The Smart Product that is taking Disney World by Storm
If you thought Disney World could not get any more magical, then think again. Disney has designed an innovative product to make the Disney park experience more convenient and entertaining for visitors. Disney’s MagicBand 2 was released in 2017 and has now become a popular product worn throughout the park. The MagicBands are plastic bracelets that allow personal customer data to be used within the park. According to Disney World’s website, the band can be used to “...enter the parks, unlock your Disney Resort hotel room and buy food and merchandise.” MagicBands allow customers to travel lightly and use their fast pass with a flick of the wrist. There are many MagicBands sold on the Disney website, shopDisney app, select Walt Disney World vendors and at other retail locations. The bands are customizable and come in several different colors. Consumers can choose from a collection of MagicBands that have their favorite Disney characters on them such as Mickey, Simba, Tinkerbell, and many more. There are also limited-edition MagicBands that can trigger cool features like light and sound effects whenever you use your magic band. To add even more customization, customers can add accessories like characters and jewels to their MagicBands that are called MagicBandits. The MagicBandits can be placed within the adjustable holes on the MagicBand. Single color magic bands costs $14.99 plus tax and are waterproof so that consumers can wear them inside waterpark locations. The special bands that feature Disney characters are over $20 each. You can also receive a free MagicBand if you stay at any of the Disney Resort Hotels or if you are a Walt Disney World pass holder. One of the other benefits of the band is that you can use it again if you ever plan on revisiting a Disney Park for a future vacation.
What can I use the MagicBand for?
According to Disney World’s official website, the MagicBand can be used to
Unlock the door of your Disney Resort hotel room
Enter theme and water parks (with valid admission)
Check in at FastPass and entrances
Connect Disney PhotoPass images to your account so that any pictures taken by an official Disney photographer within the park will be sent to your account
Charge food and merchandise purchases to your Disney Resort hotel room (only available during your hotel stay)
Free ground transportation on the Magical Express motor coaches for Disney resort guests that arrive at the Orlando airport
How does it work?/ Is it safe to use?
The MagicBands use Radio Frequency technology to read information in short and long-range areas. The RFID chip in the band tells a receiver a unique ID number when it gets close enough for that receiver to detect it. To use the band, a customer only needs to touch their MagicBand against a sensor that is known as a touchpoint. All of the bands have long-range readers that allow personalized customer experiences based on what they purchased online. For example, if you bought a fast pass, you can register your fast pass on your MagicBand and swipe it in front of a sensor that is located in front of the ride. If a customer chooses to use the wristband to make a purchase, they also need to type in a PIN code to identify themselves. This is a great safety feature to have just in case your wristband gets stolen or if you misplace it. You can also deactivate your MagicBand on the My Disney Experience app or website. There are also other safety precautions placed to make sure that your wristband belongs to you. For example, when you enter the park, you will be required to give a biometric identification or provide a photo ID that matches the name with your ticket so you can get all of the passes linked to your MagicBand.
How do I set up my MagicBand?
To set up a Disney MagicBand, you will need to link your MagicBand with your own My Disney Experience Account. In order to so, you will first need to purchase a Disney park pass at reserveorlando.com. Once you have purchased a park pass, you will be sent an e-mail that contains your My Disney Experience Code. Then you will need to create an account at the My Disney Experience website or download the My Disney Experience App. After you are done creating an account, you can link your code in the My Profile section of the My Disney Experience website under memberships and passes. You will then have to copy the code that was e-mailed to you and paste it into the ID number box. Once you have successfully added your park pass to your My Disney Experience account, you can purchase a MagicBand and link it your My Disney Experience profile by going to My Profile and selecting the section called MagicBands & Cards. You will then be asked to type in the code that is found on the inside of your band. Once you have typed in your code you should be all set to use your MagicBand!
Which Disney Parks use the MagicBands?
So far, only Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida uses the bands. Unfortunately, the bands can not be used in Disneyland or in any of the international parks. However, MagicBands can be used throughout the Walt Disney World Resort, four theme parks, water parks, hotels, and shops.
Is the Product Successful?
When the MagicBands were first released, they were successful at Disney parks. The CEO of Disney, Bob Iger reported during a third quarter conference call in 2014 that half of the guests at the Florida theme park were using the wristbands and that “90% of users rate the MagicBand experience as excellent or very good” (Jordan, 2014). In 2016, the CEO Iger said that Disney is looking into expanding the MyMagic + program in Orlando and other parks around the world. However, he suggested that it would be with mobile devices rather than physical bands. There has been no information released on how many MagicBands are sold. However, “Theme Park Tourist” writer Amanda Kondolojy says that “...the numbers have to be pretty generous for Disney to keep investing in new pop-up shops and releasing MagicBand designs every few weeks” (2016). I personally think that Magic Bands are a great way to monetize a park ticket and generate more excitement for consumers. There is some definite supplier power in this product because you can only buy one through Disney and the product can only be used at Disney Parks. Disney World has more than 20 million annual visitors so there is a strong buyer power to the park. The only substitution for the MagicBand would be to buy a regular park ticket, so either way Disney is still making money. One of the only threats of entry is that the MagicBand can only be used in Disney World and not any of the other Disney across the world.
Are there any products that are similar to MagicBands?
In terms of competitive rivalry, the MagicBand only has one so far. At the Universal Studios Volcano Bay Water Theme Park, Universal offer its guests a similar plastic band called the TapuTapu. This band can be used to ride most of the attractions, activate interactive surprises, open rental lockers, and make cashless purchases within the waterpark. The TapuTapu is included in the Volcano Bay admission price so guests do not have to pay for it separately. One of the features that makes the TapuTapu different from Disney’s MagicBand is that the TapuTapu has a virtual line feature. This allows customers to swipe their TapuTapu at a ride and receive a waiting time. The customer can then enjoy the park while they wait. When their TapuTapu vibrates that means that they can return to the ride. Similar to the MagicBand, TapuTapu can be used to buy food, drinks, and merchandise throughout Volcano Bay. However, the band cannot be used anywhere else in Universal Orlando Resort. Unlike the MagicBand, the TapuTapu has to be returned to the park at the end of the day and consumers cannot purchase them.
What could make Magic Band even better?
I hope that the MagicBands are eventually integrated into to all Disney parks so that Disney fans can use them in California and international Disney parks. If you have ever been to Disney World, you know that the lines for rides and character meets and greets are usually long. With that being said, it would be great if MagicBands could also use the virtual line feature like the TapuTapu. Another feature that could enhance a consumer’s experience in Disney World is if the MagicBands were interactive with different elements in the park. For instance, it could be beneficial if the Magic Bands were redesigned to include a screen that could tell you what Disney Characters were nearby and which rides had the shortest lines.
Conclusion
Overall, I think that the Disney MagicBand is a great way for people to have a relaxing and enjoyable trip to Disney World. If you are someone who lives in Florida and goes to Disney World several times a year, then I would say that this device is a must.