Walt Disney World turns on Fastpass+ for annual passholders

It's about time, though I don't care for the bands, and won't use it. Incidentally, I'm surprised at how poorly they seem to work with the POS terminals in the park. No one seems able to pay for anything quickly.

I can honestly say during our week there our bands worked perfectly, just about every time. We found on ride days that if we faced the Mickey imprint facing away, or upside down if you were looking at your watch, they seemed to work a little better. Maybe we made that up, but it really did seem to work. Plus we quickly learned how to hold it against the thing so it lit up instantly. I felt sorry for the entrance ops who had to touch so many people in order to assist them with their scan. Not enough hand sanitizer out there for me...

The thing too is they sell covers and accessories for the bands (of course) and I thought about it. Some of them were really cute.

I kept mine and I wonder if when I go back, maybe this fall, if it can be set up so I can use it again. I guess I'd have to be a resort guest but that's a possibility.

So Jeff, if you don't get them, how will you do it? Still go to kiosks? Or is there a way for you to reserve in advance anyway if you want to? I'm thinking no.

I can book online, right now, via the web or the app. And heck, if the app checks proximity, I'm 1.5 miles from the castle in my house, so it probably thinks I'm in the park! We ordered the bands, but I don't expect to use them. Remember, the bands have long-range RFID, so just walking around they know where you are. The cards/tickets/passes have to be right there.

Watching you flip flop is my favorite on this site now.

Ok.
Do they care where we are? I guess they do.
It came in handy when we had lunch at Be Our Guest and thru "magic" they found where we were sitting and knew what we had ordered, even which one of us subbed out the fries. I guess the band took the place of the rose, as we didn't get one. Truthfully, it was a little eerie...

CPJ said:

Watching you flip flop is my favorite on this site now.

If you're going to be a dick, you could at least be explicit about what it is you're being a dick about.

Jeff said:

We ordered the bands, but I don't expect to use them.

Still wrapping my head around how the new system works, so apologies if this sounds like a dumb question. Do you not need the bands to use Fastpass+? Or you don't expect to use Fastpass+?

You can use the cards/passes. They're interchangeable for the purpose of entry and Fastpass. Diana tends to lose cards, and Simon likes the bands, so I'm sure they'll use them.

By the time we were home I had worn it so much I missed it when it was time for it to go back in the box! Kind of like not having your glasses or your watch. But, especially since we were resort guests, we needed it for everything- its your room key, your dining plan as well as reservations, your park tickets, your shopping, your resort desk business, your FP, you name it.
The Magic Band became ONE with me.

I wish there was a Magic Band for home use. Unlock the door, set the alarm, turn on the sprinkler, turn off the lights, start the car, set the DVR, run the sweeper, clean out the garage, bring me a beer...

RCMAC said:

I wish there was a Magic Band for home use. Unlock the door, set the alarm, turn on the sprinkler, turn off the lights, start the car, set the DVR, run the sweeper, clean out the garage, bring me a beer...

in less enlightened times that device would be called "the wife"

You aren't required to use it as a resort guest, as you can get a standard plastic card that does the same stuff. Basically it opts you out of tracking and the somewhat creepy personalization stuff.

We had no issues with the bands in February. Paid for all our food and way too much stuff to take home to the grandkids and it never had a glitch.

I seem to always be behind someone with a failing band at the POS, when I just want some damn popcorn. :) To be fair, it isn't just the RFID readers that suck, as they can barely read a mag stripe either. They never work first try for me. A lot of the counter service locations don't even use them for credit cards, and worse, some still require signature.

Can they be worn at the water parks? That is where I could see some value.

They are waterproof. They're a pretty slick design and are very adjustable for comfort. In fact, the outer edge can be stripped away to fit kids with small wrists, so they really are one size fits all. And durable- I never once felt like it was going to come loose or fly off.

Got my magic bands ordered last week. I'll be happy to use them simply for the convenience of not needing to fiddle with my wallet and take the card out for admission into the parks/rides. Not too worried/paranoid about anything else.

Used the advance reservations for the first time the other night. Set up reservations at MK for mansion, big thunder, and space mountain the night prior. I am enjoying it immensely so far, its perfect for the way I enjoy the parks, I typically know a week or so in advance I'll be visiting so I can set up a couple times and enjoy the things I want to see leisurely and leave after a couple/few hours. I'm hoping to finally have a chance to do stuff like Soarin' and Midway Mania for the first time in ages because I never get to the parks early enough to get a pass for those rides and I'm not waiting 90+ minutes.

Since opening it up, I've been on Soarin' twice in one week, so that's something. Diana booked some stuff for Simon next week, too.

Can you use the bands for parking? If not, sounds like you'll still need tickets as a pass holder.

They're giving passholders a discount/parking card (that doesn't work as a pass) along with the magic bands. Not the most elegant solution, but it works.

That seems kind of silly when you already have the pass. Not wasting money was clearly never a requirement of this program.