MagicBands

MagicBand

Four wristbands on a grey background

Four original MagicBands (second from the left has the outer strap removed)
Type Wearable tech
Invented by Synapse Product Development[1]
Walt Disney Parks & Resorts
Launch year 2013
Company Walt Disney Company
Availability Sold at Walt Disney World Resort and on DisneyStore.com
Current supplier Walt Disney World

MagicBands are a plastic bracelets that contain RFID radios, in use at Walt Disney World Resort. The MagicBands form the central part of the MyMagic+ experience, providing a way for the system to connect data to guests. This includes connecting park tickets, hotel room keys, payments, and PhotoPass information to the MagicBands. The bands were announced on January 7, 2013 by Tom Staggs as a part of MyMagic+.[2]

Development

The main section for this topic is on the page MyMagic+, in the section Development.

MagicBands were developed alongside the MyMagic+ program as a way to tie all of the different elements of the program together. The MagicBand idea came at the start of the Next Generation Experience (the code name for what became MyMagic+), when one of the original five members of the project, business development VP John Padgett, was on a flight between Burbank, the Walt Disney Company's headquarters, and Orlando, the location of Walt Disney World.[3] The idea was based on a product Padgett found in SkyMall magazine. Soon after, a makeshift xBand (the original code name for the MagicBand) was created using a strip of velcro, plastic liner, and a small RFID tag.[3]

The original MagicBand design was created by Frog Design. The original design consists of an outer plastic grey bracelet, which can be removed to adjust for a smaller sized wrist, and an inner plastic bracelet. The inner plastic bracelet is one of eight base colors,[4] which can then have a series of different designs printed on them for an extra fee. Sealed inside of the middle of the inner band is the circuitry, consisting of high frequency and ultra-high frequency antennas and a coin cell battery,[5] all embedded on a PCB board.[6][7][8][9] Directly outside of the circuitry is an outline of Mickey Mouse's head on the front, while the back includes the Band ID, the FCC ID number, and other information.[3]

On November 19, 2016, a new MagicBand design, MagicBand 2, was announced. The new design increases the size of the Mickey head and the circuitry area. This part, called the Icon, is able to be removed from the rest of the wristband with a special screwdriver and placed in other bands or special accessories such as a key-chain.[10][11][12]

Implementation

MagicBands are free to Disney Resort guests and Annual Passholders. While other guests receive a card with an RFID chip inside, they are able to purchase a MagicBand online or at the parks.[13]

Touchpoints, consisting of a ring with an outline of Mickey Mouse's head,[3] are located at park entry points, Fastpass+ entry points, PhotoPass locations, and point of sales location. When a guest walk up to one, they place their MagicBand's circuitry location against the center of the the ring (known as putting "Mickey to Mickey"[3]), in order to engage the system. The ring and outline on the touchpoint will then light up green if access is granted, while it will turn blue if cast member assistance is required.[3] Some special edition MagicBands with graphics printed on them will cause the touchpoints to light up different colors and make different noises then the default green, when access is granted.[14][15][16] An example of this is the red Lightsaber Star Wars themed MagicBand, which changed the default green to red.[17] In normal settings, the touchpoints will never turn red, due to the negative connotation of the color.[18]

Handheld MagicBand readers are used at sit-down restaurants for point of sales and by PhotoPass photographers to link photos.[19] These handheld readers do not have the light up features of the touchpoints.

The MagicBands are also used to connect guests' on-ride photos to their PhotoPass using the long-range ultra-high frequency radio without guests having to use touchpoints to associate the pictures to their account.[20][21][22] The MagicBands also allow guests to interact, using a system called Storymaker, with screens in rides or queues, such as it's a small world,[23][24] Rock 'n' Roller Coaster starring Aerosmith,[25][26] Haunted Mansion,[27] and Expedition Everest.[28]

Popular Culture

Competitors

On November 3, 2016, Walt Disney World competitor Universal Orlando announced the TapuTapu system for their new water park, Volcano Bay.[32] The system will allow Universal guests to tap their wristbands to a touchpoint, which will then place them in a virtual queue. Fifteen minutes before their wait time is up, the device will vibrate to let the wearer know that they should head back to the attraction.[33][34]

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to MagicBands.
  1. ↑ "Development – Disney MagicBand, MyMagic+, and FastPass+ collectables". www.magicbandcollectors.com. Retrieved 7 November 2016.
  2. ↑ Staggs, Tom. "Taking the Disney Guest Experience to the Next Level". Disney Parks Blog. Retrieved 7 November 2016.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "The Messy Business Of Reinventing Happiness". Fast Company. 15 April 2015. Retrieved 7 November 2016.
  4. ↑ "Standard Colors – Disney MagicBand, MyMagic+, and FastPass+ collectables". www.magicbandcollectors.com. Retrieved 10 November 2016.
  5. ↑ "OET Exhibits List". Federal Communications Commission. Retrieved 10 November 2016. The device is battery powered by a non-replaceable coin cell. The device also contains passive UHF and HF RFID tags, verified to FCC Part 15B.
  6. ↑ "OET Exhibits List". Federal Communications Commission. Retrieved 10 November 2016. The antenna of the product is embedded in the PCB. The PCB is potted in plastic and overmolded such that the antenna is not accessible, removable or replaceable without permanent damage and disfiguring of the device.
  7. ↑ Kraft, Caleb. "Dissecting Disney's MagicBand | EE Times". EETimes. Retrieved 7 November 2016.
  8. ↑ Stern, Becky. "Inside Magic Band | Magic Band Teardown | Adafruit Learning System". learn.adafruit.com. Retrieved 7 November 2016.
  9. ↑ "Making the Band – MagicBand Teardown and More". AtDisneyAgain. 28 January 2014. Retrieved 7 November 2016.
  10. ↑ Smith, Thomas. "MagicBand 2 Coming to Walt Disney World Resort". Disney Parks Blog. Retrieved 22 November 2016.
  11. ↑ "PICTURES: Major new redesigned MagicBands available soon! – Disney MagicBand, MyMagic+, and FastPass+ collectables". www.magicbandcollectors.com. Retrieved 22 November 2016.
  12. ↑ "Updated information on the new MagicBand 2, including release date details – Disney MagicBand, MyMagic+, and FastPass+ collectables". www.magicbandcollectors.com. Retrieved 22 November 2016.
  13. ↑ "MagicBand Eligibility | FAQ | Walt Disney World Resort". disneyworld.disney.go.com. Retrieved 10 November 2016.
  14. ↑ "FP+ Videos – Disney MagicBand, MyMagic+, and FastPass+ collectables". www.magicbandcollectors.com. Retrieved 10 November 2016.
  15. ↑ "Food & Wine Festival – Disney MagicBand, MyMagic+, and FastPass+ collectables". www.magicbandcollectors.com. Retrieved 10 November 2016.
  16. ↑ "Limited Releases – Disney MagicBand, MyMagic+, and FastPass+ collectables". www.magicbandcollectors.com. Retrieved 10 November 2016.
  17. ↑ "Lights and sounds for all four Limited Edition 2015 Star Wars MagicBands – Disney MagicBand, MyMagic+, and FastPass+ collectables". www.magicbandcollectors.com. Retrieved 10 November 2016.
  18. ↑ Kuang, Cliff. "Disney's $1 Billion Bet on a Magical Wristband". WIRED. Retrieved 7 November 2016.
  19. ↑ Santa Domingo, Joel. "Hands On: Disney MagicBands, MyMagic+ Web Service". PCMAG. Retrieved 10 November 2016.
  20. ↑ Glassburn, Kelly. "Photos, Videos Capture Your Seven Dwarfs Mine Train Ride at Walt Disney World Resort". disneyparks.disney.go.com. Disney Parks. Retrieved 7 February 2015.
  21. ↑ Glassburn, Kelly. "MyMagic+: Video Captures Your Twilight Zone Tower of Terror Drop at Walt Disney World Resort". disneyparks.disney.go.com. Disney Parks. Retrieved 7 February 2015.
  22. ↑ Wallace, Sandi. "Disney PhotoPass Service Simplifies Access to Walt Disney World Photos, Videos". disneyparks.com. Disney Parks. Retrieved 2 November 2014.
  23. ↑ Bevil, Dewayne. "Disney: 'small world' says goodbye to you and your MagicBand". OrlandoSentinel.com. Retrieved 28 November 2016.
  24. ↑ Kubersky, Seth (9 March 2016). "Personalized goodbye messages added to it's a small world". Attractions Magazine. Retrieved 28 November 2016.
  25. ↑ "StoryMaker being tested at Rock N' Roller Coaster". Blog Mickey. 14 April 2016. Retrieved 28 November 2016.
  26. ↑ McCabe, Adam (19 April 2016). "VIDEO: Rock 'n' Roller Coaster introduces personalized rock posters at Walt Disney World". Inside the Magic. Retrieved 28 November 2016.
  27. ↑ Storey, Ken. "Not everyone is a fan of the new interactive Haunted Mansion ghosts". Orlando Weekly. Retrieved 28 November 2016.
  28. ↑ "Expedition Everest and Haunted Mansion join StoryMaker testing". Blog Mickey. 19 April 2016. Retrieved 28 November 2016.
  29. ↑ St. Pierre, Tasha (12 June 2015). "Jurassic World: 5 things you need to know about the film". FanSided. Retrieved 10 November 2016.
  30. ↑ "Jurassic World Photos: Over 60 Images Let Us Analyze The Trailer". Slashfilm. 25 November 2014. Retrieved 10 November 2016. Notice the magic band=style wristbands on the park visitors. Are they to track the visitors or allow admisison to attractions and pay for purchases like Disney’s magic bands?
  31. ↑ "Magic Bands and Monorails: 7 Ways Jurassic World Reminded Us of Disney Parks". www.sistersdreamingofdisney.com. Retrieved 10 November 2016.
  32. ↑ Clark, Kristen (3 November 2016). "New Ride and Details Revealed About Universal's Volcano Bay". Close Up. Universal Orlando. Retrieved 10 November 2016.
  33. ↑ Bevil, Dewayne. "Universal's Volcano Bay: Ride will blow its top, use magnetic technology". OrlandoSentinel.com. Retrieved 10 November 2016.
  34. ↑ Munarriz, Rick (10 November 2016). "Is Disney World's Top Rival About to Make MagicBands Obsolete? -- The Motley Fool". The Motley Fool. Retrieved 10 November 2016.

External links

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