Do you buy Magic Bands?

[100AcreWood]

We're offsite people. On our last trip we bought one magic band to make use Memory Maker easier. Our oldest kid loved having the band.

I don't think I'll ever care one way or the other about the band. I was just curious if offsite people typically buy bands or not?

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

We don't. We have our paper tickets (for MNSSHP and MVMCP) put on a plastic, credit-card style ticket at Guest Services at Disney Springs and use that for Memory Maker, our Fastpasses, and park entry. We slip those inside a clear lanyard pouch and wear them around our necks. But, I despise stuff around my wrists so magic bands hold zero appeal.

 

[100AcreWood]

That's a great idea. Are you able to easily scan your ticket for FP+ through the plastic pouch? I see there are several styles available on the Disney Parks app.

Thanks!

 

[Kids for Disney]

We stay offsite! My husband and boys want to get them for our trip this summer. They want them just because they can get Star Wars on them. We have been to Disney several times without them and have been just fine.

 

[Klayfish]

We always stay off site too. And I never like to wear things on my wrist either, but I am a 100% committed fan of magic bands. They are so much easier than dealing with the cards, in my opinion...especially for the kids. With the tickets, we never felt good having the kids trying to carry them around. The magic bands don't fall off, so there is no real chance of losing them. They make FP+ and memory maker so much easier too. I'd recommend giving them a try, they're not all that expensive for a "basic" one.

 

[pigletto]

We had so many of them from trips before we started staying offsite that I threw most of them away. Ooops. I kept four for all of us to have one each, but dd left hers out and the dog chewed it. So we bought her a new one on our last offsite trip. We love having them. I vastly prefer not having to deal with cards or lanyards. We have to at Universal and I find it a bit of pain now that I am used to not having to.

 

[BigredNole]

We bought some when we were onsite simply because we loved characters. We will get ours free with our APs, so we will not be buying any.

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

That's a great idea. Are you able to easily scan your ticket for FP+ through the plastic pouch? I see there are several styles available on the Disney Parks app.

Thanks!

Yes, with no problem at all .

 

[BigredNole]

We don't. We have our paper tickets (for MNSSHP and MVMCP) put on a plastic, credit-card style ticket at Guest Services at Disney Springs

They can put the tickets on the old room key style cards? Are there different styles of cards you can choose from?

Glad I read this because I didn't know. We are AP holders. Although I don't mind the Tyvek passes, I prefer hard plastic because they are easier to manage/not lose.

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

They can put the tickets on the old room key style cards? Are there different styles of cards you can choose from?

Glad I read this because I didn't know. We are AP holders. Although I don't mind the Tyvek passes, I prefer hard plastic because they are easier to manage/not lose.

Yes, they are the old style cards . They have always given my DH and I different cards, though the choice of styles always seems to differ. We received Star Wars cards most recently, and character cards (Mickey/Minnie) the time prior.

 

[tjlamphere]

We bought some when we were onsite simply because we loved characters. We will get ours free with our APs, so we will not be buying any.

Will be buying Annual Passes (2) for our November trip - how do I get Magic Bands if I am buying Annual Passes? And can APs only be purchased directly from Disney? I want to buy them a few months before, so I can have them in plenty of time...but the first day I use them is when the clocks start ticking, correct? I need to learn a lot about these APs, as we have never had them before. Can you use your Disney Visa to buy them???

 

[BigredNole]

Will be buying Annual Passes (2) for our November trip - how do I get Magic Bands if I am buying Annual Passes? And can APs only be purchased directly from Disney? I want to buy them a few months before, so I can have them in plenty of time...but the first day I use them is when the clocks start ticking, correct? I need to learn a lot about these APs, as we have never had them before. Can you use your Disney Visa to buy them???

Kinda the wrong thread to answer, but the simply answer is that you will not have MBs for the first use of the APs. They have to be activated at one of the parks then you get access to ordering your MBs in MDE. The only way to have them is to purchase if that is what you want to do

 

[ef22]

I almost always stay off site, but have them since I'm an annual passholder. They are almost a necessity if you want to take advantage of the memory maker photos

 

[tjlamphere]

Kinda the wrong thread to answer, but the simply answer is that you will not have MBs for the first use of the APs. They have to be activated at one of the parks then you get access to ordering your MBs in MDE. The only way to have them is to purchase if that is what you want to do

Would I get them for free if I waited? Someplace I read where AP holders get Magic Bands for free...true or false??

 

[LuvMyEAR]

Five out of six of us who usually visit together bought bands the first year we could and love them. They are just a bit of magic that comes home with us, to be tucked away until our next Trip. We keep waiting for them to stop working but so far, so good.

While I have never found them real comfortable, I wear it until I feel I want a break then attach it to a bag strap. Still love it. Love the technology, and of course the Mickey icon. If any or all aren't still working when we go in Nov, I will be replacing them.

 

[BigredNole]

Would I get them for free if I waited? Someplace I read where AP holders get Magic Bands for free...true or false??

Yes, they are free. Just not for the first trip. Once you activate your AP, you should get the "Customize magic bands" option available in MDE. Then you can customize and get the free. Takes 10-14 days to receive. Thus the reason you won't have them for your first trip unless you are staying there 3 weeks.

 

[Disney Forever]

We usually stay onsite and they come free, this time we are staying at the Dolphin and I bought the kids character MagicBands and me and my DW plain colors. First of all, they are great to use for Magic Maker as well as the ease of use for fastpasses too. What I like the most about having them is, we bring with us extra fine tip sharpies and have some characters sign them, it's a great souvenir.