If no magic bands, then what?

[bumbershoot]

From the privacy policy relating to bands etc:

“Guests participating in MyMagic+ always have the option to use a card instead of a MagicBand.”

So cards will continue to be available.

There is no battery function that powers the “tap” aspect of the magicband. So opening doors, entering parks, tapping for FP or payment, will work forever.

Not always forever. I have 2 (out of...a lot) that are still linked to my account but don’t work at all anymore

 

[WilsonFlyer]

From the privacy policy relating to bands etc:

“Guests participating in MyMagic+ always have the option to use a card instead of a MagicBand.”

So cards will continue to be available.



Not always forever. I have 2 (out of...a lot) that are still linked to my account but don’t work at all anymore

That is not supposed to be the case, or at least that's what we were told early on. Just like RF in your CCs or chipped KTTW cards (More like EVM and not RF) that have no batteries, local scan Fcns work forever. Those bands have been disabled. Somewhere by somebody. There has long been a theory that Disney actually does disable bands based on unknown parameters (time/age, replaced, sheer numbers of, etc.) but they have never made a statement about it. I suspect that's what happened here.

 

[we"reofftoneverland]

From the privacy policy relating to bands etc:

“Guests participating in MyMagic+ always have the option to use a card instead of a MagicBand.”

So cards will continue to be available.



Not always forever. I have 2 (out of...a lot) that are still linked to my account but don’t work at all anymore

We have a couple that do not work also. In both cases, the front desk just told us to use another or offered a replacement. We have a large drawer full of magic bands.

 

[tjkraz]

Not always forever. I have 2 (out of...a lot) that are still linked to my account but don’t work at all anymore

MagicBands CAN break. But it's more likely that they need to be "fixed" in your account. For whatever reason, the account can get corrupted and individual bands stop working. Guests with a large number of bands linked to their account are particularly at risk. It's a bigger issue for DVC members who may have been issued dozens of bands due to frequent trips, split stays, etc.

A quick stop at the front desk with the impacted bands often fixes the problem. CMs are well aware of this issue and have troubleshooting steps.

 

[The Jackal]

CM’s have told us that too many magic bands in your account messes up the system. I think they said around 4 or 5 is the number they recommend.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

I also would believe that it isn't that the magic band isn't actually able to physically function but that somehow within the software it's gotten off although as mentioned of there is certainly a possibility of a physical malfunction. I decorate bands so I've never had a new band offered as the solution and the employee does go thru the steps to get it operating on the door. The time or two it's been a plain band for someone that replacement band gets brought out pretty quick. My easiest check is that I've never had one not work for park entry. Plenty of times it's needed some sort of reset within the system to use on the room door.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

CM’s have told us that too many magic bands in your account messes up the system. I think they said around 4 or 5 is the number they recommend.

A Disney urban legend if our accounts are any indicator.

 

[WilsonFlyer]

A Disney urban legend if our accounts are any indicator.

There was a finite limit set at 20 initially so it was true for about the two years. It was "remedied" when novelty MBs were made for sale online and in the shops. There is still technically a limit, but there is no "practical" limit any longer.

 

[LadybugsMum]

A Disney urban legend if our accounts are any indicator.

Brian McNichols of Touring Plans had a problem with his magic band due to too many on his account. He talked about it in one of his videos. I believe it was for Grand Destino Tower.

 

[The Jackal]

A Disney urban legend if our accounts are any indicator.

While we are not legends, only been going for 4 years, 2 times a year plus AP bands and have purchased a few extra and one trip we resort hopped to 4 or 5 resorts, yes we got a band for each. I have had some mess up and my wife has had some. My DD and DGD have not. I’m about ready to get rid of all the plain colored bands. I try to buy the themed bands in a standard WDW magic band colors. So when it dies I can just buy a standard one and put it in.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Brian McNichols of Touring Plans had a problem with his magic band due to too many on his account. He talked about it in one of his videos. I believe it was for Grand Destino Tower.

I'm not surprised that is what he was told. The thing about an "Urban Legend" is that the myth has grown within a ranks but has no factual backing. Or maybe it had factual backing at one time but not anymore as @WilsonFlyer mentioned. I guarantee you that you can have many, many bands on your account and it still works. A couple of years ago when Disney had a significant issue with MDE accounts mine kept losing bands and tickets and other stuff just like others did. The "fix" was to create a new account and a lot of people posted they were told that the problem happened because of the bands and they needed to be removed. I was told that by a BC CM. My doubts rose when we changed resorts and had no issues. Some people posted that they only had a couple of bands which begs the question of why their account encountered the issues. Anyway the IT person that fixed mine made no such claim and repropagated every single band and card again. And my account still works just fine.

 

[Deb & Bill]

CM’s have told us that too many magic bands in your account messes up the system. I think they said around 4 or 5 is the number they recommend.

We each still have about 20 or so. I've deactivated tons of them.

MagicBands CAN break. But it's more likely that they need to be "fixed" in your account. For whatever reason, the account can get corrupted and individual bands stop working. Guests with a large number of bands linked to their account are particularly at risk. It's a bigger issue for DVC members who may have been issued dozens of bands due to frequent trips, split stays, etc.

A quick stop at the front desk with the impacted bands often fixes the problem. CMs are well aware of this issue and have troubleshooting steps.

Especially when you drive over them which I did once.

 

[gisele2]

I am glad to know that magic band are good for a long time.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Especially when you drive over them which I did once.

Not like a Timex then?

 

[CarolynFH]

Not like a Timex then?

Nothing like showing our ages, right?

 

[Chuck S]

Nothing like showing our ages, right?

Now I feel old. I need a cup of Mountain Grown coffee, while I watch a movie on a TV from a company that Brings Good Things To Life.

 

[holyrita]

It would be nice if they could add the long distance features of the MagicBand into the app somehow, maybe with bluetooth and background activity (for those who enable it). This way you could use old MagicBands for rooms, FastPasses, etc and the app for ride photos.

 

[Einstein509]

I'm not surprised that is what he was told. The thing about an "Urban Legend" is that the myth has grown within a ranks but has no factual backing. Or maybe it had factual backing at one time but not anymore as @WilsonFlyer mentioned. I guarantee you that you can have many, many bands on your account and it still works. A couple of years ago when Disney had a significant issue with MDE accounts mine kept losing bands and tickets and other stuff just like others did. The "fix" was to create a new account and a lot of people posted they were told that the problem happened because of the bands and they needed to be removed. I was told that by a BC CM. My doubts rose when we changed resorts and had no issues. Some people posted that they only had a couple of bands which begs the question of why their account encountered the issues. Anyway the IT person that fixed mine made no such claim and repropagated every single band and card again. And my account still works just fine.

We checked into VGF in September and our issued bands would not open our room door. I went to the front desk and they told us we had too many active bands in our account. The CM fixed the issue on the spot, but told me to deactivate the bands we don't currently use in MDE to avoid this glitch in the future. I did that when we got home and realized we really did have something like 10+ active bands for each person in our family in MDE. So it's not an urban legend, in my opinion, if the CM actually told us that the problem was too many active MB in our account.

 

[Yinn]

Hi, does anyone know how park entry will work starting next month when magic bands are no longer issued? Thank you!

Magic Bands will still be able to be purchased, they just won't be free.

But having just returned, we found ourselves for the first time asking - what's the point of wearing the magic band anymore? Mobile ordering doesn't take magic bands. Fastpass ins't used. We only pulled it out for sit down meals and entry to the park and I ended up wearing my Apple Watch and stuck my band into my bag.

 

[Chuck S]

Magic Bands will still be able to be purchased, they just won't be free.

But having just returned, we found ourselves for the first time asking - what's the point of wearing the magic band anymore? Mobile ordering doesn't take magic bands. Fastpass ins't used. We only pulled it out for sit down meals and entry to the park and I ended up wearing my Apple Watch and stuck my band into my bag.

Yes, but surely FastPass+ will be coming back eventually, once the crisis is controlled and most people are vaccinated.