Magic Mobile vs. Magic Band

[mickey765]

How does it work if you have small children without a phone? Or people in your party who don't have phones?
Also, don't like the idea of constantly using my phone or draining my battery all the time.

 

[erionm]

How does it work if you have small children without a phone? Or people in your party who don't have phones?
Also, don't like the idea of constantly using my phone or draining my battery all the time.

You can still purchase MagicBands for those without a phone. If staying at a Disney Resort, the front desk will also provide a RFID enabled key card for free which will also work for park entry.

Otherwise, you would need to open the wallet app on your phone and swipe through each pass separately.

 

[Dave006]

How does it work if you have small children without a phone? Or people in your party who don't have phones?
Also, don't like the idea of constantly using my phone or draining my battery all the time.

You can generate Magic Mobile passes for them and add them to your smartphone wallet and Apple Watch (optional).

You can only use "Express" mode for your pass. For other members of your group you just need to open your wallet app and scroll to their pass and then you can tap for them.

Works on iPhone, Apple Watch and Android smartphones.

Dave

 

[PrincessJL16]

Tried to see if someone posted this, but once the pass is added to your watch, you don't have to have it open by clicking the side button to use it. The pass is always active. You can just hold your watch up to the scanner.

I'll still be having MBs with us for ride pictures though.

Thanks for sharing! I was hoping this was the case for the watch since it should work the same way on an iPhone.

 

[CarolynFH]

Thanks for sharing! I was hoping this was the case for the watch since it should work the same way on an iPhone.

Just make sure Express Mode is enabled in the Watch app on your iPhone. It’s under Walket & Apple Pay. I think it usually defaults to Enabled, but it doesn’t hurt to check!

 

[Lisa51683]

Well everyone, I lasted 12 hours before I activated my magic band.
Mainly didn’t love that I couldn’t get into the health club, pool, or side doors with Magic Mobile.

Good to know! can you pay for food with magic mobile on an Apple Watch?

 

[aamove]

We like to use the magic bands and I doubt that that will change. We usually take several with us and use them all.

 

[jen7233]

Just wondering if anyone ditched the magic band and using only magic mobile? If so, how is it working out?

We were there in April, we wanted to try out the MagicMobile so I added the passes on to my iWatch Wallet to try it out one day during our visit, and pretty confident is was entered correctly and I used the correct one entering Epcot. I also had my magic band on, but wanted to try the new concept of passes on the Wallet.

I was really cautious and trying out the new concept at Epcot entry so that's why I feel I used it right, had no issue entering through Epcot with the MagicMobile via my Wallet. But, then used the passes on my Wallet again via my watch at HS later afternoon when park hopping. At HS, an error occurred coming in at entry, they said I never went to Epcot earlier per my park reservation (well, that it didn't register as me going, I should specify, not that they didn't believe me), and we had to have a cast member come over and assist and couldn't proceed into the park.

They were nice about it, seemed like they were trying to figure out the system also on the pad they had. I did explain we did go to Epcot, used the Wallet pass. It took a little over 5 or so minutes to get the situation fixed and sorted out. Briefly wondered in my thoughts during the time they were trying to figure out how to fix it, what if there is a situation where they were adament you didn't go to your park reservation before hopping.

 

[Boopuff]

I'm a magic band fan, but I'm sure my DH will love the ability to use his phone for everything. With my luck, the darn app won't work so I think I'll bring along an old MB just in case. BTW- does anyone know the shelf life of old MB?

 

[ENJDisneyFan]

BTW- does anyone know the shelf life of old MB?

They will work forever at touch points but only for 2-3 years for long range functions like ride photos.

 

[1lilspark]

I tried magic mobile thinking that it would be great because my MB is older and rarely picks up ride photos but was over it because you have to set your phone to where you have to use Face ID/pass code which I was getting annoyed with

 

[fivikse]

They will work forever at touch points but only for 2-3 years for long range functions like ride photos.

Oh wow - really? Even if they are many years old, I can use the old magic bands for park entry and not have to worry about Magic Mobile? that is good to know!

 

[CarolynFH]

Oh wow - really? Even if they are many years old, I can use the old magic bands for park entry and not have to worry about Magic Mobile? that is good to know!

Yep, that’s true. So just bring an old MB, and you’re good.

 

[PanchoX1]

They will work forever at touch points but only for 2-3 years for long range functions like ride photos.

why do they stop working after a couple of years? Batteries? cant you just replace that?

 

[ENJDisneyFan]

why do they stop working after a couple of years? Batteries? cant you just replace that?

Yes, there is a battery that runs the active RFID chip for long range functionality. I don’t believe it can be replaced.

 

[Farro]

If I use mobile magic to pay - it uses my google pay, whatever I have in my wallet? So would that mean it's not charging back to my room, so there would be no holds on my card placed by Disney?

or am I misunderstanding this whole thing?

 

[Dave006]

If I use mobile magic to pay - it uses my google pay, whatever I have in my wallet? So would that mean it's not charging back to my room, so there would be no holds on my card placed by Disney?

or am I misunderstanding this whole thing?

MagicMobile is an alternative to a MB so you can use it a touch point to pay with a PIN to charge back to your room for purchases but again not as part of Mobile Order payment. The tie in to Google Pay is just to add your Generated MagicMobile Pass to your wallet.

If you use Mobile Order and Payment. The payment option is selected when you compete your order. You can't charge back to your room using Mobile Order.

You can use a Credit / Debit or Gift card, Apple Pay or Google Pay for Moble order / payment. Only tricky issue is you can't store a Gift Card number in the MDE app. So just store a Gift card number in a Note and copy and paste into the order screen as needed.

ETA: Clear up the post.

Dave

 

[Farro]

If you use Mobile Order and Payment. The payment option is selected when you compete your order. You can't charge back to your room using Mobile Order.

Dave

So (sorry for questions) - if I'm shopping, or at a sit down - can I use Magic Mobile with my attached google wallet to pay there? Or is it basically just to use as my tickets/room key? Like I know I can pay anywhere with my magic band and it charges back to the card attached, and they do a hold on the card and run the charges after a day or something.
I was thinking with Magic Mobile that I use that and it's just like using google pay, so no hold.

And do I use my google pay app to use it? Or open it with MDE?

I'm so confused.

 

[Dave006]

I was thinking with Magic Mobile that I use that and it's just like using google pay, so no hold.

And do I use my google pay app to use it? Or open it with MDE?

I'm so confused.

So you your example above you will be just using Android mobile payment using a stored Credit card or debit card and not your MagicMobile Pass tied to your Disney Hotel folio for the point of sale transaction.

This does not use your MagicMobile pass that is tied to your Disney hotel folio. To use your MagicMobile pass, you would select it from your Android digital wallet and then the POS sevice will prompt you to enter your PIN.. This is just how a MB payment works today and in the future with charging privileges to your hotel folio account.

Does this clear up the methods of using MagicMobile generate passes in your Android wallet vs a stored Credit or Debit card.

Dave

 

[brennan731]

I would be all for MB but without Fastpass+, I just think Magic Mobile is way more convenient.