Magic Bands and New Annual Passes

[DisneyMom2000000]

Hi!
A couple people in our group have new annual passes exchange crrtificates that need to be swapped for passes when we get to Disney.

It's my understanding that we can't have these linked to Magic Bands until we go.

Is it in our best interest to buy magic bands online and bring them with us to have them activated and linked to the annual passes when we get there? If not, will we have to either buy bands when we get there or just use the cards?

We liked the convenience of the magic bands last time we came.

 

[DisneyMom2000000]

Also, I know they will send us the linked bands after we exchange the certificates, but we want the bands for our first trip!!

Hi!
A couple people in our group have new annual passes exchange crrtificates that need to be swapped for passes when we get to Disney.

It's my understanding that we can't have these linked to Magic Bands until we go.

Is it in our best interest to buy magic bands online and bring them with us to have them activated and linked to the annual passes when we get there? If not, will we have to either buy bands when we get there or just use the cards?

We liked the convenience of the magic bands last time we came.

 

[mrzrich]

Are you staying onsite? You will get free MB for everyone in the room regardless of their ticket status.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

Unless they are staying onsite, they won't receive any bands regarding AP membership until after they activate their passes while they are at WDW.

They won't need bands if they don't want them, but if they want them, they will have to buy some unless they can be put on someone else's Disney resort reservation.

Anybody who is staying at a Disney resort will receive magic bands as part of the resort reservation.

 

[DisneyMom2000000]

We are staying offsite this time. We have some from when we stayed on site earlier this year but I don't think we can use them again.

Unless they are staying onsite, they won't receive any bands regarding AP membership until after they activate their passes while they are at WDW.

They won't need bands if they don't want them, but if they want them, they will have to buy some unless they can be put on someone else's Disney resort reservation.

Anybody who is staying at a Disney resort will receive magic bands as part of the resort reservation.

 

[mrzrich]

We are staying offsite this time. We have some from when we stayed on site earlier this year but I don't think we can use them again.

You absolutely can use your old bands.

 

[jtowntoflorida]

We are staying offsite this time. We have some from when we stayed on site earlier this year but I don't think we can use them again.

Yes you can. Once a band is linked to your account, it's there until you deactivate it, and it can be used to access all tickets that you link to the same account.

 

[Missyrose]

Also, the AP itself isn't "on" the Magic Band. The Magic Band only contains an ID number for your MDE account, which is why all Magic Bands associated with your account can be used interchangeably.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

Yes, you can use the magic bands again - only for park entry and fastpass redemption and uploading photos to your account, you won't be able to charge back to your room or use them to open your room door.

What you can't do is give them to someone else to use, because they're permanently linked to you and will only read what is on your MDX account, not on someone else's.

 

[DisneyMom2000000]

Also, the AP itself isn't "on" the Magic Band. The Magic Band only contains an ID number for your MDE account, which is why all Magic Bands associated with your account can be used interchangeably.

Ahhh. Ok. That makes a lot of sense. Thank you.

Ok, so my family of four each has a magic band that we got through staying at the resort last time. My kids didn't need annual passes because they weren't 3 yet, so my husband and I have APs. So, on MDE, my husband and I each have a Magic Band coming even though we already have them... so either of those will work, correct?

My daughter, however, has since turned 3. So, we bought her an AP. She doesn't have a Magic Band. But, according to what you're saying, she should be able to use the old band from the resort. We'll just bring it with us when we exchange the certificate for her actual AP. Right?

ALSO... we have grandparents coming on the trip this time. They are buying APs, and have no Magic Bands associated with their names..... SOOOO... should I buy them bands before we go and just have them linked when they do their exchange certs?!

 

[gap2368]

you can buy MB at disney they have them every where so if the grandparents want them then they can get them at disney or if they decided they do not need them then they do not need to get them. also once you link a MB you can not change who MB it is.

 

[bumbershoot]

So, on MDE, my husband and I each have a Magic Band coming even though we already have them... so either of those will work, correct?

If you're offsite, no band is on its way unless it's the AP band and that's after your stay.

Ok, so my family of four each has a magic band that we got through staying at the resort last time.

Excelleent. Bring them since you want APs.

My daughter, however, has since turned 3. So, we bought her an AP. She doesn't have a Magic Band.

?

But, according to what you're saying, she should be able to use the old band from the resort. We'll just bring it with us when we exchange the certificate for her actual AP. Right?

Yes. I assume she's part of your family of 4 that each has bands from the last trip.

ALSO... we have grandparents coming on the trip this time. They are buying APs, and have no Magic Bands associated with their names..... SOOOO... should I buy them bands before we go and just have them linked when they do their exchange certs?!

If for some reason they want them (I don't like them so it makes no sense to me LOL), someone can buy them MBs either ahead of time or once you get there.

 

[Malestrom Troll]

If you redeem a certificate for a FP at guest services they will give you a grey MB. When we were redeeming our Disney Wedding AP certificate they were getting out grey MBs to link but we asked them not to bc we had old AP magic bands as well as current resort MBs we were using.

 

[subtchr]

Yes, you can use the magic bands again - only for park entry and fastpass redemption and uploading photos to your account, you won't be able to charge back to your room or use them to open your room door.

Sure they could (if the OP was staying onsite). I use all my bands interchangeably for all functions, including charging and opening my door.

 

[georgina]

Sure they could (if the OP was staying onsite). I use all my bands interchangeably for all functions, including charging and opening my door.

Except the OP already said they were staying offsite (read post #5). So no, they can't.

 

[DisneyMom2000000]

If you're offsite, no band is on its way unless it's the AP band and that's after your stay.



Excelleent. Bring them since you want APs.



?



Yes. I assume she's part of your family of 4 that each has bands from the last trip.



If for some reason they want them (I don't like them so it makes no sense to me LOL), someone can buy them MBs either ahead of time or once you get there.

If you redeem a certificate for a FP at guest services they will give you a grey MB. When we were redeeming our Disney Wedding AP certificate they were getting out grey MBs to link but we asked them not to bc we had old AP magic bands as well as current resort MBs we were using.

If you redeem a certificate for a FP at guest services they will give you a grey MB. When we were redeeming our Disney Wedding AP certificate they were getting out grey MBs to link but we asked them not to bc we had old AP magic bands as well as current resort MBs we were using.

Good to know. Thank you.
We are thinking of going to guest services the day we get in town to do the exchange so we don't have to worry about it the morning we go to the parks. I'm hoping we can get a magic band then. That's why I was thinking about buying them before we go. I don't want to mess with it when we could be on rides.

 

[DisneyMom2000000]

Clarifying in bold... some things I said before may have not made sense ↑



Ok, so my family of four each has a magic band that we got through staying at the resort last time.
Excelleent. Bring them since you want APs. We had APs when we stayed last time, but didn't have the AP bands yet. So, we have the bands from when we stayed at the resort... but the AP bands are ready to be shipped in MDE because we have used them once already.

↑
My daughter, however, has since turned 3. So, we bought her an AP. She doesn't have a Magic Band.
? Sorry, she has a Magic Band from the resort stay but NOT one from her AP because her AP hasn't been used yet.

↑
But, according to what you're saying, she should be able to use the old band from the resort. We'll just bring it with us when we exchange the certificate for her actual AP. Right?
Yes. I assume she's part of your family of 4 that each has bands from the last trip. THANK YOU

↑
ALSO... we have grandparents coming on the trip this time. They are buying APs, and have no Magic Bands associated with their names..... SOOOO... should I buy them bands before we go and just have them linked when they do their exchange certs?!
If for some reason they want them (I don't like them so it makes no sense to me LOL), someone can buy them MBs either ahead of time or once you get there.

If you're offsite, no band is on its way unless it's the AP band and that's after your stay. We loved the Magic Bands! I think they won't be quite as awesome this time since we are staying off property. I loved paying with them and wish they had a way for offsite guests to use them that way... but still, LOVE them for park entry and for Fast Passes!!!



Excelleent. Bring them since you want APs.



?



Yes. I assume she's part of your family of 4 that each has bands from the last trip.



If for some reason they want them (I don't like them so it makes no sense to me LOL), someone can buy them MBs either ahead of time or once you get there.

 

[subtchr]

Except the OP already said they were staying offsite (read post #5). So no, they can't.

And I acknowledged that in my response. My point was to refute @MakiraMarlena's contention that old MagicBands will not work for resort functions, (of course, if the guest is staying at a Disney resort) because they certainly will.

 

[ConnecticutFlea]

I needed to renew my annual pass in early April. I was planning a trip the week after my renewal date. When I called in March to renew my annual pass via phone, the CM linked it to me in MDE so I was able to make my FP+ selections 30 days out even though I still had to exchange the certificates for the actual cards when I got there. I was a little nervous that I would lose all 7 days of FPs when they exchanged the certificate, but the FPs were intact afterwards.

I used my original magic band for 3 different trips. Last spring I bought a new magic band on the Shop Disney Parks app. When it came I was easily able to follow the directions and link it to my MDE account. When I returned with the new band in May it worked!

So..... if the annual passes are linked to you and your family in MDE, you can make FP selections 30 days before you go even if you haven't exchanged the certificate yet. And if you want the grandparents to have the convenience of magic bands, you can buy them in advance on the app and link them to the grandparents in MDE.

 

[DisneyMom2000000]

I needed to renew my annual pass in early April. I was planning a trip the week after my renewal date. When I called in March to renew my annual pass via phone, the CM linked it to me in MDE so I was able to make my FP+ selections 30 days out even though I still had to exchange the certificates for the actual cards when I got there. I was a little nervous that I would lose all 7 days of FPs when they exchanged the certificate, but the FPs were intact afterwards.

I used my original magic band for 3 different trips. Last spring I bought a new magic band on the Shop Disney Parks app. When it came I was easily able to follow the directions and link it to my MDE account. When I returned with the new band in May it worked!

So..... if the annual passes are linked to you and your family in MDE, you can make FP selections 30 days before you go even if you haven't exchanged the certificate yet. And if you want the grandparents to have the convenience of magic bands, you can buy them in advance on the app and link them to the grandparents in MDE.

Thank you SO much. I'll probably buy them bands online and go ahead and link them. So, after our trip, they'll get another band in the mail... right?

Do you know if they give you a grey (non personalized) band at guest services when you swap the exchange certificate for the actual annual pass?