MagicBands- Should You Get One or Not?
When you book a stay at any Disney World resort (or buy annual passes), you get the opportunity to purchase a MagicBand at a discounted price. The question is- to buy or not to buy?
In this article, you’ll hear me talk about two different styles of bands- there is the MagicBand and the MagicBand (PLUS) +. The MagicBand+ is the newer style that Disney launched in 2022, the MagicBand is the older style they’ve had for years. I’ll detail the pros and cons of the different styles below.
Can I Use MagicBands That I’ve Previously Purchased?
If you have a MagicBand from a previous trip, chances are very good that you can still use it. If it’s a MagicBand+, charge it up, and you’re ready to go. If it’s a MagicBand, chances are you can still use it with no issues. I have bands from 5 years ago that still work just fine- the batteries (or whatever is in those things) last forever.
I do not recommend, however, borrowing an old MagicBand from your cousin. Likely it’s still tied to their MDE account. It would have to be deactivated from their account and added to your own- a process that sounds much simpler than it tends to be in real life. Often you’ll find yourself at the Guest Services window after you arrive instead of enjoying the parks- that’s if you can get it to work at all.
What Are The Pros And Cons Of Purchasing A MagicBand Or MagicBand+?
Pros:
Acts as your room key for everyone on the reservation; it’s nice to know the kids have their own room keys attached to their wrists at all times. And with their online check-in system, there’s no need to go to the front desk when you arrive at all; you can simply go straight to your room and unlock the door.
Allows you to charge things to your room from your MagicBand in the parks like food and merchandise. It’s accepted in most places, but not all. You will add a PIN for security.
If you’re using the FastPass (Genie+) system, you will need to scan into every ride- the MagicBand is much easier than pulling out a phone or ticket
It’s a fun souvenir!
Cons:
It can get pricey ordering one for everyone, and it’s not strictly necessary; you can access many of the same features from your phone or even your Apple Watch.
MagicBand+ Specific Pros:
So many more cute designs!
There are games you can interact with on the Play Disney app (there is a particularly fun one in Star Wars Land).
It lights up during fireworks shows.
MagicBand+ Specific Cons:
It has to be charged every night.
It’s more expensive.
It sometimes has Bluetooth syncing issues- basically can be another piece of tech you have to mess with when some people want to feel free of that on vacation. The good thing is that these syncing issues don’t affect your ability to use it as your ticket to scan into the parks- it’s usually just when playing the games.
Each member of your family has to have their own Disney Play account and be logged into a device (phone) to play the games. If you’re not planning on playing the games, all of the other features will work fine without having their own accounts and devices.
I highly recommend getting a slider for these bands, as the fastener isn’t as secure, and the band has been known to pop off your wrist during rides (RIP to my special edition Christmas MagicBand+, which ended up at the bottom of Space Mountain).
How To Purchase Discounted Magic Bands Before Your Disney World Trip
To find the selection and pricing, you’ll want to log into your MDE (My Disney Experience) account and select My MagicBands and Cards.
View from the desktop version of the website
You should see the option to select a MagicBand for every member of your party.
Once you hit Get Started, you’ll see the selection available. The selection changes often, but the prices generally remain unchanged. As of the time of this writing (summer 2023), the MagicBand+ are discounted down to $24.99 for the solid colors, $34.99 for the themed/special edition prints, and as low as $9.99 for the older style, solid color MagicBands.
As you can see, the retail pricing for these bands is generally at least $10 more, so you are getting a deal by ordering them ahead of time. They also send them with your name printed on the back, which is not only cool, it also can help you remember whose is whose, especially if two family members want the same band. You do want to try and order them in plenty of time to have them shipped to your house. This is their shipping timeline. Be sure not to wait too long, or your window for ordering will close completely.
Note: I’ve noticed that on every account I’ve seen, it says you only have one day to complete your order. From what I can tell, this is definitely a bug, so I’d ignore it and follow the timeline below instead.
HOW TO ORDER MAGICBANDS IF YOU ARE NOT STAYING AT A DISNEY WORLD RESORT
If you are staying off-property, never fear- MagicBands are available online, and in every Disney Gift Shop on the property. Even if you are staying at a Disney World Resort, as long as you don’t mind paying full price, this is a great way to find a bigger selection of designs. I recommend either ordering online, or visiting Disney Springs the night before your first day in the park to pick out a MagicBand in person.
HOW TO CONNECT A MAGICBAND TO YOUR MDE ACCOUNT
If you order using the method above (through the MDE log in) the MagicBands will come pre-loaded onto your account, so you don’t have to do a thing!
If you order a band through the Disney online shop or buy one in a store, you’ll need to connect the MagicBand manually. It’s a very simple process. Simply log into your account, click on My MagicBands and Cards, scroll to the bottom of the page, and hit Link.
Then it’s as simple as entering your MagicBand ID number into the provided field.
That’s all there is to it! If you are one of my clients and need more information, feel free to email me at mindy@mindy.cash. If you have not booked a Disney vacation with me, what are you waiting for? Reach out here, and we’ll get started!