Hi there, Francisco! Welcome to planDisney, and thanks for stopping by with your question. It sounds like you're gearing up for an unforgettable adventure to the
Walt Disney World Resort! I'm so excited to help you navigate the magic and make sure your visit is filled with wonder, excitement, and a whole lot of pixie dust.
The Light Up Theme on a
MagicBand+ is a personalization feature that allows you to choose the color scheme of the band’s lights. However, it doesn't control all the lighting interactions you see throughout the Disney parks. Instead, it primarily affects the colors that appear during idle animations when the band is not interacting with something specific. In some cases, it may influence interactions with certain features, such as the bounty hunter game in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge or some of the Fab 50 character statues, but even those are largely controlled by Disney’s systems. Most of the lighting effects you’ll see like those during park entry, Lightning Lane scans, or nighttime shows are pre-programmed and do not reflect your chosen Light Up Theme.
MagicBand+ builds on the original MagicBand by adding more interactive features, such as vibrations and as you know, color changing lights. You can still use it to enter the parks, check in for Lightning Lanes, and unlock your Disney Resort hotel room. The band reacts to certain experiences in the parks. For example, it syncs with nighttime spectaculars like fireworks shows by glowing and pulsing in time with the music and effects. It also interacts with golden character statues throughout the parks. If you wave at a statue while wearing your MagicBand+, it may respond with lights or sound effects. One of the most immersive uses is the Star Wars Bounty Hunters game in Galaxy’s Edge at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, where the band guides you through the land using vibrations and lights to help track down virtual bounties.
Unlike previous versions, MagicBand+ requires charging. The battery typically lasts one to three days depending on how much you use its interactive features. You manage the band through the
My Disney Experience app, where you can link it to your account, choose your Light Up Theme, update the software, and check the battery status. If your band doesn’t seem to be responding during your park visit, it’s a good idea to check that it’s fully charged and up to date.
I hope you find this information helpful as you prepare for your visit to Walt Disney World, Francisco. Thank you again for visiting planDisney. We'll see ya real soon!
Kay