Do I have to deactivate old Magic Bands?

[bjck99]

I just checked, and I have several magic bands that are active. I’m only using the newest one that was purchased for a canceled trip in 2020. That magic band is active. Do I need to deactivate the others? Also, will it just automatically work the day I arrive? Under my reservation, it states that I do not have any magic bands linked to my current reservation (because I didn’t purchase new ones since I have plenty ). I’m so confused.

 

[CarolynFH]

Do I need to deactivate the others?

No, but if you have more than 4 or 5 (or 8 or 10 - no one knows whether there's a magic number or not) you might want to deactivate the ones you won't use. There have been a few posts where "MB failure" was supposedly due to having too many MBs in an account, but that hasn't been confirmed. My attitude is, it's so easy to deactivate them, why not? (And BTW, mine have been quietly deactivating themselves without action on my part! I have to check before every visit!)

Also, will it just automatically work the day I arrive?

As long as it shows as Active in your MDE, and your park tickets, resort reservation, CC, ADRs, etc. are linked to you in your MDE, it will.

Under my reservation, it states that I do not have any magic bands linked to my current reservation (because I didn’t purchase new ones since I have plenty ). I’m so confused.

You figured it out correctly - it says you don't have any MBs linked to your current reservation because you haven't bought any through the link attached to that reservation. Ignore it, or go through the process to Decline a MB for that reservation, and just use the ones you have (after making sure they're all still Active).

 

[CaptainAmerica]

Do I need to deactivate the others?

Not unless you were worried about someone stealing one and using it.

Also, will it just automatically work the day I arrive?

Yes.

Under my reservation, it states that I do not have any magic bands linked to my current reservation (because I didn’t purchase new ones since I have plenty ).

Bands don't link to reservations. Bands link to your Profile, and your Profile contains all of your reservations (and park tickets and everything else).

No, but if you have more than 4 or 5 (or 8 or 10 - no one knows whether there's a magic number or not) you might want to deactivate the ones you won't use. There have been a few posts where "MB failure" was supposedly due to having too many MBs in an account, but that hasn't been confirmed. My attitude is, it's so easy to deactivate them, why not? (And BTW, mine have been quietly deactivating themselves without action on my part! I have to check before every visit!)

The number is above 20, whatever it is. But if you get that high, even deactivating them won't work. You have to actually have some removed by calling the Help Desk and having them "damaged out." If you had 90 bands on your account and deactivated 89 of them, you'd still have the "too many bands" problem.

 

[CarolynFH]

The number is above 20, whatever it is. But if you get that high, even deactivating them won't work. You have to actually have some removed by calling the Help Desk and having them "damaged out."

I currently have 30 MBs and Cards in my account (I used to have a serious addiction to cute MBs - thank goodness for watchband sliders). The newest one worked just fine in January of this year. The others are Inactivated. I just ordered a new one for our trip this coming July, so I guess I'll see how well I do with 32 (1 new MB and 1 new AP card).

 

[Marthasor]

I would recommend deactivating any MB you will not use on your trip.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

I currently have 30 MBs and Cards in my account (I used to have a serious addiction to cute MBs - thank goodness for watchband sliders). The newest one worked just fine in January of this year. The others are Inactivated. I just ordered a new one for our trip this coming July, so I guess I'll see how well I do with 32 (1 new MB and 1 new AP card).

Yeah I had about 20 at one point and when I called the Help Desk about some unrelated issue, I figured I'd take the opportunity to have some of them deleted. I mentioned to the girl that I had hear of this "too many bands" issue and she told me I wasn't even close. So who knows?

 

[BK2014]

DW and issues with her 50th Anniversary magic band working when we checked in on on Sept. 30th. The resort CM deactivated some of her others to get the new one to work. Neither of us had more than 18 magic bands.

 

[bjck99]

Thanks everyone! I’ll be deactivating the ones I’m not using.

 

[soniam]

You can recycle deactivated bands at the hotel desk, if you don't want the clutter around.