Magic Bands

[toesmom]

We haven't travelled to Disney since 2019, do we need to buy magic bands to get into parks? I would guess that all of the magic bands we have from trips in the past would no longer work? Thanks for any help.

 

[drusba]

Actually, those past Magic Bands should work, at least the ones from 2019 and probably even older. A new alternative to Magic Bands is Disney MobileMagic, which you are supposed to be able to register for in your MDE account. What it does is allow you to use your cell phone as your ticket to enter parks. I have not tried it yet since I have not been there since before the pandemic. Also, I am not sure how expanded it is yet because it apparently initially worked only on Apple devices.

 

[zavandor]

Where you're required to touch the endpoint, the MB should work forever (or until they're deleted from your account or Disney IT crashes, whatever happens first).
The band has a battery inside, which lasts around 18 months, which allows it to ping longer distance point, used for example to associate the band with your on ride pictures. That would stop working after a while. But to enter the parks, as a room key, to pay at touchpoints, it should never stop working.

 

[erionm]

Also, I am not sure how expanded it is yet because it apparently initially worked only on Apple devices.

Disney MobileMagic rolled out to Android phones shortly after the initial roll out to iPhones.

Disney MobileMagic can't be used to unlock hotel doors, but Apple has announced that capability once iOS 15 is released later this year. WDW will support it sometime after iOS 15 launches.

The MDE mobile app can be used to open the hotel room door, but it's hit or miss when it comes to actually working.

 

[TiggerBouncy]

As others said, your older MB's should work for everything except rides linking to photos. They may still work (hard to tell) for those as well.

Other options:
* The MDE App on your phone
* MobileMagic (which works as a card in your passbook so your phone or watch can use it
* You can still get the old style cards at any ticket place (or your resort). They work like the old KTTWC use to. It's a plastic cards the size of a credit card that you can use to access any touchpoints. Those are still free.
* There are plenty of MB's for purchase if you still want to have one (I still buy them even though I have an apple watch).

Please note that everything EXCEPT the MB does not have a long range transmitter. In other words, your old MB's are just as good as the MDE app or the KTTWC. Only MB's give that "magical" link.

 

[redboat45]

So if you don't use a magic band anymore, how do you get the photopass photos, like 7 dwarves?

 

[erionm]

So if you don't use a magic band anymore, how do you get the photopass photos, like 7 dwarves?

Disney recently starting using bluetooth on your phone in conjunction with MDE to link ride photos. It's hit or miss just like with MagicBands.

 

[redboat45]

Disney recently starting using bluetooth on your phone in conjunction with MDE to link ride photos. It's hit or miss just like with MagicBands.

so you'd need blue tooth turned on then. I think I'll stick with the band.

 

[RoseGold]

so you'd need blue tooth turned on then. I think I'll stick with the band.

You only need one band in your party for the ride photos to work. I'd buy one new one, if you want to really make sure.

 

[CarolynFH]

We haven't travelled to Disney since 2019, do we need to buy magic bands to get into parks? I would guess that all of the magic bands we have from trips in the past would no longer work? Thanks for any help.

As others have said, your old MBs should work for all but long distance ride photos. Just go to the Magic Bands and Cards list in your MDE and make sure the ones you’re bringing are still listed as Active. If not, just click to re-activate them.

 

[toesmom]

Thanks, this is very helpful

 

[paults]

I got a ton of old bands in my account and they are all still activated

 

[Anthony1971]

I can confirm your old magic bands will work. we have brought older ones in the past and they worked for unlocking doors, charging and Tickets etc.. How old they were I am not sure but I have the first ones we ever got since they started and it very well could have been them in fact I know it was an older one as it had a DVC slider on it and they only sent them the first 2 sets of magic bands we got.

 

[Mike]

If you are going this year and you have an AP then you can still order a free MB.

 

[erionm]

If you are going this year and you have an AP then you can still order a free MB.

Only until Aug 17.

 

[corpcomp]

Disney recently starting using bluetooth on your phone in conjunction with MDE to link ride photos. It's hit or miss just like with MagicBands.

Right. So many pics I receive are of other guests, not me!!

 

[CarolynFH]

Right. So many pics I receive are of other guests, not me!!

Yes, we noticed that in March and June. I lost a good photo from HM in March because I forgot to email them when we got home to tell them the one they sent us was of people we didn’t even know!

 

[Tink2021]

I have a MB from before my cancelled trip in 2020 but rescheduled to go this year in October. I bought it from Ebay and not sure if it's still active. At what point do you link your MB to your Disney account? I didn't know if it made a difference. When you link it does it activate it or is that when you check in? Do you do that right before going or can I do that now? Sorry for so many questions...

 

[erionm]

I have a MB from before my cancelled trip in 2020 but rescheduled to go this year in October. I bought it from Ebay and not sure if it's still active. At what point do you link your MB to your Disney account? I didn't know if it made a difference. When you link it does it activate it or is that when you check in? Do you do that right before going or can I do that now? Sorry for so many questions...

Since you purchased it separately, you need to manually link it to your MDE account using either the MDE website or mobile app. You can do that at any time. Once linked to MDE, it's active and can be used for any upcoming trip to WDW.

 

[Ronaldo17]

I got a ton of old bands in my account and they are all still activated

Yep, me too