Disney in a Minute: What is a Tapstile?

At Walt Disney World, a tapstile is their version of a turnstile – but with a techy difference. The word “tapstile” is a portmanteau of “tap” and “turnstile.” And that’s because to enter the parks, you “tap” your MagicBand/MagicBand+ (or your phone with your Disney MagicMobile pass, or park ticket card) against a glowing Mickey head sensor on the tapstile. You’ll also place your finger on the reader, and the light turns green if you have a valid ticket (and a park reservation if you need one). Then in you go, thanks to RFID technology.

The first time you use your ticket at a tapstile, you’ll register your fingerprint by pressing your finger on the reader to create a “Ticket Tag”. It’s a common misconception that your fingerprint is stored in the system, but it’s not true. Instead, your fingerprint is converted to a numerical code, similar to how your password to a website is encrypted before being stored in the system. The fingerprint scan itself is deleted. The next time you press your finger to the reader – and it needs to be the same one! – the new reading is converted and checked against the stored code to see if it matches. When your ticket expires, even the Ticket Tag is deleted; if you visit again, you’ll start from scratch.

Up until 2016, child tickets didn’t require the finger scan. These days, the finger scan is required for any visitor with a ticket. But if your little one is too little to manage the scan, you can associate their ticket with your fingerprint instead. If they head to the park without you sometime later in your trip, a Cast Member can assist whoever is with them in using your child’s ticket. Or you can stop by Guest Relations to get both mom’s and dad’s fingerprints associated with a child ticket.

Because the tapstile features Mickey’s head, I like to think of “tapping” as having Mickey himself welcome me in! Starting in November 2021, instead of the green Mickey light most folks get, Annual Passholders got a purple and yellow lighting sequence at the tapstiles. Disney Vacation Club members also received a “Welcome Home” sound. MagicBands+ wearers could also get some special sound and lighting effects. These were meant to give a little warmer welcome to folks who fall into these categories.

Once you’re inside the parks, you have to “tap” again at attractions if you’ve purchased a Lightning Lane pass of any sort. When you enter the Lightning Lane entrance, you tap your admission media on the Mickey head. This verifies that you have a valid reservation for that ride and at that time. Some rides may have a second tap point after you go through the first one, usually near the boarding area or ride vehicle. But only the tapstiles at the park entrance need your finger to go along with the tap.

Disney in a Minute is a series of short posts designed to help you better understand a Disney term or planning topic. Do you have a Disney term that you think needs a little more explanation? Let us know in the comments!