Magic Mobile vs. Magic Band

[bdiddy]

I’m bummed they are phasing the magic bands out. I hate having my phone out constantly. I’ve been hoping they bring maxpass over to WDW but use the magic bands with it. We absolutely loved maxpass but I hated having to scan through the phone for everything. The bands are so much more convenient. My ideal system would be a combo of the 2 for sure!

 

[123SA]

Am I reading this right? I always get memory maker; I love ride photos. My bands will be two years old. This means we should use bands during our trip and I need new ones.

 

[Coach Holden]

Sadly, I think you have a point. I‘ve been a huge advocate for Magic Bands since they debuted. Aside from a few tech hiccups, they’re perfect for an all-inclusive place like WDW.. so, I tried both methods out this most recent trip... and let’s be honest, I really dont see it being “easier” than a waterproof/scratch-proof RFID chip in a magic band, ever.

While Magic Mobile could partially be seen as just an alternative method of it, they have the ability to place other enticing “buttons” nearby that generate them value. I wouldn’t be shocked if one day we see Ad’s incorporated within that app. (just look at how social media has slowly, yet unfortunately effectively trickled advertisement into their apps)

 

[gharter]

i still think we will bring our MB for the next trip. Currently we use our phones too much already. I'm worried that this will only drain the batteries even faster.

 

[ENJDisneyFan]

Am I reading this right? I always get memory maker; I love ride photos. My bands will be two years old. This means we should use bands during our trip and I need new ones.

A lot of the rides have tap points at the end - your 2 year old bands will work fine for those. Where you may have a problem are the rides without tap points, like Haunted Mansion. Your band may or may not pick those up.

 

[erionm]

I’m bummed they are phasing the magic bands out.

Disney is not phasing out MagicBands. They are just no longer complementary for those with a resort reservation or AP Holders.

 

[_19disnA]

I will keep using the magic band. Most phone apps are annoying with constant ads and too little useful information. The weather app that came installed with my phone has become useless with ads the cover the screen and make it a challenge to just check the weather. It seems to be a game for them to fill the screen with ads and if you don't press exactly in the 1/32 of an inch that isn't an ad you zoom off somewhere else..............annoying. Found a different app for the weather that works much better. Rather enjoy my vacation then spend all my time with my nose stuck in the phone.

 

[DisBuckMan]

If this works like maxpass the last time we went to Disneyland, I already hate it.

I cannot tell you how many times we got stuck behind mom with the entire families' maxpasses on her phone and holding up the entire line digging through the phone to get everyone into the ride.

 

[bdiddy]

Disney is not phasing out MagicBands. They are just no longer complementary for those with a resort reservation or AP Holders.

Maybe not officially but I feel they are definitely heading in that direction.

 

[bdiddy]

If this works like maxpass the last time we went to Disneyland, I already hate it.

I cannot tell you how many times we got stuck behind mom with the entire families' maxpasses on her phone and holding up the entire line digging through the phone to get everyone into the ride.

That’s why I would love a combo of maxpass and magic bands. The fast pass and photo piece of the maxpass but use the bands to get on the rides.

 

[shawthorne44]

What is the card like physically? Is it stiff plastic like a credit card, or printed paper? Printed paper would be annoying. What if it gets wet?

At the moment, I think we might buy one $5 MB and put it on daughter, then have DH and I use cards. Actually maybe get a card for DD as a backup.

We can use the cards for parking, room, park entry.

We need the MB for ride photos (if DD isn't in it, we don't care)

We will pay for food, merch. with gift cards or a credit card. We aren't into charging stuff to our room, so we don't need that functionality.

We are used to having our passes on a lanyard for Six Flags or Universal, so that won't be a problem.

Is it possible, with a resort stay, to buy a $5 one and have it shipped to you, like the free ones used to be? I think it would be fun to decorate the band.

 

[CarolynFH]

What is the card like physically? Is it stiff plastic like a credit card, or printed paper? Printed paper would be annoying. What if it gets wet?

At the moment, I think we might buy one $5 MB and put it on daughter, then have DH and I use cards. Actually maybe get a card for DD as a backup.

We can use the cards for parking, room, park entry.

We need the MB for ride photos (if DD isn't in it, we don't care)

We will pay for food, merch. with gift cards or a credit card. We aren't into charging stuff to our room, so we don't need that functionality.

We are used to having our passes on a lanyard for Six Flags or Universal, so that won't be a problem.

Is it possible, with a resort stay, to buy a $5 one and have it shipped to you, like the free ones used to be? I think it would be fun to decorate the band.

The cards are rigid plastic with RFID chips in them, like a hotel key. Your plan is good. And yes, with a resort stay you can order one band and have it shipped to you, if you order far enough in advance of your stay (otherwise it will be waiting at the resort front desk when you arrive). Unfortunately the price for the plain solid color ones just went up to $10 - but they have a lot of pretty new colors!

 

[LyghtChyld]

I only plan to switch when I'm forced to. I don't have my phone in my hand constantly while in the parks. I'll bring it out to verify reservations or take pictures but that's about it. I don't even like the idea of having my phone out constantly while on a family vacation unless it's for those reasons.

 

[DisBuckMan]

The cards are rigid plastic with RFID chips in them, like a hotel key. Your plan is good. And yes, with a resort stay you can order one band and have it shipped to you, if you order far enough in advance of your stay (otherwise it will be waiting at the resort front desk when you arrive). Unfortunately the price for the plain solid color ones just went up to $10 - but they have a lot of pretty new colors!

Are they still shipping them? I thought I saw where mb's are all picked up at the resort now?

And yep...there was a $5 price increase on all resort stay mb's this past week.

 

[CarolynFH]

I’m looking forward to MagicMobile, but only because I have an Apple Watch that will serve as my MB now. For our last few trips I’ve worn a watchband slider with a MB puck in it, and before that I wore the watch on one wrist and the MB on the other (or sometimes both on the same wrist). So having just the watch will be lovely. If I didn’t have the Apple Watch, I’d still use a MB.

 

[CarolynFH]

Are they still shipping them? I thought I saw where mb's are all picked up at the resort now?

And yep...there was a $5 price increase on all resort stay mb's this past week.

They shipped our new AP MBs to us, and I haven’t seen anything about them not shipping resort MBs (although I’ve read posts about them being delayed or not arriving in time).

 

[Griffin11]

A lot of the rides have tap points at the end - your 2 year old bands will work fine for those. Where you may have a problem are the rides without tap points, like Haunted Mansion. Your band may or may not pick those up.

Which rides don't have tap points? And if you don't have a magic band, what happens to those ride photos currently? Any other options except magic bands?

 

[erionm]

Which rides don't have tap points? And if you don't have a magic band, what happens to those ride photos currently? Any other options except magic bands?

Haunted Mansion, Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, Frozen Ever After, Slinky Dog Dash. Might be others.

If you have an iPhone with bluetooth enabled, that would also allow ride photos to link to your account.

Ride photos are taken for every ride vehicle. You can visit a camera center in any theme park and they can pull up ride photos and if yours can be found, they can be manually linked to your account.

 

[ENJDisneyFan]

Which rides don't have tap points? And if you don't have a magic band, what happens to those ride photos currently? Any other options except magic bands?

The ones I can think of are Frozen, Pirates, SDMT, HM, and SDD. Not sure if there is a way to collect those without a working MB, or if Magic Mobile will pick them up.

 

[4My3KGirls]

So, our new and unused Magic bands will be about a year and a half old when we go in July. We received them in late February 2010 for what was supposed to be our Spring Break 2010 trip in March. The World shut down 5 days before we were set to arrive. Based on what I am reading I am pretty confident we won't have any issue with tapping for admission, but should I be worried about the long range RFID for ride photos on bands that will be about a year and a half old?