My concern is that this is the beginning of the end and that we'll see Disney pushing use of smartphones more and more. I'm one of those people who uses my phone frequently in the parks to check wait times, mobile order my food, etc. so I don't mind having my phone on me and making use of it. I don't like relying on it for
everything, though, and I find the magicbands really convenient because I don't have to get my phone out, unlock it, navigate to the right app, etc.--I just touch my wrist to the tap point and punch in my PIN and I'm done. I'd rather not be in a position where I have to either use my phone or go back to using a keycard/physical credit cards/what-have-you. My hope is that they'll continue on with a hybrid system that will allow use of either/both, since I've already got a handful of magicbands and I'm okay with losing the long range capabilities if I can still use them for tickets, keys, payments, etc.
I've just decided not to invest money in collecting (many) more magicbands, though, because I'm nervous that they'll announce a big phase-out after I've sunk money into it--otherwise this year I was looking at ordering half a dozen of them at once on
ShopDisney so I could swap around pucks for fun color combos. I just struggle to justify the cost to myself when there's a chance they're on the way out. But I'm a bit of a sucker for accessories I can coordinate, so they'll probably still get money out of me for special edition bands here and there if they keep selling them.
Wow! this is good to know. So my supply (I've saved every one) might last me a long time!! Yay! I don't care about my name showing up on Small World. What else would I be missing once the battery dies?
I think a few of the newer rides don't have tap points for making sure the ride photo gets attached to your account--it relies on picking up the signal from a magicband. Kind of shortsighted design, if you ask me. I'm not positive which rides that includes, though, and if they're going to switch to relying on people using their phones they'll have to do something to make that work with shorter range signals....like maybe adding the missing tap points.
we would just slip them into a front pocket of my tiny purse and take out as needed! Same as magic bands because we roll then up small and have them in my bag we dont wear them ever. So the flat thin cards take way less space! we only beed them for park entry and maybe a fast pass occaisonally. We barely use FP so not like we take them out often during a day. we also use Disney gift cards for payment and not magic banda
You can remove the puck of the newer style of magicband from the wristband; you just need a small screwdriver like you'd use to repair a pair of glasses. If you're not wearing the magicbands you don't need to carry the entire band around. Disney even sells keychains for the pucks if you'd rather attach it to your bag instead of wearing it on your wrist.
that!) . I just use the MB to charge it to the room and then I go down to the front desk of hotel to pay the balance with the GC.
