Are Magic Bands worth purchasing?

[Kelli4Cy]

We are a military family staying at SoG. I know we don't get Magic Bands, but I'm considering purchasing them and would like to know if they're worth it.

Family of six - four kids (11,9,6,4)

I understand that if we don't have magic bands, then we'll have a card to swipe for fast passes? Is that right?

I'm wondering if magic bands are more convenient because they stay on the wrist as opposed to pulling out a card each time we need it??

On the flip side, how often will we need it since we're not considered on-site at SoG?

Any words of wisdom?

 

[Mikie]

I've never stayed at SOG, so not sure - can a MB substitute as your room key? If so, can you put a credit card on your room and make charges back to your room as with other resorts?
Also, do you plan to have Memory Maker or purchase ride photos?

Depending on those answers, your MB would be easily accessible vs pulling out a card for:
Getting in your room, making a purchase of food or souvenirs charged back to your room, park admission, Fastpasses, ride photos and photopass photographer shots. As the parent, it would be nice to have the kids wearing their "ticket" and not have to be in charge of 6 cards all the time.

I'm pretty cheap, though, and not sure if I'd pay for 6, especially if any of the above uses don't aoply at SOG.

 

[hiroMYhero]

If you buy Memory Maker, you should buy at least one MagicBand so that your ride photos and videos get sent to your MDE account. Otherwise, you would have no way to access 7DMT photos.

Because SOG isn't an onsite resort, you wouldn't be able to use the MagicBand to charge to your room or to enter your room. It would be good for entrance and FP tapstiles. The only advantage with a MagicBand is that you can easily tap it for the two tapstiles in FP lines - one at the entrance and the other midway at the merging point.

Some people in the Throwaway Room thread use the Throwaway Room as a means for acquiring MagicBands for a lower cost then buying them at full retail price.

 

[ellie05]

I think it is worth it. As I said in another thread I saw a ticket failing out of someone back pocket while exiting Space Mountain. I think loosing a ticket is easy and it will be a hassle to have it replace. You can buy it online through the disneystore and they always have some sort of coupon code you can use and save some money from buying it onsite.

 

[minnie mum]

If you don't have memory maker, I'm not sure if it is worth the convenience of not pulling tickets out of your wallet or purse 4 times a day. ( once for park entry and 3 times for fps). That's a fair chunk of change for a whole family. Funny, but I used tickets or KTTW cards for decades and never lost one.

 

[georgina]

While they are convenient, I wouldn't buy magic bands. I used to always keep my and the kids' tickets/room keys in my front pockets or zippered cargo pockets and never had any issues with losing them.

 

[Kelli4Cy]

Thank you for the responses!

Yes, I forgot to mention that I am purchasing the Memory Maker. I had forgotten about that portion and the magicbands. So, I will be sure to have at least 1.

The Magic Bands won't work to open room doors at SoG, but I still think I may get them. A small part of me wants to purchase them just so I can decorate and personalize them for each of us! LOL

Thanks again for all the advice and helping me to work out all these decisions.