8/21/18

Walt Disney World has quietly rolled out the "Digital Room Key" feature to all owned and operated hotels. For the foreseeable future, the Digital Room Key appears to be an option to the Magic Band for Resort Room Entry as both use the same "Mickey Icon" door lock.

4/2/18

Walt Disney World has announced a new "Digital Room Key" feature to roll out for Bluetooth Enabled Devices using the MyDisneyExpereince App:

Quote Originally Posted by Disney Parks & Resorts

... Coming soon to Disney’s Wilderness Lodge, a new feature in the My Disney Experience app will allow guests to quickly unlock their hotel room using a digital key on their mobile devices, providing them with another seamless room entry option that brings added ease and flexibility to their experience.

Guests can also use their digital key to unlock the hotel entrance gate and common area doors requiring a key, which may include pools, fitness centers, elevators and club level lounges. Arriving travel parties that have checked in online may even use their digital key to bypass the need to visit the front desk, giving them the opportunity to go directly to their room when it is ready and start their vacation even faster.

The feature represents the latest evolution of keyless room entry, which we began offering with the MagicBand, the unique all-in-one device that effortlessly connects the vacation choices guests make in My Disney Experience. Guests may use either or both options to enter their room during their stay.

So how does it work? To use their digital key, guests can opt in and activate the feature on their check-in day through a brief set up process in the app. To enter their room, guests tap the “Unlock Door” button and then simply hold their phone against the door lock.

... Bluetooth®-enabled mobile devices with the latest version of the My Disney Experience app are required to take advantage of a digital key for room entry. And don’t forget to wear your MagicBand for all other uses including park entry, FastPass+ redemption, room charges and more.

The new feature is expected to be rolled-out in phases to other Walt Disney World resort hotels, much like the MagicBand Access Points were initially.