MagicBands- staying offsite?

[kellia]

We haven't been to Disney in 3 years, so I know nothing about MagicBands! We are going in Feb and staying offsite. Is it worth it to buy the Magic Bands? We can only use them for our fastpasses, right? What do we they do for fastpasses now if we don't have a MagicBand?

Thanks!

 

[HM]

You can use your ticket for entry and Fastpasses or buy a Magic Band and add the tickets and MBs to your MDE account to do both of those things for you.
I don't see any reason to spend $13 a person on a MB, when you ticket can do what you need.

 

[Monykalyn]

if you purchase memory maker for photos the magic bands will auto capture the photos to the account. It was also the only way to get the videos (having a magic band) of ToT and SDMT. However you only need one magic band on the ride for whole family to capture the photos etc.
We liked the convenience of having them 2 years ago when we stayed offsite-so much easier than fumbling for entry ticket/card for entry, fastpass entrance (some lines you have to tap the card/band at 2 points in the FP line). We stayed onsite last year and really still enjoyed the convenience.

If you have kids it may be easier to get bands for them than trying to keep tickets straight for FP and entry. But yeah-at $13 per band it is gonna cost ya.

 

[kathy884]

Last offsite trip I didn't get them. The ticket for entry can be used for fast passes, for dining for lunch at "Be Our Guest" they put a little plastic fruit item on your tray/table to find you when they bring your food out because they don't have that magic band for tracking you, and for Test Track you pick up a little card to design your car specs, as you don't have a Magic Band for that. DS thought the Magic Bands were really cool and was disappointed that he didn't have one -- He must like the wrist stuff and be really into it, as with monies he saved from his job and birthday's etc. he even bought an apple watch. Just because of him thinking they are so cool and his feeling a little bit like a second class citizen not having one (wasn't a big deal to me at all), if I go to WDW again (I can almost guarantee that I'd do that as an offsite visitor), I plan to buy them -- gut feel that for DS it will add to the magic. Personal thoughts are that they are not necessary and I really am not all that keen on having my movements tracked. For DS it's a cool toy -- loves all the latest technology.

I have to say though a wrist band for getting in and out of a hotel room seems cool to me. Or could my hotel key work like my car key and let me in, if it's in my purse? That sounds even better than my having to wear something around my wrist. As someone who looses keys if I have to take them out and use them, I like this kind of technology.

 

[TallyTutter]

We have bands from past trips, this year we will be staying off site, can we use those for our tickets?

 

[Pkltm]

We have bands from past trips, this year we will be staying off site, can we use those for our tickets?

Yes they will still be linked to your My Disney Experience, so as long as your tickets are you it should work.

 

[umwhat]

We haven't been to Disney in 3 years, so I know nothing about MagicBands! We are going in Feb and staying offsite. Is it worth it to buy the Magic Bands? We can only use them for our fastpasses, right? What do we they do for fastpasses now if we don't have a MagicBand?

Thanks!

Hey Kellia!!
So...This is a controversial solution. Some say it's brilliant, some say it's not cool. I'm neither for or against it. Just trying to be sure you have options.
You can book a night at a campground for about $50 in Feb. With that, since it's a resort reservation, you would get free magic bands. You can also have up to 9 (I think) people on the reservation. SO...if you have 5 people on your trip, you're coming out ahead. Everyone gets a magic band and you get two days of your trip where you can book fast passes 60 days out. Whether or not you use the campground reservation is up to you.

Some will say that's "robbing" a site from someone who would really use it. Rarely would that be an issue in February.
Again, controversial but an option.

 

[100AcreWood]

We bought one magic band that dh used during our last trip because of memory maker.

 

[Marionnette]

Hey Kellia!!
So...This is a controversial solution. Some say it's brilliant, some say it's not cool. I'm neither for or against it. Just trying to be sure you have options.
You can book a night at a campground for about $50 in Feb. With that, since it's a resort reservation, you would get free magic bands. You can also have up to 9 (I think) people on the reservation. SO...if you have 5 people on your trip, you're coming out ahead. Everyone gets a magic band and you get two days of your trip where you can book fast passes 60 days out. Whether or not you use the campground reservation is up to you.

Some will say that's "robbing" a site from someone who would really use it. Rarely would that be an issue in February.
Again, controversial but an option.

I suggest that if anyone contemplates doing this, that they should cancel the reservation once their MBs ship. This would free up the campsite for someone who wants it and you get your money back for the reservation. You do give up resort guest benefits when you cancel (free parking and EMH for two days come to mind).

 

[snarlingcoyote]

I would wait a bit and see if the Disney Store has any sales before I bought. A co-worker who stayed off-site this spring was able to buy hers for 25% off that way.

 

[kellia]

I suggest that if anyone contemplates doing this, that they should cancel the reservation once their MBs ship. This would free up the campsite for someone who wants it and you get your money back for the reservation. You do give up resort guest benefits when you cancel (free parking and EMH for two days come to mind).

If you cancel, will the bands still work? Or will they charge you for them?

 

[JenzyHP]

Hey Kellia!!
So...This is a controversial solution. Some say it's brilliant, some say it's not cool. I'm neither for or against it. Just trying to be sure you have options.
You can book a night at a campground for about $50 in Feb. With that, since it's a resort reservation, you would get free magic bands. You can also have up to 9 (I think) people on the reservation. SO...if you have 5 people on your trip, you're coming out ahead. Everyone gets a magic band and you get two days of your trip where you can book fast passes 60 days out. Whether or not you use the campground reservation is up to you.

Some will say that's "robbing" a site from someone who would really use it. Rarely would that be an issue in February.
Again, controversial but an option.

2 days parking, easier fast passes, and magic bands. That's ingenious.

 

[kellia]

Yeah, the 2 days of parking didn't even occur to me! I wonder how long check in would take in the morning to get our free parking pass? Or is that indicated on the band, too?