Hi Khazraj, welcome to planDisney!
My must-have accessories for a Walt Disney Resort park day include Minnie ears, my favorite Mickey earrings, and my
MagicBand+ (fully charged and paired with my mobile device). MagicBands are the magical accessories that let you tap in at theme park entry, Lightning Lane entrances, and with Disney PhotoPass photographers. Newer MagicBand+ styles also come alive during
nighttime spectaculars and allow you to immerse yourself in Star Wars: Batuu Bounty Hunters in Disney's Hollywood Studios.
As much as I enjoy using my MagicBand+, Khazraj, experience has taught me MagicBands are not as helpful or beneficial for toddlers. Let me illustrate a few of my concerns. When my daughter was three, she had a MagicBand. We removed the outer part of the wristband so it could fit her small wrist. She was not used to wearing anything on her wrist and did not like how it felt. She took it off within minutes and it spent the rest of the vacation linked to my backpack. When she was five, she tried wearing a MagicBand again. Unfortunately, it was lost somewhere in Fantasyland and we ended up at
Guest Relations getting her an admission card.
My seven-year-old son was convinced he needed a MagicBand+ for our October visit but I wasn't so sure. I ended up using a Disney MagicMobile pass for him and gave him my phone at touchpoints so he could "turn Mickey green." I let him wear my MagicBand+ during Disney Enchantment and Harmonious, and he loved being a part of the magic.
My son was still requesting his own MagicBand+ for our April visit. I told him he had to wear my MagicBand+ for an entire day to convince me it would be a wise investment. I also told him it would count as his vacation souvenir. He agreed to both stipulations and received his very own MagicBand+. While his intentions were pure, his MagicBand+ fell off multiple times during each park day. We never lost it, thank goodness, but then his wrist got sweaty in the Florida heat and he gave it to me to hold. This time, I was prepared. We visited Guest Relations to get him an admission card and clipped it to a retractable badge holder I had packed, just in case. The admission card/badge holder combo gave him the independence he desired and the security I preferred.
As my personal stories demonstrate, young children may want MagicBand+ but they do not need MagicBand+. Ultimately, it's up to you what
method of entry (MagicBand, MagicBand+, Disney MagicMobile pass, or admission card) is the best fit for the toddler in your life. Toddlers do need wiggle breaks, so I encourage you to check out the indoor play area under the big-top tent at
Dumbo the Flying Elephant.
Plan magic; planDisney.
Jennifer