Do I really need a Magic Band

[Sparrow'sLady]

Do you NEED one?
No
Do they make it easier?
Yes
What other options?
You can request a card at the hotel or front gate for your door & tickets & all else MB do EXCEPT ride photos without tap option.
You can use your phone, though we found they are much slower and I often see CMs pull cards from pocket to offer those guests.
You can use your apple watch, though DS found it to be less responsive and opted to buy a MagicBand.

Not meaning to respond to you directly Hopper, but just speaking generally......I find all of 3 of those options inconvenient. It either requires still digging and pulling something out or scrolling (watch/phone) through to find information every time you have to tap.

 

[HopperFan]

Not meaning to respond to you directly Hopper, but just speaking generally......I find all of 3 of those options inconvenient. It either requires still digging and pulling something out or scrolling (watch/phone) through to find information every time you have to tap.

I completely agree, especially since last full family trip we had all of those things being used by someone so we really could compare. The only folks who proceeded through the scans as fast as the MB were the cards ... but they had to dig them out and put away (and hopefully not lose) - so the MB was still the real winner.

Just giving out the options to OP.

I actually fought the MB+ because of the charging. I had several nice themed bands. In June DS#2 convinced me to buy one (Villain of course) and it was so much fun. I loved the vibrating and all different lights being trigger at shows and more. So in August I bought one for DS#1. He doesn't really understand how or why but one of the highlights of his trip was the MB+ lighting up and vibrating, and he kept showing me. NOTE: We go often so will get our monies worth for sure.

 

[Lumpy1106]

All MBs started with a (button) battery, and as I stated above the battery driven functions are just a gimmick in my personal view. Yes even one that you might have received back in 2013 still would work for all tap functions.


Then it would work just like a MB, MB 2, and a now MB+ that will no longer charge. I am not sure why you chose to deactivate it, and throw it out. Since you have an iPhone you don't lose any functional features by having a dead battery on your MB+. Your iPhone can use its Bluetooth for select attraction pictures.

The only thing we hate about the MB+ is that they don't tend to stay securely closed while enjoying the parks.

Dave

I took one of DD's hair bands and wrapped it around one end of the MB, put the MB on, then rolled the hair band over the latch. Worked like a charm, stayed safely secured the entire trip for all of us.

 

[CarolynFH]

I’ll just say that I prefer the MB to a card, but if I were using a card I’d put it in a lanyard pouch (which is what we did before MB existed). Very easy to tap (do not have to remove from the pouch), but I did drop it down into the front of my shirt when riding Mine Train and similar rides.

 

[AngieInOH]

Should have kept your old Magic Bands. We've gotten a lot of use out of ours and I've found them to be well worth it. If you purchase do not throw them away.

 

[pooch]

We even have a pink MB from my then 5 month old DGD. We put it on her ankle & it stayed on the whole trip (took it off back at the resort).

 

[Dave006]

We even have a pink MB from my then 5 month old DGD. We put it on her ankle & it stayed on the whole trip (took it off back at the resort.

OK and why did you do this? It is not like she needed to tap in to anything.

Dave

 

[pooch]

OK and why did you do this? It is not like she needed to tap in to anything.

Dave

They were complementary at the time and it was cute!

 

[Simba's Mom]

Our 2 year old didn't need a MB either, but since she saw everyone else tap in with their MB she insisted on doing it also, and as pooch said "They were complimentary and it was cute"!