Old Magicbands...

[bayportkat]

Our MagicBands are several years old-we have 2 sets- one from when they were first transitioning to MB (we were able to get paper fast passes and magic band fast passes that trip!) and then one that is more recent. First, is there any way to tell which is the older and which is the newer? Second, I know that they will work for fast passes, but have been reading that they may not work for some of the ride photos. Should the whole family get new magic bands? (we are not staying on property) Should we just use the old ones? What will we miss if we use the old ones and the batteries are dead?

Thanks in advance!!

 

[CAS239]

Aside from being able to tell the difference between MB1 and MB2 on the shape, you can't tell a MB1 apart from another MB1. Only way would be by the custom name you put on the bottom or color. If you guys put your regular names on the bottom then that would make it tough. But if you saw "Hey I remember my first MB I put the name Mickey and yea I remember my second band I put DarylDixon4Life" that would be one way or if you remember you got a red band for your first one and a blue one for your second.

Magic Bands fully functioning are said to be roughly 3 years

If a band is old and has lost its long range function, you'll only be able to use it for when your tapping the band. So park entrance, FP's, CM pictures, etc. The long range function works for automatically picking up ride photos/videos. If the band(s) are old and that long range function has died out, you'd lose out on certain rides that don't have a touch point to get your photos. Right now 7dmt is the only one I can think of. You wouldn't get 7dmt or Tower of Terror ride videos.

If you'd like those two videos, a few ride photos, and the ease of not having to tap your band at the picture mickey head after a ride, then I'd get new bands. If that doesn't really matter, then your old bands will be fine.

 

[Mal6586]

If they're really far enough apart in age, you may can tell by the flexibility of the band. My first MB1 from 2014 was very stiff, especially the section where the Mickey head is, so much so that it was really too narrow to sit on top of my wrist, and the Mickey head ended up naturally resting on the side of my wrist. My MB1 from 2016 was much more flexible and comfortable on my wrist, and Mickey sat on top of my wrist better like he was supposed to.