Magic Bands 3 years old still working?

[abevans]

So we have Magic Bands from a trip in May of 2014, I have called Disney and chatted on their website about the reuse of them and they said as long as I like our new tickets to them everything will be fine, which I have done. Since we are staying off property this time , I was hoping not to buy new since there are six of us. I am a Over Worrier and would love for someone to reassure me that they have done this before! We leave on Friday so I am in full blown planning/packing mode and would love to not worry about this!!

 

[Linkura]

They should work for most things EXCEPT for rides that automatically take your picture and DON'T have a tap area at the end of the ride (Mine Train and Frozen are the two that come to mind). It still MIGHT work for those rides, but the chances are fairly low. For other rides with pictures, make sure to tap your band at the end of the rides.

 

[mesaboy2]

They last essentially forever for most purposes.

One case where they would not is anything that requires long-range capability, such as some PhotoPass opportunities and personalized "magic" touches as can be found at the end of Small World and Haunted Mansion.

 

[PrincessNelly]

I used my magic band from October 2014 on my last trip and still got my videos from mine train, space, and haunted mansion without tapping on the photos. So I would think it would be fine

 

[abevans]

Thank you guys so much!! Now I can worry about the 19 hour drive with 4 kids!!!

 

[deedubb]

A CM told me they last about 5 years.

 

[Robo]

A CM told me they last about 5 years.

Their original specifications were that the battery was to last for 3 years.

But, again, the MAIN part of the bands (most guest uses) will remain operative "forever."

 

[deedubb]

Their original specifications were that the battery was to last for 3 years.

But, again, the MAIN part of the bands (most guest uses) will remain operative "forever."

Don't they have a battery in them which would eventually die? I just assumed they were battery operated.

 

[mesaboy2]

Don't they have a battery in them which would eventually die? I just assumed they were battery operated.

That's the part that stops working with certain PhotoPass locations and the other examples I mentioned. Everything else should work virtually forever.

 

[linzbear]

Last week I used bands from Oct 2014 without an issue, if that helps.

 

[Robo]

Don't they have a battery in them which would eventually die? I just assumed they were battery operated.

The MAIN part of the bands (most guest uses) don't use an internal battery.
Those uses are powered "wirelessly/externally" by RF emanating from the Mickey Head Touch-point.
No battery needed.

 

[Fangorn]

Magic Bands have 2 RFID chips (tags) in them.

One is an "active" RFID tag that has it's own power source (i.e. battery). Active tags in Magic Bands have a very short range transceiver in them and it is this that is used to send ride photos to your account without you having to do anything. It can also be used to track overall guest flow and identify crowd choke points before they happen. (It can also be used to locate a lost child if necessary).

The other type of RFID tag is "passive" it does not have it's own power source, but instead gets the tiny bit of power needed to transfer information from an external source - the Mickey Heads. This is the tag that is used whenever you touch your band to anything - think park entry, room entry, fastpass access, purchases.

Passive tags should last virtually forever, unless damaged somehow.

Active tags are good for the life of the enclosed battery, at which point the transceiver stops working.

Originally, Disney said the expected lifespan of a MB (the battery) was about 3 years, but that would be an expected average. I suspect the actual specs called for something more than 3 years, but that's just my guess. For any individual band though, the lifespan of the active tag could be shorter or much longer.

Steve

 

[Bloom28]

So how would you know that the battery has died and not sending the ride photos to your account? Our bands are from 2015 and will use in 2017, we have memory maker this time. I'd hate to find out too late that we didn't get all the photos.

 

[Robo]

So how would you know that the battery has died and not sending the ride photos to your account? Our bands are from 2015 and will use in 2017, we have memory maker this time. I'd hate to find out too late that we didn't get all the photos.

Yup.
That's a dilemma.

 

[AngiTN]

So how would you know that the battery has died and not sending the ride photos to your account? Our bands are from 2015 and will use in 2017, we have memory maker this time. I'd hate to find out too late that we didn't get all the photos.

If you are staying on site you'll get new bands sent. So just use them. Problem solved.
If you aren't, you get to decide, do you feel lucky or not. Feeling lucky, chance it by riding something. Check to see if the photos appears. If it does, you are good. If it doesn't. go buy a new MB.

 

[cigar95]

If you aren't, you get to decide, do you feel lucky or not.

You tell 'em, Clint. (You may be too young for that one.)

 

[AngiTN]

You tell 'em, Clint. (You may be too young for that one.)

Oh, not at all. It was exactly what I was going for

 

[Bloom28]

Thanks. We are offsite. Our friends haven't got Magic Bands, so they will be buying when we arrive, if all our photos are linked on the Memory Maker, I guess we'd be fine if ours didn't work?