Annual Pass Magic Bands ???

[kycol]

We purchased our Annual Passes thru the Disney site and received our vouchers. They were already linked to our My Disney Experience account, but no Annual Pass Magic Bands have shown up to be customized. It seems like I’ve read that folks have customized and received them before the trip and activation. Even Disney’s FAQ’s lead me to believe that you customize them before your trip (like customize up to 10 days before your trip). Disney IT tells us we customize the Annual Pass Magic Bands after our trip and activation. Is this true that on our trip we’ll use the Annual Pass cards and then customize and receive the Annual Pass Magic Bands at home after the trip ? If so this seems really backwards. Thanks for any info, advice, etc.

 

[Music City Mama]

We purchased our Annual Passes thru the Disney site and received our vouchers. They were already linked to our My Disney Experience account, but no Annual Pass Magic Bands have shown up to be customized. It seems like I’ve read that folks have customized and received them before the trip and activation. Even Disney’s FAQ’s lead me to believe that you customize them before your trip (like customize up to 10 days before your trip). Disney IT tells us we customize the Annual Pass Magic Bands after our trip and activation. Is this true that on our trip we’ll use the Annual Pass cards and then customize and receive the Annual Pass Magic Bands at home after the trip ? If so this seems really backwards. Thanks for any info, advice, etc.

Yep, unfortunately, that's correct. You won't get the option to customize your MBs until after you activate your APs. So, you'll have them for your next trip on the pass, but not the first one. You can either use your AP card, buy MBs from the Disney Store ahead of time, or use MBs from a previous trip.

 

[JasonDeyoung30]

When I did mine, I had to go to guest relations to get a card and then it showed up in my profile for magic band. Granted that's when the bands were brand new. My gf just got an annual pass two weeks ago and she had to go to guest relations to get her card then the band showed up in her profile to customize

 

[Keels]

Yup. You have to activate the pass first and then you can customize - and it will take almost the full 10 days for you to get your bands from the time you finalize customization. We activated our passes on a Monday and didn't get our MBs until late evening the following Wednesday.

 

[kycol]

Thanks everybody for your reply and experiences! We kept getting different answers and weren't sure especially when you would do resort magic bands before checking-in. So we figured you folks would know. Thanks again!

 

[kamabet]

If you are going to upgrade to an annual pass will you have to use the card or can they be put on the magicband you currently have from the regular ticket?

 

[DOOM1001]

Magic bands for resort stays will come before your trip,AP magic bands you'll receive after you activate your pass on your first visit.

 

[HopperFan]

We purchased our Annual Passes thru the Disney site and received our vouchers. They were already linked to our My Disney Experience account, but no Annual Pass Magic Bands have shown up to be customized. It seems like I’ve read that folks have customized and received them before the trip and activation. Even Disney’s FAQ’s lead me to believe that you customize them before your trip (like customize up to 10 days before your trip). Disney IT tells us we customize the Annual Pass Magic Bands after our trip and activation. Is this true that on our trip we’ll use the Annual Pass cards and then customize and receive the Annual Pass Magic Bands at home after the trip ? If so this seems really backwards. Thanks for any info, advice, etc.

Do you have any old MagicBands from a trip, they will work fine if connected to your MDE?

 

[kamabet]

We will be going on vacation for the first time with magicbands in December and have 8 days Park hoppers that I will be upgrading once we get there.

 

[Keels]

I would customize your hotel ones. You'll get to pick another set and customize it. The only difference is that one comes with a little green slider like this:

You'll also get the yellow Annual Pass card, but as long as you have everything linked in your MDE, the only thing you'll be "missing" is the official Passholder slider.

Honestly, I wish I could've opted out of the Passholder band and just had them send me the slider. I have four MBs now - two for hotel stays, one for my AP and a RunDisney one gifted to me by a friend. I need another MB like I need a hole in the head.

 

[theostwalts]

So if I activate a voucher and customize a MB on site will that be linked to the AP and resort for changing?

 

[bumbershoot]

If so this seems really backwards.

I agree.

So if I activate a voucher and customize a MB on site will that be linked to the AP and resort for changing?

So...it's all about linking things to the MDE account. If you're staying onsite, you can set up room charging. You'll have MBs. Your linked admission will get you the ability to make FP+s. etc. So if your AP voucher is attached to your MDE, it will be attached to any MBs that are attached, or get attached, to your MDE. And it will all link up and work just fine.

 

[Teresa Powell]

I had to go to guest relations to get a card and then it showed up in my profile for magic band.

 

[DOOM1001]

I would customize your hotel ones. You'll get to pick another set and customize it. The only difference is that one comes with a little green slider like this:

You'll also get the yellow Annual Pass card, but as long as you have everything linked in your MDE, the only thing you'll be "missing" is the official Passholder slider.

Honestly, I wish I could've opted out of the Passholder band and just had them send me the slider. I have four MBs now - two for hotel stays, one for my AP and a RunDisney one gifted to me by a friend. I need another MB like I need a hole in the head.

I'm up to 5 with a 6th one coming for my marathon weekend stay and a 7th one also coming around the same time for my AP renewal which also expires in early January.I'll keep on taking them as the battery is only supposed to last 2+ years and I like having one in each color,hopefully the thread mentioning that a plain purple one is on the way is correct as I like purple.

 

[Rash]

Maybe I'm missing something, but I also purchased new APs from Disney, received the voucher cards, and they show up in MDE. I already recieved our Magic Bands after the customizing them (we arrive Friday). Sounds like that was not supposed to happen? Maybe it matters that they are DVC APs?

 

[Xennia]

We purchased our Annual Passes thru the Disney site and received our vouchers. They were already linked to our My Disney Experience account, but no Annual Pass Magic Bands have shown up to be customized. It seems like I’ve read that folks have customized and received them before the trip and activation. Even Disney’s FAQ’s lead me to believe that you customize them before your trip (like customize up to 10 days before your trip). Disney IT tells us we customize the Annual Pass Magic Bands after our trip and activation. Is this true that on our trip we’ll use the Annual Pass cards and then customize and receive the Annual Pass Magic Bands at home after the trip ? If so this seems really backwards. Thanks for any info, advice, etc.

If you make a Disney reservation at a resort you can get access to your magic bands. Are you staying n property?

 

[AngiTN]

Maybe I'm missing something, but I also purchased new APs from Disney, received the voucher cards, and they show up in MDE. I already recieved our Magic Bands after the customizing them (we arrive Friday). Sounds like that was not supposed to happen? Maybe it matters that they are DVC APs?

Are you staying on site? If so, the bands you customized and arrived are bands generate for the resort stay. You will also have bands generated by the AP purchase after you turn in the voucher. You can use either/or on any trip. They'll work interchangeably.

 

[Rash]

Are you staying on site? If so, the bands you customized and arrived are bands generate for the resort stay. You will also have bands generated by the AP purchase after you turn in the voucher. You can use either/or on any trip. They'll work interchangeably.

Wait ...so the resort bands I just recieved by mail (yes we are staying onsite) will also work for park entry once I activate the APs, AND I'm gonna get ANOTHER set of Magic Bands that ALSO work? What's the point in that? I understand sending new bands for a whole new trip, but two sets of bands for the same trip? And they both work? Seems redundant and wasteful.

 

[AngiTN]

Wait ...so the resort bands I just recieved by mail (yes we are staying onsite) will also work for park entry once I activate the APs, AND I'm gonna get ANOTHER set of Magic Bands that ALSO work? What's the point in that? I understand sending new bands for a whole new trip, but two sets of bands for the same trip? And they both work? Seems redundant and wasteful.

Yes, all bands work the same for the same things. But you won't have the AP band until you return from your trip, more than likely. Since you won't have the option to customize and order it until after you turn in your voucher.
We have about 15 bands, most from 2 3 resort split stays. Each resort stay equals a new band. Thankfully you can now decline them if you have a resort stay less than 1 year old

 

[HopperFan]

Wait ...so the resort bands I just recieved by mail (yes we are staying onsite) will also work for park entry once I activate the APs, AND I'm gonna get ANOTHER set of Magic Bands that ALSO work? What's the point in that? I understand sending new bands for a whole new trip, but two sets of bands for the same trip? And they both work? Seems redundant and wasteful.

- Every Disney Resort reservation = a set of MagicBands unless you don't customize/decline them. Why? Some folks don't keep theirs, some lose theirs, they are battery operated on part so that may die and it's just easier to offer them to each new reservation than them try to figure out if you may or may not have some.

- Every Annual Pass that has been activated (used) = a set of MagicBands, an AP Slider and an AP Discount Card. This is not tied at all to your hotel reservation. MANY AP holders are local or never stay on property to get Resort MagicBands. Why? They can save money staying off to go more often and they get free parking.

- ALL of your MagicBands are simply gateways to all the information in your MDE account. Your tickets, your FP+, your DDP, your Disney hotel room & gate, charging if Disney resort guest ............ you may interchange them daily. It's just like having 6 house keys and they all work to open the same lock.

- I have stayed at a Disney hotel and never removed the MB sent for my reservation from the box, using the special one I had bought year before. But I still bring it because it is good to have a backup in case of malfunction or loss.

BASICALLY they are NOT sending you two sets for one trip. They are sending you ONE set for your trip that is included in your room. Then as an AP Holder you earn one that will actually include other AP things in the box. One has nothing to do with the other. You just happen to earn a set via two different avenues.