Ka-chow, Katrina.
I’m so glad you followed Lightning McQueen through Radiator Springs and found planDisney along the way, but I’m even more excited to hear you have a Walt Disney World Resort vacation on the horizon this year!
You are correct that your MagicBand from 2018 should still work at direct “Mickey-to-Mickey” touchpoints (the door to your Disney Resort hotel room, theme park entrances,
charging purchases during your stay, etc.), so you can absolutely
reuse it on your upcoming trip. However, there is a good chance the long-range battery, which automatically links your
Disney PhotoPass attraction photos and videos to your My Disney Experience account, is no longer functioning since Disney estimates they only last about two years. There’s a chance the long-range battery might still be working enough to link your photos, but I would not bank on it.
Instead, I recommend setting up a
Disney MagicMobile pass on your smart device as a backup system. Just make sure you enable Bluetooth for the
My Disney Experience mobile app in the settings on your mobile device once you do to ensure your
attraction photos and videos link to your Disney PhotoPass gallery properly. You also have the option of purchasing a new MagicBand or MagicBand+ during your trip. They are available at most merchandise locations within the theme parks, Disney Springs, and Disney Resort hotels.
Katrina, I hope this information proves useful. If you think of anything else we can help you with in the meantime, please stop by planDisney again. Have a truly magical vacation!
You are the magic,
Alyssa