Hey, howdy, hey, Nina!
Welcome to planDisney, friend! We're so excited to see that you have an upcoming visit to Disney World! You must be so excited! I hope the weather stays like it has been for the last few weeks, because it has been perfect theme-park-weather!
MagicBand batteries are designed to last for about 2 years or longer... however, I definitely have some much older MagicBands in my drawer that are still functional! I'm not sure if mine go all the way back to 2016 like yours, but I have a few that I know are older than 5 years old that are in perfect working order. I wish there was a way to check their functionality at home, but the battery within the MagicBand is sealed, and there is not a way for you to safely check/replace said battery. You'll need to bring your MagicBand with you to the parks, think of a wonderful thought, and tap it on the touchpoint at the entrance of the park to know if your band is still in working order! If not, no worries, just link your ticket to your smartphone's wallet! (Do be sure that your MagicBand is still linked to your
My Disney Experience Account. Activate it online if needed.)
You'll be able to replace your MagicBand from 2016 with a
MagicBand+ at the theme parks if your old one is not working. There are some really cool designs out now, and there is a huge selection available to you at the gift shops.
I hope your upcoming trip is full of memories, Nina! If you have additional questions, feel free to reach out to planDisney again!
You've got a friend in me,
Allyn