Magic Bands and luggage tags

It's Magic!

So I have the My Disney Experience app on my phone, I've set up my Friends and Family on the app.  Now to get the offer to test Disney's new Magic Bands and Magic Plus.  I log into Disney's web site every day and finally it's here.  The option to customize our Magic Bands and select our fast passes.

Wouldn't you know, there is a problem.  I have to confirm my shipping address first (they mail out the Magic Bands in the US).  So I confirm my address and get the message that they do not ship outside the US.  Then I can't go any further.  No matter what I do, the site does not let me proceed.

So a quick e-mail to help desk, a wait of only 2 days (and this was over a weekend) I get the answer.  Put a space between the first 3 characters in my postal code and the next 3.  Just like it's supposed to have.  No idea why it wasn't there to begin with.  My bad?  Or the site's?  A quick edit and I'm selecting colours and characters.  And believe me these ladies are characters.

Mom's Band will be green and on her profile she is Daisy Duck.
Mine is blue and I'm Minnie
SB is red and she is Merida
JT is grey and her character is Alice in Wonderland

Now for the fun stuff.

I made tentative fast pass selections.  What I was really hoping for was fast passes for the night time shows like Fantasmic, Illuminations and Wishes.  Maybe even for the parades.  Anything to avoid having to stand too long.  Because of knee and back issues none of us are great at just standing.  It hurts.  Walking is no issue.  Heck, I've been known to run with the local police when they are in training.  (Okay, it happened once, but it did happen and I have witnesses.)

I digress....

Fantasmic fast passes were there and I managed to get them for two nights.  But the others didn't seem to be available.  Disappointing since quite a few of the Disney podcasts indicated that they should be.

Everything works well when accessing "Experience" from the web site.  The app on my phone seems to be slow and I really have to get used to navigating it before we go.

So what's the big deal with using the Magic Bands and Fast Pass Plus?  We get to go early to one park.  Then head to another park late in the afternoon and don't have to wait in long line ups.  Usually the fast passes are gone by morning so avoiding the line ups is impossible.  With choosing the attractions and times in advance I was able to select evening times.  Mom and I are ruthless about getting to the parks early.  We plan on dragging the other two ladies with us, willing or not (just kidding).  So getting on attractions in the morning probably won't be an issue.  It would be getting to the evening park and not being able to share our favourite things with JT and SB that would be a downer.

I will be checking frequently to see if any other attractions open up for fast passes.  Fortunately what I've selected can be changed right until the day we go to use them.  

UPS shows up

I'm watching the evening news and the UPS truck shows up.  First, I'm not expecting anything.  Secondly, it's really late for a delivery. 

The driver is used to coming to our place (DS has his internet purchases come to our place since I'm home during the day to accept them).  He comes to the door smiling.  Going to Disney?  That's when I realize it's our vouchers for using Disney's Magical Express.  Cool.  When I open it up there is the familiar yellow luggage tag for myself as well as the voucher.  But no luggage tag for SB.

A quick perusal of the vouchers shows a phone number to use if there is any problems.  And it's toll free.  And it can be called at all hours not just during business hours.  I called and told them about SB's luggage tag and was promised it would be sent out right away.  I also asked if Mom's package had been sent and was told it was in transit and should arrive the next day.

So I called Mom and told her.  She said she'd stay home.  Unfortunately it did not arrive.  We're hoping that it does show up soon.  All would not be lost if it does not arrive.  She and JT will still get to use Magical Express.  Once in Orlando they just go to the Magical Express desk and show their confirmation number.  Not sure how the luggage gets handled.  Just hoping we won't have to find out and that she will get her envelope today.