No Magic Bands

[Jennifer Striblin]

We will be going to Disney World in Oct 2023. I have a drawer full of old magic bands. We will be a group of 10 or 12 this time. Never done this before. I don't want to try to get magic bands or reuse the ones I have, they are more than likely dead. How do you scan in to the Genie Plus. We will drive to the parks. How do you prove you are a resort guest without a magic band. We are all on the same Disney Experience account. Do we use the plastic card they send in the mail. I really don't want to stay on my phone all day on the app.

 

[MadderAdder]

Get every one a plastic key card from guest services or if some have phones and their own MDE account they can use that to scan in.

 

[soniam]

The magic bands should be fine for hotel rooms and scanning points where the band comes in contact with the reader, ie tickets, Lightning Lane, room charging. They may not work for long distance RFID pictures, like on Seven Dwarves Mine Train, Pirates, Frozen Ever After. Also, you can't transfer bands. So, people that didn't have bands before need cards anyway.

 

[Out and About]

We will be going to Disney World in Oct 2023. I have a drawer full of old magic bands. We will be a group of 10 or 12 this time. Never done this before. I don't want to try to get magic bands or reuse the ones I have, they are more than likely dead. How do you scan in to the Genie Plus. We will drive to the parks. How do you prove you are a resort guest without a magic band. We are all on the same Disney Experience account. Do we use the plastic card they send in the mail. I really don't want to stay on my phone all day on the app.

What plastic cards did they send you in the mail? I've stayed onsite more times than I can remember and the only time I've ever been given a key card is at the front desk if I've locked myself out. That, and the card for annual passes that has to be picked up in person at guest services.

 

[Out and About]

The magic bands should be fine for hotel rooms and scanning points where the band comes in contact with the reader, ie tickets, Lightning Lane, room charging. They may not work for long distance RFID pictures, like on Seven Dwarves Mine Train, Pirates, Frozen Ever After. Also, you can't transfer bands. So, people that didn't have bands before need cards anyway.

Agree with all of this. In addition, there's no reason to be on your phone all day. Read the master threads on this forum about Magicbands, Genie, Genie+, Individual Lightning Lanes, and Virtual Queues. It's a lot to read, and it seems like a lot to process at first, but it's very straight forward. Do some research and relax. As long as you go in with some advance knowledge you'll be fine. Also, download the app if you haven't already and practice navigating. It's really not hard. It just feels complicated if you haven't been to WDW since Fastpass days and you're taking in all these new terms at once.

 

[Out and About]

Get every one a plastic key card from guest services or if some have phones and their own MDE account they can use that to scan in.

The OP said that everyone is on the same account. That is probably part of her anxious tone. It's a lot of pressure to be the planner for a group. However, if no one else is helping with the planning, I personally find it easier to have my big group all managed by me on my MDE. Multiple accounts get confusing if the owners of those accounts aren't up to speed on what needs to be done.

 

[Bayoumomof3]

Magic Bands are good forever. Like OP said, they just will not work for linking photopass from rides if too old.

 

[AnnaKristoff2013]

We will be going to Disney World in Oct 2023. I have a drawer full of old magic bands. We will be a group of 10 or 12 this time. Never done this before. I don't want to try to get magic bands or reuse the ones I have, they are more than likely dead. How do you scan in to the Genie Plus. We will drive to the parks. How do you prove you are a resort guest without a magic band. We are all on the same Disney Experience account. Do we use the plastic card they send in the mail. I really don't want to stay on my phone all day on the app.

Just stop at any ticket booth on the way into your first park and ask for ticket cards for each person. You can use those ticket cards to scan into rides and the parks. I strongly recommend you do not try to use magic mobile on your cell phones, that is a pain, especially for a group of 12... You'll be swipiing and fiddling with your phone at every lightning lane while a line of impatient people builds up behind you. The plastic cards are free, and if you lose them, they can be replaced.

 

[Her Dotness]

The plastic cards are free, and if you lose them, they can be replaced.

Also, you don't have to fiddle with the card to get it to stay where you want it.

Shove it in pocket or bag. Away you go.

 

[Jennifer Striblin]

Also, you don't have to fiddle with the card to get it to stay where you want it.

Shove it in pocket or bag. Away you go.

Thanks so much. The magic bands are so sweaty and uncomfortable.

 

[Jennifer Striblin]

What plastic cards did they send you in the mail? I've stayed onsite more times than I can remember and the only time I've ever been given a key card is at the front desk if I've locked myself out. That, and the card for annual passes that has to be picked up in person at guest services.

We always receive a plastic card in the mail when I order tickets. looks like a credit card. Has a different character on each card. I have not been in a year and half, they may have stopped sending them.

 

[sheilafri]

The magic bands should be fine for hotel rooms and scanning points where the band comes in contact with the reader, ie tickets, Lightning Lane, room charging. They may not work for long distance RFID pictures, like on Seven Dwarves Mine Train, Pirates, Frozen Ever After. Also, you can't transfer bands. So, people that didn't have bands before need cards anyway.

This! You don’t need new bands except for photos and then only if the battery has gone dead. They actually last for years. Old bands, even with a dead battery, will work for admission and G+ LLs when touched to a reader. Soniam is correct that bands cannot be transferred. They are always linked to the original owner. Another Disney money grab I’m sure.

 

[Her Dotness]

Thanks so much. The magic bands are so sweaty and uncomfortable.

You can hang a MB on a chain or lanyard, too. I'd duck tape it closed, though, so it doesn't pop open and drop off.

I generally use an MB but like a card for carrying stuff back to the room. When I've an armful, twisting my wrist to get the MB to land right and unlock the door is a pain. I get card in hand as I approach. Easy peasy.

Besides, cards from previous trips can be nice collectibles or fun small gifts for little kids. "Here's a picture of Mickey for you."

 

[maltdizzy]

We always receive a plastic card in the mail when I order tickets. looks like a credit card. Has a different character on each card. I have not been in a year and half, they may have stopped sending them.

Pretty much. These days, the tickets are all digital and linked to each individual in MDE, where they are also tied to their park reservations, Lightning Lanes, hotel stay, etc. They'll issue RFID cards at the hotel front desk or at guest services which offer the same passive functions of a MB. RFID is a unique ideintifier that links you to you profile on the WDW servers, which then recalls your tickets, reservations, etc.. The servers occasionally to have issues with people who have a lot of old cards and MBs linked to their account, so Disney is trying to cut down and only hand out cards when needed.

Personally, I love the MB. I don't have the hassle of pulling my phone or a card out of my pocket for anything accept paying.

 

[CeCe0906]

I went to Disneyland last summer when they didn't use magic bands, and gave you a card at first scan into park with myself, 3 kids under 10 and an adult who doest really use her phone except to text or FaceTime.

So I placed each of our cards in clear plastic nametag holders (marked their initials in the corner) on a clip on my belt that I could retract and extend. That way I could scan into all the LL and photopass ops easily. It was painful scanning on my phone for each of us the first time on my phone.

In your case each adult could keep track of their own and their kids. That way if you split up they can have it, and makes it easier scanning into park and then scanning finger, and getting through the LL check smoothly.

If each adult has the app on their phone, they really don't need to have their own account; they can log in as you ( as long as you are OK with that) and make their own LL reservations if you don't plan to stay together all the time.

Use your arrival day, to get everyone downloaded and have a mini tutorial by the pool for those that might need it.

 

[hsmamato2]

Get every one a plastic key card from guest services or if some have phones and their own MDE account they can use that to scan in.

I recommend doing this outside the parks if possible.... to avoid the crowds at entry. Disney Springs has a location that can do it for you. Also, I used a magicband from about 5 years ago just this month and it worked fine! I figured I'd bring it to try,no loss if it didn't work but it did!

 

[loves to dive]

If you want to use your MB, it will be fine, I'm still using one of the very first ones they issued. But, if you don't want to use, you can get a good old fashioned ticket, the plastic card type. No, if you bought them from Disney, they do not send them. If you bought them from an outside authorized dealer, some of them will send them. I bought refundable tickets from the Frog and asked for real tickets instead of digital ones. My DIL does not have a MB and had no desire to buy one so she used the ticket. You can get the cards at any GS locations or at any of the ticket booths outside any of the parks.

 

[Her Dotness]

You can get the cards at any GS locations or at any of the ticket booths outside any of the parks.

Also, resort concierge desks can fix you up with the cards.

 

[Jennifer Striblin]

Just stop at any ticket booth on the way into your first park and ask for ticket cards for each person. You can use those ticket cards to scan into rides and the parks. I strongly recommend you do not try to use magic mobile on your cell phones, that is a pain, especially for a group of 12... You'll be swipiing and fiddling with your phone at every lightning lane while a line of impatient people builds up behind you. The plastic cards are free, and if you lose them, they can be replaced.

I have gotten behind people at the entrance trying to scan in on their phone. It seemed to take forever. Thanks for the info.