Cost of Magicband vs plastic card

[Mommyof3boys2017]

We're headed down after a 4 year break and as I went to purchase magicbands for our family of 5, I hesitated. I chose 1 magicband+ and 4 regular ones and it was $120+. I do not want to use my phone all the time but are the plastic tickets convenient? Do you each just wear a lanyard with the card in it? Where do I even get the cards?

 

[sponica]

Do you have MBs from your last trip? Those will still work at touch points. If you wanted the long range capacity, you could buy just one new one for the group.

If you want a plastic card, if you're staying on site, you can get a Key To The World Card at the front desk or you can get plastic cards at guest services. While they will issue them at the tapstiles, for the sake of everyone behind you in line, please don't do that.
Back when I used hard tickets, I kept them in my wallet.

 

[TheSouthernBelle]

We're headed down after a 4 year break and as I went to purchase magicbands for our family of 5, I hesitated. I chose 1 magicband+ and 4 regular ones and it was $120+. I do not want to use my phone all the time but are the plastic tickets convenient? Do you each just wear a lanyard with the card in it? Where do I even get the cards?

So old MBs still work, if you have them. I have some from trips back in 2014. They may not work for ride photos (long range as sponica mentioned) but they work fine for getting into the park and for lightening lanes (fast pass). If you all have MBs then you don't need to use the key cards, it's the same info on the cards as the bands but you do need to ensure that you link your MB to your MDE so each band has a person's name and a ticket attached to it as the cards would. Back when we had cards, I kept mine in my pocket or bag and my kids would keep them on a pin lanyard. Your MBs, all of them, will also open your disney resort room door.

 

[Rory607]

We have always had Magicbands at Disney, but we did Universal recently where they only issue cards. It also had the express pass on it, so we needed it accessible all the time. I ordered lanyards for everyone, including the kids. It was so easy and I didn’t miss the bands at all. As long as you don’t mind having something around your neck, I think it’s easy way to save some money.

 

[Herding_Cats]

If you're using Genie+ or ILL at all during your trip you're still going to be using your phone all the time.

 

[Beer Me]

I think magic bands are way more convenient than a card or phone. But as others have noted an old band will work. We went earlier this year with 2017 magic bands and they worked perfectly for tap points. We even got a couple of ride photos which surprised me.

 

[pjacobi]

Magicbands may be more convenient, but I don't think they would be worth the cost. It seems like a good place to save money on the ever-increasing cost of a Disney vacation.


-Paul

 

[Disneyfan754321]

My kids loved having a lanyard with the card slot. (We ended up pin trading with 5 pins each.)
I used my apple watch as mine.
My son used my old phone with disney wifi to play with the disney play app