Using Old Magic Bands- 2015 16- battery life?

[Calle&Jakesmom]

Has anyone used older magic bands recently? I have magic bands from 2015ish that I am planning to add new tickets to. I know the predicted battery life says they no longer work- but I've hear they do. Not staying on property so I can't update the bands. Do they still work?

 

[supersnoop]

Bands will always work for contact-based use; tickets, door keys, Test Track, and linking photos from the monitors.

Only the long-distance stuff requires power; automatically linking photos and videos or displaying your name on rides with that feature.

 

[Robo]

I have magic bands from 2015ish that I am planning to add new tickets to.

The battery issue has been correctly addressed.

But, a point of order in the above statement.
No tickets (or anything else) are ever "added to" a MagicBand.

The MBs are simply a digital "key" that accesses items that are in a
guest's MyDisneyExperience file.
The MB digitally allows the system to "call up" the guest's file, and any tickets or FP+ info (etc.) in that file can be used at that time.

This is why a guest can have multiple MBs (old, new, decorated, etc.) in his name and each can be used to call up the same ticket and file information.

 

[TinkLoverSam]

I used a band I received for a stay in August 2015 on my December 2017 trip. The long range was not working and I did not get my 7DMT photo.

 

[Bullseye]

So do they always continue to work for photopass on rides? Plus do you need to link old bands on subsequent trips?

 

[Robo]

So
1. do they always continue to work for photopass on rides? Plus
2. do you need to link old bands on subsequent trips?

1. No.
2. No.

 

[han22735]

My wife likes the fit of her first gen bands better and none of them worked anymore for long range photos.

 

[glassslippergirl]

I’ll be using old MBs on my next trip. Is there a place I can go to get the 7DMT photo added by contact?

 

[Best Aunt]

Someone here on the Dis suggested that when you customize your Magic Bands, you include the date (or at least the year) of the trip. This makes it really easy to tell how old a Magic Band is. Before I saw that suggestion, I would use my initials, and that made it hard to figure out how old they were.

I just went through my Magic Bands and separated out the older ones. (I have three from 2017; my older ones are from 2015 and earlier.) I pulled off the grey part and started making a Magic Band Chain. I'll probably put it on my Christmas tree when it's longer. I de-activated these old Magic Bands in My Disney Experience. When you are having a Magic Band problem, sometimes a cast member will tell you that the problem is caused by having too many active Magic Bands. While this may or may not be true, there's no reason to have the older ones active when I know I will not be taking them with me.

 

[supersnoop]

I’ll be using old MBs on my next trip. Is there a place I can go to get the 7DMT photo added by contact?

Nope. That’s one thing that requires the long-range feature of the band. I think there’s a second ride, but I can’t remember what it is. Maybe the video on Tower of Terror?

 

[Alesia]

I’ll be using old MBs on my next trip. Is there a place I can go to get the 7DMT photo added by contact?

Nope. If you want the 7DMT photo, you'll need to buy a new MB

 

[BillFromCT]

Nope. That’s one thing that requires the long-range feature of the band. I think there’s a second ride, but I can’t remember what it is. Maybe the video on Tower of Terror?

Frozen Ever After doesn't have a touch point.

 

[MainMom]

Does the battery life include the fancy ones you buy with characters on them? My family each has one we bought and started using in June 2016. I would be bummed if they didn’t work for photos any more. Seems like a waste to buy them now if you don’t go several times per year. :/

 

[marcyleecorgan]

Does the battery life include the fancy ones you buy with characters on them? My family each has one we bought and started using in June 2016. I would be bummed if they didn’t work for photos any more. Seems like a waste to buy them now if you don’t go several times per year. :/

Sure does! The inside of all MBs are totally the same... same hardware and such.

 

[TinkLoverSam]

Pirates of the Caribbean had a ride photo with no touch points in December.

 

[MainMom]

Sure does! The inside of all MBs are totally the same... same hardware and such.

Ugh! Thanks! That’s what I was afraid of. I’ll just have to make sure at least one of us has a new MB on since we all plan to be together on the rides anyway.

 

[TinkLoverSam]

Ugh! Thanks! That’s what I was afraid of. I’ll just have to make sure at least one of us has a new MB on since we all plan to be together on the rides anyway.

Or just throw a new one in a pocket or backpack. It will still be read just like you’re wearing it but you can wear a character one.

 

[nighttowll]

I have bands from 2014 I just used in January. I didn’t have any problems using mine. However, I’m not sure about the tramitter part. I never paid attention to that as we didn’t want any pictures. I did notice our names came up at the end of IASW. No idea if that requires the transmitter or not, but if it does, it was still working.

Also, my key card from 2013 FP testing is still showing as active on my account, but I didn’t try to use it.

 

[MainMom]

Or just throw a new one in a pocket or backpack. It will still be read just like you’re wearing it but you can wear a character one.

Good idea!

 

[Best Aunt]

Also, my key card from 2013 FP testing is still showing as active on my account, but I didn’t try to use it.

I could be wrong, but I think everything (magic bands, tickets) in your MDE account shows as "active," no matter how old it us, until you go into your account and de-activate it.