Disney Cruise Line will test wristbands instead of Key to the World cards on an upcoming Disney Treasure sailing.
Disney Cruise Line Testing Key to the World Wristbands
Key to the World cards are the standard hotel key cards all Disney Cruise Line guests receive when they arrive at their stateroom. Guests can also activate their personal MagicBand+ (or DisneyBand+) at cruise check-in to be used as another way to unlock their stateroom, pay for purchases, and debark/board the ship. All guests still receive Key to the World cards regardless of having a band or not.
On the Disney Treasure sailing leaving Saturday, October 10, however, guests will not receive cards. While guests with a MagicBand+ or DisneyBand+ will have it activated at check-in as usual, guests without an existing band will instead be issued a “wearable Key to the World wristband” during check-in.
A notice to travel advisors from Disney Cruise Line said, “We are testing these new wristbands as we continue to look for ways to make your clients’ Disney cruise vacation even easier. While we try new things frequently, not all of them become part of our operation.” (via Cruise Hive)
For now, only this Disney Treasure sailing is conducting the test. The sailing leaves Port Canaveral on Saturday for a 7-night “Halloween on the High Seas” sailing to the Eastern Caribbean.
When the ship returns to port on Saturday, October 17, collection containers will be located outside the Disney Cruise Line terminal for guests to return their wristbands.
Disney Cruise Line’s notice made it clear that the wristbands cannot be used for any other Disney experiences — they will only work on this sailing.
Guests who purchased DisneyBand+ before or during their cruise can keep their band.
We don’t yet know what these wristbands will look like or if they are similar to DisneyBand+, which is essentially a MagicBand+ but with a different name.
Disney Cruise Line also did not explain how guests will activate the lights and air conditioning in their staterooms. On most Disney Cruise Line ships, guests need to put a card into a slot near the door to turn on the lights and AC, an energy-saving measure. While guests can use any card, not just a Key to the World card, not everyone will have a spare card or feel comfortable using an ID or credit card.
While many other cruise lines use key cards, Virgin Voyages uses wristbands, also collecting them at the end of each sailing. Meanwhile, Princess Cruises uses wearable medallions.
Check out our full guide and review of DisneyBand+ on Disney Cruise Line.
What do you think of this test? Would you prefer a wristband, key card, or something else? Let us know on social media.
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