Do you travel with extra Magic Bands?

[KrazeeK120]

How long do the batteries last?

 

[GaSleepingBeautyFan]

I do.
I have lost 2 already so I bring several extras so I can easily use those rather than buying a new one or getting a yucky to me gray one from the front desk of the resort.
I just make sure I've activated it on my account before I leave for Disney.

 

[Accident]

How long do the batteries last?

The batteries are only needed for the ride photos and you can tap it on all rides except FEA, 7DMT and the video of ToT so the band still works for everything else even with dead batteries and you just claim our photo on the other rides and it's not horrible. There is no way to check the batteries work except to ride somethign and see if it doesn't appear so that is why I have a second in my bag if I'm carrying a bag.

The castmember answer will be about 2 years. My experience is I've had some go about 2 years but i also picked up the last of a limited band and it barely lasted 5 months. (it was on the shelf for almost 2 years). So it's not 2-3 years from you get it, it's 2-3 years from when it was made and nobody really knows how long something sat in some warehouse before you got it.

The new design makes it interesting as now you can just take the icon with you and that is much more pocket sized for a backup battery band. or you can change the icon for a favorite band you purchased when you think the battery is dead. again, no way to tell the battery is dead except to not get a ride photo after riding.

 

[jenniy122]

There is no NEED to, but I'll admit that I've got 5 packed. And that's after paring down! No shame!

I just checked my account and apparently I have 15 MBs. Hmm...

 

[karly05]

I take the new one and last year's one, "just in case," but I always end up just using the new one.

 

[beesly]

There's no need to, but I always bring all of mine with me because I like to swap out the colors. We do have a Sorcerer's of the Magic Kingdom games on two of the old sets, and we need those specific bands to play that particular game from where we left off, so I usually carry those when we are in the MK.

This is a good point! I didn't know this when we started to play - I assumed the game was linked to my MDE - but I was glad that someone posted this before I went back so that we knew which bands to bring. We bring our old ones anyway to coordinate with different outfits, but the SotMK purpose falls in the "necessary" column if you want to continue an existing game.

 

[Accident]

Hang on, sorcerers game are tied to a specific band? My daughter plays a lot and surprised she never mentioned this.

 

[IrishNYC]

This is a good point! I didn't know this when we started to play - I assumed the game was linked to my MDE - but I was glad that someone posted this before I went back so that we knew which bands to bring. We bring our old ones anyway to coordinate with different outfits, but the SotMK purpose falls in the "necessary" column if you want to continue an existing game.

Hmmm. I was going to say no, but knowing this now, then yes, we will be traveling with extras because DD and DH started a game last trip. If they don't care, then we will be traveling with 2 sets because we have a split stay coming up - one set is our color preferences, the other set will match our costumes for MNSSHP, and DD will have a character band that she'd getting for her birthday to tell her that we're going to Disney.

 

[beesly]

Hang on, sorcerers game are tied to a specific band? My daughter plays a lot and surprised she never mentioned this.

I think this post is where I first read about it. Other posts mention it here and here.

 

[Accident]

I think this post is where I first read about it. Other posts mention it here and here.

that sucks, I'm surprised they did the band and not the person... more reason to request a card for that game. Then you can keep it with your other cards and you can't play without pulling out cards so not really inconvenient to not use the band.