Any timeline update on Magicband+?

[fdecker]

It's nice to have custom magic bands, but... You can always buy bands separately, though the puck won't have a design on it or its color clash with some bands. Call me cheap, but unless there was something I really wanted, like the unreleased + version with the castle on the face of the puck and Walt and Mickey in silhouette, I'm a $10 flat fee with staying on site for a plain band kind of guy . But once you already have a plain once, I guess there is the temptation to buy a special one, like a 50th Anniversary band.

 

[Mrs.AMC]

The MagicBands available for purchase on-line are boring and/or overpriced. I've read that the supply is limited due to "chip shortages" and "supply chain issues". Of course, Disney doesn't admit to any of that.

Like most consumers, I'm tired of being lied to, and tired of being uninformed. I've read that Disney does sell some MagicBands in the parks... Can anyone tell us how the IN-PARK selection compares to the ON-LINE selection of MagicBands?

Not sure where you are being lied to in regards to magic bands. Availability when going through resort stays on MDE fluctuates and has always. Not sure why, could be chips right now but that wasn't the case several years ago. It's always come and gone.
But if you are balking at the price of the options you see when purchasing on MDE you'll hate the price in the parks. You loose the resort discount. They are full price in the parks.
But yes, to answer that question, there are more in the parks. Many, many more. Have been since first generation of MB came out. At one time there was even a machine to make your own. No idea if they are still there or not.

 

[soniam]

Not sure where you are being lied to in regards to magic bands. Availability when going through resort stays on MDE fluctuates and has always. Not sure why, could be chips right now but that wasn't the case several years ago. It's always come and gone.
But if you are balking at the price of the options you see when purchasing on MDE you'll hate the price in the parks. You loose the resort discount. They are full price in the parks.
But yes, to answer that question, there are more in the parks. Many, many more. Have been since first generation of MB came out. At one time there was even a machine to make your own. No idea if they are still there or not.

You can get an AP, DVC, or Visa rewards discount on them, since they are merchandise. It helps a little.

 

[fdecker]

I use the same chip that is inside the magic band for my own products, and have not seen a shortage of them. The fabricator makes a circuit board from the components and they are placed in a case and that is mounted in a dual layer plastic band with a retaining ring and screws. In medium quantities, making that band in China would cost me around a $1.50. At Disney quantities I can't see that band costing more than 50 cents, even with the battery inside. They are making a killing on those bands, just like they do on the pins and everything else. I wish a lot of small businesses could have margins like that.

 

[fireflyer]

That's good to know and makes me feel less urgent about getting something before we go if nothing shows up to replace the diminishing online options. We are first-in-a-long-timers, though, not having been to WDW this century, and don't already have old MagicBands, so we'd be bandless until we found something we liked.

ETA: The online options are back up to 26 today. Still no plusses, though.

Yep, to confirm what "Figment of Speech" wrote, I noticed on the 19th that MANY more MagicBand choices are available at "My Disney Experience" app now, than in the couple prior weeks.

Thanks to the other posts who wrote about the various discounts for the MagicBands!

 

[KL1138]

I was going to wait for the + bands, but I'm sure they will be overpriced so when one finally became available again that I liked, I bought them. I wanted three different colors (for me an my two nephews) but there were never three good colors so I ended up getting three of the same (green classic Mickey). We won't mix them up since we will probably never take them off. (and they have our names on them too of course)

 

[fireflyer]

I recently ordered a Magic Band direct from the My Disney Experience website, and it is scheduled to be shipped to my Value hotel at WDW. However, I'm considering changing to one of the Dolphin/Swan/Reserve hotels instead. (They are Marriott, but still get the Early/Extended Hours privileges that Disney Deluxe guests get.)
If I change hotels, will Disney send the MagicBand to the Dolphin/Swan/Reserve front desk? I realize I'll probably need to call Disney and wait online for 2 hours to request the change... but before doing that, I wonder if anyone knows (from experience) whether or not Disney sends Magic Bands to those hotels at all? I know those hotels DON'T allow in-park purchases to be delivered to their front desk. I know they DO sell Magic Bands at Dolphin/Swan/Reserve.

 

[MICHAELB1]

Same! We’re planning for December and purchasing MagicBands would make the trip seem more real but I don’t want to get the 2.0 (not that there are many to choose from on shopdisney anyway) and then have the new ones become available.

A

I would like to order our family’s Magicbands for our trip in late March, but have been hoping that if I waited, Magicband+ would be available. It would be nice if Disney could narrow down the very vague “coming in 2022” now that it is 2022! Any rumors floating around about a timeline for this?

(Feeling the same way about Fantasmic I know by late March is probably unlikely, but I wish they would be more specific than just saying sometime this year.)

As far as I am aware, they will be available pre-october, which was when the 50th anniversary event was originally supposed to end, I believe it will be out by then. I am really looking forward to buying one as well, don't worry we are all in the same boat!

 

[austinalexander]

What are even the main differences?

 

[soniam]

I recently ordered a Magic Band direct from the My Disney Experience website, and it is scheduled to be shipped to my Value hotel at WDW. However, I'm considering changing to one of the Dolphin/Swan/Reserve hotels instead. (They are Marriott, but still get the Early/Extended Hours privileges that Disney Deluxe guests get.)
If I change hotels, will Disney send the MagicBand to the Dolphin/Swan/Reserve front desk? I realize I'll probably need to call Disney and wait online for 2 hours to request the change... but before doing that, I wonder if anyone knows (from experience) whether or not Disney sends Magic Bands to those hotels at all? I know those hotels DON'T allow in-park purchases to be delivered to their front desk. I know they DO sell Magic Bands at Dolphin/Swan/Reserve.

I don’t think they will deliver them to the Swolphin. I wonder why they aren’t sending them to your house. I have no idea where they will go. They probably won’t let you purchase them if you cancel your reservation. The discount is for onsite guests. You may have to purchase on your own either through Shop Disney or at the parks.

 

[fireflyer]

I don’t think they will deliver them to the Swolphin. I wonder why they aren’t sending them to your house. I have no idea where they will go. They probably won’t let you purchase them if you cancel your reservation.

Thanks soniam for your reply. The default shipping address (when I purchased the MagicBand on MDE) was the hotel itself... i dunno why. It seemed convenient so I accepted. Only later did I consider switching hotels. After a lot of internet-searching, I've decided to keep the original hotel reservation rather than switching to Swolphin. Our visit is only 1.5 days, and since we aren't visiting Epcot, transportation from Pop to other parks seems more efficient than all the walking involved at Swolphin. Also, I can't deal with another 2+ hour phonecall to Disney to fix a shipping fiasco. I don't have the time.

I received an email tonight that my MagicBand has shipped to Pop. My reservation is more than 4 weeks away. I am confused about the transaction, and I hope the MB will still be waiting at PopCentury's front desk at the end of March!!! The whole thing seems weird. I don't dare switch any reservations now...

 

[Figment of Speech]

I went ahead and ordered our regular MagicBands. Although I technically ordered on the last home-delivery day, I kind of hope they get sent to the resort because the shipping time will be cutting it super close.

 

[fdecker]

What are even the main differences?

https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/guest-services/magicband-plus/

 

[fdecker]

The bet now is that they will be available "Spring" and start at possibly $49. They will probably also be rechargeable.

 

[erionm]

They will probably also be rechargeable.

Disney has already stated the MagicBand+ will be rechargeable and include a magnetic charging cable.

 

[MonaMN]

Thanks soniam for your reply. The default shipping address (when I purchased the MagicBand on MDE) was the hotel itself... i dunno why. It seemed convenient so I accepted. Only later did I consider switching hotels. After a lot of internet-searching, I've decided to keep the original hotel reservation rather than switching to Swolphin. Our visit is only 1.5 days, and since we aren't visiting Epcot, transportation from Pop to other parks seems more efficient than all the walking involved at Swolphin. Also, I can't deal with another 2+ hour phonecall to Disney to fix a shipping fiasco. I don't have the time.

I received an email tonight that my MagicBand has shipped to Pop. My reservation is more than 4 weeks away. I am confused about the transaction, and I hope the MB will still be waiting at PopCentury's front desk at the end of March!!! The whole thing seems weird. I don't dare switch any reservations now...

I had a bit of a fiasco ordering my MBs... and ended up talking to someone on the merchandising team who said shipping to some places is just horrendous for them (including where I am), so maybe that's part of the scenario for you.

 

[bamaslp]

(Feeling the same way about the dining plan)

Me too!!

 

[DaviVascaino]

so will the discount from staying at a Disney Resort apply to the new magic band plus??

 

[Tinkerbell21]

We are waiting as long as we can for our May trip in hopes that Magicband+ will be out by then. It's good to know that there is lots of selection on site when we get there if we do decide to hold off. I know that there are shops in the parks and Disney Springs that sell them - do any of the resort shops carry them as well? We are staying at Poly and would like to get them set up on arrival day (evening) rather than taking time out of our first park day to shop and get them set up.

 

[erionm]

We are waiting as long as we can for our May trip in hopes that Magicband+ will be out by then. It's good to know that there is lots of selection on site when we get there if we do decide to hold off. I know that there are shops in the parks and Disney Springs that sell them - do any of the resort shops carry them as well? We are staying at Poly and would like to get them set up on arrival day (evening) rather than taking time out of our first park day to shop and get them set up.

The resort gift shops usually have a selection of MagicBands for sale.