Limited Edition Star Wars “Vanity” MagicBands To Be Released This Weekend

WDWNT on June 29, 2014

Some time ago, we told you that Disney would eventually sell “vanity”, or character/movie themed MagicBands to guests at some point in the future. Well, that point will be the final weekend of Star Wars Weekends 2014 June 13th-15th:

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The bands come in a special Star Wars Weekends box and are a limited edition of 2500 each. Yoda and Darth Vader are the two styles that will be available to guests. No retail price has been provided at this time.

Dirk Wallen’s 4/1/14 WDW Photo Report (Polynesian, Magic Kingdom, Hollywood Studios, Disney Springs, ETC.)

WDWNT on May 12, 2014

WDWNT Reporter Dirk Wallen recently visited the Magic Kingdom, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and Downtown Disney and has a number of newsworthy photos to share with us, so let’s take a look:

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The Polynesian lobby lives to see another day…

ABC’s The Middle was filming at the Magic Kingdom this week

The cake cups at Chshire Cafe were changed recently

The card is edible…

Work continues in the Magic Kingdom moat as part of the hub remodeling project

You can still make out the old Swan Boat track

Carnage in the old smoking section by Plaza Restaurant

We found the other cake cup…

Moving on to Disney’s Hollywood Studios, there is an ad for the “it’s a small world” animated series in the parking lot

After almost 25 years, the Kodak signage on the Darkroom has changed to Nikon

The ABC Sound Studio will soon be host to a preview of Maleficent

Some random Constantine wanted posters have appeared in the Streets of America

Some new Muppets t-shirts available

Stage 1 is one of the stores now selling MagicBands to guests, and they have a ton

Easter cupcakes are available at most counter service restaurants

Legends of Hollywood on Sunset Blvd. is also selling MagicBands

They also have some Captain America merchandise

More MagicBands at the Darkroom

Moving on to Disney Springs, work continues on the new parking structure

Wetzel’s Pretzels and Haagen Dazs are now moving to the other side of DisneyQuest after having closed to make way for Starbucks

Starbucks on the West Side is coming along nicely

No visible progress on the BET Soundstage

Work is picking up in The Landing

Nothing new to see here either

Soon guests will be able to pass through behind Raglan Road

A designated Food Truck area is coming to the West Side this summer

Here’s what’s open…

Continuing work the bridge for The Marketplace

The latest progress on the Starbucks in the Marketplace

Pollo Campero has already been leveled

Another look at the parking structure

FastPass+ in Advance and MagicBands Roll-Out to Non-Disney Resort Guests

WDWNT on March 31, 2014

Well, it finally happened. Starting today, guests not staying at a Walt Disney World Resort hotel or in possession of an annual pass can make FastPass+ reservations up to 30 days in advance, and they can buy a MagicBand to boot. Disney resort guests get up to 60 days to make the very same FastPass+ reservations.

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The MyDisneyExperience app is now equipped to make the reservations for all guests with park tickets, not just those using MagicBands while staying on Disney property.

If the plastic park ticket these guests are being issued isn’t good enough and they’re feeling left out, select Walt Disney World merchandise locations are now selling MagicBands in the seven original colors for $12.95 each. We expect some “vanity” or upscale character bands to join the merchandise fray in the not-too-distant future.

These buyable bands feature all of the capabilities of the resort guest’s bands except for one thing: they can not be linked to a credit card and used for charging.

This is all subject to change at any point as Disney has stated they are still in the testing phases for MyMagic+.

Dirk Wallen’s 2/4-2/8/14 WDW Photo Report

WDWNT on February 18, 2014

WDWNT Reporter Dirk Wallen visited the Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Animal Kingdom and Downtown Disney over the last few days, so let’s take a look at everything happening around Walt Disney World right now:

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Nikon photo spot now in place near the Rose Garden

Some more planter work happening near the hub… rumors suggest this may all be related to a new nighttime show for the park…

See ya’ later trash can…

The facade at the Enchanted Tiki Room is getting some work done

The Nikon picture spot at Splash Mountain isn’t quite picturesque yet…

The Splash Mountain refurbishment continues

Tarps up on the buildings in Liberty Square and the castle crane looming behind it

The Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin FastPass machines are being removed

Plenty of Valentine’s Day treats are available at Big Top Treats

Moving over to Disney’s Polynesian Resort, DVC wing construction is in full swing

I love these signs…

Gates up on the beach

The work out in the water on the rumored bungalows

Over at Epcot, the former Kim Possible kiosk area is now a MyMagic+ service center

Prep work for the Flower and Garden Festival is in full swing now

Another Nikon picture spot

The Darkroom at Hollywood Studios is still presented by Kodak

Yet there is a Nikon Picture Spot not too far away

The Monsters University meet and greet is becoming the Monsters Inc. meet and greet again

Backlot tour is still closed

Frozen billboard up in the backlot

Pirate Fairy and Jungle Book billboards up in the Animation Courtyard

Nikon picture spot at Animal Kingdom

A decent size line for FastPass+

AVATAR construction is happening folks…

Some work happening outside of Expedition Everest

A look at the new Festival of the Lion King theater from high up on Everest

Looks like there is a lot of work to still be done

On to Downtown Disney… Disney Springs… whatever it is…

Not much visible progress to the West Side Starbucks

Not much to see on Pleasure Island either

But there is something happening behind these walls

Here is the site for the large water-side building in The Landing

Bridge work in the Marketplace is happening quickly

The stage area near Fulton’s has been behind walls for a few weeks now

The staging area for the bridge is across from T-Rex behind the DVC booth

The Marketplace Starbucks is also coming along slowly

Guests watching construction take place

Cinderella outside of World of Disney received a backdrop on the construction walls for the Starbucks

Some strange new men’s shirts on sale

Team Mickey is now closed to become the Marketplace Co-Op

New Star Wars MagicBandits have arrived

There is also an R2-D2 MagicSlider!

Hayley Nance’s 1/26/14 Magic Kingdom Photo Report

WDWNT on February 18, 2014

We welcome WDWNT’s own Hayley Nance on-board as a Walt Disney World photographer/reporter this week, and she gets started by bringing us some wonderful photos from earlier this week at the Magic Kingdom:

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Removal of the Cinderella Castle Dreamlights is in full swing

Awww…

Cinderella’s rented crane returns for an annual visit

Legacy FastPass machines and signage are now vanishing from the park

After 11 years, there is no more FastPass signage or machines at Mickey’s Philharmagic

The screens in the finale of “it’s a small world” have been covered up again for some reason

Perhaps until they are ready to start working with MagicBands

Work continues on Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, the tarps remain under the bridge still

A look through the peep holes…

Walls have also gone up across the way now as they finish up some pavement work

Plenty of fake trees now cover the mountain

Looks like some more greenery will be appearing soon

The entrance structure seems to be complete

The rain did not give us a clear view this week 🙁

The crane, ruining vacation photos since 2007

“You Could Be In Pictures Kid!” Hollywood Brown Derby Lobby To Interact with MagicBand

WDWNT on December 4, 2013

Story courtesy of Jeremiah Good @JeremiahGood

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The Hollywood Brown Derby just began some early testing with changing framed “magazine covers” on the walls in the lobby. The frames were installed several weeks ago, but tests actually using these screen pictures just began this past weekend.

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At this point, if a cast member with a photo attached to their MagicBands walks into the lobby, they will appear on the cover of the framed magazines. When the final product rolls out with MyMagic+, when guests with reservations come into the restaurant, it will trigger with a “set” picture attached to their MagicBand to appear on the screens.

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Once the guest is seated at a table, they will be brought a photo print of their cover. There is no word yet on if this would be an added cost to buy or included with PhotoPass. It is also possible that this will be part of MyMemoryMaker, which we still have no further details on.

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The pictures you see in this post are the default pictures. The little black dot on the upper left hand corner of the pictures is the sensor.

So, what do you think? Is this a cool use of MagicBand technology, or a waste?

VIDEO: Screens Finally Installed in the Finale Scene at “it’s a small world” at the Magic Kingdom

WDWNT on December 4, 2013

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We have been closely following the progress on the finale scene of “it’s a small world” at the Magic Kingdom for several months now, posting when the tarps went up and when they came down in that scene earlier this year. Now, the screens have finally been installed that will give guests a personalized farewell when MyMagic+ formally rolls out in December:

So, what do you think? Excited about these new additions to the classic “it’s a small world”?

Dirk Wallen’s 10/27/13 WDW Photo Report

WDWNT on December 4, 2013

WDWNT Reporter Dirk Wallen visited Disney’s Animal Kingdom, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and the All-Star Resorts last week and has a number of newsworthy photos to share with us from his trip, so let’s take a look:

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They are still testing Downtown Disney busses from Animal Kingdom daily

In preparation for the new queue for Festival of the Lion King in Africa, Tusker House is getting some work done

Work continues on the new Festival of the Lion King theater

In the queue for Expedition Everest, the screens were finally turned on for this new display in the queue

These should interact with MagicBands in the coming weeks

The ads are pretty funny

Frozen billboard outside Disney’s Hollywood Studios

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

There are 4 new screens installed at the canner at Star Tours as well

We assume these will interact with MagicBand as well at some point

Frozen banners are now hanging in the animation courtyard

There are construction walls up by PIXAR Place for some reason

The Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights is ready to premiere on November 8th

At the All-Star Resorts, more of these trophy cases have been installed. This one is at Music.

At Movies, the display changes between The Muppets and Star Wars

Eventually, these displays may interact with your MagicBand as well

Here is the Star Wars display

MagicBand accessories are now available at most of the resorts

Resort Roll-Out Dates Revealed for MagicBand & MyMagic+, Date Given for Full Launch

WDWNT on October 29, 2013

For several weeks now, MagicBands have been distributed to guests at select Disney resort hotels so they could test out all of the exciting facets of the MyMagic+ system. Well, the final roll-out dates have been announced for the remaining resort hotels and we now know when Disney plans to take the system out of the testing phase and finally introduce the world to a new way to experience a Walt disney World vacation…

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Currently, you can only get MagicBands if you are staying at Disney’s Contemporary Resort & Bay Lake Tower, Disney’s Pop Century Resort, Disney’s Yacht Club Resort, Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge, Jambo House Villas, and Kidani Village, Disney’s Art of Animation Resort, Disney’s Beach Club Resort & Villas, Disney’s Polynesian Resort, Disney’s Port Orleans Resort Riverside & French Quarter, Disney’s All-Star Movies Resort, and Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa.

Testing begins at All-Star Sports, Disney’s Boardwalk Inn, the Boardwalk Villas, and Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort on October 7th. October 14th brings All-Star Music, Disney’s Coronado Springs, Old Key West, Wilderness Lodge, and the Villas at Wilderness Lodge online. Finally, Disney’s Fort Wilderness and Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort and Spa will be the last to begin testing on October 21st.

Resort guests should either receive a mailed invitation or be able to add MagicBands to their reservation through DisneyWorld.com. You will only be invited if you have a room and ticket package at the very least, to the best of our knowledge.

All testing is set to conclude on November 30th, meaning that December 1st, 2013 is set as the hard roll-out date for MyMagic+ for all Disney resort guests. Annual passholders and non-Disney resort guests will continue to use hard tickets until further notice and it remains unclear if those not staying at Disney hotels will ever get one.

A Look at the the MyMagic+ Touch-To-Pay System at Table Service Restaurants

WDWNT on August 7, 2013

Since MyMagic+ and MagicBands were announced (and even when they were just rumored), many of us have wondered exactly how they would work in every aspect of a Walt Disney World vacation. Over the last few months, we have seen the system operate with FastPass+ for attractions, order ahead dining at counter service locations, and even touch-to-pay at stores. One thing we are now just seeing for the first time is exactly how the system will work at the many table service restaurants around WDW.

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Last night I saw one of these devices in action at Olivia’s at Old Key West. I can only assume with the current MyMagic+ testing going on, this is at most, if not all of the table service restaurants at Disney World right now. It is essentially an iPod touch with a giant device hooked onto the back of it.

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So, this is the device that will be used at every restaurant to utilize touch-to-pay with hard tickets and MagicBand ticket media. How will the process work? Well, here is what your server should say when you show up with your MagicBand and are using the Disney Dining Plan:

Hello! Welcome to ___________! My name is ____________ and I will be taking great care of you this evening. I see you are on the dining plan. That’s Wonderful! If you’ll kindly touch your MagicBand and enter your PIN, I’ll be able to preview your plan information. This will help me to better guide you through your dining experience.

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This will be done to avoid guest and server confusion regarding the dining plan. The server will then need to touch your MagicBand again at the end of the meal. That might go something like this:

I see some MagicBands at the table this evening. If you plan to use your band for payment this evening, I can capture the touch now if you like. Thank you! I will bring back your receipt for signature.

If the guest enters an invalid pin, a blue Mickey icon will appear on the screen for the cast member. Three invalid pin entries may require you to use alternative payment.

The process seems like it may simplify the process a little bit for those on the dining plan at least… split checks are a whole other story for another post…

If you don’t have the dining plan, you will only have to tap your band should your credit card be attached to your account and you choose to use that as a payment method. There has been no word yet on if Tables in Wonderland or Annual Pass dining discounts will use this system or still have to entered manually. If you are paying with cash or a card not attached to your MagicBand, this process will not apply to you.

So, what do you think? Would this make it easier or harder for you to pay at a table service restaurant?