Hi Kara,
Welcome to planDisney! I am so excited to see you planning a visit to the Walt Disney World Resort!
Although my family still loves
MagicBands, you will be pleased to know that they are not needed for your visit. You can now use
Disney MagicMobile service with your mobile phone for park entry. Just set up your digital passes and you will be ready to go.
I will say that we use our MagicBands for Disney PhotoPass services. You can also use an Admission Card or
Disney PhotoPass card to scan in with a PhotoPass photographer when you take a photo. Regardless of whether or not you use a MagicBand, you can access your digital photos through My Disney Experience. We always check our photos through the
My Disney Experience Mobile App while we are in the parks to make sure our photos are uploading as we take them.
Given your arrival date, I have to be sure you have secured
Disney Park Pass system reservations. If you decide to change those park pass reservations, check the
theme park pass reservation availability calendar before canceling park pass reservations to make new ones. I also hope you have
advanced dining reservations.
Kara, be sure to download the My Disney Experience Mobile App so that you can use
Mobile Food & Beverage Ordering,
Mobile Dine Check-in, and
Mobile Dine Walk-up Availability. It sounds like you are almost ready to go. Remember to get some
matching shirts for your crew. It took me a while to come around to the matching t-shirts, but they make our packing so much easier!
Magic and memories,
Donyell