Can you activate magic bands without going into the park?

[ftmill]

The day is almost here! After 18 months of planning we will be arrive at GF DVC Villa on 6/17. Husband & I have annual passes and have already been to the parks several times this year. We know the drill. We are arriving with 5 grandkids and want to activate their bands on the 17th but not enter the parks until the 18th. How do you do this? Thanks

 

[DonMacGregor]

The day is almost here! After 18 months of planning we will be arrive at GF DVC Villa on 6/17. Husband & I have annual passes and have already been to the parks several times this year. We know the drill. We are arriving with 5 grandkids and want to activate their bands on the 17th but not enter the parks until the 18th. How do you do this? Thanks

Magic Bands are already "active" and all you do is assign them to someone through MDE and attach a park or other reservation to them. That's why you can use a MB to "scan" in to your hotel before you even step foot anywhere near a park. If you buy the MB through Disney prior to a hotel stay, in the order process you assign the band to a guest and they arrive from Disney already set up (assigned to that guest). If you purchase a band through ShopDisney, or in a gift shop ort other merchandise location, there is a pretty simple process included in the package for assigning the bands through MDE. All of that can be done long before your trip.

If you are planning on assigning an annual pass or theme park ticket to a Magic Band, or adding a resort stay or ADR, those can also be done before hand as the actual ticket or pass ticket doesn't activate until the band is scanned at the park.

 

[PalmettoPath]

Are you managing those MagicBands through the MDE app/website? If so, you can see if they are active (or you can make them active). If you are looking to link the bands to your room/hotel reservation, the front desk can do that for you (although I'm not sure if they'll do it if the kids are not there at the time).

If you are asking about annual passes/tickets being associated with each MagicBand, you can do tickets through the app or for AP vouchers WillCall outside MK (or other parks) or at Disney Springs can assist with that.

 

[maltdizzy]

Each Magic Band gets linked to its respective MDE account. If you are unsure of the process,. have a CM can help you with it at check-in.

Once linked, they are good to go. You can do that whenever. The MB itself is not a ticket or anything, it is really just an identifier. When the MB is read/swiped, it IDs the user, so the network can pull up the account on server for tickets, reservations, photos etc.

 

[ftmill]

Magic Bands are already "active" and all you do is assign them to someone through MDE and attach a park or other reservation to them. That's why you can use a MB to "scan" in to your hotel before you even step foot anywhere near a park. If you buy the MB through Disney prior to a hotel stay, in the order process you assign the band to a guest and they arrive from Disney already set up (assigned to that guest). If you purchase a band through ShopDisney, or in a gift shop ort other merchandise location, there is a pretty simple process included in the package for assigning the bands through MDE. All of that can be done long before your trip.

If you are planning on assigning an annual pass or theme park ticket to a Magic Band, or adding a resort stay or ADR, those can also be done before hand as the actual ticket or pass ticket doesn't activate until the band is scanned at the park.

A bouquet of thanks. They were purchased through mde & are attached to reservations in parks. I may want to change one of the park reservations though...

 

[lanejudy]

The park reservations are linked to your tickets, not specifically to the MagicBands.

MagicBands are linked to individual profiles in your MDE account and simply "open" the profile to find what is there -- resort, tickets, theme park reservations, Genie+, LL, charging, etc.

 

[ftmill]

It was frustrating, but I was able to figure out the DAS advanced reservation yesterday. Most of the attractions were already booked so my efforts were a bit late. Thanks for the post
I was encouraged to apply for DAS by a Safari cast member when I asked if my husband could hold my place in line because of my disability. I have been in the parks 4 times since that day and never used it because they never explained to me how to use it and I never asked. I did get some attractions and was told how to get others using MDE while in the parks.

 

[lanejudy]

I was encouraged to apply for DAS by a Safari cast member when I asked if my husband could hold my place in line because of my disability. I have been in the parks 4 times since that day and never used it because they never explained to me how to use it and I never asked.

I think I responded to your post on the disABILITIES Forum yesterday. There is a sticky thread over there that explains DAS and lots of experienced and helpful posters to answer questions. DAS Advanced Selections are limited and often don’t work well for DAS-holders due to the timing and/or cross-crossing the park. In-park DAS Return times are easier to fit into your day.

 

[ftmill]

I think I responded to your post on the disABILITIES Forum yesterday. There is a sticky thread over there that explains DAS and lots of experienced and helpful posters to answer questions. DAS Advanced Selections are limited and often don’t work well for DAS-holders due to the timing and/or cross-crossing the park. In-park DAS Return times are easier to fit into your day.

This clarifies & confirms what I was told yesterday in DAS Advanced. TY.
I am going to buy the $ILL for Tron and other “thrill” attractions because my disability does not allow me to go on those and my grandkids are anxious to do those right away. But I can go on a few in MK and they were closed out for DAS. In any event it was timely to learn about this. I am looking at park strategies for Epcot after dark so they can go on the Guardians and test track more than once during the trip.