Disney Speak - Magic Bands

Welcome to the modern Walt Disney World!  With the addition of loads of technology we now get a new fashion accessory.  A Magic Band!  

So, let's answer the what, why, how, and do for this high tech wristband. 

How do you get them?

This one is simple. When you book a room at a Walt Disney World Resort hotel you get one band per person on the reservation. If you book at two different resorts during your stay you will get two sets.  Getting a Magic Band is solely based off your room reservation.  You get to pick you colors in advance and they are shipped to your home a couple weeks before your trip. 

Not staying at a Disney resort?  You can still buy one once you get to the parks. 

What does the Magic Band do?  

Well during your stay at Walt Disney World it is your key to just about everything. So let's start from the beginning of the trip. 

The first thing your Magic Band will do for you is get you on the Magical Express!  It is your ticket to get from the airport to your resort. The important thing to remember is to pack the bands in your carry on so you have it when you arrive in Orlando. Or set a fashion trend and wear it on the plane. 

Your Magic Band also is your park ticket. No more paper tickets that you have to worry about losing. Now you wear your ticket on your wrist. Also gone are the traditional turnstiles. Now you find Mickey readers.  

These new style "turnstiles" are much quicker because they allow more people in and take up less space. You scan your Magic Band and then scan your finger. Just remember which finger you use the first time you use you ticket, because you will use the same finger the whole time.  

Thanks to the Magic Band it is easier to get the kids and the stroller through the gates. This has made Rope Drop much less stressful.  With tickets we always got nervous when handing them to the kids to get in.  Now with the band they wear it all the time and you do not have to fuss with getting tickets out. It makes it much simpler going through the gates. After over 30 park days of Magic Band use we  have never had one fall off(including a four year old).   If you do lose a Magic Band do not worry.  None of your information is stored on the band.  Go to guest services and they will deactivate the band and help you get a new one(you may have to purchase a new one)  The Magic Band is more of a key to access your My Disney Experience account.

Now that we are in the parks what does it do for us?  Lots, lets start with FastPass +.  You can book up to 3 FastPass + experiences a day for the number of park ticket days you have.  Once in the park you go to the FastPass+ entrances for the attraction you booked at the time you booked and get to skip the line.  If you stay at a Disney Resort you get to book your Fastpass+ 60 days in advance.  If you are staying elsewhere you only get 30 days in advance to plan you park visit. 

Here Alden is scanning his Magic Band at a touch point to enjoy the Tomorrowland Speedway.  It lights up green when you are good to go.  The best thing is it saves you from running back and forth across the park to collect a traditional paper FastPass. 

Samantha enjoying a drive while sporting her Magic Band.

In true Disney fashion the touch points are not just a boring black box.  This is the touch point to meet Ariel.  

Waiting to tap our bands for the Character Spot in Epcot.  Themed to match future world.

So you have used your 3 Fastpass+ experiences now what?  You go to an in park kiosk and can get another one.  This one is located by the international Gateway in Epcot.

Just outside of Buzz Lightyear.

Sometimes the cast members let you work the controls and find your fourth FastPass+. 

One of the best features is your band acts as your room key!  This is far and away the best thing the magic band does.  After a long day at the parks you do not need to look through your purse to find a key.  The kids often run to the door to open it.  It is easy to do when your hand are full.  This is the feature that we wish we could take home with us.  We would love to unlock our door at home with a wrist band.  

The Magic Band also links up to your Memory Maker!  When you have a picture taken by a PhotoPass photographers you just have them scan your Magic Band and you picture is linked to your account.  No more carrying around a special card to have them scan.  Your ride photos link up to your Magic Band as well.

One of the best parts of the Memory Maker is getting the ride photos.  The magic band makes it so convenient because you don't have to do anything at all.  Just go on the ride and wear your Magic Band.  

Thanks to the Magic Band we got this photo without doing any thing other then setting up our My Disney Experience on line.  Just make your all your reservations are properly linked before you go.

I think it may have been the Magic Band that took out these stormtroopers, not the force, but we know for sure it was the Magic Band that linked the photo to the account. 

Screen shot of MDE

As mentioned above most of the "magic" of the Magic Band results from you setting things up in advance on the line.  The My Disney Experience web site is where you go to link reservations, make dining reservations, and FastPass+ reservations.  This is a screen shot of the App.  It help you remember that you made a dining reservation 180 days ago and what time you get to ride Toy Story since you planed that 60 days ago.  

We like to also type it out before we go just in case we have a dead phone battery or the sort.  Also we set the screen shot as our lock screen so we have quick access to our days advents.  

Worried about how junior will keep from destroying his Magic Band?  Forget about it.  Disney knows your kids are bound to get into things.  So, they are water proof!

Clearly surviving the water.  This makes the trip to the pool so much easier.  No longer do you have to worry about your key sitting somewhere pool side.  You now wear it into the water with you.  Your water proof Magic Band is all you need for a trip to the pool.  You can even make pool side purchases with your band.

It is also chocolate shake proof.  Not only did this Magic Band survive the chocolate but it also payed for it.  You can choose to link your Magic Band to a credit card.  If you elect to pay for things with your Magic Band you must enter a pin number that you set when you check in.  If your band is lost or stolen they would need to know the pin to be able to use if.  

The Magic Band is also how you use your Disney Dining Plan credits.  It is stored on you account that the band links to.  So to use a dining credit you simply have the waiter scan your band.  You can then use the credit card on file to pay the tip.  You can truly go the entire day with out getting out your wallet.

The Magic Band is now the way to complete any princess.  

While the Magic Band does lots of great things it does not prevent headaches, but it does make the over all experience much smoother.  

Lets sum up what this little beauty can do:  Magical Express ticket, Theme Park Ticket, room key, credit card, Dining Plan, Memory Maker, Fastpass+, water proof, and fashion accessory.

That is an impressive list and one that I feel will grow over the years to help create even more magic.  

Meanwhile at sea:

Disney Cruise Line is now using Magic Band for their kids club.  They lock them on so their is no way to take them off.   

They link them up to your stateroom when you check in the first time.  The kids loved using Magic Bands in place of the old plastic strap things they had to wear before.  

Trip Report 2013 - #8 - Disney Dream 3 Night Cruise Day 1

Photo with Minnie in the Port terminal.

It's time to get from Walt Disney World to Port Canaveral for our cruise on the Disney Dream!

Cruise Luggage tag in place.

The very first step in our transitioning from Disney World to the high seas on the Disney Cruise Line involves packing up and placing special tags on the bags that we plan to check.  The bags you check show up magically in your state room later in the day.  We also packed one bag full of dirty cloths  that we dropped off at bell services at the art of animation.  The bell services desk can then transfer your bags to another hotel or just hold on to them while you are on the cruise.  We had them send one bag over to the Boardwalk Resort so it will be waiting for us when we return.

We hopped in the mini van and headed for the coast nice and early.  All smiles as we headed to McDonald's drive through for some breakfast on the way.  We crunched the numbers on doing two different rentals, by dropping off in coco and then getting a new rental when the cruise was over, but it was almost exactly the same price to just pay to rent the van while we were on the ship and pay for parking.  The best part of this is you park right right across the street from the terminal.  

Clair's smile did not even make it passed the airport.  It is only about an hour drive from Disney World to the port.  A week of the parks got the better of the 4 year old.  We were all glad she got a nap.  The scenery is not to spectacular 

Doug's parents and siblings took a private transfer to the port.  They all rode in a large van for way less then it would have cost to take Disney's Transfers.  With the privet transfer you can set the time and make a grocery stop along the way.  

The first view of the ship is always a great sight!

We arrived nice and early.  When you are early you check you bags by the curb then head up to the 3rd floor of the parking garage to wait for them to start letting people through security and into the terminal.   We got a few group pictures while waiting for the line to get moving.

The other half of the group.  Somehow Clair managed to get in both groups.

The cruise was a 40th anniversary gift from Debra, Doug, and Greg.  Doug says it is easily the nicest gift he has ever given.  This picture is from the walk way from the parking garage over to the terminal.  They look at your passport on the garage side then you cross over the road to the terminal to go through security.  

A picture of the kids with the Dream in the back ground.  Izzy is still making her way everywhere with us.  We are amazed that she has advised lost and found.

We look ready to cruise. 

Me with our binder.  It has a copy of every reservation and we keep our passports in a pencil pouch in it.  Doug being Doug had to decorate it with pictures and "customize"it.  He can anything just be plain. 

Now that we are in we head to check in.  We head to the Castaway Club check in and everyone else to the regular check in.

There were about 50 people ahead of us in the parking garage, but we walked right up to check in.  Doug's family only waited about 5 min before they were helped.  Each state room checks in separately.  

Christmas had invaded the Port Terminal as well.

After checking in we went and got the kids checked in for the kids club.  This only involves getting their wrist bands and confirming the password.   When we were done with the kids Doug's family was done checking in so we got in line for Minnie.  We waited about 10min which is no bad because we would have just been sitting around waiting anyway.

When you check in they give you a boarding group. So between the picture with Minnie and them calling our group we went through the navigator and made plans for the day.  We were in a fairly early boarding group, about 10 ahead of the rest of the crew.  The best part of being a member of the Castaway Club.  The kids were not members yet because this was their first cruise, but they got to board with us.  We were not sure if they would give us a boarding group based off Doug and I's membership or the kids lack of membership.  The kids were excited to head though the big Mickey Ears!

Once through the Mickey ears you walk though a bridge/hallway to the ship.  

Halfway to the ship they take your first official picture of the cruise.  You can skip it, but it really doesn't slow you down to take the picture.  Just have a stateroom key ready.  

We were aboard!  First stop is a few pictures of the kids before they managed to get ice cream on their shirts.  

They were overwhelmed by the size of everything!

We took the froward elevator up to deck 12.  The mid ship elevator always has a long line when they start boarding.  The Aft elevator will take you right where you want to go, to lunch at Cabanas.  Those can be busy as well because the Castaway member all know that, so we went froward and showed the kids a little of the ship on the way.  

We made it to Cabanas and found lots of food at the buffet for lunch.  We ended the meal with the hand scooped ice cream.  

We had a table with a view of the terminal and Coco Beach.

Clair has as much ice cream in her as on her.  

After lunch we continued our ship tour for the kids.  The room would not be ready for an hour or so.  We checked out the miniature golf.  

We spotted Donald with basically no line.  The masses were still boarding the ship.  By this point Doug's family was on board and had made their way to Cabanas to eat.

Even at sea Donald still has no pants.

We checked out every nook and cranny of the ship for the kids.  Here Sam is inspecting the dance floor and stage of the D Lounge.  It is the family lounge where they play lots of fun family style shows.

The lobby area for the Walt Disney Theatre.  This is the area where the official ship tours meet.  They usually have two times in English and one in Spanish.  It should be found right on the front of your navigator.  We ran into Doug's Dad and a few others here.  They were waiting to take the tour.  I think taking the official tour is a great idea if it is the first time on the ship.  You get to meet some of the main activities directors and learn your way around.  

The show tonight is the Golden Mickeys so the lobby decorated for that show.  

Now on to the Kids Club!  When you first enter either the Occenears Club or Lab the first thing you do is wash you hands.  These machines are amazing, you insert your hands and a swirling vortex of water and sanitizers blast your hands.  I wish we had these at home.  I don't think our kids hands have ever been so clean.  We were able to go in with the kids because the clubs were in "Open House" mode.  

Magic Dance Floor time!

Not sure how many different dresses Clair wore through out the voyage but we know it was a few.

Andy's Room!

Alden was disappointed that RC did not go anywhere.

This room is all Samantha really needed.  Drawers and Drawers of crafts supplies!

The kids wrote their names and where they are from on a balloon.

The kids have it good in the clubs.  

The hallway leading to the Clubs has big porthole window seats.  

We ran into(well more planed out) Pluto!

After Pluto we were in our Stateroom.  On the bed we found our Castaway Club gift.  It was a nice bag and a few other small things.  The bag would be great for the beach! It's like they knew we would be going.  

A view the other way.  It is a Deluxe Family Stateroom with veranda if you were wondering the category.  I know you only see one bed but don't worry all 5 of us don't have to fit in it.  You will see at the bottom of the post how a family of 5 fits.

Disney has split baths, the Toilet and sink in one room.

A shower and sink in another.  It is actually a bath tub so if you need to throw your kids in the tub there it is!  They also have the best shampoo!  They sell large bottles of it in the gift shops.  When ever I'm having a bad day at home I break out the Disney Cruise Line Shampoo and I'm good to go.

Lots of little details around the room that make it special!

After our bags arrived I put clothes away while the kids and Doug decorated our door.  They had lots of fun putting up the decorations.  It also makes your room very easy to find.

Then they went and decorated Debra, Mike, and Baby Lila's door.

Then they got Greg and John's door.  

Most people had not gotten their bags out of the hallway yet.  They are mostlikly getting seconds at the buffet.

Everyone was settled into their room.  The kids hung out with Grandpa Jim.  Doug and I went to tour the spa.   Can you spot Greg and John.  The shirts help.  This was the first time we had ever really done matching shirts at Disney.  It was kinda nice because it made it easy to locate everyone. 

The famed Rain Forest rooms in the spa.  We took a full tour and at the end they offer you some deals.

I was the demo person for this weired contraption for our little group of about 5 or 6.  

Heated tile seats.  The spa is huge and offers lots of great things.  If you want just a simple massage you need to book it when you check in on line months in advance.  The other treatments seem ok to book in person.  I picked out something at the end of the tour and was able to do it when I wanted.  I picked the afternoon on our Nassau day.  

We then went and checked out the Edge Club, it is for tweens.  We did not show the kids this because they would just want to go there and they are not old enough.

Lots of cool stuff in the Edge.

We found the kids then headed up to Deck 12 to get a spot along the rail for the Sailing Away Party.

About 15 minuets before the show started the family next to us offered to take our picture and then we took theirs.  About 1 minuet before the show is when people show up and try to shove their kids in front of you.  Just like at a parade in the Magic Kingdom annoying people are allowed.  We held our ground good.  Doug had warned his family but I don't think they were quiet prepared for the pushiness of some people.  

The show got started and Jim pointed out the person with the microphone was the one who gave his tour.

All the Disney friends get you ready to sail.  

After the show I took a picture this time with Debbie and Mike.  

We then watched as we actually sailed away.  Yes, Samantha is on the wrong side of the hand rail.

A few from our veranda.  You can see Greg and John on theirs.  We were back at our rooms to change for dinner.

Alden says good bye to land. 

Tonight we dine at Animator's Palate.  We were at table 107.

Samantha with her water and bread, that is 90% of her meal usually.  Just add mac and cheese and she is happy.  Over her right shoulder is a large screen where Crush would come and chat with us.

Baby Lila and me.

The best way to end any meal is a Mickey Bar!

Don't worry there is fancy food as well.  To see more of the meal click HERE.

Jim and Lila.  

After dinner we made our way to the doors of the theater to wait for them to open.  We wanted good seats and the doors open 30 minuets before the show.  They have a preshow of sorts on the screens for the Golden Mickey's.  They interview people on a red carpet trying to make it like the Oscars.  It was a good show the kids all loved it.

After the show we hit the D Lounge for some Karaoke.  She sang "Kiss The Girl" and did a great job.  The Karaoke was on the smaller stage.  It was not to crowed as you can see from the picture.  About 5 other families and us.  So just right for your first Karaoke performance.  

Back to the room and we find a towel animal and some chocolates.  Also a navigator for tomorrow.  

Here is what the room looks like when you are a family of 5.  Beds come out of all kinds of places.  We had a game of rock paper scissors earlier in the trip to determine the order of who got the top bunk.  

It is late so time for bed!