Magic Bands & linked info

[Ravenne]

Please correct me if I'm mistaken, but if you're staying onsite and they ship you your MBs, you have to actually check in physically to have your MBs activated before they will work at all, or have any info accessible correct? Can any of the info linked to MBs, name, travel dates, etc be accessed until they have been activated? Are they essentially just hunks of plastic until they're activated?

 

[mesaboy2]

Please correct me if I'm mistaken, but if you're staying onsite and they ship you your MBs, you have to actually check in physically to have your MBs activated before they will work at all, or have any info accessible correct? Can any of the info linked to MBs, name, travel dates, etc be accessed until they have been activated? Are they essentially just hunks of plastic until they're activated?

They are essentially hunks of plastic all the time. There is no personal info stored on the band itself ever, only a unique code that unlocks personal data on secure Disney servers when the MB is accessed.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

Mesaboy is correct. There's nothing actually stored on your band. It's all in the Disney database, and that is what the band reads.

Right now, you DO have to check in physically before you are given access to your room or to any package components other than tickets (like a dining plan).

 

[Anc96]

Nothing is ever stored on the bands. But, you don't need to wait until check in to "activate" them, or make them useful. Open your MDE account and link your bands. Then you can schedule your FP+ ressies.
Ok edit. I should say you can have the bands linking your Fp+ ressies through them. You don't need to link the bands to make the reservations or open the account. Am I explaining that right?

 

[TimothyG]

Please correct me if I'm mistaken, but if you're staying onsite and they ship you your MBs, you have to actually check in physically to have your MBs activated before they will work at all, or have any info accessible correct? Can any of the info linked to MBs, name, travel dates, etc be accessed until they have been activated? Are they essentially just hunks of plastic until they're activated?

Your MagicBands become active right before they ship them out to you. There's nothing you have to do at check in to get them to work. However, as of right now, if you want to go to the parks BEFORE you check in, you'll have to visit Guest Relations if you purchased tickets as part of a package. You also won't have access to your dining plan entitlements before hotel check in as well if you are on the dining plan.

There's no data about you stored on the band. The only thing it contains is an identification number (which you can actually see printed on the back). That number tells Disney who you are and then their systems can figure out the rest.

And for all intents and purposes, the MagicBand is just a hunk of plastic to everyone except for Disney. There's nothing interesting about that identification number. It's just randomly assigned.

 

[Ravenne]

Perfect. Thanks for the info all!