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Credit: DisneyIt’s been more than a year since Walt Disney World first announced MyMagic+, revealing details of new ways to reserve times for rides, shows, and other attractions. Now the new technologies aimed at improving daily theme park enjoyment are finally approaching their full rollout leading up to an official launch this summer.
MagicBands have been selectively available and in testing for guests staying at Walt Disney World resort hotels for several months. Now, annual passholders are being included with their first fully customizable MagicBands beginning to ship within the next couple weeks.
Tied together with the new FastPass+ system, MagicBands are equipped with RFID technology that allows Walt Disney World guests to simply tap Mickey Mouse-emblazened readers to gain entry into theme parks, access hotel rooms, and check in for ride, show, parade, fireworks, and other attraction reservations.
The specifics of how, when, and how many reservations can be made are still being worked out. Currently resort guests can book FastPass+ reservations months in advance, creating schedules of up to three selections for each day of their visit. Annual passholders, on the other hand, may only make up to 7 days’ worth of reservations within a 60-day window 30-day window. These and other details may change as the full rollout approaches in the coming months.
Annual passholders who currently want to order a MagicBand simply need to log in to the My Disney Experience web site. To customize and order a MagicBand – and thus enable FastPass+ – look for a message stating “Personalize Your MagicBands” on the site’s welcome screen.
From there, customization options include choosing a color and a name to print on the inside of the MagicBand, up to 9 characters in length.
My first attempt at creating a Haunted Mansion-inspired customization was thwarted by the lack of purple available as a color. I also briefly considered an Inside the Magic-branded option.
But ultimately I decided on a Halloween-inspired motif.
Orange and black look lovely together.
After deciding on a design, a click of the “Ship Now” button locks in the choices.
The site states MagicBands will begin shipping for annual passholders in mid-March.
Like the entire MyMagic+ system, the My Disney Experience site is still working out a few bugs, throwing an occasional error.
But for the most part the process of ordering a MagicBand is simple and smooth, in the process of reaching the entire Walt Disney World audience.
The use of a MagicBand is not specifically required once enrolled in MyMagic+ through ordering one. Walt Disney World tickets and annual passes now have RFID chips built in as well to also work with the new system.
The official rollout of MyMagic+ and FastPass+ is expected to take place during Walt Disney World’s upcoming press event at the end of April / beginning of May. Beyond that, the future of MyMagic+ will include more personalization of attractions and character interactions, all intended to improve the overall experience of being in Disney’s parks.
