Just found this on my reservation on MDE

[princessfionasmom]

Ever since I saw the mention of the unlock your door with your phone feature I’ve been checking my MDE account to see if it shows up and this morning it did. Not sure if it means it will be available for our trip starting this Sunday but I’ll keep anyone interested posted. Has anyone else seen this in their MDE or been able to use it yet? I love any new feature that uses technology (I know, I know, it’s Disney IT so I’m not holding my breathe it will actually work ). I’ve attached a screenshot from my account.

 

[Marionnette]

Ever since I saw the mention of the unlock your door with your phone feature I’ve been checking my MDE account to see if it shows up and this morning it did. Not sure if it means it will be available for our trip starting this Sunday but I’ll keep anyone interested posted. Has anyone else seen this in their MDE or been able to use it yet? I love any new feature that uses technology (I know, I know, it’s Disney IT so I’m not holding my breathe it will actually work ). I’ve attached a screenshot from my account.

It's not on mine but I'll be staying in a THV. I think they are rolling this out at WL-CCV-BRV first. You get to be the guinea pig!

 

[CarolMN]

I think it will work just fine, but I won't be using it more than once (just to say I did, LOL).

But I am not the target market for this. Can't see digging out my phone, opening an app and navigating to a button to unlock my resort room, especially if my hands are already full, LOL. But again, I am one of those you see leisurely enjoying the parks, carrying a printout of my FP+ reservations.

 

[kniquy]

I'm arriving saturday at Poly and i don't have that on my app. Maybe because CCV is newer their system can accommodate the unlock feature via phone. I agree i can't see why i would need or want my phone to unlock when i can just put my wrist to the door.

 

[mathgeek]

I think it will work just fine, but I won't be using it more than once (just to say I did, LOL).

But I am not the target market for this. Can't see digging out my phone, opening an app and navigating to a button to unlock my resort room, especially if my hands are already full, LOL. But again, I am one of those you see leisurely enjoying the parks, carrying a printout of my FP+ reservations.

Exactly! I like my phone and all, but I really hate being tied to it while I'm trying to be in the moment and enjoy a vacation.

I'm barely a step above you. I have my printout of my FP+, but I take a picture of it on my phone in case I forget it in the room!

I agree i can't see why i would need or want my phone to unlock when i can just put my wrist to the door.

You and me both!

 

[Avery&Todd]

I have it too!!! Which is really, really weird since we don't check in until June 8th!! and mine is in a slightly different order than yours!! AND we're staying at the Boulder Ridge Villas..

I've tried to post my pic, lets see if it works...

 

[Marionnette]

I can see a use for it but like others, I'm unlikely to dig for my phone and open an app when the "key" to the room is on my wrist. However, consider this...you have family who are also staying at Disney but not in your villa ( or hotel room). Just give them your MDE password and they can enter the villa without needing a MB. Makes it convenient if you're meeting up in the villa after a day in the parks, but arriving at different times.

Or, let's say that you went back to the room alone because of illness only to find that your MB doesn't work. Pull out your phone and try to unlock it with the app. No need to go back to the desk to have your MB reprogrammed until you feel better.

 

[erionm]

I'm arriving saturday at Poly and i don't have that on my app. Maybe because CCV is newer their system can accommodate the unlock feature via phone.

This feature is currently only available at the Wilderness Lodge, Boulder Ridge Villas and Copper Creek Villas & Cabins. Other resorts will be added in the future.

 

[drusba]

So you are in Disney and have your phone hooked up to Disney's notoriously slow wifi system. You head for your room, pull out your phone, unlock it, find the Disney MDE, try to open it (wait 20 seconds or more), find and click on the portion of the app for opening your door (wait 20 seconds or more), probably do some kind of verification to assure it is you (wait 20 seconds or more), and then door unlocks. Obviously, this will be far superior to just sticking your wristband up to the door lock. Reminds me of the online restaurant reservation system. Back in the old days, I had to call to make all our reservations for a week and it took an excruciatingly long time on the phone, sometimes as much 10-15 minutes, to do a week of reservations. Then came the online system with its vast improvements for making reservations and now I can do a week of reservations in no more than a lightning fast 2 1/2 hours.

 

[BillPA]

Are they doing away with magic bands? If not, why would anyone want to have to dig out their phone to open a door? But then again, I don't understand why people would rather text the person next to them when they could just talk to them.

 

[erionm]

Are they doing away with magic bands?

No. Some people don't want to wear a MagicBand, so this would be an option for them to unlock their room door.

 

[Marionnette]

Are they doing away with magic bands? If not, why would anyone want to have to dig out their phone to open a door? But then again, I don't understand why people would rather text the person next to them when they could just talk to them.

Because being able to go straight to your hotel room and unlock it with your phone is common in a lot of chain hotels if you're a member of their frequent guest club. Disney wants to align themselves with all of those chain hotels. It's the "industry standard"!!!!

Seriously though, if I had little ones and the app offered some kind of visual surprise when the door unlocked, I might use it just to give them a little thrill. You know, like Sorcerer Mickey (or the Genie) pops up on the app and with an "Open Sesame" the door opens! Now that would be cool. But knowing Disney IT, it would screw up the rest of the app.

 

[SL6827]

I think they are going to do away with the "free" magic bands. I believe your phone will be your key to the door in the future. Want a band, pay up. With our trip to HH this year, I forgot to bring any lanyards, and having to get out our KTTC to open our door was so annoying. Actually lost it once and had to get another one made.

 

[tjkraz]

But then again, I don't understand why people would rather text the person next to them when they could just talk to them.

Maybe they don't want you to hear what they have to say, Bill.

 

[pineapplepalms]

I hope they keep MBs around but I think having an additional option is nice. I always have my phone on me but I have forgotten my MB in the room before (don't like to wear it to sleep). Interested to find out if it works well for you during your stay!

 

[tjkraz]

I think they are going to do away with the "free" magic bands. I believe your phone will be your key to the door in the future. Want a band, pay up.

Doubtful. If they wanted to cut costs (or boost sales of MagicBands) they could have reverted to KTTW cards at any time. Also could do things like eliminating color options for the free bands. If they only offered gray to everyone with colors all being a pay-for-play option, that alone would boost merchandise revenue.

Many people don't have smartphones so they could never be a total replacement. And even if this tech does extend to the parks, using smartphones for widespread park entry and FastPass redemption is going to negatively impact guest flows. No matter how you slice it, that smartphone process is a lot more cumbersome than tapping and band or card (open app, hold phone to reader, tap button in app.)

IMO this option likely cost little to implement. Perhaps just a software update. If it moderately improves guest satisfaction ("I didn't know I needed a MagicBand for the pool/health club") and eliminates a few trips to the front desk from people who got locked out or otherwise lost access, it's worth the cost across 20+ hotels / 30K rooms.

 

[princessfionasmom]

I think it can be useful at times. My kids will leave the room to walk around and don’t always have their magic bands on but you bet they won’t part with their phones. I go walking before everyone gets up and I don’t wear my magic band but I’ll have my phone for my music, when I get back I won’t have to bang on the door to wake everyone up . . . as long as the app is working. I think it can have its uses but the magic band is a whole lot quicker if you have it on.

 

[BillPA]

Just remember it's the same Disney IT team that makes all the other things work so well. I would make sure to have my magic band if I leave the room.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Ever since I saw the mention of the unlock your door with your phone feature I’ve been checking my MDE account to see if it shows up and this morning it did. Not sure if it means it will be available for our trip starting this Sunday but I’ll keep anyone interested posted. Has anyone else seen this in their MDE or been able to use it yet? I love any new feature that uses technology (I know, I know, it’s Disney IT so I’m not holding my breathe it will actually work ). I’ve attached a screenshot from my account.

I hadn't even considered about it being available next week but I'll have to look and maybe give it a test on my one night. It's nothing I see as being better than using the MB as the key but like Carol I'll try it once to say I did.

 

[cruisin5]

Anyone thinking they will need to use a better password for MDE once this goes into effect?

MBs make it quicker for people to pay and easier to lose track of what is being spent. Disney would probably be happy if MBs were the only accepted form of payment.