How long do MagicBands last?

[Laura's Dad]

I have a couple some really neat Star Wars MagicBands that I got when I was an Annual Passholder a couple of years ago. Do you think that they would still work? I much prefer a MagicBand to using my phome for everything? Any help would be appreciated.

 

[starry_solo]

Yes, they should still work.
I used Magic Bands from 2017 for my 2021 trip.

 

[stephk1981]

I have a magic band that still works from 6 years ago that we got for a resort stay! I also have one that I bought about 18 months ago that is ' dead ' now. Take it with you see if it scans in, that's the only way to know if it still works.

 

[_19disnA]

There are 2 different functions of a Magic Band, one requires the battery to work and the other does not. Many older threads discuss that.

 

[CarolynFH]

I have a couple some really neat Star Wars MagicBands that I got when I was an Annual Passholder a couple of years ago. Do you think that they would still work? I much prefer a MagicBand to using my phome for everything? Any help would be appreciated.

It will work fine for anything where you tap Mickey to Mickey such as tapping into the parks and the Lightning Lanes, because the power for that comes from the tap point, not the MB. At some point the long range battery in the MB will wear out, meaning the MB will no longer link photos from such rides as Seven Dwarfs Mine Train.

 

[Foreveraprincess17]

Yes we have multiple specialty Magic Bands that we have used for years-all of them still work.

 

[karmacats]

I'm at wdw now and have been using bands from 2018 with no issues (we print the year on the back). Our pictures still link, too.

 

[ChanaC]

I just went in Dec 2021 and used a band that I think I got in 2015. It seemed to work fine! It even linked some ride photos, but not all of them. But that could just be because there was also an issue with the ride vehicles, you never know. I never care about the ride photos so it didn't really matter to me either way.

 

[Yinn]

I have a couple some really neat Star Wars MagicBands that I got when I was an Annual Passholder a couple of years ago. Do you think that they would still work? I much prefer a MagicBand to using my phome for everything? Any help would be appreciated.

Im using bands that are 6+ years old. If you like your band and it stops working, you could always swap the pucks out. It’s a simple process.

 

[Southwest Minnie]

Yes, they should still work.
I used Magic Bands from 2017 for my 2021 trip.

This is useful to read. We have MBs from 2018 and have been wondering if they still work. There are no more solid colors available for pre-order and our trip is T-60 days and counting. I'm thinking we should just take a chance to see if they work.

 

[starry_solo]

This is useful to read. We have MBs from 2018 and have been wondering if they still work. There are no more solid colors available for pre-order and our trip is T-60 days and counting. I'm thinking we should just take a chance to see if they work.

They worked to let us into our rooms and for ride pictures (although I think I had to put it up against the reader to make sure). I don't recall if there was a reader for SDMT but we got those pictures too.

 

[erionm]

They worked to let us into our rooms and for ride pictures (although I think I had to put it up against the reader to make sure). I don't recall if there was a reader for SDMT but we got those pictures too.

7DMT does not have a photo display so you can't manually link that ride photo.

 

[starry_solo]

7DMT does not have a photo display so you can't manually link that ride photo.

OK, then it still worked for that (to find our signal or whatever).

 

[Southwest Minnie]

They worked to let us into our rooms and for ride pictures (although I think I had to put it up against the reader to make sure). I don't recall if there was a reader for SDMT but we got those pictures too.

Thank you, could you also make purchses in stores and elsewhere?

 

[CarolynFH]

Thank you, could you also make purchses in stores and elsewhere?

Anything that involves tapping your MB will work indefinitely, including making purchases. It’s just the long range functions, like ride photos where there’s no tap point, that stop working after a while. If you set your MDE app to use Bluetooth on your phone, it will pick up those photos.

 

[thanxfornoticin]

Anything that involves tapping your MB will work indefinitely, including making purchases. It’s just the long range functions, like ride photos where there’s no tap point, that stop working after a while. If you set your MDE app to use Bluetooth on your phone, it will pick up those photos.

Oh, I can guarantee the 'making purchases' functionality will work forever!!