Hiya, Jose, and welcome to planDisney! My fellow Panelist friends and I are here to help with all of your vacation planning questions, and I'm so glad you've stopped by to ask us about using your MagicBand during your upcoming vacation. If you've ever used a MagicBand at a Disney Theme Park or on Disney Cruise Line, you know that there are some amazing benefits that come along with them!
For years, I have collected the MagicBands from my family's Walt Disney World Resort vacations. We have some of the original ones, as well as the version that came out shortly after, with a slightly more rounded look. I can tell how big my kids were at the time from how they chose to size their MagicBand, and I get little clues about their personality from the colors they chose. I, on the other hand, have always chosen pink, which surprises nobody! During our most recent trip to Walt Disney World Resort, my family wore a variety of ages of those MagicBands, and we had some that ended up working without issue, and others that were unreliable.
Jose, I have to tell you that the batteries on MagicBands are only expected to last a couple of years, and there's no way to tell whether a battery is still active until you try to use it at Walt Disney World Resort. If you have MagicBands that you like, and that still fit, I say bring them along and give them a try! Happily, there's an easy backup plan at your fingertips with the My Disney Experience Mobile App. All you need to do is activate
Disney MagicMobile Service. This is a pass that will live in your digital wallet on your phone, so instead of scanning a physical card or MagicBand, you'll scan your phone. I keep a MagicMobile pass for everyone in my family on my phone, just in case a MagicBand is lost or doesn't work at the time.
With your My Disney Experience App, you'll also be able to unlock your
Disney Resort Hotel room right from your phone, so if you make it to your hotel first and your MagicBand doesn't work, you can still breeze right into your room. The Front Desk at your hotel is also happy to provide you with a physical card that you can carry with you, that you can use instead of your app.
If you prefer the convenience of wearing your theme park ticket, Disney Resort Hotel room key, and payment on your wrist, I have to recommend a
MagicBand+. With fun lights, haptics, and interactive experiences, you'll find that the features are more exciting than ever! It's rechargeable, so you don't have to worry about the battery life. They're sold online and throughout Walt Disney World Resort, so don't feel pressured to order one ahead of time, if you're still wanting to try out the MagicBands you already have.
Jose, I hope this has been helpful to you today! Please stop back by planDisney with any other questions you have as you prepare for your vacation.
See you real soon!
Jennifer