Disney’s MyMagic+: 5 Things You Need to Know
Quiet mutterings about the Walt Disney Company’s “Next Generation Experience,” known among mouse-eared circles as the “NextGen” project, have been going on since 2010, when word on the street had it that more than $1 billion – roughly the cost of building two Disney Cruise Line ships – had been committed to… something. Something very hush hush, but obviously cool and magical.
Further whisperings pointed to a major technology initiative aimed at radically transforming the way guests enjoy access to the parks while in the parks, leading enthusiasts to believe that radio-frequency identification – like that used in wireless devices – would be used in wristbands.
And they were right.
Meet MyMagic+.
Called a “more immersive, more seamless and more personal experience for each and every guest who spends time with us,” by Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Chairman, Tom Staggs, MyMagic+ technology will be rolled out in phases over the next several months.
What you need to know:
- MyMagic+ is all about letting guests better customize their vacation at Walt Disney World.
- MagicBands, as the wristbands are officially called, will be your room key, theme park ticket, PhotoPass card, and optional payment account. They will also provide FastPass+ access. Don’t lose it.
- Guests staying on-property at Walt Disney World Resort hotels and Annual Passholders, plus guests who purchase a photography package will get a MagicBand.
- Guests who stay off property at non-Disney hotels will get a ticket with touch features that will provide park entry, allow for redeeming FastPass+, and touch to pay. Purchasing a MagicBand and participation in the “My Disney Experience” is optional for these guests.
- A smartphone app called “My Disney Experience,” is the major component of MyMagic+. Accessing it will let guests make plans – think dining reservations, booking experiences, choosing FastPasses, getting the latest Walt Disney World Resort news – before and during their stay. That means you can be spontaneous or plan ahead.
“We know that some people like to plan every aspect of their Disney vacation in advance while others like to plan very little, letting their day unfold spontaneously. No matter where guests fall in that spectrum, ‘My Disney Experience’ gives them the flexibility to plan as much or as little as they’d like to create the exact Disney experience they want,” Staggs says.
Sounds promising.
Stay tuned for more details as they become available.
Photo credit: Disney Parks Blog
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