Bye to EMH wristbands ? About This Page:

[lauren-roxy]

I don't like having to carry my card and pulling it out for each attraction at all.

[graygables]

I can't imagine THAT many people were buying wristbands outside the parks. It sounds more like a $ saving effort to me (don't have to buy the wristbands nor pay the CMs to stand there attaching them to people). I don't mind the KTTW card thing as we use lanyards as well and DDs hold their own (we use the zip pocket kind of plastic holder so they won't fall out), but I can see that really becoming a hassle for people and slowing down the lines.

I still remember the handstamp days for re-entry (the blue light was always so cool!), however, one of my DDs had a reaction to the ink and cannot have her hand stamped anywhere. Makes it difficult to explain that, no, really, she'll welt up and the skin will peel off and she'll bleed.

Unfortunately, there will always be those who will cheat the system, believing they are entitled because of "all the money" they've spent or whatnot. No matter what Disney does, they will find a way around it.

[TMWIlson7196]

Once we enter the parks the keys get put away. I don't want to have to dig them out everytime we want to ride something. What a pain. I think the hand stamping would be ok if they don't want to use the wristbands.

[Caldercup]

Originally Posted by graygables

I can't imagine THAT many people were buying wristbands outside the parks. It sounds more like a $ saving effort to me (don't have to buy the wristbands nor pay the CMs to stand there attaching them to people).

I agree, Dawn. I think this is a way of cutting costs, not a way to stop the selling of wristbands (which I don't think happened THAT much.) Or it could be in reaction to complaints from guests about having to stop what they are doing to go get wristbands.

I bet Disney will see an increase in the purchase of the little lanyard clips with zip pouches. Too bad they have a horizontal orientation and make it hard to pull stuff in and out quickly.

If anyone has a source for vertical orientation zip-top pouches, I'd love to hear it. I can't find them at any office supply stores around here.
Eileen

PS - I *do* have a PassPorter pouch and love that (and it would be great for this application), but wouldn't mind a smaller option as well.

[lfredsbo]

I was just reading some articles on all ears net and wdw info and it just sounds like this is going to make such a BIG mess - ppl are commenting on how the CM's are not actually looking closedly at the resort id's (?'s) and non-resort guests are staying in the parks using shopping, eating, etc - and there seems to be more ppl in the park than usual? Our last trip in Aug 07 we noticed too that the EMH (am) was just crazy and wasn't worth going too - however, the evening ones were still managable. I hope that Disney will soon realize that this system will not work and will continue the bracelet.

[Dave Marx]

I agree that any possible selling/loaning of wristbands is probably a small thing. It's certainly harder to accomplish than obtaining a Key to the World Card.

From Disney's standpoint, as long as the park isn't too crowded, they probably don't care too much if people who don't "belong" at EMH happen to stay there. As long as they're in the park, they're spending money.

The real trick for Disney is making sure that guests who are staying on property believe they are the only ones receiving this special perk. After all, it's a selling point for resort stays.

So, there's the possibility that they're experimenting to see if they can save the cost and guest inconvenience of issuing wristbands or handstamping (it's the labor cost, not the price of wristbands that would be the issue). However, another possibility is that they want to make it less obvious to on-property guests that ineligible people are in the park. Wristbands are especially visible. The very same advantage wristbands have for cast members (easy visibility) makes it obvious to guests just how many ineligible people may be in the park.

I don't think Disney management seriously thinks that its front line CMs are going to closely inspect ID at the entrance to each ride. I think the only issue is overall guest satisfaction. If significantly more guests think they're being inconvenienced or cheated by this new method than thought they were being inconvenienced/cheated by the use of wrist bands, they'll go back to the old method. If guests are just as happy (or happier) flashing Key to the World Cards as they are flashing wristbands, then no big deal.

There is the issue of what to do on the more crowded evenings. While they can instruct attraction CMs to inspect the Key to the World Cards more closely, that doesn't help to get folks out of the park - it just keeps them off the rides. On crowded nights, they do need an easy method to identify the folks who have to be encouraged to leave the park. Perhaps they'd go back to wristbands during the busier seasons.

After all, if guests perceive that EMH isn't "extra magic" at all, but is just extended park hours available to anyone with a little determination, some guests are going to save some money off-property. It's likely that the cost of issuing wristbands is tiny in comparison to the value of the hotel room vacancies that might be created.

[tinker_me_happy]

Where can I get the zip pouch for the lanyard? A friend gave me a tinkerbell lanyard, but there is nothing on the end of it. Even though I can't wear it around my neck, at least it would be easier to keep all the cards in one pouch on the end of a lanyard to make it easier to find.

[Dale_Loves_Mickey]

I got a classis Mickey ID Pull in the magic kingdom in 04 and then again in 06. The pockets on these were zip top pouches oriented in a horizantal fashion. When we went back in 07, DS#1 got one for the Year of a million dreams promo, but the pocket is vertical. While looking at them here, I realised you can put your tix in the pocket facing forward and then put your Photopass card in the back w/ the "barcode" facing out. Clip this to your collar or belt and you will just have to reach for it for access to a ride or when having a photographer take your pics. You shouldn't have to take them out of the pocket unless you want a fast pass.

I had to replace the pocket on my first ID pull, and could not find one with a zipper. I got a standard non zip one and have used that two years in a row. My KTTK has never fallen out. It did get a little wet in there on KRR, but that just made my key stick inside even better. Looking at the horozantal pockets on the new lanyard I just got at the Disney Store, I think I'm going to be sure to replace it (The pocket seems to be way too loose for my liking) w/ the Vertical ones you can get at Office Depot.

[TinkMulanMickeysMom]

I wonder how long that will last. It certainly won't be convenient.

[Happymommy]

Oh--- I'm going to so lose that room key if I have to keep pulling it out. I like the wristband--- it works for us.

[Caldercup]

There are places on line where you can buy a pack of 100 of these for $50-60 dollars. (Just do a search on "plastic zip-top ID holders")

But, a quick search on ebay turned up this:

Plastic Ziplock ID Ticket Fast Pass Holder For Lanyard - eBay (item 140208912654 end time Feb-26-08 17:54:10 PST)

You could then attach a pouch to one of those "sliders" that you clip on to your waistband. (I call them "shoop shoops" because that's the sound they make.) You could get those at most larger office supply stores, like Staples.

Eileen

[disney chic]

I am confused. When I posted my lanyard idea, I mentioned that usless you are using an annual pass for park admission, your room key and park admission ticket are on the same card as well as using it for charging purchases. This is what we do everytime we go to Disney World. When we check into the resorts, we have everything on our KTTK card for the convience. Does anyone else do this? Also I mentioned that I print a graphic on the front of a business card and a list of our dining reservations, the place and time on the back for easy reference. Then I slip in my KTTK card and photo pass behind this. ( I use my annual pass so it is the rest of the party having to use the KTTK card for fast pass and admission.) This has worked out great for our last three trips. Does anyone else have a better idea or am I doing things correctly?

[jimmymac]

Judging by the reactions here, I don't thnk WDW will actually implement this policy. It's just too much of a hassle (or so I hope).

[Caldercup]

I think we understood what you do -- many of us do the same thing.

What we were worried about with this new policy was that we'd have to pull out the Key to the World card each time so the CMs could actually look at it to make sure that it was a valid and current KTTW card.

If you *do* carry around more than just the KTTW card, then you risk it and your other items every time you have to pull it out -- I can't tell you the number of times I've almost dropped dollar bills when I was digging for my resort ID.

When I wear my PassPorter Pouch:



I keep my resort KTTW card in the very front -- so this would be an easy thing to have available to the CMs during EMH.

But... many of us also use a big touring bag, a backpack, or some other bag that our stuff is lugged around in. Unless we wanted to add a pouch or ID holder around our necks as well, the fact that we'd have to pull out our KTTW card would be a bit of a hassle...

But, your idea is very good!
Eileen

[Dale_Loves_Mickey]

Eileen,
This is very similar to what I bought in the World. The only real differance is that the round plastic housing for the cord is Mickey shaped on the ones I have. Thanks for the link on where I can get the new pockets. I am going to have to order some.

Disney chick,
This is prety much what we do, only we don't use a business card w/ the dates and times on them. It's a good idea, but I don't think I would need it for my family. As I said though, we put our Photopass in the back of the pocket w/ the little barcode thingy facing out. Then the photographer can scan it and I don't really have to "give" it to him.

As far as them "inspecting" your KTTK card, I don't see them doing more than making sure you have a current one (Ie: flash it at them in some sort of pouch or pull it out of a pocket and flash the card at them like when you go into a Sam's Club). I don't see them tying up the lines doing a detailed search. And like my DS#1 said last night, unless they check your ID to your name on the card, there not going to know if the KTTK card is yours or one someone gave you to use.