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Tree of Life at Sunset
  • On Oct 28, 2022
    Jeff from NY Asked Please note that experiences, policies, pricing and other offerings are subject to change and may have changed since the date of this answer.

    We have Magic Bands from our trip in 2018. Can we re-use and re-link those or do we need to buy new ones?

    Jeff,

    Thanks for asking your question to planDisney!

    A MagicBand from 2018 technically would still be a valid band to use in Walt Disney World. But I want to warn you that while these versions of MagicBands were great in terms of their battery power, ones that are more than 2 years old can often be drained of their magical energy and no longer working. Sadly, I know of no way to test that out at home, and you can't replace the batteries.

    RECOMMENDATION
    I would suggest you go with one of these two options.

    Option 1: Just bring your current bands with you and see if they work. If so, fantastic! You will be able to do most of what one of the new MagicBand+ bands can do, though obviously not everything. Some of the interactive adventures will not work with the older bands, but perhaps that is not important to you.

    If, upon arrival, you see that they are out of power and not working, at that time you can decide if you want to just go with operating from a smartphone, or if you want to purchase new MagicBand+ bands for your party. They are available in all the resort and theme park stores.

    Option 2: The second path would be just to go ahead and buy new MagicBand+ bands now. The upside there is that with many Disney vacation packages you can purchase bands ahead of your trip at a discount, via your My Disney Experience account. You would also be able to play some of the great new interactive adventures, like the Batuu Bounty Hunters quest. I did it for the first time about a month ago, and it was fun!

    BOTTOM LINE
    While it is an expense, I would go with option 2, and just buy the new bands ahead of time. But I like to get all the planning and preparation done ahead of my visit, leaving nothing to do upon arrival but run around the parks and have fun. The new adventures you can do with the MagicBand+ bands are great, and while I cannot be certain, I would not expect that your bands would still have the battery power to get you through the trip.

    Please feel free to write me back directly if you have any follow-up questions.

    Have a Magical Vacation!

    Doug

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Meet the Panelist: Doug, Indiana

I am one of the Dads on the planDisney Panel, and I love to help parents plan their vacation, with a focus on showing them how it can be fun for them too. I am also here to help Dads plan some nice surprises for the Moms in their life (they deserve it!). Learn More About Doug

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