Magic Band battery

[javamoma]

How long do magic bands last before the battery dies? I’m trying to decide if it’s worth bringing an older band that’s two years old or just stick to my newer ones. I may wear a different band every day lol.

 

[jerseyduke]

There are 2 components to a magic band, an active and a passive part. The passive part does not need the battery. This is the part works with the fast pass touch points, room keys etc. (Compare it to key cards that are used to enter office buildings, etc)

The active part is used by the rides with camera that detect you from afar.

No real way of telling if the MB battery is still good (assuming you mean the old style ones where the battery is not changeable)

 

[javamoma]

There are 2 components to a magic band, an active and a passive part. The passive part does not need the battery. This is the part works with the fast pass touch points, room keys etc. (Compare it to key cards that are used to enter office buildings, etc)

The active part is used by the rides with camera that detect you from afar.

No real way of telling if the MB battery is still good (assuming you mean the old style ones where the battery is not changeable)

Okay. Thank you. That helps. So what year did the battery become changeable?

 

[jerseyduke]

That I don't remember...2 years ago? Its the fatter, flatter band with 2 screws clearly visible on the back

 

[Robo]

So what year did the battery become changeable?

Batteries still can't be replaced.

 

[Robo]

That I don't remember...2 years ago? Its the fatter, flatter band with 2 screws clearly visible on the back

You can take the "puck" out of the wrist band (and put it in another "holder") but the batteries are still sealed inside the "puck" (the main electronic unit.)

 

[jerseyduke]

Wow, that got me be surprise. I just assumed it was to change the battery (so they could stop giving out new ones eventually). What good does changing the puck do? Unless that's the cheaper part of the band, but I can't see that being the case. Making the battery changeable would make is less water proof tho. Guess that's my newly learned thing for the day

 

[Robo]

What good does changing the puck do?

For one thing,
some don't like wearing the band on their wrist, so the removable puck offers more options.
You can put the puck into a "necklace" or a "fob" or other doo-dad that is not just a wristband.

 

[JJ2017]

Wow, that got me be surprise. I just assumed it was to change the battery (so they could stop giving out new ones eventually). What good does changing the puck do? Unless that's the cheaper part of the band, but I can't see that being the case. Making the battery changeable would make is less water proof tho. Guess that's my newly learned thing for the day

Well you just taught me about the active and passive part, so thanks! We take the puck out to change up the color bands. My kids got a kick out of mix matched bands.

 

[YawningDodo]

One of the suggested uses for the interchangeable puck I've seen online is that you can buy a premium band once, and then put a fresh puck in it from your free resort MB instead of buying an entire replacement if the battery on the premium band dies. Other than that, yeah, it's for letting you put it in a fob (there are official ones as well as some cute stuff on Etsy) or mix and match colors.

To the OP's question: I'm never 100% confident the battery is live on my MB even if it's a new one--I don't know how long it was sitting on a shelf before they sent it to me. If you wear an old band you might not get the magical effects on some rides (It's a Small World will sometimes show your name in the goodbyes, etc., if it can sense the active signal from your band), but you can still get your ride photos even with a "dead" MagicBand. When we went in 2015 (our first trip after the system was implemented) we made a point of tapping our bands at the ride photo view screens if there was a photo we wanted to attach to our accounts. Even if you have a band with a working battery it can still have errors matching your photos to your account, so I figured it was worth doing if it was a photo I cared about. I plan to bring my old band from 2018 even though I expect the battery to be dead, because I want a second color option. Probably not the 2015 one since it's 1.0 and not as comfortable to wear, though.

 

[Fangorn]

... I plan to bring my old band from 2018 even though I expect the battery to be dead, because I want a second color option.

The battery in your 2018 band should still be working. Lifespan of the battery is closer to 3 years. Even with a dead battery, an old MB can still open the door to your room, be used to enter the parks, access your fast passes and charge purchases to your room. Battery not required for those functions.

Steve

 

[Searc]

One of the suggested uses for the interchangeable puck I've seen online is that you can buy a premium band once, and then put a fresh puck in it from your free resort MB instead of buying an entire replacement if the battery on the premium band dies. Other than that, yeah, it's for letting you put it in a fob (there are official ones as well as some cute stuff on Etsy) or mix and match colors.

To the OP's question: I'm never 100% confident the battery is live on my MB even if it's a new one--I don't know how long it was sitting on a shelf before they sent it to me. If you wear an old band you might not get the magical effects on some rides (It's a Small World will sometimes show your name in the goodbyes, etc., if it can sense the active signal from your band), but you can still get your ride photos even with a "dead" MagicBand. When we went in 2015 (our first trip after the system was implemented) we made a point of tapping our bands at the ride photo view screens if there was a photo we wanted to attach to our accounts. Even if you have a band with a working battery it can still have errors matching your photos to your account, so I figured it was worth doing if it was a photo I cared about. I plan to bring my old band from 2018 even though I expect the battery to be dead, because I want a second color option. Probably not the 2015 one since it's 1.0 and not as comfortable to wear, though.

There are a few rides that don't have photo screens at the end. SDMT, Frozen and Haunted Mansion are a few I can think of right off the top of my head. So if your battery is dead, you don't get those pictures.

 

[Searc]

One of the suggested uses for the interchangeable puck I've seen online is that you can buy a premium band once, and then put a fresh puck in it from your free resort MB instead of buying an entire replacement if the battery on the premium band dies. Other than that, yeah, it's for letting you put it in a fob (there are official ones as well as some cute stuff on Etsy) or mix and match colors.

To the OP's question: I'm never 100% confident the battery is live on my MB even if it's a new one--I don't know how long it was sitting on a shelf before they sent it to me. If you wear an old band you might not get the magical effects on some rides (It's a Small World will sometimes show your name in the goodbyes, etc., if it can sense the active signal from your band), but you can still get your ride photos even with a "dead" MagicBand. When we went in 2015 (our first trip after the system was implemented) we made a point of tapping our bands at the ride photo view screens if there was a photo we wanted to attach to our accounts. Even if you have a band with a working battery it can still have errors matching your photos to your account, so I figured it was worth doing if it was a photo I cared about. I plan to bring my old band from 2018 even though I expect the battery to be dead, because I want a second color option. Probably not the 2015 one since it's 1.0 and not as comfortable to wear, though.

The battery won't be dead from a band you got in 2018.

 

[RachaelA]

I have some duplicate colors and I don’t remember which are the older ones. Is there a way to tell? (They are in a box somewhere in my closet so I don’t have one to check)

 

[Robo]

I have some duplicate colors and I don’t remember which are the older ones. Is there a way to tell? (They are in a box somewhere in my closet so I don’t have one to check)

Depends on HOW old.
The current MBs with the removable "pucks" look VASTLY different than the original MBs that did not have removable "pucks."

 

[javamoma]

Thank you everyone. Your replies have been very helpful!

 

[bookgirl2632]

As far as the concern of ride photos not showing up with an old band, as long as one member of the party has a new band, they should show up with no problem, right? I’m thinking of putting an old puck in a holder on my Apple Watch band and wearing that most days. But if I don’t want to wear my watch, I’ll have my new band to wear.

 

[Robo]

As far as the concern of ride photos not showing up with an old band,
1. as long as one member of the party has a new band, they should show up with no problem, right?

2. I’m thinking of putting an old puck in a holder on my Apple Watch band and wearing that most days. But if I don’t want to wear my watch, I’ll have my new band to wear.

1. Right.
2. That'll work.

 

[OKW Lover]

So what year did the battery become changeable?

The battery is not changeable on the new or old version.