Where to get Old Magic Bands Checked?

[choover2576]

We have 6 year old Magic Bands linked and showing as active on my MDE. I'd like to check to see if they will let us in the tap styles before our park day. We are staying at Dolphin and I wondered if there is a Guest Services booth near the International Gateway to have them checked? My other thought is if they aren't working we could ask for Key to the Kingdom card. We have old smartphones and don't want to have to use them for entry or Lighting Lanes. TIA!

 

[Kooks and Bay Bay]

If they show and say active they will work for anything you tap.
Long range battery for things like ride photos where there is no where to tap they may not work at this point but in general if you have your bluetooth on on your phone it will capture them in the app.

 

[Chuck S]

We have 6 year old Magic Bands linked and showing as active on my MDE. I'd like to check to see if they will let us in the tap styles before our park day. We are staying at Dolphin and I wondered if there is a Guest Services booth near the International Gateway to have them checked? My other thought is if they aren't working we could ask for Key to the Kingdom card. We have old smartphones and don't want to have to use them for entry or Lighting Lanes. TIA!

They should still work. I have an old original style magic band. It still works, even though I have newer bands.

 

[DOPEY44]

Is it possible to change the battery in a magic band?

 

[Best Aunt]

I haven't heard of any method of checking to see if they will work for ride photos, other than just trying it.

 

[Best Aunt]

Is it possible to change the battery in a magic band?

No.

 

[DOPEY44]

Thanks, I might try on an old one.

 

[Simba's Mom]

And if, for whatever reason, they do stop working before you get to the WDW tap style, have no fear! They'll call for a manager, who'll give you a Key to the World card within a few seconds, and you'll be on your way! Happened to us (well, actually DH accidentally grabbed one of my old MBs at the last minute, thinking it was his but he got the dreaded blue light when he went to use it)

 

[Heathbarios]

How about 10 years? Three of the four were used in 2022 and worked, but nothing since then. The fourth was last used in 2017. I am leaning towards just buying basic new ones for everyone.

 

[thanxfornoticin]

How about 10 years? Three of the four were used in 2022 and worked, but nothing since then. The fourth was last used in 2017. I am leaning towards just buying basic new ones for everyone.

I'm pretty sure you won't actually be able to purchase 'basic' new ones. You'll probably have to buy the MB+ that are the latest. The ones you bought pre pandemic are not going to be available to purchase new......

 

[Heathbarios]

I'm pretty sure you won't actually be able to purchase 'basic' new ones. You'll probably have to buy the MB+ that are the latest. The ones you bought pre pandemic are not going to be available to purchase new......

I did see somewhere that a dead battery won't matter if we just use it to tap into rides, get into our room, or charging something to the room. Do you know if that's correct? Because that's all we'll use it for.

 

[Simba's Mom]

That’s correct!

 

[Fangorn]

I did see somewhere that a dead battery won't matter if we just use it to tap into rides, get into our room, or charging something to the room. Do you know if that's correct? Because that's all we'll use it for.

Correct. Any MB, regardless of the model or age (yes, all the way back to 2012/2013), should work just fine for anything where you tap the band to some device. The band has to be attached you your MDE account and be in "active" status of course. This is even true for a MB+ with a drained battery. There are 2 chips in the MB. The one that is read for all the tapping functions gets it's power from the tapped device - so no battery needed. The other chip is powered by the battery and is only used for special effects (MB+), ride photos where there is no tap point, and the random name display like on It's A Small World. If you don't care about any of those, any ol' MB will do.

Steve

 

[Heathbarios]

Correct. Any MB, regardless of the model or age (yes, all the way back to 2012/2013), should work just fine for anything where you tap the band to some device. The band has to be attached you your MDE account and be in "active" status of course. This is even true for a MB+ with a drained battery. There are 2 chips in the MB. The one that is read for all the tapping functions gets it's power from the tapped device - so no battery needed. The other chip is powered by the battery and is only used for special effects (MB+), ride photos where there is no tap point, and the random name display like on It's A Small World. If you don't care about any of those, any ol' MB will do.

Steve

Well I am glad our names won't show up in It's a Small World - it always weirded us out. Maybe it was the music and the animatronic kids and then our names and how do you know this are you keeping us here forever??