How long do magic bands last?

[mamaofsix]

Is there a way to "test" from home if the RFID chip in your magic band is still functional? By the time we return to Disney, it will have been a little over 3 years since the last trip. Would love to save the money and not have to buy new Magic Bands.

 

[skeeter31]

The portion of your band that functions with the tap action (entering park, unlocking room door, paying, etc) should never die as it’s not powered by a battery. The only portion that is powered by a battery is the long range functions (getting pictures on 7DMT and HM and having your name appear at the end of Small World). Even that part lasts 2-4 years so you’re most likely good. But there is no way of testing that ahead of time. But for the most aspects of the band that you will need, your band will work perfectly forever.

 

[Pixie Dusted Snow]

Anywhere that you physically touch the band will work forever.
Its only the long range functions that requires the battery to still work like for your name to appear on screen on It's a Small World or receiving your ride photo from Frozen Ever After.
In the beginning Disney said the battery lasts 2 years although since then I've heard of people saying it worked 3 years out when they went.
If you want to be sure you're getting ride photos that do not have a touch point you'll wan to have at least one new band in your party.

 

[TiggerBouncy]

The portion of your band that functions with the tap action (entering park, unlocking room door, paying, etc) should never die as it’s not powered by a battery. The only portion that is powered by a battery is the long range functions (getting pictures on 7DMT and HM and having your name appear at the end of Small World). Even that part lasts 2-4 years so you’re most likely good. But there is no way of testing that ahead of time. But for the most aspects of the band that you will need, your band will work perfectly forever.

You can quite easily test the short range portion of the magic band if you have an iPhone or Android that is relatively recent. Most of them these days have an NFC reader and it's very easily to program your phone to read your Magic Band (mine opens my MDE application on my phone).

There are no easy for home methods however to test the long range transmitter. As mentioned, those last a few years and if they die, you do not need a new magic band - you just won't get a few park interactions such as pictures during rides - although you can still pick those up after the ride if you want to scan your short range transmitter.

 

[mamaofsix]

Awesome, that's great news. Thanks everyone! I didn't really care about the pictures, etc. More so for getting into the parks and scanning fp's (if that ever comes back!). With a large family, this will save us quite a bit of $$.

 

[Mike Marzano]

Everyone has motioned the short vs long range RFID, and the approximate battery life for the long range, and no way to test long range without using it and seeing what happens.

I just wanted to add...

If you go to the parks often, and have older graphic bands you like that might have dead battery, but still want the Long Range RFID features (auto linking pix on 7Dwarfs, HM, Pirates, etc.) you can always buy the cheapest band you can get at the parks or on Shop Disney, along with a Magic Keeper and a carabiner from a local sporting good store... Link the new band to you, remove the puck, aka icon, from the new band, put it in the Magic Keeper and carabiner it to your bag/belt loop.

I have a MK 45th Tiki Room band that makes special sounds/colors at the tap points in the MK. I also have two Epcot 35 bands, and a Pandora Opening band. They all do colors/sounds at their park's tap points.

So I wear the special band on my wrist, and use a carabiner to click a newer icon via Magic Keeper, to my bag. I get the colors/sounds when tapping, and still get our pictures linked

 

[Edeyore]

Is there a way to "test" from home if the RFID chip in your magic band is still functional? By the time we return to Disney, it will have been a little over 3 years since the last trip. Would love to save the money and not have to buy new Magic Bands.

Hello, am I missing something. The magic bands I have, have always been included with my resort reservations. I have not paid a separate charge for magic bands, unless you are purchasing a
band with special graphics on it. I did purchase one when I ran the 2020 marathon.

 

[skeeter31]

Hello, am I missing something. The magic bands I have, have always been included with my resort reservations. I have not paid a separate charge for magic bands, unless you are purchasing a
band with special graphics on it. I did purchase one when I ran the 2020 marathon.

Effective 1/1/21 they stopped providing free magicbands with resort stays. You now must purchase one if you need/want one. They are discounted with a resort stay or you can still buy them anywhere on property.

 

[heresabe]

Hello, am I missing something. The magic bands I have, have always been included with my resort reservations. I have not paid a separate charge for magic bands, unless you are purchasing a
band with special graphics on it. I did purchase one when I ran the 2020 marathon.

Hi Edeyore- Magic Bands are no longer free, even for resort guests. Basic bands (solid colors) can be purchased for $5+ before resort arrival.

 

[Robo]

Hello, am I missing something.

Yup.
The loss of "free" MBs has been announced (and discussed) for several months on this and other Disney boards.
As an example.

 

[Blondie58]

We own DVC at GF. Had talked to a cast member and decided to take our extra bands to GF to be recycled on our last trip. I so wish we had not done so BUT glad they are only charging $5.00 to purchase new ones. I am sure WDW pays less than a dollar a piece so they are still making $$$ but they could be charging far more based on the prices of other Disney "things". I really hope they reinstate the Magical Express for a small fee. To me it seems the program is well established and people so appreciate the convenience.

 

[mocame]

Our Magic Bands are around 5 years old so we just ordered the discounted ones. The price range is $5.00 for the plain colors up to $20.00 for the graphic ones. I didn't think that was too bad considering what you would pay in the park. There were about 40 different bands to choose from.

 

[Blondie58]

Our Magic Bands are around 5 years old so we just ordered the discounted ones. The price range is $5.00 for the plain colors up to $20.00 for the graphic ones. I didn't think that was too bad considering what you would pay in the park. There were about 40 different bands to choose from.

I agree. "Free" is always better but $5.00 is not awful. I hope they do the same with Disney transportation and go to a nominal fee.

 

[DeutscherDon]

We have been going for years and have many old bands that still work and they will all be listed once you get a reservation even if you have not used them recently. Then you can activate the Old one you wish to use. Every year they introduce new character bands, some bands are just colors and some Bands are your favorite characters but If you are staying on property they will give you an opportunity to purchase new bands fairly reasonably. You can Also go on Shop Disney and like right now they have a green one on 1/2 off sale. So keep looking.

 

[Blondie58]

We have been going for years and have many old bands that still work and they will all be listed once you get a reservation even if you have not used them recently. Then you can activate the Old one you wish to use. Every year they introduce new character bands, some bands are just colors and some Bands are your favorite characters but If you are staying on property they will give you an opportunity to purchase new bands fairly reasonably. You can Also go on Shop Disney and like right now they have a green one on 1/2 off sale. So keep looking.

We were told by Disney personnel each band contains personal information. Makes sense??? Thus we took a baggie full of bands from our trips and those of friends that have traveled with us to WDW last winter. We gave them to the exact same cast member we had spoken with on the previous trip to be recycled. Obviously we could have destroyed them but we liked the idea of recycling. (We often were sent new bands even when we did not order. Every band we had was gray.) Could personal info be accessed if bands were taken??? We were told there was potential but know nothing beyond that. What I know for sure is - we turned the bands in for recycling at GF. We love the convenience of MB and will continue to use. I am glad the new price structure keeps the basic bands at $5.00. No need to even need before you arrive at WDW since the Magic Express is going away.

 

[Robo]

1. We were told by Disney personnel each band contains personal information.
2. Makes sense???
3. Thus we took a baggie full of bands from our trips and those of friends that have traveled with us to WDW last winter. We gave them to the exact same cast member we had spoken with on the previous trip to be recycled. Obviously we could have destroyed them but we liked the idea of recycling. (We often were sent new bands even when we did not order. Every band we had was gray.)
4. Could personal info be accessed if bands were taken???
5. We were told there was potential...

1. No, MBs do not contain any "personal information."
2. Nope.
They only contain/transmit a "factory-installed" unique serial number.
3. Many are most likely "recycled" into the trash.
4. No.
5. That is incorrect info. Very likely by misinformation assumed by ill informed CM(s.)
The amount of misinformation (much of it likely unintentional) given to guests is sadly very high.

 

[Blondie58]

1. No, MBs do not contain any "personal information."
2. Nope.
They only contain/transmit a "factory-installed" unique serial number.
3. Many are most likely "recycled" into the trash.
4. No.
5. That is incorrect info. Very likely by misinformation assumed by ill informed CM(s.)
The amount of misinformation (much of it likely unintentional) given to guests is sadly very high.

Sounds like you are certain what we were told was lies??? Glad you took time to clarify what we were told was lies or at least misinformation.

 

[auntlynne]

Hello, am I missing something. The magic bands I have, have always been included with my resort reservations. I have not paid a separate charge for magic bands, unless you are purchasing a
band with special graphics on it. I did purchase one when I ran the 2020 marathon.

if you don’t care about being identified on ride photos, you should be fine using the MB you currently have on future trips. The MB from my Dec 2014 trip worked for admission in September 2020. (an older one worked for photo capture in Jan 2020.)