Hey Howdy Hey Pamela and welcome to planDisney!
While
MagicBands are super convenient ways to access the Magic during your trip to the Walt Disney World Resort, these have come in different varieties over the years. As you mentioned, the older versions of MagicBands may still be accessible to use however there are catches. Let's go over them and your options.
With conversations with Cast Members in the past, they have all indicated a 1-2-year lifespan on the battery of MagicBand versions 1 and 2. There are plenty of people who have used them outside of this timeframe but with fewer capabilities. One of the biggest would be a lack of access to ride photos as this communication to link is now typically with Bluetooth and your MagicBand may no longer work. There are many people still able to use them when tapping into the parks and for their Lightning Lane access.
One thing you may want to consider is setting up a
MagicMobile pass on your smartphone through your My Disney Experience app. This process is free to do and may come in handy if you experience issues with your MagicBand during your trip and you don't want to purchase a MagicBand+.
I hope you have a great time on your upcoming vacation and please let us know if you have any other questions, we are always happy to help!
To Infinity and Beyond,
Nick