Magic Bands At Aulani?

[Kwami]

Does anyone know if bands work to beep in and out of the parking garage? That's one place that I didn't try.

 

[SteveNZ]

Does anyone know if bands work to beep in and out of the parking garage? That's one place that I didn't try.

Yes they do

 

[SteveNZ]

it just seems to me that if they've gone to the effort to integrate magic bands into the Aulani infrastructure, they’d make more of an effort to sell them, and there’d be at least some variety. Maybe the bands are still being rolled out, or in the testing phase. I don’t see a lot of folks wearing them.

Yes I 100% share the same puzzlement around this. They definitely did sell them in Kalepa's Store for a while a couple of months back, so I'd love to understand why this has been "rolled back". I'm wondering if they got feedback from guests who bought them there that they were expecting more functionality than just unlocking doors and charging purchases? Maybe it's a marketing issue ("how do we explain why somebody should spend $20 on these?"). I believe it would be fairly easy for them to setup MagicBand 'triggers' for the interactive elements around the resort that are currently only triggered by the iPad treasure hunt game. Maybe being able to offer some more "experiential" stuff like that would make them easier to market and sell.

But yes, even with the limited functionality they have at Aulani, they still enhance your stay and anybody who already has one should definitely bring it. Would I recommend people buy one just for Aulani? No. And maybe that's the bet - that most guests coming here are DVC and own one already. They just need to get the word out that they're supported. Like you, we saw virtually no other guests wearing one during our stay yet I am betting the majority of guests do own them.

 

[Paul Stupin]

Yes they do

They do indeed, but it’s awkward if you’re wearing one on your right wrist. It’s almost impossible to reach over and contort yourself into the right position to place it on the reader. It’s easier to just use the card.

 

[Paul Stupin]

For what it’s worth, I’m still at Aulani, and, other than my wife and I, I have not seen a single, solitary person wearing a magic band! I’m sure that will change, though. They’re incredibly convenient! No need to carry around a room card for charges and room access.

We’re relatively new to Disney, and upon arrival my wife couldn’t charge anything because she’d forgotten her password. All she had to do was log in to My Disney Experience through the Disney World portal, change her password, and everything worked fine. Good to know they’ve got the infrastructure working.

 

[WAstateDVCDaddy]

They do indeed, but it’s awkward if you’re wearing one on your right wrist. It’s almost impossible to reach over and contort yourself into the right position to place it on the reader. It’s easier to just use the card.

I added a holder to my watch band. Only one thing to wear, and it’s on my left wrist.

Now the problem is I usually switch watches daily, so when I’m at the parks (or Aulani) I’m more limited to a single watch… or buying multiple holders. But probably a problem specific to me!

 

[Paul Stupin]

I added a holder to my watch band. Only one thing to wear, and it’s on my left wrist.

Now the problem is I usually switch watches daily, so when I’m at the parks (or Aulani) I’m more limited to a single watch… or buying multiple holders. But probably a problem specific to me!

Smart thinking! Re Aulani, I’m assuming the watch is waterproof.

 

[Kwami]

Smart thinking! Re Aulani, I’m assuming the watch is waterproof.

Yes, it's waterproof to a point. That's what that "100M/330FT" means. Plenty good enough for the pools.

 

[Paul Stupin]

Yes, it's waterproof to a point. That's what that "100M/330FT" means. Plenty good enough for the pools.

Ah yes, of course! I didn’t look at the pic too closely.

 

[WAstateDVCDaddy]

Yes, it's waterproof to a point. That's what that "100M/330FT" means. Plenty good enough for the pools.

And far deeper than I would ever go!

 

[tidefan]

Hope the bands are working for our Summer 2023 trip. They didn't work for our March '21 or our May '22 trips.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

Yes I 100% share the same puzzlement around this. They definitely did sell them in Kalepa's Store for a while a couple of months back, so I'd love to understand why this has been "rolled back". I'm wondering if they got feedback from guests who bought them there that they were expecting more functionality than just unlocking doors and charging purchases? Maybe it's a marketing issue ("how do we explain why somebody should spend $20 on these?"). I believe it would be fairly easy for them to setup MagicBand 'triggers' for the interactive elements around the resort that are currently only triggered by the iPad treasure hunt game. Maybe being able to offer some more "experiential" stuff like that would make them easier to market and sell.

But yes, even with the limited functionality they have at Aulani, they still enhance your stay and anybody who already has one should definitely bring it. Would I recommend people buy one just for Aulani? No. And maybe that's the bet - that most guests coming here are DVC and own one already. They just need to get the word out that they're supported. Like you, we saw virtually no other guests wearing one during our stay yet I am betting the majority of guests do own them.

Supply chains are better than they were, but they're not fixed. Inventory is still in pretty bad shape and I imagine all of the manufacturing capacity is going to Walt Disney World.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

Hope the bands are working for our Summer 2023 trip. They didn't work for our March '21 or our May '22 trips.

Do you use the same email address for everything (DVC, Walt Disney World, and DisneyAulani.com)? Did you link your reservation at DisneyAulani.com?

A lot of people skip that last step.

 

[Wiltony]

They do indeed, but it’s awkward if you’re wearing one on your right wrist. It’s almost impossible to reach over and contort yourself into the right position to place it on the reader. It’s easier to just use the card.

I would just pop it off my wrist and beep it. It wasn't that difficult.

For what it’s worth, I’m still at Aulani, and, other than my wife and I, I have not seen a single, solitary person wearing a magic band! I’m sure that will change, though. They’re incredibly convenient! No need to carry around a room card for charges and room access.

We’re relatively new to Disney, and upon arrival my wife couldn’t charge anything because she’d forgotten her password. All she had to do was log in to My Disney Experience through the Disney World portal, change her password, and everything worked fine. Good to know they’ve got the infrastructure working.

We wore ours and got lots of comments. A few people said something along the lines of, "omigosh, do those work here!? I knew we should have brought ours!!"

 

[Paul Stupin]

I would just pop it off my wrist and beep it. It wasn't that difficult.



We wore ours and got lots of comments. A few people said something along the lines of, "omigosh, do those work here!? I knew we should have brought ours!!"

Yeah, I’ve received positive comments as well! Everyone seems to like them, but no one’s wearing them.

 

[tidefan]

Do you use the same email address for everything (DVC, Walt Disney World, and DisneyAulani.com)? Did you link your reservation at DisneyAulani.com?

A lot of people skip that last step.

Yep. We did all of that and none of the bands worked on either trip.

 

[Paul Stupin]

Yep. We did all of that and none of the bands worked on either trip.

You can always go up to the front desk and they’ll be happy to activate the bands.

 

[tidefan]

You can always go up to the front desk and they’ll be happy to activate the bands.

I will do that. They told us last May that they didn't work yet when we asked, so I am glad to hear they are doing this now.

 

[iheartglaciers]

I saw both MagicBand2 and MagicBand+ sold at Kalepa's this week. I brought my MagicBand2 and used it to get into our room, pick up pool wrist bands, charge purchases, check into the spa, and leave the parking garage. I did connect my MDE account to the Aulani app, but the CM at the check-in desk also took our MagicBands to activate/connect them (so not sure if it would've worked if she didn't do that).

The CMs must all know about it now, since no one seem surprised when I had it. I saw some guests with MagicBands, but most without.

 

[Kwami]

I did connect my MDE account to the Aulani app, but the CM at the check-in desk also took our MagicBands to activate/connect them (so not sure if it would've worked if she didn't do that).

It would have worked OK. I used some old WDW bands without having a CM at Aulani activate them and they worked just fine.