Hello Kathy!
I love my MagicBand! I usually don’t take it off for days after I get home from a trip. For some silly reason, they don’t accept MagicBand payment at my local grocery store! All kidding aside, I put my MagicBand in my carry-on bag and it is on my wrist as soon as we land in Orlando!
Most MagicBands are still good to use, so don’t throw them out or make a holiday wreath out of them quite yet! Yes, we have done that!
Your older MagicBands, the original version, can still work for park entry,
Lightning Lanes, and
PhotoPass if the internal long-range battery is still active. Even if that battery has lost some or all its power, the MagicBand usually still works for touch points like entering the park or Lightning Lanes. The long-range features, like linking to ride photos, are normally the first things to stop working after a few years, but the band itself is often still usable.
The way to check if your MagicBand is linked and active is to go to your
My Disney Experience account. You can check this by opening the app, going to MagicBands & Cards and confirm that the band shows as active and that it is assigned to you. If it’s active, you’re good to go!
I have a wreath full of old MagicBands and sometimes I pick an active one out and use it on my trip for nostalgia's sake. I also have a MagicBand+ that has a rechargeable battery and light-up effects during nighttime shows. I recently used my Amazing Spider-Man
MagicBand+ with my planDisney friends at Disneyland Resort!
So, Kathy, if your MagicBand is linked and active and in good shape, feel free to put it on now and use it as fancy jewelry! Or wait until the time comes that you will snap it on your wrist at the most magical place on earth!
Have a Magical Day!
Kurt