Wristbands and FP Changes - Quick Primer Please

[mermaidmarian]

We are heading back to WDW on August 3rd for a week of family vacation. I know that there have been some changes implemented and some pending, including wristbands and new FP rules.

Are the wristbands just an update to Keys to the World with more tracking capability for WDW? Also, have the FP changes that have been rumored/on the table for the last couple of years been implemented yet, or is this still in the pending stage.

[MickeysBestPal]

We are heading back to WDW on August 3rd for a week of family vacation. I know that there have been some changes implemented and some pending, including wristbands and new FP rules.

Are the wristbands just an update to Keys to the World with more tracking capability for WDW? Also, have the FP changes that have been rumored/on the table for the last couple of years been implemented yet, or is this still in the pending stage.

There are no wristbands or FP+ reservations in use for regular guests at this time.
Eventually (nobody knows when) the wristbands will be made available.
They can take the place of the KTTW cards (plus FP+, and a bit more.)

So far, there have only been some limited testing done with pre-chosen guests.
There are some more tests on the horizon, as well.

The only CURRENT FP change in force is that FP's must be used within the printed one-hour Return Window.

[kakn7294]

We are just back from a trip last week. We stayed at CBR and the FP system still worked exactly as it always had, with the more strict enforcement of the 1 hr window. The wrist bands are currently in testing and during our trip, were only available for guests at AKL and the Contemporary. They do function like your Key to the World card - with all ticketing and charging capabilities built right into the band. However, with it still being in the testing phase, we actually saw very few of them.

[big blue and hairy]

There are no wristbands or FP+ reservations in use for regular guests at this time.

Weeeeeellllll.....that was quick!

[Susan A]

I don't know if this has been mentioned yet, but happens if you loose a bracelet? Someone could charge all kinds of stuff to your account.
If the wrist bands are still in the testing faze, I hope they will not go into effect before October...

[MickeysBestPal]

I don't know if this has been mentioned yet, but happens if you loose a bracelet? Someone could charge all kinds of stuff to your account.

All ring-ups require a guest-known PIN #.
Someone finding a lost band would not know the PIN.

(There have been charging privileges on resort key-cards for years and years.
The band is not much different, it's just that you "touch" it to a reader instead
of the CM scanning a card.)

And, in the same vein, as with the current resort key-cards, guests can disable the "charging" feature on the wristband, if they choose.

[kakn7294]

If the wrist bands are still in the testing faze, I hope they will not go into effect before October...

I thought that I read somewhere that there will be a contingency plan for those that do not wish to use the wristbands - they are to be an option, not a requirement. I would guess that you would have a Key to the World card with the RFID technology built in. Last week, only people with old paper tickets were using the old turnstiles. Everyone with a Key to the World card with their park ticket imbedded on it was directed to the new RFID turnstiles.

[MickeysBestPal]

1- I thought that I read somewhere that there will be a contingency plan for those that do not wish to use the wristbands

2- - they are to be an option, not a requirement.

3- I would guess that you would have a Key to the World card with the RFID technology built in.

4- Last week, only people with old paper tickets were using the old turnstiles. Everyone with a Key to the World card with their park ticket imbedded on it was directed to the new RFID turnstiles.

1- Yup,
2- Correct.
3- Correct.
4- If you have an RFID ticket, you can CHOOSE which turnstile type you want to use.
That's because the RFID tickets ALSO have a conventional magnetic stripe on them.
(That's how they can activate the traditional FP machines. It would also allow the use of the traditional entry turnstiles, if the RFID reader lines became backed up.)

[Polynesian Dweller]

Weeeeeellllll.....that was quick!

Confused by what you mean. They never were available to the general public, just in testing. Only two hotels were chosen for the latest test. So, what was quick?

To the OP, until Disney announces the final system it's not possible to give a primer, no one knows what the system will look like. It will have elements used in the various tests but what it will be is still a guess.

[kakn7294]

1- Yup,
2- Correct.
3- Correct.
4- If you have an RFID ticket, you can CHOOSE which turnstile type you want to use.
That's because the RFID tickets ALSO have a conventional magnetic stripe on them.
(That's how they can activate the traditional FP machines. It would also allow the use of the traditional entry turnstiles, if the RFID reader lines became backed up.)

One recent evening at Epcot, there was a HUGE line at the new turnstiles (seriously, we waited over 20 min just to go through the turnstile and get in the park) yet they would not allow us to go use the traditional turnstiles with our AP's which we had converted to the new system. However, the line got so out of hand that they brought in hand-held scanners and ran the tickets through those.