When do we order magic bands?

[Dakota731]

We haven't been to WDW for 7 years so this is all new to us. Do we wait until we buy tickets and where do we order them from?

 

[gap2368]

if you are staying on site in a disney hotel you get one for free and can chose your closer you would like along with your name and it will be sent to you about 30 days before your trip.

if off site you can buy one, but you do not have to have a MB

 

[hiroMYhero]

If you are an onsite guest, you'll receive MBs and they can be customized in the MagicBands and Cards section of your MDE/My Disney Experience account.

Your MBs link to your MDE account where your room door access, tickets and pre-booked FPs are also linked.

If you are not an onsite guest, your plastic ticket provides the same link as a MB - you don't need MBs to visit WDW.

 

[Dakota731]

We are staying onsite but I don't see anywhere to order them on My Disney Experience. Or will they just be sent closer to our trip date? Everything seems so much more complicated now!!

 

[hiroMYhero]

We are staying onsite but I don't see anywhere to order them on My Disney Experience. Or will they just be sent closer to our trip date? Everything seems so much more complicated now!!

You customize them in the MagicBands and Cards section of your "My Account" section. They will be sent to you about a month prior to your trip.

 

[Dakota731]

Do I have to buy park tickets first because when I go into my account/magic bands there is no where to order them?

 

[ShirikiUtundu]

Do I have to buy park tickets first because when I go into my account/magic bands there is no where to order them?

No, they are included with the resort stay.
Are you in the US? When are you visiting?

 

[dina444444]

When you go to sign in to My Disney Experience you want to click on the option labeled MagicBands and Cards. Once you do that you should see options about customizing your bands.

 

[Dakota731]

We are in the US and traveling in December. Will we just be sent the bands closer to our dates?

 

[erionm]

We are in the US and traveling in December. Will we just be sent the bands closer to our dates?

If you've linked your room reservation to your MDE account, you can customize your MagicBands at anytime.

If you customize them greater than 30 days prior to your arrival date, they will start to process and ship the bands at 30 days from arrival.
If you customize them less than 30 days prior to your arrival date, they will start to process and ship them the day after you complete the customization process.

 

[OB1]

If you purchase tickets at a different time, then you will need to link each ticket to a MB. Easy enough

My recent MB order arrived in 9 days. That totally surprised me. Seems to be 2-3 weeks normally.

 

[sb127]

If you are an international visitor they will send them to your resort so that you can pick them up when you arrive. You do not need tickets to customize magic bands but you do have to link tickets in order to select Fast Passes at the 60 day mark. I often buy tickets from Undercover Tourist or AAA and link them under the reservation and ticket section in the above post. The magic bands are not shipped until less than a month before your arrival date.