before this was the inevitable conclusion. It's (to me) amazing that Disney continued with totally different systems on each coast for as long as they did.

The DL folks who are not so keen on MBs can thank the general acceptance and embracing of the technology by the WDW crowd for the last 7-8 years (without trying to look it up, I forget actual start date, but I'm pretty sure it was somewhere around late 2013 to very early 2014).

The WDW folks (or DL folks for that matter) who are not so keen on the paid aspect of Genie + and the separate paid Lightning Lanes (compared to free FP/ FP+) can thank the general DL crowd for embracing the paid Max Pass system. That proved to Disney the paid services for "skip the line" features were going to likely work. I think a lot of us saw the writing on the wall when MP debuted, but since it was widely accepted, here we are.

I can see some of the "you need your phone anyway" argument for DL, but the mobile order I think we need to remember is relatively new, and certainly pushed more now (originally due to COVID(at least for the earlier days of WDW re-opening), perhaps more for saving money by paying fewer CMs to take orders now - that's probably a different discussion). I fully agree that the hotel access part of the equation is no where near as useful in DL (though not everyone stays at on-site Disney hotels at WDW either).

As to the "cross over" of both technologies, When I did a virtual queue for Remy at Epcot (I had to of course use MDE to get the group and keep track of boarding time - presumably similar to RotR methods at DL), I'm pretty sure I scanned my MB at the access point, not anything on the app. The MB also being used here protects against dead batteries in phones/iPods to some extent.

And the other less considered aspect is what the bands bring to Disney, vs what they do for the guest experience. The crowd observation/tracking that Disney is able to do is a big part of it (assuming they deploy the same tech at WDW in full to DL). While some of that translates over to guest experience, there is probably a whole heck of a lot more that does not. An example, for WDW ride photos, there are MB touch points to link your pic to your Photopass/MDE account. Newer rides (Seven Dwarf's Mine Train comes to mind - though I think maybe they upgraded Buzz Space Ranger Spin to this tech too), the system automatically included the picture of your ride without the need for you to pick the correct photo when exiting the ride. All properly figured out by the tracking of your MB.

I believe they probably do more with MB tracking than they would do with the slippery slope of actual cell phone tracking. Blue tooth is obviously something you can turn off on your phone to limit tracking, but you have no control over turning any tracking features off on a MB.

I hope the WDW and DL systems recognize the same bands (though if the different apps cause us to have to register them to "cross over", that's probably fine - unless the roll out of Genie at DL also involves integrating DL into MDE instead of standing alone as its own app?). It would not be cool to need to have different bands at different parks. I've got more than enough WDW MBs, I probably don't need to buy a DL one the next time I head out there, if I can help it (though I can certainly see myself buying one with some sort of unique DL markings at some point) ;).

Oh, also great news to hear the return of F! and WoC! It may be a mess, but remember, that mess of having it on the RoA makes the DL version of F! far superior to the one at DHS :). Stadium seating at DHS is nice enough , but in most every other way, DL version is still considered better by most, I think... I know I wish that was the one I could more regularly see!)

olegc
11-22-2021, 08:18 AM
it seems possible that we wont get regular MB here - only MB+ for the "enhanced" experiences. What those are right now I have no idea. If they are "coming" then I hope the parks have some priorities straight and fix ops that need repair (rides, foods processes, etc) before venturing to new things but alas I think they'll just leave everything behind and dazzle you with a shiny object.

Berry Princess
11-22-2021, 08:52 AM
it seems possible that we wont get regular MB here - only MB+ for the "enhanced" experiences. What those are right now I have no idea. If they are "coming" then I hope the parks have some priorities straight and fix ops that need repair (rides, foods processes, etc) before venturing to new things but alas I think they'll just leave everything behind and dazzle you with a shiny object.

From the little known at this point it is MB+ and in 2023. So they have a little over a year to get things in order for it here. At this point all I've seen mentioned is that it would be good for select interactive experiences. I know Disney said the MB+ in WDW would have some sort of interaction with the 50th statues and light up during things like fireworks. Which reminds me a little of the glow with the show ears and were super annoying. At least something on a wrist is less intrusive during those kind of shows but I find it silly to have something light up or interact of sorts during things like fireworks shows.

olegc
11-22-2021, 08:56 AM
....but I find it silly to have something light up or interact of sorts during things like fireworks shows.

Plusing for the sake of plusing and not necessarily for guest experience. I guess it depends on one's own perspective.