Quick question about old MBs

FantasiaMagic

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Jun 11, 2012
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So I am headed to WDW this summer. I will not be staying on property, but have already bought my park tickets. I think I already know the answer to this question, but I just want to make sure - Will my old MBs work in the parks since they are still linked to MDE account? TIA!
 
Thanks! I appreciate the quick response!:goodvibes

The battery part, that would be what would stop working, is not important for guest at this point. If yours has died (and it likely has not) it would be what picks up 7DMT photos, other photos if you don't scan for them, your name on interactive things like HM and Small World. Later it as there are more and more interactive and they fine tune you might want but for now no big deal. Only Disney loses on them not working long range.
 

We just went in December. Would our bands from then work for our May off site trip? What would we actually use them for? Fas Passes? What do we use without them? What about meals, will they scan your band and it be linked to your MDE credit card? Thanks!
 
We just went in December. Would our bands from then work for our May off site trip? What would we actually use them for? Fas Passes? What do we use without them? What about meals, will they scan your band and it be linked to your MDE credit card? Thanks!
You can use them for FP+ but you won't be able to use them to pay for anything without a resort reservation.

If you choose not to bring them, your ticket media (the hard plastic cards) will work.
 
We just went in December. Would our bands from then work for our May off site trip? What would we actually use them for? Fas Passes? What do we use without them? What about meals, will they scan your band and it be linked to your MDE credit card? Thanks!

You can use them just like any other ticket media. They are linked to your MDE, as are your tickets. You can use them for park entry, FastPass, and Photos and such. You cannot tie them to a credit card since when you charge to a Magic Band you are actually charging it to your WDW Resort room and the resort has the CC on file. A CC is not stored within your MDE account.
 
A CC is not stored within your MDE account.
Well, there is this under Profile on the MDE website:
upload_2017-4-26_15-43-45.png

Can't be used to make purchases while at WDW, but can be used at DisneyWorld.com to make ADRs, purchase admission, and a few other things.
 
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You can use them just like any other ticket media. They are linked to your MDE, as are your tickets. You can use them for park entry, FastPass, and Photos and such. You cannot tie them to a credit card since when you charge to a Magic Band you are actually charging it to your WDW Resort room and the resort has the CC on file. A CC is not stored within your MDE account.

Well, there is this under Profile on the MDE website:
View attachment 233507

Yes, technically it is stored in your MDE.
I've had same card attached for years and never have to do anything new to charge with onsite stays.
It may seem like they can charge because if you miss an ADR w/out hotel stay they still charge you ...
but that is the card you used to book ADR, which for many of us is the same card attached to our MDE.
If you charge in a park, it goes to the hotel who then puts on your CC via your reservation,
it does not go direct to your CC from MDE.

Such a grey area, would be nice if they could somehow make it work,
but other than APs I don't see them bothering.
 
I've had same card attached for years and never have to do anything new to charge with onsite stays.
It may seem like they can charge because if you miss an ADR w/out hotel stay they still charge you ...

The card pops up as an option when you book an ADR or purchase photos/memory maker from the app so you don't have to type a card number in otherwise it's not used without a room. You can't even use it for party tickets or other things you can do on the phone or in the app.

Such a grey area, would be nice if they could somehow make it work,
but other than APs I don't see them bothering.

They never will, there is a contractual, you proved it would work for the room payment and your a captive audience. Fraud would be outrageous with fake cc's, gift cards and things they can't go after you for.. its just easier to say no.. I like samsung pay though, love using that as it works with my samsung fitness band so it's a lot like having a MB on that does a lot more with my MB as a keychain in my pocket if needed. The special lately has been 4 times points or double cash back depending on card being used :)
 
The card pops up as an option when you book an ADR or purchase photos/memory maker from the app so you don't have to type a card number in otherwise it's not used without a room. You can't even use it for party tickets or other things you can do on the phone or in the app.

Fully understand that. Was trying to explain why it's confusing that there is a method of payment in your account and yet at times (without hotel stay) you can not use that for charging.

Usage of it will vary when it comes to the app vs the website though. I have purchased events etc on the website without any CC because it's already in my account.

I won't say never for the AP. I consider myself a captive audience and I have a standing contract with Disney to engage my CC with my monthly payment. It could work in some situations. Is it necessary, no? But it has proven to increase spending. When I stay offsite, my spending is WAY down in the parks, because I have to pull out cash or cc.
 
I won't say never for the AP. I consider myself a captive audience and I have a standing contract with Disney to engage my CC with my monthly payment. It could work in some situations. Is it necessary, no? But it has proven to increase spending. When I stay offsite, my spending is WAY down in the parks, because I have to pull out cash or cc.

Very true.. I do find myself spending less when I pull out cash and see the number of $20s getting less than I would like to have left when I leave. and I hate seeing a dozen small charges on the card so I don't do that also.

I'm surprised they haven't done it for gift cards yet. I would get a gift card and put it on the account without even thinking. make it so you can auto-refill the card and you have what I need :)
 
Oh, I guess I've never stored a CC on my MDE account. I always call to make my room or package reservations. I've made ADRs through the website (but not really MDE) so I never noticed it I guess.
 
The battery part, that would be what would stop working, is not important for guest at this point. If yours has died (and it likely has not) it would be what picks up 7DMT photos, other photos if you don't scan for them, your name on interactive things like HM and Small World. Later it as there are more and more interactive and they fine tune you might want but for now no big deal. Only Disney loses on them not working long range.


I'd actually say that it is important to the guest at this point. I definitely had one older one that had stopped working for photos, and photos are super important to me. I don't actually know how old the old one was (I've started dating the magic bands now) so I don't know at what point it died (still worked for touch points of course). We still had some newer bands with us, so not all was lost, but I was fearful it might be too old and I was right.
 
I'd actually say that it is important to the guest at this point. I definitely had one older one that had stopped working for photos, and photos are super important to me. I don't actually know how old the old one was (I've started dating the magic bands now) so I don't know at what point it died (still worked for touch points of course). We still had some newer bands with us, so not all was lost, but I was fearful it might be too old and I was right.

The only photo you should have lost is 7DMT, on all the others you can tap the photo at the end. Videos are also not included. I would say for most guests those couple things are not critical to a good trip, at least not worth them purchasing all new MB if they are offsite.
 
The only photo you should have lost is 7DMT, on all the others you can tap the photo at the end. Videos are also not included. I would say for most guests those couple things are not critical to a good trip, at least not worth them purchasing all new MB if they are offsite.

Frozen Ever After is also MB only. And certainly not critical across the board, but for me it's *really* important. I'm sure it's important to others (especially once you've paid $170 for the Memory Maker thinking you'll get everything) so they just need to know what they're losing to make an educated choice. If you didn't pay for Memory Maker, then, yes it's totally irrelevant.

The other thing to remember is that you only need one band with a battery that works. We have other folks in the family who had newer bands so it was OK for us (but did require some strategic thinking), but I would have been really upset to not get these pictures. There are several from my last trip on 7DMT that were awesome!!
 

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