Can you bring less to the parks with a Magic Band?

[KeepCalmAndCarryOn]

As we start to plan what we need for our upcoming trip, I am wondering if the magic band actually reduces what you need to pack for a day at the parks? I assume we still need:
- ID
- Debit/Card Card


We are doing the Disney Dining Plan, and I know that the meal plan and resort room key are linked to the band, but I am confused about things such as tipping (last time I used the meal plan we added the tip to our room and paid at the end of the trip) and whether we can get away with that using the band? For things such as drinks with meals, assume I need an ID, still.

This is our first trip with our twins (who will be 15 months for the trip) and I am just trying to determine how to NOT travel with 800 pounds of gear each day.

Thank you, and I apologize as I am sure this question has been asked before - will also try to search but my moments of "adult" time between teaching all day and twinnie time before and after work is limited these days

 

[MakiraMarlena]

If your band is set up for charging back to the room, yes you can use it to pay the tips.

This is the minimum of what I have to still bring to the parks besides the magic band.

ID
Tables in Wonderland card
My annual pass card (must have the actual card to redeem discounts)
My DVC member card (must have it for lounge access and to redeem discounts)
I carry some cash in case the computers go down, sometimes they do. If they do and you can't pay via DDP then you would need some other way to pay.
Cell phone
Charger for cell phone
Cord for charger for cell phone
Lip balm
Umbrella (yes I usually carry one)

 

[disneyvoice]

What a fun trip with your little ones!

We always bring IDs, credit cards, a small amount of cash, and our AP cards. As with the PP we also bring lip balm, cell phones, cell phone chargers, and sun screen. For little ones I would make sure they have hats if they will wear them. Our son wasn't into hats so we would make a big deal about buying a hat as soon as we got to our first park - he was always open to wearing a new hat from the parks because he thought it was "special."

After my first time traveling with our son when he was 8 months old I learned to not pack for so many "what ifs" as far as visiting with a baby/toddler. I brought just the number of diapers and wipes I thought he would need and didn't freak out about having an extra change of clothes. Just about everything you could possible need for a baby/toddler is available at the Baby Care centers or in one of the gift shops. I never did need an extra change of clothes or extra diapers so I was happy to be able to travel a bit lighter.

 

[fbb]

I carry some cash in case the computers go down, sometimes they do. If they do and you can't pay via DDP then you would need some other way to pay.

If I had prepaid my meals through the dining plan, I wouldn't be talked into paying another way because of their system error.

 

[Capang]

Bring cash for tips.

 

[bumbershoot]

I bring more, because I bring what I already brought and I bring the mb.

Or I guess the band replaces the ticket card.

So it’s the same except the ticket woukd fit into my lanyard pouch (with brand “see it safe” waterproof hard plastic thing hanging from my Ravenclaw lanyard) and the band doesn’t.

 

[katt789]

You CAN link your credit card up to your MB and pay with it, including tip BUT, PLEASE, still bring a backup card/enough cash with you into the parks. The touchpoints/my magic system DOES NOT ALWAYS WORK, sometimes it crashes, sometimes it glitches, and the hotel does put an automatic "halt" on it when your purchases hit a certain amount, so even if your card has a higher limit, it might stop working "randomly". Also when this happens please note it's not the CM's fault...

 

[Linleedo]

As we start to plan what we need for our upcoming trip, I am wondering if the magic band actually reduces what you need to pack for a day at the parks? I assume we still need:
- ID
- Debit/Card Card


We are doing the Disney Dining Plan, and I know that the meal plan and resort room key are linked to the band, but I am confused about things such as tipping (last time I used the meal plan we added the tip to our room and paid at the end of the trip) and whether we can get away with that using the band? For things such as drinks with meals, assume I need an ID, still.

This is our first trip with our twins (who will be 15 months for the trip) and I am just trying to determine how to NOT travel with 800 pounds of gear each day.

Thank you, and I apologize as I am sure this question has been asked before - will also try to search but my moments of "adult" time between teaching all day and twinnie time before and after work is limited these days

Be aware. One year, at the Food and Wine festival, they had an issue with the Magic Bands being read at the cash registers. We needed to have $ or a credit card to pay for the food. Since then, we always carry a back up.

 

[scrapquitler]

With a MB you CAN go without cash and Credit/debit card, but it's not necessarily a good idea to do so. There are some (not many, but some) places that don't take MB for payments, and the MB charging system is not fullproof, there are times when the system goes down, and wouldn't it be terrible to not have a backup payment form if that happens?

And I would never go to the parks (or anywhere, really) without my ID and health insurance ID card, just in case of an emergency

 

[scrapquitler]

With a MB you CAN go without cash and Credit/debit card, but it's not necessarily a good idea to do so. There are some (not many, but some) places that don't take MB for payments, and the MB charging system is not fullproof, there are times when the system goes down, and wouldn't it be terrible to not have a backup payment form if that happens?

And I would never go to the parks (or anywhere, really) without my ID and health insurance ID card, just in case of an emergency

 

[Ciandella915]

That's one of my very few beefs with WDW: I still have to bring my AP (or Disney Visa before we became APs) to get discounts. So that and my ID are two things I have to bring (and compulsively check after transactions) into the park. Then I bring lip balm, sunglasses, my husband's sunglasses, a little cash, and my iPhone charger.

@scrapquitler ... I never thought of bringing an insurance card. We really should be doing that too.

 

[Luvdancink]

That's one of my very few beefs with WDW: I still have to bring my AP (or Disney Visa before we became APs) to get discounts. So that and my ID are two things I have to bring (and compulsively check after transactions) into the park. Then I bring lip balm, sunglasses, my husband's sunglasses, a little cash, and my iPhone charger.

@scrapquitler ... I never thought of bringing an insurance card. We really should be doing that too.

Take a pic of both sides of your insurance card and then just bring your phone. I have a photo of each family members card just in case.

 

[tcufrog]

Unless your toddlers are super picky you can buy snacks and drinks in the park. It can get pricey though. We didn’t mind because we had free dining plans both times so we used snack credits. If they don’t drink from straws or directly from cups I would bring sippies such as take and toss you don’t mind losing. I would also bring something to small entertain them in line, a wipeable bib if you still use bibs, and diapers and wipes.

When I took my then two year old I didn’t take a diaper bag to the park. I had a diaper changing wallet that held a refillable wipes case and diapers that had a strap made to clip to the stroller handle. I think Skip Hop made it. I brought a few other things such as a lightweight blanket (it was winter), sunscreen (It was very sunny even in summer.) and a change of clothes I didn’t mind losing tucked into a zip loc went into the stroller basket. My son was a messy eater and I didn’t want to possibly buy him a new outfit after lunch everyday.

If it was supposed to rain I added lined wind breakers to the basket. Since it could get chilly the wind breaker did double duty to keep us dry and keep us warm. They took up less space than ponchos and jackets. It turned out to be a good choice because we got wet and cold on the trip. The one night we forgot one of the jackets we ended up having to buy one of the kids a rather expensive hoodie because it was cold and rainy.

I added to the basket one of those thin foldable nylon shopping bags I could use to carry stuff if I needed to fold the stroller for the bus and I was good to go. Every day I took fewer and fewer child care items as I realized how convenient and baby friendly the park was. It was very freeing to not have a diaper bag. That was one of the best parts of my trip.

As for cards, I traded my regular wallet for a lightweight card case that fit into my pants pocket. I put claim tickets for stuff sent to the resort, a credit card, my license, a few dollars, and my insurance card in it.

Honestly, the heaviest things were the DSLR camera and video camera and those were coming whether I had a diaper bag or not.

 

[MaryLovesPoohBear]

If I had prepaid my meals through the dining plan, I wouldn't be talked into paying another way because of their system error.

If you want to eat, you will.

You could then go back to the resort and have them adjust it.

 

[srwarden1928]

I love the magic band, but the only thing it allowed me to leave behind is the card that used to be my ticket and the one that was the room key (sometimes the same one). But all I carry to a park would be my wallet, phone, portable charger, sandwich bag for those last two for Kali or Splash, car key (unless someone else drove)(I prefer driving to the bus).

 

[LizzyS]

If your band is set up for charging back to the room, yes you can use it to pay the tips.

This is the minimum of what I have to still bring to the parks besides the magic band.

ID
Tables in Wonderland card
My annual pass card (must have the actual card to redeem discounts)
My DVC member card (must have it for lounge access and to redeem discounts)
I carry some cash in case the computers go down, sometimes they do. If they do and you can't pay via DDP then you would need some other way to pay.
Cell phone
Charger for cell phone
Cord for charger for cell phone
Lip balm
Umbrella (yes I usually carry one)

What do you have to do to set up your MB for charging back to the room?

 

[KeepCalmAndCarryOn]

Sorry so delayed, but thank you all for your responses!

 

[MaryLovesPoohBear]

What do you have to do to set up your MB for charging back to the room?

Go to the front desk and give them a card to record. They will also have you set up a PIN.

I don't think you can do it on line, I know you can't change the PIN on line.

 

[mco65]

I think on our last trip i went to the parks a few times without anything but my magic band.. no wallet, id, cash, credit card. My wife brought hers... but i went Commando, if you will...

 

[LizzyS]

Go to the front desk and give them a card to record. They will also have you set up a PIN.

I don't think you can do it on line, I know you can't change the PIN on line.

I did set up a PIN for the MB online already and my credit card is linked to my MDE account, but I still need to go to the front desk? Seems repetitive, but whatever works!