Does a phone app do everything a magic band does?

[fdecker]

Since this is just RFID technology, I would think anything from the RFID cards to a Magic Band, to a phone should be interchangeable. Are they? In particular, I understand there are places around the parks (like the star wars area) where you can touch things with a magic band and have adventures or have it know who you are. Does this work with a phone? And last, the new magic bands are adding haptic feedback and the ability to light up, etc. So they aren't just passive. A phone could do almost all of this too, at least the vibration and maybe even colorful screens if the phone is open and in the app. Do you know if the phone will suffice or is the new device adding things in an effort to keep people buying them?

 

[Brett Wyman]

Since this is just RFID technology, I would think anything from the RFID cards to a Magic Band, to a phone should be interchangeable. Are they? In particular, I understand there are places around the parks (like the star wars area) where you can touch things with a magic band and have adventures or have it know who you are. Does this work with a phone? And last, the new magic bands are adding haptic feedback and the ability to light up, etc. So they aren't just passive. A phone could do almost all of this too, at least the vibration and maybe even colorful screens if the phone is open and in the app. Do you know if the phone will suffice or is the new device adding things in an effort to keep people buying them?

All of the Galaxies Edge stuff is via a sub-app in MDE. I'm not aware of any MB interaction there, outside of on ride photo ops. So it already is all phone based.

As for RFID things like your name at the end of Small World, I actually don't know if phones can do this. Does anyone?

 

[taterheads]

Yes and no, you're fine with phone instead of magic band for the time being. Once the interactive magic band + comes out that will no longer be the case. There will be some features that you can only access with the new band.

 

[CarolynFH]

As for RFID things like your name at the end of Small World, I actually don't know if phones can do this. Does anyone?

If you allow MDE on your phone to access Bluetooth, it’s supposed to link long-distance ride photos such as 7DMT. I don’t know whether Small World works the same way or not.

 

[tguz]

For some reason, we cannot unlock our room door via the phone app but we have magic bands so it's ok.

 

[fdecker]

Disney can keep a secret better than anyone else. What does "In 2022" mean for the new Magic Band +? January 1? January 15? December 31 2022?