Magic Band vs Apple Watch

[SweetPeasMom2]

I have both. I have an older magic band. I have a newish Apple watch. I haven't used my watch to access park entry or other features that a magic band does. Curious if you've done both and which you prefer and why?

I have a visit coming up in less than a month and thinking I might try the watch this time.

 

[gatorlisa]

I prefer the MagicBand for park entry, room entry, tapping into LLs. It just seems to work better/faster for me. That said, I use a holder for the MB puck that slides onto my Apple Watch band, so that I only have to wear one thing.

 

[Dave006]

Curious if you've done both and which you prefer and why?

Yes. How new is your Apple Watch and does the battery last at least 12 hours?

Please review this Disney information on Magic Mobile: https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/guest-services/magic-mobile/ (It works but it is just not as fast and easy as a simple MB.)

Dave

 

[ucf_knight]

I have both. I have an older magic band. I have a newish Apple watch. I haven't used my watch to access park entry or other features that a magic band does. Curious if you've done both and which you prefer and why?

I have a visit coming up in less than a month and thinking I might try the watch this time.

For me I use my watch or phone. Ever since Disney got rid of FP+ I only ever need to tap into the park the one time and I’m done using my watch/phone. Doesn’t make sense to me to ever have a magic band. I get a key card for me room as the door never seems to work or work fast enough via the MDE app. We used to always use magic bands when using fp+ as it was super convenient but not anymore. (We also don’t pay for LL)

 

[OKW Lover]

I've got both and much prefer my watch. But I'm local and only need to tap for getting into the park, which the watch accomplishes just fine. On the rare occasions that I'm actually staying at one of the resorts I still just rely on a room key card rather than wear a MB.

 

[Jonnnyap]

I've used both and prefer to use the Apple Watch since, as others have said, it works well to tap into the parks. I've used the watch to tap into rides for LLs, and it also works well. The only thing missing is the ability to open the resort hotel doors; I've had luck with MDE on my phone, so there is nothing the MB does that the Apple Watch and phone can't accomplish for you. Like @ucf_knight said, you can also get a keycard from the resort front desk and keep that as a backup in case your MDE doesn't work (or doesn't work fast enough), or in case you want to leave your phone and just take the Apple Watch (and use Apple Pay on your watch for purchases) - truly traveling light into the parks!

Hope you have a GREAT trip next month!

 

[erionm]

I almost always wear both when at WDW, but rarely use the Apple Watch for anything other than using Apple Pay to purchase something.

 

[SweetPeasMom2]

I prefer the MagicBand for park entry, room entry, tapping into LLs. It just seems to work better/faster for me. That said, I use a holder for the MB puck that slides onto my Apple Watch band, so that I only have to wear one thing.

What is that?

Yes. How new is your Apple Watch and does the battery last at least 12 hours?

Please review this Disney information on Magic Mobile: https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/guest-services/magic-mobile/ (It works but it is just not as fast and easy as a simple MB.)

Dave

Good question. I haven't worn my watch for 12 hours before . It's an SE 2nd Gen. I've had it for a little over a year.

I've used both and prefer to use the Apple Watch since, as others have said, it works well to tap into the parks. I've used the watch to tap into rides for LLs, and it also works well. The only thing missing is the ability to open the resort hotel doors; I've had luck with MDE on my phone, so there is nothing the MB does that the Apple Watch and phone can't accomplish for you. Like @ucf_knight said, you can also get a keycard from the resort front desk and keep that as a backup in case your MDE doesn't work (or doesn't work fast enough), or in case you want to leave your phone and just take the Apple Watch (and use Apple Pay on your watch for purchases) - truly traveling light into the parks!

Hope you have a GREAT trip next month!

I typically pay cash or with gift cards, so I don't need to tap my watch for apple pay. I'd really need it for tapping into the park and if I purchase LL.

Thank you for the feedback so far.

 

[Elionwy]

Thank you so much! I was wondering the same question
My magic bands are so old (first gen) I’d rather not bother with them

 

[elvispursley]

I use both. I put my MB+ on the opposite wrist and I’ll use whichever one I happen to be on the side with the shortest queue at the tap point.

 

[OKW Lover]

My magic bands are so old (first gen) I’d rather not bother with them

They will still work.

 

[HopperFan]

Our group trip was 2 Magic Bands, 1 Card and 3 Apple Watches. The Magic Bands were obviously faster than the watches.

And we've seen our lines slow down when folks are using watch or phone. I know we've been entering park with folks using iPhones or Watches and the CMs were scanning a card and giving to them telling them it would be faster to use.

 

[Genie+]

DH prefers his apple watch in the parks. I bring my MB (and iPhone for pics/internet).

I’m still attached to my Magicbands 2.0 and prefer those over my phone and watch because:

Comfortable
Waterproof
Virtually unbreakable
Opens my room immediately
Taps into my resort gate immediately
Taps into theme park parking immediately
Taps into the park
Taps into rides
Taps payment
Free, and I still have a dozen ‘back-ups’ that came free with our stays
Variety - I can match any mood or outfit

I still need my phone to place Mobile Orders or make ADRs, etc. Hands down MB2 still wins speed and simplicity for the most things. I’ll keep using them as long as possible. I’ve never lost any of my regular MBs and very quickly lost my first 2 MB+s, plus the MB+ is very uncomfortable in my wrist. So I stopped buying any new MBs and just keep using my old ones.

 

[DavidNYC]

Our group trip was 2 Magic Bands, 1 Card and 3 Apple Watches. The Magic Bands were obviously faster than the watches.

And we've seen our lines slow down when folks are using watch or phone. I know we've been entering park with folks using iPhones or Watches and the CMs were scanning a card and giving to them telling them it would be faster to use.

Why obviously? My watch takes no longer whatsoever than a magic band. Tap it and go just like a magic band (unless the people who were using the watches were doing something wrong in your party).

The only time I've seen issues is when a single person is trying to scan everyone in with a single phone or single watch - that's obviously a pain since you have to go manually select each person. But if everyone has their own watch or phone and has it set up properly - takes the exact same amount of time to get the green light from a watch tap as it does from a magic band tap. It's really apples and oranges - if a father was holding everyone's magic bands for them and tried to tap everyone in himself - that would take forever too. But that's not a band/watch issue - it's a user issue.

 

[elvispursley]

Why obviously? My watch takes no longer whatsoever than a magic band. Tap it and go just like a magic band (unless the people who were using the watches were doing something wrong in your party).

THIS! My watch was just as fast (or faster) than my MB+. All I had to do was hold it next to the tap point and never had a delay. I did tend to use the MB when entering the park though usually the issue was my finger not scanning properly that was the hold up

 

[DavidNYC]

THIS! My watch was just as fast (or faster) than my MB+. All I had to do was hold it next to the tap point and never had a delay. I did tend to use the MB when entering the park though usually the issue was my finger not scanning properly that was the hold up

Some people also don't set up their watches or phones correctly which could also require them to manually activate it like with Apple Pay or not have downloaded it into their Apple Wallet or shared the pass with the phone. The magic bands definitely have the benefit of being a bit more idiot proof - but once it's set up - it's just two chips speaking to each other . . .

 

[kwdw]

I've found my watch worked fine for tapping into the park and LL access. The kicker for me is that it doesn't work for the resort room key and I find using a phone to be annoying for that - and hence, prefer a MB. Honestly, I usually wear both. Also - I paid like $45 for my latest MB (before the Magic Mobile thing happened) - and I'm going to use it (it's cute.) Maybe when I grow tired of this band, I'll switch to just the watch. Or - if they figure out how to add the resort room to an Apple Watch.

I'm also "disappointed" with Disney's move away from magicbands because of the folks that are trying to use ONE PHONE to manage multiple folks park entry and LL's. It is incredibly annoying to be stuck behind the person trying to scan in four different people. That is just slow and cumbersome. That said, they have made them SO expensive, I do understand why folks who are one time visitors are not so interested in buying a magicband. It was great when they were free with a resort stay.

 

[elvispursley]

Agree! For those who are reading this and think you’ll use one phone to manage more than just yourself, be considerate and just don’t! Save yourself the headache and those behind you, and just get a KTTW card and use that instead (and don’t wait til you’re at the tap point to get your card out of your gigantic park bag while everyone behind is waiting on you while you search every darn pocket looking for your card…no joke, this happened to us on our last trip).

 

[Disneypeach]

Here are examples of the puck holders. You order the one that will match up with which Magicband you have (original or 2.0). Use a small jeweler type screwdriver to remove the puck from the Magicband. Put the puck into the holder then thread the puck holder onto your Apple Watch band.
Lots of colors and some glow in the dark.

 

[CarolynFH]

Here are examples of the puck holders. You order the one that will match up with which Magicband you have (original or 2.0). Use a small jeweler type screwdriver to remove the puck from the Magicband. Put the puck into the holder then thread the puck holder onto your Apple Watch band.
Lots of colors and some glow in the dark. View attachment 948903

I use those, too, but purchased from a merchant on Etsy. The trouble with the MB+ is that you have to remove it from the watchband and from the puck holder in order to charge it, which I did every night while at WDW. It was aggravating! I haven’t looked, but hopefully someone will design a puck holder that only needs to be removed from the watchband, not the puck, for charging.