Hi there, Gena, and welcome to planDisney! Your Walt Disney World Resort vacation is coming up so quickly and you must be thrilled! I'm so glad you've stopped by planDisney to ask this great question - my Panelist pals and I are here to help!
It sounds like this isn't your first vacation to the Most Magical Place on Earth, but it might have been some time since your last visit. If you're anything like me, MagicBands become souvenirs that we save for years. I have versions of all of the generations of MagicBands, and it's no surprise that all of mine are pink!
Before our most recent vacation, my son actually found two MagicBands at our house that belonged to him. He brought both of them along with us to see if either of them still worked. As it turns out, one only worked some of the time, and the other one worked perfectly! I think it's definitely worth bringing your old MagicBand to see how it fares.
The only way to know if a MagicBand is still working is by bringing it with you to Walt Disney World Resort. You can test it out at the Front Desk of your Disney Resorts Collection Hotel. The older MagicBand batteries aren't meant to last more than a couple of years, and they are not rechargeable, so it will be best for you to plan to have a backup. Happily, there are a few options for you, including ones that don't cost any money! Before your vacation, go ahead and get familiar with the My Disney Experience Mobile App. With the app, you can unlock your Disney Resort Hotel room door and you can also set up Disney MagicMobile Service. This is essentially a virtual Disney Theme Park Ticket that lives in the Wallet section of your smartphone. You might want to consider purchasing a new MagicBand+ if you want to take advantage of all of the benefits like:
- fun interactions throughout the parks with lights and vibrations
- ease of tapping in at the entrance of the parks, attractions, and Disney PhotoPass Service locations
- quick access to unlock your hotel room
- using your meals and snacks on the dining plan
- charging purchases to your Disney hotel room
- recharging your MagicBand+ batteries on the convenient charger
- and more!
If you decide not to purchase a MagicBand+ during your visit, you'll rely on the MagicMobile pass, your My Disney Experience App, or a Key to the World Card from the Front Desk of your Disney Hotel. As you can see, you have lots of great options and you don't have to decide right now if you don't want to!
Gena, I hope this has been helpful to you. Please visit planDisney anytime with more vacation planning questions!
See you real soon!
Jennifer