Magic bands

[cpep42]

I sure hope they work. I got a brand new one Feb. of 2020 ... a dvc one ... and plan on using it next year.

 

[buzz1fan]

This maybe silly question- but if we have 4 bands on mde attached to 4 different people- and 4 tickets in band to same people is that how they attach?
If we got new ones we would need to assign them to a name right

 

[CarolynFH]

This maybe silly question- but if we have 4 bands on mde attached to 4 different people- and 4 tickets in band to same people is that how they attach?
If we got new ones we would need to assign them to a name right

Each MB is a key to the information in MDE about that individual person’s tickets, resort reservations, etc. If that person gets a new MB, the number inside the MB simply needs to be entered under that person’s name in MDE, and that MB can then be used by that person (and any other MBs linked to that person can be used interchangeably by that same person).

 

[LuvLDM]

We used 5 year old MB's last April, they worked like a charm! Only used for park access & opening resort door, didn't actually know they had had any other purpose.

 

[bffdisney]

Hopping on with a related questions. I have toddlers that are about to be 3 when we go. I am not buying them magic bands since I don't think they will wear it and don't have tickets. However, if I take an old band of mine, would they be able to use that to open the room? As long as all are "active" under my name from old trips? I think they would get a kick out of "unlocking it themselves." If you have/had toddlers, you understand.

 

[CarolynFH]

Hopping on with a related questions. I have toddlers that are about to be 3 when we go. I am not buying them magic bands since I don't think they will wear it and don't have tickets. However, if I take an old band of mine, would they be able to use that to open the room? As long as all are "active" under my name from old trips? I think they would get a kick out of "unlocking it themselves." If you have/had toddlers, you understand.

Yes, any active band connected to you via MDE will open resort room doors, tap into parks, etc. no matter whose wrist it’s on. And I definitely understand !

 

[Robo]

Hopping on with a related questions. I have toddlers that are about to be 3 when we go. I am not buying them magic bands since I don't think they will wear it and don't have tickets. However, if I take an old band of mine, would they be able to use that to open the room? As long as all are "active" under my name from old trips? I think they would get a kick out of "unlocking it themselves." If you have/had toddlers, you understand.

Any still-active MB will "work" at WDW.

 

[Jo-Anne]

I have several different tickets in my account - on our upcoming trip, we are only doing one park so I don't want the park hopper ticket used. how can I make sure the park hopper is not first used - can I move the order of tickets around in my account before I go so the one at the top is the one used? I also have some old paper ticket "Fun" passes for water park days that are not in my account - should they be loaded and available on my band or do I just bring those paper tickets to the park?

 

[Happy_2_B]

We still have boatloads old ones sitting in a drawer. No reason for us buy new ones since the old ones will work just fine.

 

[CarolynFH]

I have several different tickets in my account - on our upcoming trip, we are only doing one park so I don't want the park hopper ticket used. how can I make sure the park hopper is not first used - can I move the order of tickets around in my account before I go so the one at the top is the one used? I also have some old paper ticket "Fun" passes for water park days that are not in my account - should they be loaded and available on my band or do I just bring those paper tickets to the park?

Before you enter your first park, go to GR and ask them to prioritize your tickets to use the one you want. Unfortunately you cannot do this yourself. I’d also bring those paper tickets and ask GR about them - they may need to convert them to plastic cards so that the water parks can scan them, but I’m not certain of that.

 

[A Mickeyfan]

I have very old ones that still work. I keep all of mine activated and wear the colors that match my outfit for the day. I have every free color in both old and newer styles

 

[jscottnc]

I recommend deactivating the bands you do not bring with you especially if you are staying at Beach Club/Yacht Club. They silently limit the total number of bands that will work at the resort. No doubt to limit the number that can enter Storm Along Bay. (What? People would loan their spare bands to get into the pool? Shocking!)

Also I have a rather large collection of magicbands from the golden years of a free band with each stay. I am told this can slow down account lookup. (Really? I blame outsourcing IT.)

 

[ssgtravel]

I would like to deactivate some of my older bands. How do you tell which are the newer ones? Are they listed in the order you received them on your account?

 

[jscottnc]

I think they are listed newest to oldest. I generally have the ones I want to use in front of me so I can check the numbers and deactivate everything else.

 

[linfromtexas]

I’m struggling on if we should order new magic bands. I want to use a band only not phones for fast passes.
Our bands are 2017-2019. I did a chat and they advised we would not know if they work until we are there. We are staying at dolphin so will only use them at parks. I really don’t want to have to deal with issues with bands at our park morning. If we are at Disney springs the night before can they scan them there and if we need to get new ones get them then?

I just yesterday asked Disney Web support. They said for 3 or 4 years everything should work except door entry if you're staying on site.

 

[Robo]

I just yesterday asked Disney Web support. They said for 3 or 4 years everything should work except door entry if you're staying on site.

Sorry, but that info is incorrect.

 

[maltdizzy]

I just yesterday asked Disney Web support. They said for 3 or 4 years everything should work except door entry if you're staying on site.

That's not accurate.

• The door entry, park entry, point-of-sale payment all utilize the passive (externally powered) RFID, no battery is needed
  • The power for this functions comes from the reader devices (door locks, paymnet pads, MB readers at park and ride entry, the hand scanners used by CMs, and the post-ride photo tap locations), not the MB
  • The MB must be within a couple of inches to work
  • These functions should all work indefinitely, unless the RFID is damaged by a power surge or similar
• Ride photos and other interactivity use the *active* (internally powered) RFID
  • The battery in the MB gives the signal a wider range of a few feet to interact with readers place "on track" in rides
  • These functions cease after 2-3 years when the battery dies

 

[Tess]

I recommend deactivating the bands you do not bring with you especially if you are staying at Beach Club/Yacht Club. They silently limit the total number of bands that will work at the resort. No doubt to limit the number that can enter Storm Along Bay. (What? People would loan their spare bands to get into the pool? Shocking!)

Also I have a rather large collection of magicbands from the golden years of a free band with each stay. I am told this can slow down account lookup. (Really? I blame outsourcing IT.)

Interesting--wonder if that is why I have to take my bands to the desk every visit at BCV and have them reset so they will open the room door. In October, I had to use my phone to open the room door because none of our bands (neither DH nor mine and we had 6 or 7 each) worked to do so. The DVC concierge reset each one and all worked on the door thereafter.

This happens each and every year although the "new" free (when Disney still gave them away) band usually worked, but no other color. We spent many an hour resetting active bands just to get into our rooms over the years.

 

[jscottnc]

Interesting--wonder if that is why I have to take my bands to the desk every visit at BCV and have them reset so they will open the room door. In October, I had to use my phone to open the room door because none of our bands (neither DH nor mine and we had 6 or 7 each) worked to do so. The DVC concierge reset each one and all worked on the door thereafter.

This happens each and every year although the "new" free (when Disney still gave them away) band usually worked, but no other color. We spent many an hour resetting active bands just to get into our rooms over the years.

I had to do something similar though I did not go to concierge. I went through the list of magicbands (mine and my family's) turning them all off then activating only those we had with us. I then checked each band with the door lock. I have not had this issue with any other resort.

 

[Tess]

I had to do something similar though I did not go to concierge. I went through the list of magicbands (mine and my family's) turning them all off then activating only those we had with us. I then checked each band with the door lock. I have not had this issue with any other resort.

This is the only resort where we have issues, but we have issues here every single time. The only active bands I have are those that were with us so I had no need to turn any off.