Magic Bands 101

[bumbershoot]

A good friend who knows her stuff helped me to (finally) understand MBs:

Every MB you own will have your reservations and tickets on them. So if you have a blue one from your last stay, a pink one for an upcoming reservation and an orange one for one night at a third resort, all will work for your room at the third resort.

(There is something supposedly about activating your newest MB at your resort room before it has all your info but I am not sure if that is true.)

Also, during your upcoming stay, you could use the blue one (from previous vacation) on day one and the pink one the next day. Or change midday. They are tied to you not the resort reservation.

I just don't know if the third resort MB will work before you check in.

Nothing is ON the MBs. Everything is *accessed* by the MBs. It's all in your account. Not on the bands.

We had 4 separate reservations in January, and I was able to use all of mine, including two from a previous trip, whenever I wished. I showed ONE of the MBs at checkin, they did something, and all worked.

Sorry I am so confused on MB's, hopefully someone can help my scenario:

9/20-10/2
First 3 nights at Port Orleans
Next 6 nights at Shades of Green
Last 3 nights at Beach Club

So on my account, I was asked to customize two sets of MB's for our two disney reservations....

I have 2 day tickets left over from our last trip that were never activated, going to upgrade to 10 day's and activate them when we get down to guest services.

Shades of Green does not partake in MB's, so will the two sets of MB's that I receive just basically be for room key/charging privilges and then we will just keep our tickets separate from the MB's?

If you put the tickets onto MDE, they will be linked to the MBs. You will be able to use the MBs for entrance even while you're at SOG. You will not be able to charge on the MBs while you are at SOG though you can use them to enter the parks.

 

[johnsonet]

Wrapping up our week here and we have 10 huge thumbs up for the magic bands! Worked like a charm everywhere! It was especially nice not to have to dig cards out of backpacks while wearing ponchos!!

Glad you've had such a good experience. We like them too. Crazy convenient for making purchases and getting into the room.

Nothing is ON the MBs. Everything is *accessed* by the MBs. It's all in your account. Not on the bands.

Right

 

[snayak]

We are staying at the Dolphin in September, and the Swan in October and from what I've been reading, I should be able to make my selections 60 days in advance.

I guess I'll call tech support. I linked our resort stay to MDE, but I'm almost at the 60 day window and when I hit FP selections it only takes me until August 22nd, so something isn't right there.

Thanks for your help!

Since it is currently not 60 days from your check in date, you can only see 30 days of fast passes because you have linked tickets on MDE and are essentially considered an offsite guest. In theory you could go to Disney next Thursday if you wanted.

Exactly 60 days from your resort check in date, between midnight and 1am the window will open for you to book FP+ for your October trip.

 

[mesaboy2]

Since it is currently not 60 days from your check in date, you can only see 30 days of fast passes because you have linked tickets on MDE and are essentially considered an offsite guest. In theory you could go to Disney next Thursday if you wanted.

Exactly 60 days from your resort check in date, between midnight and 1am the window will open for you to book FP+ for your October trip.

 

[ah10is]

Unlike everyone else, I had the hardest time getting my personalized magic bands. It was beyond frustrating.

According the USPS my street address does not exist as they deliver all of the towns mail to the Post Office and not to individual houses.

15 phone calls before my trip July 1-8. 2 expedited orders made by different CMs for new bands to be delivered - which never came. One email notice that arrived 3 days before my trip that the band would be at the AKL when I arrived. Check in at the resort...and NO Magic Band there either. I even had the email to show that it said it would be waiting there. But it was no where to be found. So I received the standard gray! Grrrr....

Filled out a survey at the end of the trip. Mentioned the hassle of never receiving my customized magic band. Got a phone call 2 days after my trip....they made a new expedited order and finally 2 weeks after my trip, my blue customized magic band arrived.

 

[danjoan14]

Quick question that may have already been answered. If you are staying off site and purchase park tickets like at AAA, do you get to use the MagicBands? Or are they just for tickets purchased through Disney?

 

[jco_direwolf]

Quick question that may have already been answered. If you are staying off site and purchase park tickets like at AAA, do you get to use the MagicBands? Or are they just for tickets purchased through Disney?

You can buy MB. But you only get them included if you stay at a Disney resort or have an AP.

 

[disneymagicgirl]

We have a week at the beach prior to our Wdw stay. We fly out 11/24 and check in to GF on 11/30. Does that mean we won't get out MBs in time? That would stink. It says ican customize until 11/19...

 

[mesaboy2]

We have a week at the beach prior to our Wdw stay. We fly out 11/24 and check in to GF on 11/30. Does that mean we won't get out MBs in time? That would stink. It says ican customize until 11/19...

Can you customize them now? I usually get the option to do them 4-6 weeks before, and it may be offered before that.... In all my cases so far, once I customized them and verified my address, they showed up very quickly.

 

[MouseMomx2]

Quick question that may have already been answered. If you are staying off site and purchase park tickets like at AAA, do you get to use the MagicBands? Or are they just for tickets purchased through Disney?

Just to clarify...MBs aren't for tickets, they are for guests. You create a profile in My Disney Experience and link your tickets/resort reservations/dining reservations to that. The MB simply reads anything in your profile.

Offsite guests have the option to purchase MBs. They will link them to your MDEx profile at the time of purchase.

 

[danjoan14]

Just to clarify...MBs aren't for tickets, they are for guests. You create a profile in My Disney Experience and link your tickets/resort reservations/dining reservations to that. The MB simply reads anything in your profile.

Offsite guests have the option to purchase MBs. They will link them to your MDEx profile at the time of purchase.

Thanks. I'm guessing that they are only available at the Disney Parks and Downtown Disney.

 

[MouseMomx2]

Thanks. I'm guessing that they are only available at the Disney Parks and Downtown Disney.

I believe they are also available at the Disney resorts.

 

[danjoan14]

I believe they are also available at the Disney resorts.

Thanks. Just trying to get my feet wet with the whole Magic Band thing. When we went down last year, they were just installing the equipment.

 

[disneymagicgirl]

Can you customize them now? I usually get the option to do them 4-6 weeks before, and it may be offered before that.... In all my cases so far, once I customized them and verified my address, they showed up very quickly.

I just went in an customized. I noticed that my last day to customize is now 10/30, not 11/19, so hopefully that means I will get them in time.

 

[MouseMomx2]

Thanks. Just trying to get my feet wet with the whole Magic Band thing. When we went down last year, they were just installing the equipment.

Just FYI, but you don't need to have MBs. You can use your park ticket to access most of the same things the MBs access...park entry, FP+ redemption, etc. The only thing you wouldn't have linked to your park ticket would be a Disney resort room or a credit card.

 

[MouseMomx2]

I just went in an customized. I noticed that my last day to customize is now 10/30, not 11/19, so hopefully that means I will get them in time.

Yes, you usually have until a month before your arrival date to customize. The bands are then processed and shipped out on the first business day after your window closes. Our next set of bands were processed over the weekend, shipped out on Monday and are due to arrive today.

 

[disneymagicgirl]

Yes, you usually have until a month before your arrival date to customize. The bands are then processed and shipped out on the first business day after your window closes. Our next set of bands were processed over the weekend, shipped out on Monday and are due to arrive today.

ok, perfect! thanks for the info. i read somewhere they ship 10 days before, which would have stunk!

 

[dizct]

I just customized magic bands for our family of four checking in at GF 8/19 (27 days from now). The page did not tell me how much longer I had to customize, but it did say, "hurry and customize your bands, they could ship any minute".

We planned this trip somewhat last minute for us because the kids are older now (14 and 11) and the FP+ and Magic Band process has made it more difficult than in years past. We are a "rope drop family" and never had problems with the prior FP system. We went on all the rides we wanted to early before the crowds built, and simply got FPs when we wanted them or before the return time got too late for us. The new FP+ process eliminates that spontaneity and limits our ability to adjust our schedule depending on how adventurous or lazy everybody feels on any given day, not to mention the impact of the weather report. In years past we arrived at WDW with a specific touring plan for each park and then selected the day to attend each park depending on the weather forecast and how we felt. It feels way more structured with this new process, which takes away some of the pleasure of vacation for us.

 

[dizct]

I just customized magic bands for our family of four checking in at GF 8/19 (27 days from now). The page did not tell me how much longer I had to customize, but it did say, "hurry and customize your bands, they could ship any minute".

We planned this trip somewhat last minute for us because the kids are older now (14 and 11) and the FP+ and Magic Band process has made it more difficult than in years past. We are a "rope drop family" and never had problems with the prior FP system. We went on all the rides we wanted to early before the crowds built, and simply got FPs when we wanted them or before the return time got too late for us. The new FP+ process eliminates that spontaneity and limits our ability to adjust our schedule depending on how adventurous or lazy everybody feels on any given day, not to mention the impact of the weather report. In years past we arrived at WDW with a specific touring plan for each park and then selected the day to attend each park depending on the weather forecast and how we felt. It feels way more structured with this new process, which takes away some of the pleasure of vacation for us.

 

[lissa42886]

Question.. If your staying on disney property you get the magic bands.. What if you buy tix from a separate provider ( i can get discounted ones via work) do they get added to your bands when you arrive or do you just have bands and cards?? Or are the bands now irrelevant..