MDE vs ShopDisney (and MagicBand vs MB+)

[ljmiii]

I'm looking to buy MagicBands ahead of our upcoming April trip as the ones we have been using are now almost 3 years old.

The MDE website seems to only have themed MagicBands for sale and not simple colors. Is this true or am I missing something?

ShopDisney has different bands than MDE. I assume that (as in the past), bands I buy through MDE will be linked to our accounts. And I would have to go somewhere - resort front desk? Guest Services? - to link bands I buy through ShopDisney.

And lastly, does anyone's Magic 8 Ball have anything to say about a MB+ availability date. I can hold off for a while, but don't want to push it too close given shipping delays. TIA.

 

[sponica]

I'm looking to buy MagicBands ahead of our upcoming April trip as the ones we have been using are now almost 3 years old.

The MDE website seems to only have themed MagicBands for sale and not simple colors. Is this true or am I missing something?

ShopDisney has different bands than MDE. I assume that (as in the past), bands I buy through MDE will be linked to our accounts. And I would have to go somewhere - resort front desk? Guest Services? - to link bands I buy through ShopDisney.

And lastly, does anyone's Magic 8 Ball have anything to say about a MB+ availability date. I can hold off for a while, but don't want to push it too close given shipping delays. TIA.

A) You're not missing anything, simple colors have been hard to find. Could be chip shortage, could be low demand, could be whatever.
B) You can link bands to MDE you buy from shop disney, there's an option to link a band in your magicbands/cards page.
C) I don't know if anyone's crystal ball is there for when MB+ comes out

 

[ljmiii]

A) You're not missing anything, simple colors have been hard to find. Could be chip shortage, could be low demand, could be whatever.

Cool...just wanted to make sure I wasn't missing something.

B) You can link bands to MDE you buy from shop disney, there's an option to link a band in your magicbands/cards page.

Excellent...thanks.

 

[roctavia]

Anyone following the magic band selection on MDE notice if new things are being added or is the selection just getting smaller? Trying to decide if we should order while we can or wait and see if new options we like better come up... but then we might lose the ones we do like.... but not everyone has a band right now they want... boo!

 

[PepperjackDragon]

don’t know about online but in parks are overflowing.

 

[erionm]

Anyone following the magic band selection on MDE notice if new things are being added or is the selection just getting smaller? Trying to decide if we should order while we can or wait and see if new options we like better come up... but then we might lose the ones we do like.... but not everyone has a band right now they want... boo!

New MagicBands are sill being added to the available options in MDE. The Wilderness Lodge one and a few others were recent additions.

 

[Kazi7]

don’t know about online but in parks are overflowing.

So I'm going to assume that you will pay more if you buy it in park as opposed to the "pre-arrival" prices I'm seeing on MDE for most of them ($15-$25)? If you purchase in park, do you have to manually add the MB number to MDE yourself? I'm afraid I'll do it wrong and screw up our park arrival. Maybe the hotel (BLT/Contemporary) could help us easily link them?

 

[PepperjackDragon]

So I'm going to assume that you will pay more if you buy it in park as opposed to the "pre-arrival" prices I'm seeing on MDE for most of them ($15-$25)? If you purchase in park, do you have to manually add the MB number to MDE yourself? I'm afraid I'll do it wrong and screw up our park arrival. Maybe the hotel (BLT/Contemporary) could help us easily link them?

Adding the magic band is easy but I think the strategy here is that you will pretty much pay the same price for a design vs solid choice now if you preorder vs order in the parks. Honestly I wouldn’t be surprised if they phase out all plain color then reintroduce them with “glitter” to charge more, or maybe like a slight fade so it’s mostly one color t but they charge for the “special” effect. Then they can push solid color mb+ base line easier too.

 

[CarolynFH]

If you purchase in park, do you have to manually add the MB number to MDE yourself? I'm afraid I'll do it wrong and screw up our park arrival. Maybe the hotel (BLT/Contemporary) could help us easily link them?

The hardest part of adding the MB number to MDE is reading the tiny numbers and letters on the MB! I think the resort can scan the MB and link it to your MDE account - maybe the CM at the store can do it too - I can't remember!