Disney Introduces new Radio Frequency Tickets at Walt Disney World

27 thoughts on “Disney Introduces new Radio Frequency Tickets at Walt Disney World”

• We used our AAA tickets.
  We stayed on Disney property, and the concierge added our AAA tickets onto our RFID cards we used for our room key on the day we checked in (Feb 5).
  We did not ask for it to be added.
  We also had a “will call” ticket added to a room key.
  Again, we did not request it – it seems to be what they do.
  No idea what would happen if you are not staying on Disney property.

  We did not find the new technology faster or helpful.
  From February 6-13, the RFID entrance did not work for us.
  Each time, a Cast Member had to scan the bar code with a portable devise.
  The original slide your card through readers always worked.
  BTW, if entering from International Gateway (rear entrance to Epcot), they did not yet have the new RFID touch point equipment.

  As with anything new…there are growing pains.

• I plan on buying my tix from UT before the price increase. I just called Disney to see if I could exchange paper tix for RFID tickets. They told me they didn’t know. Does anybody know if this can be done?

• * Wilderness (not Wildness. It was that wild. Sigh)

• I had UT paper tickets week before last. When I checked in to Ft. Wildness, having already done on-line check in, the cast member asked me if I wanted to purchase park tickets (He could see I was room-only). I mentioned I had paper tickets with me, and he very easily put them on my “key to the world” card, which we used very easily in the RFID entry turnstiled. Smooth as silk IMHO.

  • Excellent, we arrive Thursday and this is what I was hoping to do!

• Similar question – does anybody knows what this means for our UT tickets?

• Would we be able to get these new passes at the Disney store?

• That’s annoying because my tickets came in the post yesterday. Do you think i’ll be able to exchange them when i arrive? Not annual passes.

• Okay, I just don’t get the comments about pass holders being the best customers and how annual Florida resident passes are so expensive…etc., etc.
  After seeing such statements repeatedly, I looked up annual pass costs. My thoughts, as a non-Florida resident, were “Wow! If I were able to visit a few times a year, what a great deal”. Maybe I am missing something when I compare my ticket costs for my once a year visit, but I just don’t get it.

  • Audrey – Annual passholders are better customers because in total they spend more money. While the per day admission costs may be lower, the toal spend is higher. My family of six has annual passes (we are not Florida residents). We have three trips planned in that year, for a cost of $3600 in passes. While our per day cost is lower than the family of six that visits once per year for seven days, our total spend is much higher, especially when lodging, food and the inevitable park merchandise is considered. Each Annual passholder generate much more revenue for Disney on an annual basis than a once a year visitor.

    • Amen. Not a difficult concept to grasp. As non-Florida annual pass holders for years, my family is starting to feel a little left out. We spend between 35-45 days a year in the parks and in Disney resorts and always get the shaft. It is beginning to feel like a rewards program where the more you stay the worse you get treated.

      I lodged complaints in person at the Magic Kingdom this past week and I will calling to complain every day until I can exchange my cheap paper passes for the newest technology.

• I haven’t bought our tickets yet. If the calculator shows only a small difference between UT and Disney, maybe I’ll go with Disney.

• Once again pass holders get left out. If its a faster entrance time it might be nice if they are tested out on pass holders first. We are after all their best customers. This is just like the get ahead fast passes which are only available for vacationers!

  • I just got back from a visit with my out of state family. It was crazy how fast people with the new cards got into the parks. And i’m just not understanding how you can get multi day tickets in the new format but not the pass. i’m sure i’m missing some huge techno detail but isn’t an annual pass just like a fancy multi day ticket? it just seems strange to me. very sad that disney seems to forget that passholders pump some serious cash into their parks every year.

• We just started our trip last night and were issued these cards. Entry into Epcot today was no wait at all becuz we used the special entrances for only these passes. Awesome!!!

• We were planing to buy our tix at our local AAA office next week, to save a little off of gate prices. However, I have been reading reports that guests who have the RFID tix are getting into the parks faster because many regular turnstile entrances have been closed. If easy of entry, not cost, were one’s major concern, would the new or old tix be better for a late Feb trip? any opinions?

  • Just got back. The RFID tickets were getting in much faster.

  • It really was a lot faster. I’m a passholder and my entire party was held up waiting for me to get through the line. Honestly though if i had the choice i would save the money. While it was a very obvious difference (at least to us) it wasn’t like it took hours. i would rather hold up my family for five minutes and save some cash but that’s just me 🙂

• Wondering how sending 1 person ahead to get fast passes will work? We planned to send dad and daughter to sign up for Jedi training, while grandma went to get fast passes for toy story mania. Will I need to take everyone’s wrist bands?

  • As of right now, they are not issuing bands. Not sure how much longer until the bands are in use, but for now, no bands yet.

  • I don’t believe you can do that. Even before these
    New bands all members had to be in the park to get the fast passes. If they didnt scan into the park the ticket won’t get you a fast pass. I was able to do this in 2008 but not in 2011. Stinks but that is the way it is. Plus for Jedi training academy the child MUST be preset at sign up. So they can kinda interview them to ensure they’ll be willing to go on stage. Good luck!

  • Just re-read your post. My previous reply made no
    Sense ;-). I wonder how it’ll work as you asked. I often so Pre-runs while
    Fam walks to something else

    • I am sure they will be using by the time we get there. I’ve gone to get fast passes while girls stood in line to see princess or use restroom etc. I’ve got time to see how this will all work.

• Same question as BagsMom, my UT tix should arrive any day, I assume they won’t have the RFID.. I am going to enter the park and then go to Guest Services and see if I can exchange for RFID tix. Would love to know if that strategy will work though.

• Rikki — we are planning on purchasing tickets from Undercover Tourist in late Feb. or early March. Are the new RFID tickets only available through Disney?

  • As far as I know, right now the only RFID tickets will be those purchased through Disney.

• Interesting. We just left today and they have started to incorporate these in the parks. You can tell it will be great–once they get the glitches worked out. There was a lot of sighing and eye rolling from Cast Members as they tried to get ours to work. I’m sure in a few months, it will work so much faster than it does now.

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