Magic Band vs. Phone for LLs

[CarolynFH]

To make sure I get my photos, I take a picture at the boarding area (assuming I remember) for every ride where photos autoload and then go through in the morning to compare and see what I'm missing.

What a useful idea! I’m always trying to remember what time we rode whichever ride is missing, and sometimes I’m wrong. To their credit, the PhotoPass folks keep looking, and they have found my photos when I was as much as 2 hours off. Kudos to them!

 

[Sydnerella]

Are bands from 2020 assumed to have dead batteries? And are they in the old category?

I really have no interest in magic band + as they are way too bulky & ugly and I don’t care about/want vibrate or lighting up features.

Glad I can use the 2020 bands to tap in still, I know they worked on Aulani room/payment and Cruise line doors/payment (2022-2025). Bummer they won’t work for all ride photos we have tickets to Jollywood nights and photo pass is included, so I’m hoping they work for that.

 

[scrappinginontario]

Are bands from 2020 assumed to have dead batteries? And are they in the old category?

I really have no interest in magic band + as they are way too bulky & ugly and I don’t care about/want vibrate or lighting up features.

Glad I can use the 2020 bands to tap in still, I know they worked on Aulani room/payment and Cruise line doors/payment (2022-2025). Bummer they won’t work for all ride photos we have tickets to Jollywood nights and photo pass is included, so I’m hoping they work for that.

They will work to tap in, no problem at all. Our bands are all older and work just fine.

For pictures I recommend ensuring your Bluetooth is turned on and you should get most/all. Keep track of approx times you’re on rides with photos and then you can submit a request to find them later. I’ve had great success with that.

 

[mickeymom629]

We are here now and have very old magic bands and room cards and we've gotten TT at Epcot and Moana (JoW) photographer yesterday and Tiana's today at MK. DH went on those with only the card. Today he also went on Tron but those haven't shown up yet. It says to wait 24 hours.

Front desk here (ASMu) said the card should work for all pics.

 

[Boardwalk III]

Long-range bluetooth requires a not-dead battery. That means a MagicBand less than ~2 years old, or a MagicBand+ that's charged, or Bluetooth enabled on your phone with permissions allowed for the Walt Disney World app.

Probably a dumb question, but how does one go about setting up the Bluetooth on the phone to capture the photos. Just turn on Bluetooth and select some sort of WDW indicator?

 

[Wood Nymph]

Probably a dumb question, but how does one go about setting up the Bluetooth on the phone to capture the photos. Just turn on Bluetooth and select some sort of WDW indicator?

For an iPhone: go into the Setings and scroll down to Apps. Select Disney World and you will see a switch for Bluetooth. You also should turn on Location - always. And then make sure that you are using the Disney wifi when in the parks.

 

[ajrwdwgirl]

I have a friend who is going soon with a family of 7, she doesn't plan to buy magic bands for them and will only be using a phone. How will that work for 7 people? Should they have the tickets in Apple wallet? I have only gone once without using a magic band and I was solo for that and my one day ticket was linked in my wallet so I just held up my phone to scan in. So how does that work for multiple people? Any help or advice I can give to her would be appreciated.

 

[elvispursley]

I have a friend who is going soon with a family of 7, she doesn't plan to buy magic bands for them and will only be using a phone. How will that work for 7 people? Should they have the tickets in Apple wallet? I have only gone once without using a magic band and I was solo for that and my one day ticket was linked in my wallet so I just held up my phone to scan in. So how does that work for multiple people? Any help or advice I can give to her would be appreciated.

Please, for the sanity of those behind her, she needs to get everyone their own Key to The World card either at a Disney Resort (if staying on property) or at Guest Services at the park (I think you can also ask for the at the tap style when you first enter). Otherwise, she will need to have evyone's ticket linked to her MDE account and SCROLL through, scanning everyone's ticket at EVERY LL entry point and it holds the line up and is really really inefficient and annoying for the people who get stuck behind a large group doing this. If everyone has it on their own phone,has it pulled up and ready to scan, it's not so bad, but if one person is doing this for the whole group, it's not good. Just get everyone their own KTTW card and no need for a MB or phone.

 

[scrappinginontario]

I have a friend who is going soon with a family of 7, she doesn't plan to buy magic bands for them and will only be using a phone. How will that work for 7 people? Should they have the tickets in Apple wallet? I have only gone once without using a magic band and I was solo for that and my one day ticket was linked in my wallet so I just held up my phone to scan in. So how does that work for multiple people? Any help or advice I can give to her would be appreciated.

It’s easiest for all to request Key to the World Cards when they enter their first park. Each person will be able to use their card to scan into the parks, LL, etc. A group of 7 and one phone is a huge pain for that person, other guests and CM’s. Scanning and tapping in for each person causes unnecessary delays at ride entrances and these groups tend to hover around the tap machines, often blocking other guests from entering.

I took this pic in Dec showing a CM at Epcot park entrance holding a stack of cards to hand out in situations like your friend. One tip is, I would have a sharpie handy to mark names/initials on each card as with 7 people there are likely to be duplicate images.

 

[Boardwalk III]

For an iPhone: go into the Setings and scroll down to Apps. Select Disney World and you will see a switch for Bluetooth. You also should turn on Location - always. And then make sure that you are using the Disney wifi when in the parks.

Ah, got it! Thanks so much.

 

[VGCgroupie]

Tickets must be added to mobile wallet. I saw some people screenshot the mobile wallet ticket and put it as their Lock Screen on their phone so it’s always just right there and easy to scan. But a card makes things easy too once you get one.