Magic Bands-Reusable?

[dizneygirl55]

We have magic bands from our last WDW trip. Can they be reused?

Thanks in advance!

 

[FinallyFL]

Yes

 

[dizneygirl55]

thanks!!

 

[bama_ed]

There are two different "beepers" in the MB's, disneygirl55.

The first one is for far-away stuff like a picture of you on a ride. After a year or so that "beeper" expires (an "active" beeper).

The second one is for close/contact stuff like pressing it on the gold Mickey head at the entrance gates or charging a purchase/meal to your account. Those never expire (a "passive" beeper).

Depending on how old yours are, you may not still have the active beeper function. Our don't any more but I never used it for that stuff anyway. The passive side of our MB's still work fine.

Bama Ed

PS - and yes, I know it's not a true beeper but chip/transponder/receiver/twinkie call it what you want. There's two of 'em in there and one's active and one's passive and they serve different functions. That's what the OP needs to be aware of.

 

[serenitygr]

There are two different "beepers" in the MB's, disneygirl55.

The first one is for far-away stuff like a picture of you on a ride. After a year or so that "beeper" expires (an "active" beeper).

The second one is for close/contact stuff like pressing it on the gold Mickey head at the entrance gates or charging a purchase/meal to your account. Those never expire (a "passive" beeper).

Depending on how old yours are, you may not still have the active beeper function. Our don't any more but I never used it for that stuff anyway. The passive side of our MB's still work fine.

Bama Ed

PS - and yes, I know it's not a true beeper but chip/transponder/receiver/twinkie call it what you want. There's two of 'em in there and one's active and one's passive and they serve different functions. That's what the OP needs to be aware of.

Hi Bama Ed! Is there any way to know if the “active” part is good, other than just trying it and realizing your pictures don’t show up?

 

[Dashzap]

If your MagicBand is too old for photos to link, you can use your phone....have the MDX app open and bluetooth on when you ride.

 

[serenitygr]

If your MagicBand is too old for photos to link, you can use your phone....have the MDX app open and bluetooth on when you ride.

Awesome information- thank you!

 

[serenitygr]

If your MagicBand is too old for photos to link, you can use your phone....have the MDX app open and bluetooth on when you ride.

Wait! What is mdx?

 

[Summer2018]

We have unused magic bands from our canceled 2020 WDW trip and an unused Cinderella magic band I bought online from Shop Disney. Our plans have changed repeatedly, and at this point, it could be years before we return to WDW. Any idea how long they will last?

 

[Teamubr]

Wait! What is mdx?

My Disney Experience. The mobile app for food ordering, maps and FP+ if/whenever it comes back.

We have magic bands from our last WDW trip. Can they be reused?

And they can even be repurposed.



j

 

[bama_ed]

There are several threads on the DIS Theme Parks board and/or Resorts board about Magic Bands if you want more info - I don't know the direct answer. IIRC the active side might last a year or so. The passive side does not "wear out" unless Disney were to change the functionality.

I'm planning to take my old bands in January 2022. They're the skinny kind of MB's so maybe 4-5 years old by then.

Bama Ed

 

[rideswithchrist]

I can't even find my bands haha....and I need them because we are working on a MB holder macrame wall hanger thing for the camper- so I need models!
I also might just use ours. We also have the skinny ones Ed!

 

[Jimsig]

Some people have reported the far field part of the band, the part used for ride photos, has worked up to 2 and at least 3 years after they first got them. 2 problems though are you don't know how old your band may have been when you got it and there is no way to test it other then realizing your photos didn't show up. I have always said it's too bad Disney doesn't have some sort of a tester where you can walk by a far field scanner and your first name and state show up on a screen similar to how some peoples name pop up at the end of IASW or in the queue at Star Tours.

I know of some people who carry two bands with them. One is a band they love for whatever reason (fashion etc) and is an older band and they will carry a new band so they are sure to get the ride photos. They will either wear two or keep one around a belt loop, in a back pack or on back pack strap, etc.

 

[Starport Seven-Five]

I know of some people who carry two bands with them. One is a band they love for whatever reason (fashion etc) and is an older band and they will carry a new band so they are sure to get the ride photos. They will either wear two or keep one around a belt loop, in a back pack or on back pack strap, etc.

They could change out the puck in the one they prefer?

 

[bama_ed]

They could change out the puck in the one they prefer?

Unfortunately the early bands were skinny with no removable parts to swap the newer puck around. Our early bands still work for the contact uses like entering the park.

 

[MadisonMike]

Mine is from Jan 2020. Going Jan 2022. My sister works in a back office dept handling guests issues with magic bands not working, connecting etc. I asked her about this issue in relation to my bands and she said they should be all fine for our trip. So 2 yrs old are good 2 go!

 

[dizneygirl55]

Thanks!!

 

[Sjm9911]

Mine is from Jan 2020. Going Jan 2022. My sister works in a back office dept handling guests issues with magic bands not working, connecting etc. I asked her about this issue in relation to my bands and she said they should be all fine for our trip. So 2 yrs old are good 2 go!

I plan on reusing some of mine. There just too much $$$ now. Originally when they went to the 5$ pricing, they cut the cost of the fancy ones to 10 to 15$ . But im not shelling out 25$ a pop for them. Not worth it for me. 75$ can buy a dinner outside of disney for 3 or pay for one meal in the park. I will not use my phone either, so if the bands don't work , i will go back to the cards.

 

[dizneygirl55]

We may have to do the cards again too. Things just seem to keep going up no matter where you are or what you are doing!!!!

 

[Starport Seven-Five]

Unfortunately the early bands were skinny with no removable parts to swap the newer puck around. Our early bands still work for the contact uses like entering the park.

Sorry, should have been more specific. I was only talking about the Magic Band 2s that had removable pucks.