Howdy, Ritajean! Welcome to planDisney!
Yes, you can absolutely use a
MagicBand from five years ago for your Disney trip in January, as long as it’s still showing as “active” in your
My Disney Experience account. Disney doesn’t deactivate older bands on their end, so if yours is linked and still marked active, it should scan just fine for park entry,
Lightning Lanes, and your resort room door.
The bigger question is how well the battery is holding up. MagicBand batteries aren’t rechargeable, and most of them are expected to last a few years. Some last much longer, but it’s not guaranteed. Since your trip is coming up soon, there’s a chance your band will still work perfectly, but it’s also possible the long-range features may not respond anymore.
If you want to test it before you go, open your MagicBands list in the app and make sure it’s still active. Even then, the battery status isn’t shown, so the true test will be scanning it once you arrive. If it scans at your resort or the front gate without issues, you’re good to go. If it doesn’t, you can purchase a new one once you arrive, or you can use your mobile device.
I do like having a fresh MagicBand for peace of mind, but there’s nothing wrong with bringing your older one and trying it first. Sometimes those little bands surprise you and hang on for years. Either way, you’ll be covered once you arrive.
Have a fabulous trip, Ritajean, and stop by again if you have more planning questions.
Toodles,
Korliss