Hello Chris, thank you for submitting a question to us here at planDisney.
As a fellow UK guest, I know we may not preorder a MagicBand. Your park tickets are perfectly valid. You do not need a MagicBand to enter the parks, but if you decide you would like one, it will be a purchase made Stateside. MagicBands have, in my experience, been readily available in various retail locations throughout Walt Disney World. You do need to make
theme park reservations in addition to a valid ticket, so if you have not done so already, now is a great time.
My top recommendation would be to download the
My Disney Experience App. It is the source of many things at Walt Disney World. Dining reservations,
Mobile Food and Beverage orders within the Parks and
Disney Resort hotels, and wait times are all available through the App - I love keeping my eye on wait times even from the UK. You could even
Check-In to your resort using my Disney Experience. It's a good idea to take some time to look around the App ahead of your trip, as it will give you time to ask any questions before enjoying your time in Florida.
While Disney
Genie service forms part of your complimentary planning toolkit in My Disney Experience, Disney
Genie+ service is an optional upgrade that can help you get the most out of your time. You can decide on the day whether the cost to access shorter queue times with Lightning Lanes is warranted. You may make your first booking at 7:00 a.m. using Disney Genie+ service so I recommend looking into its benefits ahead of time.
I would love to help with further planning guidance for your Walt Disney World trip. I hope you have a wonderful time. Louise