What are my chances?

[vicarrieous]

Trip starts January 17th. Magic bands have to be customized by December 17th. What are the chances that I will have them for Christmas morning? I am guessing slim?

 

[Fangorn]

If your experience is like ours, this will happen:

On Dec 18, MDE will say bands are being customized
On Dec 19, MDE will say they are shipping soon.
On Dec 20, MDE may say they have shipped and you may get an email to that affect as well. Despite this, USPS won't show that they have them (despite the tracking number listed in the email. USPS tracking is a joke. They rarely update anything.)

It's doubtful that USPS will actual get them prior to the 21st. They likely won't even start on their journey until the 22nd.
With Christmas on Sunday, you have only 3-4 days for the bands to get to you. Unless you live very close the Memphis, TN distribution center for MB, your chances are pretty slim. It could happen, but not likely, particularly with the Christmas crush of packages. I know for us, out here on the West Coast, it takes a full 9-10 days from the day MDE says they've shipped to get here. And that's without the holidays being a factor.

Steve

 

[vicarrieous]

Thanks for the detail. I am going to have to come up with a secondary plan.

 

[kreckl]

I wouldn't count on it.

 

[KonaKaiTom]

Thanks for the detail. I am going to have to come up with a secondary plan.

Are custom magic bands going to be the reveal for a secretly planned trip? If yes, you could always wrap up something else - one time we went to the Disney Store and got some Disney Dollars and put them in their stockings.....it went over well.

Tom

 

[mickeygirl78]

It all depends how Disney ships them. For our September trip, the final day to customize was 8/17, then on 8/18 it said shipping soon, then they shipped 8/19. We had two rooms. My room the bands went slowest possible and we got them 8/27 however they shipped my sisters bands 2 day for some reason and she got them 8/21. Looking at your dates, I would say it is very unlikely you'll have them for Christmas.

 

[Melissakay1q]

Mine arrived around 2 weeks before my trip in September.

Maybe you could get some magic band sliders or decorations to wrap instead. They'll be all "what's this for?" And you can be all "FOR DISNEY!!"

 

[scard192]

ours "shipped" on 10/13. as of late yesterday they were in Harrisburg, PA; we are in MA.

 

[vicarrieous]

Thanks for the updates all. I am currently trying to decide on what to do otherwise. Maybe we will just reveal later as so much happens at Christmas anyway.

 

[fifthdimensiondweller]

Maybe we will just reveal later as so much happens at Christmas anyway.

Maybe you could reveal it at midnight on new years, you'd probably have them by then. : )

 

[vicarrieous]

Maybe you could reveal it at midnight on new years, you'd probably have them by then. : )

Actually that is a great idea! My kids won't make midnight but we do have a countdown party before bed and that would be fun

 

[Dbktmc]

Have you considered buying special magic bands from the Disney Store? We have purchased cute ones in the past and they all work in MDE. You could order them soon and have them in plenty of time for Christmas! And the best part...your kids could wear different magic bands while at the park!

 

[vicarrieous]

Have you considered buying special magic bands from the Disney Store? We have purchased cute ones in the past and they all work in MDE. You could order them soon and have them in plenty of time for Christmas! And the best part...your kids could wear different magic bands while at the park!

I have thought about it, but don't really want to spend the money on something they really wont need since they are happy with the plain bands.

 

[Nancyg56]

Thanks for the detail. I am going to have to come up with a secondary plan.

If my last experience with magic bands is any indication, yes, you need a backup plan.

Maybe you could reveal it at midnight on new years, you'd probably have them by then. : )

THis is what I would do. Get through Christmas and then gift the bands on NYE.

 

[Sandi]

Are custom magic bands going to be the reveal for a secretly planned trip? If yes, you could always wrap up something else - one time we went to the Disney Store and got some Disney Dollars and put them in their stockings.....it went over well.

Tom

I believe Disney Dollars were discontinued earlier this year. Disney Gift cards would work though.

 

[Bree]

I like the NYE reveal!