Hi Jennifer,
Welcome to planDisney! Thanks for your great question about using MagicBands and mobile devices!
In my view, as a big (and admittedly geeky) fan of both wearable tech and mobile tech, I find that I use both my
MagicBand and the
My Disney Experience mobile app on my iPhone when enjoying all the magic at the Walt Disney World Resort. They each offer some features in common, and they each have features that are unique. It's also helpful to note that you would purchase a MagicBand and download the My Disney Experience mobile app for free.
So, if you ask me the question -- can you use a MagicBand for everything or do you have to use your mobile device -- I'm going to answer that it depends on the task at hand. I'm going to suggest you make use of each tool for how they're really useful.
You'll find there are some features that both the
MagicBand and the My Disney Experience mobile app can offer you. Want to unlock your door at your
Disney Resorts Collection hotel? Want to
link your Disney PhotoPass ride attraction photos? You can use both the MagicBand and the My Disney Experience mobile app for these features. Want to enter a theme park with your valid admission? You can tap your MagicBand to the "tapstyle" at the theme park entrance, and you can use the
Disney MagicMobile Service in the My Disney Experience app.
There are some features that the MagicBand offers that the mobile app does not support. Want to charge food and merchandise purchases to your Walt Disney World Resort hotel room? You'll want to use your MagicBand.
There are lots of features that the My Disney Experience mobile app can offer you that the MagicBand does not offer. You'll want to use your My Disney Experience app to join a virtual queue for
Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance. You'll also want to use your My Disney Experience app to manage your plans, handle
mobile food and beverage ordering, view step-by-step map navigation, manage dining reservations, and join table-service restaurant wait lists. You'll also want to use your My Disney Experience app to enjoy all the super cool content that's available to help you make the most of your magical stay, including videos, tips, important updates, and even planDisney content.
Jennifer, my best suggestion is to style yourself with your favorite
MagicBand and
download the My Disney Experience app and use both to make your Walt Disney World Resort vacation simply magical.
Here's wishing you lots of Disney magic in your day today!
Jerry