To Magic Band or not??

[Momx4 first visit]

Looking for some help deciding whether Magic Bands are worth the cost for our first ever trip in a few weeks. We are staying offsite and have 7 day tickets. We will be attending MNSSHP and have Memory Maker. Being a family of 5 there is a substantial cost involved for purchasing us all Magic Bands. Would love to hear opinions on if it worth the cost or to go with the plastic card / lanyard options. The kids are 4,5 and 15 if that factors in. Please help!

 

[erionm]

Since you will have Memory Maker, I would recommend you purchase at least one MagicBand. There are at least 2 rides for which you must have a MagicBand in order to get the ride photo. Those rides are: the 7 Dwarfs Mine Train and Frozen Ever After. Some rides also have a ride video which requires a MagicBand.

 

[bumbershoot]

Are you going to do photo pass or memory maker or whatever it's called? If so it might be worth having someone use a MB for ease, and there's one or two rides where you can't get the ride photo/video st all without a band.

Other than that I wouldn't buy MBs. I much prefer a lanyard.

 

[BrianL]

So, the only advantage to having a Magic Band is for the long-range capabilities, which are used for ride photos and a few other effects (these effects are often not even switched on and are largely inconsequential). Seeing that you have Memory Maker, I think a Magic Band would be a good idea because you will automatically get ALL of your ride photos without having to stop and scan your cards at the monitors. Plus, a few rides (Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, Frozen Ever After) ONLY provide ride photos and videos with a Magic Band. There is no other way to link the photos because there are no monitors or gift shops to stop at. That said, all you need is one Magic Band for your party if you are all riding together. If ride photos are important to you, I'd get at least one.

 

[siskaren]

Being a family of 5 there is a substantial cost involved for purchasing us all Magic Bands.

The solid color ones are $12.99 a piece, which is $65 total for 5 people - that's not really that much considering how much you're paying for everything else.

 

[mickeyluv'r]

The solid color ones are $12.99 a piece, which is $65 total for 5 people - that's not really that much considering how much you're paying for everything else.

We think differently.
When spending money = big time savings, then I'm all for it. In this case, I don't really see the value of buying more than one band. (When onsite, where the bands = hotel access, then they DO come in handy.)

In your place, I can think of far better ways to spend $52. (Plus, I'm thinking there's probably also sales tax.) Last time I was in FL, $52+tax = a meal for 4 people!

One band = two additional ride videos and will save you a little time, because you won't have to scan your card at every photo ride. Some rides, if you aren't sitting together, like Buzz, then you'll want to scan your tickets.

Still, scanning your tickets only takes a second while you stop to look at them.

Then again, we usually skip Memory Maker.

 

[Klayfish]

We think differently.
When spending money = big time savings, then I'm all for it. In this case, I don't really see the value of buying more than one band. (When onsite, where the bands = hotel access, then they DO come in handy.)

In your place, I can think of far better ways to spend $52. (Plus, I'm thinking there's probably also sales tax.) Last time I was in FL, $52+tax = a meal for 4 people!

One band = two additional ride videos and will save you a little time, because you won't have to scan your card at every photo ride. Some rides, if you aren't sitting together, like Buzz, then you'll want to scan your tickets.

Still, scanning your tickets only takes a second while you stop to look at them.

Then again, we usually skip Memory Maker.

This just helps illustrate that this question is completely a matter of personal opinion. I agree with others that the MB doesn't really get you any true "advantage" to using the plastic card. We're a family of 5, we stay offsite just like OP, and we're also very cheap with our money. Yet, we'd never want to go without the MB. We just like them so much better than the card. Just our preference.

 

[Lesley Wake]

I loved having a magic band during my trip (albeit we were staying onsite). Thinking for tickets and such, it just seems so much easier to hold up your wrist to both the entrance tapstyles and the fastpass entrances rather than having to pull out your tickets from your wallet, pocket, etc. It could also be just a nice souvenir to have for your family. For memory maker it will also make it easier rather than having to make sure the MB is with whomever is taking the photo and that person scans it.

If you decide to go with basic ones, you can also look on etsy and get magic band decals, like temporary tattoo stickers for your MBs. I put some on mine and got lots of compliments on them!

 

[dizluvah]

We arrive in 8 days, are staying off-site, have purchased Memory Maker and opted for Magic Bands for the 3 of us. We went with plain, less expensive bands (green was on sale for 9.99 on Amazon)

 

[kathy884]

I'm in the skip the Magic Bands camp. Maybe if I had ever had them, I wouldn't want to be without them. But since I haven't I don't miss them and don't care to spend the extra money.

 

[Surr]

You may want to consider getting a campsite or room at a value resort. All five you would get magic bands, two days of free parking, and 60 day Fastpass+ for the two days. If getting all of your photopass+ pictures is important it will help having more than one band as you will only get pictures and videos of the people in the same car as you. eg, on 7DMT depending on how everyone is seated, they may be in the next car and not in the picture with the person with the MB. You don't actually have to visit the resort or campsite if you check-in online and made the reservation far enough out for them to ship you the bands.

 

[KimBean]

I think this is one of those you don't know before you have them, but after you have them, you can't go back. I literally cannot imagine a trip where I would not spend whatever I need to spend for this convenience. I used to be the card collector, my DH was the FP runner. I don't miss those days anymore.

 

[TinkerPan]

We stay off site and have used the plastic admission cards in the past. This time I decided to splurge on magic bands for the 6 of us and am so glad I did. Everyone felt so special having their own magic band - all in different colors. Was it a necessity? No. But Disney is all about fun and feeling good. Really almost everything you spend money on there is a splurge if you think about it.

(The fact that we lost one of the plastic cards our previous trips may have influenced my decision a little bit too, I have to admit.)

 

[mickeyluv'r]

This just helps illustrate that this question is completely a matter of personal opinion. I agree with others that the MB doesn't really get you any true "advantage" to using the plastic card. We're a family of 5, we stay offsite just like OP, and we're also very cheap with our money. Yet, we'd never want to go without the MB. We just like them so much better than the card. Just our preference.

It might be worth noting, that our trips to Orlando often include Universal, so we already own/are used to using lanyards for our theme park tickets.

It is also worth noting that you already own MB, and it sounds like you often go to WDW.

If OP has never been, and only plans to go rarely, then it makes far less sense. Eventually the battery in the MB runs out.

 

[siskaren]

If OP has never been, and only plans to go rarely, then it makes far less sense. Eventually the battery in the MB runs out.

But the battery is only necessary for long-range things like ride photos - it's not needed for touch point activation like entering parks, using FP and entering your hotel room.

 

[JABRacingOne]

You may want to consider getting a campsite or room at a value resort.

We did this for our trip coming up in a few weeks.

1 night at Fort Wilderness Campsite $62. With this 1 night reservation we got:

8 Magic Bands ($103.92 value) Note: You can get Magic Bands for up to 4 adults and 6 children
2 Days free parking ($40 value)
60 day Fastpass window (Priceless)

We are staying off sight and will never set foot in the campgrounds. Its almost too good to be true.

 

[Eeyore91]

Apologies if this has been answered already, but I've got a last minute question- I'm staying offsite this weekend, so I purchased tickets online. I've heard that I'll need to go into a separate line on the first day to get my official paper tickets, then head to the regular security/entrance line. Would getting magic bands help us avoid that extra step? I'm not sure if I'd be required to do that either way, or if that would make the magic bands worth it to expedite getting into the park our first day. Thanks!

 

[siskaren]

Apologies if this has been answered already, but I've got a last minute question- I'm staying offsite this weekend, so I purchased tickets online. I've heard that I'll need to go into a separate line on the first day to get my official paper tickets, then head to the regular security/entrance line. Would getting magic bands help us avoid that extra step? I'm not sure if I'd be required to do that either way, or if that would make the magic bands worth it to expedite getting into the park our first day. Thanks!

You would actually get plastic cards, not paper tickets - they don't have paper tickets anymore. You would be able to avoid the step of getting the plastic cards if you got magic bands, but that would require a trip to DS or one of the hotels to buy magic bands. I guess then that the question is, is it worth it to make a special trip to get magic bands to avoid what will probably just take a few minutes before entering the park?

 

[Peggy5555]

We did this for our trip coming up in a few weeks.

1 night at Fort Wilderness Campsite $62. With this 1 night reservation we got:

8 Magic Bands ($103.92 value) Note: You can get Magic Bands for up to 4 adults and 6 children
2 Days free parking ($40 value)
60 day Fastpass window (Priceless)

We are staying off sight and will never set foot in the campgrounds. Its almost too good to be true.

We actually received magic bands for 5 adults, 2children over 10, and a 2 year old for the one campsite. Plus if we take 2vehicles, we both get free parking.