Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Each RFID chip—not much larger than the end of a pencil—sends a unique serial
number over short distances via radio waves. When you purchase theme park admis-
sion, Disney's computers will store that serial number, along with your ticket inform-
ation. To enter a theme park, you'll touch your MagicBand to an RFID reader instead
of going through a turnstile. The RFID reader will collect your MagicBand's serial
number, compare your biometric information, and verify with Disney's computer sys-
tems that you've got the correct admission to enter the park.
RFID technology has been used for many years in the retail and transportation in-
dustries to track everything from the location of cargo containers to the receipt, stock-
ing, and purchase of T-shirts. Many bus and subway systems have switched to RFID-
enabled cards from paper tickets. The US government also puts RFID chips in all new
passports to prevent forgery.
Disney hotel guests get a MagicBand by default but may request a plastic Key
to the World (KTTW) Card instead. If you're staying off-site or you bought your
admission through a third party, you can upgrade to a MagicBand for $13; otherwise
you get a credit card-sized laminated ticket. Like the MagicBand, the two card op-
tions use RFID.
Each member of your family gets his or her own MagicBand, each with a unique
serial number. Along with the wristband, each family member will be asked to select
a four-digit personal-identification number (PIN) for purchases—more on that below.
The wristbands are resizable and waterproof, and they have ventilation holes for cool-
ing. Eight colors are available: red, black, blue, green, pink, orange, yellow, and gray
(the default). You can choose your colors and personalize your bands when you book
your resort stay at the Disney World website.
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