Everything you need to know about MagicBands.

[aviva5675]

Does the MDE automatically update when the bands are shipped? I have a trip in Dec with cousins who have tickets already and we have a resort reservation. They and their tix show in my MDE, no bands. When they ship will it update and show their bands?

 

[Accident]

Does the MDE automatically update when the bands are shipped? I have a trip in Dec with cousins who have tickets already and we have a resort reservation. They and their tix show in my MDE, no bands. When they ship will it update and show their bands?

included in price resort bands will automatically be added to MDE for you. store purchased and shipped bands will not and you need to add those manually.

 

[Lee Matthews]

I'm from the UK and staying at Universal but we still want magic bands for the days we are at Disney for park entry and photopass.

Is it easier to just purchase some on my first day and get the park tickets added at guest relations ?

 

[siskaren]

I'm from the UK and staying at Universal but we still want magic bands for the days we are at Disney for park entry and photopass.

Is it easier to just purchase some on my first day and get the park tickets added at guest relations ?

I don't think magic bands can be shipped to other countries (I know they aren't when they're part of a reservation, but I'm pretty sure they can't be purchased through the Disney Store online and shipped to other countries, either), so buying them on your first day is probably not only easier, but the only way. Nothing needs to be added to the magic bands, though, because nothing is "on" a magic band - as long as you have an MDE profile with tickets attached, once your magic bands are linked to your profile, they'll access the tickets.

 

[Accident]

Sounds good, larger selection at the parks.

 

[yaksack]

Our trip is in February 2017. If I order park tickets now, will the magic bands arrive before Christmas?

 

[aviva5675]

I don't think so.

 

[Accident]

Our trip is in February 2017. If I order park tickets now, will the magic bands arrive before Christmas?

You do not get magicbands with park tickets. Only visitors staying at a disney resort get an included in price magicband and they ship about 1 month before your checkin date. For just tickets, you either use the hard plastic ticket or you purchase magicbands.

 

[Mambo Junkie]

I must confess to being technology challenged. While I was there in September I neglected to get a Halloween MB, but a friend picked me up one. Also, I have an Olaf I got a couple of years back that I want to give my granddaughter for her next trip. Since these were purchased without a Link it Later, does that mean I won't be able to use them? I saw where you wrote you spent 3 hours trying to get one activated, then needed an additional hour to get it working correctly. Is this the norm? Am I just out of luck? I did purchase a F&G band, and they asked if I wanted to link it now or later and I said later because I was in a hurry. They didn't do anything special. Am I in the same boat as with the other 2?

 

[Accident]

I must confess to being technology challenged. While I was there in September I neglected to get a Halloween MB, but a friend picked me up one. Also, I have an Olaf I got a couple of years back that I want to give my granddaughter for her next trip. Since these were purchased without a Link it Later, does that mean I won't be able to use them? I saw where you wrote you spent 3 hours trying to get one activated, then needed an additional hour to get it working correctly. Is this the norm? Am I just out of luck? I did purchase a F&G band, and they asked if I wanted to link it now or later and I said later because I was in a hurry. They didn't do anything special. Am I in the same boat as with the other 2?

the 3 hours is not the norm anymore. that's what happens when they don't link it something and you get back to your room and find out it can't be used until you get it linked to something by a castmember first. they are better trained now that there is a few years of magicbands in use.. it was interesting in the early times..

link it later means that it hasn't been assigned to anyone. that band can be assigned to you or anyone you want. all they do is go into my disney experience (app or website), and in the magicbands and card section they can add a magicband. it'll ask them to type in the numbers found on the back of the band and then who the band should be linked too.

The other bands it's kind of tricky to say if they are used from your description. I would try the same thing and attempt to add it and link it to your granddaughter. make sure you use the my disney experience account that she appears on with her tickets. if that's her parents account, then ask them to try to add it and link it for her. If there is any error adding the band, then I think it's safe to assume that it was already assigned to you and you cannot transfer bands between people (but they make good play jewelry when you get home to load up your grand daughter with ones you don't plan to use anymore)

 

[Mambo Junkie]

With the Olaf band: if I walked up and bought it, but it has never been out of the box can it be linked to me simply by purchasing it? Like I said, I'm a bit tech challenged.

 

[siskaren]

With the Olaf band: if I walked up and bought it, but it has never been out of the box can it be linked to me simply by purchasing it? Like I said, I'm a bit tech challenged.

Not just by purchasing it, no. You have to go into your MDE account to link it.

 

[Accident]

With the Olaf band: if I walked up and bought it, but it has never been out of the box can it be linked to me simply by purchasing it? Like I said, I'm a bit tech challenged.

Not just by purchasing it, no. You have to go into your MDE account to link it.

They can link it without removing it from the box. Do you remember if they put a handheld device against the box? Actually it's a bad sign if all they did was charge you and put it in your bag, that band might be useless and unlinkable but use siskaren's advice and try to link it to your granddaughter. if it works, score! if it doesn't then that's where it gets messier and 1 thing you can do is bring it with you and stop at guest relations for their help.

 

[Mambo Junkie]

They can link it without removing it from the box. Do you remember if they put a handheld device against the box? Actually it's a bad sign if all they did was charge you and put it in your bag, that band might be useless and unlinkable but use siskaren's advice and try to link it to your granddaughter. if it works, score! if it doesn't then that's where it gets messier and 1 thing you can do is bring it with you and stop at guest relations for their help.

I honestly can't remember if they used a device on it or not. It will be what it is but thanks for all your help and advice. We will see what happens.

 

[Mambo Junkie]

I honestly can't remember if they used a device on it or not. It will be what it is but thanks for all your help and advice. We will see what happens.

I do have 1 mire question though. Why is walking into a store and buying a MB any different from buying one online at the Disney store? If I but one online or on a store I would expect it to work like anything else. Open the package and enter the numbers into my account and Voila! It works. Why would this be any different?

 

[Accident]

I do have 1 mire question though. Why is walking into a store and buying a MB any different from buying one online at the Disney store? If I but one online or on a store I would expect it to work like anything else. Open the package and enter the numbers into my account and Voila! It works. Why would this be any different?

If you mean a local disney store than it's not. If you mean the store at walt disney world itself, then it's a theft prevention thing so they are useless without paying for it since you can actually use it there and there is a lot of people that didn't get a free one with their resort stay.

I might have made an assumption that you purchased it while at WDW in my answers previously.

 

[Mambo Junkie]

If you mean a local disney store than it's not. If you mean the store at walt disney world itself, then it's a theft prevention thing so they are useless without paying for it since you can actually use it there and there is a lot of people that didn't get a free one with their resort stay.

I might have made an assumption that you purchased it while at WDW in my answers previously.

Yes, both the Halloween band as well as the Olaf band were bought at WDW. I just don't understand why, when you purchase them you're not told they will be worthless if you choose not to use them right away. My friend bought me the Halloween one but I'm pretty sure she didn't do anything special other than purchase it because like me, she was unaware it would be unusable.

 

[Accident]

Yes, both the Halloween band as well as the Olaf band were bought at WDW. I just don't understand why, when you purchase them you're not told they will be worthless if you choose not to use them right away. My friend bought me the Halloween one but I'm pretty sure she didn't do anything special other than purchase it because like me, she was unaware it would be unusable.

I didn't say that, sorry I forgot you mentioned you weren't technical. if you were to steal the band without paying at WDW, it's worthless and just costume jewlery. When you pay there is 2 options. 1 is link it later which means you can link it to anyone you want in MDE. or you can have them link it directly to some one right away, you can't transfer a band to someone else when linked so link it later is perfect for a gift.. many times a castmember just makes it link it later to quickly finish the transaction or if you tell them it's a gift they know you don't want to link it to yourself so they just get it ready. sometimes you get a clueless brand new castmember though and they don't so anything with the band. this is when it gets messy and disney needs to get involved, usually meaning you have to go to guest relations to activate the band.. sometimes it's not needed though so it's a pain in the neck and no real way to find out if you can link it on your own or if you need to bring the band to guest relations and hope they can do it.

It's really confusing.. just try to link it to your granddaughter in my disney experience and if you can't, then bring it with you on your trip and stop at guest relations for their help.

 

[aviva5675]

In Sept we got grey bands at the resort, then I bought a limited edition one at EPC. The castmember did some magic with a device (and also my resort one??) and got it going right away. I wore it out of the store and it was working great.

 

[Mambo Junkie]

I didn't say that, sorry I forgot you mentioned you weren't technical. if you were to steal the band without paying at WDW, it's worthless and just costume jewlery. When you pay there is 2 options. 1 is link it later which means you can link it to anyone you want in MDE. or you can have them link it directly to some one right away, you can't transfer a band to someone else when linked so link it later is perfect for a gift.. many times a castmember just makes it link it later to quickly finish the transaction or if you tell them it's a gift they know you don't want to link it to yourself so they just get it ready. sometimes you get a clueless brand new castmember though and they don't so anything with the band. this is when it gets messy and disney needs to get involved, usually meaning you have to go to guest relations to activate the band.. sometimes it's not needed though so it's a pain in the neck and no real way to find out if you can link it on your own or if you need to bring the band to guest relations and hope they can do it.

It's really confusing.. just try to link it to your granddaughter in my disney experience and if you can't, then bring it with you on your trip and stop at guest relations for their help.

Thank you so much! She had just gotten the Elsa band and I got this one to save for a later trip. Fingers crossed; I appreciate all your knowledge.