Thoughts on Magic Bands?

[CableKC]

I look at the Magic Band options through the Disneyworld website and nothing impressed the kids.

Is it a good idea to just buy the lowest cost Magic Bands online from the Disney Store and then go to the Disney Parks and customize it there with accesories and such?

I'm assuming that the stores in the parks have better designs for wrist bands and all.

 

[Kailunkat]

They don't really do the apple watch style of customization on the Magic bands. You can't select a band and sensor (center part) separately. They will have WAY more selection at the parks (there is usually 1 store in each park that has a whole wall of different style, a lot more than the website has) but you will also end up spending the time to set it up/link it to your tickets while on the vacation instead of taking the time to do it beforehand. It doesn't take a super-long time to set each one up (unless you need to patch/download the latest software for it when one of them vibrates/lights up and another doesn't).

 

[_19disnA]

You can also reuse your older Magic Bands from a prior Disney trip. Some functions require the battery to be working, but the majority of what you use it for doesn't require the battery. If you only wear it while at Disney and then toss in a drawer when back home, you can save the cost of buying new ones.

 

[CarolynFH]

You can also buy the lowest cost bands, which are usually the plain ones, from the Disney Store and then cutomize them with "skins" and other items purchased from various online retailers. Just do an internet search for "Disney Magic Band decorations" and see what comes up.

 

[Best Aunt]

If you're looking for the older version (Magic Band) rather than the newer version (Magic Band +):
you probably will not see a bigger selection at Disney World.
Disney has been phasing them out of the gift shops.

If you go to DisneyStore.com, the website shows a coupon code. It applies to some but not all Magic Bands on the website. It ends Sunday 06/02/2024.

If you are looking at the ones which you buy through My Disney Experience because you have a trip coming up: that selection changes all the time.

 

[gottalovepluto]

No, Disney doesn't have accessories and such for customizing your MB. You can create customized MBs at some kiosks where Disney does customized items but personally I was not a fan of the quality when I did that. I got a tiki bird one and it just seemed like a really cheap print job. Do you want MB+ or the old school one? If you want the old school one you basically have to buy it before your trip, they'd phased them out of almost everywhere at WDW when I was looking in April. However if you want MB+ there were numerous ones to pick from in the parks so you'd be fine to buy them there.

(If you plan to use these bands at Disneyland or on DCL you'll want a MB+ as the older ones don't work there.)

 

[CableKC]

Thanks for all your responses. I will bring my old Magic Bands that I had from our last trip a few years ago and see if they work. If they do, great. If they don't? Oh well.

I have a free day to walk around Disney Springs on the day we arrive. I will probably take my Daughter to the World of Disney store there and see if she wants one.

It sounds like the Magic Band at the stores at the Park are way better than the one that I can just pre-order from the Disney store website.

 

[Krischaser]

Thanks for all your responses. I will bring my old Magic Bands that I had from our last trip a few years ago and see if they work. If they do, great. If they don't? Oh well.

I have a free day to walk around Disney Springs on the day we arrive. I will probably take my Daughter to the World of Disney store there and see if she wants one.

It sounds like the Magic Band at the stores at the Park are way better than the one that I can just pre-order from the Disney store website.

Did your magic bands work?

 

[Dive Bar Casanova]

On the Cruise ships we’ve had to find the right crew member that can activate them for that specific trip.
They aren’t all that but they are a cool immersive gadget that the kids find fun.

 

[mrsboz]

I’m here now. You can use your old magic band. You cannot switch users. My husband has his old one and is using it. I have a brand new one as I dont know what I did with my old one. The new one doesn’t light up as much as I thought it would at rides and such.

 

[Jimsig]

I’m here now. You can use your old magic band. You cannot switch users. My husband has his old one and is using it. I have a brand new one as I dont know what I did with my old one. The new one doesn’t light up as much as I thought it would at rides and such.

On Haunted Mansion it will light up red and buzz (twice I think) just as you make the last turn before you get on the moving walkway. It then does the same thing at the end of the ride. According to my daughter, she watches all kinds of YouTube videos, the first time it does it is supposed to be your heart stopping as you need to be "dead" to ride and at the end it's your heart starting back up. It makes you a ghost.

 

[andcarro]

While great, just be careful. We lost two of four magic bands on rides last year after purchasing the basic bands.