Lifespan of Magic Bands?

[Momof2]

We have Magic Bands from a previous trip that we'd like to reuse on our upcoming trip in February. At that time, however, 2 of the bands will be 16 months old and a 3rd will be just over 2 years old. Is it likely that they'll still work, or should I order new bands. Thanks!

 

[Networth]

The long range RFID powered by the battery is said to last roughly 2 years.

If you don't care for long range (ride photos) than they have an infinite life span technically as close range (opening room doors, park admission) is short range RFID and requires no battery.

 

[Momof2]

Thank you. Sounds like we might be okay. But, if we did order new bands, do we need to deactivate the old ones and link our tickets and ADR's that we've already made to the new ones?

 

[siskaren]

There's no reason to deactivate your old bands. Nothing is on your Magic Bands - they're just a link to access what's on your MDE account.

 

[ScrapYap]

Thank you. Sounds like we might be okay. But, if we did order new bands, do we need to deactivate the old ones and link our tickets and ADR's that we've already made to the new ones?

You don't need to deactivate any old bands. There's no limit to the number of bands you can have linked to your profile on your MDE. Some people have a dozen or more -- from the days when there wasn't a choice to decline new bands.

You also don't have to link tickets to anything but your MDE profile. If you link your new tickets to your MDE, then your magic bands will "know" about it. Any bands linked to you on your MDE will automatically be linked to your entitlements -- your park tickets, room reservations, ADRs, Memory Maker, etc. So you link to your tickets to your MDE and every band and card showing up under your name on the Magic Bands and Cards page will be "loaded" with your tickets.

Think of Magic Bands and cards (such as the ones you get when you buy party tickets) as doorways to a room (your Disney profile on MDE). The room, full of your Disney entitlements, might have a dozen doorways (one for each MB or card). Whatever you put in the entitlement room can be accessed by entering through any of those doors. If you put tickets in that room (by linking them to your profile), all the doors (magic bands) will lead to the tickets. If you put ADRs in the room, all the doors will access those reservations. If you put resort reservations into the room and check into the resort, all the MDE "doors" (your bands and cards) will open the actual doors of your resort room. If you purchase Memory Maker on that profile, all the doors will access Memory Maker. Every time you add a magic band, you add a door to that same room -- and there is no limit to the number you can add.

And all the doors are equal. They all lead to the same place. That's why you can't double dip FP+ just because you have two magic bands in your name. If you put FP+ in the room (by prebooking them), all the doors access the same FP+. The FP+ are not "on" the bands. They're "in" the room (MDE profile). The bands just get you in the room to access the FP+, etc.. And you only get one set of FP+ on that profile, no matter how many doors lead to them.

You can use any of your bands and cards interchangeably. Some guests like to carry cards because they're easier than bands. So they use their Halloween Party cards to access their AP or hopper ticket (which is in the MDE "room") and enter the parks with their Halloween party card on the 4th of July. You can use that card to open your resort room door, too. All the bands work in exactly the same way (if they're linked to the same individual profile or "room"). And a card can do whatever a band can do (with the same caveat).

 

[loves to dive]

I've had to deactivate a few of mine, it seems if you over a certain number it messes with the computer system. I had trouble checking in to both my resorts last May and was told by both front desk cast members that this was part of the problem. I do have more than 2 of each color.

 

[Wood Nymph]

Both DH and I had a lot of problems using our MB's for park admission last April. We have quite a few bands. One of the cM's told us to deactivate some of the bands. I deactivated all of the bands that were were leaving at home and brought three bands each on our August trip. The bands worked flawlessly. One of my bands was at least 18 months old and it worked fine.

 

[smidgy]

You don't need to deactivate any old bands. There's no limit to the number of bands you can have linked to your profile on your MDE. Some people have a dozen or more -- from the days when there wasn't a choice to decline new bands.

You also don't have to link tickets to anything but your MDE profile. If you link your new tickets to your MDE, then your magic bands will "know" about it. Any bands linked to you on your MDE will automatically be linked to your entitlements -- your park tickets, room reservations, ADRs, Memory Maker, etc. So you link to your tickets to your MDE and every band and card showing up under your name on the Magic Bands and Cards page will be "loaded" with your tickets.

Think of Magic Bands and cards (such as the ones you get when you buy party tickets) as doorways to a room (your Disney profile on MDE). The room, full of your Disney entitlements, might have a dozen doorways (one for each MB or card). Whatever you put in the entitlement room can be accessed by going through any of those doors. If you put tickets in that room (by linking them to your profile), all the doors (magic bands) will lead to the tickets. If you put ADRs in the room, all the doors will access those reservations. If you put resort reservations into the room and check into the resort, all the doors will open the doors of your resort room. If you purchase Memory Maker on that profile, all the doors will access Memory Maker. Every time you add a magic band, you add a door to that same room -- and there is no limit to the number you can add.

And all the doors are equal. They all lead to the same place. That's why you can't double dip FP+ just because you have two magic bands in your name. If you put FP+ in the room (by prebooking them), all the doors access the same FP+. The FP+ are not "on" the bands. They're "in" the room (MDE profile). The bands just get you in the room to access the FP+, etc.. And you only get one set of FP+ on that profile, no matter how many doors lead to them.

You can use any of your bands and cards interchangeably. Some guests like to carry cards because they're easier than bands. So they use their Halloween Party cards to access my AP and enter the parks with their Halloween party card. You can use that card to open your resort room door.

this is the BEST analogy and explanation I have heard! you must be a teacher. you explain things so well!

 

[ScrapYap]

Both DH and I had a lot of problems using our MB's for park admission last April. We have quite a few bands. One of the cM's told us to deactivate some of the bands. I deactivated all of the bands that were were leaving at home and brought three bands each on our August trip. The bands worked flawlessly. One of my bands was at least 18 months old and it worked fine.

The weird thing is, if you experiment, you'l find that deactivating a band doesn't actually *do* anything to that band. You can deactivate a band, but it will still work for park admission and for FP+. Maybe that will change over time.

 

[ScrapYap]

this is the BEST analogy and explanation I have heard! you must be a teacher. you explain things so well!

Thanks!

 

[Momof2]

Thanks everyone. There is no better place to find an answer to a Disney-related question! And I agree - Karrie, that was an awesome analogy. Thank you!!

 

[dthogue]

Karrie - thank you for that great clarification - I want to make sure that I am understanding correctly - we have a room only reservation for one night in November followed by a 9 night package. If we get magic bands for both reservations I can use any of the bands for my magic express, room key, park tickets and dining plan credits?

 

[Robo]

we have a room only reservation for one night in November followed by a 9 night package. If we get magic bands for both reservations I can use any of the bands for my magic express, room key, park tickets and dining plan credits?

Correct.

You can pick the colors daily to match or accent your outfits.

 

[disneymomoftwins]

We have magicbands from our last trip. We are staying offsite this trip and have ordered tickets from an outside source. I know I can link those tickets to the magic band but how will reserving Fast Passes work? Do we have to wait till 30 days out to do our Fast Pass?

 

[Accident]

My daughter had a band from the previous year on our last trip and there was some problems here and there. It's 2 years, but really it's 2 years from when it was made and who knows how long they sit on the shelf before you get them.

 

[bumbershoot]

I know I can link those tickets to the magic band but how will reserving Fast Passes work? Do we have to wait till 30 days out to do our Fast Pass?

Yes, because you are staying offsite.

 

[Robo]

We have magicbands from our last trip. We are staying offsite this trip and have ordered tickets from an outside source. I know I can link those tickets to the magic band but how will reserving Fast Passes work? Do we have to wait till 30 days out to do our Fast Pass?

It's useful to know that having MagicBands (or not) has no connection to being able to book FP+, or when you can book them.