Exciting news for Walt Disney World Annual Passholders!  According to Inside the Magic, AP members can now replace their paper AP card with a new plastic card embedded with a RFID chip inside as part of Disney’s upcoming MyMagic+ program.

Now through Sunday, May 19, Disney Annual Passholders can bring their current paper pass, along with valid ID, to the Odyssey Center (formerly the Odyssey Restaurant between Future World and World Showcase) at Epcot to get their new card. The process only takes a few minutes and you get to pick from four character designs including Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, or Donald.

Disney recommended the best time to visit the Odyssey Center is Monday through Friday after 12pm as it is currently the only location at this time where passholders can exchange their passes for the new cards.

For the time being, the only benefit of the new Disney Annual Passholder card is that it will allow guests to pass thru the newly designed theme park entrances.  The new entrances do not have turnstiles, just an open space with a card reader and finger scanner. Eventually these cards will work with the FastPass+ system, once it officially begins, but currently they work as normal with the current FastPass kiosks.

Also this week Disney teased that the new MagicBands will be available for Disney Annual Passholders in the coming months. MagicBands are a wristband that guests will be able to wear that will act as their theme park ticket, room key, FastPass and a payment option to purchase items in the parks.

I know Disney has been putting out a lot of information about the future technology that is coming to Disney. All the Disney fans have been hearing, learning and seeing a lot of information out there  and there has been a lot of mixed opinions. The Disney Annual Passholder card with the RFID chip is just one more step on the platform of their future plans and I know some of it may be painful to get to the other side but in the end what future options that will come with this technology is very exciting! Just like Carousel of Progress says…there is a great big beautiful tomorrow!

Related articles

• Additional Perks for Disneyland Annual Passholders (chipandco.com)
• Walt Disney World Replaces Turnstiles With Apple’s iPod Touch Trial (chipandco.com)

Tara (409 Posts)

Whether Tara is helping people make a memory with a trip to Disney (or anywhere else for that matter)  or she is helping to write all the news and gossip to keep you in the know!  She also has a brand new facebook page for even more tidbits on Disney and travel, so visit her at Magical Memories and the Mouse.