Hey, Margaret! Welcome (back) to planDisney.
Oooo, I love that feeling of clicking that
MagicBand+ onto my wrist. It means that, after the long wait, I'm finally headed back to
The Most Magical Place on Earth. There's no better feeling!
The good news is that your MagicBand+ should still work just fine for your trips in 2026 and even 2027. Unlike the original MagicBands, which relied solely on an internal battery that would eventually fade, the MagicBand+ is rechargeable. As long as it powers up and connects properly to your
My Disney Experience account, it can continue to be used for park and hotel room entry,
Lightning Lane access, and interactive features. The only thing you'll want to keep in mind is that rechargeable batteries naturally age, so over time, the band may not hold a charge as long as it once did. Still, for the core functions like tapping into the parks or your resort room, it will continue to work even if the "plus" features (like lights and haptics) eventually fade.
Here's a tip from one Disney planner to another: bring your charging cable along and give your MagicBand+ a full charge the night before each park day. If you're concerned about battery life, you can always toss a portable charger into your park bag for a quick top-off. And if you decide you'd like a fresh design for the trip, new bands are always available, but you don’t need to purchase one unless you want an updated look or your old band stops holding a charge altogether.
As we say in Liverpool, "nice one" for stopping by, Margaret. I hope you have a "proper boss holiday" at the place where dreams come true and happily ever afters are made.
Mike